Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Eating well and a small celebration.

I've been discussing nutrition off and on lately with various friends as there are a few of us who are trying to lose weight.

One of my friends was talking about how she was going to stick to her diet this week, but if she hadn't lost any weight she was cutting out all carbs, sugars and dairy.

Personally? I could never do that. I know a lot of carbs and sugar aren't good for your body, but I could never cut all of that out completley, especially not dairy. I love dairy, even when my body doesn't always take it that well. I'm slightly lactose-intolerant, so usually milk in the mornings doesn't sit too well with me.

I understand where my friend is coming from on losing weight. I had an incident happen earlier this year that finally pushed me to lose the extra weight I had. A doctor here on post point blank asked me if I had a problem with my weight and I had to admit I did. I wasn't happy where I was at that time and didn't feel comfortable with my body. He advised me to go low-carb, cut out dairy, but I tried it for a few days and couldn't do it. I realized I was never going to lose weight forcing myself on an eating plan that I couldn't handle. So, I looked into the low glycemic diet. It's honestly the best thing I've ever tried. I don't stick to it religiously, but I feel that everyone needs wiggle room. If I want to go eat Olive Garden or enjoy some mashed potatoes then I'm going to. I might have to make adjustments to the rest of my eating that day, but I don't like denying myself anything.

I started this new eating plan/more exercise kick back in March. I was 163 lbs that day at the doctor's office and today I am happy to report I am down to 145. I checked my BMI yesterday and according to it I'm no longer overweight. I still have about 10-12 lbs to go until I am down to my goal weight,but being able to wear things I haven't worn since my early college years is fantastic. When I went home last time my mom told me that's the skinnest she's seen me since high school. I'm still at a size 12 jean and I know I'll never be down to a 3/4, but I'm ok with that. My goal wasn't to be tiny, but to be in the best shape I could be.

I'm hoping that by the end of October I'll be down to my goal weight, that will put me at losing about 30 lbs in 7 months, which I think is a realistic goal for me. I'm more than ready to shock my relatives who haven't seen me since my wedding with the new me.

15 comments:

kd said...

That is amazing!! Congrats on all your hard work!!!

Lindsay Gray said...

30 pounds?! Holy crap girl. You definitely need to celebrate with a shopping spree when that day rolls around. I'm talkin' reserve the whole day, drive to the outlet mall, and shop away!

It's all about finding your "happy weight". For every person it's different, it's where you feel comfortable, and your body naturally regulates your metabolism. Congrats on your accomplishment!

d.a.r. said...

That is absolutely amazing!!! I tend to really get caught up in the numbers on the scale and forget about what is realistic and healthy. It sounds like you know your body really well and are honest about what you need to do. Probably why you have had so much success!! You have done an amazing job. Congrats!

Same Girl said...

Congratulations! 30 pounds, that is amazing!
You deserve to go out and celebrate!

Erin said...

Congrats on the weight loss so far! That is almost 20 lbs..that is a lot! It sounds like whatever you are doing is working!

Linda said...

One thing that most people never realize is that "extreme" dieting is never going to work. Cutting out all "x, y and z" is good, but you can't ever really maintain it. The Atkins diet worked for so many people...but to what end? They had miserably high cholesterols and other issues.

Your take is a good one...while you're following "in moderation", you're also not denying yourself anything. You realize that if you go a bit overboard and indulge, you need to make adjustments. I am a Weight Watchers lifetime member. WW teaches people to eat in moderation, but not to deny yourself. You learn that yeah, you CAN have that piece of cake...but it doesn't need to be a SLAB...when a slice will give you what you want. You can eat whatever you want, so long as you make adjustments in HOW you eat...and in the end, healthier is really what matters!

Kristen said...

Congrats on the weight loss! I really need to get back into an exercise routine.

S.J. said...

YOU GO GIRL!!! I know that saying is cheesy, but I think it's great that you are taking care of your health. Keep it up, the hard work will pay off.

The Mrs. said...

Good for you for your loss! I think its important like you said not to focus on the size of your clothes, but rather how you feel, in them and out of them. I'm losing and feeling better but the sizes aren't going down like I had hoped. Who cares what the number inside my pants says if I'm looking better, feeling better, and healthier!

.... said...

Congrats on you hard work....I know you look fantastic!

Sara said...

That's a VERY feasible goal, and getting to a healthy point is sooo important. Good for you for losing weight and getting healthy!

Carbs aren't terrible for you, as long as it is GOOD carbs, and LIMITED carbs. Foods naturally have carbs in them, its impossible to eliminate them entirely. Sugar was pretty easy for me to eliminate. Dairy is hurting a little. I love cheese! I did this diet for athletic reasons more than weight loss although that comes with the territory.

Isn't it great to fit into clothes again! Its like having a new closet! I fit into another pair of old jeans last week! Congrats on all the hard work.

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

Yay!!!!! I am so excited for you. I know how good that feels, for sure. The cutting out dairy thing is really tough, I have done it three times and it sucks. But, an upset baby tummy sucks more :)

Here is to goal weight by OCtober! I have 6 pounds to go. Maybe we'll both achieve it :)

-Andrea

tootie said...

Wow! Congrats! That is quite the accomplishment.

Enjoy those skinny jeans! :)

Lauren W said...

Way to go! I know how hard it is to change those habits, you're doing great!

loqi said...

I'm super late to the party on this one, but I want to add my congrats as well. Your goal comes out to a pace of about 1 pound a week, so you're right on target for what doctors recommend. So happy you found a strategy that works for you, that's the most important thing. Here's to healthier lifestyle, NOT diets! :-D