“Motivated to Stay Healthy”

We have become a society where too many people live a sedentary lifestyle, spend too much time eating fast food or buying processed foods to fix at home. For many people, this unhealthy lifestyle has become their daily habit. Sad to say, we live and die by our habits. Every January, this same group of people vow to lose weight and to develop healthier habits but by February have given up on themselves.

I was once one of these people. Believe me, losing weight is hard. I know because I have done it many times in the last 25 years. Maintaining a large weight loss is just as hard. I am happy to report that so far I have maintained my current weight loss of 37 pounds for well over six months, but it hasn’t been easy.

It is far too easy to fall back into my old bad unhealthy habits. I have had to more than once open my toolbox of coping strategies and use many of them to continue keeping to my new lifestyle.

One tool I use is to plan healthy meals. I do this every week before I shop for groceries. That way I know what healthy foods and other ingredients I need to purchase. I use my grocery list to purchase what I am going to need for my healthy snacks as well. I work hard at not having too many unhealthy foods in the house. As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Sometimes I find myself really craving unhealthy foods. When this happens I do four things: 1) I drink a glass of water. This often stops the craving because it makes me feel full. 2) I take a short walk or do some yoga. This time takes my mind off of the craving. 3) I find an activity to keep me busy. It may be cleaning a room or working on a hobby. These activities help me get busy and forget about the craving. 4) I wait 20 minutes to see if the craving passes. If none of these work, then I have learned it is okay to go ahead and eat the item. However, I usually find that one of these strategies does work.

Another thing that has helped in my maintenance is the fact that I never use food as a reward. I remember when I would reward myself with a couple cookies or a dish of ice cream if I burned off some extra calories. Now, if I have done an extra workout or burn a lot of calories working in the yard, my reward is a nice hot cup of herbal tea and 15 minutes of relaxation. If I am losing weight, then I reward myself with a new cookbook or a new piece of clothing.

How do I stay so motivated to keep living this healthy lifestyle? It is easy. I am enjoying all the energy I have to go places and just live life to the fullest. My quality of life has improved and I have no desire to go back to the old way. I am actually enjoying fixing and eating healthy meals. It is fun to look for new recipes that appeal to both my husband and me. I picture what life was like before and compare it to what life is like now.

Keeping active is also essential in maintaining my weight loss. I know it is only a part of my maintenance plan but it is a part of the plan that cannot be ignored. I take it very seriously and schedule it into my day. I don’t always do the same workout every day but every day I work out.

How do I stay so motivated to keep moving? I know that it works for me. When we are home, I like to workout in the morning and always end the day with my stationary bike. When we camp or go South, my mode of activity is walking. We have trails and parks to walk in and we can log 3-5 miles each day. Believe me, Fitbit is my friend.

I am also motivated to stay the course of this healthy lifestyle because I like the way I look. I have fun dressing for any occasion now. If we are going out or to church, it is fun to actually be able to put on one of my cute dresses. I am not self conscious now when I have on a pair of skinny jeans and don’t feel it is necessary to wear a large top to cover my stomach or hips. I don’t have to wear the same old outfits simply to cover me up to hide my weight.

Finally, I stay motivated because I want to be around for a very long time. I want to see all of our grandchildren grow up, get married and maybe have children of their own. I have many places I still want to visit with my husband and I want to stay fit and healthy so I can do that.

I have found there are certain things I need to do every day to keep on track and to stay motivated.

I always eat breakfast. This keeps me going, gives me energy and keeps me full until lunch time.

I exercise almost every day. This also helps with my metabolism.

I make sure I get enough protein but also make sure it is healthy low-cal protein.

I weigh myself every morning at the same time. It keeps me aware of how I am doing.

I stay hydrated. I start the day off by drinking 8 ounces of water. That gives my metabolism a kickstart throughout the day. Drinking water also makes me feel fuller. I try to get between 65-80 ounces of water every day.

I log EVERYTHING I eat-yes, I count calories. I try to keep my maintenance calorie count between 1300-1400 calories a day, depending on my activity. Logging food keeps me aware of my calorie intake.

I eat a lot of fresh vegetables. Why do I do this? Vegetables are low in calories, high in fiber and I can eat a large quantity which fills me up.

I practice mindful eating. I used to eat out of boredom or simply because it was there. Now I listen to my body. I eat three meals at almost the same time every day. I eat slowly and savor every bite. I also practice portion control and do not eat a second helping. I make my portion control easier by eating on an 8 inch plate instead of a full size dinner plate.

I make sure I get enough sleep. Studies show that lack of sleep increases a certain hormone that actually increases your appetite. I aim for 8 hours every night.

Finally, I stay consistent. I have developed this new healthy lifestyle and way of eating and stick to it.

As I continue on my maintenance journey, I try not to be too hard on myself. I know there will be days where I don’t always eat the healthiest. Instead of falling back into the old way, I just begin the next day back on track. I have a new relationship with food and it is not my enemy anymore.

I am able to do that because I have developed a support system to keep me accountable. I still belong to my weight loss on-line group that offers daily support when I need it. I have two social media support groups I belong to. However, the most important person in my support system has been my husband. He has been with me every step of this journey and continues to cheer me on.

Are you ready to begin a journey for a healthier lifestyle? I have put together a free download titled, “Your Guide to Shopping Low-Cal.” This guide has a list divided into the three caloric groups I choose from. It also contains a sample grocery shopping list and meal planning.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

As always, “Don’t Save Today for Tomorrow.”