Conversations and the Maintenance Tightrope

CONVERSATIONS

This past week was a social one, and I am reminded of certain comments I received.

At the Chocolatefest on February 20:  “Kristie, you are the most disciplined person I know,” said a cute friend from church.

The next night out to dinner with friends:  “You are just doing so well!”

Yesterday when I took a dress to my tailor, “I am so proud of you. You keep the weight off!”

Believe me, I appreciate these kind comments. I really do. Regarding being disciplined, yes, I am most certainly more disciplined than I used to be. Maybe I am the most disciplined person she knows, and that is GREAT. Am I the most disciplined person I know? I wish I was, but probably not.

PHASES

There are 2 phases to success weight loss. Phase 1, losing the weight. Phase 2, keeping it off.

I’m terrific at Phase 1. I’ve done it 4 times now. When I was 18 and a freshman at BYU, again in my late 20s, then my 30s, and now.

Phase 2–keeping it off–is the challenge. I know it is a challenge for many other people too. The idea of “dieting” for the rest of your life seems SO unappealing, which is why one of the things I had to do this time was convince myself that this was a lifestyle change, not a diet.  “Diet,” by definition, is a temporary thing. I refuse to make this temporary.

THE DAILY TIGHTROPE

I’m a visual person and, to me, keeping the weight off and being successful at Maintenance is like a daily tightrope walk. This is what all of these nice people who offer their verbal pats on the back do not see.

It is about making choices…DAILY…about what I want to eat and what I know I should eat. (Most of us know what we should eat, right?)

It is about finding my motivation…DAILY…and telling myself WHY I’m doing this.

YOU’RE #1

If you are doing this for anyone else but yourself, you will probably fail.

Losing weight and keeping it off is one of those rare endeavors where it is OK for you to be #1. Doing it for your husband, your mother, your kids, to compete with friends, to be someone else’s “weight loss buddy,” those are not good enough reasons. Why? Because you’re trying to find your motivation externally instead of internally.

It has to come from YOU.

It has to be at the right time for YOU.

The person who wants it the most has to be YOU.

THE PANCAKE SKIT STARRING LITTLE CHUB AND LITTLE THIN

This morning I woke up at my normal time, wrestled with the Snooze button for the normal amount of time, and then wrestled with my conscience.

I was craving pancakes. I’m still (at 1:40pm)…craving pancakes.

Hubby is at work. The day is mine to freely schedule in any way. Picture, instead of a little angel and devil on each shoulder, a little chubby person and a little thin person.

Little Chub: It’s early, you can get your pancakes and then go for a 5 mile walk. What’s the harm?

Little Thin: You indulged a lot last weekend. But yesterday you did so great! I’ll bet if you step on the scale this morning you will like what you see…

Little Chub: Just get your pancakes. If you don’t do it today, you’ll keep thinking about them and wake up wanting them tomorrow. Give in and get it over with.

Little Thin: You know you’re going to feel guilty if you give in. That’s over 1000 calories for, maybe, 20 minutes of pleasure. Is it worth it?

Little Chub: Yeah…

Little Thin:  Um, no. Get your sorry patootie out of bed and over to the gym. Now.

Little Chub: *sigh* (Knows he’s beat.)

I went to the gym, did stair climbing, weights, elliptical, and treadmill. I felt good knowing I made the right decision and my thoughts were clear as I read a college textbook that I’m currently rereading for “fun.”

CRAVINGS

We all have them. Mine are usually for pancakes or a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream.

I’m not sure what it is, but I usually feel less guilt about the ice cream. And yes, I can eat the whole pint in one sitting, usually under half an hour. It’s a gift.

Part of the Maintenance tightrope for me is discovering what my body will allow.  Just like there isn’t a great variety to my healthy eating, there isn’t really a great variety to my cravings. That has actually turned out to be a very good thing, because I know what my recovery time is on those days when “Little Chub” does win.

MOTIVATION

So what do I do to make sure that “Little Thin” wins more often than “Little Chub?”  I think about my motivation. What I like. What I don’t like.

I like being a size 6!

I like being successful at this weight loss thing.

I like feeling good about making the right choices for ME.

I like the clothing choices that have opened up to me now that I’m thin.

I like myself.

I don’t like failing.

I don’t want to think about buying double-digit sizes again.

I don’t like letting people down who have been rooting for me. (Not the greatest reason, but it’s one of them and I’ll own it.)

Most of all, I don’t want to let myself down.

SELF-TALK

If people only knew HOW OFTEN I self-talk. Pep talks, tough love talks, motivational speeches..A LOT goes on in this brain of mine.

I am my own counselor. I am my own advocate. I am my biggest supporter.

And yes, sometimes we can let ourselves become our own worst enemy, which is why self HONESTY has to play a great role too.

And so does self LOVE. Love and validation from others is wonderful, but it has to come from yourself first.

It took me into my 40s to really “get” this.

BOTTOM LINE?

Sometimes the most important conversations you can have are the ones you have with yourself.

SO…WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL YOURSELF TODAY?

It’s OK to Indulge

Tonight was one of those nights when it was possible to toss all discipline to the wind. Chocolatefest. A yearly gathering of women, chocolate, and no guilt. My friend, Turia, began this tradition 4 years ago.

Since it began I have approached it in different ways. The first year I pretty much ate until even the thought of chocolate made me nauseous. Year Two I sampled with restraint (I thought.) Year Three I had to miss due to an untimely headache. Tonight, Year Four, I ate dinner early with my husband and used the gathering as a (very large) dessert.

Now, 8 months after reaching my weight loss goal, a night like tonight doesn’t frighten me the way it would have before. There was a time when maintaining a healthy weight and enjoying Chocolatefest didn’t go hand in hand.

For one thing, it wasn’t special. Who cares about a night of chocolate desserts when I would just eat chocolate any time I wanted? Sweets have increased value now.

For another thing, eating is never fun when you eat to excess. (Is anything fun when you do it to excess?) Now that my body and I communicate better, I know what my limit is, and I reach it long before the ensuing tummy ache has a chance to appear.

And guess what? I don’t feel like I denied myself at all. I had truffles, chocolate-dipped mandarin oranges, mousse, bacon-stuffed mushrooms with chocolate drizzle, and a few other delicacies I cannot remember. Not to mention small wedges of “artisan” chocolate during Turia’s mini presentation on the history and science of chocolate.

When you’re disciplined, buy/eat organic, and work out 5-6 days a week, you can indulge once in a while without guilt. You’ve earned it, and it won’t sabotage weeks or months of hard work. “Once in a while” means different things to different people, but we all know that there is a big difference between “once in a while” and “all the time.”

The great thing about “once in a while” is the value created in what you’re doing. Indulging…once in a while…gives it value. And those other times when you’re exerting discipline, perhaps telling yourself no to those easily accessible temptations, is giving yourself value.

That is empowering.

Source of Life–Our Daily Breakfast Treat

Lately I have found myself touting the merits of our daily breakfast shake. Nearly a year ago Eric came home from the store with a suspicious green powder called Source of Life. I shouldn’t have doubted him. It has become a part of our daily nutrition!

• It’s delicious.
• It’s loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
• We stay full for hours.
• The shakes we make range between 320-420 calories.
• It is also non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegetarian.
• And yes, did I mention–DELICIOUS?

Here is my attempt to be artistic:

What you see here is a sample of the things we mix together with the shake power: usually an apple, banana, some berries, and homemade almond milk. Other fruits I have tried are pears, mangoes, grapes, watermelon, and cantaloupe. EVERY combination has been delicious!

We use the Nutribullet–Hubby and I each have our own cup and holder that we use each morning. Clean up is very fast. Just a quick rinse and you’re done. Yum! Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water! I took this picture on a day I chopped up a banana, apple, pear and added some organic mixed berries.

Now, where does one find this magical powder?  We buy ours at Fred Meyer, but I have seen it online on Amazon, The Vitamin Shoppe, and other health sites. A simple search online will yield many results and you will find lots of positive reviews as well. The price? It will seem expensive–approximately $45 for one canister. But one canister lasts one month for one person.

I do not take a multivitamin. My morning shake IS my vitamin supplement. And guess what? I haven’t been sick in ages. That nasty winter bug that hits everyone did not touch me or my husband (despite his exposure to it at work.) Sore throats, coughs, colds, the flu…all of these things feel like a distant memory. (Keep in mind we eat *mostly* healthy, organic food each day.)

If homemade almond milk is not for you, I recommend Silk Unsweetened as a milk alternative for 3 reasons:

• It tastes great.
• There are only 30 calories/8 ounces.
• There is no carrageenan. (You can read about the nasties in this ingredient on the Food Babe site.) Silk is the ONLY dairy alternative I have seen of any almond/rice/soy/hemp/coconut type of beverage that does not have carrageenan. Trust me, I have looked at a lot of them in our local stores.
• A note: if you use Silk in the shakes, add some water as well. The Silk makes the shakes very thick, especially if you use a lot of berries.

Yes, we love our daily shakes!

A California Trip and 2/3 of the Big Holidays Down!

Hi there Holiday Eaters! Is there anyone else who still has Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge?  We do.  Yummy salty ham and some cream cheese frosting are all that remain from our little meal of gratitude, but they sure are good!

A good reminder this time of year:  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are a mere 3 DAYS. There is no reason to make this the season of pigging out daily for 3 months and therefore, no reason to make that pointless, yearly resolution to lose all the weight starting in January.  Yes…I began last January, but it wasn’t a New Year’s Resolution that motivated me.

It has now been 5 months–5 MONTHS–since I reached my goal and I have not gained the weight back. The feeling of success and empowerment is hard to describe after multiple failures in the past. I still go to the gym, I still count calories (usually,) and I still make choices about the quality and quantity of the food I eat.

Something to note, since we have been buying mostly organic, Hubby’s and my health is so much better.  Not only that, we are less susceptible to those nasty cold and flu bugs that seem to go from person to person this time of year. Hubby said that he is the only person on his crew at work that has not come down with something this season. That’s no accident.

FOR NEW READERS

Just a look back at my before and after picture:

I’m taking this quick trip down memory lane because I’ve had a new group of people ask about how I lost those pesky 50lbs and I’ve referred them here, to my blog. Please, I highly recommend and encourage you…START READING IT FROM THE BEGINNING.  Also…go to the Fitbit tab at the top and read about it. If you already have one, like a lovely lady I met today , use it. It does nothing just sitting there in a box.

Again, people ask how I get so many steps in per day (16,000-21,000 steps.) We are all encouraged to get in 10,000 steps a day. Normal daily activity will rarely achieve that, so I get my 10,000 steps in at the gym. Half an hour on the elliptical and the rest on the treadmill. It takes dedication, work, and making difficult choices. There are no shortcuts, I’m afraid. No program in the world will work unless you put in the time, but I’ve had it with “programs.” The Fitbit is simply a tool, like any other activity monitor. The rest has to come from you. I PROMISE YOU, the payoff is so, so worth it. Not only that, after years of failing at keeping a healthy weight, working with the Fitbit and losing the hard, old-fashioned way, has allowed my metabolism to reset itself and has made me more in tune with my body than I have ever been before.

So if you’re new, go back to my first posts and read about my journey from the beginning. I’m just a normal woman who had had enough and was finally ready to buckle down and lose the weight and keep it off. I’m not an expert, just someone who is chronicling their own experience and findings. And no, Fitbit is not paying me. If you want to use a different activity monitor, that’s fine.

Just do something.

MY CALIFORNIA TRIP

About a month ago I went to California for a week to see family.  That was a good thing. The other good thing was having tons of choices of where to eat. Sushi, In n Out burger, Kathleen’s in Pasadena, Mimi’s Cafe…all of my favorites!  I ate out for lunch or dinner every single day I was there. Sometimes lunch and dinner.

For breakfast I took my Source of Life shake powder (look it up or see my post to learn more) and our backup Nutribullet. I kept a supply of apples and bananas at my mom’s house, where I was staying, along with my Vitamin Water Zero.

Each morning I would get up around 7am, my normal rising time, and go for a 5 miles walk. Those were my 10,000 steps. It took about 3 days to perfect the route, but when I did, it was a great route through the lovely San Marino neighborhood that borders the city where I’m from, plus a couple of laps around Lacy Park. With every day quite busy, these walks were a treat.

The result? After eating out so much (eating out but not necessarily pigging out) I gained maybe 3 pounds that came off in a couple of days once I was home, going to the gym each day, and eating the foods I eat on a regular basis.

LASTLY, EATING SMART DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T ENJOY YOURSELF DURING THE HOLIDAYS…

Now that my body has finally reset itself, a few fun meals at the holidays does not have to mean starting from the beginning with weight loss once the holidays are over. In the past few weeks I’ve “sampled” some of the Halloween candy, attended a cookie exchange at church, eaten a scrumptious Thanksgiving feast with pie, done some holiday baking and sampled some more, and had some much craved Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

BUT…I’ve also worked out 5 or more times a week and have not overindulged every single day. This is something I can do now that I’m working to maintain my weight. So honestly, if you have not started losing yet, I wouldn’t go full force right now. I WOULD start scaling back right now, but enjoy the holidays, and then begin when you are ready to get serious about it.

YOU CAN DO IT

You can.

I used to be one of those people who used those excuses “I’m just big boned,” or “my body just won’t let me lose the weight.”

Baloney, I say to my former self.

If you really want to do it–you’ll do it.  We are all capable of so much when we put our minds to it.

Some last things to remember:

The body was made to move!

Your body wants to be slim!

If you are kind to it, it will be kind to you, I promise!

Onward and upward my dear readers.  Good luck!

(As always, I welcome your comments and questions. Truly, I want to help in any way I can.)

The Holidays are Here…time to decide…

There’s no escaping them–the holidays are here!  I’ve got a “home products party” I’m attending tonight where dinner will be served, a neighborhood gathering tomorrow with soups and appetizers before the trick-or-treaters arrive, next week a trip to California to visit family, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. Yowza.

There is only one thing I can think of to combat the many tempting foods that will, undoubtedly, be in my path. And that is to decide NOW that the upcoming holidays and their accompanying foods WILL NOT sabotage my hard work. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be sampling the tasty yummies, no Sir.

I’ll back up.

4 months into maintaining my goal weight, I’m doing great.  I hover between 135-138lbs most days, exercise as diligently as before, and I don’t stray from the things that work.  I’m awake between 6:30-7:30am, go to the gym, come home and have my shake, eat some eggs around 12:30pm, with a sensible dinner between 5-6pm. I don’t avoid dairy 100% (I’ve indulged in some ice cream cravings lately) but I span out when I have it. I weigh in each morning before going to the gym. Still no fast food evils like McDonalds and Burger King. (I’ve had some burgers, but not those.)

I’m a very comfortable size 6 (sometimes 8.)

For the first time in my entire life I feel like my body and mind are working in sync. I’m sure my metabolism has increased, which accounts for no major weight gain when I do indulge. But indulging now and indulging in the past have also changed.

The amount of work it took to lose and then maintain have motivated me a lot. I have no desire to fill up on ham, potatoes, and pie. Large portions are gross to look at, much less eat. And yes, I still count calories EVERY day. Even if I have to guess, I count them.

I am so glad (and lucky) that I was motivated to lose the weight early in the year, because now that the holidays are here, making good decisions and working with my slimmer self will not be as difficult.

So, to come full circle, yes, I’m deciding now. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like a huge decision. I simply don’t want to indulge. But since I have learned that “one heavy meal won’t make you overweight just like one light meal won’t make you slim,” I’m not too worried about what I eat on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Gaining a lot, like losing a lot, is a consequence of certain habits that have developed over time. Yes, it is common sense, but it has taken years to pound into my brain. Happily, I have morphed into a person with good habits! No starving, no denying, just good sense when it comes to eating. This is the luxury of successfully being on maintenance. Successful, the key word.

There are tips all over the web on making smart eating choices during the holidays. Here are some I’ve found:

Consider These Ideas:

• Don’t feel obliged to eat out of courtesy – especially if you don’t want the food or you’re full –because you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.  Get over it – the calories are going into your mouth, not theirs.

• Give yourself permission to NOT eat something just because it’s tradition. Whose tradition?

• Only eat it if you want it. Eat what you want not what you think you should.

• Say no to the friend or relative who is pushing the extra piece of pie. You’re the one stepping on the scale or zipping up your jeans the next day – not them.

• Have some personal rules and commit to them.  An example might be:  I really want pecan pie for dessert so I’ll have only one biscuit without butter with my meal.

• Make a deal (with yourself) that you can eat what you want during dinner. Put the food on your plate and enjoy every last morsel. Clean your plate if you want to. But – that’s it. No seconds and no double-decking the plate.

• Make trades. Trade the biscuit and butter for a low calorie option with dinner. Limit the hors d’oeuvres. They really pack in calories. Make eating one or two your rule.

• Choose your beverages wisely.  Alcohol adds calories (7 calories/gram). Alcohol with mixers adds even more calories. Plus, alcohol takes the edge off lots of things – including your ability to stick to your plan.

• Drink water. It fills you up. Have a diet soda if you want. If you’re going to drink alcohol, try limiting the amount – think about alternating with water, seltzer, or unsweetened beverages.

• Control your environment. Don’t hang around the buffet table or stand next to the platter of delicious whatevers. Why are you tempting yourself?

• Talk to someone. It’s hard to shove food in your mouth when you’re talking.

• Get rid of leftovers. Leftover stuffing has defeated the best-laid plans.

• Don’t nibble during clean up (or preparation for that matter). Broken cookies, pieces of pie crust, and the last spoonful of stuffing haven’t magically lost their calories.

• Don’t starve yourself the day of a grand meal. If you do in an attempt to save up calories for a splurge, you’ll probably be so hungry by the time dinner is ready you’ll end up shoving food into your mouth faster than you can say turkey.

• If you end up overeating, add in some longer walks and a couple of days of moderate eating afterward. (Great advice, says I. Your body will reset itself. I have had great success with this method after indulging in a no-no meal.)

(found at http://www.eatouteatwell.com/your-holiday-eating-cheat-sheet/)

1. Bring what you want to eat.  When you’re invited to a party or holiday gathering, it’s nice to show up with a dish to pass.  If you’re not sure what to bring, bring something healthy that you like and are sure to eat.  That way you’re sure to eat at least one thing that’s healthy.

2. Eat regularly before a party or gathering.  Never – I repeat – NEVER skip breakfast and lunch before a big meal so you feel OK pigging out.  It’s almost impossible to eat healthy when your body feels like it’s starving.  Instead, eat normally during the day so you can make rational decisions about what to eat and what not to eat.

3. Take small portions of everything.  There’s no reason you can’t enjoy all of the amazing dishes made by your family and friends, in moderation.  If you want to try everything at the buffet line, simply serve yourself enough to have a few bites of each dish.  You’ll be full by the time you sample each one.

4. Don’t eat anything that isn’t awesome.  If the first bite isn’t awesome, don’t finish your serving.  It’s not worth the calories or space in your stomach.  Give it away or toss it, and save room for dessert instead.

5. Don’t leave the house without snacks and a water bottle.  This goes for long car trips and marathon-shopping events (because Black Friday is coming too!).   Prep snacks and meals ahead of time so you don’t have to frequent fast food restaurants and mall food courts.  You’ll save time and money too.

(found at http://newleafwellness.biz/2012/11/20/5-holiday-healthy-eating-tips/)

Great tips!  For more, just Google “holiday eating.” There is a wealth of information out there with good, healthy ideas on how not to gain those holiday pounds. Instead of making a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, let’s just not gain it in the first place, right?

P.S.  As you know, the Fitibit One is my go-to tool. If you prefer wearing a wrist activity tracker, there is a new model (aside from the Flex) called the Charge. It is $149. The One and Flex are $99. You can check it out here and see its features. I think the caller ID feature is kind of cool. A Fitbit watch is going to be released soon too, no doubt around the same time as the Apple Watch.

Choices, Choices, Choices

I wish I could say that I have easily settled into making healthy choices all the time at this phase, but I haven’t. The key word here being “easily.”

As I move into my 3rd month of maintenance, I still find myself having to decide what and how much to eat.  I haven’t lapsed back into the Burger King and McDonald’s habits, but maintaining does have its challenges.  After all, I can eat more than when I was trying to lose because I’m not trying to lose.  And, while many things have not found their way back into our kitchen (bread, potatoes, pasta, Milky Way Darks,) even healthy snacks can make you gain when the quantity is excessive.

This is all about creating a lifestyle, which is all about choices.  Eat in or eat out? Fast food or sit down? Burger or salad? Fries or fruit? Dessert or skip it? The list goes on and on because we live in a society where a multitude of choices “feels” like a luxury. Sometimes it can be a trap.

Of course the other big choice is: should I exercise or not?  There is only one correct answer to that question. (Quick tangent: I have not been able to skip my morning exercise. My body craves it!  But I did dial it down this morning by walking around the neighborhood. #10KStepsbeforebreakfast)  🙂

As far as food, I have definitely found that if tempting things are in the house they are very hard for me to resist. Truly, the less choices, the better.  Recently we discovered the Blue Diamond Nut Thin crackers.  130 calories for 16 crackers is great if you can stop at 16!  The Country Ranch flavor is like Cool Ranch Doritos and Eric and I both love them.  But we have to be careful. (As much as I want to get away from it, I still need to count calories. It’s the only way to stay on track.)

Speaking of counting, another challenge has arisen.  My iPhone 5s is dying on me (Nov. 1st, when I’m eligible for the 6 can’t get here fast enough!) My Fitbit app is not entirely accurate because of this. I can log my food just fine, but my leftover calories are usually wrong…they’re way too high. It took me 2-3 days to catch on when I was paying too much attention to “calories remaining” instead of “calories eaten.”

While we are on the subject of iPhones, Fitbits and other electronics, Apple announced yesterday that they are coming out with an Apple Watch in early 2015. I love, love technology, so I find this pretty exciting:

What makes this news relevant here is that the Apple Watch will have some great fitness features to record your standing, sitting, and movement throughout the day.  And, since Apple also sells Fitbits, the watch will work with 3rd party apps, which I’m assuming will include the Fitbit.  That should be interesting! They start at $349.

Between the Fitbit and other trackers, apps like My Fitness Pal, and now the Apple Watch with its movement monitoring, it does feel like the pendulum of mindless eating and calorie apathy has finally begun to swing the other way.  Maybe the next generations will have longer life spans because of it.  I hope so. I hope this is the beginning of our nation, as a whole, finally getting healthier. If we make good choices, collectively, then the faceless evil-doers will have to start lessening the GMOs and organic food will be more affordable, right? (Our grocery bill the other day was ree-dik-oo-lus.)

OK, maybe that’s a tad optimistic. But every little bit helps, starting with our individual eating  and exercise choices.  (See? I came full circle.)

I TRULY believe this.

The Transition Position

It wasn’t in my plans, but that trip to Utah led me into a new phase of weight maintenance.  How many phases are there? I don’t know, I’ve never done this before.  But I do know that something has changed.

After skipping the gym that first full day home, I decided that it was OK to start decreasing the intensity of some things I’ve been doing for months.  I’m giving myself permission to “dial it down” a little.  For instance, maybe going to the gym 5 days a week.  Maybe not counting calories so rigidly as before (although I still count.) Telling myself that I don’t have to get to 20,000 steps each day.

I’m doing this for 2 reasons.  First, because I’m not trying to lose weight anymore.  Second, there is a part of me that worries that if I don’t tone it down consciously, I’ll do it unconsciously and lapse into some bad habits. I don’t think I will, but…

This is all about creating a lifestyle with good habits that last forever.

I still weigh myself each morning and stay very aware of my activity, keep away from cow’s milk/soda/fast food, and try to make healthy choices whenever possible.  In my 3rd month of Maintenance I’m as determined as ever not to gain my weight back.  But do I want to be extreme? No.

The good news is that, after months of eating certain foods and exercising every day, my body craves those things anyway. This body loves to move!

This morning I gave myself the morning off from the gym because of a 10am dental appointment.  But I still went for an 8,000 step walk beginning at 7am.  That took an hour.  Breakfast was my shake, lunch was some teriyaki chicken, and dinner will probably be some scrambled eggs and an apple.

This afternoon, after sitting too long, I got off my duff and went for another walk.  Without too much effort I’m already at 17,000 steps. That’s over 8 miles.

The next 3 days I’ll head back to the gym, which I do enjoy. Sunday will be a rest day and Monday I’ll go walking because the gym will be closed for repairs.

This is me, transitioning into a new lifestyle. The good habits are there, the knowledge is there, and the initial weight is lost. It’s about moving forward, eating smart, and reaping the benefits.

Pictures from today’s walk at the lake. A lovely afternoon.

Fitbittin’ on My Utah Trip

If you’re interested in what BYU Education Week is all about, click the picture. 🙂

Yesterday I returned home after 10 days away to attend Education Week at Brigham Young University.  It is 4-5 days (or any schedule you want, really) for kids and adults 14 and older to attend classes on a huge variety of subjects.  It is open to anyone of any faith and background for a very reasonable price.  I had an amazing time! (I highly recommend this experience to all!)

But…although this was my 4th or 5th time attending over the years, this time was different.  Not only was it my first time going alone, it was also my first time going on ANY trip since entering the “maintenance phase” where I was on a schedule.  When Eric and I went to Las Vegas in May, we had a fitness center at the hotel and we could create our own timeline each day.  This time I was staying at a friend’s house–no gym– and my daily schedule was very full.

Tuesday through Friday I attended a series on..ahem…being a perfectionist…and it started at 8:30am each morning.  I woke up at 5:30-5:45am each day, showered, made my shake (I brought our back-up Nutribullet and all the ingredients) and left the house around 7:15am.  I’d get to campus around 7:30, walk from the parking lot to where I needed to be, usually ambling through the BYU Bookstore to browse/buy on my way.

Each day I ate lunch at the Cannon Center–my freshman cafeteria–an all-you-can-eat situation that gives you a ton of choices for under $10.  Dinner was varied.  Twice at the Cannon Center, once at Subway, once from a grocery store deli, and once at my friend’s house.  While on the road I ate once at the hotel in Meridian, ID and once at the sushi place across the street.

Why is all this information important?  Because I’m only human, I had a lot of choices, and some were better than others.

But I also learned a lot during this trip, and I don’t just mean from the classes I attended:

Wear the Fitbit, even when you know your day will be less active. Bottom line?  Knowledge is power.  If you tell yourself that you don’t need to wear the Fitbit because you’ll be sitting in class or driving all day, you’ll slowly find other excuses not to wear it.  I learned a lot from wearing it this week.  I know it took approximately 2000 steps to get from my parked car to the center of campus.  I know that I hit 10,000 steps at 1pm on some days, and 3pm on others.  I also learned that my daily average was 12,000-14,000 steps (I spent 10 hours on campus most days.) And even though I sat a lot, I still reached my calorie burn goal every day.

It’s OK to cheat when you’re on a trip. “Cheat” within reason. Tell yourself it’s ONLY for the trip. Lunch was a real treat for me each day.  Why?  The choices!  The bounty!  The desserts!  No wonder the “Freshman 15” exists. I ate lunch each day at 12:30pm.  I was pretty hungry by then after having my shake 5 hours earlier and then attending 3 classes each morning.  Lunch usually consisted of a bowl of fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon,) a side salad I made at the salad bar, and an entree.  The entrees varied and they weren’t huge, but I didn’t show a lot of restraint either.  Twice I had hamburgers, twice I had Asian-themed meals. Another lunch was a panini sandwich.  And yes, I had dessert.   They were all things I don’t buy at home anymore and still won’t.  I indulged and enjoyed!

Cheating still has its limits. When you’re in a cafeteria like that, it’s hard not to notice everyone around you and watch their choices too.  For the most part, people didn’t go overboard. Most people went for the salad bar–which was pretty impressive–and limited themselves to one dessert.  A few did not, but it was rare.  I did make it a point to stay away from the “build your own baked potato” area and heavy soups.  At the end of the day, I was surprised by how accustomed I have become to “real” foods. The fruits and salads really did satisfy me the most.  (Although that black-tie cake I had on Wednesday was Pretty Darn Satisfying too.)

If you’re kind to your body, it will be kind to you. This is probably the biggest lesson I learned in terms of eating on a trip where I couldn’t count calories, didn’t go to a gym, or weigh myself daily. By the end of the week I was feeling a little…”soft,” but my size 6 clothes all fit just fine.  My weight, however, was a complete mystery.  Thinking back to the way I had eaten during some of those meals I was certain I’d be up a few pounds, but I really had no idea what to expect.  When I arrived home last night I had Quizno’s for dinner and THEN weighed myself out of morbid curiosity.  140.6lbs.  This morning I weighed myself AFTER breakfast.  139lbs. No real change whatsoever.  I was amazed! After months of working out each morning, my metabolism gave me the gift of being able to scale back on the exercise for a few days, eat with a little more abandon, and not punish me.  That’s a really nice gift to get from your body! (A first for me.)

I only took photos of 3 meals, but you can see they are not exactly “meals of restraint:”

A simple chicken quesadilla and side salad at the Idaho Courtyard Marriott. The end of my first day traveling and I’d been to the gym that morning before leaving home. I was so proud of myself.

One week later after watching the film, The Hundred Foot Journey, we decided to have Indian food for dinner. Coconut shrimp, balsamic rice, naan flatbread, and mango ice cream at Bombay House in Provo, Utah. SO good! Calories? I have no idea. Guilt? Hmm..none!

Back in Idaho (2 nights ago,) I went to Sakana Sushi across the street from the hotel. Everyone on Yelp raved about their Hana Roll, so I tried it. A little heavy with the tempura inside, but good. Also seaweed salad and miso soup. After driving all day, I only had 3700 steps by 5pm. Yikes.  I walked to the restaurant to get more. I reached 5000 after dinner, then I went to the gym, got on the treadmill, and made it to 14,000. My best number all week and my legs were so happy!

Today I gave myself one more gift and, gulp, slept in and didn’t go to the gym.  My poor, tired body needed a day of rest with no driving, no classes, no alarm, and no obligations.  I did get back to counting calories and went for a walk tonight just to get 10,000 steps.  Tomorrow I’ll go to the gym, reacquaint myself with my favorite elliptical machine, and lift some weights.

Speaking of gifts, I can’t end this post without mentioning one last thing. Now that I’ve given myself the gift of being in good shape I was AMAZED at how easy it was to get around campus.  I’ve always been a strong walker, but I was also carrying around an extra 50lbs. Last year I attended an average of 3 classes a day, huffed and puffed to my car each afternoon around 4pm, and caught a 24 hour cold virus on Friday.  This year I went to 5 classes most days, zipped from one end of campus to another with minimal effort, and usually didn’t end my day until 6pm.

I know this is not a coincidence, but a result of losing the weight, staying active, and eating better all these months.

It was a wonderful week at BYU, fulfilling and educational in so many ways.  In terms of my choices these last few months, it reaffirmed that I’ve made the right ones and to keep on going. (Eric too!  He lost 7lbs while I was gone! I’m so proud of him!)

P.S.  If BYU Education Week sounds like something you want to try, click the picture at the top. Next year’s dates are already set for August 17-21, 2015. It’s an experience like none other.

Setting a Healthy Weight Loss Goal

Setting a healthy weight loss goal is a subject I’ve wanted to tackle for a while.  Keep in mind that everything I’m writing is solely based on my own personal experience.

As I mentioned in my last post, the Fitbit tracker and program does not tell you what a healthy range is, so if you happen to set a dangerously low goal, no red flags will go up.  The only thing it might do is show your BMI as underweight after you hit your goal.  That’s a little too late.

There are different things you can Google to find your healthy weight loss goal:

“Healthy weight calculator”

“How much should I weight?”

“Healthy weight loss goal”

“Weight calculator by age”

These are just a few.  I highly recommend using one that asks for your age, because, as we get older healthy weights are a little bit higher.

BE FLEXIBLE.  Realize that you may have to adjust your goal, either higher or lower, along the way.

BE CONSCIOUS of the changes you see as you are losing weight.  (In the mirror, in pictures, and in your clothing sizes.) This is about being healthy, not about numbers.

LOOK AND LISTEN: You’re going to get comments and feedback from a lot of people once they start noticing your weight loss.  This will happen whether you like it or not.  Some will be constructive and positive, and, sadly, some will be thoughtless and fueled by jealousy. As a wise person once said, “Consider the source,” when it comes to those comments.  Look at photos of yourself as you’re losing and evaluate which ones make you look healthy or not.  Listen to comments of those you trust, those who truly have your best interest at heart, and those who celebrate your success.

BE REALISTIC about your goal.  Be open to change, be prepared to work. But, it is better to set it too high than too low. You can always change it once you get started and begin losing consistently.

ULTIMATELY IT IS UP TO YOU. Ah, the fun of being an adult.  Your weight loss goal is one more decision that is, ultimately, yours to make.

A good link to use is the IDEAL WEIGHT CALCULATOR.  Within that link are different calculators, like BMI, body fat, calorie intake, and others. I like it because it asks for your height and age and takes those things into consideration before giving you healthy ranges.

Here is what it told me about my range:

Let’s look at the “healthy range” section, which it says is between 113 to 153. That’s a 40 pound range–quite a span from which to make a decision.  This is not the calculator I used when I set my weight loss goal in January (I honestly cannot remember which one I used,) but I love the way it labels each section. (If you’re new here, my starting weight in January 2014 was 186.6…*just* trickling into the “obese class I” section. Eesh.)

BUT…there are those “invisible” labels within a section.  The ones YOU know are too high or too low.

During previous weight loss attempts I remember certain weights and how I looked.  When I began college in 1989 I was 153 and classified “obese” at age 18 in my “Fitness for Life” class.  I started running every day before dinner and keeping a weight loss journal. (This was about passing a class, not feeling better about myself and, certainly, not about Maintenance.)

Eventually I got down to 130, then 128, and then down to a low of 117 by the time I was a sophomore.  Even at the tender age of 19 I knew I was too skinny and brought my weight up to 128 again, which was a healthy-looking weight at that age.

Remembering this, and knowing that 128 would be too skinny 25 years later, I decided to make 140 my goal this time.  I also decided to let my window be 135-140.

I hit 153–top of my healthy range according to this scale–at the beginning of May.  Hubby and I were going on a 5 day trip to Las Vegas and it was terrific to buy clothes in smaller sizes and feel so much more confident in my new body.  We worked out each morning and tried our best to watch what we ate, despite the yummy temptations everywhere. But, yes, I indulged once in a while!

May 3, 2014…I was about 153 here.

Admittedly, I probably could have stopped with my weight loss at 153, but I know me. I didn’t want to stop at the top of the range because it would be too easy to get back to where I was before.  My real goal was still 13 lbs away.  And I had to do what was right for me (within a healthy range.)

As time went on I got closer to my goal. I had choices to make.  I needed to listen to constructive advice, mainly from my husband.  We decided I should change my “window” from 135-140 to 138-143.  (When your husband says you’re getting too skinny–listen.)  And if I go a little higher, even 150, that’s OK too. But I am at the point where I do not want to lose more.

I wish I could do all of this without thinking about it so much, but I’m not quite to that point yet.  Again, a process. Six months of trying so hard to lose vs only 1 month of Maintenance.  It is a new phase of learning and I’m still at the beginning of it.

2 1/2 months later, 1 month into Maintenance. Look how slimmed down Hubby looks!

So this is what I do now…

I still go to the gym and get my 10,000 steps in before breakfast.  But I add frozen organic mangoes to my morning shake to give it a few more calories.  Still no cow’s milk, no soda, but I will have an occasional dessert when we eat out.  I have never drunk alcohol and I try to avoid sodium.

I weigh myself each morning and if I am getting too low ( a few days ago I was 136.8 for 2 days in a row) I just eat more.  I still count calories with everything (I don’t see that ending anytime soon.) Because the body is more forgiving and I’ve probably reset my metabolism, I can eat things at restaurants that I would not have eaten when I was working to lose.  But like I said in my last post, I still walk a tightrope.

As I share these things with you I can also confide that even in the Maintenance phase, every bite is a choice.  If you are counting calories, which I highly recommend, the best thing to do is think about what you plan to eat, and calculate the calories BEFORE you eat.  It is the same as determining whether or not you have enough money to buy that tempting pair of shoes.  Either you do, or you don’t.

Lastly, check in with yourself.  Talk to yourself honestly about how you’re doing.  I do a lot of thinking about my eating while I’m working out, which is one of the reasons I’m not a big fan of working out with headphones or reading a magazine. That is my Zen time.  My thinking time. My time of clarity in the morning before the day’s obligations begin.

I realize that there are some who will look at the pictures of me and say, “I think she looks better in the top picture.”  Others will say, “I think she looks better now.”  Like I said before, people are full of opinions when it comes to weight loss in someone else.  Many factors went into my decision and will also go into yours.  It’s your decision. Your goal.  Your health. Your life. Your success.

Here are some other great links for calculating a healthy weight range:

WebMD Body Calculator

CDC Healthy Weight Calculator

Everyday Health: Healthy Weight Calculator

Some excellent articles on healthy weight loss:

The Mayo Clinic:  Set Yourself Up for Success

WebMD:  Is Your Weight Loss Goal Realistic?

WebMD:  Ideal Weight? Or Happy Weight?

 

All the best in setting your goal!  Stay healthy. Stay cool.  Stay active.

 

 

 

 

 

For My Fellow Fitbitters…especially if you’re new…

My stats right now, at nearly 4pm. I’ve eaten great today! Weigh in this morning was 136.8. Same as yesterday.

Before I even begin this post’s theme, I’m posting my dashboard stats right now. This is my attempt to stay accountable now that I’m working on maintaining my weight goal.  Truthfully, there are some days where I feel like I’m walking a tightrope in what to eat. But still no soda or cow’s milk, and no runs to fast food places.

ANYWAY…that is not what this post is really about.  Now that so many people have jumped on the Fitbit bandwagon, let’s talk about that…

Since I began this weight loss journey in January and the Fitbit journey in March, SEVENTEEN friends and relatives have bought Fitbits of their very own!

I will be honest, though.  While I am very happy to answer any questions about my experience with the Fitbit activity tracker, I always have a mix of emotions when someone tells me they are going to get one.  On one hand I feel elated that I have positively influenced someone into getting more active.  On the other hand I hope they understand the work that is involved for success.

Yes, I have been successful at losing weight with the Fitbit.  So has my hubby.  We are hardcore, though! We count calories with everything and get in 10,000 steps before breakfast.  Naturally we did not begin this way, but some people are coming in at the “last chapter of the book” and it is important that we are realistic about what the Fitbit does and what must come from each individual person.

The Fitbit DOES…count your steps and (hopefully) motivates you to set a goal and get those 10,000 steps in sometime during the day.

The Fitbit DOES NOT….make you walk.

The Fitbit DOES…track how many miles you’ve walked (like your steps.) Your beginning goal if you’re in average health (even if you’re in below-average shape) should be a daily minimum of 5 miles.

The Fitbit DOES NOT…drag you out of bed or off the sofa to go walking or drive you to the gym.

The Fitbit DOES…calculate your calories burned.  And, of course, the more calories you burn, the more you can eat, and the faster you lose weight.  Calorie burn is EVERYTHING in successful weight loss.  My daily personal goal is to try and burn 1000 calories by 9am. My Fitbit goal, from midnight to midnight, is to burn 2129.  I lowered it from 2329 (which was set by the Fitbit) because I burn calories slower now that I’ve dropped 50 pounds. (Although the past few days have been so busy I’ve been burning around 2600 per day!)

The Fitbit DOES NOT…log your food.  It does NOT tell you what to eat or how often.  YOU must do that.  You must make your choices.  You must experiment, as I did, with which foods stick to you and add weight (regardless of calories) and which foods fill you up and help you lose. Remember: carbs and sodium are in most restaurant meals, regular and diet soda, and processed foods. Alcohol, also, is very high calorie. They will slow down your weight loss significantly. The sooner you eat clean, smaller meals, the sooner you will see the pounds drop away!

The Fitbit DOES calculate your BMI based on your weight. It does NOT give you a weight loss range. It does NOT log your weight daily or tell you when to weigh in and how often. (First thing in the morning, stripped down after your morning bathroom visit is best. Then don’t weigh in again until the next day at the same time.)

YOU must come up with your own weight loss goal.  If it is unrealistically low, the Fitbit will NOT tell you that, so I highly recommend Googling “weight loss calculator” and going to a site that will ask for your height and age in order to find a healthy weight range.

I will talk more about determining a healthy weight loss goal in my next post.

I guess this post is really a kind of disclaimer.  I certainly do not want to be negative, but it is important to be realistic and straight-forward. I want everyone who buys a Fitbit (or any activity tracker) to enjoy success!  But make no mistake…IT IS HARD WORK.  For me, the time to lose weight was NOW, this year, before I got any older. (I turned 43 on 3/7/14.)  I was determined, I was motivated, and having my husband join me after a few weeks made it even better.

If you bought a Fitbit and are really serious about using this as a weight loss tool, you’re counting calories, you’re reevaluating your meals and activity level, and you’re getting out there and exercising…you WILL have success. There will be plateaus, but you will be successful. It’s that basic. Not easy! But basic.

If you bought a Fitbit and just have it clipped to you during the day but you’re not eating any differently, you’re not setting goals, and you are doing all of this half-heartedly, then congratulations–you just spent $100 on a cute new toy. Harsh, but true.

My hope for every person who gets a tracker is that they will decide that the time is NOW–for getting motivated, for getting active, for eating with discipline, for rewarding yourself with things other than food, for setting realistic goals and achieving them.

You CAN do it.  You will be AMAZED at what you can accomplish if you really try!  Stay cool!  Stay active! Ask me questions if you have them!