Losing Weight

Do you want to live your best life? Do you want to eat better, move more, and lose weight? Then you are in the right place!

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I lost 70 pounds over a year ago and continue to work hard to keep it off (and maybe even lose a few more). In order to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy lifestyle, I'm very mindful of what I eat and my activity level. You can read about My Personal Weight Loss Journey to better understand where I started and how far I've come.

My Weight Loss Journey

Everybody's journey to Losing Weight is unique. There are many tools, techniques, methods, and programs available to help lose weight, some healthier than others. When I started my own journey, I wanted to do it in a way that was sustainable. I knew I would have to do this for the rest of my life to keep the weight off. The Weight Watchers plan works best for me because it matches up well with how I like to eat. I also chose a realistic exercise program. I didn't want to start out working out so hard that I would eventually burn out.

Want to get started right now? Participate in my 5-Day Getting on Track Challenge to help jump-start your own weight loss journey.

Starting Your Own Journey to Losing Weight

Do you want to get started but aren't sure where to start? Is your head spinning with all the diet plans, programs, and techniques? There is no lack of information out there. One says EAT CARBS, the next says CARBS ARE BAD. One says EAT ALL THE PROTEIN and the next warns NO ANIMAL PROTEIN. Confused yet? Yeah, me too. Before we get to what diet plan works best, let's talk about why you want to do this. Why do you want to make a change?

Starting Off on the Right Foot

Before you start anything, you need to understand your motivation and why you want to do it.  The first things to think about are:

• What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals?
• Why do you want to accomplish those goals? What is driving you?

These two things will shape your journey to Losing Weight. When you're struggling, it is so useful to have these things figured out and written down ahead of time. Once you've figured out your “what” and your “why”, you can start thinking about your “how”. But first, it's important to baseline your starting point.

Taking Measurements and “Before” Photos

Before you start on your journey to Losing Weight, take all your current measurements and “Before” photos. You might not be happy with where you are right now and it might be uncomfortable to do so. In a few months, you will be very happy you did. You will be able to look back, see where you started, and be able to measure just how far you've come. Even better, you will be able to see the physical difference between where you started and where you are at any given time in your journey. I have taken lots of progress pictures over time and still do. It's a never-ending journey and nothing is more motivational than to see how far I've come.

How Do You Like to Eat

Do you like to eat only specific foods? Are you a carb fiend? Is protein your jam? Understanding what and how you eat is important in determining what type of weight loss or maintenance plan will work best for you. When I started my journey I knew I wasn't willing to give up my favorite foods. If I had forced myself to do so, I would never have been successful. I incorporated the foods I love into my daily diet and successfully lost my weight.

My advice is to figure out your “how” and then determine which type of plan or program will best mesh with it. There are plenty of plans to choose from and a little research may be necessary. You will find something that works for you. You might initially find something you like only to switch or adapt it over time. That's okay too. Everybody needs to find what works for them and make it their own.

Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More

Once you've determined what program you want to follow, start planning. I do a meal plan for the week that outlines what I'm going to eat for every meal and snack. It allows me to balance out what I'm eating over the week, as well as helps me in grocery shopping. Meal plans are my saving grace.

Exercise and Activity

When I first started my journey, I didn't immediately incorporate exercise into it. I wanted to get comfortable and confident with my eating plan before adding in exercise. Once I did, I also didn't want to do anything I couldn't do over the longterm. In previous weight loss attempts I would be all gung-ho out of the gate working out every day. I would add more and more time to my workout every week until I got to a point where it was no longer sustainable. Between work, life, and exercise, I would burn myself out and give up.

This time around I added in working out 2 to 3 times per week because I knew I could reasonably fit that into my life. It has worked beautifully and I've added in different types of workouts over time. I still stick to 2 to 3 times per week and that is enough.

The other mistake people make is thinking they can out-work-out their diet. No matter how hard you work out, if you don't eat well, you will not be successful. You cannot out-train a bad diet.

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Still feeling overwhelmed? I'm here to help you get started. Participate in my 5-Day Getting on Track Challenge to help jump-start your own weight loss journey.