How do you feel about dieting? Have you ever tried one? If so, did it work for you?
Starting at age 10, I began having issues with my weight. As a teenager, I tried to diet, but the only thing that ever worked was eating only Cheerios for a week. I'm not kidding- I dropped a dress size and people noticed. Sadly, it took practically starving myself to get there.
In college, things changed and I managed to lose weight simply by not dieting, and I will share my tips below. But again, I ended up really losing weight when my anxiety kicked into full gear and I couldn't manage to eat much for 7 weeks while I worked at Disney World. I ended up needing to have my gall bladder removed due to the dramatic weight loss. Unfortunately, I put all of that weight back on when I went away to college and then more when I studied in France. I mostly blame the maxi pain au chocolat.
In college, I tried dieting. I tried cutting out carbs, I tried eating more vegetables, and I took so many phys ed classes, I should have lost weight. But I didn't. Nothing worked.
After college, however, things changed again, and I changed my lifestyle entirely. In roughly 3 years time, I lost 60 lbs and I have kept it off ever since. And not once did I diet. Instead, I took up running, starting out very slowly. I took up belly dance. I practiced yoga when I could. All the while, I did not deprive myself of the food I enjoy.
I will admit that I became a vegetarian in this time, and that certainly helped. I did not intend to become vegetarian long-term, I was just trying out a plant-based diet, but in the end, not eating meat really works for my body. I think that is the most important thing to understand- you need to eat what is right for your body, not what everyone else is or isn't eating.
What it all comes down to, in my opinion (note: I am not a dietitian or a doctor, I am just sharing what I have learned from experience), is choosing to be healthy. Dieting to lose weight is the silliest thing, and I feel like it is detrimental because the focus is all wrong. I have chosen to make a healthier lifestyle for myself, and it has made all the difference.
My tips for a healthy lifestyle:
My tips for a healthy lifestyle:
- Try not to drink your calories. By this, I mean absolutely no soda. I was addicted in high school, but when I broke that habit, my body thanked me. Now the calories are more likely to come from wine or a cocktail, but I only drink those sparingly, and it is usually as a special treat.
- Cut out excess calories when possible. This means skipping mayo or butter when it isn't needed, or switching to nonfat milk instead of 2% or cream.
- Eat frequent, smaller meals instead of 3 large meals. I'm a grazer, and this is by far the key to my weight loss. I eat smaller portions about 5 times a day, sometimes 6. It's important to eat when you're hungry, and it balances your metabolism.
- Eat a piece of fruit as one of your snacks. I am a banana junkie. I will disregard any diet advice that says not to eat bananas because they make you fat. Bullshit. When I don't eat bananas, I get foot and leg cramps. Not fun. Bananas are nature's most portable snack! Eat up!
- Eat plenty of fiber! Being regular is key to managing your weight and your health. Fiber gets things going, and it also helps fill you up!
- Drink lots of water, all the live long day.
- Treat yo'self! You guys, it's not secret. I love cookies. I love ice cream. I love pastries, and puddings, and cakes. When I deprive myself of things things, I am more likely to binge on them. Therefore, I treat myself on the regular. I just don't eat the whole damn cake. A small slice will usually suffice.
- Eat fewer processed foods. I discovered that I am allergic to corn, so a lot of processed foods are off-limits to me anyway. I don't believe in eating meat substitutes, often because soy does a number on my stomach. When it comes to treats, I prefer homemade baked goods over highly processed, chemical-laden cakes and cookies from the store. If you don't understand half the ingredients on the label, you probably shouldn't eat it.
Remember, make it about your health, not your weight. I didn't lose weight until I stopped trying. Weird, huh? What I did do, however, was realize that I felt yucky on the inside, and there were a lot of things I wanted to be able to do that I couldn't. I wanted to run, to hike, to dance! So I did! Now I take care of myself, not to maintain my weight, but because I want to live a long, healthy life doing all kinds of wonderful things.
What are your thoughts? How do you feel about diets? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
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