Mine came from my doctor and I initially thought he was full of it- but he wasn't.
"You lose weight with diet, you get fit with exercise."
"So you'll feel hungry...so? Will it kill you?"
I know the second one seems sort of mean but he was responding to a comment I had made "But, I get hungry if I do that!" and it actually was a wake up call because it showed me how skewed I really had gotten, thinking that feeling hungry was somehow a bad thing or an abnormal thing that must be cured instantly with food. In all reality, hunger isn't that bad of a thing. I realized that I hadn't actually been *really* hungry in years. And certainly never starved.
This bit of advice really stands out to me. I've basically been on one long holiday binge from Halloween to New Year's and have not felt hunger that entire time. I've been back in the saddle for a couple days now and it feels so good not to feel full all the time. I'm hungry by the time I get to a meal, but since I've been planning out meals and snacks it's not a "I must eat everything in sight" sort of feeling.
Thanks OP for this thread! Very helpful for those of us just getting started!
1. Treat yourself gently.
2. Small changes add up to big losses over time; don't try to tackle everything at once.
3. Track your food.
4. Don't set lose X pounds by Y date goals. Instead, set behaviorally based goals like eating three servings of vegetables every day or walking for 20 minutes.
5. Deprivation doesn't work.
6. What works for others may not work for you. It will take some time to find your groove.
Last edited by Garnet2727; 01-03-2013 at 01:19 PM.
Definitely the one about hunger not being the end of the world---but there is a point where failing to plan can turn into planning to fail. Yesterday I didn't pack enough food and I was somewhat beyond hungry in the afternoon. It could have been a bad set-up for me, but I kept reminding myself that I could stick it out until I was near better food choices. Still, I had to walk past the vending machines, the convenience store, the pretzel vendor...and it was hard because once I did get a snack (veggies and hummus), it was really hard to get my body to acknowledge satiety. Today I am 'body-adjusting' hungry but not starving, and I made sure I have some protein for later in the afternoon to get through the rest of the day.
I also am a big proponent of exercise. Not because I'm going to shed tons of weight that way----weight loss begins in the kitchen, not the gym---but because it makes me feel good. Even when I am down on myself and feeling so bad about my body's shape, I can go and work out and end up feeling so much better about my body's strength.
Also, brushing my teeth when I need to stop eating.
Last edited by MissJeanLouise; 01-03-2013 at 01:28 PM.
1. Learn the difference between mental and physical hunger. Really pay attention. When you realize you have no signs of physical hunger it's easier to say you don't need something.
2. Be patient and practice perseverance over transitory passion.
3. You are never on or off plan. You are living your life with mindfulness concerning your food.
4. Cake is not bad or a part of a "cheat day." Cake, however, is not a food you can eat often and feel well; however, sometimes, eat a little cake.
5. Make fitness goals. I know that I will be able to run better when I am lighter. I know my goal of a 5k means that losing weight will help me get there.
6. Practice mindfulness and love of your body and the way it moves. It is not a detached thing that carries your brain around. This one, as some one who lives in her head a lot, was very important for me to really think about.
Last edited by Song of Surly; 01-03-2013 at 04:16 PM.
-Eat clean...get rid of processed foods (a calorie is just not a calorie)
-Keep a food log and count your calories. Calorie deficit is the only way!
-Plan ahead...take a day and plan out and make your meals.
-Exercise...a mix of cardio and weights. You don't need to run for hours. My favourite cardio wourkouts (and most effective for me) are 20 minutes of Tabata or HIIT style workouts.
-Don't think that because you had a great workout, you can eat whatever you want.
-I treat myself to one reasonable meal a week. This is something I would not normally have. But I plan for it! I watch my calories all day so I can have it. To me it's like calorie cycling. But this does not mean you binge!
-The scale makes you crazy...I'm still having trouble with this!
