5 Weight Loss Behaviors That A Lazy Me Can Actually Follow

When I think of what Heaven is like, should I make it there, I think of food. I get so much pleasure from eating that in my vision of Heaven, it's full of good quality, unlimited eats. I even have my menu set.  I'll have chocolate-chip ice cream for breakfast, cheesecake as my mid-morning snack, followed by a massive Italian sub for lunch washed down with gallons of whole milk. At 3pm (if there is such a time in the Afterlife), I'll have unlimited Munchkins and dinner will consist of deep-fried calamari and french fries with a side of nachos. My midnight snack? Doritos and beer. And the best part? I won't gain any weight!

Like Cosy in her food bag, I'd live in a bag of Doritos if I could. 

Now back to reality. A few years ago, I lost 60 pounds in 4 months on the Bead Diet (http://www.accuweight.com). No, this is not an endorsement for that diet, and yes, I really did lose the weight that fast. The Bead is an extremely disciplined method which turned me into a raving lunatic for those four months, but it was either that or the lap band surgery; the Bead was, at least, non-invasive. Anyway, I've put a few pounds back on and since I can't afford to go back on Beads (it costs about $75 every nine days or so and the commitment is for a few months), I need to get those pounds off on my own. I've been on diets practically my whole life, so I know how to do it. Most of us do. The challenge is finding a method that I can live with. Here's what I'm doing so far:

1. Drinking more water and seltzer. Back on Beads, you were supposed to drink half your weight in ounces in water. What that means is if you are 150 pounds (not that I am), take half of that (75) and you're drinking 75 ounces of water or about 9 cups a day. Sounds like a lot, but it's actually doable. No only will drinking more water flush out impurities, but it'll keep my belly fuller (I really should take out stock in Charmin every time I do this). And, often when my I think body is telling me it's hungry, what it's really telling me is that I'm thirsty. I've found, in the past, that when I'm hydrated, I eat less. 
   
2. Inviting myself to eat more fruits and veggies – not mandating it. The other morning, I went into the grocery store and gave myself permission to buy anything in the produce area that I liked. I looked around at the copious display and, like a kid in a candy store, went wild! I grabbed red peppers, yellow zucchini, mushrooms, peas, and broccoli, anticipating the amazing stir fry I'd make for lunch. I smelled the cantaloupe, salivating at the sweetness I'd enjoy later. I planned a snack of fresh navel oranges for later. It was a lot of fun!
   
3. Wearing clothes that actually fit instead of my “fat” clothes. Often in life, I find the “fake it, till you make it” way of thinking works; this is one of those times. Baggy clothes make me look fatter and make me feel shlumpy. Wearing fitted clothes, making an effort to dress well, and pretending I'm thinner than I am makes me feel better. It also makes me more likely to continue with my healthier ways.
4. Working out, in some way, every day.  In a previous post (http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2014/01/3-fantastic-product-reviews-some-of.html), I reviewed the WiiFit Plus I received for Christmas. I love this product and have been using it every day, mostly because the device “notices” when I haven't done it. The damn thing makes me feel guilty if I don't at least check in with it daily (grumble, grumble). Plus, the games on WiiFit are oodles of fun and I can do some of them with the kids.  Even if I don't feel like doing an aerobic activity, I can always work on my balance and strength, so at least I'm doing something.    
   
5. Not eating after 7pm. This is the hardest challenge I've taken on, but I know it's for the best. My body does not need food in order to sleep. If I get hungry in the evening, I have a cup or two of tea and go to bed. Granted, this is tough the nights we don't eat until later, but I'm trying.

So far I'm down three pounds this week. I'm not out of breath when I climb the stairs and actually look forward to doing the WiiFit. I'm thinking that even if I don't lose any more poundage, these five behaviors are positive ones that will help me feel good in the long run.


Now I know you're probably being inundated with emails touting weight loss miracles, but this article on WebMD contains some good, relatively “painless” suggestions, and, in fact, mentions a few that were in my post: http://women.webmd.com/features/weight-loss-tips. Oh, and although my ideas did not come from this article, I was happy that WebMD was on the same page.


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Thanks for reading!


This Winter, I'm doing more schlepping than usual to and from gymnastics, soccer, etc. Life's too short for it not to be pleasurable, or at least , bearable. Playing games and surfing on my phone is getting boring, so check in with me in a day or so and I'll share some tips on how to make schlepping and waiting a bit more pleasant. Have a great rest of the weekend!