people I know

I have met the best people through this journey.

Some people find me on LoseIt!'s facebook page and send me friend requests on facebook which I usually decline (I keep my Facebook for connecting with family and posting pictures of my children) and I send them info to friend me on the LoseIt! app/webpage.

Occasionally I'm the person sending the messages though. A fellow Loser posted his advice on using the LoseIt! app on facebook, I messaged him and asked permission to re-post it here because this is basically the philosophy I have maintained my whole journey so far. Most of this information is in the LoseIt! book too if you want to learn more.

I started at 346 pounds and weigh about 198 today. I lost nearly 150 pounds using Lose It. There are a few key concepts I developed that work for me. I'll share a few, but feel free to ask more questions.

1. Do it the "right way"

I have lost weight before, but I always did it the wrong way (Atkins, near starvation, exercise overkill). The weight always came back. I knew I had to do it the right way. That means exactly what you think, and exactly what people always say.... Changing habits and lifestyle.

That said, it's easier than you think. The best thing about Lose It, is that it is a dynamic program - it changes your limits as your weight changes. In my first few months, I was eating McDonald's and sweets while still losing weight. How? Well at almost 350 pounds, all you have to do is eat less than 3500 calories and you are going to lose weight. If you are in the same boat as me, by the time you get to a severely calorie restricted diet, you will be ready for it.


YES!!!

2. Accept that in all likelihood your weight issue is not medical

I so wanted to believe it wasn't all my fault, that maybe something was going on. It was. I was eating too much. I'm no doctor or statistician, by my best guess is that 95% of people that are overweight are in the situation for only one reason - eating.


I completely agree with this point, I went to my doctor to get my thyroid checked, in the back of my mind I secretly hoped I had a medical issue that had caused me to gain weight and not be able to lose weight. My doctor cleared me and assured I was healthy all except for my weight issues. At that point I was determined to be a success story. I have many friends who tell me they are unable to lose weight because of an issue that is medically related, but the truth is calories in vs. calories out has to be kept in balance for your body to reward you with weight loss. Unfortunately sometimes the hardest thing to do is admit you have a problem and you are the only one to blame for it. 

3. Be OCD about "the line"

Seriously. I can't tell you how important this is. Don't take a day off. Ever. Not Christmas, not Thanksgiving... no days off! In 15 months I have never missed logging a day. In all of that time, I've gone over the line maybe 20 times and only roughly 5 times by an significant margin. I've NEVER gone over for my weekly. If you want this to work you have to be "all in."


This point I do agree with, I posted a few days ago about a friend who went over her calorie budget, but she owned up to it and moved on. I feel like it is key to success to not feel too restricted, but be honest with yourself about what you are taking in. I never have taken a day off though, I log everything, even on holidays. 

4. Hold yourself accountable for every calorie

If you take a bite while cooking, record it. If you eat one tiny piece of candy, record it. When I started to realize how many calories absent minded snacking was adding up to, I was amazed. One of my big ones was grabbing a handful of peanuts on multiple occasions during the day. This can easily add up to more than 1000 calories! Don't let any calorie go unrecorded.


Again, accountability is so very important. It is what forces me to make smarter decisions when I'm standing in front of the refrigerator deciding what to snack on. I take my tiny tasting bites out of my meal portion so I end up tasting a lot less before I actually sit down to enjoy dinner. 

5. When you are unsure, overestimate

In a pinch, overestimate. Can't find it? Not sure? Over estimate. This will do two things, it will piss you off - because you may in fact be losing calories you could have enjoyed.... but more importantly it will compel you to plan ahead or make choices that are quantifiable.


I have had many pissed off nights when I went out to eat and had to over estimate, but that is one reason I eat out very seldom and I usually plan ahead before we even leave the house.
6. Sustainability

Ever watch "Biggest Loser?" I do, and it makes me sad. I know that most of these people will have significant weight gain after the show is over. Why? Because they are building a weight "equilibrium" based on HOURS of exercise every day. That is unrealistic. So, lets talk about what I mean by "sustainability," because for me this was probably this biggest thing. You have to ask yourself CONSTANTLY if this is something you can live with FOREVER as you incorporate it into your program and routine. I'll give you some examples. I knew I wasn't going to build my weight loss around absurd amounts of exercise. Why? Well I am, and have been, my entire life, very inconsistent with exercise. I have gotten used to the idea that if I choose not to exercise, it's fine... but I'm going to eat less. Period. I have had stretches in my program where I have done no exercise whatsoever for up to four weeks. I just stayed under the line (see #3). Here's another one of my "sustainability tidbits;" I don't drink calories. That means a couple of things... Get used to water and when you want something more, accept the risks of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. For me this has worked out well. I'm able to keep it up, and it seems to afford me more calories for meals. The hardest part in this little piece? I gave up beer entirely. Even after months and months without it, I'm still evaluating the sustainability of that one ;) 


I HATE the "biggest loser" for this exact reason!!! I hurt my leg at the end of March last year and I took over 2 months off from running. I still lost during that time because I kept my calorie deficit and stayed within the budget I was allowed. 


I gave up beer and wine for a long time, but now I just budget for it. I have been in maintenance mode (for the most part) since November, only trying to lose 1/2 lb a week, so my budget is pretty close to what maintenance will be eventually. 

7. Develop the right attitude about the scale

I hate watching tv shows where the heavy people get super stressed about the scale. If you are doing what you are supposed to do, and you KNOW you are "on program" and haven't cheated... Then it is what it is. If on a particular day the scale shows a number you are not crazy about - learn to not worry about it. There are just so many variables that can cause your weight to fluxuate 10 pounds or more - water retention, waste retention, etc. Here's how I do it.... I weigh myself often - at least every day. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. I don't worry about the number too much as long as over a course of WEEKS the scale is going in the right direction. Also, I only record lower numbers. That means that it might be two or three weeks before I enter a new weight number into my phone. It keeps me personally motivated though. Whatever you can find that works for you - do it. Remember though - you can't develop a negative relationship with the scale. It is what it is - a tool, nothing more.


This is something I had to learn from day one. The number on the scale has always been about making my calorie budget more than anything else. I would go crazy if I lived on that number alone. That is one reason I take (and post) so many pictures. I feel like the number on the scale can not compare to the differences that can be seen in "before and after" pictures. 

Case in point: I gained 2 pounds from November 2010- December 2010. I'm pretty sure that was muscle gain, but I would have been devastated if I had gone on the number on the scale alone. 

I hope everyone else got as much information out of this post as I did. 

What is your little victory today?

Guitarplayingmommy,


Heather