I am happy to announce I have finally got something through my thick head! Exercise completes the puzzle.
I spent the better part of the last two years making some serious lifestyle changes regarding my eating habits. The goal was to be healthier overall and improve my ability to be a positive role model for the two sets of VERY BIG eyes that are always watching. It is like living in the movie Lord of the Rings, the eye is always watching, except I have 4 four eyes watching. For the most part the major changes included eliminating unnecessary calories, nothing drastic, just obvious empty calories. Over time it became easier, but I never really looked at portions or listened to my body very well. I felt healthier, but my weight never changed, so I was frustrated.
It wasn't until a few months ago that I finally took the plunge and started exercising at least three times a week. I always rested on my once a week hockey as my exercise, but once a week isn't enough. For a year I thought about more exercise and always had a reason I couldn't do more, be it not enough time or money or energy or whatever. Excuses are crippling to progress. Finally I dove in and the first week was hard. I felt terrible, like ten miles of bad road! During the work out, after the work out, day after the work out, my goodness, who knew exercising, was such hard work!! But of course, I turned a corner in the third week and then I felt great; better than in a long time.
My body has been changing over the last few months and it is now becoming noticeable to others around me. I get asked all the time "have you lost weight", "you are looking good" and of course "what did you do?" I think most people are looking for some miracle answer like a special diet of rocks and twigs or a wonder drug that instantly melts fat away. But, honestly it is nothing more than changing my attitude about food and exercise. The exercise I added a few months ago and eating habits has been a long process, which I tweaked again when I added the exercise. I try to always think of food as fuel for my body and I only eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full; sometimes that means leaving food on my plate. If I am leaving food behind, it means I need to be better at how much I put on my plate. This hasn't meant depriving myself of food, on the contrary. I love food and can eat loads, but I have to listen to my body, it won't ask for more than it can use. It has been a learning curve and certainly not one that has been simple. I guess it was a retraining of the brain. Learning to let my body, NOT my emotions, decide when and how much I eat. Just so you know, boredom is an emotion; who knew?! I have eaten everything from pizza to ice cream to french fries and even fast food. I have lost about 30 lbs in three months. But it isn't about the weight for me, being healthy is way more important; giving my body the best possible shot at working properly. I still have more work to do, but it is a process that involves a change in my lifestyle.
I have done an enormous amount of reading over the last six months which has led me down the course I am on. I am starting to compile some of source material and in the weeks/months to come I will slowly add the links to my blog. Perhaps something in those pages will inspire someone to take back control of their health.
I say, don't make your goal to lose weight; make your goal to be healthier. I say, don't make your goal to eat less; make your goal to stop when you are full. I say, don't make your goal to join a gym for exercise, I say make your goal to simply get more exercise (walking is exercise too). Get active and think healthier and the weight and portion sizing comes as a side effect of healthier living. As I have written before, if you don't enjoy the lifestyle you live while you are "losing weight" then you will not stick to it. Instead make lifestyle changes that you enjoy and won't want to give up, this way you are healthier long term and the side effect will be losing weight.
Make YOUR health your #1 priority above all else.
My Two Cents
Jamie
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