As many of you know, my wife and I set out on a weight loss journey last year that has resulted in a weight loss of nearly 200lbs collectively. While I don't claim to be an expert by any means, I would like to share some of the tips that worked for us. I've been overweight a good portion of my adult life so if this advice can help just one person, I will be very gratified. 1. Choose a realistic diet plan In other words, don't go for any fad diets like the green bean diet or any other similar program. You must choose something you can live with after you have reached your goals. 2. It is absolutely necessary to log your intake. Without doing that, you will be destined to fail. I used an app called my fitness pal and it was very helpful. 3. Have an accountability partner. It is great if it's your spouse but if not, find someone who is also trying to lose weight and do it together. This helps with keeping you honest and gives you a support group. 4. Set realistic goals and celebrate small victories. I personally had nearly 100lbs to lose but I didn't look at it that way. Instead I looked at it in 10 pound increments. That way I didn't become discouraged when I still had 70 or 80lbs to go. 5. Don't let a slip become a fall! There will be times that you mess up but don't let those slips derail you from your goals. Get right back on the horse at the next meal and determine that you are going to forge ahead with the plan. 6. Find a motivator. What I mean by this is to find something that will keep you from giving into temptation. For me it was thinking if I cheated with an item, I would negate all the work I had done at the gym that day. I would think; "That doughnut is an hour on the elliptical" and so forth. That kept me honest. 7. This will take time. In spite of all the commercials you see for quick easy weight loss, there is no such thing. You don't put it on over night and it doesn't come off over night! 8. Allow for snacks between meals. I know that may sound like a contradiction when you are trying to lose weight but it is very important to take the edge off of your hunger so that you will not overeat when it is meal time. Just allow for the snacks in your daily calorie count. 9. It will probably take about three weeks for your eating habits to change. After that your appetite should be much easier to control. 10. Allow for a cheat meal. Not a cheat day but just one meal a week that you don't count calories. It allows you to fulfill a craving that you might have had through the week for a flavor or a texture/ And then I still wouldn't do this until you have been on the plan for at least three weeks. My wife and I go out every Friday night and do not count calories for one meal. But we get right back on the horse the next day. We never let it stretch into a cheating weekend. You will probably find that as you progress into the program that this will become less and less important. 11. Diet AND exercise go hand in hand! I personally don't think there's much point of doing one without the other. It will also get you into the habit of working out regularly so that when you reach your goals and ease off on the diet restrictions, you will be less apt to gain the weight back. 12. Realize it's a journey and not just a destination. If you're like me, it's going to be something you have to work at the rest of your life. Well there you have it. It is by no means an exhaustive list and you might have other things that would help you. But these are the things that really helped me on this part of the journey. Good luck if you are trying to lose or maintain your weight. It is definitely not an easy thing but you can do it! Blessings........Pastorjim
Good stuff. I've shrunk a bit since Christmas doing a lot of what you mentioned except I use the fitbit app to track caloric in/out, exercise and water consumption. Like the weight goals Jim mentioned, setting and exceeding realistic exercise goals I find to self motivating. On the snacks, I find a greek yogurt good for a morning snack and a small (and I mean small) handful of nuts or some veni-jerky for an afternoon snack works for me.
I don't work out I do work, soon to be walking 10-12 miles a day every weekend behind a 60" deck mower and riding my bike. My wife and I decided to eat healthy no processed foods makes a huge difference having 3/4 of the food on your plate vegitables.
Never been too heavy but still wanted to get rid of 10 pounds and get back to "pre-wedding weight" so I did the portion control route and started drinking more water. Already a big exercise freak, (ride a bicycle about 4000 miles a summer) plus working construction keeps me in pretty good shape. My wife and I also quit using any processed foods too. I made it to "pre-wedding" weight and my wife holds within 3 pounds of her "pre-wedding" weight and she had 4 children, so it is do-able but as you age it is harder to stay there. As PJ said, you have to have a plan and write it down. Congratulations to all of you who are working on this great journey.
I went low carb and lost 50lbs in 3 months with moderate lifting/cardio. It CAN be done if you really want it. Its a great feeling when you achieve your goals. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Pastor Jim, as someone who works in the fitness industry in corporate wellness and personal training, I could congratulate you! As a fellow member of the elusive 100 lb weight loss club I understand and respect your journey more than most. If everyone took your advice America would no longer be the most obese country in the world. Great work! If more people took your approach I would be happily out of work. Well done! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
