A friend with whom I shared my food log (www.myfitnesspal.com) commented on how little I ate. I also noticed that she had a few issues dealing with her weight loss — I shared my thoughts through an email…..here it is.
Now, through my few months of following a routine, I have learnt a few things, which I am happy to share.
A) No short term diets, including only juice days, only protein days, etc. My doc told me clearly that yo-yo diets don’t work long term and are very harmful to the body. So, I chose to do it the hard way. I made the decision to make a lifestyle change. I don’t reward myself with food when I reach a milestone. I don’t see my changes as a punishment. I see it as a lifestyle. Does it make sense? So, when I achieve a milestone I buy something for myself, or go for a walk, add one more activity to my day to day life. I treat myself with a good walk, normally.
B) I am committed – totally. Not obsessive. But committed. Which means I try my hardest to include activity and workout in my day-to-day life. The day I don’t go to the gym, I still make sure I walk. My body craves it now. I ensure I treat my body well. So while I am not obsessive about what I don’t eat (as you can see), I am careful what I eat. Hope I am making sense. Everything that goes in, is my choice. If I do not want it, I just don’t have it.
C) Exercising. I do strength training every time I go to the gym before I do cardio (note this please). This is based on advice by trainers at my gym. I do a 5 mins warm-up, followed by 45 mins of strength training (some days its circuit, some days boot camp, someday outdoor stuff, some days spinning, flexi-bar, alternate days of arms and legs) and then I do interval training for 30 mins and end with cool down, and it’s over. I can feel my body changing shape, although very slowly. Two days a week, when I don’t go to the gym, I go for a long walk at a moderate pace. To ensurethe body keeps moving.
D) Drinking: There was a time when drinking meant alcohol. And I enjoyed it. I socialise a lot, so it was part of who I was, and what I did. These day, I drink alcohol very occasionally. I just don’t feel the desire. Yet, when I do feel like it, I just have it. I drink lots of water though. And nimbu water as well. People ask me if I have cultivated stronger control/will power. Actually, not at all. I just made a simple “mind shift” and since then, its never felt like I needed to stop myself from anything. It’s just a simple part of my life now.
E) My biggest challenge: My biggest challenge has been the desire to want it all to change overnight. I have learnt to be patient. It has been a long 10 months in some ways, and short in some. I have stopped weighing myself every day. I am now under 60 kilos…a long way from where I started. I have lost over 26 kilos…but now, I don’t want to lose the weight. I want to lose the fat. I want to have a certain body definition. I have been told repeatedly that the last few kilos may well turn into muscle. But muscle looks much leaner than the same amount of fat. So weight is just a word now…!!
This has helped me realise that our goals keep changing, and it must. It is all about creating new goals, new challenges. That is life. This is life and I am living the life, finally.
My next post will be on what happens once you have reached your goal..how does one stay motivated! Is it easy? NOPE! Is it hard? NOPE….! TIPS coming soon…