5 Truths that Jump Started My Weight Loss Journey

Truth #1: My bad lifestyle habits led to my extra weight and it will take a lifestyle change to reverse the process.

It sounds obvious, perhaps a bit cliché, but it is the truth. I knew that I had packed on the pounds little by little, and I recognized that in order to lose the weight I needed to focus on making lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes prevent you from always gauging your progress by the weight on the scale. Lifestyle changes are slow, small differences that add up over time. So, I took a realistic view of my life. What could I do differently immediately that would lead to a big change later? I began taking a large bottle of water with me to work daily. I began eating breakfast every morning. I began taking a multivitamin and fish oil supplements daily. I began buying healthier, but still tasty foods at the grocery store, slowly trying out new fruits and vegetables I had been completely ignoring. These small steps set me up for success as long as I am consistent with them.

Truth #2: You crave what you eat.

As long as I was still eating fast food options all the time, I could not imagine a day when I would prefer a healthy, full salad topped with carrots, cucumbers, olives, and light cheese with balsamic vinaigrette over fried chicken or pass up a piece of chocolate cake for a piece of whole wheat toast with almond butter spread. But I have to admit, my tastes have certainly changed. Things that sounded miserable before are now quite enjoyable and my once-comfort foods no longer hold the same appeal. I'm not saying I am not tempted, but the cravings have changed and my body's response to food that is bad for me has changed as well. And the truth is, it didn't take long. My biggest battle was in my mind.

Truth #3: Diets are about rules, but Lifestyle Change is about freedom of choice

Every diet out there today comes with a list of rules. Many come with lists of foods to enjoy, foods to avoid, and limits for your daily intake of carbs, fat, sugar, or other nutrients. Each boasts of being very effective when followed exactly. However, most people cannot live their life by a set of rules in a book. We live busy lives, often on the run, and avoiding all trans fats or all sugars, while a good idea, is simply not feasible long term for the majority of the population. Beyond that, once we have broken one rule, it is easy to break them all because, after all, you can start again tomorrow and these rules were dreamed up by someone else anyhow. Notice how that last statement indicates a lack of ownership, and in a deeper respect, a lack of true desire to follow the rules. With lifestyle change, each individual is responsible for the "rules" which are adopted, and they are often adopted over a period of time with trial and error. For example, I have counted calories on and off for months now, however, as I am getting more serious about my weight loss journey and finally making progress towards my goals, I am noticing that when I track my calories, I lose more weight. Not only that, but I often get to enjoy an extra snack because when I'm not tracking my calories, my mind is overly cautious and tries to starve my body. As with my example, when you get to adopt "rules" that work for you, that are reasonable enough to stick to, that you are motivated to incorporate into your life, you own the process and can make changes at any time without abandoning the "diet".

It is important to remember along this journey, however that the choices you make regarding your health are intended to give you freedom, not take it away. When I eat a smaller portioned meal and feel satisfied, I am free from the heaviness of overindulgence. When I work out, my body is being built up so that I can keep doing my daily activities and enjoy any hobby I want to, When I look around and see others who don't work out, who eat whatever they desire without regard to reasonable portion sizes, and who may or may not be demonstrating some negative benefits of that lifestyle, it is important for me to recognize that my choices are leading to my freedom, just like their choices are leading to their demise, whether it is evident yet or not. Maintaining this perspective is key to long term success because if you lose focus of this truth, you will do what your body wants instead of needs- sit on the couch and eat sugary fried foods with no nutritional value.

Truth #4: Lifestyle changes motivated by temporary pay-offs will not last

If you are motivated ONLY because you want to fit into smaller pants, see a smaller number on the scale, look good for a special occasion, etc., your "lifestyle changes" will not likely last a lifetime. You must have a deeper motivation, one that will drive you to maintain your healthy new body once you achieve it. Otherwise, you will find yourself in this same boat again, wondering why you failed the last time. A great way to remind yourself of those motivations is to create a collage with images that remind you of your reasons for wanting to change your life permenantly. For my collage, I found a picture of a mother and child as one of my reasons for wanting to lose weight is so that I can be healthy when my husband and I start trying to have a baby. I also found a picture of a happy older couple who are laughing and holding hands like they are still dating representing my desire to live a long, happy life with my husband. Another picture is of a woman in a strong yoga pose, reminding me that I want my body to be strong and capable. The last picture is one of a lady laughing as though she has no cares in the world. I chose this last picture to remind me that my ultimate goal is not a number on a scale, but the peace of heart and mind that follows when you are living life as it was intended to be lived. Perhaps your reasons for getting healthy are different than mine - Good! They should be! Whatever they may be, though, they need to be motivating enough to help you stick with the lifestyle changes you select along the way and make the journey worth the sacrifice.

Truth #5: The scale isn't everything

While the scale is important in many ways, it isn't everything! In order to avoid driving yourself insane, limit your scale watching to once per week. Personally, I still prefer Saturday mornings (since I sleep in a bit longer and my body has more time to digest), after I have used the bathroom, before I have eaten anything. I feel this gives me the truest reading without the possible confusion brought on by water weight throughout the day. But in addition to checking my scale once per week, I am measuring myself once every 2-4 weeks- any sooner and you will likely not have significant results enough to notice. Personally, I track my measurements at my bust, waist, hips, thigh, and upper arm. Thankfully, I am still young and fairly healthy (despite being overweight), however if you have more health concerns, it would be beneficial to track your BP, cholesterol, and other health indicators. For this, you may need to be seeing a nutritionist or doctor once every month or two. Some personal trainers may also be able to track this for you. During the time BETWEEN weigh-ins/measurements/and other health checks, focus solely on living your life, think about the lifestyle changes you have already made, enjoy your progress so far and consider any changes or additions to your lifestyle you may need to add. For example, I know I need to ramp up my exercise time, so this week I have been contemplating a workout plan that would work with my life, one that I would be motivated enough to follow consistently. I have also been investigating the local farmer's market. As you continue to improve and adjust your plan, you will settle on a general lifestyle that works for you, that does what you need (allows you to lose or maintain weight), and allows you to enjoy the freedom that comes with a healthy body obtained via small changes over time that result in a healthy lifestyle.