These pictures are one year apart. It only took six months of limited activity after four level spinal surgery and zero thoughts about eating healthy (including more than a few pity party orders from Cinnaholic) for me to put on an unwanted 25 pounds. And while I eventually quit feeling sorry for myself and started doing what I knew how to do once I was released by my surgeon, I didn’t lose the weight in six months. It took twelve. It took me an entire year to take off the weight I so casually put on, literally telling myself with every take out delivery that it was just one more.
Now I want to clarify, this is not a negative post (however heavy that first bit may seem). I am aiming for inspiring. I’ve talked to a lot of people lately who have made the decision to work on their health and want to lose weight. While January 1st tends to bring the weight loss resolutions and lofty goals, it is often followed by diets that are so extreme you end up quitting or workouts that are so painful you don’t want to go back to the gym. So, then what do we do Amy? How do we avoid the pitfalls of the quick weight loss gimmicks that tend to surround us this time of year? Change your mindset…and yeah I know, it’s easier said than done.
Every day we are bombarded by ads on the radio, commercials on t.v. and posts on social media that promise a huge weight loss in a short amount of time. But the truth is, if you don’t change the way you look at food, health and activity whatever weight comes off quick with the newest fad out there will just jump right back on as fast or faster when it’s over. So, I suggest you think about what your goals are and why you are making a change. Do you want to look good on the beach for spring break or do you want to be able to take more of those trips with the ones you love? For me, it’s an easy answer. I didn’t meet the love of my life until I was deep into my forties. I had a life changing surgery just five months after our wedding and the recovery had me down for a solid six months. We have six children and two grandchildren (so far). Losing weight and getting healthy is not just about me or some outfit I want to fit into. I want a long life with my love and I want to continue to be here for and be a part of our children and grandchildren’s lives.
Portion sizes in the US are so much larger than the rest of the world. Americans average 1000 calories a day more than citizens from around the globe and a lot of that has to do with the portion sizes that are put in front of us by fast food and sit down restaurants alike. So, a small change to start your weight loss journey begins with how much goes on your plate. Think about sharing entrées or skipping the appetizer at restaurants. Many of us were raised in the “you must finish everything on your plate” generation. But times have changed. You don’t have to clean your plate. Think more along the lines of tasting several things and eating until you start to feel full. It’s a win-win situation when you can let your taste buds experience different things without stuffing yourself. It takes around 20 minutes for your brain to actually register that your stomach is full. So the simple act of eating slower can help you eat less because it gives your brain time to realize what you’ve had. Rather than eating fast and finishing everything only to realize once your plate is empty that you are painfully full, the European way of enjoying longer meals helps you to eat a more accurate portion.
At our house we are fairly boring during the week, drinking protein shakes and doing food prep meals to accurately count calories and put quality fuel into our bodies. But we do it because we travel a lot and like to eat at nice restaurants. We don’t beat ourselves up, but rather allow ourselves to try new dishes and have that slice of cake afterward on the weekend because we have managed our portions and food quality during the week.
The other piece of the puzzle is to move your body. This part is different for everyone because we all have different limitations, injuries, likes and dislikes. But as far as the math goes, in order to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in daily. It doesn’t take crazy heavy weight lifting workouts or hours on a treadmill to lose weight. Honestly, I suggest finding workouts that you enjoy. But if you’ve never hit the gym don’t expect to set a goal of six days a week and crush it. Start slowly and build up. The easiest thing to do getting started is to walk. Adding 30 minutes of walking to your day improves your health and your mood. Walking 10,000 steps a day helps get you closer to that caloric deficit. Regardless of what your workout is, adding in the walk daily helps create healthy habits. When it comes to burning fat, the more muscle you have the more fat you burn. But not everyone likes to lift the way I do. Heck, post surgery, even I can’t work out the way I used to. There’s no more running five or six miles in my routine. I can’t jump in a high energy class at the gym that has lots of jumping and quick movements with weights to get my heart rate up. I’ve had to evolve with my body. But the one thing I have done since January 1st of last year is to work out five days a week consistently. Even if not all five workouts are “good” ones by my standard, I still made my body move. Even if all I did on some days was walk, I did something.
For me personally, I didn’t lose 15 pounds in a month or anything like all the ads I hear daily. Over the course of a year I lost a single pound per week and some weeks didn’t lose at all. I focused on changing my habits. I stopped gaining five pounds every time we left town and started maintaining my weight because I wouldn’t splurge on every single meal in a new place. My husband and I kept up with our workouts when we traveled. Yes, sometimes people teased us for hitting the gym when we were on vacation, but keeping a bit of the routine in place helped us balance any “vacation eating” that we did and overall feel better and sleep better while we were away. Things like cutting out soda and fast food go a long way in the grand scheme of things. I stopped getting the sugary drinks at Starbucks (and yes, I survived). Just know this…you can do it. Rather than making huge changes for a short period of time and denying yourself life’s little pleasures, take it one step at a time and make lifestyle choices that encourage healthy living, and your body will thank you for it.
Yesterday's Bliss 