A New Me
My weight loss happened slowly over a period of 2 years. During this time I tried various things to see what worked best for me. My weight loss happened slowly because I did not starve myself. At no point in time was I ever hungry. I think that the slow approach is best. I found that fad diets do not work. They only give you temporary results. My goal was not to lose weight temporarily, but to keep it off permanently, without being hungry or starving myself in the process. The way that I have been able to achieve this is through a change in my lifestyle.
I have gone from 189 pounds to my current weight of 162 pounds. I have lost 27 pounds so far. I still have weight to lose, but I already feel a lot better. My knees no longer hurt when I climb stairs. I now have more endurance than my kids. I can manage stress a lot better. My overall mood is also much better. I am committed to my new lifestyle and to the “New Me”.
If you have realized that a change is needed in your life but don’t know where to start or you feel discouraged. I want you to know that change is possible. It is not always easy. You may stumble on the way. But that’s okay, if you keep focused on your goal, you can do it. I hope that my story is helpful to you. I encourage you to share your successes and advice with me as well. Maybe we can inspire each other.
What Worked for Me: Tips for Success
Have Two Shakes A Day
Every morning and afternoon I use my Magic Bullet
Drink Lime Water
Every day I use my Citrus Zinger
Make Changes Slowly
I have found that making changes slowly helped me to stick to the program. I have tried going cold turkey but it does not work for me.
Do Not Eat At Night
I make it a point not to eat after 6:00pm. I find that I sleep better and lose more weight when I do not eat at night.
Eat Five Meals per Day
I use to eat two big meals per day with snacks in between. I now have five smaller healthy meals per day. This has helped to increase my metabolism and regulate my blood sugar which helps with my overall energy levels.
Eat Snacks (Occasionally)
This may seem like an odd thing to say to someone who is trying to lose weight. But I found that having the occasional snack actually helps me with my weigh loss goal. The reason for this is that having the occasional snack helps to prevent binge eating. What I want is a lifestyle change that I can maintain. Having the occasional snack (without guilt) keeps me on track with my goal for a healthy life. When I first started my change in diet, I allocated myself a weekly cheat day. On that cheat day, I could eat whatever I wanted. This worked for me. As I progressed in my lifestyle change my cheat days became less frequent.
Exercise Regularly
Make an exercise schedule and stick to it. I work out at least 3 times per week with a focus on cardio-vascular exercise. As I progressed in my exercise routine, I started to incorporate resistance training as well. But at the beginning, I focused on cardio-vascular exercise as this gave me quick results and kept me motivated.
See The Big Picture
It is normal for body weight to fluctuate up and down as much as 5 pounds from one day to the next. Do not get discouraged because of temporary weight gains. Do not weigh yourself every day. It is better to use a weekly average. It will give you a better picture of where you are with your progress and keep you motivated.
Do Not Get Discouraged
As you exercise you will develop some muscle. Muscle weighs more that fat so it can seem as though you are not losing weight. The best gauge of your progress is how your clothes fit. If your clothes fit better, you are making progress. Using the scale alone can be misleading and discouraging. But above all, DO NOT GIVE UP. Stick with the changes in your diet and your exercise program and you will have success.
