How I Finally Kicked Fat In The Ass

I am definitely not a 6, but at least I’m not a 16 anymore. For almost two years, I have been able to keep my weight down to below what it was in my senior year in high school, below what it was on my wedding day, and, below what it was before I got pregnant with my first child. Yeah, I eat better now and go to the gym – which is how I lost weight, but that’s not how I’ve kept it off.

This time, I didn’t tell myself it was a diet. This time, I didn’t tell myself “just another five pounds and I don’t have to go to the gym anymore” This time, I changed myself permanently. “Diets” don’t work, statistically. Most people who go on a diet gain back the weight. It’s not anyone’s fault really, it’s just the WRONG GOAL. The goal shouldn't be "I want to lose 50 pounds." the goal should be "I want to change" When people see me who haven’t seen me in a while, they assume I must be dieting. No, I’m just not the same person I was 40 pounds ago. I changed. So, if there was one word to describe permanent weight loss, it would be “change”

There are, however, three rules I’ve come up with that help me in keeping weight off. They are part of the "change" as with change, you can always "change back" so, you do have to have some rules. If I follow these rules, I can pretty much keep myself in balance, "keep the change" so to speak. I'd wager that they'd help most people, so I'm writing them down.

1. Know yourself – this means, you get to know yourself and your body. You are aware of how you feel when you gain a couple extra pounds and you catch it before it gets too far. You know when you start feeling flabby and you continuously work to avoid that feeling that had made you so self conscious all those years. You’re nice to yourself and you give your muscles and your cardiovascular system the attention they deserve. You can tell when you’ve eaten too much or eaten too little or if you’ve eaten crap all day. You know what makes you eat compulsively, what makes you slip into bad habits, what makes you feel like punishing yourself. It’s no different than looking for signs that you should bring your car into the shop or get an oil change. You keep yourself in check and you’re aware of how you feel physically and mentally.

2. Don’t give up on yourself. – this means, you don’t look at the scale and see that number going up and say “screw it, I may as well gain it all back” You realize you’re human and that your health is what matters most. But you forgive yourself. If you don’t do 100 crunches or 45 minutes on the treadmill, you don’t beat yourself up and say, “I screwed up” because then you’re defeated. Instead, you say “I did what I could and I’ll do what I can every day.” You might have a bad week, you might have a bad month or a bad year, but you always get back in the game. You don’t strive for perfection because nobody is perfect, so you finally forgive yourself when you’re not. Don’t punish yourself by depriving yourself and don’t dangle a reward in front of yourself when you’re on good behavior. You make yourself a priority and you stop blaming people or environment or time. Make yourself accountable for yourself. You’re your own boss and you like to kiss up to that boss. If you need some help, get it. Demand it from your doctor or your spouse or your kids or your employer. Demand answers to any questions you have and demand that people allow you to have a healthy lifestyle. You never tell yourself that a 10 minute walk is the same as doing nothing and is not worth the trouble. Of course it is, and you deserve it. If you find yourself being stubborn, know that stubborness stems from fear. You're just afraid. Don't be, what's so scary about change anyway? Recognizing that you are just afraid is half the battle.

3. Don’t be an oblivious idiot – this simply means educate yourself about exercise and nutrition. What does 30 minutes of cardio a day do? What are your numbers (Blood Pressure, Weight, Blood Sugar, Colesterol, Risk Ratio) and what numbers are healthy numbers? What is trans fat? What kind of fat is actually good for me? How much fiber do you need? How much protein? How many calories are in that latte? How much sugar is in that supposedly “healthy” yogurt parfait? How much fiber in that supposedly “healthy” cereal? What does a serving size of cereal look like? Don’t be easily sold on something that says “smart choice” on it without actually reading the label. Don’t believe brown bread is healthy bread. If it says a serving size is a half cup, don’t disregard that. Read nutrition labels and ask questions at restaurants. Don’t be afraid to send a salad back if it’s swimming in dressing when you’ve requested it on the side. But, if you do slip up or forget, refer to rule #2 and just keep going. Don’t believe hyped diets or quick weight loss schemes. Don't believe that there is any way to live unhealthily and to look fit. There isn't. Be inquisitive. Do research before signing up for any weight loss plan. Make sure that a goal of "change" is what the weight loss plan offers. (I highly recommend Weight Watchers as it really "teaches" you, but don't believe me - do your research and make an educated decision)

So, there you have it. My rules in writing. If I could sit myself down all those other times I attempted to lose weight, I would have given myself these rules. I do believe one day they will become second nature. But for now, it helps to keep them in mind.

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