What have you learned?

EjaneK11

Also to always read my calories so I know what I am about to eat.

2vayla

I'm human and I will have set backs, but I don't have to give up because of them...

VorJoshigan

Excellent list! I would add:

-Stay aware of what you are eating. It's easy to get off track if you aren't paying attention.

-Eliminate the binary thinking of "well I already screwed up a little bit, might as well go whole hog!" Past failures do not need to define you. Every moment is a new beginning.

drojen

5. Do what makes me feel good. Eating crap made me feel like crap. I like that eating healthy/being healthy has had an overall positive effect on me. I've definitely learned that you truly are what you eat.

Oh boy, did I learn this lesson over the weekend. My first real out of control, eat everything in sight weekend since starting in January. I felt so horrible and lethargic on Sunday. I hope I can remember that feeling the next time I'm presented with a busy weekend.

Related to this - number one lesson for me:

1. Plan ahead. Make a plan for the week, get the groceries in the house for it and then STICK to the PLAN! If you're going to have a busy day, make sure there are either leftovers or have something in the slow cooker so you don't have to face cooking something once you get home.

2. Next lesson - learn to forgive yourself for what really are minor transgressions. One day does not ruin 6 months of work. If I gained anything, it certainly isn't the entire 40+ pounds I've lost so far. One or two pounds is not the end of the world. Get back on track and keep on keeping on! Slow and steady really does win the race and I really do feel I learned a valuable lesson this weekend.

da_bears10089

Terpnista84

Losing weight can be painless if done right.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!! These past four months or so have been relatively painless. I could have challenged myself more but I am proud of my results and I definitely feel like I can keep this up long-term.

Terpnista84

I have learned that portion control is very important.

Absolutely! I eat pretty much whatever I want (within reason) but I just know that a little is more than enough. For me, a small tasting is all I need to kill the craving. After you reach a certain point you are only doing yourself a disservice. I used to go nuts whenever Whole Foods had pasta and cheese at the bar. When they have it, I will get a very small spoonful which amounts to about 8 pieces of penne and keep it moving. It satisfies my comfort food craving and I don't feel guilty or like a slob.

I also learned that I don't need dessert. Lone gone are those days when I couldn't go home unless I stopped at the store to make sure I had enough soda in my refrigerator to get me through the night and I had to make sure I had dessert to go with my Friday night take out.

I'm really happy at the way I went about my weight loss. Eating clean would have never worked for me because I would have went back to my old ways after I got to my goal weight. It's true that you will be successful when you find a plan you can stick to.

Marjrides

YES! and ditto to nearly everything already posted! In about 18 months I have lost nearly 72 pounds and while I have a few more to go before I start maintaining, I'm not in a big hurry because I want to stay there once I get there. This time I feel I have a good chance of doing just that because of what I have learned on this journey.

Thebeezknees

To not focus on the "C" but the A+B. Simply eating healthy, and moving when it feels good, when it sucks, and everywhere in between, always, always leads to results!

That food is fuel, not fun.

That there really is no excuse not to eat healthy. I'm on the road 24/7 for my job and live out of hotels. It's a choice to eat healthy, an it's my choice to stock the mini fridge with clean food.

That all healthy food can be cooked in a microwave

Sparlingo

That burn I feel when I lift weights is a GOOD thing (within reason - need to differentiate between working and pain!), and will not kill me. I need to push to where I am uncomfortable if I want to grow and be stretched personally.

That there is no cosmic force preventing me from reaching my fitness goals. Any obstacles are self-imposed.

That this isn't all-or-nothing. Better-than-yesterday works, too. Or even good-most-days. If we allow a bad meal/day/week/whatever to derail us, we can expect to be derailed. If you're going to have self-fulfilling prophecies, they may as well be the positive ones! Learn from mistakes, but don't be so quick to raise the white flag.

jillianbeeee

I don't have to starve myself to lose weight
I can live without diet coke and lots of caffeine
I can find time to exercise no matter how busy my day is
Eating out is NOT an excuse to overeat, there is always something delicious on the menu that can keep me within my daily goals.
Weightlifting is FUN!
Eating healthy is contagious. Everyone in my home got on board without even realizing it! lol
My favorite question is "have you lost weight?" and "how are you doing it?" l:)
The treadmill is actually my friend and I will not die when I really push it.
Sore muscles are good they give me an excuse for a long bubble bath!

paintlisapurple

That my body requires an adequate amount of food in order to function properly. Exercise and eating right equals awesomeness!!!! :bigsmile: