Well, here it is, three months into my new way of life and I am down 21 pounds. It is nice to fit into clothes that have been hanging in my closet for the past two years -- definitely expands my wardrobe on my budget. More importantly, it shows me what can be done when following the right eating plan for my age. There are, however, some rules to this new way of eating. I'm going to share a few with you!
Back when I was in my thirties, there was an eating plan that prescribed eating low fat foods. Bread was low fat, so this definitely worked to my benefit. I ate all sorts of carb-laden food and exercised. However, that type of diet would never work for me now. My metabolism after four children has come to a grinding halt! Also, so many additives have been put into our foods that it can still be non-fat while highly processed and laden with sugar.
In fact, as much knowledge as I have, the food companies still "got one over" on me this week-end! On Friday, I was craving yogurt, so I bought a 100 calorie Greek yogurt. Healthy, right? WRONG! The problem is, it has 14 grams of carbs and is loaded with sugar. I didn't realize at the time that non-fat and 100 calories were mutually exclusive and in fact, was not good for me at all, given the number of carbs. Rule 1: Read ALL of the label WITH your glasses on...lesson learned!
I've also learned Rule 2: Don't become complacent about losing the weight. I will give you an example. My boyfriend likes to take me out to dinner on the week-ends. We tend to have a drink or two with dinner. Although great fun, it slows my weight loss and I dare say, the reason for two or three-week long plateaus. So, with new resolve, I have decided to forego happy hour and see how my weight loss progresses. I'm betting it will speed up dramatically, making me far happier than any cocktail ever could!
Rule 3: Set a tangible goal. Not, I'd like to lose "X" pounds by XYZ date. No -- you need to say, I will lose "X" pounds by XYZ date. For me, that goal is 15 pounds by the end of October. That is 3 pounds a week and very doable in my estimation. I will be cutting it close to reaching my goal of 50 pounds by the time OolaPalooza 2015 comes to town. October will be the "make or break it" month because that only leaves me November to get to the goal.
Rule 4: Plan ahead! Next week-end, I have a birthday party to attend at one of my favorite restaurants. Instead of BBQ ribs which I love, I will be having chicken. They also have a fabulous watermelon tea, which I will be drinking. More importantly, I will be enjoying the evening with a group of my closest friends. I am especially looking forward to our time together. As you have probably noticed, losing weight is no small feat! I am planning the menu a week in advance; that, is commitment.
My boyfriend has asked me, "Are you losing the weight for Oola?" No, not at all. I'm losing the weight for me! Oola has, however, given me the tools for how to succeed. It's about balancing my life. I've also learned that it's ok to put myself first -- I have put everyone else first over the years, and while that served its purpose, it is no longer okay. It's loving myself enough to realize that I am worth being healthy. It is those thoughts that drive me toward the results I am experiencing.
And so, I know I have a cheerleading squad of some 37,000+ folks all over the world who are reading this blog. I also have a team closer to home that are not only encouraging me on but guiding me along this journey. I also just have to look at the faces of my loved ones to keep my commitment strong. This has truly been a journey -- one that is getting me closer to being healthier. Truth is, my "real" goal is not just to be down 50 pounds by December. Honestly? My goal is to dance at my grandchildren's wedding! Now, that's a commitment worth keeping!
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