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Tuesday, September 07, 2010

OBESE

September 3, 2010 marked a milestone for me in my weight loss journey. I stepped on my Wii Fit scale, and the level of my body mass index rose and stopped just short of the mark for obesity.





It seems like I've been waiting for this forever! For the longest time, it seemed so far away. A BMI of 30 is considered obese, and I started out with a BMI of 34. Now, while I still have a long way to go, I am no longer obese - just overweight. I can't wait to get to a BMI of 24, which is considered healthy. Curious? Go ahead... click on one of the links. The first one will tell you what your BMI is. The second one will tell you what you will weigh at a particular BMI. What should your target weight be to be healthy?

Many of you have offered your congratulations, and that is nice. Still, many others have asked how did you do it or how can you be so motivated? Well, that is even nicer, because as I look around me, so many people are in the same boat that I was in. Some, dangerously so. I would like nothing more than to know that someone else might be motivated to start losing weight because they saw that I was able to do it. Oh, and by the way, I am definitely not there yet. I know that if I am not careful, I can easily find myself right back where I started.

So, here it is. How I did it am doing it. It's not rocket science. The equation is as simple as this:

Calories In
less than
Calories Out

Period. Eat less. Exercise more. Of course, you can't eat too little or your body will think you are starving it and shut down all your weight loss efforts. Still, the general rule applies.

A few other things have been helpful to me, as well.

1. I always take these...


...and never take this.



3. I remind myself to move throughout the day as much as I can by tracking these...



Great iPhone app, by the way. You should try it if you have one... an iPhone, that is. :o)


4. Increase your fiber and protein intake. Lower your fat, calorie, and sodium intake. That may mean decreasing how much bread and pasta you eat, or changing the type of bread and pasta you eat. There are alternatives, but a piece of 120 calorie white bread just doesn't do it for me. It just wastes my calories and leaves me hungry. Steel-cut oatmeal or whole wheat pasta just make more sense. I think I've eaten one of these, along with some low-fat, less sugary yogurt for breakfast just about every morning for the last 5 months. It works. Oh, and by the way, a helpful tip... this is one of the best yogurt choices I have found at the store. 12 grams of protein and only 80 calories and 1.5 grams of fat! Only 4 carbs, one of which is fiber! Seriously! If you have a Kroger's, try it. :o)




5. Weigh (and/or measure) your food. I promise you don't realize how much you are eating. This makes sure you do.




6. Keep track! This one might just be my favorite.



I really owe all my weight loss to this program. It is very easy to use, and it keeps it in front of you. On your mind. Give it a try online, and then download the app for your iPhone so you can take it with you! Their database of food and restaurants is AMAZING!!! It will even sync your data between the online version and your iPhone so you always know right where you are. It is the best $2.99 I've ever spent in my life, and much cheaper than the dues you would pay for a weekly weight loss group. They even have a really good community for support.

Motivation?

Well, that has to be your own. Watching programs like Losing It With Jillian really makes me feel like, if they can do it, then so can I. Seeing a bit of progress, and then looking back really motivates me! I guess the bottom line is, you just have to see the value and then just do it. What do you find valuable? A new wardrobe? Feeling better about yourself? A lower cholesterol number at the doctor's office? The ability to sleep better at night? More energy to play with your children? More years with your spouse? I don't know about you, but it is worth more than the candy bar or french fries to me.

Well, I guess that's about it. I don't know if any of this will help anyone or not, but I hope so. Just give it a try. Make one small change at a time. It will work!


Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

7 comments:

Tara said...

You are doing GREAT! Keep up the good work! You will reach your goal in no time and will feel like a brand new person! I need to check out the livestrong website since Dwight isn't paying for WW anymore. This could be a great alternative so thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

WOW! So proud and happy for you! :) I still haven't been on the Wii...I might check out here in the next couple of days....

Becky Gravley said...

AWESOME JOB, girl!! i am so happy for you too! i'm sorry that we've disappeared from talking with you about coming to see you. the traveling has been crazy and continues to look that way til december. =( wish we could set a time, but we're just going to have to keep looking for a good break in the calendar. love ya!

Claire said...

Oh, congratulations! I'm on the same journey (a fair few BMI points behind!). I can't wait to get out of the 'obese' range!

Cxx

Stephanie Harbin said...

Congratulations and thanks for sharing this post.

Jessi said...

Great job! I'm trying to get back on the healthy track...I've got a few pounds to lose before I feel like my "normal" self again. I'm doing this program that helps me to "be a runner"...we'll see how it works. I *really* want it this time!
Thanks for the tips!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats! You are doing a great job!

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