About two and a half years ago, I joined up with Tiburon's Biggest Loser competition. And I lost 18 lbs. Then, about a year later, I joined up again, this time with Big Daddy (he for boys, me for girls), and he lost 22 lbs and I lost 11 (some of it was the same lbs). I was about at the weight I'd been at the end of college, and 1 lb lower than I was when we got married. Fortunately, Big Daddy wasn't at the weight he'd been in college. I think he weighed less than me then! But he was at the weight we were when we got married, which was a great weight for him. We both felt good and looked good.
We devised a plan to keep ourselves from gaining back the weight we'd lost: We both set a maximum allowable weight (M.A.W.) and decided that as long as we stayed at or below that weight, we wouldn't "diet," we'd just try to maintain through reasonable eating. This worked pretty well for quite a while. I think I managed to stay below my M.A.W. for about 8 months. But once the holidays hit, I got slack. And by January, I was 4-5 lbs over my M.A.W. So over the last 9 months, I've worked at getting that down to my M.A.W. again. But I just haven't been committed. I've exercised pretty regularly. But my eating has been less than stellar. I have had such a sweet tooth my whole life; it's the thorn in my side when it comes to dieting. I don't snack much. I don't care for chips or crackers or salty snacks. I don't eat large quantities of food. But I feel the necessity to end every meal with dessert, and also dessert in between if at all possible. So my biggest challenge over the last 3/4 of a year has been to not undo all my exercise with sugar.
Well, as of today, I've decided to recommit to losing this weight. Right now I've got about 3-4 lbs to go to be at my M.A.W., and 5-6 to be below it with a little cushion. So below are my strategies for getting there. They're not extreme. If I were a robot or had an iron will, I'm sure I could do more and get there faster. But I'm also trying to be realistic. If I set goals that I can't maintain, I'm going to quit sooner. So here are the things I'm going to do until I'm below my M.A.W:
1) Exercise every other day at minimum, every day if possible. This usually means P90X at home twice a week, yoga on the opposite days, going to gym for water aerobics or to run on the treadmill or eliptical and do weights.
2) Take Hoodia. I've found that taking Hoodia takes the edge off my hunger. It's not a massive change, but I think about food just a little less.
3) No full-sugar pop. Water for all drinks, but one diet pop a day if I need the caffeine rush. Or some flavor.
4) One small treat per day. Preferably a Smart Ones or Skinny Cow. I'm being realistic here. I can't go cold turkey on the sugar. But I can limit myself.
5) Lean Cuisines for lunch. I've been adding a lot of calories lately by eating lunch out or eating leftovers from dinners out. Lean Cuisines are an easy way for me to cut calories during the day.
6) Smart choices for snacks. This means doing some shopping to get low-cal popcorn, light yogurt, rice cakes, wheat bread, and reduced fat versions of everything else I like to eat.
7) Smart choices eating out. If you know anything about me, you know that eating out is my favorite past time, bar none. I love it. So I'm not even going to pretend for one second that I'm going to give up going out to eat entirely. But if I can limit it to once a week, and/or make myself choose wisely when I go out (i.e. no apps, no pop, share a dessert, lower fat entre), I can fix one of my biggest sources of undoing all the progress I make from exercise and eating right during the week.
8) STOP BAKING. This is my biggest downfall, other than going out to eat. My kids want some chocolate chip cookies, or on the weekend I decide that Big Daddy and I deserve a treat. But then I make a whole batch of cookies or a whole pan of brownies. And then, of course, I continue to eat them all week until they're gone. I never go hog-wild and eat a bunch at once. I have at least that much self-control. But I do nibble all week (see 2nd paragraph above). If those treats weren't there, I wouldn't eat them.
I'm up for any other suggestions. Do you have any little tricks or tips that you use to shave calories when eating or burn calories through physical activity?
15 comments:
I am the world's biggest exerciser but never see any results. I think it just allows me to eat what I want without blowing into a balloon. It wasn't until I started running 5 miles every other day that I started to finally lose some pounds. I have had people tell me for so long that running is the key. I HATE running and so this has been a challenge for me, yet it has helped the most for results. Another trick is to just stop eating after 7:00 p.m. That's another challenge for me too. Oh, also I try to get at least 4-5 servings of veggies a day. That's a tough one now that the garden is all done :( Good luck with it all. I support you 100% with these wonderful goals you have set.
You commented about reading the whole story of my daughter's stolen camera bag and the super nice policeman that helped her. She has posted about that just last night. If you'd like to read it in it's entirety go to www.kalibug.blogspot.com She really was soooo lucky!!
I keep waiting for Tib to start another biggest loser competition! I too am on a weight loss journey; 13 pounds down towards 45. I like to sabotage with peanut butter and honey tortillas. I am spinning and may pop the ol' px90 in...maybe.
I so need to join you. I am only doing the elliptical about 2-3 times a week, when I was doing it 5-6. And my sweet tooth is unbelieveable.
I've already had two Reese's Peanut Butter cups this morning.
My down fall is convenience. I need/like things to be quick and easy. My joke is that I would rather go out to eat than vacation in Hawaii. We go out a lot and do fast food a lot. Nasty, unhealthy, fast food.
I read a post on the Apron Stage blog about weight loss. One of the things I took from the post was "what are you willing to give up to have what you really want".
What I really want is for my kids to have health attitudes about money and food. I feel like they will end up with a horrible sense of entitlement, no grasp of budgeting, and false ideas of what makes food healthy, with as much as we go out "I'm hungry, serve me, and do it now" (NOT that my kids are stinkers, they are really good kids). But the bottom line is to have what I really want (my kids to have healthy attitudes) I have to give up convenience.
I eat healthier when I cook and that will be a big step in helping me maintain my weight. I am 4 pounds above my MAW which I have been calling post baby weight, but it is time to get back to healthy habits.
So I am cutting out fries all together, don't need them and can easily live without them. I am going to cook more and order healthier when we do eat out. I am not going to giver up chocolate or dessert, just moderate my current intake. (Sorry so long)
My sister Kathy and I (who can and DO both keep promises and tell the truth) have a KILLER bet going until my birthday later this month. If we eat a single sugar treat, we have to pay the other $50!
Man! NO sugar treat is worth $50! But it wouldn't work if you couldn't keep a promise to yourself, and tell the truth to your sister.
It will certainly help ME if YOU have no sugar treats around the house to tempt me.
I gave up sugar for about three months once, and it's amazing how different you feel. But I didn't lose any weight doing it.
Oh the pains of a sugar tooth! That is my problem also.
Those are great goals! I am trying to cut back on sugar & get back to the gym. I need to stop eating after a certain time in the evening.
GOOD LUCK!!
Clearly I got nothin.
I tried to eat organic for three weeks. Let me tell you, that will help you lose weight! There are almost no restaurants that serve organic (esp. in Utah), and when you think how expensive organic four and sugar are, you won't be so gung ho about whipping up treats any old time.
But there are still good chips and cereal and snacks that are organic, so you don't feel deprived.
It'a a frustrating lifestyle, though. Even though I lost five pounds in one week doing that.
Oh man, I feel you on the baking. That's where I die. I DIE. I'm pretty sure my new found love of the Food Network has easily netted me an extra 10lbs.
i like that MAW! good for you guys!
I always think it is funny when people say "pop" instead of "soda"!
I say cut out the Lean Cuisine...and make your own healthy lunch...those are no where near as healthy as something quick you can throw together your self...I say stay away from the frozen section....well except for the skinny cows.
...also buy yourself an air-popcorn popper! pop your own corn...super cheap and spray with I can't believe it's not butter spray....then you know EXACTLY what is in it! Just popcorn!
and I'll be completely honest here...even though I know it is not for everyone...I won't be offended if you think it's crazy....but go Vegan! Seriously if you do it just for the pure fact of losing weight....diets just don't work because you let yourself slip up sometimes....if certain foods are just not allowed...you find other healthy ones that are! ...And believe me I do not miss out on the desserts...I ♥ to bake...i have gotten really good and knowing what to substitute and can make awesome cookies, brownies, sweet-breads....and buy changing the ingredients I'm not only making the recipe Vegan...I'm making it more healthy...and the kids and husband don't even know! (I do cook dinners with meat for them...just because that is what they like)
by making Vegan choices the last 3 months...and doing my exact same workout schedule I've lost almost 15 lbs.
Most of all Good luck! You can do it!
I'm a calorie counting nazi and tracking my calories burned. i then track my "net" calories for the day
Baking is also my problem. I can't stop eating the fifty cookies I've made until they're all gone, regardless of if they taste good or not.
I thought that you looked Mah-ve-lous!! And I gained back 2 lbs. by the by, when I was in Utah---sigh....
Another alternative, though not quite as appealing, is to eat what you want, don't exercise, marry rich and get plastic surgery as necessary. Some of them might have customer rewards like have 10 procedures performed receive two free Botox injections.
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