Still, every day is a struggle.
I make associations to over eating and addiction a lot. People smoke, drink, do drugs to escape reality, cope, forget about the things that upset them, to avoid dealing with mental issues they might have. It's not always as simple as chasing a high. I've heard people say they overeat to feel comfort or fill a void and I'm not sure I can say that strikes an exact chord, but eating does call to me when my mental state is hurting. Of course, eating may then cause poorer mental states, but so does drinking and smoking.
There is, however, one huge difference between ending a chemical dependency and trying to diet. One of the main goals of quitting smoking, drinking, etc is to get to place where you don't think about it every minute of every day. You use many tools, including mind over matter, to put it out of your mind and end that thought process.
A human cannot end their dependency on food. When we are not watching our weight, we are not thinking about food. This is how our dependency on fat and sugars is created, but NOT thinking. When we want to lose weight, it will only work if you ARE thinking about food and exercise every minute of every day. Not only do you have to talk yourself out of temptation, you have to talk yourself into the right choices.
FOR ME it was easier to quit smoking and is easier for me to quit caffeine (which I never do permanently, but I do from time to time). I cannot say that dieting is more difficult that quitting heroin as I've never been a hardcore drug addict. I can say, however, that the battle might be longer. While coke addicts have been known to say that they still wish they could do it years and years after they quit, the ones I know personally have also admitted it's only an occasional thought. Someone prone to weight problems has to think about food and such every single day for the rest of their lives. Let your guard down and the next thing you know, you're plumping out again. Take a break and you know that losing weight is a tough train to get back on.
Mental Relation
The fact is, I'm having to admit that my mental state relates completely to my eating habits and I can no longer blame my eating habits for my mental state. I've known this to be true for a long time, but I read and hear so much from thin people saying that eating causes these mental problems that I don't feel I can speak out and say sometimes (probably most of the time!) it's the other way around so give me a break. Give all of us a break. Mental health coverage in this country sucks. Maybe if it was better, we could bring these things to light.
I feel any moods I experience are blamed on my weight, and that implies they are not real. The problem I am having now is that I know I cannot fix my weight UNTIL I fix other things, but I cannot figure out how to do that. I'm stuck in a cycle. It's exhausting.
Heat
Walking in the heat sucks. It's not going to cool lower than 85 until after 10 pm for the next few days. ARGH! It's SO hot. ALL the time. It gets so warm in the morning. Scott and I still go together. Can we go in the morning? Well, yes if I want to wake up at 3:30 because he starts getting ready for work at 4:10 and works at 6. We can't go later than 8 at night, either, because with that early work schedule, he has to go to bed early, plus he has his eyesight problems so we can't go after dusk or he can't see minor things like big sidewalk cracks... he's tripped on them more than once.
ARGH. I wish we could afford a gym membership sometimes.... like when it is hot or when there is ice on the sidewalks...
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Friday, October 12, 2012
Update
Yes, we've been neglectful. We've actually been back onto good eating habits along with continuing our walks for the last few weeks. My scale broke, but if my pants are an indication, I've lost at least a few little pounds.
Back on track
Things that are hard to get back to resisting: baking (I so LOVE to bake!), putting sauces on food to make them more palatable, and choosing butter OR jam for toast; not both. In comparing stories, I hear much about how people think they are eating better, but can't lose weight. One thing I notice on counting calories is they skip counting cream in coffee, butter on toast, etc, etc. So, this is my official statement to remind people, you must count everything that passes your lips, even if they are hanging on to something else like a little parasite. Low fat, low calorie dressings still add calories to your salad. Nuts may contain good fats, but also a lot of calories. Adding croutons, nuts, raisins, OR bacon bits to a salad can make it more tasty. Adding all of them makes it a hamburger (from the calorie perspective.)
It's all about choices and when you are confining yourself to a strict diet of difficult choices, it makes other things easier to avoid. Today I thought I might treat myself to that leftover cupcake from book club last week. I kept it covered, but took a bite and...it was tasty, but a little dry. Not delectable so I realized that in my moment of weakness I was about to sell out several hundred calories for that disappointment and I threw it away. If I'm going to have a goodie, it better be melt in the mouth, taste-bud party delicious. Otherwise I'll save it for a reliable tasty goodness like my favourite creamer in coffee or a little cheese on my tomato bisque lunch.
Other things: I turned on TV the other day to while away some time while making a Halloween decoration only to be confronted by a certain TV doctor (from over the rainbow?) who I regard highly, but who I do disagree with on rare occasion, touting the evils of artificial sweeteners. Look, I know they aren't good for you, but I still say if you are trying to lose weight, unless you are the rare breed who can change their life completely overnight and not be tempted by anything, then it's a lesser evil. In order to make the whole diet thing doable, I, personally, being a human being with thoughts, feelings, temptations, and weak moments, must have one treat a day to get me through. For me, it's diet soda. Sure I'd do better if I quit the soda, but that's unrealistic. Asking someone to be 100% perfect in how they eat and how much the exercise is the unrealistic bit. For some people, having nutra sweet makes them crave MORE sweets so if that's the case, they shouldn't use this substitute. No one can do our exact diet because it wouldn't work for someone else.
Anyone who wants to eat healthy must hear the news every day and consider becoming anorexic because it's impossible to make sense of one study after another. That being said, This TV Dr. mentioned the cancer risks associated with artificial sweeteners and this bothered me. Just because you've heard something for decades doesn't make it true. The fact is the one study showing cancer risks to mice in the 70s has been dis-proven hundreds of times. I lost the article with the exact numbers, but I assure you it was a reputable source. Besides, artificial sweeteners do not affect diabetes or tooth decay. (I thought it did, but according to a New York Times article comparing sweeteners, they do not! Good to know!)
I have some to realize that the knowledge we gain in high school health class is like basic math. It's find for everyday life, but in order to solve REAL problems (like imbalance, losing weight, gaining weight, making up for allergies, etc) you need to know Calculus Nutrition. I'm becoming a bit more Algebraic Nutritionist with all my research, but the way I live and eat day to day is more remedial. I just feel so bombarded with information saying whatever choice you make is the wrong choice. It's completely overwhelming! Of course, the information they fill our heads with is maintaining perfect nutrition. If you're off, you'll need to compensate, and if you need to lose weight, well, forget it. There really is, imo, no way to lose weight and still eat everything you're supposed to eat. Still, it's better than OVEReating bad fats so I'll only defend the choices to a point.
When you are in a group, especially with women, there will always be that person who has the answer to your problems, too. If you tell them you are doing everything, they will have the key to why you aren't losing weight. They can be wrong, but still convinced because it is what worked for them. There are the ones who convince you it's easy if you just hit the right formula or do this one trick they know.
It does get easier, I'll give them that, but it's not easy. I repeat, is in not easy. Not at any point, and especially at the jumping off point. I think it's the combination of too much BAD information from sources people trust (the news, TV doctors, and uninformed physicians - who act like experts, but let's keep in mind they are required to stay refreshed on their specific specialty and between that, patients, and a personal life are unlikely to become armchair experts in anything else like nutrition), pressure from friends and family, people who make it sound like your social obligation to be thin, and people who make it all sound so easy that sets many people up for failure when it comes to weight loss. At some point, just close your eyes, point, commit to a plan, and follow it no matter what else you learn along the way. Of course if you realize you're not eating foods with potassium, you could adjust your diet to include bananas or if you have low iron, it might be good to pile on spinach to the salad or eat more meat, but every time a study pops up or someone tells you you are doing it wrong is not enough reason to quit or sabotage the plan.
Workouts
Last note, a few weeks ago I was told about a webpage <a href="http://www.skimble.com/">Skimble</a>. It has a great variety of workouts and it's easy to find what you need to focus on. It is designed as a smart phone app, but for those of us who like our phones stupid, it's still easy enough to navigate and do in front of the computer screen. We walk 7 days a week, but I do my other workouts 2-3 times a week (my goal is 3-4, but I have to be proud of every little accomplishment these days!) and I have found mixing these in keeps it lively. Not all require equipment, but many do. It's just another nice resource.
Back on track
Things that are hard to get back to resisting: baking (I so LOVE to bake!), putting sauces on food to make them more palatable, and choosing butter OR jam for toast; not both. In comparing stories, I hear much about how people think they are eating better, but can't lose weight. One thing I notice on counting calories is they skip counting cream in coffee, butter on toast, etc, etc. So, this is my official statement to remind people, you must count everything that passes your lips, even if they are hanging on to something else like a little parasite. Low fat, low calorie dressings still add calories to your salad. Nuts may contain good fats, but also a lot of calories. Adding croutons, nuts, raisins, OR bacon bits to a salad can make it more tasty. Adding all of them makes it a hamburger (from the calorie perspective.)
It's all about choices and when you are confining yourself to a strict diet of difficult choices, it makes other things easier to avoid. Today I thought I might treat myself to that leftover cupcake from book club last week. I kept it covered, but took a bite and...it was tasty, but a little dry. Not delectable so I realized that in my moment of weakness I was about to sell out several hundred calories for that disappointment and I threw it away. If I'm going to have a goodie, it better be melt in the mouth, taste-bud party delicious. Otherwise I'll save it for a reliable tasty goodness like my favourite creamer in coffee or a little cheese on my tomato bisque lunch.
Other things: I turned on TV the other day to while away some time while making a Halloween decoration only to be confronted by a certain TV doctor (from over the rainbow?) who I regard highly, but who I do disagree with on rare occasion, touting the evils of artificial sweeteners. Look, I know they aren't good for you, but I still say if you are trying to lose weight, unless you are the rare breed who can change their life completely overnight and not be tempted by anything, then it's a lesser evil. In order to make the whole diet thing doable, I, personally, being a human being with thoughts, feelings, temptations, and weak moments, must have one treat a day to get me through. For me, it's diet soda. Sure I'd do better if I quit the soda, but that's unrealistic. Asking someone to be 100% perfect in how they eat and how much the exercise is the unrealistic bit. For some people, having nutra sweet makes them crave MORE sweets so if that's the case, they shouldn't use this substitute. No one can do our exact diet because it wouldn't work for someone else.
Anyone who wants to eat healthy must hear the news every day and consider becoming anorexic because it's impossible to make sense of one study after another. That being said, This TV Dr. mentioned the cancer risks associated with artificial sweeteners and this bothered me. Just because you've heard something for decades doesn't make it true. The fact is the one study showing cancer risks to mice in the 70s has been dis-proven hundreds of times. I lost the article with the exact numbers, but I assure you it was a reputable source. Besides, artificial sweeteners do not affect diabetes or tooth decay. (I thought it did, but according to a New York Times article comparing sweeteners, they do not! Good to know!)
I have some to realize that the knowledge we gain in high school health class is like basic math. It's find for everyday life, but in order to solve REAL problems (like imbalance, losing weight, gaining weight, making up for allergies, etc) you need to know Calculus Nutrition. I'm becoming a bit more Algebraic Nutritionist with all my research, but the way I live and eat day to day is more remedial. I just feel so bombarded with information saying whatever choice you make is the wrong choice. It's completely overwhelming! Of course, the information they fill our heads with is maintaining perfect nutrition. If you're off, you'll need to compensate, and if you need to lose weight, well, forget it. There really is, imo, no way to lose weight and still eat everything you're supposed to eat. Still, it's better than OVEReating bad fats so I'll only defend the choices to a point.
When you are in a group, especially with women, there will always be that person who has the answer to your problems, too. If you tell them you are doing everything, they will have the key to why you aren't losing weight. They can be wrong, but still convinced because it is what worked for them. There are the ones who convince you it's easy if you just hit the right formula or do this one trick they know.
It does get easier, I'll give them that, but it's not easy. I repeat, is in not easy. Not at any point, and especially at the jumping off point. I think it's the combination of too much BAD information from sources people trust (the news, TV doctors, and uninformed physicians - who act like experts, but let's keep in mind they are required to stay refreshed on their specific specialty and between that, patients, and a personal life are unlikely to become armchair experts in anything else like nutrition), pressure from friends and family, people who make it sound like your social obligation to be thin, and people who make it all sound so easy that sets many people up for failure when it comes to weight loss. At some point, just close your eyes, point, commit to a plan, and follow it no matter what else you learn along the way. Of course if you realize you're not eating foods with potassium, you could adjust your diet to include bananas or if you have low iron, it might be good to pile on spinach to the salad or eat more meat, but every time a study pops up or someone tells you you are doing it wrong is not enough reason to quit or sabotage the plan.
Workouts
Last note, a few weeks ago I was told about a webpage <a href="http://www.skimble.com/">Skimble</a>. It has a great variety of workouts and it's easy to find what you need to focus on. It is designed as a smart phone app, but for those of us who like our phones stupid, it's still easy enough to navigate and do in front of the computer screen. We walk 7 days a week, but I do my other workouts 2-3 times a week (my goal is 3-4, but I have to be proud of every little accomplishment these days!) and I have found mixing these in keeps it lively. Not all require equipment, but many do. It's just another nice resource.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A few words about depression.
About 5 years ago when I joined Curves, they gave me a book. I brought it home and it sat around for a couple of months before I read it and when I finally did, I found a lot of information I had heard before. After years of being overweight, you become an arm chair expert on losing weight whether you like it or not. Everyone has advice. Pretty soon you start sorting out the information based on source and practicality. The rest of it gets filed away and dismissed because it's a bunch of hooey. Still, you hear it all. The book had very little "new" information to share, but it did start out by offending me with its chapter about how eating is immature because it is giving in. Whatever! It's called survival instinct whether a person overeats or not. It's about limits. Calling eaters immature is a rude, bullying tactic - something I recognize quickly after years of school bullying.
Anyway, at the end of the book, it claimed to be reporting a series of studies showing how exercise affected depression. The source they used had three groups; one that was on anti-depressant medication, one which combined medication and exercise, and the third used exercise alone to control depression. According to them, of course, because we must sell, sell, sell the gym, they reported that the third group had the most success.
I've dealt with depression, too, and have gotten pretty damn good at hiding it. I've heard eating right and exercise is all a person needs to get over it. I've heard many things relating the two, actually. Reading it in that book gave me so much hope - I pinned everything on it.
Today I would like to say to all those people who say exercise will help with depression: You are all liars. LIARS. After a number of months at Curves, the depression started to settle in. I tried doing things for other people. I tried eating better. I tried exercising even more. I feel sure it wasn't related to my weight or weight loss because it wasn't something that came up when I felt bad, nor did thinking about those things make me feel worse. I just felt blue, then down, then worse and nothing helped. Nothing in my life gave cause for this (just to dispell people who think only when bad things happen to a person do they have the right to be depressed) it was just there like a dark shadow.
Well, maybe I have reason now, but my life is pretty good. I have kept exercising great. Yeah, I haven't been perfect on my diet, but I'm not eating a ton of bad stuff (except when I'm at parties. I don't know what it is, but I'm allowing myself to indulge when I'm in a party setting more than I had been). At home and most of the time, I eat within my calories and even when I go over, there are quite a few great things I'm eating so the bad isn't a bunch of Twinkies or potato chips. Still, it's been bad. Bad enough that I look back at that time at Curves and look at things now and have two cases where I can confirm YOU ARE ALL LIARS. It is ridiculous to think a fat person is depressed because of how they eat or how much they exercise. No one would accuse a skinny person of the same thing.
I don't want to talk about it too much, really, but trying to claw my way out is just as exhausting as being depressed in the first place. Still, I think I've pretty well established my reluctance for medical help no matter how bad things get. Hey, next time I almost bleed to death, I promise to go to a hospital.
Anyway, at the end of the book, it claimed to be reporting a series of studies showing how exercise affected depression. The source they used had three groups; one that was on anti-depressant medication, one which combined medication and exercise, and the third used exercise alone to control depression. According to them, of course, because we must sell, sell, sell the gym, they reported that the third group had the most success.
I've dealt with depression, too, and have gotten pretty damn good at hiding it. I've heard eating right and exercise is all a person needs to get over it. I've heard many things relating the two, actually. Reading it in that book gave me so much hope - I pinned everything on it.
Today I would like to say to all those people who say exercise will help with depression: You are all liars. LIARS. After a number of months at Curves, the depression started to settle in. I tried doing things for other people. I tried eating better. I tried exercising even more. I feel sure it wasn't related to my weight or weight loss because it wasn't something that came up when I felt bad, nor did thinking about those things make me feel worse. I just felt blue, then down, then worse and nothing helped. Nothing in my life gave cause for this (just to dispell people who think only when bad things happen to a person do they have the right to be depressed) it was just there like a dark shadow.
Well, maybe I have reason now, but my life is pretty good. I have kept exercising great. Yeah, I haven't been perfect on my diet, but I'm not eating a ton of bad stuff (except when I'm at parties. I don't know what it is, but I'm allowing myself to indulge when I'm in a party setting more than I had been). At home and most of the time, I eat within my calories and even when I go over, there are quite a few great things I'm eating so the bad isn't a bunch of Twinkies or potato chips. Still, it's been bad. Bad enough that I look back at that time at Curves and look at things now and have two cases where I can confirm YOU ARE ALL LIARS. It is ridiculous to think a fat person is depressed because of how they eat or how much they exercise. No one would accuse a skinny person of the same thing.
I don't want to talk about it too much, really, but trying to claw my way out is just as exhausting as being depressed in the first place. Still, I think I've pretty well established my reluctance for medical help no matter how bad things get. Hey, next time I almost bleed to death, I promise to go to a hospital.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Creative Exercise
Well, I guess I got a little over-excited. I hoped some of the lower hiking areas would be open so we drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Instead we found even the lowest ones were closed/snowed in. Moving back down the mountain, we stopped at a lovely picnic area and got our "creative exercise" by exploring, trekking up the hills and onto the rocks around the creek.
And so it begins...
And so it begins...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Getting Started
I know it seems a little nuts to put something about getting started as the 30th post and nearly 2 months into the blog. These moments have passed for me, so I don't think about them as much. It is important, though, to get off to a solid start - to take a moment and think about what you are doing.
1. Record.
Begin by NOT changing. For at least a week (not more than two, I should think) continue to eat and exercise normally. Grab a small notebook that you can keep with you and make sure you have a pen. I recommend dividing it into three sections.
Section A is what you eat. Record everything. "If you bite it, write it" is the phrase I've heard. Picking a french fry off your kid's plate should be noted. Calculate calories of these foods to the best of your ability. Most nutritional guides can be found online, but don't look them up until after you have eaten out because it can affect your eating habits whether it's out of guilt or more of a subconscious reaction.
Section B is where you record your activities. Make sure to note what the activity is and the time it takes you to complete it. Note things like resistance (weights in weight training) or distance (walking, biking).
Section C should be dedicated to notes. You can put anything you like: how you feel on a given day, what your goals might be, how you feel about weight loss, what psychological hindrances you think may have helped you get to the weight you are, ANYTHING. You should examine things like why you want to lose weight and what is going through your mind. I find these things help me sort out the truths in my mind even though I may not be ready to face some of them until much further along.
I did something similar to this when I started losing weight at Curves several years ago. Although I only lost 30 lbs over the course of 18 months, I did find that I learned a lot about myself. I wish I had done it again before starting this time because I find myself thinking back and wondering about the differences. Things are working this time so I suppose the notebook isn't necessary, but what's the harm? You'll know your before and after without having to wonder.
2. Goals.
We don't believe in end result goals, per se. When you are as overweight as we, smaller goals are more realistic and visible. Saying that we will be in the ideal weight for our height is intimidating as well as unrealistic. Scott's first goal was to get down to the weight he was when we got married in 1997. For me, I didn't even like having goals at all. They just add stress when it doesn't happen as fast as I want and I go a little crazy if the scale moves up just one pound when I have goals. My goal was to generally be declining instead of increasing. I suppose I still made tiny goals once in a while. If the scale started reading 287-288, I would tell myself that I did not want to see 29+ again. Right now I have just dipped below 238 so I do no wish to see anything over 240 when I get on the scale.
The point is, you have to know yourself and what works for you. Do you need to see where the end will be in order to reach it? Do you prefer to just see results? Try to figure that out before you go in, but be flexible if you find it's not working for you.
3. Resources.
I found Spark People to be a great resource, but I also learned quickly that these group activities don't work for me. I joined, but it was a few months later before I used the tools. I found out how to calculate the mileage of walks in my neighborhood. I hunted down videos to help with strength training and super short workouts for when I just wanted to add a little 10 minute activity to my regularly scheduled exercise. There are recipes and calorie counting guides in easy to use, convenient trackers. I used it faithfully for a month. I didn't lose a single pound the entire month. I don't know why, can't explain. I found articles of motivation and short pieces about how to overcome plateaus. I used everything I could imagine and still stayed in the same place. I didn't relate it to the webpage at first because I could see awesome graphs showing how well I was eating and nifty charts to show that I exercised even more than I had before using it. Surely it couldn't be that. Well, at one point I decided to take a break from tracking for a week and see if it made a difference. I immediately started losing weight again.
Group weight loss isn't for everyone, but I still might recommend signing up on of these pages. I still go there occasionally to update my weight and measurements, but mainly to look things up when I need them. A new workout can be useful at times and when we try a new walk, I like to record it so that I know the distance. It's useful to have a go-to webpage for the bulk of weight-loss research.
4. Ready, Set, Go.
Now that you've got the tools, goals, and recent activity to lean on, it's time to start the actual plan of attack. Yes, we are doing this to be healthy, but let's face it, weight loss is an important part of that. Make sure you are mentally ready to commit to these new goals and to the changes you will have to make. I took a while to get started last summer for various reasons. I liked my life, felt okay, and had no medical scares. I compared myself to my husband and had deluded myself into this weird thought process. "He's eating a big huge burger with beef, pastrami, and sauces spilling out. He's downing the largest french fries available. I'm eating this little gyro which is leaner meat, yogurt sauce, and a type of flat bread. On the side, though fried, what's underneath is mushrooms or zucchini. I'm eating healthier." "Well, he gets winded coming up stairs. I get out and walk once in a while. I'm exercising more. I must be healthier."
Healthier, my friends, is not the same as healthy. It took me quite some time to figure that out.
When he had his medical scares and decided it was time to do something about it, we walked together. It took him a few months just to get up to the speed I walked normally. It was actually hard for me to walk that slow! At first I changed some eating habits a little, but I hadn't quite started counting calories.
Suddenly, he started melting and I lost all of 5 pounds. We started buying foods based on his diet and the supplies of chips, sweets, and other junk in the house began to dwindle. His walking speed increased and, with a Disneyland trip I had planned coming quickly, we increased our distance as well so we would be sure to be ready. NOW I was ready to jump into the pool instead of just dangling my toes.
For some, you can just begin and start changing your life immediately. For the ones like me who need more time to adjust, I recommend the following steps:
A. Cut out obvious junk foods.
If you like to sit with half a bag of oreos dunking them in milk while watching a movie, try taking just the serving size and making the milk a little smaller. If you like to relax after work with a bag of chips and a container of dip, try taking a handful of chips and putting them in a bowl - leave the bag in the kitchen - and make that yogurt dip I've mentioned or scoop out just a tablespoon or two and leave the rest in the fridge. I liked to buy candy bars from time to time and eat 1-2 in a sitting. I stopped buying them and instead opted for a bite sized one from other people's houses (with Halloween coming up, everyone was offering). Examine those especially bad eating habits and cut them out or, at least, cut them down to one serving size per day.
B. Change activity level.
If you go walking once a week, add in a second day. If you go three times a week, try doing yoga, lifting weights, or just jogging during in place during your favorite show on television. We started by going for a 1/2 mile walk, but we did it every day. At first it took over 30 minutes. By the time Scott was up to speed, it was down to 20. Now we can do 1 mile in 20 minutes, though our goal is to go at least 1.5 -2 miles at least 3 times a week.
C. Still not ready to jump in the hole?
If you still feel you have room to improve before taking on the full challenge, I would next recommend cutting visits to restaurants and fast food joints by half. When you go, never order fries; opt for any fruit or vegetables they might offer like broccoli, apples, etc. Also, look for ways to burn extra calories; walk into the bank instead of using drive-through. Save the money and go into a grocery store to buy soda instead of buying the overpriced smaller ones at the gas station. When you crave something at home, jump up and get it instead of thinking about it, putting it off, or saving it as an activity to do several things at once.
D. Jump in!
Do the above for a week or two, then start counting your calories. If it helps, write what you eat. Make sure you are cutting at least 20% off the calories you ate during that first week of recording. Increase your activity double if possible. If you are as large as we, it was recommended we eat 2200-2500 calories (more for Scott). Had we done that, over the course of weight loss we could continue to cut our calories along the road and maintain slow weight loss. It's probably the healthiest route. The problem is that years ago when I recorded calories, I found I only ate 2000-2250. I had messed up my metabolism in such a way that my body could not burn a normal diet. By doing this diet at 1200 calories and being much more careful to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (though I still lapse. Yesterday I ate a small breakfast and forgot to eat again until 9 pm) I seem to have fixed my metabolism. It functions the way doctors and nutritionists say it should function now (YAY!) That's another plus. Scott wanted to go 1200-1500 because he felt he needed that strict discipline or he would cheat. The problem this causes, of course, is saggy skin as well as the fact that we're both slowing down a little on sending those pounds on their journey to Canada or wherever weight goes when it isn't on my ass. I've got tricks around that, though, and tricks around plateaus which I will detail another day.
So, make sure you're ready to commit to yourself. You can go to weight watchers, join online groups, or just tell all your friends you want to lose weight, but it's you that needs the commitment. Talking out loud solidifies that process, I've heard, but I think talking about it is more about being mentally ready than it is about making it known so you have to answer to someone. Your friends will love you no matter what and you know that so it's not much of a promise if you make it to them. Unfortunately, you will always know when you've cheated yourself (too bad you can't hide the candy bars from yourself, eh!?) so it's got to be internal for it to really work.
Best of luck. If, like me, you think of all these things AFTER you've started dieting, it's not too late. You can still take a moment to record goals and write journal entries about why you may have gained weight or why you want to lose it. Start thinking about other activities you may want to add in order to stave off boredom. Ask yourself tough questions, but don't answer them for a few weeks. You might surprise yourself.
1. Record.
Begin by NOT changing. For at least a week (not more than two, I should think) continue to eat and exercise normally. Grab a small notebook that you can keep with you and make sure you have a pen. I recommend dividing it into three sections.
Section A is what you eat. Record everything. "If you bite it, write it" is the phrase I've heard. Picking a french fry off your kid's plate should be noted. Calculate calories of these foods to the best of your ability. Most nutritional guides can be found online, but don't look them up until after you have eaten out because it can affect your eating habits whether it's out of guilt or more of a subconscious reaction.
Section B is where you record your activities. Make sure to note what the activity is and the time it takes you to complete it. Note things like resistance (weights in weight training) or distance (walking, biking).
Section C should be dedicated to notes. You can put anything you like: how you feel on a given day, what your goals might be, how you feel about weight loss, what psychological hindrances you think may have helped you get to the weight you are, ANYTHING. You should examine things like why you want to lose weight and what is going through your mind. I find these things help me sort out the truths in my mind even though I may not be ready to face some of them until much further along.
I did something similar to this when I started losing weight at Curves several years ago. Although I only lost 30 lbs over the course of 18 months, I did find that I learned a lot about myself. I wish I had done it again before starting this time because I find myself thinking back and wondering about the differences. Things are working this time so I suppose the notebook isn't necessary, but what's the harm? You'll know your before and after without having to wonder.
2. Goals.
We don't believe in end result goals, per se. When you are as overweight as we, smaller goals are more realistic and visible. Saying that we will be in the ideal weight for our height is intimidating as well as unrealistic. Scott's first goal was to get down to the weight he was when we got married in 1997. For me, I didn't even like having goals at all. They just add stress when it doesn't happen as fast as I want and I go a little crazy if the scale moves up just one pound when I have goals. My goal was to generally be declining instead of increasing. I suppose I still made tiny goals once in a while. If the scale started reading 287-288, I would tell myself that I did not want to see 29+ again. Right now I have just dipped below 238 so I do no wish to see anything over 240 when I get on the scale.
The point is, you have to know yourself and what works for you. Do you need to see where the end will be in order to reach it? Do you prefer to just see results? Try to figure that out before you go in, but be flexible if you find it's not working for you.
3. Resources.
I found Spark People to be a great resource, but I also learned quickly that these group activities don't work for me. I joined, but it was a few months later before I used the tools. I found out how to calculate the mileage of walks in my neighborhood. I hunted down videos to help with strength training and super short workouts for when I just wanted to add a little 10 minute activity to my regularly scheduled exercise. There are recipes and calorie counting guides in easy to use, convenient trackers. I used it faithfully for a month. I didn't lose a single pound the entire month. I don't know why, can't explain. I found articles of motivation and short pieces about how to overcome plateaus. I used everything I could imagine and still stayed in the same place. I didn't relate it to the webpage at first because I could see awesome graphs showing how well I was eating and nifty charts to show that I exercised even more than I had before using it. Surely it couldn't be that. Well, at one point I decided to take a break from tracking for a week and see if it made a difference. I immediately started losing weight again.
Group weight loss isn't for everyone, but I still might recommend signing up on of these pages. I still go there occasionally to update my weight and measurements, but mainly to look things up when I need them. A new workout can be useful at times and when we try a new walk, I like to record it so that I know the distance. It's useful to have a go-to webpage for the bulk of weight-loss research.
4. Ready, Set, Go.
Now that you've got the tools, goals, and recent activity to lean on, it's time to start the actual plan of attack. Yes, we are doing this to be healthy, but let's face it, weight loss is an important part of that. Make sure you are mentally ready to commit to these new goals and to the changes you will have to make. I took a while to get started last summer for various reasons. I liked my life, felt okay, and had no medical scares. I compared myself to my husband and had deluded myself into this weird thought process. "He's eating a big huge burger with beef, pastrami, and sauces spilling out. He's downing the largest french fries available. I'm eating this little gyro which is leaner meat, yogurt sauce, and a type of flat bread. On the side, though fried, what's underneath is mushrooms or zucchini. I'm eating healthier." "Well, he gets winded coming up stairs. I get out and walk once in a while. I'm exercising more. I must be healthier."
Healthier, my friends, is not the same as healthy. It took me quite some time to figure that out.
When he had his medical scares and decided it was time to do something about it, we walked together. It took him a few months just to get up to the speed I walked normally. It was actually hard for me to walk that slow! At first I changed some eating habits a little, but I hadn't quite started counting calories.
Suddenly, he started melting and I lost all of 5 pounds. We started buying foods based on his diet and the supplies of chips, sweets, and other junk in the house began to dwindle. His walking speed increased and, with a Disneyland trip I had planned coming quickly, we increased our distance as well so we would be sure to be ready. NOW I was ready to jump into the pool instead of just dangling my toes.
For some, you can just begin and start changing your life immediately. For the ones like me who need more time to adjust, I recommend the following steps:
A. Cut out obvious junk foods.
If you like to sit with half a bag of oreos dunking them in milk while watching a movie, try taking just the serving size and making the milk a little smaller. If you like to relax after work with a bag of chips and a container of dip, try taking a handful of chips and putting them in a bowl - leave the bag in the kitchen - and make that yogurt dip I've mentioned or scoop out just a tablespoon or two and leave the rest in the fridge. I liked to buy candy bars from time to time and eat 1-2 in a sitting. I stopped buying them and instead opted for a bite sized one from other people's houses (with Halloween coming up, everyone was offering). Examine those especially bad eating habits and cut them out or, at least, cut them down to one serving size per day.
B. Change activity level.
If you go walking once a week, add in a second day. If you go three times a week, try doing yoga, lifting weights, or just jogging during in place during your favorite show on television. We started by going for a 1/2 mile walk, but we did it every day. At first it took over 30 minutes. By the time Scott was up to speed, it was down to 20. Now we can do 1 mile in 20 minutes, though our goal is to go at least 1.5 -2 miles at least 3 times a week.
C. Still not ready to jump in the hole?
If you still feel you have room to improve before taking on the full challenge, I would next recommend cutting visits to restaurants and fast food joints by half. When you go, never order fries; opt for any fruit or vegetables they might offer like broccoli, apples, etc. Also, look for ways to burn extra calories; walk into the bank instead of using drive-through. Save the money and go into a grocery store to buy soda instead of buying the overpriced smaller ones at the gas station. When you crave something at home, jump up and get it instead of thinking about it, putting it off, or saving it as an activity to do several things at once.
D. Jump in!
Do the above for a week or two, then start counting your calories. If it helps, write what you eat. Make sure you are cutting at least 20% off the calories you ate during that first week of recording. Increase your activity double if possible. If you are as large as we, it was recommended we eat 2200-2500 calories (more for Scott). Had we done that, over the course of weight loss we could continue to cut our calories along the road and maintain slow weight loss. It's probably the healthiest route. The problem is that years ago when I recorded calories, I found I only ate 2000-2250. I had messed up my metabolism in such a way that my body could not burn a normal diet. By doing this diet at 1200 calories and being much more careful to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (though I still lapse. Yesterday I ate a small breakfast and forgot to eat again until 9 pm) I seem to have fixed my metabolism. It functions the way doctors and nutritionists say it should function now (YAY!) That's another plus. Scott wanted to go 1200-1500 because he felt he needed that strict discipline or he would cheat. The problem this causes, of course, is saggy skin as well as the fact that we're both slowing down a little on sending those pounds on their journey to Canada or wherever weight goes when it isn't on my ass. I've got tricks around that, though, and tricks around plateaus which I will detail another day.
So, make sure you're ready to commit to yourself. You can go to weight watchers, join online groups, or just tell all your friends you want to lose weight, but it's you that needs the commitment. Talking out loud solidifies that process, I've heard, but I think talking about it is more about being mentally ready than it is about making it known so you have to answer to someone. Your friends will love you no matter what and you know that so it's not much of a promise if you make it to them. Unfortunately, you will always know when you've cheated yourself (too bad you can't hide the candy bars from yourself, eh!?) so it's got to be internal for it to really work.
Best of luck. If, like me, you think of all these things AFTER you've started dieting, it's not too late. You can still take a moment to record goals and write journal entries about why you may have gained weight or why you want to lose it. Start thinking about other activities you may want to add in order to stave off boredom. Ask yourself tough questions, but don't answer them for a few weeks. You might surprise yourself.
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