I don’t consider this to be a weight loss blog.
To be honest, sometimes I struggle with exactly just what my blog is about.
I always come back this.
It is about my life.
Sinner saved by grace.
Wife.
Mom.
Homeschooler.
Food lover.
Weight loser.
And all the moments in between.
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On May 4th 2012 I will celebrate 2 years of losing 20+ pounds... and keeping them off.
You can read more about my weight loss journey here.
Although the entire process has been a challenge, I can honestly say that there is one time in particular that has been a huge struggle for me....the Holidays.
The sugar, the chocolate, the frosting, the sweetened condensed milk, the chocolate, the 7 layer cookies, the caramel, the chocolate.
No matter where you are in life...need to lose a few, need to lose a lot, losing, or already lost...odds are you may have let your guard down a bit over the last few weeks.
Even the most disciplined do.
Maybe you've said things like, "It's the Holidays! I'm going to enjoy them and have whatever I want and worry about my weight when the New Year rolls around."
Pssst....it's 2012.
12 tips to getting back on track in '12:
1. Get on the Scale!
So you single-handedly ate an entire 9X13 pan of 7 layer bars within a week's time...Psshhh...haven't we all?!?!
::crickets chirping::
Until you know who the enemy is...you can't go to war. Put your big girl/boy pants on and own it. Every single pound. You gained it...and you can lose it!!!
2. Make Your Mind Up to Make a Change.
Simple right? Not always. You have to get mad at this thing. You have to want this more than anything. More than convenience. More than comfort. More than instant gratification. Make up your mind that food will no longer control you but that you will be in control of food. That this will not be just another diet..another quick fix. This will be a lifestyle change. You have to decide to put on the gloves and get in the ring.
3. Set two goals.
The first goal needs to be a long term...such as how much weight you hope to lose total. Or getting your BMI within the healthy range. Check with your doctor for a healthy weight for you.
The second needs to be a short term goal. Long term goals are necessary...but setting small attainable goals and reaching them is what will keep you motivated. I started with a goal of 10% of my total weight. Which was 17 pounds. But I also broke that up into smaller goals of 5 pounds at a time. Then I rewarded myself each time I lost 5 pounds. Not with food of course. Maybe a pedicure, a new book, or a purse you've had your eye on. It doesn't have to be extravagant...just something that says....I DID IT!!!
Plan something huge for when you reach goal. You will have earned it.
Of course any other goals you want to set are a always a great idea. Maybe one could be that this time next year you will look back and see healthy changes that you made in 2012 that you are still sticking to as you enter 2013. Lifestyle change...long term.
4. Find a plan that works for you and work it like your life depends on it. It just may.
I can't say enough about Weight Watchers. Simply put...if you work it, it works. I've kept 20+ pounds off for almost 2 years...not even one time going over my goal weight...IT WORKS!!! You may feel more comfortable taking a different route. Maybe counting calories...carbs...maybe fat...whatever you do please make sure you talk with your doctor about what is healthiest for you. We are all different and have different dietary needs based on our health.
5. If you don't have it, you can't eat it.
Throw out the Christmas goodies!! I repeat throw them out!!! Every 7 layer bar ::ahem::, every haystack, every piece of fudge, the rest of Aunt Ruby's To Die for Coconut Cream Pie {you know what I mean here...every one of us has an emotional attachment to a special dish during the holidays...remember it is the person that made it that you love...not the effect it has on your thighs}, every single Hershey's Kiss in your candy dishes!!! Yes, it's wasteful. Yes,there are starving kids in the world. But the last thing they need is 87 pounds of sugar coursing through their veins. Same goes for you. Toss it!
If you do not have fruit and veggies in your kitchen, you cannot eat them. Stock your pantry and your fridge with healthy food choices. Here is a great resource for stocking up with the right foods to get you on your way to healthy.
6. Plan your meals for the day.
Decide in the morning what you plan to eat throughout the day. Including {healthy} snacks. Go ahead and write it all down even. This will better equip you to stay on track. If you tell yourself that you plan to have a Boca burger with a side of broccoli and baked beans for dinner it will make it much harder to stuff your face with pizza when that time comes. You may still go for the pizza...but at least you will have to intentionally change your mind to do so. It may be just the thing that stops you.
Same for snacks...know in advance what you plan to use as snack options. Do not let yourself get caught with your belly rumbling. Nothing good comes from that.
Nothing makes me feel more in control over food than deciding what I am going to eat instead of my emotions and hunger deciding for me.
7. If you bite it, write it. If you nibble it, scribble it. If you drink it, ink it.
I cannot stress to you how important this is. Or how eye opening it will be for you. We are unaware of just how much food we consume. It is important to make yourself familiar with serving sizes. Especially since the typical serving size in most restaurants today is enough for 27 people.
Do not forget drinks when you are tracking your food intake. Have you looked at the calories in that soda you have everyday?!?!
8. Move More.
Decide in the morning what you plan to eat throughout the day. Including {healthy} snacks. Go ahead and write it all down even. This will better equip you to stay on track. If you tell yourself that you plan to have a Boca burger with a side of broccoli and baked beans for dinner it will make it much harder to stuff your face with pizza when that time comes. You may still go for the pizza...but at least you will have to intentionally change your mind to do so. It may be just the thing that stops you.
Same for snacks...know in advance what you plan to use as snack options. Do not let yourself get caught with your belly rumbling. Nothing good comes from that.
Nothing makes me feel more in control over food than deciding what I am going to eat instead of my emotions and hunger deciding for me.
7. If you bite it, write it. If you nibble it, scribble it. If you drink it, ink it.
I cannot stress to you how important this is. Or how eye opening it will be for you. We are unaware of just how much food we consume. It is important to make yourself familiar with serving sizes. Especially since the typical serving size in most restaurants today is enough for 27 people.
Do not forget drinks when you are tracking your food intake. Have you looked at the calories in that soda you have everyday?!?!
8. Move More.
It really is that simple. No gym membership necessary. Sometimes we over-complicate things to the point that we shy away from them altogether. Anything you do to move your body more is a positive step towards better health. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away from the entrance. Take a 30 minute walk. See how many jumping jacks you can do during a commercial break and try to beat your time. Play kickball with your kids. Challenge your spouse to a game of Just Dance on the Wii. If nothing else you will have a good laugh. :-)
9. Tell Somebody.
9. Tell Somebody.
Let it be known to your friends and family that you are on a mission to kick fat and flab to the curb. Two things will happen...you will immediately become accountable for your goals and you will also have a support system. Both are essential.
10. Get a partner.
There really is safety in numbers. Surround yourself with like-minded people that will encourage and support your efforts and your goals. Maybe agree to meet a friend at the park every day after work for a walk. Maybe before work. Maybe swap recipes with someone that is on the same journey. Maybe agree to call each other once a week to report your weigh-ins. Make a pact to do whatever it takes to hold each other accountable...even if that means stepping on toes. Find someone that will call you if you are a no show at the gym. Someone that will love you enough to question your food choices when out to dinner. Be the same for them.
Before heading to the beach this past summer, my husband needed to drop a few pounds...and I wanted to drop 5 so that I would have some wiggle room to enjoy myself more while on vacation. So I challenged him to a Biggest Loser competition of sorts. I knew he would beat me since he had far more to lose and I was already at a good healthy weight range...but we made a bet on who could lose the most before our trip. Whoever lost the most could pick the movie we went to see on our next Date Night...no questions asked. I managed to lose 7 pounds when only really wanting to lose 5 and my husband lost 20 pounds!!!!! No joke!!! I credit it all to the fact that we were doing it together…making healthy choices together for our meals and stepping on each other's toes when bad choices were tempting us. And we were going on daily walks together...this was my favorite part because it was about so much more than our weight...it was time spent together.
Do not underestimate the power of accountability.
11. Have Mercy.
You are human. You are not perfect and you will at times make poor choices about what you eat. When you do, do NOT fall into the mental trap of telling yourself that you may as well just give up because you caved and ate 4 cupcakes instead of just 1. We all do this from time to time right?!...::crickets again:: I know I do. And I know how tempting it can be to think of this as something you have to do perfectly or not at all. That is a diet mentality. You do not want that. You want a lifestyle mentality. When you make mistakes forgive yourself and get back in the ring with the very next decision you make. Make it count. Make it better than the one before. Every single next choice is a new chance to get it right.
12. Decide you are worth it.
You are many things to many people in your life. But you cannot be any of those things if you are not around. Make your health and your lifestyle a priority. It takes planning. It takes making the time. It takes thinking ahead. As moms we easily succumb to the guilt of making time for ourselves. Being healthy is not a matter of selfishness. Do you feel guilty for the two minutes you take to brush your teeth? Should your body's health be any different? It all comes down to this question...am I worth it? I'm sure the folks in your life think so.
12. Decide you are worth it.
You are many things to many people in your life. But you cannot be any of those things if you are not around. Make your health and your lifestyle a priority. It takes planning. It takes making the time. It takes thinking ahead. As moms we easily succumb to the guilt of making time for ourselves. Being healthy is not a matter of selfishness. Do you feel guilty for the two minutes you take to brush your teeth? Should your body's health be any different? It all comes down to this question...am I worth it? I'm sure the folks in your life think so.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" - Ben Franklin
**I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers. In fact they have no idea I even exist. :-)
"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"
