So my recent 7am call was from a friend coming back from the gym. She, like most of my friends have a minor complex when we don't hear from each other for about a week. We have the police department on speed dial to put out an APB if necessary. After 10 minutes of playing catch up about life, she started telling me about her new meal plan to lose weight. She was so excited to have met a dietitian that told her she wasn't eating enough. I asked her what she typically eats and I pretty much concurred with what her dietitian told her. I also added, that's plenty of food...FOR YOUR BACK FAT!...but what about the rest of your body parts that need nourishment? I asked how long she's been on this meal plan and with much enthusiasm she says TWO DAYS!! Uh huh, no wonder you still sound motivated.
I can't tell you how many times people have asked me what they should eat to lose weight. My health and fitness background makes it easy for me to elaborate on just about any diet plan. However, I learned the key question is "What do you eat now?" That prompts them to think and have a "come to Jesus" moment.
Diet plans should be as personalized as your signature. The old adage "Eat Less, Burn More" may be the most popular bottom line when it comes to losing weight but it's unfortunate that the words "less" and "more" are absolutely relative. A 120 lbs woman who gets carried away with the word less can be one hamburger away from being anorexic whereas a 190 lbs woman should probably take the "more" exercise route after eating a fry. Too damn confusing!
I will admit there is a science to losing weight. Between genetics, body composition and willingness to make healthy lifestyle choices...there's so much to consider. But what I learned is, there is one cardinal rule when it comes to losing weight and that is BE CONSISTENT! Consistency is key to success in life.
The first step to losing weight is being ready. If you are not mentally, emotionally and physically committed to making this happen, you're more than likely to keep promising yourself you'll start dieting on Mondays. No one can ever truly make that decision for you, but it's not a bad idea to be inspired by others. The next step is to make the decision that you will see yourself through this goal no matter what happens. Decisions are just thoughts until we put it to action. The hardest step is following through. This is the part where we start to negotiate and challenge our decisions. We'll start telling ourselves "One cookie isn't going to hurt!" "I'm stressed so I deserve a piece of chocolate cake." "I'll go to the gym tomorrow" These thoughts wouldn't be so bad if it only comes up once a month, but if you find yourself thinking like this every other day, it's time for you to re-establish your commitment. How bad do you want it?
There are thousands of tips out there on how to lose weight but we've all been through the frustrations of not getting our desired results at the desired time frame. What I recommend is writing your current eating habits for 3-5 days and looking at your pattern. What time did you eat? What did you eat? How did you feel before and after you ate? Are you still hungry? Or do you feel energized? The more you see your patterns objectively, the easier it will be to make the changes that works specifically for you. I would never recommend anyone to eat oatmeal if they throw up with just the thought of it. So be realistic and be honest with yourself. Let's face it, losing weight is the "goal" but the ultimate reward is feeling good about living a healthy lifestyle. So get your mind right, be consistent and lose weight without losing your mind!
I love it. Thanks for giving educated and inspirational things to read when I have my nights of restlessnes and insomnia. Ive always struggled to stick with a healthy lifestyle. Cycles are hard to break.
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