70 reasons to change your mindset around the word “diet”
I’ve been on every diet you can think of… Atkins, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, counting calories, cutting out sugar - even that cabbage soup diet… remember that one? I would lose 10 pounds here, gain 20 there, and so on… and so on… and so on. I was the poster child for the yo yo dieter. But no matter what I did, the weight always seemed to come creeping back.
Eventually - I just stopped trying. I figured, this is where my body wanted to be. I was never unhappy with my body, despite the ridiculous amount of pressure and unrealistic standards set by our culture and the media. Personally, I think all sizes, all shapes, all colors are beautiful and should be cherished (and clothing should be made to fit all those sizes, and be just as beautiful as they are - but I’ll save that rant for another day). But, I always had a little nagging fear about some health concerns. We have heart disease, diabetes and some cancer in our family. So, those fears are founded (unlike many other fears that swirl around in my head - do you feel me?)
Nearly two years ago, a doctor uttered that dreaded phrase, “pre-diabetes.” It scared me. It really scared me. You see, not only had I stopped trying to lose weight - I kind of had gone on a full-out spree of eating and drinking whatever I wanted, with no thought of the consequences. Kind of like the King Henry VIII of my time, if I were male or a king.
Not only had I not lost any weight, I had gained and gained. I was the heaviest I had ever been. All of that had taken a toll…on my glucose levels, my cholesterol, my heart… I knew I had to make a change. I couldn’t think of it as a “diet” any more. Luckily I had an amazing doctor who recommended I see a weight loss specialist.
So I said yes. I took the leap (I’ve been taking a lot of leaps over the last few years!). I made the appointment, and I haven’t looked back.
Both of these women are me. I am confident, happy, successful in both. But I am now healthy, confident, happy and successful in the on on the right.
So many people have asked me what I did, and I think the biggest thing was to change my mindset. Diet is a dirty word. This wasn’t about a diet, this was changing my lifestyle. So that’s my first word of advice to anyone who asks:
Know you have to be ready. Know this change is forever.
Secondly, you have to create a plan that is going to work for YOU. Don’t just jump into the latest and greatest fad. What is going to fit into your life? What is going to work with your triggers? (Like, I can’t handle being deprived of anything completely. I’ll obsess, and then binge).
Just because something works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to be the right thing for YOU.
Ok.. with that out of the way, I’m happy to share what my doctor and I came up with that has worked for ME. So far I’m 71.2 pounds down. I am no longer anywhere near that “pre-diabetes” level. My cholesterol is in the normal range. And I have a new lease on life, and an excuse to go shopping. :)
1: Hydrate
I drink 80 Oz of Water a day
2: What You’d Expect for Breakfast and Lunch
Low calorie
Low fat
Low carb (no more than 30 carbs per meal
My meals for breakfast are typically eggs, a protein shake, greek yogurt and berries. Nothing too fancy! I stay away from sandwiches, toast, bacon (unless it’s turkey or Canadian bacon). but I am human - sometimes I just have to have the bacon. Extra, extra crispy.
Lunch is typically a salad with some sort of protein, a small or half sandwich, or a broth based soup. I always have lots of veggies, and try to add in a fruit too!
Note: fruits need to be whole, and fresh. Any dried fruit or blended fruit breaks down into sugar, and you lose all the benefits of eating the fruit (according to my nutritionist), so no fruit smoothies.
3: No Carbs After 6
Ok… this is the hard one. I haven’t had carbs after 6 in two years, except for on 3 occasions. (and I remember every minute of those 3 occasions). When I say carbs, I mean all carbs. This includes fruits, starchy veggies (no corn, no peas, no butternut squash, etc.).
But, because I CAN have some carbs before 6, I don’t feel deprived. It’s just become habit now! My dinners are normally a lean protein - like salmon, shrimp, filet mignon (for my fancy nights!), ground turkey, all with a side of veggies.
I also recently discovered a company called, Catered Fit, that delivers pre-made meals for all sorts of diets including paleo and keto. I have been using the Keto meals for dinners, since they’re all less than 10 carbs, yet still low in calories and fat - and easy to heat up in 2 minutes! (They’re pretty yummy too).
4: Medication
My doctor also thought I could benefit from a medication to kick off my journey. Again, this is not going to be right for everyone, and my results might not be the same for everyone! But she put me on a stimulant and appetite suppressant called, Qsymia. I do think it helped in the very beginning to make it easier to transition from my old way of eating to the new way! But, I also think it’s possible to do this without!
5: Working out
I did not start working out until a year ago. I was actually shocked when my doctor told me that exercise actually isn’t what helps you to lose weight - that’s the diet piece… But it WILL help you to maintain. At the time (once I got over my shock!), I was super grateful, because I don’t think I would have been able to incorporate any other changes into my life in the beginning!
Now, I work out nearly every day, right from the comfort of my own home with Beach Body. The only judgement I get here is from my cat Binxley, who has a tendency to stare me down until I’m finished. (He’s a strange little cat).
There are days where it’s definitely hard to push play - but the thing that makes it easier is having a little online support group of fabulous women who keep each other accountable. They’ll call me out if I’m not online sharing my sweaty selfie - and I do the same to them. So, get yourself a group of friends to be your cheerleaders.
And that’s it. Nothing earth shattering. Nothing you haven’t heard before. It’s really all about taking that leap, changing your mindset, and forgetting all about those four little letters: D I E T.