Sorry for not posting for. . .oh my. . .a month! Even though I haven't written about it, I've been hard at work getting used to my new body shape, new eating habits and strategizing for the next stage of my weight loss.
And to my shock and amazement it hasn't been nearly as difficult as I once feared. For many years I used the excuse that if the weight cam off I wouldn't be able to maintain it. . .but with a few new habits I have been able to prove myself wrong. It hasn't been a long time, but the scale has stayed within 2.5 lbs of my ending weight (from the diet) for the last month. Here's what I'm doing:
1. Tracking, tracking, tracking! It cannot be over-emphasized, you must track what you eat, water you take in and weigh yourself at regular intervals. I do all 3 on a daily basis. Some of the food tracking I do is frustrating because I don't really know how much I had of something (I do NOT measure everything) but I record it anyway and make my best guess. Just that simple awareness of what I put in my mouth and the ownership of that behavior has helped me to walk away from the fridge or pantry many times in the last month. Water is another crucial factor. I learned very recently that the body can only metabolize fat stores with proper hydration! And as for weighing myself. I give myself a lot of grace and weigh on a daily basis. If I start seeing an upward trend over the course of a few, I know what I need to do and I do it without judgement.
2. Add exercise, in any form you love (or can learn to love). A long time ago I went to a gym that was fairly small and as such, had the cardio equipment close to the weight machines (not sure of the proper term for them). So I got used to circuit training and LOVED it! That gym has since closed and I've had to improvise at home. Now I am doing a walk-at-home video as well as yoga and firming exercises. I alternate the days and give myself the weekends off. I've even set up a time and rotation schedule for when my girls go back to school, so there's no getting out of it.
3. Plans for breakfast, lunch and snacks. I know what I like to eat, what I can eat and still maintain my weight. So that's what I get for my food. I try to stay away from prepackaged food if I can, even if it is low-cal, etc. It may be convenient, but my body doesn't like it very much. I have 2 options for breakfast that are quick and easy. And for lunch I peruse the Weight Watcher's website to find a lunch which has several servings which I can make all at once and then reheat all week long. This week's lunch has been a Bahn Mi-style Turkey Burger and it is DELICIOUS! Hopefully you don't have to be a WW member to see the recipe. As for snacks, I've kept it very simple: popcorn, fruit and veggies (a few). Little or no dip for the veggies keeps things under control and I only choose what I know I'll eat.
I'm a long way from perfect and still have a ways to go before I see my goal weight, but I'm further down the road than I've ever been in my life and knowing I CAN DO THIS is one of the most amazing feelings ever!!
It is amazing to know that you can accomplish something that you never thought you could or were afraid to even start. How do you feel about being smaller than you ever remember being? For me, it's a little difficult to keep going because I feel great and I've never been in this size before. My WW leader put it well when she said, "The sense of urgency is gone." I am finding it difficult to motivate myself to the next level since there are no health conditions to overcome and I can shop in the 'cute' sections!
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