Drop Pounds Without Suffering

It wasn't easy and it wasn't overnight. It wasn't all at once. I lost 75 pounds when I was 18 years old. I lost postpartum fat after each pregnancy. I am currently losing weight again, after depression and a poor lifestyle caused my weight to peak at 253 pounds. I know all about yo-yo dieting. I've been so out of shape that exercise was painful. I tried binging and purging, the Atkins and starvation. I got sick on diet pills and nervous on speed. I learned by trial and error and want to share what I learned with others. I can guarentee that some or all of what helps me will help you.

This hub is about what I did, how I did it, and why it worked. I hope my advice helps others achieve their own personal weight loss goals. If my advice become your daily habits, you are on the road to a healthier, thinner you.

Face it. To get the body you want, you will have to get it moving. Imagine my surprise to find out, through personal experience, that getting exercise doesn't need to be difficult or painful. This from somebody who couldn't climb a small hill without needing to stop and rest halfway up.

I started with a pedometer. It wasn't all that hard to get my 10,000 steps a day. Instead of letting the dog out, I took my Taco for a walk after breakfast and dinner. I learned to walk to the store a block away. I took the kids to a field so we could fly a kite or play frisbee. A quick game of catch in the driveway. A trip to the community pool. It adds up.

I tried new things and retried old things. I still enjoy bowling and dancing. I still can't hula hoop but I laugh when I try. Trampolines are still fun.

Even on days when I feel pressed for time, I find a few minutes to get a few calories burned. Five minutes of morning stretches gets the blood (and the caffeine in it) flowing, giving me a boost of energy. Walking one or two or three flights of stairs (even if I will still need to take the elevator) gives my body ( and my butt) a quick workout. It adds up.

For a big boost in metabolism, energy, and appearance I lift a few weights for a few minutes a few times a week.

I really had to force myself at first, but after just a few weeks, I was able to feel a difference. I now move easier, breathe better, feel better, look better, have more energy, have better body definition, have a higher metabolism and handle stress better than when I lead a sedentary life.

The December, 2003 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reported a metabolic increase of up to 37% after 30 minutes in participants who drank 17 ounces of water upon awakening. This means that we burn more calories when we drink more water. From this, we can deduce that by increasing our water consumption throughout the day, we can also keep our metabolism up.

I drink water before breakfast, lunch and dinner. I carry a  sippy cup of water on my evening walks and in the car with me. I try to stop at all water fountains and water coolers I pass.

As a teen, a cousin of mine lost 20 plus pounds by drinking a large glass of water before meals.

I heard that the human body often mistakes thirst for hunger. When I feel hungry, I drink a large glass of water first. If I am still hungry, I eat less and increase my metabolism at the same time.

A hearty breakfast boosts the metabolism, provides plenty of energy, and gives you all day to burn the calories. I'm not a breakfast eater. Too bad. I start with a Slim Fast or equivalent and a cereal bar. A fruit and yogurt parfait from McDs later. A regular size lunch and small dinner. Fruit between meals. I try to avoid late night snacking but when it must be done, I keep with a bowl of cereal.

I got this idea from a documentary on TV. This woman broke her ankle and for some reason the medicine she was on, upset her stomach as the day wore on, so she rearranged her eating schedule. Her biggest meal was breakfast. Even though she couldn't really exercise much while her ankle healed, she lost a massive amount of weight.

We've all heard that people who eat a diet high in fiber weigh less. That's because some kinds of fiber attract fats and flush them from your system without being digested. This is how those of us who increase the fiber in our diet lower our cholesterol levels, our blood pressure, and our weight.

I learned to increase my fiber slowly. It's less uncomfortable. My family prefers white bread, so we switched to whole grain white. The following week, I started serving a second vegetable with dinner. Now I keep a fresh bowl of fruit on the kitchen table. One of our favorite treats is a berry and yogurt parfait. I add fruit to cereal when I eat it, usually on weekends. I switched to whole grain (and still sweetened) cereal like apple cinnamon cheerios and generic raisin nut bran, or flavored oatmeal. I've increased my intake of beans, adding more baked beans, chili, and beans and rice to our menu. We eat more 100 calorie single serving packs of microwave popcorn.

It's not all that hard to increase your fiber if you like to get creative or try new things.

Lets face it, low fat mayo sucks. But have you ever tried it in home made Ranch? You can't taste a difference. It's great with raw veggies and on salads.

I use lowfat versions of high fat foods in recipes. I went from whole milk, to 2% to lowfat. I freeze chocolate mousse style lowfat yogurt for when the chocolate ice cream fit hits. I fill my house with foods we enjoy that are naturally low in fat, like fruit, cereal, yogurt, pretzels, popcorn, graham crackers and Chef Boyardee products. I use cooking spray instead of butter and oil. I avoid fried food. I buy lean cuts of meat. I choose lowfat and fat free condiments like mustard, ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, relish, marinades; There are lots of them.

Salads are great to eat with a lowfat dressing. Most storebought lowfat dressing don't taste very good. Make your own. Like honey mustard? Mix honey, mustard and lowfat mayo. Use lowfat buttermilk or sour cream and mayo for home made ranch. Thousand island? Ketchup, relish and lowfat mayo. Get creative and enjoy.

The human body needs (per day) approximately 11 calories per pound of body weight for all systems to function properly. That's before physical activity. Eating less than this is detrimental to your health and your heart and has devastating affects on your metabolism.

Never skip meals. Eating too little and skipping meals causes your metabolism to drop drastically, your body's defense against starvation. Eating a good breakfast, regular lunch, small dinner and small snacks of fruit and grains between meals will get, and keep, your metabolism revving.

Whole grain cereal with sliced banana and lowfat milk, 1 slice whole grain toast with peanut butter, citrus juice, coffee

or

Oatmeal with cinnamon apples, slice of heated baked ham, fruit and yogurt parfait, coffee

or

2 whole grain waffles topped with berries and bananas, 1 poached egg, milk

or

Whole grain cereal bar. fruit salad topped with yogurt and granola, citrus juice

You get the idea.

Honey baked ham on

honey wheat bread with

honey dijon mustard and

lettuce,

tomato,

sweet vidalia onion, and

crispy dill pickle

served with a good bean soup.

This lunch is virtually fat free, so I can cheat a little later, MAYBE! It's also high in fiber and, protein with some vitamin c thrown in with a few anti-oxidents. This lunch is also great for make up calories.

How about a grilled chicken breast garden salad with a light dressing? Or a bowl of vegetable beef soup and a cottage cheese stuffed tomato? How about a bowl of chili and a fruit salad? Try T.G.I. Fridays' dinners for under 500 calories. Have at least two of your daily servings of fruits and vegetables at dinner and eat early.

Eat a large variety of food for optimum health. Nutrients work together in your body (ex. your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, vitamin C to use iron, etc.). Some spices, like peppers also boost the metabolism. Try enjoying a new low fat food or recipe every day.

Broth based soups are low in fat and calories and full of filling water. I am not a fan of soup, but dieticians recommend enjoying a bowl of soup before lunch and/or dinner every day to aid in weight loss. Throw some soup over rice for a low fat, cheap, healthy, filling meal. Avoid cream soups and cream based chowder. Enjoy a variety of chicken, beef, vegetable, and tomato soups to help fill your belly and help shed pounds.

Don't just give up all your favorite foods. Eat in moderation and find at least two suitable substitutions. For example, I love my Ben and Jerrie's. I have also found that I love pudding pops made with skim milk and whipped chocolate mousse yogurt from the freezer. I like cookies but enjoy my graham crackers and banana pudding more. I like my fried chicken but Shake and Bake and BBQ is better. Make an effort to replace your currant favorite high calorie food with something low in fat and tasty and you'll be more likely to "stick" to a "diet".

Nervous eaters should keep on hand virtually calorie free food, at least if they want to keep their nails. Watermelon is great. Eat all you want. Raw vegetables and fresh fruit are must haves. Yogurt, broth based soup, and most Chef Boyardee products make great snacks.

Giving up the calories doesn't mean giving up Sunday breakfast with the family. Substitute bacon and eggs with thick warmed slices of baked ham and fresh fruit salad topped with yogurt and granola. Substitute biscuits with warm from the oven oat bran with apple muffins. Don't forget the fresh squeezed orange juice.