The Fat Leading the Fat

After almost 67 pounds lost I think it's safe to say I'm on this weight loss journey for the long haul. It's a little terrifying to write that out, like I could jinx something and wake up tomorrow morning 67 pounds heavier. But I'm going to be brave, hope that I've learned a few life lessons, and be bold enough to offer a little help to others who may be on this journey as well or considering it. I wanted to share a few tips and bits of advice.

Let me be clear on one thing. I'm no expert. This is definitely the blind leading the blind...or the fat leading the fat if you will.

And I may have already done this, but I'm too lazy to go back and look. Maybe I would be more willing if it burned calories, but I don't think manipulating the mouse for 15 minutes is going to cancel out those cinnamon hot lips candies I had after lunch.

Without further adieu here are some things I do to help me on my weight loss journey:

-I am a big time nibbler, especially during meal preparation. To thwart off nibbling on things like cheese and lovely starchy things that should only be eaten in small portions, I keep a bag or bowl of fresh veggies on the counter top while I cook. This keeps my mouth busy and happy. A conveniently placed, sliced up cucumber or some celery or carrot sticks can save me hundreds of calories.

-Instead of watching TV at night I have been playing Lego Harry Potter on the Wii. I've never been a big gamer, but being a single married at night after the kids go to bed can get awfully boring and lonely. If I'm just sitting and watching TV, I'm thinking about all the food sitting in the cupboards. Thus I am more likely to indulge in late night snacking. If my fingers and brain are engaged in a game, I don't overeat. Plus, Lego Harry Potter is so much dang fun. Childish, but fun.

-I chew gum to keep my mouth busy.

-Weigh yourself often. I only "count" the weights I have on Monday mornings, but I'll admit it. I have compulsive scale disorder. I weigh myself every morning, every night, and before I get in the shower after working out. That's a tad too much I'm sure. Probably every morning would be fine. But it helps me to keep my goals in mind.

-I workout in the morning. This fresh reminder of how hard it is to work off a few hundred calories sticks with me through the day and helps me not to overindulge throughout the day.

-I try not to keep seductive food in the house. (Eat me. Eat me! You know you want me. Now, EAT ME!) If I buy candy or treats I buy ones that I don't particularly enjoy. (Naughty food.)

-When it comes to workouts I have to remember and re-remember all the time that often the hardest part of the workout is getting to it. Once I'm working out those positive vibes are vibing and the workout doesn't seem that bad. It's that time leading up to it where you're dreading it that's the worse. Keep that in mind and like they say "JUST DO IT" when it comes time to workout.

-I have been thrifting all of my clothes that I'm getting too small for. I never want to fit into them again. I have no intention of ever wearing them again. I don't want to keep them around. They're like bad omens or karma that have to go.

-The other day I bought a new (SPANDEX!) outfit and it has done wonders for my eagerness to workout. It's fun having new clothes, even if they're workout clothes! I can't wait to have some spare cash and time to go buy a new pair of running shoes.

-I got tired of listening to the same old songs on my Pandora.com stations when I run. I've started listening to podcasts, NPR, and talk radio. It helps to pass the time and I feel a lot smarter afterwards too.

-Blogging. Blogging has been huge for my weight loss progress. It gives me a place to record my progress and failings, to interact with others in my same situation, to set my goals in a highly visible place, and to feel accountable. My weight loss blog has been more helpful than I ever would have thought. Embarrassing...yes. But helpful too!

-Tracking calories on myfitnesspal.com. I never thought I would be a calorie tracker, but this has been a fantastic weight loss aid so far. I'm much better at watching exactly how much and of what I'm eating. Sometimes when I try to lose weight I go on a bit of an unintentional food strike, but this helps me to remember that it is okay to eat, that you NEED to eat to fuel your body. I'm almost surprised at how much I get to eat and still lose weight. I love that you can have "friends" on there too who can cheer and encourage you on! And the ipad and iphone apps make it super easy to use. Even a computer backward person like me can figure it out.

-I read once that to eat healthily one should "Eat like a queen at breakfast. Eat like a princess for lunch. And eat like a pauper at dinner." We really do need the bulk of our calories/energy in the morning to propel us through the day. It's okay to have a big breakfast. It's okay to eat a hearty lunch. It's good to take it easy at night. This bit of information helps me make better food choices.

-Drink water with lemon slices in it. This is supposed to help the body with water retention due to too much salt ingestion.

I think that's probably enough babbling for now. Let me know if any of this is helpful or new. And please share if you have some tips. I would love to hear them!