My reasons for weight loss are simple, and not necessarily vain. I want to lose 10 pounds because it's healthy, it's the ideal weight for me, and it will make me feel good about me. I'm not doing it for anyone else. If I were, there would be some other, more important issues I would need to think about and take care of. I'm also losing weight and changing my eating because my cholesterol is dangerously high. I'm 23, and my cholesterol is at a 142. That's higher than my 59-year-old father, who's on medication for his cholesterol.
So far, after a month of struggling with eating less and eating the right things, I've lost about 4 lbs. I'm not being very good at the "d" word, I'll admit, but I'm walking a lot more around the city, and I do try to watch what I eat. I've also kind of given up on not eating the things I enjoy simply because the diet books say I shouldn't eat them. It's unfulfilling and makes me very cranky, and then I'm apt to binge on a pint of ice cream. These are things that have helped me a lot:
1. If you've lost a pound, or even half a pound, reward yourself. This could be a food reward, or it could mean a new blouse or shoes. When you've lost a few more pounds due to eating properly and are eyeing that skirt on sale, think to yourself, "I deserve it!" Say it out loud if you have to. You're doing something good for your body and your mind, what better accomplishment is there to reward yourself for?
They don't have to be expensive rewards, either, to your wallet or your waist. If I've lost some more weight, I treat myself to a snack of my favorite fruit or something equally satisfying but productive to weight loss, like blueberries and strawberries mixed with some low-fat yogurt (antioxidants and vitamins). Make it something you really enjoy that just happens to be healthy.
I love salads with balsamic vinaigrette, so I don't feel stifled or punished when I eat a salad for lunch or dinner. I always have some protein on top, usually half a grilled chicken breast and/or a boiled egg. And I always indulge in a quarter of an avocado on top, because they're filled with the good kind of fat, and to me are very satisfying. Filling up on veggies works wonders, too, like sauteed or grilled zucchini and bell peppers seasoned with a little olive oil and some oregano and garlic. Eat more or your favorite vegetables than anything else on your plate, and you'll be happier and feel better.
2. GET RID OF HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! I mean it. Stop eating it. Now. It's in almost everything, so that means you need to read labels very carefully. It not only makes me feel sluggish when I eat it now, but it's so very bad for you! Same goes for enriched white flour, processed sugars, artificial colors, preservatives and other nasties. Do a search of the effects. Here's a few websites that discuss the effects of these products.
Sugar: You must love your children to DEATH!
Why We Artificially Bleach Our Flour
Sugar's Effect on Your Health
According to Mother Earth News, studies in the UK have shown that artificial food colorings and preservatives cause hyperactivity in children. So forget the Ritalin, lose the Kool-Aid!
3. Cut back on, or cut out entirely, unhealthy snack foods. In the last few years, I've almost entirely cut out snacky foods, like chips, cookies, and candy. I gave them up because I wanted to eat more healthfully. Most of the things I stopped eating I don't miss, because I've replaced them with healthier things. I love gummy bears, so I buy gummy bear vitamins and only eat the daily dose's worth instead of getting a big bag of nutritionally-devoid candies. Even Mr. Man loves them.
I also love salt-and-vinegar potato chips, but it's gotten to the point where I can walk right by them in the grocery aisle and not stop. I just don't enjoy the feeling I get, physically and emotionally, after eating a whole bag, so I avoid it entirely. That, and it's so satisfying to walk through the chip and cookie aisle, head held high, and not stop once.
4. Try to cut back to very small portions at mealtime. And by that I don't mean measuring anything. I simply serve myself what looks like too small an amount, and eat only until I am full. But pay attention to your body's cues. You'd be amazed how little that takes, and how quickly you can eat too much and get uncomfortable. I over eat a lot, mostly because I eat quickly–a bad habit I picked up in high school. And its not only unhealthy, but really no fun to be too full to do anything. Eat slowly, chew your food well, and enjoy it for all its flavor and textures. I'm not saying that you have to meditate on the texture of a pea, but really take the time to savor your meal. Also, talk with the people at the table. It slows you down even more, and you can all enjoy your meal and each other's company.
5. DON'T BE AFRAID TO THROW FOOD AWAY!!! This is especially true at restaurants. We've all heard "Clean your plate. Children are starving in [insert country]!" Well, portions these days are way too big, and if you're full and there's still food on your plate, don't force yourself to eat it. It's counterproductive to weight loss, and just not healthy to stuff yourself. Wrap it up, put it in the fridge, and eat it for lunch the next day, or eat it as a snack later if you do get hungry again. You're not going to hell for eating until you're not hungry and stopping. The leftovers will still be there later.
6. EAT BREAKFAST! Skipping breakfast is something I had to break myself of. In high school I realized that if I ate breakfast, I was hungry all day and would snack all day. So I stopped eating breakfast. I figured I was still growing, so my metabolism could handle it, and I was never hungry in the mornings, anyway. Well, now that my metabolism has slowed down, and I can't at as much as I did when I was 16, I find it is necessary to eat breakfast to give my metabolism a kick-start. It really does help. I'm usually not hungry enough before 11am to eat very much, so I usually just have one of the following quick, simple breakfasts (Don't forget, these are organic!):
- one egg any style, with a slice of whole grain toast. If I'm feeling indulgent, I'll use a little real butter on my toast.
- yogurt with fresh fruit, and a slice of dry whole grain toast.
- a protein bar. My favorite is a chocolate brownie crunch Think Thin bar from Think Products. So satisfying.
- an english muffin with one egg over hard and a slice of ham. Yes, really! No cheating, though. No Micky D's!
- a small bowl of granola with 1% or 2% milk and dried, sweetened blueberries. Make sure the granola is low-fat, though. Many are made with oil.
7. Protein bars are your friend. Find a protein (not energy) bar that you like, buy a box of them, and throw a few in your purse or bag. If you get hungry and don't have time or forget to eat, just grab your protein bar instead of a greasy burger from the cafeteria or binging on 5 slices of pizza at dinner. Also, in cooler weather it's a good idea to keep a few in the car. Never know when you'll have to run out the door for an appointment across town and forget to eat breakfast. Check out the Think Thin line from Think Products.
8. All Non-fat is bad! According to The American Heart Association, "Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body and food. Your liver and other cells in your body make about 75 percent of blood cholesterol. The other 25 percent comes from the foods you eat." We all know there are two types of cholesterol, HDL and LDL. HDL is the good cholesterol. LDL is the bad cholesterol. But you need some cholesterol and fat to be healthy, and some foods high in HDL cholesterol can lower LDL levels in your body. So trying to cut out all fat is not only unhealthy, but a serious waste of time and energy.
9. QUIT SMOKING. I did. Took 2 years, but I did. So can you.
10. EAT MORE LOCAL ORGANIC! Support your local, small-scale organic farmers. Need I remind everyone how nasty conventionally-grown foods/products are? Oh, very well. Go to local farmers markets to buy your veggies and fruit, and eat things that are in season for your region. Supporting local agriculture is good for local economy, and just plain makes sense. So buy a CSA with your local farm. They, and your body, will thank you!
I also find that taking vitamins and certain supplements make me feel better physically, which can do wonders to make one feel better emotionally. I've been trying CoQ10 for my cholesterol, but have to go get it checked by my doctor to see if it's working. Before my cholesterol was tested, I really did eat pretty much the same as I do now. I usually ate healthy foods, except I was eating a lot of eggs at the time. They are a perfect food, though, but so high in cholesterol (one egg contains almost all of your recommended daily intake.)
Anyway, I hope this helps anyone out there who's trying to lose a few pounds for swimsuit season, or even trying to change their eating habits to be a healthier and happier person.
