One of my goals for post-school life was to lose weight. I am about a month out of school and happy to report I've lost about 8 pounds. I'm way excited, but the battle has just begun.
So I thought I would post some of the things that have worked for me. These tips are not meant as a how-to for anyone else...actually it's really just for me so I have something to look at later. Like when I'm thinking of going out for pizza at 11 p.m. and I need a little inspiration.
Eating
- I try to keep track of what I eat. I do much better when I write it down. Makes it more obvious when I cheat or tell myself "well you didn't really eat much today," when it turns out I did!
- Plants. We buy way more fruits and veggies now, and try to add a little something to every meal. I also bring Pink Lady apples to work as a wonderful, crisp snack. Quite filling, too.
- Pasta. I basically don't eat pasta anymore. Sad but true. (Don't worry, I plan on breaking this little rule when we visit Italy.)
- Less. This is a follow up to keeping track of what I eat. I find that I can eat less and still be full and happy.
- Plan. I do so much better when I pack a lunch for work or plan out some meals for dinner. The worst situation I find myself in is starving and unprepared.
Working
- We joined a gym. It helps us to exercise together.
- Spin. I have a spin bike at home to use when the gym is inconvenient.
- Heart rate. I bought a heart rate moniter. This thing is a game-changer! It's amazing the number of times I have been completely out of breath, sure I was ready to pass out, and my heart rate was at a piddly 150. It also helps me realize when I should probably stop (180).
- Time. 30 minutes is a joke. I honestly think I have to work out at least 45 minutes a pop to see results. Right now it's all about cardio and sweat (sorry to be offensive, but yes, sweating buckets is part of the plan). I'm hoping once I reach my goal I can focus more on muscle building/toning, but not there yet!
General
- If you want to splurge, splurge. We all have birthdays. And in my case, it's usually a birth-week. Just don't use it as an excuse to fall off the wagon.
- Take your time. If you just ate but are still feeling hungry, give it the Tummy Ten. Or Tummy Twenty if ten seems short.
- Be aware of boredom. If the gym gets boring, take an interesting class. I took Zumba, where I realized I suck at Zumba. But I might take it again.
Now for anyone who feels compelled to say something nice like tell me I am on the verge of an eating disorder, save it. I want to be healthier and look better. If in a few months I start telling you about my new friend "Anna" or giving advice on how to make yourself throw up, we'll talk.
4 comments:
REally good advice, Linz. One thing that I try to do is if there's something really yummy on the table (or hidden in the back of the pantry) I eat an apple along with it, or 10 baby carrots or something like that. One bite of almond joy, two bites of apple--I still enjoy the treat but I don't fill up on it and I get some fiber and vitamins in there, too. Also many many ounces of chocolate diet coke (probably not that great of a strategy).
Good for you, Linds! Here's a tip for the gym: intervals! Even if you have only 15 minutes to work out, intervals are a great way to slim down and get strong. I feel like I get so much more out of one workout when I do them.
I've only done them on a stationary bike. I start with a three-minute warm-up of normal pedaling, and then go killer fast for 15 seconds, then back to normal for 30 seconds. Repeat for 15 minutes or more, and do a three-minute cool-down.
Here's a link with sciency stuff about intervals if you're interested: http://blog.liveactive.com/health-update/interval-training
great stuff Lindsay, it's hard this whole weight thing. My body has been like a balloon blown up then let out way to many times! I have found that drinking a large cold drink (water or diet something) first before I eat lunch or dinner has really cut down how much I can stuff into my tummy. And being very picky on what calories are worth it, home made brownies YES! a bag of old chips NO
these are great comments! I struggled with whether I wanted to post my blog on facebook, but then I decided I didn't care if people saw it or not. Plus I get great ideas like these!
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