Two and a half years ago, when I decided I really wanted to lose weight I contacted a friend who really helped me and pushed me to keep going. I want to share some tips he shared with me.
First…you’re not going on a diet, you’re making a lifestyle change. It used to drive me crazy when people would tell me that, but it’s true. I’ve found that usually when you’re on a diet and you hit your weight goal you stop. You don’t continue, you may slowly start going back to old habits and eventually fall off completely. I looked at dieting as short term. I wanted long term, so I changed my life.
I know what you’re thinking…you’ve seen this and read about it time and again but I’m here to tell you that if you stick to it you will see results!! Don’t think this isn’t for you, or you don’t have time – when I first started I was working full time at a hospital (12 hour shifts) and going to school (a hour away from where I lived & worked) full time. I really wanted to do this, so I made time for myself.
Unfortunately I didn’t follow any type of diet plan…I kind of made my own up as I went. Here’s what I did and still do (REMEMBER-everyone’s different and what worked for me may not work for you!!).
Meat:
Chicken
Turkey - Ground turkey – it was an acquired taste, but if you season it right and pair it with the right sides it tastes delicious
seafood (shrimp, salmon, tuna)
steak – occasionally
I stayed away from pork – pigs don’t sweat so all their toxins stay in their body and you intake all that in when you eat pork. Believe me, once you read about it you’ll stop eating it too! Here’s an interesting website on it https://www.18karatreggae.com/opinions/13-reasons-not-to-eat-pork/.
The majority of my meals consisted of half a chicken breast and veggies. The trick was to season the chicken differently to give it a different taste.
Veggies:
I ate ALL the veggies ALL the time – you want a rainbow plate. There are numerous ways to cook veggies and don’t be afraid to venture out!
Breakfast:
Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day. If you’re anything like me, it’s not… I would rotate between 2 eggs + veggies/fruit + occasionally turkey sausage, and a protein bar. I have to cook the eggs and turkey the night before because I am not a morning person, and heating it up in the morning is a lot easier than dirtying all the pans and having to cook and clean before I make it out the door. These days I eat a protein bar on the way to work.
Dairy:
I pretty much cut out all dairy products. After I started losing weight I began incorporating small amounts of cheese into my diet. I still do not drink milk, or eat yogurt.
Coffee:
I drink about a pot of coffee a day – addict I know… I loved all the flavored creamers (white chocolate raspberry was my favorite). But I was told to lay off…The best way to drink coffee is black. I can’t do that, I still use zero calorie sweetener. If you like using creamer, I would suggest trying almond milk to help ween yourself off. I would say half-and-half, but I personally feel like it has too many calories.
Cokes:
LAY OFF!!! They carry so many calories and bloat you up!! I know it’s hard to quit cold turkey, but start lessening your daily intake. Drink some Crystal Light flavored water instead!
Snacks:
Pinterest has some awesome healthy snack ideas-follow me, I post ideas all the time. I was told to eat every 2-3 hours even if I wasn’t hungry because this helps with metabolism. I set alarms on my phone to let me know when I should eat a snack.
Exercise:
I know it’s summer, and when you get home from work that’s the last thing you want to do. Start slow and build yourself up – this isn’t a race, you don’t have to go all out the first few weeks, you’ll get burnt out. After you start working out, or walking, or doing whatever you decide to do you’ll start to feel a difference – you will have more energy and be in a better mood!! Exercising releases that “happy” endorphins and puts you in a better mood!
Alcohol:
I personally gave up alcohol for the first few months. I bowl, and my teammates and I like to drink and relax while bowling, so I was tempted a few nights a week. When I started socially drinking I would have vodka + crystal light water, or some Michelob beer. I had to be careful not to get carried away because the calories in alcohol adds up FAST!!! I don’t really have any tips on “healthy” choices for alcohol besides quitting, or lessening the intake amount.
Cheat Days:
YAASSSSSSS!! Choose one day a week to be your cheat day. Mine was typically Friday or Saturday – these days it varies. This is the one day you can “let go” and splurge. Just don’t get too crazy. Once you’ve been eating healthy for a few weeks, you’re body will not allow you to get crazy. I remember one time I tried to eat something with cream cheese and got sick, I’ve tried eating burgers on my cheat days and got sick from the grease. Your body will get used to you taking care of it and fight you when you try to give it something it shouldn’t have.
Weigh-Ins:
Of course when you start your journey, take pictures and weigh yourself. You’re going to want to see your progress – it’s mind blowing. I took pictures around the same time every month. You’ll want to weigh in in the mornings, after you use the bathroom, with nothing on and BEFORE your cheat day. Try to keep it on the same day every week – I always weighed in on Fridays.
Give it time – this isn’t going to happen overnight, you may not even see progress for a few weeks. It took a couple months before I started to notice a change. I felt better, but as far as looking…I didn’t feel like I looked any different, but in comparing my monthly pictures I could tell and that’s what kept me going. I didn’t start seeing a change on the scale for a few weeks.
Goals:
Give yourself your ultimate goal and then set small attainable goals. It is better to make a goal like "I will lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks." That means you will lose 1 pound a week. If you lose more kudos, if you don't, that's ok, as long as you lose that 1 pound a week you're meeting your goal!! As you continue, keep setting small short-term goals. As you continue, your confidence will soar because you are meeting your goals!
I’m sure I’ve missed some things – I will try to add as I remember.
Key Points:
eat every 2-3 hours – even if you’re not hungry
you should have approximately 6 small meals a day
make yourself a rainbow plate
drink plenty of water
make short-term attainable goals
weigh in on the same day once a week
don’t stop because you don’t see progress – it’s coming
exercise
take monthly pictures
splurge on your cheat days
hard work DOES pay off
NO EXCUSES!!
**I am not a doctor, or specialist of any kind, this is simply my opinion**
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