Weight Loss Advice

My brother asked me for some advice on weight loss. I have had some good success these past few weeks and I’ve learned a lot not just from Weight Watchers but from the past several years of trying to watch my weight – with some success and some not so much. Clearly not so much as I am still really overweight. Eh, I like food. Plus pregnancy and nursing babies in the last 9 years has made it hard for me to have great success.  Unfortunately I’m not one of those women who loses her baby weight by nursing her babies. Sad. Sad. sigh…. But in between I have had some success and have learned a lot. Here is the advice I gave him. I put it here mainly because it is a good reminder for me and because I think it’s worth posting. I did edit it and added a few more things…

Advice? I say cut out the sodas and fast food and try to eat more real foods i.e. not a lot of processed/convenience stuff. More fruits and veggies. 5 servings a day is easier than I thought especially when I learned that one serving of fruits and veggies is only a half cup except lettuce which is one cup (I put a full cup of lettuce on my deli sandwiches and get a whole serving of vegetables that way easy). Wheat bread instead of white. And pay attention to serving sizes on packaging and try to stick to that.
Eat until you're satisfied but not really full and later chew gum if you're hungry. Make sure to not let more than 4 hours go before you eat except of course at night. One snack in the longest period of time between meals whether that's between breakfast and lunch or between lunch and dinner if you’re hungry. Also, try out lighter versions of foods you like rather than full fat. (for example: I find the lighter versions of ice-cream actually taste good these days and I don’t miss the full fat versions.)

And get some more activity. Try out running or walking or go to classes at a gym and try some weight training. It is pretty empowering to realize how much you can lift after a few weeks. :) And do what is enjoyable or it won't last long.

I like Weight Watchers too. It is re-teaching me how to eat right and how important it really is to watch calorie/fat/fiber intake. The more fiber something has the better and generally it has less fat too so it's better for you.

Let me add this also, fad diets, miracle diets, diets that restrict calories severely, or restrict carbs or meat or sugar or something – i.e. Atkins, South Beach, etc… They don’t do you any good but give you some initial good results. Which then make you irritable because of the food you give up and sugar withdrawal symptoms and the energy drain they put on your body but also because what do you do when you’re done? You gain the weight back and then some because you’ve decreased your metabolism – survival mode – and you haven’t really learned and developed the habits of eating right so you go right back to some of those bad habits. Again, this is why I like Weight Watchers. It does teach and train proper eating and give a great base to a lifetime of good eating and success. It promises not to leave you hanging at the end of the weight loss but rather creates a different lifestyle that you can live with. Plus it’s flexible. You don’t have to give up your treats. You just have to be smarter about your choices. Okay, enough WW advertising. I’m not being paid for it… :)

Um, also don't buy into the diet pill/chromium/GNC/supplements/whatever miracle stuff someone tries to sell you either. You don't need a lot in the way of supplements. I would suggest a good multi-vitamin and an omega-3 supplement. But if you need an energy boost a B-complex and if you need immune system boost some Vitmamin C would be good too.

One thing I think helps a lot is to pay attention to your body's signals. It can take a while to figure out but pay attention to when you start to feel hungry and eat then, but to satisfaction, not full and don't wait until you're starving if you can help it. People tend to eat more when they're starving. Pay attention to how certain foods make you feel. Fatty and sugary foods and simple carbs (bagels, bread, baked goods) can make you feel sluggish but more protein, whole grains and vegetables/fruit can make you feel really good and energetic.

Same with the exercise. When you've been exercising you feel good and have more energy and when you stop you start to feel sluggish and tired. Pay attention to those things and eventually you start to crave the things that make you feel good and you notice when you've been slacking off.

Also, pay attention to those times you start to get the munchies. Chew gum instead and then check the scale in a day or two. I've noticed that I lose a pound or two after ignoring the munchies. It's just your body releasing hormones to make you hungry and eat more because it realizes it's fat cells are shrinking – survival instincts kicking in. It's okay to be a little hungry - or even a lot sometimes (only sometimes, not all the time) - as long as you have the energy you need to get through. Once you see that sudden weight loss on the scale the hunger usually dissipates. I find that true for me anyway. I discovered that while watching my own body signals.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Your body actually burns fat when you sleep but you have to be asleep long enough for that to kick in. Plus it repairs itself and helps you recover more quickly from exercise. 7 or 8 hours a night is good. You get more than you need and you get sluggish. Too little and you're tired and jittery. Again, pay attention to those body signals.

It's a lot of advice but hopefully it helps. :)