Progress
Progress photo as of 1/31/13
Putting the Number on the Scale in Perspective
Most of us probably don’t make drastic changes to our eating habits without at least some motivation to change our weight and/or physical appearance. So it’s natural that we are going to look at the scale and we’ll have emotional ups and downs – usually inversely proportional to the ups and downs on the scale. However on some of the forums I frequent, I see a lot of posts that start out something like “So discouraged, I’ve ONLY lost 4 pounds.” or “This doesn’t work, I’ve been eating right and even started working out and I actually gained 2 pounds!”
I’m not saying that what we weigh isn’t part of the story. It’s just not the whole story. For those of who haven’ started exercising yet, I highly encourage you to do so. I truly believe that it was a big part of what helped me focus, de-stress and keep myself mentally on track.
I’ve posted this video elsewhere, but if you haven’t seen it, this is a quick 2 and a half minute video showing the size difference between equal weights of muscle and fat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozt-V0PPJaw
And I’m not saying you have to be hitting the weights daily to increase your amount of lean muscle. As a matter of fact, if you’ve been mostly sedentary (like I was prior to October 2011) then just small simple starts like walking will start to stimulate muscle growth.
Start in small increments (especially if you are starting out with a lot of weight). Don’t hurt yourself. Just … move. As always, you should consult with a professional (doctor, trainer, etc) prior to making any drastic changes in your routine. But the whole point of changing your diet is tell your bodies to start burning fat as fuel or to tell your muscles to grow. Get moving and burn some of that fuel!
How Much did I have to Give Up?
I’m not talking about giving up as in quitting. I’m talking about how every time someone asks me what I’m doing to lose weight, they say “Oh, I don’t think I could give up (insert whatever carbilicious thing you can think of here).
I don’t like to think of this way of life in terms of having to “give up a lot”. I like to think in terms of having traded it in for something better. I’ve also learned that there are foods I like now that I thought I hated before. I guess getting all of that sugar and starch out of my system kind of allowed my taste buds to reset to a place where I can really enjoy the sweetness in vegetables that I never liked in the past.
Literally, in the past, the thought of brussels sprouts made me want to hurl. Now, I eat them at least once a week and LOVE them. So I’ve discovered and learned to love so many foods that I was not able to enjoy before because I traded in the carby starchy food for something else. I also traded it in for more activity, for being able to fit into the booths at restaurants, for being able to sit comfortably on an airplane without nasty looks from the person in the seat next to me, for being able to hike up to a gorgeous waterfall that can only be reached on foot and that I would have never seen otherwise. I traded it in for the ability to run if something chases me. Zombies may look slow, but wouldn’t you rather know you could run if you had to? Looking at it like that, I think I was giving up SO MUCH MORE the way I used to eat.
I realize a lot of this is about semantics. But those of you who “know me” know that for me to continue this, I’ve had to do a lot of self talk and keep myself mentally in the game. It’s these subtle little word shifts that help me with that. No judgement intended toward anyone who really feels like they are giving up a lot of their favorite foods. I just want to encourage you to not focus on that so much and see that there are multiple ways to look at this to help you get through the really tough, tempting times.
Happy trading!!
~Christie
If I’m Capable of Change, So Are You
I don’t have any magical wisdom to offer other than as the title says: if I can do it, you can. REALLY. Obviously the change I’m talking about for me pertains to my journey with weight loss, but honestly, the biggest part of this journey has been the mental changes necessary in order to achieve the weight loss and I suspect that may translate to things other than just weight loss.
Getting started was a roller coaster. I didn’t lose as much weight as many people do when they start a new “diet.” I probably overate the stuff I was allowed to have. The cravings sucked at first. But I got through that first week and my body started to adjust. The physical desire for carbs and sugar greatly decreased and the battle that remained was mostly mental.
There were still difficult times. When changing eating habits, you are going to miss things sometimes. You are going to crave things sometimes. You are occasionally going to get some hidden carbs somewhere that could trigger hunger and cravings.
It WILL pass.
Focus on positive things. Don’t focus on what you can’t have. Focus on the great stuff you can have. Hello! Bacon! Adjust your vocabulary to positive things and saying things in a way that gives you control. I’m frequently asked by someone “Can you have <insert whatever carbilicious thing you can think of here>?” I’ve stopped saying “no I can’t have that.” I’ve started saying “I could but I’d rather not.” It’s a subtle shift in language, but it starts to impact your mindset and it’s a constant reminder that you control food – it doesn’t control you.
I know these suggestions sound overly simplistic and you might not feel like you are even buying into what you are telling yourself. But keep up the positive self talk. Keep telling yourself you are worth it. And keep at it. Hard work, persistence and loving yourself will pay off. The hard times will pass. You will succeed. I’m living proof.
Peace,
Christie
Goodbye, 2012
I had a love hate relationship with 2012. Physically, it was a year of transformation for me. From Oct. 2011 through December 2012 I lost about 150 pounds. The holidays were fine in that I was able to stick to low carb with relative ease (couldn’t say the same for 2011, but after doing this for over a year it was much easier this time around).
2012 included a lot I couldn’t control. Some personal losses/tragedies started piling up around the beginning of summer. Perhaps the old me would have turned to food for comfort. But in all honesty, I truly found the most comfort in having something I felt like I was completely in control of – my lifestyle. No matter what else was going on, I had the safety and peace of mind of my boundaries when it came to food. I also had an hour a day in the morning in the gym where I could just zone out and work out my stress. These things suddenly stopped feeling like obligations or chores and became my refuge.
In the past, I always thought of “dieting” as restrictive and confining. For the first time ever, I have entered a new way of being that is disciplined yet freeing at the same time. I’m no longer a prisoner in my own body – making excuses not to go out with friends or trying to find ways to get things done with the least amount of effort because it was just too difficult to lug my weight around.
I still have weight to lose. But I’m healthy and whole and I’m no longer making excuses. I know others who have lost weight faster than I have. I’m not in a race. I’m looking to be healthy. There are times I get impatient and start wishing I could hurry up and get into a single digit jean size and have a certain body type. But those are the times that start tempting me to take unhealthy shortcuts (miss a meal, set unrealistic workout goals etc..) so I just redirect to focusing on my health and well-being. As long as I keep that in focus, I know this is both attainable and sustainable and it’s very realistic that I could be able to stop saying “I still have some weight to lose” by summer.
I remember so many Christmases sitting on an airplane thinking “If I had just stuck with something starting last year, I wouldn’t be sitting here miserable right now.” Christmas 2012 I sat there without that regret for the first time.
And looking back… it went by in a blink. I can’t honestly say I’m “thin” .. yet. I don’t care if I’m ever thin. I am healthy. I am getting healthier. I ran my first 5K with my brothers on 12/29. I ran the whole thing (slow, but still ran). The 3 of us crossed the finish line together even though they both could have finished it in less than half the time it took to run it with me. It is one of my favorite memories. In October 2011 I could barely walk on a treadmill for 10 minutes at a slow pace. In December 2012 I RAN a 5K (dressed as batman) with my brothers. Yes, I know I just said that twice.
Peace,
Christie
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