According to the CDC, 34% of Americans over the age of 20 are overweight (and not obese). The same percentage is obese. That means that almost 70% of American adults are in a position to lose weight. Read that statement again: SEVENTY PERCENT of American adults.
As a result of the staggering number of people who are overweight or obese, there is a huge marketing boom in weight loss. Everywhere you look, there's a new weight loss gimmick or trend: HCG diet, HGH diet, weight loss surgery, low carb, no carb, diet pills.... every possible direction imaginable, all promising the same thing: Lose the weight, and lose it fast.
So now that I've begun losing, and people are seeing the proof that I'm losing, they want to know: What's the gimmick? What can I buy to get that result? It doesn't surprise me at all when people are shocked to learn that I'm losing weight organically (i.e., no gimmick, no surgery, no drugs, no meetings - just good old fashioned changing what I'm eating and exercising). I've even had a couple different people sort of come to the side and ask, "Diet and Exercise? No really... what are you doing? We won't tell anyone."
But that's the thing: it's truly just good old fashioned weight loss. I have been averaging somewhere around the ball park of nine pounds per month so far. It's really not exciting "Biggest Loser" numbers. That ends up being between one and two pounds per week. It isn't that "clean" if I'm being honest, but it's the average. Some weeks I lose five pounds. Some weeks I gain back two and a half of those five. I've lost one full pants size, and the size I'm currently in is starting to get a little loose in some places. There's nothing sensational about it. It's not going to be the kinds of losses that "wow" people on a day-to-day basis, and if I'm being completely real, I truly hadn't thought myself that much smaller than I was when I started until I saw the photos side by side.
So how am I doing it, seriously? Here's the breakdown:
- I have dramatically changed what I eat by:
- eliminating almost all red meats (no more than 1 serving of red meat a week) and pork
- cutting out all dairy, with the exception of small amounts of cheese on occasion
- having some meatless meals, and aiming for one meatless day per week
- eating no fried foods - ever
- strictly limiting refined sugars, white flours, simple carbs
- eating quite a bit of (organic) fruits and vegetables
- adding nuts and other healthy protein-filled fats as snacks/mini-meals
- cutting back on (not eliminating) unhealthy fats such as butter, mayo, salad dressings (I choose vinaigrettes, not creamy dressings)
- cooking at home as much as possible, and avoiding fast food (we do indulge in fast food on rare occasions, but I strive to make choices within the outline above)
- eliminating juices, tea sweetened with sugar, and sodas (including diet soda)
- not eating until I'm full. This sounds counter-intuitive, and goes against what most people in the weight loss world tell you. I portion according to a calorie range. I stop eating when that (small) portion is gone. If I still feel hungry, I drink a glass of water, and wait 15 minutes. If I'm still hungry, I allow myself a very small portion of "seconds" and repeat the process when that portion is gone. I strive to keep all of my meals (I have approximately 4 meals a day) under 350 calories, but will allow more (within reason) should I still feel hungry as mentioned above.
- I move my butt. Do I get formal exercise every single day? No. But I'm not sedentary. There isn't a single day in my recent memory in which I spent the ENTIRE DAY doing nothing. If I can't get in thirty minutes of working out in a day, I do short spurts of working out throughout the day. FitSugar has a great chart showing how many calories can be burned in just five minutes of exercise here. I use it. Some other things I do in short spurts:
- One Minute Challenges: I find a friend, my husband, anyone I can get via text, and I do one minute challenges from time to time. These include things like one minute of: push ups, squats, lunges, leg lifts, burpees (DEATH!), jogging in place, crunches, etc. It's fun to do these, then compare notes and create a competition (I did 25! How many did you do?!).
- I walk... as much as possible. I take the stairs. I park at the back of the parking lot. I walk in place during commercials. I pace rather than standing - it can be slightly obnoxious, but it gets extra movements in. I put only a couple items at a time away from the laundry room.
- Incorporate exercises into daily routine: This sounds silly, but I seriously do this. I do a set number of jumping jacks every time I go to the bathroom (I also drink a full glass of water, which will be covered in the next bullet point). I do squats while I fold clothes. I dance while I do my floors. I do lunges while I cook. It seems small, but those little things add up!
- I drink water. I drink quite a bit of water. I aim for between two and three liters of water a day. As mentioned above, I drink a glass every time I go to the bathroom. It's just a good reminder, and something that works for me. Some people carry around a water bottle. Some people hit the water cooler. Doesn't matter what your process is, as long as you're drinking it. A short list of things I drink other than water:
- Green Tea
- Almond Milk
- Smoothies/Protein Shakes
- Coffee (on occasion)
- I get the right amount of sleep. Everyone knows that getting too little sleep negatively impacts the way that your body functions. Did you also know that getting too much sleep can as well? According to the National Sleep Foundation, the appropriate amount of sleep for adults is between seven and nine hours a night. Anything less, or more, than that amount could be harming your body, and your weight loss efforts. It's extremely important to establish consistent sleep patterns. Exercise during the day will facilitate proper sleep, as well.
That's pretty much it: proper amounts of food, exercise, water, and sleep. That's my "secret" to my progress so far. Is it hard? Not gonna lie - it really was at first. However, after doing it for three solid months now, it's really not that hard anymore. There are times of temptation, but it's usually (not always) temptation I can overcome. It's not impossible, that's for sure.
Four moderately simple steps on a daily basis to reclaim my life... Is it worth it? Totally.
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