As some of you know, I’ve been on a roller coaster of losing and gaining weight for quite some time. I cut out carbs, work out and BAM I drop pounds until I hit some unseen barrier that throws me off the rails and has me gaining again. I was talking to a friend about it and was surprised to hear her say that she’d lost nearly 100 pounds over a few years. In truth, I had never really thought of her as that overweight and I guess because the weight came off gradually, I didn’t notice a drastic change, although I had noticed she seemed slimmer.
It occurred to me that instead of my BAM approach to getting healthier, I had to adopt a more subtle plan. One which I could maintain as a new lifestyle. The first thing I did was stop logging every food I ate. There was no way this was sustainable and what I really had to learn was to be more mindful of my eating. That meant understanding what was a reasonable portion and eating slower so that my brain could catch up to my mouth (something that goes for more than just eating! LOL!) Adding lots of good vegetables to my plate also helped create a feeling of fullness. When I did this I found that I was eating less and eating to satisfy hunger and not just because there was food on my plate.
I also cut our artificial sweeteners and instead started using raw sugar. I also didn’t use as much sugar. If I have a sugar craving, I try to eat fruit instead, but still allow myself the occasional piece of chocolate or other sweet.
I also didn’t totally eliminate carbs as that turned out to be a major fail. Instead I’ve learned to choose more complex carbs and have embraced new grains such as barley and farro instead of my beloved rice. If I have rice, I have brown with some quinoa thrown in!
While I believe that weight loss/gain is 75-80-% diet, I’ve made sure to work out to keep myself strong. I do cardio at least 2 to 3 times a week and strength training the other two days. On the weekends I strive to do long strolls on the boardwalk in lieu of the elliptical. Exercise helps to boost your metabolism which in turn helps burn calories. Muscle also uses more energy than fat, so it too burns more calories. A win-win.
So far, that’s all working for me, more slowly than before, but hopefully in a way that will help me not only lose it, but not gain it back!
I hope these tips help you in your quest for a healthier life
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