Thursday, January 14, 2010

If at First You Don't Succeed...

Try, Try Again, and Again, and Again, and Again...

Have you ever tried to lose weight and found success? Did you do SouthBeach or WeightWatchers, or joined the Boxing Gym, or something that changed your way of eating and moving and you lost a good amount of weight and thought "I've finally done it! I'm never going back to my old life of crap eating and pure slothful seclusion."??? You were a hero, you lost a good 20 or so lbs. and heck, could it be, you were now one of the untouchables? You could now relax and live your life because "You've got this." Well I have. I've been a good 20 - 30 lbs. lighter in my life and was pretty happy with where I was in the world of weighty issues. Granted, I still had ultimate goals like...fitness model...bikini goddess...but those were just ideas to aspire to, to keep me on the straight and narrow. However, I got comfortable and really did feel untouchable (cuz I looked GOOOD)...THUS I allowed myself to miss work-outs, and eat things that weren't necessarily on my new "healthy regiment"...so I gained a few pounds, no matter, I now had the tools to get them off...I knew the secret...and it was only a few pounds, not like its 20 or something. Hmmm...how long can you keep saying that before the couple of pounds start coupling with a few more and then they mate to make a whole family reunion of poundage? UGH...WHAT!!! How did I gain back the weight back? Sure...it's not all of it, but it's around a good 20 or so! Ok, Ok...calm down...you know what to do...you've done this before...breathe.

So now we start back with the healthy eating and we start getting our butt moving again...OMG...I forgot how hard this was the first time, and it doesn't seem to be working the same as it did when it was new. Why doesn't the weight come off as quickly anymore...why am I not as dedicated as I was the first time? Why do I keep slipping up and putting things in my mouth that I shouldn't and WHY do I not make myself work-out everyday? Let’s think about this for a moment. So I keep starting over on my “regiment”…why do I keep doing it over and over again? Because it worked the first time and with great results…but I neglected to realize that once you’ve found a healthy lifestyle, you can’t just assume that once weight is off that it will stay off if you go back to your old habits…it was those old, bad habits that got you to Fattyland in the first place. Sure you can have your cake and eat it too…BUT they never tell you that in order to eat that cake you must serve it with a heaping helping of moderation on the side and try to grasp the concept of calories in and calories out. Have that piece of cake, but make sure it’s worth it and that it really is a once in awhile thing. It always seems that events, celebrations, holidays, dinners, stress,…life comes up and the excuse to miss a work-out or have a “goodie” is a valid allowance. Again, have your cake, BUT don’t have it everyday and if you have it in that day…don’t keep eating it all day! In other words, I already messed up my eating for today, I’ll just “enjoy” the rest of the day and eat bad. But do you really enjoy it? I know I do…hahahaha…atleast as it’s passing my lips and into my tummy…but then UGH…my stomach…ugh, I’ve got the shakes, indigestion, nausea, gas (teehee), a headache, you name it…I generally don’t feel well when I eat things that I shouldn’t…and then I don’t have the energy to really go burn those calories that I just ingested. What a vicious cycle…no wonder I was a chubmonster…and somehow I am regaining that glorious title.

So what do you do? If what you know worked for you the first time around, but doesn’t seem to really be working this time (or the other 20 times you’ve retried this “miracle cure to fatness”), THEN what do you do? Obviously, if you’re constantly re-trying the same old method, but it doesn’t seem to be working, then perhaps it’s time to stop and re-think things. Or maybe, you really need to re-read and really commit yourself to the challenge as you did the very first time you tried it and it actually worked for you. PLUS we can’t forget that the human body is a lovely organism that evolves and adapts…THUS, perhaps you need to try something new or more advanced to shock the body into change. What if you’ve tried everything and your brain hurts and is melting and leaking out of your ears at this very moment at the swirling amount of options that you’ve tried and failed at? Again…BREATHE…let’s think about this. What really works? Ok…for me, I know that sugar & bread (namely Gluten) is the enemy. I know that when I eat things with those two ingredients in them, I have problems. My blood sugar goes crazy, my digestive system gets all gunky and I swell & bloat like a led zeppelin (not the band…the blimp kind). There’s an answer…cut out sugars and gluten from your diet…not necessarily the easiest thing, but doable. I’ve also found that processed foods in general don’t sit well with me, so we’ll avoid those too. Alright we have a plan forming. I also know that eating small meals throughout the day, usually well balanced to higher in protein, keep my blood sugar level and my energy up…add this to the list of things to do. Now we can’t forget EXERCISE…it’s simple…I have to work-out and it has to be at least 4-5 times a week, even if it’s only for 20 minutes. I know that my body responds to working out. I also know that I have to keep challenging myself in those work-outs or I will definitely hit a plateau, get discouraged, and want to quit. It’s hard enough getting your butt up and moving, the last thing I need is extra mental discouragement...that means changing things up…mixing up the types of exercise I’m getting so I keep the body guessing. OH and don’t for get sleep…the hardest thing for me to get…but without it, I get overtired and have no energy to do anything and that leads to foggy brain and then the wanting to chuck it all out of sheer exhaustion…not good…SO, get some sleep already (how about 7-8 hours).

Looks like we have a plan forming…but this plan is a road you’ve gone down before. So what will make it different this time? What will make me really commit? I need to persevere and really do this…what am I missing? Any ideas?

All I can do is try…and keep trying. I can say that every time I try, I learn. I gain new knowledge and pick up a new good habit, and it seems to really help change my lifestyle. No I’m not at my goal weight, and yes I fall off the proverbial healthy-lifestyle wagon, but I’m better than where I started when I began my journey to a new me.

Overview: The Plan

“DIET”
Eat 4-5 small meals a day (high in lean protein with only some complex
carbs)
Avoid Sugar
Avoid Gluten
Avoid Processed foods
Drink Water,
Water, Water
Get off the Diet Soda!
Cut caffeine way
back

SLEEP
Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night
Cut off eating 2-3
hours before bedtime
Cut off work-outs 2-3 hours before bedtime
Clear your
mind

EXERCISE
Work-out 4-5 times a week
Work-out for at least
20 minutes a day
Mix it up
Really push yourself…you’re only cheating you



So there we have it…this is the plan…now to stick with it. Please feel free to chime in…I’d like to know if there’s something I missing.

Happy New Year Folks!
-Bex

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't try to trick your body (carb restriction) because that's only temporary as you have found and your body won't get fooled again - as you have also found. Instead, simply take in fewer calories daily. I suggest you cook all your own meals for starters - doing this is the biggest step you can take, eating out will always give you way more calories because of portion size - plus you'll always know what went into your food and can control it.

Find out what your daily calorie intake should be and shave off a few hundred by eating smaller portions and eat mostly plants. This is the slow and sure way but as long as you stick to it, you will keep it off.

Don't get silly and go on some massive caloric restriction and make yourself sick, just trim a few hundred off what you recommended intake is based on your sex/height/age/exercise regimen.

Good luck.

Unknown said...

You're right, I don't really look at my caloric intake. I'll do the math of what I should be taking in per day and give that a try. Question: When you say figure out my daily intake, do you mean of what I should take in to lose weight like 1500 calories or the normal intake like 2500 calories for example?

AND Yes, the cooking thing is a huge difference in all things edible...today I had snowpeas & water chestnuts for lunch before my work-out and it gave me great energy...for dinner I'm having organic roast chicken with roast zuccini & grilled asparagus...YUM!

THANKS for the ideas :)

Holly Heath Gallagher said...

Whole wheat cous cous and filling foods. LOTS of vegetables with whole grains. Oatmeal (steel cut) every day. You're correct about the protein. Keep salt intake down. Healthy and filling.

Unknown said...

I just stumbled upon your blog by clicking "next blog".
Sounds like you're on the right track to becoming a healthier you.
Have you ever thought about adopting the "Paleo" lifestyle or way of eating? It sounds like you are almost there.

Unknown said...

Thanks Melisa, I have looked a bit at the Paleo Diet, I do eat lots of meats, lean proteins and veggies, but I don't really do well on the root vegetables like potatoes or corn, as it processes weird in my body. The other downside to paleo for me is giving up my greek yogurt & beans. I really do pratically live on those two things alot during the week, and they're easy to prepare, and help me keep my weight down. Perhaps when I'm a little mentally stronger, I'll try to phase dairy out, as I've been considering that avenue based on the recomendations of other friends who have see life changing affets when they cut the dairy out.