It's been 6 months since I got serious about losing weight, and I'm proud to say I've officially hit the 20 lb weight loss mark! I've also lost 4.5" off my waist, 2.5" off my hips, and 1.5" off each thigh. That's a lot of inches! On top of those losses making me feel good, I was able to compare my "now" photos with some "before" photos that I took back in 2008 (pre-kids) on Day 1 of P90X, and I honestly look smaller and stronger and more fit now, at the exact same weight, than I did back then. So it's not just about the number on the scale!
Anyway, since I'm not going to post any photos here (sorry, I'm not that brave), I figured I'd at least give a synopsis of my thoughts on this whole process...
Before having kids, even though I had a couple bouts of heavier weight, I never felt like I needed to diet. The times I gained weight, it was due to stress or laziness or simply too much indulging over the holidays. The weight always came off as soon as things improved and I got back into regular exercise (something that I either didn't do while stressed due to time constraints, or perhaps that the lack of which CAUSED my stress). But after having kids, the weight just seemed to sit there - I was HAPPY and only stressed with the daily full-time working mom stuff (nothing serious or emotionally draining). It took me a year and a half after having Cora to realize that I actually needed to go on a real diet (well, lets not call it a diet - lets call it a better nutrition plan, since I'm not actually dieting - just cutting my portion sizes on the things I love to eat). So, once I understood that I needed to eat better AS WELL AS exercise (~80% of weight loss is due to diet; exercise, while important, only plays a small role), I figured out a way to motivate myself. So here are my tips, in case anyone is interested.
JOIN a calorie-counting website
Nothing teaches you HOW to eat better than tracking everything you put into your mouth. Once you see how many calories are in a handful of peanuts or a few pieces of chocolate or that 24oz sweet tea, you are far more likely to do without and/or to substitute with less calorie-laden alternatives. Once you've joined a site, set realistic goals for yourself... What is your lifestyle REALLY like? (Do you sit at a desk all day? Then you are SEDENTARY!) How much can you commit to exercising each week? (Will you honestly workout 5 days per week for 45 minutes? If not, set your exercise goals to be more moderate.) How much weight do you want to lose? You may even want to give yourself a set of goals: Step 1 is to get to XXX lbs (maybe set this to be whatever weight will put you into a healthy BMI range), Step 2 (once you've reached Step 1 and feel like you can keep going) is to get to XXX lbs (maybe set this to be mid-range for your healthy BMI), and Step 3 (if you are training for some event or feel like you can push ahead to reach your healthiest weight) is to get to XXX lbs (perhaps at the low end of your healthy BMI range). Once you've done that, then you need to decide what a reasonable speed is to lose the weight. Most calorie trackers can be set to help you lose 1, 1.5, or 2 lbs per week (or to maintain your weight, or even gain weight if need be - pretty sure I'll never need that function!) It's tempting to set it to 2 lbs per week, but unless you have a LOT of weight to lose, I'd stick to 1 lb per week. Even though losing weight slowly can seem excruciating at times (especially when you hit an inevitable plateau), the slower you lose it, the more likely it is to stay off PERMANENTLY. And isn't that what we all really want? To have all this work pay off for the long term?
TELL people that you are losing weight and/or REGISTER for an event
Accountability is extremely helpful while losing weight. Tell your family and/or friends. Join a fitness and/or weight loss group. Announce it on Facebook or your blog. When you have someone to answer to, you are far more likely to stick with it and produce your desired results. Also, by making it clear that you are dieting and exercising, your family and friends will (hopefully) encourage you, attempt to provide healthy food options at parties, and maybe even join you in some of your workouts. Likewise, if you spend money (whether to join a gym or an online weight loss program, or sign up for an event), you are more likely to stick with your plan.
Drink a LOT of water
We should all drink a minimum of eight 8oz glasses of water each day, but if you're trying to lose weight, you should drink even more than that. Staying hydrated helps to keep your energy up, and it also helps to keep your belly feeling full between meals and snacks (yes, snacks are still OK while dieting - just make good choices). I aim to drink 8-12 cups per day. And give up your sodas (diet or not, you don't need them - you NEED water) and sweet tea and beer (most days, anyway!). Don't waste your calories on drinks, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Eat CLEAN
I'm sure everyone has heard about Clean Eating. You don't have to be perfect, and it's completely fine to splurge once or twice per week, but for the most part, you should be striving to eat more whole, natural, REAL foods. Stay away from the drive-thru (well, ALL restaurants, actually), stay away from boxed/frozen/pre-packaged foods, and stay away from the sweets. Sweets are desserts, which means they are TREATS, which means you shouldn't have them every day (that one was hard for me to get over).
CYCLE your calories and ROTATE your exercise
Whatever your calorie tracker has set you to consume each day is your BASE goal. Some days you will go under. Now and then you might go WAY under (especially if you have a really hard workout, or you spend the whole day doing yardwork or walking around being a tourist). And you should actually PLAN to go OVER once or twice per week. If you don't cycle your calories, your body gets into a rut. It gets used to having only XXXX calories per day, and thus prepares for it (i.e. storing fats away for a rainy day). Likewise, you shouldn't do the exact same exercise routine every week, or your body will get used to it and expect that burn (and then if you don't deliver, you'll gain weight). If you're a runner, do one long run each week and throw in some speedwork now and then to get your body moving. If you like cross-training, switch it up and do something different once or twice a week (don't just get on the elliptical every day). And regardless, take a day or two off each week. Rest days are important - they give your body time to heal and recover, and muscle to build. The more muscle you have, the better your metabolism will be and the more calories you'll burn.
Finally, just remember that weight loss and improved fitness take time and commitment. The first 2-3 weeks are difficult, but you'll be surprised how easily you fall into your new lifestyle. And depending what you choose for fitness, you might just become addicted to it (hello runner's high!) You really can do anything you set your mind to do!
