Starting over is hard, but it is the first step to taking control of your life. What worked for me was not to make HUGE changes all at once. I started by simply eating better. After about a month of that, I had lost 20 pounds. I cut back on Pop and fast food, and ate a lot of salads with grilled chicken and light italian dressing. Then, I added in exercise. At first, just walking and weights with friends. Then I tried the elliptical and then later, running. That is my passion now….even though some days it seems that running and I are having a fight! (burnout is common!).
My tips:
-plan your meals. Don’t make excuses because you don’t have time. Bodies are made in the kitchen and toned in the gym. You can’t out exercise a bad diet. I counted calories. It worked for me.
-Find an exercise buddy. In the beginning my besties had to drag me to the gym. But I went. I needed the accountability partner. Now? I like to run by myself. I’m funny that way. 🙂
-Find an activity you enjoy doing. Whether its running, walking, swimming, Zumba, bootcamps, biking, whatever. If you like doing it, you’ll KEEP doing it. And enjoy yourself and see results.
-Lift weights. I know, I know, I hate doing this too, but muscle burns more calories than fat when you’re just resting. And it takes up less space in your body, even though it weighs more. So do yourself a favor and lift. And get strong. That’s awesome.
-Don’t eliminate whole groups of foods in your diet. The instant that a food or a group of foods is off limits, it becomes the only thing you can think about. Moderation is key in everything in life…even water! (you can drown, you know!). Feed your body healthy, whole foods from the earth. Fresh fruits, veggies, proteins, whole grains, fats. You need them all. But do so in moderation. (I will never do fad diets. It’s not a diet. It’s a lifestyle change. Think of it that way and it will become easier, I promise.)
-Celebrate small victories. But not with food. Why do we reward ourselves with food? We’re not dogs! Get a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, a new haircut or a cute new top you’ve been eyeing. My reward for 60 pounds lost was a massage. It felt GREAT to earn it.
-Weigh or not to weigh? I weigh myself everyday. I have for years. It works for me. It may not work for you. If it motivates you, then good. But if you become crazy obsessed, then don’t do it. Go by how your clothes feel. Just remember, you are NOT a number on the scale.
That’s all I can think of right now. Please keep me posted with how you’re doing!! Good luck!!
Runnin' Down a Dream 