by Ragad | Mar 2, 2014 | Diabetes, Diet, Motivation
You have no idea, how many people I meet, talk to , communicate with, tell me how lucky I am to lose this weight. I smile and thank them all for their kind words. But seriously, in my head I think “lucky my ass”.
If hard work is luck, then yes, I am very lucky. It almost feels as if people believe that those like me who lose weight, are illusionists. They eat some magic potions, and behold one day, wake up smaller, just as one day they woke up fat.Unfortunately, luck has nothing to do with weight loss. Just as it had nothing to do with weight gain. Laziness plays a big role in gaining weight (of course there are those who are afflicted by very painful illnesses and just cannot exercise), we start calling it ‘lifestyle’ issues. Hard work plays a major role in losing it, simply!
It’s pure science though. Nothing to do with magic.I was eating way too much. I discovered when I started logging my food. I would honestly think I wasn’t eating much.
My meal portions were really small. One piece of bread (roti bread), or a small portion of rice, with simple lentils and salad was my regular meal.
Honestly, that was it. Then how did I gain the weight?What I did not account for was all that I ate in-between my very small portions – the two biscuits I dunked into my coffee each morning, the post breakfast snack at the office, the post lunch snack, the potato chips pre dinner, the couple of whiskeys with tandoori chicken, and then the yummy ice cream, or chocolate that followed my very small dinner. Oh, and if I felt very happy that night, and if I was distracted some exciting ‘food’ show on television (thank you Masterchef), I would inadvertently get at least 2 slices of bread pan toasted with enough butter for a week.
In my mind, I was eating about 1200 calories a day, which is the recommended calorie intake for women my age. However, when I did finally log in my food intake on www.myfitnesspal.com (a free tool to log in food, drink and exercise) I was beyond shocked!!! I was eating for at least 2 women, and some days for three. No wonder I was the size of a house (a proper 3-bedroom one at that -:))
To lose weight, I realised all I had to do is simply eat for one person. Eat right kind of food. You cannot eat for one person, and eat a horse. You got to eat right. Decide your meals for next day a day in advance. Plan, plan, plan. Most of us don’t know how many calories we intake in each meal. Use free tools such as www.myfitnesspal.com.
Divide your meals into
– breakfast
– morning snack
– lunch
– afternoon snack
– evening meal
When I started eating right, some days I struggled with even consuming 1200 calories a day. When I was eating ‘whatever’ came my way – I was eating upto 4000-5000 calories a day.
It’s simple science. None of us really need to get into specifics of that. What we need to simply remember is consuming our recommended calorie intake every day, exercising every day (any form of exercise is fine) and leading a good lifestyle (drinking plenty of water, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep). Staying HAPPY is very critical. I learnt that I am an emotional eater. I eat when I feel low. Now I substitute that with exercise, reading and simply annoying others 🙂
Bring the magic to your lives – eat well, exercise! Don’t be secret eaters, as I was.
Let’s not pretend that our weight is just coming on its own. Let’s take ownership, so we can change it, so we can get healthier.
I challenge you to log in your food today on www.myfitnesspal.com. Log in every morsel, every drink, coke, pepsi, sprite, every thing…and then check how many calories you actually take in. Then calculate how many calories you really burn each day. The answers will come. It’s simple science. Not magic. But losing weight can be magical, as I have found out!
by Ragad | Mar 2, 2014 | Diabetes, Diet, Motivation
For me it was never about dropping sizes, it was simply about regaining my health. But dropping sizes has sure helped! From size 21 to a size 12 in a short time sure brought a smile to my face!
New Year resolutions and all — I have had a few people message me asking me for support in their own journeys. I thought it may be an opportune time to just give 6 simple steps to losing that waist size … and regaining whatever it is one is seeking….
Step one:
Track What you put into your body
Managing your intake (food, beverages)
log on to www.myfitnesspal.com.
It is website to track calories. (Don’t worry about what others say about counting calories……for the time being simply do it). It’s free. It’s polices your intake, without anyone else knowing about it. It’s yours, it’s private. EVERY morsel that you intake, you add in there, so you know how many calories you eat every day. For average women over 25 yrs , they can about 1200-1500 calls should be enough (including the beverages we consume).
I would constantly say ‘I don’t each much” until I started tracking the calorie intake. I was in for a rude shock. I was eating food equivalent for 3 women every day. You will be shocked how much we actually eat – little morsels, little extras here and there all add up.
Step two
Start walking – Start moving your body: Not just from the bedroom to the refrigerator please.
Start walking….with 20 mins, then build it to 30 mins a day at a steady pace. Slowly keep increasing the time. Increase the intensity.
Join the gym and start doing some strength training, all the better….
Step three:
Sleep well. Try and get at least 8 hours of sleep…every night please (not every week!)
Sleep is so under valued, but is the most necessary for all of us. A well rested body can do much more — requires less food, has more energy to do things …..
Step four:
Think positive. Surround yourself with positive people. Not those who suck the energy out of you.
Most of us, rush to the refrigerator when we feel low. Try and be happy, (life is full of ups and downs and it is not easy) so surround yourself with positive people. This is very critical.
Not those positive types who need to eat and drink to feel positive – if you know what I mean.
Step five:
Educate yourself about food and nutrition
If you are reading this, chances are you have access to internet and the information world. The best thing one can do as we go on this journey of lifestyle change, is to educate ourselves about food and nutrition. Learn to read labels at supermarkets or when you buy groceries. Make sensible decisions. Just because it is commercialised, it doesn’t mean it is good for you.
For example: (a detailed blog on this to follow)
stay away from sugar substitutes.
stay away from ‘diet’ drinks
stop buying processed food (and convenient foods)
eat simple food but home cooked.
low fat is not necessarily fat free or good
Step six:
Keep loving yourself
Keep loving yourself…..I have to remind myself every day that I am the most important person in my life. My happy self brings in happy energy around me…and to me spreading happy energy is what keeps me going.
Keep a log…you will start noticing small changes initially. Until in about 3 months, you will start receiving compliments as others will notice it as well…!!!Take plenty of pictures…I swear I have loved seeing my “before and after” .. it’s an amazing feeling to see the progress one has made and how we can change things if and when we take control.
With love and best wishes to all….Keep walking…keep logging…keep loving….keep happy…stay beautiful (inside and out) xxxx
