What an awesome day 
Well, actually it’s raining and I won’t be able to go tan for a bit or go for a run…but still an awesome day! I lost another pound putting me down to 189! I love that feeling when the scale goes down to a lower 10lbs. It’s just such a woot woot moment. AND…my BMI (please don’t forget that I’m not a huge fan of this system but I’m keeping up with it as it’s pretty universal) is now 29.6…still overweight but down .2 points.
Since the weather hasn’t really cooperated for jogging (here’s the thing, I hate jogging although it is the best exercise for me personally…so if it’s raining/too hot/too cold, I cheat and don’t do it), I have been playing Dance Dance Revolution! I LOVE that game…it’s a cardio workout the way I play (Standard and non-stop mode) and it helps my lack of coordination.
So in recognition of a cheaters diet, here’s a few of my diet tips that work for me. They might not work for someone else but they’ve helped me lose 51lbs
1) Cheat. Don’t feel bad about going out to an amazing dinner, having a glass of wine (or two), eating full fat ice cream on a hot, summer day. Food is part of life and we should enjoy that part…sometimes. Make sure each time you cheat is a time that a memory will be born. Don’t go cheat for a chocolate bar or a piece of candy you don’t really like. Have it be an experience and then…eat a salad or a piece of fruit later. Make sure you exercise and maybe push it a little bit harder.
2) Exercise. If you don’t exercise, you will be a flabby thin person. You will still be unhealthy and you know what…you just won’t feel as good. It’s not always fun and the results aren’t instantaneous. Some days, it just plain SUCKS!!! Aim for a certain amount of days a week and stick with it. Find something you love…walking, biking, jogging, DDR…anything (and switch it up because you’ll eventually get bored).
3) De-stress. Here’s the deal, stress is unhealthy. It may or may not have a direct correlation to keeping weight on but either way, it’s hard on the body and the less you have, the better you’ll feel. The better you feel, the more you’ll want to do things for your body to help (not hinder) your progress.
4) Get back to basics. This one is probably the hardest thing I follow but it’s also the one that gives me the best results. Processed food is full of crap. We all know this, we’ve all been told this again (and again, and again) but we still PUMP it into our bodies. We are NOT designed to eat chemicals.
If you want something sweet, eat fruit or bake something full-fat with real sugar but make mini-portions. I made cheesecake yesterday (a maple strawberry). None of my ingredients were low-cal, it’s full of sugar…and it’s baked in muffin tins with about 1/4 cup batter. Yes, it’s “cheating” but it’s real. The majority of the food I consume is produce. Try a new food at least once a week if it helps you get interested in cooking. Stop looking for a quick lunch to microwave…what’s quicker than a salad, real bread from a bakery and a piece of fruit. I really believe the less chemicals i ingest (if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it), the more variety of real foods I eat, and the less processed foods I eat make ME feel better.
5) My favorite rule is to take it slow. It takes me losing about 20lbs to look like I lost weight (told you, I hold my weight well). It takes awhile for the weight to come on (even though it doesn’t feel like it) so it’ll take awhile for it to come off (it DOES feel like it). Find a buddy who understands and remind each other that HEALTH is most important and sometimes you’ll hit a plateau. Have fun in the meantime and DON’T let a diet consume your life…seriously, you won’t have fun, people will be sick of hearing about your master cleanse and your colon, and lets be honest…sometimes you really want that cheeseburger!
