When I decided I was going to encourage my body to drop some weight, I was a bit surprised at how many "get skinny quick" schemes and fad diets I came across. These magic fat cures range from pills, to magic fat sucking herbs and wraps, to practically starving ones body. The fact is, and some of you may not like this, if you want to lose weight in a healthy way and have results that last, it starts with changing your lifestyle and I know that is not always easy. It is going to REQUIRE dedication and hard work.
It took me three babies and eight years to get my body like the photos on the left and only five months of slow and steady dedication to achieve the results on the right.
When I started, I was really overwhelmed with all the different exercises, not knowing what to eat, etc. I mean, I hadn't REALLY tried to lose weight in my life. I decided to take it slow. In this journey I have not been perfect, far from it, actually. I have learned that trying is key and it is hard work. Here are some tips that worked for me.
*Note: Everyone has a different body. The same things will not work for everyone but I feel this is worth sharing as a jumping off point. I am not an expert or a dietician. These tips are based off of my own research and what worked for my body.
1. It Takes Time
You didn't become overweight over night, you won't lose it over night either. Healthy weigh loss is generally considered to be an average of 1-2 pounds per week. With the assistance of a dietician or doctor, many people can safely lose more than this. I did not. I decided to take it slow as to not overwhelm myself.
2. It is Not About Dieting
Dieting has a negative stigma attached to it. Every time I hear someone say they are on a "diet", I cringe and anticipate their eventual failure. The word diet traditionally means what types of food one consumes. However, when someone says "I'm on a diet.", what they are saying upfront is that they are making a short-term commitment rather than a lifelong change. By dieting, you set yourself up to become a yo-yo. You will bounce right back up when your diet is over.
3. Make it a Lifestyle
This goes back to "it is NOT about dieting". Commit to making lifestyle changes. This does not mean stop eating and doing everything that you enjoy. It means realizing that a key to a healthy body is a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritious food and regular exercise.
4. Encourage Yourself
You are your own worst enemy on this journey. No one told me I couldn't do it except for me. I waited so long to get started because I beat myself up, put myself down, and convinced myself I would fail. I changed my way of thinking. I look in the mirror and tell myself daily that I CAN do it, I am STRONG, BEAUTIFUL, whatever the inner me needs to hear that day to keep pushing through. If you surround yourself with positivity, there is no room for negativity.
GET OUT OF YOUR WAY!
To build on this, STOP beating yourself up for falling short or having a weak moment. When we are surrounded by a world of tasty conveniences it is often difficult to stay on track 100% of the time. It's OKAY! Shake it off, move on, and try to do better the next day.
5. Set Goals
Set small obtainable goals often. It feels great to reach your ultimate goal but sometimes it feels like that goal is so hopeless and out of reach that it is easier to just give up. DON'T! By setting smaller goals, more often, you allow yourself to celebrate the milestones which will make you happier and more motivated to keep moving forward. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds in 4 months, set smaller goals along the way like, "I want to lose 4 pounds in the next 30 days." or "I would like to run/walk a mile." The goals do not have to be this large, either. Maybe you just want to get moving. Make it a goal to walk to the mailbox instead of drive or park further away when you go to the grocery store. Every time you reach a goal, it is something to be proud of.
6. Keep A Journal
Keep track of the food you eat, what you drink, exercise you do. You can use traditional pen and paper, a cute notebook, or a fancy phone app (I love MyFitnessPal). This helps keep you accountable to yourself and allows you to see just how much you are eating. Before I started recording my food, I was a grazer. I would grab a couple chips here, a few sips of juice over there, a bite of one of my kiddos sandwiches. You can graze an entire, often unhealthy, meal without even realizing you are "eating". The journal helped me end this. Not only did it make me more aware of what I was eating, it allowed me to see WHEN I was eating. By seeing when I was eating, I have been able to plan meals and snacks to coordinate with the times of day I get the most hungry.
Here are my photos to illustrate what I am talking about.
This was my body changing over the course of five months.
I NEVER thought I would be publicly sharing "before" photos of me in a bikini! I wouldn't even wear any swimsuit the day I decided enough was enough and I had to get my body in shape.
In addition to a food journal, I also document weight and measurements as well as keep a photo reference. Since you will be changing slowly every day, it is sometimes difficult to realize you are, actually, changing. I didn't notice the drastic changes my body had made until I did a side-by-side bikini picture that floored me.
7. Find Support
If you can, start this journey with your spouse or a friend who has similar goals. It is always more fun to workout and share successes and failures with someone else and it's great to have someone to help you along and encourage you on those days you need the extra push.
Luckily, I have a super supportive husband who started this journey with me and has helped me every step of the way. Sadly, those closest to you are not always your best support system when it comes to making these lifestyle changes. If you are surrounded by people who do not care about leading a healthy lifestyle you will quickly come to realize they are less than enthusiastic to hear about your progress or share in your excitement over healthy recipes, new workout gear, or exercise routines. Try not to take this personal (easier said than done, I know) and find encouragement elsewhere rather than dwelling on the negativity. Surprisingly, I have found some of my biggest support and encouragement through Instagram. I started an account (@momtowow) specifically for things the majority of my friends and family "don't care about" and I have started following some very motivating accounts.
Search hashtags such as #FITMOM, #HEALTHY, etc. and you will find tons of accounts dedicated to healthy lifestyles. Some even have short videos of various exercises so you can see how they are done, as well as tasty and healthy recipes.
8. Reward Yourself
Remember when we were little kids and there were rewards for good behavior? I always tried to do my best when I knew there was a reward at the end. That is natural and doesn't stop as an adult. Reward yourself for a job well done. Whether it is a small reward every day or when you hit a certain goal, give yourself something to celebrate. I tend to reward myself with a relaxing bubble bath when the kiddos go to bed or a couple Hershey Kisses to hit my sweet tooth. Hey, I'm not above smiley face stickers, either. ;)
9. WATER
This one is HUGE! Before starting my journey, I drank Coke EVERY day. Sometimes, more than once a day. It was definitely my poison of choice. I drank water but never as much as I "Should" have (64+ oz. as recommended by pretty much everyone). Once I started to try losing weight, I cut back drastically on the soda (maybe one 12 oz. can a week) and upped my water intake to AT LEAST 100 ounces per day. Yes, that is nearly a gallon of water EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. At first I struggled with this. I had a hard time remembering to drink water. I started making it a point to always have a water bottle or cup with me. If I left the house, I took water. If I sat at the computer, I took water. I found that I mindlessly drank it as I did pretty much everything. As long as I had water with me, I would drink it. Initially, I retained a lot of it, felt heavier and my clothes fit tighter. After a week or two I felt better, my body was flushing out all the water I was drinking and I found I actually started craving WATER. Drink it with every meal. It will help you feel less hungry and assist in proper digestion. If I had to pick a number 1 tip, this would be it.
10. Enjoy Your Food
Take the time to enjoy your food. Sit down and chew your food thoroughly instead of grazing or rushing to finish. Taking time to eat slowly allows you to break down food for easier digestion and gives your body time to send the signals that let you know when you are full.
11. Portion Control
You can still eat the things you love! I am sucker for junk food and I still eat cupcakes, brownies, and other treats I love. What I do differently is control my portions and eat them in moderation. Yes, that second cupcake or that heaping family-size helping of ice cream might be calling your name but if you control the urge to over-eat, you will feel much better about yourself at the end of the day.
12. Food Substitutions
Changing your lifestyle doesn't have to be all at once. In addition to portion control, small food substitutions are sometimes a really easy way to stay on track. Did you know, one tablespoon on mayonnaise contains 90 calories!? I always put mayo. on my sandwiches. I started leaving it off and just using mustard. I can barely even notice the mayonnaise is missing. How about ranch dressing? It's loaded with fat and calories. I started using salsa on my salad and I discovered that I actually prefer it. Hamburger buns? Did you know that many fast food places and restaurants offer a lettuce wrapped option for burgers? This one is my favorite. The one thing I must note is that when you choose a lettuce wrapped burger over one with a bun, you quickly realize which hamburgers can hold their own and which ones fall drastically short of being tasty and satisfying. My tip on this one, if it is going to be a fast food burger, go with In-N-Out. They are the only "fast food place" I have found with good tasting meat.
Don't fall into the trap of being fooled by zero calorie drinks, sugar-free and fat-free pre-packaged junk food (packaged snack cakes, for example). When companies take something out, they MUST replace it with something else in order for the food/drink to still taste good. That usually means substituting a "More natural" ingredient for a "less natural" ingredient. For example, sugar gets substituted with an artificial sweetener like aspartame. There have been many studies accusing artificial sweeteners of causing weight gain, diabetes, and cancer. Though, they tend to be "inconclusive", the fact remains, they are artificial chemicals that don't belong in your body. If you are counting calories to help you stay on track, don't let these types of food trick you into believing you are eating better.
14. Reflect on Your Journey
Take the time to remember WHY you are doing this. Be proud of your accomplishments and BELIEVE in yourself. What seems out of reach today will seem a distant memory a year from now.
YOU CAN DO IT!
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