I did it! I finally made it to my goal weight! Well, that is almost true. I had a goal weight of 115, but when x-smalls, 0 & 2 size clothing got to be too big (mostly cuz I'm so short), I decided I might need to re-evaluate my end goal. So I'm quite happy at my 119...a weight I haven't seen since I was about 16. It's nicely within a healthy BMI for my height and I think it should be sustainable, which is really the key thing. Since diabetes runs in my family I feel extra motivated as I don't want to be poking insulin needles into my belly every day.
It took me nearly 8 months to lose 22 pounds (having a wedding and honeymoon in the middle of that didn't help, I must say). I suppose I gotta put up the requisite "Befo
re" and "After" photos.
I thought a comparison from our engagement photos to our wedding photos would be apt. Ooo. Even now, looking at these two side-by-side, I'm rethinking my decision to post this. Ack! But I really want to be able to look at this a year from now and say that I've maintained my goal weight. Because ultimately, it's not about losing it so much as it is learning to be healthy and staying that way.
And I gotta say the hardest part about being healthy is being social! I have no problem eating right when I'm at home, cooking dinner for just me and Toby. It's when we go out to eat at restaurants with friends (especially when margaritas are involved....all self-control goes straight out the window and chips and salsa go straight into my belly!) or to our families' houses for dinner that it gets tough. And people don't always respect the fact that others are trying to lose weight. It's always "have another helping" or "you have to try the chocolate souffle" or they lay out the spread of tempting, fantastical delights without a single veggie in sight. I think because for a lot of people food = love. They want to please you, so they make their best dishes which are so yummy because they're filled with all the sinful things that taste so good. So it's hard to turn down lovingly made comfort food because it is actually personal. People put time and effort and love into the food as a proxy for giving love to you. Turning it down is tantamount to rejecting them as well.
I've resorted to such sneakery to deal with this too. When going to visit others, I offer to bring a plate acting like I'm trying to help them out, when ultimately it's because I'm trying to get in enough veggies for the day, and want to have a low-fat option at the dinner table so I can politely nibble on the butter and cheese loaded pasta without starving myself. And I invite others over for dinner, rather than going out to restaurants, so I can cook a scrumptious seafood feast that also just happens to be waist-hip-and-butt friendly. Rather than the cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory, we have raspberry creme brulee from Trader Joe's for dessert. My guests think I'm serving something rich and divine, meanwhile I'm still on plan. Honestly, I don't think Toby would have survived my change in diet if I couldn't make healthy food still taste good. Lucky for me herbs and spices don't add calories. :)
So I'm still on my journey. I've reached a milestone, but I'll really be measuring success by whether a month from now, a year from now, or 10 years from now I've still managed to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
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Good for you! I'm so proud of you and you look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteAww...thank you! :}
ReplyDeleteDo you have the same problem going out to eat, or does it not affect you? You work out at the gym a lot, right? Are there other things you do to stay slim? I've heard quite a few people say once you hit 25 it suddenly gets harder, I was just wondering if you'd had that too.
I think maybe my biggest problem eating out is paying attention to that little inner voice that says I'm full--especially if I've had any alcohol, my taste buds are still saying they want more, and everyone else is still munching away.
Congrats Jade, that's great! If you don't mind, I'll answer your questions you asked Nicole. When I am really in "diet" mode, my trick for eating is to just always get a salad. Or if I really really want something else, only eat half of what's on the plate. If you're really afraid of eating the other half, just sprinkle salt all over what's left on your plate. Wasteful, I know...but it will keep you from eating the other half and/or having another semi-crap filled leftover meal the next day. For drinking, find a drink you love that is low in calories...I recently discovered a drink I like: vodka soda (not tonic, which has about 80 calories for a cup), with a splash of cranberry juice, and some lime thrown in there. Not as good as a lemon drop, but it saves about 250 calories PER DRINK! I also just bought a Bodybugg (I wrote about it in a recent blog). It's perfect for me because I can track all calories online, so it then becomes a game...and some may call me competitive :) Anyway, let me know if you have any more questions, although with a 22 lb loss it seems you're doing pretty well!
ReplyDeleteThank you and thanks for the tips! Yeah on the alcohol front, I'm seriously addicted to mojitos and margaritas (and once I start I can't have just one--and there's like 1/2 a day's calories in a good sized margarita), but I think I just need to be better about choosing wine or beer instead.
ReplyDeleteIn your area are you able to go out and order salads that are really just good plain ol' salads? Cuz most restaurants here I find the salads are so loaded with cheese, meat, nuts and god knows what else, and they don't offer fat-free dressings...that I might as well have just ordered a steak and be done with it. Steaks can be so filling I've sometimes found them to actually be better than the seemingly "healthy" option.
I think I might try that salt technique. I'm already cringing at the thought of all that salt which suggests to me it might actually work really well!
I find that most places have a caesar salad, usually with chicken or shrimp. So if there's nothing else I'll get that, with the dressing on the side. Otherwise I just order whatever they have with modifications (like I'll ask for half the normal amount of cheese).
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