I remember when I gained the Freshman 15 in college and I lost it all by eating 2,000 calories a day and exercizing (actually JAZZERCIZING!) only three times per week. It was so easy to lose the weight that I gained, and virtually painless. This quick gain- quick loss cycle lasted for much of my twenties. Now that I am in my 30s, I learned that to become the weight I want to be (the lower end of my recommended weight range) I have to eat no more than1400 calories per day. Once I attain my goal weight, I will have to eat only 1700 calories per day, or risk gaining all the weight I lost back. (To view the recommended calories for your ideal weight click here) This means no more quesadillas (700 calories), chicken wings (1,000) calories, etc. etc. How can anyone live a happy life while depriving themselves of all yummy fattening food for the rest of their life? Well, the truth is, once you lose a large amount of weight, your lifestyle and eating habits will have to change whether you want them to or not. Truth is, once your metabolism has slowed down, there is nothing you can do about it, and weight maintenance is absolutely necessary. This weight maintenance will have to last for the rest of your life.
According to Men’s Health May 2011 edition, according to a study by the National Weight Control Registry, to keep weight off you must do the following five things religiously:
1. Exercise at least an hour day every day
2. Follow a low-fat, low-sugar, low- calorie diet
3. Follow the same diet almost every day
4. Minimize TV watching (get outside!)
5. Eat breakfast
What? No way. Numbers 1-3 are incredibly depressing. Work out at least an hour every day? Who has the time? I can barely get to the gym 3-4 days per week! Also, who wants to eat the same thing every day? This really doesn’t allow for guilt-free vacations, special occasions, or that time of year between November and January that we call the holidays.
Men’s Health actually recommends the following more attainable goals:
- Weigh yourself regularly
- Plan your meals.
- Make a list before you shop. This will help stop you from straying from your diet on the Twinkie aisle.
- Drink a lot of water.This may or may not necessarily fill you up and assist in weight loss, but it can serve as a reminder to deter you from in-between meal over-snacking.
- Eat the same number of meals per day
- Eat a well balanced meal of fruits, vegetables and lean protein.
- Follow a consistent exercise routine.
- Remind yourself to follow your weight loss regime.
- Reward yourself for achieving your weight loss goals (just not with Haagen Dazs)
- Celebrate your accomplishments.
According to Web MD, eating less will not shrink your stomach, but it will alter your natural level of hunger so that you need less food to feel fulfilled. This is a nice bonus to limiting your food intake. Also, check with your doctor to make sure that none of the medications you may be taking have weight gain listed as a possible side effect. You would be surprised how many doctors prescribe medicine without mentioning possible weight gain.
There are also several applications for smart phones that can help you count calories (like My Fitness Pal for IPhone). Even an actual written food diary can help. You would be surprised how many calories you are actually eating, and how fast it can add up. Even if you think you are eating healthy. Keeping track of the calories I consume has been the most effective tool in my personal weight loss.
Follow the tips listed above and you should be able to fit in to your special bikini, Speedo, or whatever kind of swimwear floats your sailboat, for the rest of your life; and maybe even sneak in a quesadilla every now and then.
A very special thanks to Terry Williams; a male Girly-Girl fan, who provided the magazine article in Men’s Health which inspired this post.
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