Comparison to Successful Losers

Vicki had an interesting post today [yesterday by the time I finished this] and asked others to go to write their thoughts on this same topic. Here is mine:

"No Quick Fixes."
In the past I have tried so many different "diets." What I am doing now is a lifestyle change and there is nothing quick about a lifestyle change.

"Be Active."
I used to struggle with getting exercise in, but now it is just what I do. My goal is to get a minimum of 10 minutes on the treadmill a day (except Sunday which is my rest day). Some days it is a lot more than that - maybe an exercise video or going to the gym and using the elliptical or lifting weights. I also do some floor exercises [almost] every day - ab work, pushups, lunges, stretching. Nothing hard or heart pumping. It is just a little extra movement every day.

"Track Your Weight."
I weigh every day and record my weight in an excel spreadsheet that calculates a weekly average of my weight. I use that weekly number as my "official" weight. My goal range is 127-131. If my weekly number is a little high, I need to cut back until I'm back in the range. (Right now I am working on getting back in the range.)

"Enlist Support."
I am a lifetime WW member and I attend at least one meeting a month. Sugar Pop is good support most of the time because he cares about his health and weight, also. However, he is the only person who tempts me with trips to Braums for ice cream. I am also active on the WW Message Boards and post daily to a thread called "10 Cent Healthy Habit Challenge."

"Start Your Day With Breakfast."
I have always been a breakfast eater. My favorite is oatmeal made with milk and parched fruit or yogurt mixed with applesauce and fiber one cereal. Perhaps I should say those are my usual breakfasts. My favorite would be french toast, but that doesn't fit into my normal food plan. ;)

"Set Small Goals."
I'm good at this. Sometimes, my goal is to just make it through the day on plan.

"Find Motivation to Get Started."
I've always had plenty of motivation to get started and just haven't always had the motivation to keep going. I've been either dieting and gaining for years now. However, for the past few years I am really learning about maintenance and it is great. I love that when I do need to lose weight it is usually just 3-4 pounds not 15-20.

"Find Motivation to Keep Going"
I don't ever want to need to lost 20 pounds again. I want to be fit and healthy the rest of my life. That is my motivation to keep going.

"Set a Limit for Regaining Pounds."
This is where my weight range comes in. I like the weekly average because then I don't have so many worries about a high-sodium meal out and gaining a bunch of water weight. It will all even out in the average.

"Plan Ahead."
I am big into planning. I plan our meals for the week before I go to the store. I plan my meals for the day in the morning. I have a "travel journal" I use when I am going to be away from home. That has been a big help in maintaining my weight. Trips used to really through me off and lead to weight gain. Having a specific place to journal food, health, fitness, etc. for trips is great. I can look back and see what worked. I can write myself notes to read before the next trip.

"Figure on Plateaus."
Because I weigh every day on a scale that measures to .2 lbs, there is always a different number on the scale. I don't really feel like I have plateaus because I'm looking at the number every day. I do remember getting kind of stuck when I had 5 lbs to lose and I finally listened to the WW good health guideline to get healthy oils. I started making a salad dressing with olive oil and that helped me lose that last 5 pounds.

"Reward Yourself."
I love rewards. They are very motivating for me. My latest was to weigh less this past Monday than the Monday before. We were going out of town for the weekend and I was tempted to just eat anything and everything I wanted. So I set that goal and my reward was a new pair of Easy Spirit workout shoes. I met my goal and my new shoes arrived yesterday. :)

"Stick With It for the Long Haul."
Oh yes, I am definitely in this for life. I have truly made a lifestyle change and I know that I must continue it. I do not want to go back to the diet/gain lifestyle I had for so many years. It is great to know that all my clothes always fit (well, except for the one pair of capris that are a little snug right now - just a few more pounds and they will be comfortable again). I plan on always journalling my food and exercise, weighing daily and getting plenty of exercise. This healthy lifestyle makes me feel good and the longer I keep up my healthy habits the easier they become. I can't imagine going back to the days when I stopped for fast food almost every day for lunch, when I was getting candy bars and chips from the vending machine. I don't want to go back to those days. I felt like I was hungry all the time because my body wasn't getting any nourishment from those foods. I love the foods I eat now and I love exercising. Life is good. This journey has been worth it.