I’ve lost some weight over the past year and a half, and I wanted to make a post about it. Partly to share what I’ve learned for anyone out there that has a similar weight loss goals as me, and partly to help myself by reflecting on the process.
Eat /
I’ve never been a “dieter” where I stick to a strict regimen. I have to indulge myself from time to time, and I like to eat big quantities of food. For me that means big portions of lower calorie items like salads and vegetables with a protein on top to keep me full. I like to take my favorite meals and make them as low carb as possible as well. When we’re bbqing burgers, I’ll have one wrapped in romaine lettuce instead of a bun. Instead of an asian stir fry with noodles, I cut up cabbage and pretend they’re noodles. I never want to feel deprived or hungry because I don’t have the self control to not go and shovel food in my face.
Calorie counting in MyFitnessPal is also helpful. Ideally I would like to be at about 1200 calories per day. Snacks add up so much more than you realize! Being accountable by tracking everything I eat helps me not mindlessly snack. Since I like to have bigger lunches and dinners, I usually have cold brew or black coffee & a protein bar for breakfast, which helps me save calories for later in the day. I truly feel like calorie intake is the only thing that matters. I don’t workout hard enough to ever beat my appetite, so I have to never let myself lose track of how much I’m actually eating. Making small changes like cutting out snacks, beer, desserts, etc. really help me stick to that calorie limit.
Drink /
My goal everyday is to have four 40oz HydroFlasks of water. Usually I hit at least three during my work day, and have one after work. Keeping a water bottle near me filled with icy water helps me get there. The more water I drink, the less hungry I’ll be. I never have pop/soda or high calorie coffee drinks.
When I drink alcohol, I go for tequila sodas (2 shots tequila, ice, dash of Crystal Light Mio, & soda water) instead of beer. IPAs are my favorite beer and I LOVE them, but I only have them as a rare treat these days. When there is beer in the house I always want it so I like when we don’t have any!
My appetite and sweet tooth are insane. Water helps, but I also like to do two shots of ACV with soda water and Mio. I think the bubbles in soda water fill my stomach and make me feel less hungry!
Inspiration /
I love this story about a mom who got past her negative self talk. Someone told me to talk to myself (not out loud lol) like I’d talk to my best friend. You say nice, encouraging, proud things to your friends, you don’t make them feel like shit.
Besides thinking of my workouts and healthy diet as treating myself and taking care of myself rather than some kind of punishment, I like to visualize the body I want. When I’m struggling through a workout I think about the toned legs that I want to have, and it helps me push through to get closer to that body. Cute workout clothes are also helpful. When I have a cuter gym outfit on I feel more confident and actually want to get dressed for the gym.
Writing out goals for the day and week in my planner makes me feel so accomplished when I check them off. I write things like “workout, vitamins, water” just as reminders. Crossing them off is like a mini pat on the back for myself and helps me feel accomplished.
Workouts /
I wish I could say I do weights 5x per week, but most of the time I’m half asleep and just hop on a machine to do cardio. I like the bike, stair stepper, and elliptical. I have a kettlebell that I like to do at home that I get such an awesome workout from. I need to be more mindful of my workouts and do weights more because I always feel so amazing and see results when I get into a routine of weightlifting. Pre- workout definitely helps me. This is the one I always use.
Some days I like to burn calories by doing a deep clean of my house. It lets me sleep in, then after work I put on shorts and a tank top and scrub counters, bleach the shower, vacuum & mop, etc. I feel like I get just as much if not more exercise in that way and I knock out chores at the same time.
Prep /
Having my gym bag ready at night gets rid of any excuses to go to the gym in the morning before work. I put my workout clothes out, and pack my work clothes in my gym bag so I’m ready to get up and go. My gym bag checklist consists of body wash, face wash, deodorant, socks/underwear/bra, top, shoes, jeans, jacket, headphones, lock, keys, wallet, towel. I keep my skincare & makeup in my car for after the gym.
“Meal prep” sounds like so much work, but for me it means prepping a grocery list for the week. On Sunday morning I pick five dinners that make leftovers that will be lunches. Write down all the groceries you need to make them. I get coffee and protein bars/ drinks for breakfast. Having every meal covered like this makes it so that I never eat out or need to pick up something unhealthy. Make sure to have some healthy snacks too. Watermelon is one of my favorite snacks for in between meals.
Goals/
I have a long way to go, but I’m proud of how far I have come so far! Not feeling the need to make myself look thinner in Facetune, dropping a few pant sizes, and feeling good in shorts have been my favorite results. I’m still working on a few things:
- cutting snacks
- not being hard on myself when I see the number go up a little on the scale and being consistent about weighing myself instead of scared to see it
- adding weight workouts instead of just cardio
- lose 10 lbs
- not drinking alcohol during the week
To wrap it up, just try to be a little better than the day before. Take the stairs and let yourself feel good about it. If you want a dessert, don’t have a drink too. Little trade offs like drinking more water, not eating out, walking, etc. add up. If you mess up, don’t feel like you need to restart, just add something positive in that day.
-Kim