I've come to the realization that I have to change my lifestyle if I want to lose weight and maintain that loss. In the past I saw no problem with ordering pizza and chasing it with ice cream every Friday night. After all...it was the weekend. In the back of my mind, I knew it was unhealthy but I didn't care. It was easy and it tasted great. But the time has come to make some real life changes. I'm not even going to pretend that I'll never have pizza and ice cream again (because I will) but it should be and will be done in moderation. Making grilled pizza with homemade dough is quite different than ordering calzones from Bertuccis. And grabbing soft serve while visiting friends is not the same as keeping a gallon of mint cookie ice cream in the freezer (even if it is slow churned).
I am a very all or nothing type of person. In the past when I've made attempts to lose weight, I would severely restrict calories and spend every second of my free time working out. I quickly became obsessed and it was all I could think about.
When I started One Thirty Six I began counting calories and measuring portions. I honestly had no idea how many calories I was actually eating. But like many times in the past, I quickly became obsessed. I was neurotic about weighing my food to make sure that I was eating exactly 56g of grapes. But here is what I've realized: while losing weight has to be a priority for me right now, I cannot allow it to take over my life. I should not cancel social engagements because I am anxious about what I will eat. I need to be smart, educate myself on what is healthy, plan ahead and make good choices. And when I stumble and eat a pint of coffee Haagen-Dazs in two days, I don't need to beat myself up and get discouraged. Instead I need to acknowledge that it's probably too early in my journey to keep ice cream in the freezer.
It's all about finding a balance. A balance between enjoying food and eating for nourishment. I'm sure that over time my idea of balance will change but for now these are the loose guidelines I will be following:
* Protein, fruit, veggies, and water every day. No exceptions.
* Exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.
* One pasta meal a week. (I could eat pasta every day for the rest of my life.)
* One cheat meal a week. (We'll see if this is valuable or detrimental.)
Achieving the right balance for you is, without a doubt, the hardest part of the weight loss journey. Figure it out, and the pounds take care of themselves. As I've lost weight, the definition of balance has changed. It isn't something you can figure out and then stick with to the end - because it's always evolving, and because there is no "end." This is the way you need to eat and stay active for the rest of your life. Something I heard when I first started on my journey that really struck a chord with me was in a documentary about people who have weight loss surgery but fail to lose (or even gain) weight. The doctor said that it isn't enough to change your body, you have to also change your mind.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely the same way, where I have to commit to something fully if at all. For me, the path to finding balance meant initial imbalance: cutting out junk and sweets entirely until I felt comfortable enough to reintroduce them - it took about six months, and I still don't always feel safe having stuff like ice cream or a jar of peanut butter in the house. But I'm getting better about enjoying these things responsibly, like if I go out for frozen yogurt with a friend.
Hopefully your guidelines work out for you - but if not, don't get upset or give up, just reevaluate and keep pushing forward. The journey is as much about learning and self-discovery as it is about the actual weight loss.