A New Life

I'm feeling a bit of a need to brag. This is not coming from vanity, self-righteous behavior, or any sort of gloating. More from that exuberant, intensely proud part that comes when one feels they're finally doing something right. 

This July I made a decision to stop. Stop blaming myself, blaming others, blaming anything and take the control God can give me to stop my obesity.

I've been on at least one diet a year since the age of 14. To be honest, I probably started sooner than that, but I distinctly remember watching an infomercial diet that advertised individuality, appealing to my adolescent need for self-distinction. Acquiring the diet plan didn't take much pleading, as my parents have been continually and rightfully concerned for my health and encourage all healthy actions to better myself. The diet plan worked a bit; I was only 5-10 lbs overweight at the time (based on the BMI index, not age) and as long as I could keep up with my "individualized" diet and exercise plan would I be able to succeed. Only... I was stifled. My diet plan consisted of few foods which appealed to my palate, so I ended up eating only baked fries, salad, egg whites, toast, and lean chicken. Not bad meals, really, but when that's all you can eat, every day... reverting back is almost irresistible.

I miss Belle :(

Since then I've steadily gained weight. I've tried the aforementioned Six Week Body Makeover, no fat/fried/sweets, eating baked fish 24/7, Weight Watchers, South Beach Diet, counting calories. I've tried exercise plans like Slim in 6, Tae Bo, Wii Fit, etc. I even tried applying for the Lap-Band, although the qualifications at the time were more stringent and costly than I could afford. All with fast short term results, instant gratification, and no staying power. Weight Watchers and South Beach were the best ones in terms of my dedication, and I can definitely see people using those plans, losing weight, and staying healthy. In fact, every diet I've tried has merit. There are people who've used them in a non-clinical atmosphere and had success. I am not one of those people, and blaming myself for failing has led me to higher weight and more depression.

This July I realized my problem. I'm too focused on the here and now, on being a size 2 next month. I'm too focused on adding strict rules, numbers, gadgetry, anything to make it "easier" that invariably I get bogged down and hopeless. I'm too focused on food in general. I don't want to keep a food journal. I don't want to try and figure out how many points are in every piece of food I put in my mouth for the rest of my life, or give up certain whole food groups (minus fats & sweets) only to bloat back up the moment it crosses my lips. This isn't true of everyone, just of me. My teenage individuality is rearing its head :).

So I've made my life simple. Rather than start a short term diet, I've changed my complete lifestyle. Rather than maintaining a strict count what I'm consuming, I'm keeping a fluid  knowledge of what is best for my body in terms of healthy weight loss (calories, fat, protein, sodium, fiber) . If I cross that, I'll forgive myself and do better the next day. Rather than eating only certain types of bland healthy foods, I'm eating all types, focusing on eating more fruits and veggies but not limiting myself to only those. I've subscribed to Cooking Light, one of the best decisions I've made on my road to being healthy, cooking primarily from its contents. I have cut out certain foods, not groups, that lead me back to bingeing (sp?), like potato chips and candy and certain types of cooking that have no nutritional value (e.g. frying).

Say No to Chips

I have had to accept parts of myself that I wanted to reject, such as the knowledge that I will always want to over-eat, I will always want to choose convenience over health, I will always want to be lazy rather than exercise :). Submitting to those wants has put me here in the first place. 

But the reward for taking a hold of my life has been sweet. I can see myself changing, my outlook happier, my complexion even clearing. I feel more confident in my skin and confident in change. I don't obsess about food as much as am aware. I'm watching my daughters enjoy foods many of their peers abhor.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta, Cooking Light

The best part? I've lost 22.8 lbs over the past 9 weeks. My goal is 30 lbs this year, continuing over the next year and half until I'm back in a healthy weight range. Hurray!

A Healthy Diet

...people you know who eat practically whatever they want and stay lean and healthy — what is their secret? It is quite simply that they have never fought their bodies, never made themselves feel deprived or starved, their metabolisms never got damaged and this allows for good levels of energy and a stable healthy body weight. - Guest blogger Chris, Zenhabits

One of the truest healthy diet* explanations I've ever come across. I will be there someday!

Read the rest of the post :). It's a good one!



*di·et¹  /ˈdaɪɪt/ Show Spelled [dahy-it] : "food or feed habitually eaten or provided" definition, rather than "a particular selection of food, esp. as designed or prescribed to improve a person's physical condition or to prevent or treat a disease"

Eat This, Not That

Recently I was recommended a group of nutrition books of the name 'Eat This, Not That.' They aren't diet books, telling you to cut out whole food groups or eat specific amounts at specific times of day, but rather a guideline to make smarter choices. I loved the books (I got the original and supermarket versions) and would recommend them to anyone, be they perfectly in shape or a total fatty like me.

The thing about the books is that the author(s) don't tell you what not to eat. If you really want pizza, the books give you examples of the right type vs. the wrong type of pizza to eat. There are best and worst of any type of food you can imagine, plus the brands. The supermarket book in particular will change your mode of, well, thinking about the food you partake in.

Another truly awesome part of the books is that the author(s) don't rate the food based on a couple of nutrition facts, but the nutrition information as a whole. There is no just looking at the carbs, or the calories and fat intake, or the sugar... For example, frozen chicken dinner A may have 30 less calories and 2 grams less fat than frozen chicken dinner B, but is worse for you because of the amount of sodium, calories from fat, and lack of protein and fiber.

I know this isn't a super exciting post, and most of you probably stopped at the second paragraph. I'm just really happy to have stumbled across these books because they have changes that EVERYONE can make, no matter your favorite types of food, whether you eat out or in, or what type of physical lifestyle you follow. So go buy or check out the books. If you don't, that next appetizer you order could be the one that has 2,900 calories and 182 grams of fat.