Before I had the joy of becoming the mother of TWO, I had spend two years losing weight and trying to be a healthier individual. I had portion control down, and I walked several days out of the week. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to get back to that after having a baby?!!
During my pregnancy, I gained, roughly, 30 pounds. After giving birth to our son, I lost 20 of that...almost immediately! Then, I began the rollercoaster of gaining and losing - up 10, down 5, up 2, down 7, etc. Well, I finally managed to get back down to that 20 pound loss mark, but I still have 10 to go in order to get back to pre-pregnancy weight.
For most people, that would be a final goal, but I still have a good 50-60 pounds more to go, after that, just to get to the place where the "charts" say I am at a healthy weight. Honestly, I haven't weighed that since I was in the sixth or seventh grade, so it will be something else if I ever manage to get there!
The thing about livng a healthier lifestyle in order to lose weight is that, if you are living with others that aren't living healthier, it makes it a much more difficult task. For this reason, I have asked my dear sweet husband to work with me, and we can become healthier together! Not only does this help give me will power to succeed, it also gives me a bit of "competition" - so to speak. He's already starting out 10 pounds less than me, so he certainly has a head start! I'm sure it will backfire on me, at some point, since he can lose weight rather rapidly. It'll all be worth it, in the end, when we can all be healthy together!
I also have noticed that, as Kaylee gets older, our bad eating habits are beginning to rub off on her. I can't rightly tell her to eat veggies instead of chips as I stand there with a bag of Doritos in hand! She also needs to know that you can eat broccoli without it being smothered in cheese, and burgers don't have to have a half-pound of bacon on them. Don't get me wrong...we are not giving up any of these things, but we are cutting down on the amount that we eat. That is how I successfully lost 85 pounds, and it is how I intend to lose the next round of fat!
I have had a number of people come to me to find out what secret remedy I used to lose so much weight. They all wanted to know what shake, what pill, what fad I had picked up on. The thing about all of those fads is that they are not maintainable! Sure, I can replace high calorie meals with low calorie shakes, and I will lose weight. At some point, though, you get hungry for real food, and most people end up gaining back twice that of what they lost in the first place. Instead, figure out what your average daily caloric intake is, and begin by cutting that by a quarter or third - depending on your tolerance. You gradually cut it down...that's key!
Don't forget that you NEED to eat three separate meals a day. For those who think skipping breakfast will help them lose since they aren't eating those calories, you are sadly mistaken. As my mother's physician recently told her, even if you are not eating breakfast, your body still needs calories to function. Instead of using the fat stores you have, though, your brain tells your body to metabolize your brain sugars instead. Eventually, this can lead to problems concentrating, memory loss, and other even more serious conditions. Instead of avoiding breakfast, choose to eat a small, high protein, low calorie breakfast instead. I prefer one-egg cheese omelettes, toast or oatmeal and orange juice or coffee to drink! None of these things take a long time to get together. If you are an eggs and bacon person, eat one egg instead of two and one slice of bacon instead of three! Eat one pancake instead of a full stack. Even if you aren't hungry, eat something! It makes all the difference - I promise!
Snacking is the devil! If you must do it, like me, keep on hand things like fresh fruit/veggies, yogurt, cheese sticks, saltine crackers, granola bars, etc. Usually, I find I'm either craving sweet or salty, and if I feed that craving, I am set until the next meal! Don't fall into the trap of "grazing" because it ALWAYS ends badly. "Grazing" is trying a bit of each thing until you find what you were actually hungry for. Before you know it, your 100 calorie snack has become a 400 calorie snack buffet!
New mom munchies - I had issues with this. I felt like I had no time to eat a good meal, so I was grabbing snacks at every free moment I had. Not only did this not help with my weight loss, but it made me feel just plain awful! Eating healthier makes you feel happier and more energetic! Nobody can say that starving yourself does the same thing!
Eating out... "Salad for me, please." That, is a terrible idea! For one, the salads most of us get are no healthier than any other entree on the menu. Cheese, bacon, dressing.... If you just like salad, go for it, but don't deny yourself the food you like to eat. My trick is...wait for it....LEAVE SOME FOOD ON YOUR PLATE!!! I know, this is easier said than done. I enjoy my steak and baked potato, so I order it! I eat half, and I leave the rest. This one is difficult for my husband, of course, because he's all about eating what you paid for. Other options for you frugal types is sharing with your spouse/children or taking home leftovers. You can also order children's portions or take advantage of half-orders. Get a Junior burger as opposed to a double bacon cheeseburger. Did you know that Sonic offers a regular sized chili-cheese hotdog, and you DON'T have to get the footlong coney?!! I think you get the point!
Get some activity in, folks! You wouldn't believe the workout you get from just pulling weeds in your flowerbeds! Play with your kids...they are the ultimate personal trainers! Go for a walk. Quit shopping online, and get your behind to the store! You wouldn't believe how many calories you can burn with the slightest bit of activity.
Get the family involved! Like I mentioned before, losing weight on your own is difficult, but if you get your family to join you, there is accountability and support. Cook meals together, play sports together, spend time together. It's all about getting healthy - physically, mentally and emotionally! Get yourself in-shape, and get your family in-shape!
So, that's it... It's nothing fancy. It's not magic in a bottle. You can give me three installments of $19.99 if you'd like, but it's not necessary! In one week of getting back to this, I am already down two pounds. If that isn't enough for you, you don't understand how losing weight works. You didn't gain it in a month, and you won't lose it that way, either! A couple pounds a week is pretty average...and over time, it does make a difference!
So, join me in my journey! Give it a try, and share your success! Good luck in your quest for a healthier life, and don't forget - it's NOT a diet! It's a lifestyle!
Love and Blessings,
Jessie
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