Great list of very practical and useable tips/reminders! I am planning to use several of these right away!
Yep. The Halloween candy had to go. After reading your message, I got rid of it!
Thanks for the support and the reminder to “shake things up.” I was always trim until I hit menopause (now 25 years ago), and then I had just quit smoking about five years before that). Double whammy! I started gaining and then I joined Weight Watchers (for the first of 6-7 times). Then I started a 25 year process of yo yo dieting. But I still find their overall approach the best for me and is the basis of what I do now--using MyFitnessPal, MapMyFitness, and my FitBit Charge. Keep in mind that WW originated (back in the dark ages) as a diet for diabetics.
But at the age of near 70 (next week is my BD), and having spent time with two registered dietitians in these past yo yo years, and having tried every SENSIBLE diet (and some that aren’t so sensible) known to man, and read nearly every book written on the subjects of diet and exercise, I have found that I will never succeed if I go LOW carb. It makes me depressed and leaves me with low energy. I go LESS carb, especially the straight sugars. I emphasize lean protein and complex carbs, in that order, and THEN I allow myself starchy veggies, and even a sweet treat now and again. (about once a week, but it’s not a regular thing).
I do ALL of that when I am on target, and I know I'm on target because I log EVERY day (have a 194 day streak on MFP), and I lose weight as would be expected, given the complexity of any in-motion, living organism. And I feel fine. But lately I have just been rebelling against a “new” (6-month old) lifestyle. And I think that I also seem to want to eat heavier, richer things in the fall. It’s partly the habit of holidays, but I think it’s partly a biological response to the encroaching cold and less light.
So, I think your article is sound and is good reading for anyone on this list. And I am definitely drifting to the dark side, so time to “eat more” (of the healthy stuff). I know that I have a good working balance when I'm actually WORKING at good health. I just have fallen into the pity party phase of whining for a while. Also, I noticed that while I was in Disney World two weeks ago and my DAILY STEPS INCREASED by double that I could eat pretty much what I wanted (especially using my “eating more” principle of starting with lean protein, complex carbs, before going to treats, etc.) and I lost 1.5 without trying.
With all these great tips and encouragement, I will be challenging myself to double my steps next week (been in hospital and had a bad drug reaction this week—my week from hell) so can’t start today, because I’m still wobbly. In line with my Disney World experience, I have recently been reading (again) how walking is one of the things you can do to burn calories that does NOT lead to increased hunger, as do standard workouts. So that’s part of it. I love my FitBit Charge, because it keeps me going throughout the entire day, not just during official exercise times. And I will implement several of the tips about preparing stuff ahead (veggies for salad, snack bags, etc.) and planning my menus for each day in advance. And last but certainly NOT least, to listen to my body, to acknowledge that I am not a machine but a living organism, and sometimes there are real reasons to eat a little more as well as a little less to keep the body in good health.
I have to say that one of the things lighting my fire back up again is seeing all the people on this list (and the challenge I did before this one) who have made commitments to health and found ways—no matter how young or HOW OLD--and who continue to find the way that works best for them. And then to see how MANY of you all have been able to lose weight and to then to apparently keep it off. You are all INSPIRATIONS!!!!
Thanks, everyone for the help!!! I feel re-motivated, which addresses the REAL problem this time. 🐵
