Well, I have been on this weight loss journey almost a month now and I have learned a few things I thought I would share with you:
* You will encounter doubters and /or negative people. They may come at you with big smiles. They may seem to be well-intentioned. It is possible that they may not realize what they doing. But be careful, because their negativity will be like throwing water on your fire of enthusiasm. Try to avoid mean or negative people like the plague. Seriously life is just too short!!
*The less I eat, the less I need to eat to feel full. For those of you who have been on the journey longer, these tips are probably basic knowledge. But for someone like me, this is all new. It seems as though my stomach (organ, not tummy so much) has shrunk. In other words, I don't really have the capacity to eat the volume of food like I used to do. I suppose this is similar to the effect achieved from the lapband surgery. Whatever it is, I'm loving it!
*Do a diet that you enjoy?!?! Sounds silly right, but I mean it. If I don't like it, I wont do it. It's that simple: I know myself. I know I have about zero willpower. I have all the respect in the world for those that do the various fasts and really strict diets. I wouldn't last a day!! I knew I had to keep my diet simple, because I am lazy!! So I eat the same foods as before, just less...simple.
*Exercising is about 20 percent--Dieting is about 80 percent. Of coarse this is just my opinion, and just based on my personal experience so take it with a grain of salt. In the past I have tried to eat the same portions, and just burn it off with exercise. It didn't work. Unless you are doing something extremely physicial like mountain climbing all day, there is just too much energy (calories) in food to simply burn off with normal exercise. I have come to think of my weight loss plan as simple math: bring in less calories + burn more calories = a lighter me!!
*Make a Lifestyle Change! This goes back to the idea of sustainability. I don't want to lose a bunch of weight on a overly strict program so that when I eventually quit that program, I gain all the weight back. I have personally seen this happen and it is so sad.
* Substituting soup broth for a meal late at night is helping. Yep, it is hot, filling, almost no calories, and tastes good. I did a video on it here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H49XUXff91I
Be sure to watch the blooper at the end.
Have you learned any lessons along the way? I would love it if you would share them with us in the comments.
A big lesson is the "tomorrow is a new day" attitude after messing up. That just gives us permission to overeat for the rest of the day. We have to be aware of the games we plan. Also, the exercise thing. People put too much faith in exercising. It is good to be sure but during that hour of walking that you think will burn 350 calories remember you would have been burning calories anyway so it is not a net burn of 350 calories.
ReplyDeleteI meant the games we play. Who plans a game? :-)
ReplyDeleteHey, Paul. I wrote what I am surer was an insightful and witty comment, but Blogger wouldn't let it thru. :}
ReplyDeleteSo--here's the abbreviated version. Thank you for stopping by my blog and giving your support. I appreciate it.
Lots of your lessons are good ones.
Let's see if this takes.
Deb
@ Deb, Oh, well it took it Deb! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I have lost replies before and I think it often has to do with the word verification thingy. BTW, I guess this is how you reply to comments on Blogger. Unlike how on say Youtube one replies directly to the comment. I am so just learning this stuff LOL!!
ReplyDelete@ downsizers Yes, you are so right. Ever meal is a battle. We can win or lose. Whether we eat properly or pig out, they decision is ours. I know I never really took the time to measure out what size a serving is on the back of a package. The calories quoted is for a teeny, tiny little bit. It adds up so fast!!! Exercise is good to become healthy, but I think dieting is a must to really lose the pounds!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post! A lesson I've learned: sometimes you need to give into cravings. Otherwise your more likely to binge later. A little bit of something is better than a lot of something you really don't want.
ReplyDeletePaul, after more than a year of blogging, I still don't get it right about how to reply to comments. Sometimes I do it with another comment...sometimes I address the comments in my next post. I wish there were a better way, too.
ReplyDeleteSome people were emailing me telling me that they couldn't leave comments. After digging, I found that this is a blogger problem. Blogger suggests that you set up comments to open as a popup, or a full page. I set mine for popups and it worked (although I really prefer this comment box).
As to suggestions....Paul.....I'm hoping to learn from you. I've been dieting on and off for 50 years...so obviously I wasn't doing it right. Currently, I'm just trying to cut out crap, cut my calories by watching portions, and add stir in some daily exercise. My loss is VERY slow, and I haven't really lost anything in the past year, but I have kept off about 33 of the 37 pounds I lost in the preceding year. In the coming 15 months (through the end of 2012), I'm going to shoot for another 30 pound loss which will get me pretty close to where I want to be.
I love watching you discover things about weight loss....I've done it so long that I'm a little jaded, and I plan to post about this later today. I hope it is okay if I mention you on my blog and welcome you. Okay? Have a great day!
@MARSIAL2010 Oh, it is more than OK. Honestly I'm flattered!! Although I wish the weight would come off quickly, I know it took time to put it on so it will take time to take it off. Slow and steady wins the race. And hopefully keeps the weight off for good!!
ReplyDeleteMy big thing is to just say no. In my office I'm surrounded by people bearing treats: birthday cake, tasty home baked treats, bags of snacks leftover from parties, etc. You know why they bring all that stuff to the office? They don't want it sitting in their home. The home baked stuff is especially hard to turn down - I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But I finally figured out, if I just tell them my doctor wants me to watch my sugar, they accept that so much better than a simple "no, thanks". Not sure why that is. Anyway, it's my body, my health, and I have convinced myself that's it's okay to say no.
ReplyDeleteYou've made some great observations and discoveries already.
ReplyDeleteI love the plan of keeping it simple and just eating less.
It's a great way to start.
I'll be rooting for you.
And I'm hoping to get to your videos later...
Congratulations on starting this journey!!
Paul, I did mention you in my blog today, so I hope you stop by and say hi. I also saw your latest video -- 14 pounds in a month!! That's not slow! I didn't lose 14 pounds this past year! Keep me motivated!
ReplyDelete@Forty Pound Sack Well thank you for that great tip.. I will definitely use the medical excuse. It is so hard, but so important to learn to say no
ReplyDelete@MARSIAL2010 I will head right over there to your blog. As for your weight loss you better watch my new vid on portions hehehehe!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZA3x_gV6gg
@Tree Peters Thanks for stopping by!!
ReplyDeleteHey, Paul! I'm a month late, but WELCOME to our weight loss/maintenance community. I found you through Marsial's blog (great gal) and have watched your videos on the Tube. It's great to have you here, as you'll never find a better group of supporters. As for tips and suggestions, I couldn't agree with you more in that losing slow and steady is the right way to go if you want to keep the weight off. It took me years to lose over 100 pounds, but I think that's been one of the reasons I've been able to keep it off for so long. Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll soon feel so much better physically that the loss will just be an added bonus.
ReplyDeleteHaving a great sense of humor doesn't hurt, either. My husband and I loved your portion control video! lol
@fatgirlwearingthin Thanks for the welcome. Congrats on the 100 pounds...that is awesome!!! I'm glad you liked my portions vid. I am going to check out your blog.
ReplyDeleteHey Paul,
ReplyDeleteIt's great to read another guy's weight loss blog! There aren't enough of us out there!
I just want to wish you good luck in your journey.
There's a section on my blog where I have done a Q&A with fellow bloggers about their weight loss journey's and also I ask about any advice they might have to help people like us who are also on weight loss journeys.
If you'd you like check it out then go to:
http://timmoyoungfatboythin.blogspot.com
Click the section 'an interview with' then you'll find them.
Good luck, Paul!
All the best,
Tim (Fat.Boy.Thin)