Good morning...well be the time this is posted...afternoon! On this day when so many New Years weight loss resolutions are made and my 2 year WLJ anniversary is a few days away I thought I would share lessons from my journey over the next few weeks.
*These tips are from my own experience loosing weight. Before starting any weight loss or exercise program you should consult your doctor.
This is one of the last pictures I took before my WLJ. A whopping 225 on a 5'4" frame!
One of the reasons why I weighted so much was that I had chronic headaches for 10 years. Working out made my head hurt worse and I just ate away the pain. Well February 2008 I was scheduled to have a second surgery to correct my headaches. A thought crossed my mind, I will no longer by able to use my headaches as an excuse for being over weight. It was my "rock bottom" moment.
January 5, 2008 after the holidays and my birthday on the 3rd, I joined Weight Watchers. Here is the thing about "diets" and why I went with WW. Diets are temporary. You drink a shake, you eat their certain food, you cut out this or that. However, you can't live you life like that. You can't live your life eating no/extremely low amount of any certain food group. With WW they are re-teaching portion control. I grew up eating "healthy" foods; Fat Free dairy products, whole wheat grains, Sugar Free/low sugar foods, fruits and veggies. But when you eat them in the amounts that I did as a kid...you still end up unhealthy and overweight.
Week 1: Do your homework.
Find a weight loss program that will work for you...and that is healthy. A program that isn't just about how much weight you can lose but will teach you what your body needs and the correct portions. Our bodies were designed to have ALL food groups. So if a program is telling you to cut out or extremely limits your intake of a certain food group...chances are it won't be healthy. I'd suggest checking out MyPyramid for starters. It's a website that tells you the amounts of each food group you should be eating. It also has a food tracker on it. Oh and it's FREE!
Remember at the end of the day it's all about calories in vs. calories burned (through out the day not just through exercise).
Also as much as you may hate to hear this...it is UNHEALTHY to lose weight at a rapid speed! A healthy weight loss on your body and for weight loss maintenance is no more than 2lbs a week. I know I know...we live a world where we want things right this moment. You did not put the weight on overnight so you can't expect for it to drop overnight. Just go into your WLJ with this knowledge...that this is for the long haul. That it isn't to lose a few pounds for a high school reunion or wedding you are in. This is so you can be healthy for you and your loved ones. If you aren't ready to accept this fact...then you aren't ready to lose weight. To be successful at losing weight you have to be ready or you may lose some weight or all the weight but you will put it back on. Believe me I know, I've been there...and I know that anyone can be successful.
So spend this week doing your homework!
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