Just Eat It!

I remember when Subway Restaurants first became really popular, or at least when they hit Ohio. I started off timid with just a cold cut sandwich they used to offer and then progressed to the Spicy Italian. Mmmm Salami, ham, cheese ... DELICIOUS. Why is it that all the very best tasting foods are the worst for us?? I tell people all the time that donuts are my Kryptonite. I may and or may not die with a donut in my mouth. If that doesn't happen I'll die eating chips.

I like many women seriously struggle with my weight. And I'm not talking vanity 5-10 pounds. I'm talking 30+ pounds. I don't want to accept reality that I'm no longer 10 years old with a six pack that can eat whatever I want. The fact of the matter is that I'm not nearly as active as I used to be. I played 4 sports when I was in elementary school and was decent at all of them. Now, I'm lucky if I get 2 walks in a day. It's hard to want to work out and do the things we know we should when we're in a constant state of exhaustion. So ... here is the key to weight loss and also HAPPINESS with yourself!

Weight loss in my mind = depravity. Horrid horrid depravity. We must deprive ourselves of everything in order to lose weight and be successful. I disagree. Strongly. I have a degree in Sports Management (Which to some of you means a degree in play time!) but many of my classes discussed health and physical education. In fact, pretty much all of them. I studied this. I know this. And my ultimate mindset is ... Everything in Moderation. There are SOOOOOOOO many fad diets these days. (Atkins, Paleo, South Beach ...) You can stand in line to buy groceries and look at the covers of 47 magazines and they will all tell you how to lose 50 pounds fast! Everywhere all the time we are talking about losing weight. Every New Years you can almost FEEL the resolutions being made to lose that poundage! But the problem isn't that we haven't tried the right diet yet, it's not that we haven't paid Jenny or Weight Watchers to take the weight off for us, it's that we try too hard. Yep. You heard me ... or read me ... whatever, we try TOO hard. Think about this for a moment. We live in a society where instant gratification is the only way. If we cut everything out of our diet I'll lose 90 pounds in 90 minutes ... PERFECT. Well when that obviously doesn't work we get frustrated and quit. I'm not seeing the results I want, forget it. I think in my past personal experience I have tried a lot of different weight loss techniques (from anorexia to calorie counting to exercise to the max), and to my unsurprise the only thing that works is Moderation. Don't over think it. You don't have to never eat a donut again (unless you're me with a Homer Simpson like addiction to those stupid fried sugar things of deliciousness - DOH!) or cut out chips! That's what every weight loss show and health expert says, but in my opinion it's unrealistic! If you cut out everything all at once - like Atkins which you must not eat carbs - your body will adjust and then when you give in to temptation one day and eat something ... what happens ... your body goes ballistic and balloons like crazy! YIKES! So where does that leave us? Moderation. You can eat cheese, and chips and candy - just not nearly as much. Take baby steps! The smaller you start the bigger the results.

For me my will power is about nill. So instead of every time trying to resist and failing, I give in. I restrict myself but I give in. Not only am I working toward a goal, but I feel better! I have a much more positive attitude and my results are more to my liking because I'm able to stick with it for much longer. For example, my love affair with chips. On bad days I will take the whole bag to the couch and watch out ... they won't last long. But on days when I'm conscious of what I'm doing, I put a small portion ... okay a medium portion in a bowl. That way when I'm done I'm done. I had my chips, but not an entire bag in one sitting. Moderation. If I want candy or chocolate, I don't go to the grocery store and buy the regular or even the king size. Instead I buy a bag of the bite size ... Yep bite size. Again, on bad days I'll eat too many, but on good days, I control myself to 5-7 pieces of 35 calories a piece candy. I get the taste, but reduce the caloric intake. Moderation. Instead of putting 4 pounds of cheese on my salad, I put a lite sprinkling. Moderation.

So what about the exercise part?? So what if I eat less, that won't give me the ultimate results! Okay yeah you're right, exercise should be a part of your life. But remember for some people the caloric reduction will be enough to start seeing results sooner! Just depends on your body and your BMI (Body Mass Index). But here is how you can start ramping up an exercise routine without going banana's. If you haven't been athletic, or it's been a REALLY REALLY long time, it's better for your health to start slow. Heart attack's are a real threat if you are there physically. Putting too much stress on your heart all at once isn't wise and you should always consult with a physician before beginning any long term weight loss plans. But here is what I recommend. When you're going to the grocery store, park 15 spaces further away than you normally would. Every additional step counts. When faced with the option, always take the stairs versus an elevator, especially when it's only 1 floor. Do your stairs 4 extra times in a day in your home. Do some leg lifts, crunches or lift small weights while watching TV according to your ability. *Hint if you don't have weights, soup can's make an AWESOME substitute! Take a 10 minute walk in the middle of your day.

There are so many ways to become healthier. I just don't personally think that all of them are the best way. That's not to say that people don't experience results from doing those other things!! I just think that for the majority of people, we look at weight loss from entirely the wrong perspective. We think if we pay more, buy that, don't eat ever again, we'll get the results that we want. Who want's to be miserable??!! Not me! I want to have a life and lose weight too!

So have your cake and eat it too!! Just cut that piece in half ;)