FMM: Weight Loss Tips

Happy Monday!  It’s been a fantastic 4-day weekend so far, and I’m bound and determined to eek out every last bit of relaxation I can today.  Although I’m also cleaning the house from top to bottom, so maybe that whole “relaxation” thing won’t exactly happen.  But starting off the workweek with a clean and organized home really calms me, so it’s worth it.

I went to yoga the last three days, and I’m really liking it.  I can’t do many (most) of the poses that other people can, but instead of getting discouraged by that, I’m using it as motivation.  Later, when I can get into those poses, I’ll know just how far I’ve come.  The one thing I’m noticing is that the scale hasn’t been moving one way or the other, so yoga alone isn’t enough of a calorie burn for me.  Bikram yoga burns TONS of calories, but I haven’t done that yet this week.  So I’ve decided that on the days when I’m doing yoga (other than hot yoga), I’m also going to walk the dog (which I have been) and incorporate a workout DVD into the mix.  Those DVDs are quick – 15-20 minutes – but they absolutely get my heart rate up.  And I can find an extra 15-20 minutes a day.

But it’s Monday, and it’s time for Friend Makin’ Monday (FMM).

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Weight Loss Tips

Kenlie asked us to give some of the tips that work for us on this weight loss journey.  I’ve definitely been doing this long enough, with enough trials and errors, to write a whole book about what ÑOT to do with weight loss.  But I’ve also picked up some things that work for me along the way, too.

• Eat low(er) carb.  Don’t completely eliminate carbs, because your body needs them, but cut down on the carbs found in bread, rice, pasta, etc.  Leave those as once in a while treats, and incorporate more veggies and beans as your main source of carbs.
• Amp up the protein.  All protein is difficult on your digestive system, but having plenty of protein in the diet really does make a difference in your energy level.  Plus, they keep you fuller longer, so you get a lot of bang for your caloric buck.  I make sure to have protein at every single meal – even snacks.
• Limit snacking/grazing.  I know there are different schools of thought on this, but for me, I need to keep my snacks to a minimum.  I have one snack after school around 3:30-4pm and then I do have something after dinner, although I’m trying to cut down on the after dinner snack.
• Figure out for yourself how many calories you need to eat.  When I was on WW, I got a lot of points because I weigh(ed) a lot.  It always felt like I was eating too much food, and I never saw the scale move.  Then when I switched to counting calories instead of Points, I started losing.  I started out eating 1400 calories, but have since dropped it to around 1200.  I’m following the doctor’s recommendations for pre-op.  So while 1200 might be too low for some people, it seems to work well for me.
• Log your food!  I love MyFitnessPal because it seems to have every food known to man in its database, and it has a great community/support aspect.  But maybe you want to take photos and post them.  Or you prefer old school pen and paper.  No matter what you use, make sure you’re keeping track of every bite.  You won’t be sorry you took the extra 10 minutes out of your day, and you’re guaranteed to be more successful.
• Drink more water.  No matter how much water you’re drinking, drink one more glass. Water helps your body function properly, from your tip to toes, and I’ve noticed that my skin looks much healthier now that I’ve been drinking a lot more water.  Water helps to flush out everything – including the pounds.  I always lose more consistently when I’m getting lots of water in.  I drink 4-5 glasses during the day (because I have limited access to bathroom breaks at work), drink another 4 throughout/after my workouts, and then another 4-6 glasses with dinner and after dinner.  I started drinking herbal tea after dinner (in an effort to curb my after dinner snacking), and it’s really helped me add more water into my daily intake.
• Keep exercise fun and varied.  This is a must for me.  I know some people are diehards when it comes to exercise, and like to do one main form, but I’ve never been that way.  I like to try lots of new things all the time; maybe I have fitness ADHD?  Either way, I love the variety I get from trying lots of different DVDs, classes, gym equipment, walking, and now yoga classes.  The more the better, as far as I’m concerned. That’s why I love the summer so much, because I can also incorporate more outdoor activities, likes swimming and riding my beach cruiser.  By varying my workouts, I think of exercise like recess – as something I GET to do, rather than something I HAVE to do.  And it’s been working.
• Weigh often.  I just wrote about this last week, but for me personally, I need the accountability of daily weigh-ins.  That way every day is the day before weigh-in day and it eliminates cheat days.  It sets this up as a lifestyle, not something that I’m “on” or “off.”  I know for some people this could become a scale obsession, but for me, it is a must.  It helps me notice trends in my body, keeps me on track, and lets me know how I’m doing.

So those are my weight loss tips.  Nothing groundbreaking or completely new, but the tried and true basics work.  Eat less, move more, drink lots of water, log your food, and check in often.  Simple steps to lead to success.

Now it’s your turn…

Advertisement