Weight Management 101

Lesson 1 - Eat Less but Eat Enough
Our bodies need calories (energy) to survive. This is a fact that we all know. We must eat. The major no-no that most people who are trying to lose weight do is they cut back too much, too fast. The fact of the matter is our bodies need calories to survive. Without a proper intake of calories our bodies will hold on to the existing fat we already have stored. While it is important to eat less when one is trying to lose fat (weight) one must eat a healthy number of calories. Want to know what yours is? My best advice is to talk to your doctor. My doctor is going to give me a different number of intake than yours would give you. Have you ever had a conversation with a coworker who claims she is constantly riding her bike and you have to wonder to yourself “How is she still overweight then?” Then you hear what she eats during a typical day: a few cups of coffee for breakfast, a bag of 100 calories of popcorn for lunch, and she usually will eat a decent dinner. Well that is why she is still overweight; she is not eating enough.

Lesson 2 – Exercise More
It is math, plain and simple. However I suck at math… so it took me a long time to get it. Calories in/calories out. Exercising burns calories and when this happens, as long as you eat enough, your body should use excess fat stores to burn thus eventually helping weight loss and fat loss. Being active for 30 minutes a day will increase ones heart health and decrease ones pounds. This also makes a person stronger and more energetic.

Lesson 3 - It Takes Time
Looking back I know I did not get fat in a day, so why should I expect to get skinny in one?! It just does not work that way. It takes time to pack on the pounds, so conversely it takes time to take the weight off. While it might be easier for some people to lose weight faster than others, just remember the immortal words of wisdom from Galaxy Quest: “Never give up, never surrender.”

Lesson 4 - Celebrate the Milestones
There are going to be milestones in the weight loss process: When you lose your first pound, when you lose your first 10 pounds, when you can do 100 pushups, when you learn to love the elliptical, when you have a bad day and want to run instead of eating chocolate etc. These are moments to be celebrated. Share them with loved ones so they can give you validation and maybe gain some motivation. Now this celebration probably is not going to be the same way as one might have celebrated in the past with a chocolate chip cookie sundae or cheesecake!

Lesson 5 - Not All Weight Gain is a Setback
Have you ever heard that muscle weighs more than fat? Bull crap. A pound = a pound. A pound of bricks weighs the same as a pound of feathers: they both weigh a pound. However the mass will be different. I have to be honest I lose inches before I lose pounds. It can be discouraging when you step on the scale and do not see a loss, you might even see a gain. However, look at how your pants or shirts fit. Is the butt saggy? Are you in a new hole on your belt? Do you need to start wearing a belt? Here is my example: I am down 20 pounds but I have lost 3 pant sizes. I am down to the last hole in my belt; I am losing inches faster than I am losing weight. Sometimes, also, it is alright to hide your scale for a few days… or weeks! If you are obsessing about the scale it might be time to put it in the freezer (not literally like one might put a book in the freezer for you Friends fans.) Don’t give up if you gain a pound or 4, there is probably a reason like you are not drinking enough water or it might be (women) your time of the month or your body just gained.

Lesson 6 - Not All Fat is Bad
There are good fats and bad fats. While I am not an expert, some oils (fish, olive, canola) are better than others (vegetable, butter, etc). A healthy increase of good oils will increase your good cholesterol and hopefully decrease your bad cholesterol. Plus oils will add taste to dishes.

Lesson 7 - It is Okay to Splurge
It is alright to eat a piece of cheesecake at Elisha’s wedding. It is alright to share a bowl of ice cream with Sissy. It is alright to have a chocolate chip bar (or 3) on Barry’s birthday. It is alright to have dessert when you are out to dinner with your friends just because you want one. Depriving yourself of all luxuries is not a good idea. As long as you make a plan for these goodies and maybe eat a more healthy lunch on that day. As long as you do not tell yourself daily that a splurge is alright. It is called a splurge for a reason, do not overindulge. Plus cutting out all sweets will make you cranky just like cutting out all carbs will.

Lesson 8 - Not All Diets are Good
Let’s hear a shout out my overweight friends (and some skinny one too) is there a diet you have not tried? They usually sound so good! The concepts typically are the same “Pay us and we will teach you a fool proof way to lose weight.” Um, right. That is why I am fat, because I have paid someone else to teach me how to lose weight. Gotta tell ya, diets did not work for me and I tried plenty of them. If they work for you, great! Congrats. What worked for me was finally learning what in my life I needed to do without, and make a lifestyle change. The way I found this out might not be what would motivate you. Each person must find what works for him or her.