I used to be an "all or nothing" kind of gal. When I previously tried to lose weight, I went all in. Which is fine until I "mess up" because then I say "the heck with it" and give up. Meaning, if I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all. Can you relate?
We all want the quick fix, and we get sucked into the ads and social media that tell us it's possible to lose weight fast, ugh! Sure it is possible, but it isn't sustainable.
One of my latest posts in the Start Today Facebook group gained traction as I talked about how I've maintained a 40+ pound weight loss since 2011/2012.
I shared that this time around, my approach was different. I introduced one small change at a time until I mastered it, then I started on another small change. While it took a lot more patience, I was tired of making changes that weren't maintainable for life. Many people commented on my post asking what small changes I made and it inspired todays blog. As you read through these changes please remember that I've made them gradually over the past 10-12 years. And I'm proud to share that now most of them are habits that I don't even think about.
- I started by removing the calories I was drinking. Swapping out coke for diet coke (I was drinking at least 6 cans of coke a day); then swapped out diet coke for water or unsweetened iced tea. Note: I hated water, and now I love it. My body craves it. I drink half of my body weight in ounces of water each day.
- Walking. I started out by walking to the stop sign in my neighborhood. I added on 5-10 minutes at a time. Thanks to the motivation in the Start Today Facebook group, I now do 3-4 miles several times a week combined with strength training. I'm excited to keep setting new fitness goals.
- Let's stay on exercise for a moment. When I first got my elliptical, I started out by doing 10 minutes at a slow speed. I now can do 45 minutes at a good clip without thinking about it. When I started strength training, I used no weights. Then I increased to 1 pound, 3 pounds, 5 pounds and 8 pounds. Start small and add on.
- The most drastic changes came with my eating. Especially my sugar intake. As I share in the post below, I used to start my day with 1-2 donuts and a coke. I'd then power through my day with sugar and caffeine and it was a never ending cycle of temporary energy and then an energy crash.
- All programs work. But they may not all work for the phase of life that you're in. From 2011 to today I've progressed from Weight Watchers to Beachbody to a more holistic approach to my wellness. They all worked and each one was exactly what I needed at that time in my life.
- In 2011, I went back to Weight Watchers. I had success on WW in my 20's and gave it another try. If I can pause here and share that I tried WW for 3 years in a row. Stopped and started many MANY times and FINALLY stuck with it. That's how I lost the 40+ pounds and I eventually became a WW leader. WW taught me about portion control and moving my body. It taught me balance. To be able to enjoy all foods in moderation. I needed the group accountability and motivation.
- In 2016 I discovered Beachbody. Beachbody or BODI was a combination of nutrition and exercise. It's when I finally learned that the quality of food I put in my body matters, not just the quantity. I moved to eating as many whole unprocessed foods as possible. I started to prioritize veggies, lean proteins and complex carbs. This was not an easy change as I'm a super picky non-veggie eater. But I approached the program with an open mind and willingness to try one new food a week. I still do BODI fitness today and I love the variety of workouts!
- To help with my sweet tooth, I subbed out sweet treats with tons of added sugar for naturally sweet treats. For example, one of my favorite breakfasts is baked oatmeal cups. Note: I don't like the texture of oatmeal. I found that baking the oatmeal changes the texture, but you still get all of the benefits of oatmeal like fiber. I hid veggies in my recipes or in my protein shakes. Instead of doing the "all or nothing" thing, like "I must eat cauliflower mashed potatoes or rice", I continued with the small changes. Like swapping from white rice to brown and from brown rice to half brown rice half cauliflower rice.
- In 2019 I gave up gluten. This wasn't me jumping on a diet trend. This was me realizing that gluten was inflaming my body and creating a whole bunch of issues, joint pain, headaches, bloating. Going gluten free was critical to my recovery from neurological Lyme disease. To learn more about this part of my journey, click here.
- It was when I gave up gluten that I started to research how to heal my body with food. I wrote this post about my holistic healing journey. And that is where I am today. Learning what foods serve me well and what don't. Eating more anti-inflammatory foods. Understanding the gut brain connection. Shifting my mindset to focus on nourishing my body, not depriving it. At 51, and battling menopause (all of the lovely symptoms, belly fat and weight gain), I'm exploring how to eat to keep my metabolism moving. This book has been a HUGE help and super educational. I've once again made a shift in my eating to support my current needs- prioritizing protein, healthy fats and low carbs. Understanding the importance of strength training as I age. As I go down this road, I'll be sharing my lessons learned here.
It starts with a decision to make a change. Then a commitment to keep going.
Decide. Commit. Succeed.
XO,
Tara
