What I've Realized

I read a lot of post with people who are frustrated with slow or stopped weight loss. We all want it to happen yesterday. I started this journey in early January. I had every excuse in the book not to diet or exercise. I have 4 active kids, full time job, husband. I was at the heaviest weight I had ever been at. I even dieted a week before getting on the scale at 160. I stayed pretty true to my diet and exercise plan and lost 35 pounds in about 6 months. I no longer am trying to lose just maintain what I have lost.

What I have realized is that now the work really begins. None of us are on a diet. Diet implies that when we reach our goal we can quit. We can never go back to our old ways. This change we are making is forever, a change of lifestyle. That is why this site is called my FITNESS pal not my DIET pal. I can never go back to eating fastfood 4 or 5 times a week. I can never go back to eating lunch in our school's cafeteria. I need to continue exercising 5 to 7 time a week.

But probably most important, I need to keep logging my food. The last couple of weeks I got lazy and would quit after lunch thinking I have more than enough calories for dinner. But then I started snacking after dinner. Now don't get me wrong, I often snack after dinner but it is planned and logged. If I have the calories and feel like using them I do, I don't worry about time of day. Because of this lazyness I have gained a few pounds in the last week. If I continued my lazy ways I could gain back the weight in much less time than I took it off, this is a real wake up call for me. I am not sure how long I will continue to log on here and record my food and exercise but I am going to guess it will be a while.

These changes I have made are not just for weight loss but for LONG TERM health. I feel better, I sleep better at night (don't snore anymore), and I am overall a healthier person. And don't think your kids aren't watching you. My daughter has told many people how mom gets up in the morning and exercises and has changed her diet. She has started eating a bunch more vegetables as well. My example speaks much louder than my words.

Please don't get down on yourself if you have a bad day, week or month. None of us gained our weight in a week and we won't lose it that way either. This is about the long haul, this is your life. Start each day fresh and give yourself a pat on the back for all the little victories. But most importantly do this for your long term healthy self, love who you are enough to take care of you!.

Good luck on your journey and I know each of you can make where you want to be.

What I have realized is that now the work really begins. None of us are on a diet. Diet implies that when we reach our goal we can quit. We can never go back to our old ways. This change we are making is forever, a change of lifestyle. That is why this site is called my FITNESS pal not my DIET pal. I can never go back to eating fastfood 4 or 5 times a week. I can never go back to eating lunch in our school's cafeteria. I need to continue exercising 5 to 7 time a week.

But probably most important, I need to keep logging my food. The last couple of weeks I got lazy and would quit after lunch thinking I have more than enough calories for dinner. But then I started snacking after dinner. Now don't get me wrong, I often snack after dinner but it is planned and logged.