I did
it! I lost 15 POUNDS!!! This is only the beginning of my journey, but hey, it's
a start....and here's my story:
I have
never been stick skinny; and probably never will. In fact I don’t want to be! I
DO want to be healthy, slim, and full of energy though and that is what this is
all about and MY weight is preventing
that…50lbs is preventing that!
Growing up I’ve always been on the more
“stocky” side for sure. To make it short
I got into exercise and lost a lot of
weight; especially in College. Then marriage happens and two kids later I’m
forty pounds heavier than I was. But I really can’t blame the kids, or
marriage, in fact the only person who can take responsibility is ME! Yes,
Pregnancy will make you gain (that’s just a natural part of the process. But eating
TWO whole salads at Costa Vida during second trimester was probably a bit
much). After the kids came my habits really didn’t change. I was eating for two
and I was only “one.” Needless to say, I was miserable.
The Daily topic at my house was “I need to
lose weight.” These extra pounds were
dragging me down. That’s all I would think about. Weight, weight,
WEEEIGGGHHTT!!! It was poison. I had to do something about it and I had to do
it now. My clothes were tight and I didn’t look or feel good. My body being full of toxins and having to carry the equivalent of two-25lb
bags of flour everywhere just makes me sick and tired.
But talk won’t get
you anywhere…it’s all in action and here’s the steps I took.
First, I had to
accept I was OVERWEIGHT. It’s true, I could say “I’m not that big” and excuse after
excuse of how I don’t look that bad. But once I accepted I had all this weight
on me my journey began.
Second, I needed a
Game Plane. It all started with this book “The new Lean for Life.” It is a High Protein, low carb (Healthy Carb)
Based diet. (Great read and TONS of info) We’ll talk about it a little later
and how it affected my body greatly!
Third, Will POWER!
How bad did I want this??? The Power of mind and will is stronger than anything
and I needed to face the facts, make up my mind and DO IT! Has it been easy,
No. Has it been worth it, YES (A hundred times over).
Fourth, Action. It didn’t happen overnight but once I decided
to do a lifetime change I made the plan and the next day I did it…and stuck to
it.
The
first week was super hard. My body was craving all the bad, sugary, delicious
carbs that we’re killing my body in the first place. But I stuck it out. Then,
something amazing happened…I started to feel better. I had more energy. My gut
went down a TON… I was so bloated from all the junk I had been eating. My
clothes fit better and I was happier. I also lost some weight! YAY!
(This
skirt a month before was super form/fitting and tight and could barely get it
over my belly) and now….It fits…and then some!!!
I
also learned a lot about myself:
1. I’m
an emotional eater. I eat when I happy, sad, excited, bored…you name it. This
has helped me learn to control and stop and say “why am I eating this?”
2. I
can do hard things!
3. Excuses
don’t get you anywhere
4. I’m
doing this for ME!
5. I
can have self control and still cook amazing meals for my family
6. I
don’t need to snack
7. Eat
with my stomach, not my head…My stomach growls when it’s hungry and my brain
just likes food…so I’ve learned to distinguish the two.
8. I
couldn’t do it without the support of my husband (He’s been such a blessing and
saying I can do this and NOT even eating tempting foods in front of me) In
fact, I can tell he’s even eating better.
9. EATING
HEALTHY IS DELICOUS!!! ( I love good food)
10.
My Daughters leftover food is better in the
waste than on my waist! (My mother-in-law told me that one…and it’s helped me a
TON!)
Now
here’s your dying question: What did I do?? What did I eat???
So
the Lean for Life is a protein, low-healthy carb based diet. So, for the first
three days you eat nothing but protein to reset your gut and body into burning
fat. Then you slowly add back the
grains…but I did for only ONE day! My body felt so good and my bloating went
away that so the day I added a grain the day my body went back to being bloated
(sigh). Then my mom was doing this diet were you can eat as many fruits and
vegetables as you want.
So I got to thinking…Food can either HEAL you or KILL YOU! You can lose weight by eating
less calories but all those calories can be junk OR you can lose weight and
heal your gut/body by making good choices. All this processed food is killing
my body!
SO in result I sort of made my own diet…
1. I
cut out ALL grains (rice, pasta, bread) any of those processed grains
2. If
I don’t know what is in the ingredients….I don’t eat it!
3. Eat
fresh, simple and whole foods
4. Eat
slowly and enjoy!
5. I
eat carbs (only HEALTHY carbs) aka…fruits
and veggies
Did you know: Fruits
and vegetables have carbs. But it takes longer for your body to break down and
keeps you fuller longer than simple, processed carbs.
6. I
eat only 50-70 carbs a day and I count everything….It’s usually less but the
lean for life book says that’s a good scale to go by.
7. DRINK
TONS OF WATER. No soda…nothin’…just good ol’ water! Like 84-100 oz. a day
8. Be
mindful of when, why, and how much you eat
9. Get
enough sleep (I’m working on it). I
learned it can actually prohibit weight loss when you don’t get enough sleep.
10.
Exercise ( I walk at the moment and am hoping
to get into running again)
Foods I eat:
-All Fruits and
vegetables (As many as I want). I try to limit fruit since they are higher in
carbs)
-Eat lean protein
(chicken and fish) at least twice a day.
-Low fat/low carb
dairy ( String cheese, ricotta, Plain
Greek yogurt)
-nuts
-eggs
-Healthy fats:
Coconut oil, flax seed oil. (Omega 3 fats are REALLY good for you and can help
you in weight loss)
Sample Menu:
Breakfast:
Egg with either a fruit or sliced up cucumber
Lunch:
TONS of vegetables or Salad and a piece of chicken
Snack:
nuts or something crunchy (Carrots with almond butter)
Dinner:
Steamed mixed Veggies, a protein, and a salad.
But
my journey isn’t over, it just started, and I have 50lbs to go but I know I can
do it and I know you can too!
So gain as much knowledge as you can.
Study,learn about food, the body and what you can do to make a change. It’s
possible! I know, because I’m doing it.
From my house to
yours,
Amy
***Please Note: Do
not start any diet without consulting a doctor first, this is just from my own experience.
very inspirational
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