Me, my husband and my little bitty baby aka “before”

As I mentioned in my previous blog exercise is not the most effective way to lose weight. Now, will it help you lose weight? Sure! Exercise is a nice way to slightly offset calorie consumption. However if it’s the choice between not eating a 300 calorie food and doing high intensity exercise for an hour you’re expending less energy not eating that food. I am certainly not a doctor or nutritionist but I can tell you what conventional wisdom worked for me and I am certainly qualified in that respect. I had to lose 60+ pounds twice after two pregnancies. I completely fell into the trap of low calorie low fat frozen foods, snacks, ice cream treats, drinks, you name it. I also started to totally over do it working out and set myself back by constant injury.

After cycling through this horrible routine for too long I slowly began to change where I got my information. I transitioned from fad workouts and fad diet sites and magazines – with really mostly just commercial interests – and began to look at more credible sites and publications and books. They were more focused on whole foods and whole body health not just selling ads or diets by exploiting people. Anything with a super skinny person touting how you too can be that skinny by whatever means are mentioned is a very red flag. I began to read labels on the food I bought and realized that it was full of chemicals. I did my homework researching what ingredients actually were. This also encouraged me to buy and make my own food using whole ingredients since I already knew what was in it and it drastically reduced time spent at the store trying to figure out what xanthan gum was and if it produces cancer in lab rats (it doesn’t).

This of course coincided with my children eating solid foods and I in no way wanted to put chemicals into their new little bodies. I treated myself like a test subject in my own personal study. I observed and recorded my data including calories, weight and body measurements. This helped me to look at things more objectively without judgement or emotion. This approach worked well for awhile, I was able to tailor my diet based on the data and I got a better handle on what it felt like to have the appropriate amount of calories that were healthy ones. However the thing that helped me the most was patience. Losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way takes a lot of time.

My sister and myself or “after”

Since lists are like catnip (if people were cats) I will enumerate a few things that have worked for me at one time or another. Now please please please do not think that one of these actions will totally work for you always. We are all different people, what works for one person is not going to work for another. We’re even different people as individuals. What worked for me at some points were no longer effective at other points. This was (and still is) due to physiological changes as well as lifestyle changes and adaptations and a slew of other factors discernible and non discernible. What is paramount is that you find something that you can sustainably do AND that is not super overwhelming to start (or continue).

• Tracking calories – now this one is a bit easier these days due to apps. I’m not going to endorse any particular one but when I first began to use one it was because my husband and sister were. Being connected helped us to keep each other accountable. In addition the badges and rewards, while at first I thought were pretty dumb, turned into an incentive. Especially when comparing them to my (competitors) friends. This didn’t work for me forever but it was very helpful to initially understand how many calories I was taking in and learning to satiate myself with lower calorie healthier fare. Speaking of:
• Substitutions – for me this went hand in hand with analyzing how many calories I was taking in. Simply taking in less calories is not always feasible because you may still be super hungry and no one likes that. I looked into ways to decrease the calories in the dishes I liked by making healthy, whole food substitutions (Hint: this involved adding fruits and vegetables). I also drank a lot more water. Really this could be number one – drinking water. It’s really important to drink water. Did I mention the water. Water water water.
•  Healthy fats are the best – please don’t drink water milk or eat water cheese or any low cal anything really. Foods that are artificially low calorie versions of themselves come at a cost. Most often it’s vitamins, minerals and satiating healthy fats. You also get added sugar, salt, chemicals……it’s gross.
• Eat slowly – mindful eating sounds hippy dippy but it really makes a difference when you savor your bites and take time to chew them. Notice how you feel. You may notice after taking your time and paying attention you will require less. Most of the time we see eating everything that is set before us as a goal. Really the goal is to eat till you feel full (or close to full). Since it takes time for your brain to realize you’re full, eating slower will give your brain time to figure out that you’re done.

I could put so much more in here but really that would miss the point. At the core of it being healthy through nutrition boils down to three things: 1. Drinking water 2. Eating healthy whole foods you cook yourself 3. Not eating when you’re full. At least in my experience anyway.

My next blog will be the first in an ongoing series that will discuss the fundamentals of Pilates. It will focus on lateral breathing.