People often ask how I lost so much weight (110 pounds), so I’ve outlined some of the philosophies I adopted during my journey. I hope this helps someone out there! So first thing’s first…
Weight loss is not a magic trick.
These days, when people see me, they ask “how’d you do it?” with a surprised look on their face. It’s the kind of reaction you would expect from a successful magic trick. Although I’m flattered that my transformation elicits such a magical response, I assure you there is no “trick” to it.
Weight loss is not an overnight thing. There is no quick and easy way, none that are healthy anyways. Healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. Dropping weight faster than that could be dangerous and you wouldn’t want the illusion of weight loss anyways. You want it to be meaningful, so make sure to plan a real and long-lasting change. It’ll be worth it.
Knowing what healthy weight loss is.
Weight loss is not about a quick drop in weight. Healthy weight loss is considered to be 1 to 1.5 pounds per week. That means in the course of a month, healthy weight loss should be around five pounds.
Healthy weight loss is 5 lbs. per month!
Don’t get discouraged!
With that being said, it is known that the road to significant weight loss is long. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see or feel immediate results! Everything adds up over time. Healthy weight loss means your body won’t gain that weight back quickly.
Weight loss is not about dieting.
The term “diet” means different things to different people. But one thing that most can agree on is the common attitude towards “going on a diet”, that it generally sucks.
Additionally, we treat a diet as a temporary thing. To most, it’s just a short period of time where we desperately try unordinary things in an effort to control a short-term effect. How much effort do you put into things that are temporary? No wonder why 100% of diets don’t work.
Instead of treating it as a diet, as something temporary, treat it as a real lifestyle change. A conscious promise to take real consideration into your meal choices, indefinitely. Enjoying great foods is about learning moderation and balance. Consider meals for their nutritional value and your needs for that day.
Reevaluating hunger and its role.
It’s important to keep in mind that hunger serves a purpose of survival based on nutritional needs. Sometimes it’s difficult to break bad food habits, but what helps is to re-think what hunger means.
When you feel hunger,
your body is telling you it wants nutrients,
not Calories.
When you feel hungry, you can rest assured your hunger WILL subside if you give your body the proper nutrients. This is where smart decisions really come into play. Make sure the Calories you spend are high in nutritional value.
Power, strength, grace, and vegetables.
I’m a meat eater, and I really like it. I’m not going to give it up. But with a lifestyle change for weight management and loss, it really helps to eat more fruits and vegetables. Trust me, if you don’t like them, they are just not prepared right.
I used to think that meat was the manly thing to eat, and I too shunned away leafy greens, rich roots, and flavorful fruits. However, my father pointed out that in the natural world, all of the largest, strongest, and most graceful creatures are not meat-eaters. I never discredited the power of vegetarian cuisine again.
It’s not a punishment.
Do not punish yourself. I repeat, DO NOT PUNISH YOURSELF (all caps cause I’m yelling it).
Relearning how to eat is not a punishment. You don’t have to totally restrict yourself from all foods, and whatever restrictions you do impose on yourself should only be helping you to train new habits.
Don’t get down on yourself, and remember that you can still enjoy those great foods while still maintaining healthy weight loss. Feel good that you are taking steps to better yourself and your health!
