The whole idea of calories in/calories out is so widespread, it is almost impossible for people to think that maybe it isn’t so. And frankly, to suggest otherwise is heresy. If calories in/calories out is the only way to lose weight, then it was all my fault for not dropping pounds – no matter how much I exercised or cut my calories.
I don’t believe for a minute that carbs are “addictive” as the NPR header suggests. I do believe what nutritionists, medical orthodoxy and the federal food pyramid has told us for years is a crock. Their dogma of eat less, move more (calories in/calories out) caused people to eat the wrong foods resulting in rising obesity and diabetes for more than 50 years.
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the calories in/calories out bunk!
Is this some radical new therapy? Nope. Just baby stepping.
After being away for 7 weeks, I’m finally back home in Virginia. So of course, my wellness plan gets kicked into high gear, right? No more excuses: Daily walks. Track and measure food. Avoid carbs. Blog everyday. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Heh.
Turns out reality didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
Since my glorious return to The Old Dominion, I’ve averaged 2-3 naps a day. Hey, if I’m napping, I’m not eating.
But I’m also not exercising. All the driving across country took a lot more out of me than expected. I just felt exhausted. It doesn’t help that my insomnia is back (hence the naps) the last few days. Last night I was up until 4 a.m. Not a good sign.
For whatever reason, I really thought jumping right back into my wellness regime would be simple. The problem is I lost momentum. And it is amazing how hard it is to get it back. For the first few days back in town, I became lazy mouse.
A few of my good habits I developed over the last year fell by the wayside while in Arizona. My food tracking was almost nonexistent. Limited alcohol intake? Heh. And while I did walk during my first 2 weeks of my stay, once the temps hit 110, I was lucky to go 10 feet without bursting into flames.
It was easy for the lazy mouse in me to take hold.
Well this weekend I went back to square one. But I had a strategy – Baby Steps. If you’ve seen What About Bob you know what I’m talking about.
Yes. Baby Steps.
So Wednesday night, I mapped out my baby steps for success.
Baby Step #1:Tracking and measuring what I eat, and drinking plenty of high quality H2O.
I started baby stepping my tracking last Thursday. I didn’t worry about exercising. It just doesn’t matter how much I exercise if I’m chowing on pizza and drinking beer. Eating smart is the key to weight loss.
Baby Step #2:Power walking 30 minutes 4 times this week.
I haven’t walked the last 6 weeks. I’m not looking to set any world records. Easing my way back into daily walks is key to avoiding injuries.
Baby Step #3:Weekly Weigh In.
I gained about 6 lbs while in Arizona. My weekly weigh in start back up Saturday.
I’m baby kicking lazy mouse to the curb. Momentum will be mine once again!
I use to think I had no will power. I ballooned to 325 lbs. and I blamed it on a lack of will power. That’s BS. Will power is a myth. The key to my weight loss is the Tao of Dumbledore.
Let me explain.
“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy,” so says Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. So I just applied this philosophy to my diet.
Pizza…I love it so. After working 15-hours and sitting in traffic for an hour, the last thing I wanted to do was cook a healthy dinner. So I’d order pizza. It was the easy choice. I’d eat 4-5 slices. I’d pack on the pounds and feel sluggish and ready for a nap after pizza. But hey, at least I didn’t have to cook.
I’ve decided to minimize pizza’s importance in my diet. Occasionally – and it’s rare – I’ll have pizza. Not the 4-5 slices I use to eat. Just a small slice with a large salad. That’s not will power. I just made a smart (i.e., the right) choice rather than taking the easy way out.
Some fundamental truths about my weight loss. I shed 75 lbs in 12 months by:
Going low carb
Exercising daily
Eliminating sugars and processed foods from diet
Drinking 8+ 8-oz glasses of water a day
Limiting my alcohol intake
Counting points and tracking my food
Stepping on a scale once a week
None of it is easy. In fact it’s damn hard. Trust me. Choosing a pizza over a salad is easy. Meeting friends at a bar and drinking ice tea – hard.
Last year the hardest decision I made was also one of the best. I made my health a priority.
I’m still in Arizona helping out my mom. Today I weighed in and gained 0.2 lbs. Not bad. Considering I wasn’t completely on program…oh hell, the program went out the window.
While I did manage to get in a few walks when I first arrived in Arizona, that stopped this week. Why? Feeling a bit mopey. My energy’s been zapped. No doubt part of that is from missing dad, but bad food choices is the main culprit. I go off program and poof! I’m a slug.
I at least had the gumption to go to Weight Watchers – expecting to show a 10 lb gain mind you…OMG, I’m trying to score brownie points from myself!
So how bad was the eating this week? I reverted back to a bad habit – eating when bored. Ok, sure I’ve been eating lots of veggies and drinking my water. But I’ve also been gobbling down cheesy poofs (2 bags), blueberry scones (damn you Starbucks), fig newtons, and pumpernickel bagels courtesy of the new Einstein Bros that opened up across the way.
A few more carbs than I planned. No matter how I tried, I seemed bent on eating the junk food in mom’s pantry (or going out for tasty treats). Clearly I was craving comfort foods. But no more. Today I:
1. Trashed the cheesy poofs
2. Skipped Starbucks
3. Passed on the bagel
Yes, I did have one Fig Newton. Those suckers are yummy. But alas, it will be my last one for a long time.
And tomorrow I walk!
Funny, whenever I cut back on my carbs after a binge, I typically feel super tired. Not today. I’ve actually been somewhat productive, although a nap is in my very near future.
After gaining a 1+ lbs last week, I ended up dropping 5.2 lbs over the last 7 days. The difference? I stuck to my weekly menu – no deviations and no eating out. Plus I successfully completed week 2 of the Weight Watchers LiveLive Challenge. I stayed active everyday, and not just during my workouts.
I also credit my weekly Weight Watchers meeting. It’s amazing how gaining one little lbs can open up the flood gates of negativity. The meetings really do help me get back on track and keep the big picture in mind.
So now my total weight loss is 72 lbs. Not too shabby!
Sweeeet! All the numbers are moving in the right direction.
Inches Lost as of Mar. 8, 2013
Chest – 2.5
Upper Arm – 2
Waist – 7
Hips – 4
Thigh – 5.5
Very, very happy today! Of course, the last time I measured was June 2012. Will try to do monthly measurements from here on out. Now off to my hellish yoga class.
