Before going off to graduate school and having my first child, I was pretty satisfied with my weight. Sure I wanted to be smaller. But for someone who has always been overweight, 190lbs and a size 14 was good for me. I didn't have a gut and I could buy jeans from Banana Republic that fit me perfectly! I was a vegetarian (though I ate fish and had turkey during the holdiays). I exercised very sparingly. However, after having two children - which inherently changed my eating and exercise habits - I had become a size 18/20, weighing about 235lbs. So when the new year came around, I made a promise to myself not just to join the gym or get on a diet - neither of which I've done - I decided I would change my lifestyle to reflect the type of physical health I longed to have.
Upon making that decision, I was blessed to be able to join a "Biggest Loser" contest with staff and friends of my neighborhood's community center: a weight lose challenge. The contest runs from January to April 30th with the chance to win some cash (anytime money's on the table, I'm game). My first weigh-in was January 6th: 227lbs. I was horrified, but I just made a challenge to myself to change it. In less than three weeks, I've lost almost 10lbs and I'm looking forward to the next weigh-in in a few days to see my progress.
I'm still working on developing a more consistent exercise routine, but currently I workout to one of two Billy Blanks DVDs and I go to the community center to run a mile, shoot ball or use one of the cardio machines. For me, cardio is key and right now I'm getting in about 30-45 minutes, 3-5 days a week.
More importantly, I've changed my eating habits, but I am NOT ON A DIET. I want my weight lose plan to be a lifestyle change so to put myself on a diet would be to set myself up for failure. I've made a conscious decision to eat to live and not for comfort....The following are highlights of my altered diet (I started with a one-week detox):
- Replaced sugar cravings with fruit and smoothies. Smoothies/fruit drinks are easy to make at home with a blender. I usually tend to use a banana (for potassium and natural sugar). Apples, berries (straw-, blue- and black-), kiwi and mango are others I mix and match with a variety of different 100% fruit juices or just water.
- Reduced red meat intake. I've been surprised by how easy this has been given my family's desire to have it. So sometimes I have to make myself a different meal. Replacing ground beef with ground turkey is an option as well. Or sometimes I just have no meat at all.
- Increased my intake of fish and poultry. Tilapia, salmon and tuna are easy additions. I love turkey products and more and more the grocery stores are offering more turkey-based products and cuts. BTW - A turkey thigh is a great cut of meat and its large enough for two servings.
- Beans and nuts for protein. Beans are cheap, last a while and allow creativity in the kitchen! I put nuts - walnuts, sunflower seeds, pecans - in salads, have them with yogurt and granola or alone as an afternoon snack.
- Water, water, water! I've never been much on soda so drinking more water has been easy for me. I try to always have a bottle or glass near me - all day long - and drink it between meals and with snacks when I'm feeling hungry. A friend suggested drinking water before a meal to get fuller faster.
- Cut out most corn-based products.
- Eat dairy sparingly.
- Eat very little bread and pasta.
- Increased grains.
Overall, my food strategy is to eat a large variety of good food and cook nutritiously. I reward myself on the weekends with a nice dessert and/or serving of bread:-). I read labels on processed food I buy and make a huge effort to eliminate high fructose corn-syrup.
In the next month, I look forward to enhancing my exercise routine by making it more consistent and incorporating weights. I want to find 3 new foods and/or meals to add to my diet. I want to lose more weight and by April 30th I want to be the biggest loser!
