How a self-proclaimed semi-workout junkie fell off the wagon….and got back on again
People keep asking me how I managed to move from heavy and unhealthy to healthier and happier, so I thought I’d share. Keep in mind I’m not perfect, and I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m on my way. 🙂 Disclaimer: I am not a personal trainer, dietician, or medical doctor. The tips, tricks, and opinions I’m about to share with you are what worked for me. If after reading this post you feel inspired to embark upon your own journey to a healthier lifestyle, great! Disclaimer #2: check with your doctor first! However, you have to find what works for you. Keep in mind as you’re reading this that small changes made over a long period of time are more sustainable than drastic changes made overnight. So with that I say take from this post what you will.
What I did:
I embraced the simple concept of moving more and eating less. – In the beginning, I started walking. Understand, it’s not about how fast or how far you walk, it’s how often. Five minutes here and there add up, and consistency is the key. I put a reminder on my calendar to walk every day, and I honored it just like any other meeting. And when it was too cold or hot outside, I’d walk the floors of my building (the auditorium area makes a great indoor walking track), or walk the parking garage. I’d even walk across the street to the hospital, where the staff has mileage/distance information posted. As for eating, initially I didn’t change what I ate, I simply ate less.
I started measuring my progress. – I bought a cheap pedometer to measure my steps, but it was pretty inaccurate, so I moved up to a Fitbit (before they were all the rage) and I set daily step (and stairs) goals beyond my typical steps per day. I convinced a few friends to get Fitbits too, and I added them within the app so we could see each other’s progress. We found ourselves sneaking off during the day, taking walks without the others, and walking like maniacs on the weekends, to see who would be the top “stepper” for the week (motivation). By the way, the idea behind steps is 10,000 steps per day equals five miles (give or take, everyone’s stride length is different). Click here for more info about that.
I started tracking my food intake. – I created a MyFitnessPal account and linked it to my Fitbit account, and I started keeping track of everything I ate. Everything. Gum, Tic Tacs, coffee, a bite of chocolate cake, everything. MyFitnessPal is a free app (and website) and it has one of the largest, most accurate caloric food databases. It links very nicely with Fitbit and is very easy to use. You can even scan labels with your smart phone to enter information. So now I could see my energy output against what I was eating to see which direction I needed to move (eat less, make healthier choices, and move more). On a side note, I wouldn’t recommend using the Fitbit app to track your food, it pretty much sucks. One other thing I did, I started making sure I got in at least eight glasses of water every day. If find yourself running to the bathroom all day long, you know you’re there. 🙂
I got serious about what I was eating. – Admittedly, this is where I’d failed in previous attempts to lose weight. I started with a simple daily calorie restriction that was less than what I’d been taking in, but then I started really looking at food labels, and I started eating items based on the label’s serving size and healthy portions (here’s a good visual portion guide). I began measuring my food, and preparing it ahead of time for the entire week. I found the right balance between calories, fat, salt, etc. that worked for me. The graphs and statistics provided in Fitbit (accompanied by my exercise info and the MyFitnessPal information) really helped me to understand the combination of what I was eating and how I could improve. It really is all about understanding all of the nutrition information, not just counting calories or avoiding fat. Best believe this takes some patience and work but once you get it, you’ll see results. The most important thing to remember is YOU HAVE TO EAT, and eat healthy. Starving yourself will only encourage your body to retain fat.
I took it to the next level. – Once I got to the point where I wasn’t winded, my calves weren’t on fire, and I wasn’t drenched in sweat after walking, I got back in the gym. I work out at the gym four days a week (I take Wednesdays off), and on the weekends, I stay active but I don’t go as hard as I would in the gym. For example, I typically walk trails in the state parks when the weather is nice. If it’s cold or rainy, I’ll walk the mall (one lap in Opry Mills is about a mile and a 1/4), or I’ll work out inside using my XBox Kinect. I enjoy Your Shape Fitness Evolved because of the variety and Kinect Sports Season Two. Sometimes I’ll just hook up my laptop to my tv and follow along to a good 15 or 20 minute Youtube video that doesn’t require any equipment. Jillian Michaels has some good ones, but there are tons out there and they’re FREE!!! One day I even found myself trying to learn a line dance. By the way, I still take breaks during the day at work and walk, it’s become a habit now and it’s a nice stress reliever. 🙂
Variety is the key. Also, I had to challenge myself. – I spent ten years in the military, so I’m no stranger to working out and trying to maintain fitness. I had to move beyond jumping on the elliptical or the treadmill for 30 or 40 minutes if I wanted to see some results. Also, I’m getting older, so I can’t do what I used to do and expect the same results. Although I do get my cardio in, I lean more towards weight based workouts now. I use my own body weight (push ups, squats, lunges), free weights (dumbbells, medicine ball, etc.), and some weight machines. I use a lot of free smartphone apps like Nike Training Club, and I rip articles out of magazines like Muscle and Fitness Hers (some of which are available for free online like this one) in order to build a library of workouts to choose from to maintain variety. If you get bored, you get comfortable, and you stop making progress.
I started eating 5-6 times a day. – I don’t eat meals, I eat small portions of food that are typically around 200-250 calories, 5-6 times a day. Personally, I hate meal planning (and cooking for that matter), but it’s so worth it if you want to see progress. Ziplist is a great place to not only find recipes (and bookmark them and add them to your account using a browser add-on), but you can easily create grocery lists too that you can access on your phone. At one point I found a Groupon for a year of eMeals access, which was helpful in the beginning. You can choose the type of diet you’re looking for (vegan, low-fat, classic, diabetic, etc.) and it will spit out a weekly meal plan for you. This app will even go so far as to tell you how much an ingredient costs, whether or not it’s on sale, and exactly which aisle to find it in based on whatever local grocery store you select as your default store.
Tips and tricks:
There are no short cuts. – I find it funny when some people ask me how I lost weight, and they tune me out as soon as they hear the words “exercise” and “eating right.” They’re expecting me to say something like I used the “cabbage-soup-10 peanuts a day-stand on your head every night diet.” There is no fast track to losing weight or getting healthy, it takes work. And just an FYI, FDA approval doesn’t guarantee safety or effectiveness (anyone remember fen phen?). Stop wasting money on diet pills and other snake oil medicine.
Cut it in half, before you even begin. – In the beginning, if I went out to eat, I’d ask for a to go container with my meal, and immediately divide it in half so I could take the rest home for dinner. I eventually got to the point where I stopped eating out so much and started packing my lunch. If you’re serving yourself, at home for example, keep in mind portion sizes. It’s better to get too little and go back for seconds (drink some water first and give your mind time to register that you’re full), than to serve yourself too much and be tempted to clean your plate. That’s something I had to get away from, the “clean your plate” syndrome. You’re not ten years old anymore, get out of that mindset that you’re wasting food and must clean your plate. Wrap up your leftovers or get smaller portions to begin with and you won’t have food left on your plate.
Cheat days are bullshit. – The only people who should indulge in cheat days are people who work out for a living (body builders, actors, professional athletes, etc). Why have a cheat day to undo everything you worked so hard for throughout the week? Instead, practice some self-control and moderation. Go back to the basics, move more and eat less. If I want chocolate cake, I eat chocolate cake, I simply cut a smaller piece! If I’m at a restaurant and I want dessert, I’ll ask if anyone would like to share one so I’m not tempted to eat it all. If no one wants to share, typically I don’t order it. Or, I may order it and eat it all, and work a little harder the next time I’m in the gym. But I don’t do it every day, which makes the difference.
Don’t reward yourself with food, you’re not a dog. – The mistake I would make in the past is I would deny my cravings and “reward” myself occasionally with something I’d been craving for a while. Because I’d been working so hard, right? Do yourself a favor and eliminate this phrase from your vocabulary. It’s just a form of self-sabotage. The problem with “rewarding yourself” is you usually end up eating more than you would’ve of had you just given in to the craving initially and practiced a little self-control. So instead of having a cup of ice cream, you eat the entire pint (or half-gallon), and you’ve just blown all your “hard work.” Go get a massage instead!
If you slip off track, get over it immediately and keep going. – I used to be bad about this, and I think a lot of people are. You eat a donut in the morning, so you say to yourself “well, I ate that donut this morning, I may as well have dessert with lunch.” And dinner. No! You had a donut, you’re not perfect, get back on the wagon and work a little harder during your next workout. Don’t make excuses to fall back into old habits. Besides, if you’re keeping track of what you’re eating, you’d sit down and calculate just how much of that donut you can eat and still be ok for the day as far as your calorie intake (self-control). 🙂
Don’t get comfortable. – When what you’re doing is no longer challenging, it’s time to take it up a level. I see people all the time come in the gym, do the same exercises at the same level and effort, and leave, expecting to see some results. It’s not going to happen. You should always feel like you’re putting in effort when you exercise. There should be sweat involved, unless you’re missing sweat glands or have some other medical condition. If you stick with comfortable, all you’ll end up doing is maintaining your weight and your current level of fitness. For me, I started doing things I hate, and that’s when I really started to see a difference. I hate burpees, I hate the upright bike, and I HATE that damn stair machine, but I do them because they work.
And I realize the reason I hate them is because they aren’t easy. Not getting comfortable applies to eating too. Don’t think you can continue to eat the way you do, or go back to eating the way you used to, just because you’re working out now. You’ll never see results.
You have to find a way to keep track. – I don’t care how you do it but you have to do it. Keep track of what you eat (meaning calories, fat, etc), and don’t slack off thinking you’ve got it down. It takes a while to get in the habit of eating better and cutting calories and fat, to the point where healthy eating becomes a habit and you no longer have to write everything down. Most people don’t keep track long enough, and end up back to their old ways (I’m guilty of this). If you don’t keep track of everything you eat, writing everything down, you’re only hurting yourself. You know what you ate, why try to hide it from yourself? You also need to keep track of your workouts. Otherwise, how will you know how and when to take it to the next level? You can do this with a small notebook or on your phone, there are plenty of free apps. For example, if you start out lifting 15 pound dumbbells ten times for two sets, how will you know when to move to fifteen reps, or three sets? Or, will you even remember you started out with 15 pound dumbbells? They may feel heavier the next week, so if you’re not keeping track, you may grab 10 pound dumbbells instead, essentially moving backwards instead of forwards. You have to keep track.
Stay away from low-fat/low carb/sugar-free/fat-free/diet foods, and be careful with fruit and other healthy food. – Tootsie Rolls are fat-free, but they’re loaded with sugar. Fat free usually means taste free, and not all “fat” is bad for you. For more info on why I say stay away from these foods, click here and here. Do your homework! And just because it’s “healthy,” doesn’t necessarily mean you can eat as much of it as you want. You should always be thinking in terms of portion sizes. For example, grapes are good for you. An entire bag of grapes is NOT good for you. Yes, grapes are healthy, but they have natural sugar in them and they are NOT calorie free. Think in terms of portion sizes, grab a handful and put the bag back so you’re not tempted to eat mindlessly until the entire bag is gone.
Stop reading every article you come across, and don’t get caught up on the hype. – There is so much information out there about losing weight and working out, it can be incredibly overwhelming. If you’re going to Google information, do so with caution. The best advice I can give is to stick with credible sources. Wikipedia is not a credible source (anyone can write and/or edit a Wikipedia website). People who went to school and earned certifications, licenses, or degrees will tend to be able to offer better, more credible information than “Joe Blow,” popular internet muscle head. Get your advice from real doctors, like Doctor Ian Smith (NOT Dr. Phil), or registered dietitians. Personally I like Mr. Shut Up and Train and his 30 Day Total Fit Challenges. He is a certified personal trainer in Atlanta who owns his own studio, has a lot of experience, and trains celebrities. I caution against blindly following anyone else’s “program” because we’re all different, so what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for others. You have to do the work to find what works best for you, and sometimes that takes time so don’t give up too quickly. When you’re trying something new, whether it’s an exercise program or a new way of eating, I suggest giving it at least four weeks, but more realistically six to eight weeks, to see results. After that, if you’re not seeing results, I’d try something new. Remember, it’s not a race, it’s a long, slow, marathon. Pace yourself.
Try new foods. – I got to the point where I would try something new each week. Every week I’d go to the grocery store and I’d look for something new to try. I’d Google it on my smart phone and decide whether or not to throw it in my cart. I was able to add a lot of new, healthy foods to my diet this way. Also, you want to shop the perimeter of the store, that’s where the healthy, fresh stuff is (veggies, fruit, meat). Rarely do I venture into any of the actual aisles, unless I’m looking for something like quinoa or beans. And if eating fresh is too expensive for your food budget, try the frozen food section instead. Just be sure to read the labels. For example, they typically add sugar to frozen fruit. Personally I didn’t find shopping fresh (once a week) any more expensive because I got to the point where I was eating less and feeling satisfied. During the summer, around here at least, you can always find a farmer’s market or local vendor selling fresh fruits and vegetables on the side of the road. If you really need help in this area, look into a dietician. Some insurance companies actually cover them, regardless of whether or not you’re overweight. 🙂
Don’t push too hard too fast. – You didn’t gain the weight overnight, so don’t push like a maniac to lose it. Slow and steady wins the race, in a healthy way that is easier to maintain long-term. Also, know when it’s time to take a break. It’s good to be ambitious, but sometimes your body needs time to recuperate. There’s a difference between being sore from the previous day’s workout, and being completely run down and needing to take a day or two off. Sometimes taking a break from working out will make you feel like you can conquer the world when you get back at it. Plus, if you work out when you’re not 100%, you’ll be more susceptible to injury, which will force you to take a break anyway.
Stop relying on the scale to tell you whether or not you’re successful. – IF you’re going to use a scale as one method to keep track of your progress, I would suggest investing in one with a body fat analyzer feature. Do your homework and look at plenty of reviews to find one that is relatively accurate. And follow the directions. Typically your feet have to be wet or moist in order for the current to run through your body (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt!). I advise against using a scale, because if it’s not reading like you expect it to, it can be a huge blow to your confidence (and may make you want to quit). Instead, I would suggest that you set non-weight based goals (like doing 35 push ups in a minute, or running a 9 minute mile), take pictures of yourself, and use your clothing as a measure of success. When you start taking steps to get healthy, you’ll start seeing and feeling a difference that simply cannot be measured by a scale. Muscle occupies less space than fat (contrary to popular believe, they both weigh the same). You can click here for a thorough explanation if the visual aid I’ve provided here isn’t enough.
Hit a plateau? So what, keep going. – Don’t give up and go back to old habits. Keep pushing, change will come. Don’t give up. Ever. This is a lifestyle change, a marathon, not a sprint.
Workout partners suck. – I know I know, everything you ever read about trying to get healthy always says to find a workout partner for motivation. There’s several reasons why I think this is bullshit. Sometimes if you have a workout partner, you’ll accomplish more chatting than actual work. Also, sometimes you may not work at your full potential, because your workout partner isn’t at the same level you are yet, or isn’t as energetic that day as you are. Also, your workout partner can affect your mood in a negative way. For example, if your workout partner cancels on you, sometimes you’ll use it as an excuse to skip the gym too. And that’s not good. There are days when you just won’t feel like working out, no matter how long you’ve been at it. You just have to find the self-discipline to do it anyway, without depending on someone else to motivate you. Personally, I like working out by myself, just me and my music. However, back when I used to run, I started out running with a girlfriend of mine. And our “chatting” is what took my mind off the fact that I couldn’t breathe, and got me in the zone and allowed me to run further and further without having to stop. If you choose to use a workout partner, I caution you to use your best judgment and don’t allow them to hinder you.
Stop making excuses, and stop the negative talk and self-doubt. – I’m just big-boned. My entire family is heavy. I’ll never be skinny. I love my size, there’s more of me to love. I don’t have time. I’m too tired. I can’t do it, I’m too far gone. I’m too old. Look at my <insert the name of the body part you hate the most>, it’s disgusting. Just stop. Seriously. No matter where you are now, you can always do better. And if you don’t think so, take a minute to watch this (but don’t forget to come back!). You really have NO excuse. Don’t think in terms of getting skinny, or losing weight, just think about getting healthier and being a better you. And if you’re confident about your size, that’s great, but don’t use it as an excuse to stay unhealthy. Love yourself enough to go through the process of getting healthier, and love yourself at every step of that process. Stop looking in the mirror and pointing out the flaws and start loving yourself, as a whole, exactly as you are. As you make progress, you’ll like what you see even more. Even if it’s not weight loss, your skin will look clearer, your hair will look healthier. You do have time. Make time. Get up 20 minutes earlier, turn off the television, cut your lunch break in half. It’s your health, make time. And when you get into the habit of working out, whether it’s walking or biking or whatever you chose to do, your energy will increase.
Exercise is the best way to cure boredom, resolve/prevent disease, improve your mood, stave off depression, boost your energy (and your sex life), relieve stress, get a good night’s sleep, and slow or even possibly reverse the aging process. The list of benefits goes on and on. The hardest part is getting started. “They” say it takes 21 days to form a good habit. Whether that’s true or not, why not give it a shot? The only thing you have to lose is a few pounds. 🙂
Healthfully yours,
Angela