Making Better Choices

When I decided to start losing weight, the biggest decision I had to make was eating better. I love food! Love it! I used to eat out of boredom, or eat something, just because it looked good, regardless of what time of day it was. Food was getting the best of me. I HAD to take control.

Of course, easier said than done, right? In my case, no. Because I decided to take on an enormous task, plus I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, I knew with every fiber of my being that if I was going to beat the battle of the midsection, I was going to have to go all in. No shortcuts.  Bad food choices were going to be the death of me, figuratively and literally. No doctor had to tell me that. I could see it in pictures of myself and how I was feeling physically. I had been in denial for far too long. That feeling of denial is over. I knew it was time.

Facebook has this feature called “On this Day”. I would get on Facebook and go on a trip down memory lane. I would see posts about how many miles I ran, or, what we did in the gym, or pictures of myself that I took. It would bring me down. Sadness overcame me. Hell, I would even say it made me mad that I had let myself get this way. I made excuses, and we all know what excuses are, right?

I’ve posted this picture before. It’s from 4 years ago. Four. Years. It hasn’t taken me long to put it all back on. No more feeling sorry for myself. Done. Over with. The posts that I write are tips that I’ve learned from experience. I want to share what has worked for me, so that maybe you will see that if I can do it, so can you! You just have to find that will to do it. I know you can!

There are many different methods and scientific mumbo-jumbo out there for people to read about weight lifting, weight loss, diets, etc. Find your BMI (Body Mass Index). How many calories do I need to consume a day to lose weight? The internet has everything. Say, for example, you determine that you need 1700 calories per day to lose weight. If you eat 300 good calories for breakfast (a bowl of cereal and milk with a banana), 500 calories for lunch (lean turkey sandwich with fat-free mayonnaise, baked potato chips, for example. Granted, this is just an estimate), and then you eat at a fast food joint at or around 900 calories (burger and fries and diet soft drink, you know, to keep ya honest!). Do you think you’re going to lose weight? Technically, you had 1,700 calories; but, over half of them were not good calories.

Eating 900 calories at a fast food place as opposed to 900 calories of good food (lean meat, salad, vegetable) is counterproductive. The better choice will burn off a lot easier than those from a fast food place. You would have to work twice, if not three times as hard to burn off the fast food, whereas you could do your regular workout and probably be good, eating the better choice. There are a few factors as to why that’s the case. The amount of sodium between the two is higher in fast food. French fries cooked in oil, condiments like mayonnaise and the bread aren’t good for you. Now, down the road, as a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in, if you want that for a cheat meal, that’s ok, but that’s another post!

Many people will suggest this diet, or that diet. We all do what works for us. I hate the word DIET. It has the word DIE in it, as you’re going to DIE, limiting yourself to food (not literally die!). I like the phrase, “Eating lifestyle”. It has a better ring to it. To me, it means for life! You can still have fun eating food that’s good for you. It took me a long time to figure that out!

I’ve increased my intake of water.

I’ve read that drinking more water helps in digesting food. It flushes out your system. It also makes me feel more full, thus, not wanting to stuff a lot of junk down my throat!

I’m limiting my calorie intake.

This has been preached to me, ever since I was in the military: Take in less calories, out put more energy (work out).

I’ve increased my protein consumption.

Eggs, ground turkey, and cottage cheese are just a few examples of foods high in protein. I drink 2 protein shakes daily, one after working out, and one before bed. I could go into “how much protein do I need to lose weight”, but, for the sake of not boring you to death, I won’t. Just know that increasing the amount of protein will help you lose weight. You’ll definitely need to up the amount, if you’re lifting weights.

I’ve been diligent in lowering my carbohydrates too.

Carbs are energy. Your body needs energy to sustain itself. If you limit them, your body will burn what fat you have in your body for energy. The key is to find what’s best for you. Your doctor should be able to help you in determining how many calories you need. Any certified fitness instructor at your local gym can help you with weight loss exercises. Become knowledgeable.

I have a long way to go, but I’m confident that I’ll make it happen. With better food choices and exercise, you’ll lose weight. There are many people out there that support that statement. I’ve vowed to stay the course. When you make the decision to do the same, know that there are many people out there are in your corner and support you. One thing I did was look up fitness groups on Facebook. I’ve found one that’s the perfect fit for me, as far as my age, their support and my wanting to achieve my goals.

I’ve discovered that if I ask the members questions about weight lifting or different foods to eat, they are more than happy to lend me their advice. My daily workouts were designed by a member who has helped others achieve their goals. I hope to someday pass that information along. To pay it forward. The eating tips I’ve written about are 100% my opinion and have helped me so far. Lifting weights should be fun. It should be a release.  Above all, if you have questions, ask you doctor or a nutritionist.