Suggestions for Weight Loss

I had went to the doctors for a physical one day last spring. Nothing was wrong with me really. I was just having an annual check up. Other than feeling tired and run down occasionally, I was alright. I knew I had gained some weight, but was not prepared for exactly how much. The first thing the nurse told me to do was to step on the scale. Right out loud in front of everyone she said, " you weigh 179 pounds." I was in shock. I knew that she had made a huge mistake and looked around for evidence of this, but could find none. I had never weighed over 145 pounds in my life!. I knew I had I had a huge problem, and something had to be done right away.

I thought of all those weight loss programs on the market at the moment. I realized that there was no way I can afford any of them. Besides I often wondered after the program was over would the weight stay off?. After the pre packaged food doesn't arrive in the mail anymore, what happens next?. Then there were the programs that cut out foods completely. Omitting breads, cereals, and pastas altogether. I have always wondered exactly how healthy that would be, and was it worth putting myself at some health risk to lose weight?.

I decided this time if I was going to do it, I would do it right. No short cuts. No fast cures. I would give myself ample time, while being realistic about my goals.

Well its been six months now, and I am 50 pounds lighter. I must say I feel great. I have more energy. Not to mention how thrilled I am to fit into all my clothes again. It was so simple to do. I followed a few rules, and the weight fell off. I would love to pass them on, and I hope they work as well for others as they did for me.

I knew the very first thing that had to change was my soda pop consumption. Ever since I can remember, after drinking three cups of coffee in the morning, I would start drinking soda. I would literally drink around six cans a day. That is 840 calories I did not need. I had to find something else to drink. I started making home made lemonade and green tea instead. I experiment with adding fruits to enhance the flavor. I do add sugar. However it does not compare to the sugars in soda.

Although I was not going to omit any certain food out of my diet, I knew the way I prepared them had to change. I could no longer make fried foods, or use margarine. I started using my outside grill almost everyday. Now I flavor vegetables with a little Parmesan cheese or spices. I poached eggs instead of pan frying, and limit my portions.

Portioning is something I had to work through for the first couple of days. I will not lie and say that it is not a bit uncomfortable to go from three pieces of chicken at dinner, down to one. But I also learned that eating nothing when I was hungry caused me to slip up, and eat something I was not suppose to. So now when I am hungry between meals I snack on fruits, or nibble a healthy cereal. Rice cakes or chicken broth will do too. It is fine to snack, as long as its healthy. It keeps me energized, and I am not hungry.

I never was a big fan of vegetables. I do however love salad. So for three nights a week I have one for dinner. I pile it high with tomatoes, cheese and everything but the kitchen sink. Instead of using store bought dressing, (which is loaded with fat) I make my own. I use olive oil and red wine vinegar. You can sprinkle spices like basil or oregano on it. As well as salt and pepper. It is delicious and filling.

Any other time I was trying to diet I would weigh myself every other day. Time after time being disappointed with little or no results. So what did I do?. I threw away my scale. I did not weigh myself after I started my diet for two months. When I finally did get on the scale I was 27 pounds lighter. Now that is an encouraging number. Seems like a lot, but it actually equaled out to about three pounds a week. It is better to be patient and wait, then to be disappointed.

Snacking late at night was a big thing for me. I would be alright until I sat down in front of the television. Then I would have to have chips or something sweet. Often munching out until it was time for bed. Adding on hundreds of calories before sleeping. Now I go by the, "stop eating at six rule". If I do eat later, I make sure I am up and active for at least three hours before bed.

Getting down on the floor and doing exercises has never thrilled me. In fact I hate it. The fact remains we all need it. However I disagree that we need to work out all the time. Or buy expensive gym memberships. I take my dog and go on long walks, and keep up with my house work. I also love to dance in my living room. I think it is important to move around while dieting. But lets face it, it is more important to limit what you eat.

There is one thing that will always insure weight loss. It is not a program. Or the food you eat, or exercise. It is determination and persistence. You can reach all your goals. It is possible. The biggest obstacle for me was deciding to do it. You have to really want it. Everything else just kind of falls into place.