A Sustainable Approach to Losing Weight That Actually Lasts
A Sustainable Approach to Losing Weight That Actually Lasts
Now, I am at 178 and feel like I was given a second lease on life. I am not here to pat myself on the back, though. I would just like to share some sustainable changes I made that had a huge impact on my weight loss and, by extension, my life.
Stay hydrated
If you can, have plenty of water and ice on hand.
I drink a minimum of 12 glasses of water each day. It keeps me hydrated, feeling good, and feeling full. When we are dehydrated, our bodies confuse hunger and thirst, and we eat more. So, drinking enough water can check off a number of boxes right there.
Tip: If you are not a water drinker, filtered water and ice help. Start your day out with a glass of ice water and refill it whenever it gets low. It will quickly become routine.
Do not give up the things you love
Do you love pizza, wings, and fries? Me too! I eat them every week. Just be reasonable about it.
Unless you have a medical reason to use substitutions like cauliflower pizza crust, I do not have a compelling argument why you should.
If you love pizza and think cauliflower crust is the answer then you’re not going to feel that same sense of satiation as you may have. So, just eat pizza and wings, but be reasonable. Eating half a large pizza is never a good idea.
Tip: Pick a number and stick with it. I allot two slices of pizza, three wings, and a cup of fries when we order out. When you know what you will eat in advance, it is easier to adjust your meals accordingly during the day. It is also easier to keep track of what you have eaten if it remains consistent each time.
“Weight loss is not linear and not constant — and that’s okay.”
Do give up (a lot of) the things you should hate
Ultra-processed and processed foods are pure garbage and should be avoided. To me, some of those things were obvious, like chips and white bread. Other items, like many cereals, granola bars, and pre-sliced deli turkey, were not. Those, of course, happened to be the foods I would eat as substitutes whenever I tried dieting before. Whoops.
We all know, but perhaps pretend not to recognize, how addictive sugar can be. So, it can be tough to cut out something like soda, but it is well worth the effort in the long run. I have not had soda, Doritos, or any other junky snack in a long time and I do not miss them at all. Next to drinking water, no longer drinking soda has probably been the biggest help to me.
Tip: There are a ton of sparkling water options on the market these days. My family’s favorite is Sparkling Ice.
Start the day off right
I never ate breakfast before. Given the option to eat breakfast or sleep for another 15 minutes, I chose sleep 10-out-of-10 times. I still love sleep, but having breakfast every day has helped more than I ever thought it would. Although I mix it up, my breakfast generally consists of a Chobani Strawberry Banana yogurt drink, a banana, and a cold glass of water.
Tip: There are plenty of portable breakfast options, like a banana and a yogurt drink. You can eat it at your desk, in your car, or as you are walking down the hall; just avoid rushing. Take your time to eat and drink so you can enjoy the meal and control your appetite.
Data is your friend
I wear an Apple Watch but am not a runner. I also subscribe to Noom but do not diet. These tools, along with Apple’s Health app and my hospital’s portal app, all integrate to provide helpful insights — like how many steps I walked or how much I slept. Noom, to me, is like a to do list, serving as a prompt to eat and drink. It also provides me with upfront knowledge of the predefined value of a certain food, and a record of how many calories I have consumed.
Tip: Getting into the habit of using this is very helpful in the beginning. As time goes on, you can make more informed decisions without needing to consult their database.
Diets and cheat days are not real
To use an extreme example, if you were a recovering heroin addict, you would not have a “cheat day” where you would shoot up, right? You also would not use a fleeting term like “dieting” to mean you have made a positive change in your life. What you are doing is big, important, beneficial, and permanent. Celebrate that for what it is.
Tip: It does not matter if you lost one pound or 100 pounds, you should be proud of yourself — but do not use it as a way to contextualize “cheating.”
Weight ain’t nothin’ but a number
I had — and still have — a target weight. I am pretty close to it, which is exciting, but not that important. Weight loss is not linear and not constant. You may weigh yourself at the same time on three consecutive mornings after eating and doing roughly the same things and still have totally different weights; that is okay. It is okay if I never hit my goal, and it is also okay if I continue to go past it (within reason, of course). If you set a goal, once you cross the finish line, you may feel like the race is over, which could cause backsliding.
Tip: You need to prepare for this in advance. Get yourself in the right mindset and know it is okay to gain weight along the way. If you do not, it will be a lot harder to accept when it happens — because it will happen.
Make sustainable meal changes easy
I constantly fall in the trap of either not having enough ingredients to make a dish, or not having the time to make it. Now, I have some safeguards in place. Instead of filling up the fridge with proteins, fruits, and vegetables that may go bad before I use them, I go to local businesses that offer their house-made meals that can be refrigerated or frozen. It is just as easy to throw one of these meals in the oven as it is a frozen pizza, but it tastes so much better. In many instances, it is also cheaper to get a gourmet-ish meal than it is to order from your local pizzeria too.
Tip: If you have an Italian specialty market nearby, you may find a wide variety of premade meals. These days, many offer a family meal at least once a week that may come hot, or ready to just throw in the oven.