‘If it Ain’t Broke…Fix it Anyways!'

As everyone knows, summer is right around the corner (unless you’re from New England where summer was a few weeks ago and now we’re thrown back into the thrusts of a cold spring). This is one of my favorite times of year when the trees begin to turn green again, when the flowers pop their little heads through the (currently dusty and dry) dirt, and when skinny people start to wear less clothing to make it that much more obvious that they are perfectly fit (I promise, I’m only mildly bitter...)

However this spring is going to be a different one for me. Just like mother natures recreates itself this time each year-I decided I am going to follow suit! I think throughout any process in life, especially the process of weight-loss and maintenance, we have to recreate ourselves occasionally to make sure we are the best we can be.

When we discover the foods that work at ‘keeping the bulge at bay’, many times we tend to stick to these foods and don’t seek out new alternatives… Maybe this is a hidden, and extremely late New Year’s Resolution, but I have to mix up my eating.

Recently I have done a mini evaluation of what I eat, and the results aren't good (sounds extremely scientific doesn't it?). Now don’t get me wrong, I eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, and try to always stay within my ‘points allowance’ each day-standard maintenance qualities per being an old Weight Watchers member that continues forging down the road of maintenance no longer going to WW meetings. However, in evaluating what I eat I realized that I eat wayyyy too many carbohydrates and wayyyy too little protein.

Part of maintenance is preserving and upholding the healthy body you have worked so hard for. The way I’ve been eating doesn’t exemplify this. For example, I would literally go days without having any protein at all (insert my box of whole wheat elbows lasting me for two and a half days’ worth of lunch and dinners [with cereal as my breakfast] while my hubby-to-be was away...I was literally living in carb paradise!)

Any way you look at it however, that is NOT HEALTHY! So in classic ‘Rachel’ fashion, I went 180* the opposite way and decided that I was going to do a low-carb, high-fat eating regimen called the ‘Wheat Belly.’ Now in an effort to be entirely transparent, I have never been a huge proponent of a low-carb diet. From a maintenance perspective-maintaining a lifestyle like that forever (which is the ultimate goal in maintenance) is nearly impossible (I digress, yes-some people are successful but I believe it's rare). Additionally, keeping with the total transparency thing here, I found ‘Wheat Belly’ because I have had some stomach issues that not one freaken doctor on this side of the Mississippi seem to be able to diagnose, even after quite the myriad of tests. Therefore, I decided I would cut out WHEAT all together hopefully resolving my stomach issues...Oh, did I forget to mention this all began just this past Monday evening!

Fast forward to today, where in the last three days I have been on, I think, roughly 3 different eating plans. On Tuesday, I went low-carb and high-fat everythinnnggg. Let’s just say my body couldn’t handle it-I felt like $#!T and ultimately ‘quit’ 23 hours into it and gorged on reduced fat crackers-an ugly site, likely comparable to a drug addict getting their much needed fix!

Wednesday is when the realization hit me like a ton of bricks (in the form of tiny pep talks from my fiancé and two of my best friends). They helped me remind myself that, “this is maintenance, moderation is key!” Moderation is key…if I had a nickel for every time I heard that I would have more money than those damn mega millions winners-but they're right! Not just hearing this concept but absorbing it is pertinent!

In an effort to find true moderation, I am going to drastically cut back on my wheat to see if it helps my stomach, but other than that I’m going to restructure my eating so that it is truly balanced.

For this reason, I have decided to rejoin Weight Watchers for two months (honestly, they’re running a deal right now that is pretty amazing and the couponer in me just can’t resist!) I want to learn their new plan. WW’s new plan takes into account: total carbs, total fat, fiber, and protein. The plan my current eating is structured around is only taking into account: calories, fat, and fiber. I believe that my body deserves, and needs, a more comprehensive and balanced diet.

In the weight loss world I consider myself an old dog, and this old dog is hell bent on learning some new tricks! My first meeting is tonight and I’m excited…I’m eager to learn as much as I can, hear other people’s stories, and just see what meetings and the plan are like now...years later. We all need a good swift kick in the butt every now and again, and tonight is going to be mine! Trust me, maintainers all know how to eat healthy, but a refresher course can never hurt...

I have long lived under the mantra of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it;’ but just because it ‘ain’t broke’ doesn’t mean that if you don’t try to tune it up, it won’t run better!

Here is a challenge I pose for each of you: evaluate what you’re eating! Yes, you may be successfully maintaining or losing weight, but is it from a balanced, healthy, diet? This is the one time to be a bit critical on yourself! Envision a nutritionist evaluating what your normal day-to-day eating is like, what would they say? [Only envision a nice, caring, thin/healthy nutritionist though ;) ….I hate nutritionists that give their ‘healthy advice’ but are extremely overweight themselves-so frustrating!] What did you find, and what would you consider changing? What tips would you lend to others struggling to find balance and moderation?

Until next time...keeping the bulge at bay!

Prep-A-Plenty Potluck

Who doesn’t love a good ole potluck dinner? Well, I for one love them! My college friends and I try to have a potluck dinner at least once a month, and let me just say, they have made quite the upgrade from the college days of mismatched plates, no silverware, and practically using a tennis racket as a strainer (ok, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but let me tell you-desperate times called for desperate measures).

My fiancé and I hosted the most current potluck last Saturday and the food was beyond delectable…salad with candied pecans, homemade tomato bisque, hotdog and bean casserole, tomato and mozzarella pasta  salad, tons of bread (three different loaves-a carbaholic's dream), veggies and dip, and lasagna cups-not to mention the Budweiser, Sam Adams, Guinness, and wine that was flowing like a river!

Knowing that the potluck was occurring that evening, I made sure to get a work out in during the day. Of course timing wise it occurred right when a few guys were arriving early to play cards… allow me to set the scene for you… envision me flat on my back in the living room, legs in a dreadful 90 degree angle with a stability ball in between going back and forth as fast as possible- all while three guys walk right in to begin playing setback with my fiancé …attractive thought right?...ooyvey!

My $9.99 version of P90X...I'm cheap, what can I say? (GREAT workouts though!)

Beyond working out, many of you have mentioned that if you don’t splurge once in a while, then it isn’t true maintenance and maintaining is going to be that much harder…and I absolutely agree! However, I have had a lot of ‘splurges’ lately (insert the three previous posts on coping with food coma from my sister’s wedding related festivities), therefore, this potluck was not the time to splurge. I will say however, I gave everything a try-and it was all devilishly good!

The key for me to eat healthy at what could be called a potluck ‘pound increaser,' is to ensure that there are things present that I can eat as much as I want of. To accomplish this feat I made sure there was a snack that I could munch on while preparing my main dish. This also is a little safety trick I have that keeps me from test-tasting everyone dishes before they hit the table (I mean, it’s someone’s job to make sure all the dishes are edible for human consumption, no?)

Here you can see the veggies and fat-free dip that I munched on while everyone was arriving (honestly, I started my veggie munch-o-mania long before people arrived but who needs to know that little detail...).

Now for my entrée, I found this recipe long ago and tried it for the first time at this gathering. Let me tell you, this recipe is going to be a staple in my weekly meals from now on-who doesn’t want lasagna that you can eat with your hands?!? And to make it even better,  I cut down the calories and fat even more than the recipe (fat free instead of reduced fat cheeses, extra lean ground turkey, and heart healthy low calorie pasta sauce).

Are you salivating yet?

I added a lot of veggies to the sauce to make it more ‘gusty’ and even that much more filling and healthy (two words that many dieters claim don’t coincide-FALSE!). This sauce, with all its gutsy splendor, is guaranteed to satisfy your stomach and your waist measurement!  (Add veggies to it that you like-the more you customize it to your taste, the more likely you are to stay on track.)

Two layers of  wontons, ricotta, sauce, and finally mozzarella cheese

I have learned recently that muffin and/or cupcake tins (I used cupcake tins) are really great ways to create innate PORTION CONTROL! You know exactly how much is in each cup (in my version of these lasagna cups there is about 120 calories per lasagna cup!!).

Final Product!!

They look good, taste good, and are good for you! -I know,  this sounds like an infomercial…and you, YES YOU-can make these amazing lasagna cups for a simple onetime payment of 9.95 ;)

Any who, after the potluck I took one to work with a side of yogurt to have as my lunch on Monday-it was fabulous and completely satisfying as a lunch too. However, my fiancé keeps referring to these as ‘amazing snacks’ (2 bites and one is gone)…trust me-he’s wrong (like all men are haha), but these are healthy enough that if you want more than one-you’re good to go…

Here is the link to the recipe I based my version off of: http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2010/11/04/petite-lasagnas/

Overall, just like in life, we must pick our battles. We all have battled our weight and are winning the war. However, there are daily battles we must choose to fight or to pass. Due to the mouth-watering indulgences I have allowed myself to have lately I decided the potluck was a time for me to fold the cards dealt to me rather then going all in. I filled my plate half with salad,  had very small portions of all the other delights that were present, and had two of my lasagna cups. Fill-up on what you know, and take small risks on what you are not sure about...this will undoubtedly lead to success.

Please share, what are some of your sure fire recipes that you lean on when you want to ‘be good’ at a meal or gathering? I have more recipes I will try to share with you all soon!

Until next time, keeping the bulge at bay…

Too Tired, Too Busy, Too Stressed, Too Sick…

I don’t know about you, but sometimes working out can be quite a drag. Therefore, some of us tend to find any excuse in the book to avoid working out-I’m… too busy…too tired…too stressed…too sick... (sometimes too sick is true though-I worked out last Thursday and have been sounding and feeling like a leathery old smoker with all the hacking and coughing ever since-pleasant thought, no?)

I am the type of person that loves physical activities that have working out hiding in them. For example, kayaking, hiking, snow-shoeing, swimming, volleyball, etc. These activities have the dreaded word 'workout' camouflaged within them. There is nothing more that I HATE than having to act like a gerbil by running on a machine that never allows you to actually GET ANYWHERE! But the activities listed previously have always been part of my routine and will be forever-I love them! However, they aren't activities that can easily be done daily. As you will see, my daily workout regimens have evolved more than even Darwin could imagine…allow me to explain….

• I used to run at least a 5k four times a week (outside only of course-no treadmills for me!). However, due to my height (about 5'10'') my knees are not strong enough for me to continue being a ‘runner.’ I did love running (especially formal road races), but one knee surgery later and a pending second on the horizon, has forced me to find alternate ways to exercise.
• The gym…oh god, the gym. I have had memberships to over four different gyms and have gone on and off to each of them at different times over about a 4 to 5 year period. However, I can now freely admit (and let me tell you it took a lot of self-reflection to be able to admit this to myself...) I HATE the gym! It is the whole additional ‘work’ part of working out that I don’t like. Having to make it a job to grab my water bottle, iPod, towel, head phones, keys, and wallet; then actually DRIVE all the way to the gym. Hell, I hate the commute to work and they PAY me to be there-I definitely am not going to like a ‘commute’ to the place where I PAY them to allow me to use their gerbil wheels. This is not fun for me and is too much ‘extra work’ to add to the physical work that I want and need to get.
• Yoga by video. I have never tried yoga in a studio before because I’m too nervous to go to a class and look like an idiot, or have the room silent and I am the one that will suddenly fart or something (probably a ridiculous fear but, hey-it is what it is haha) Yoga by video was not my thing...but I am open to other forms of yoga-I feel like I would like them-eventually I will try them...someday ;)
• Nothing. For the first few months of my first ‘adult’ job, I would do hikes or walks on the weekends; but certainly nothing on a regular, daily, basis. To add insult to injury, I sit at a desk all day-five days a week and it caused me to be too tired (insert excuse here) to want to drag my ass to the gym to swim or pretend I am a proverbial rodent running on a wheel. I am very strict on my eating so I wasn’t really gaining weight, but I was getting (and continue to get) headaches from sitting alllllll dayyyyy lonnnnnnnnnng. My doctor told me frankly that I have to get up and move around more during the day. This led me to find the workout that I LOVE….
• I LOVE WORK OUT VIDEOS!! I am currently doing the ‘Supreme 90 Day’ Workout (only $10 from Bed Bath & Beyond-who would of thought?!?). But I do it at a healthy pace for me. This means I try to do it 4 or 5 days a week, however I have NOT been that successful lately because I'm sick...I know, it's an excuse...but I'm feeling a bit better today and am planning on starting back up tomorrow!
  
        These videos work for me because I am ‘home’ up until the second I start, and can go do the dishes or eat dinner the second I am done. Essentially, there is no ‘extra commute’ to work out via video, thank god!
  I have only been doing work out videos for a couple of months now, but I do have to say that I thoroughly enjoy them. I feel like I am getting a personal trainer for free! I should note however, this works for me because I am very regimented and a self-motivator [most of the time… ;) ] When the guy in the video says “only you cheat yourself...work harder, who wants this healthy body more?!?” I sometimes literally say out loud-I WANT IT MORE!!!

Working out is about finding the right thing that will work for you. There are millions of ways to get some good physical activity incorporated into your day. However, there is not one perfect solution for everyone. What one person hates, another person loves. And if you are like me, someone who did not grow up as an athletic individual, it may take you awhile to find what works best for you and your lifestyle (note: this workout may change as your life changes as well). I don’t always have a great workout, and if I miss a work out (or five), I just try to get back on board.

It's the same as eating poorly for a few days then having to start to eat healthy again. As hard as it may be to start back up, for maintenance it is necessary. It's hard, even excruciatingly hard sometimes for me to get back to working out regularly; but at the end of the day-I am accountable to no one but myself.
Only I know whether I am doing my best or not, and trust me, I WANT IT MORE!

Until next time, keeping the bulge at bay…

Falling Off the 'Healthy' Wagon…

Well, as any fellow maintainer can attest to, I fell off the ‘healthy’ wagon this past weekend. I found myself doing really well during the day light hours and then gorging myself at night (and let me tell you, the leftover Valentine’s Days Reese’s and pretzels were to die for)! I tried to justify that it’s OK to have a bit of a treat because of the 80/20 theory to maintaining weight; however lying in bed stuffing pretzels and Reese’s into my mouth while watching the movie ‘Signs’ probably doesn't exactly fit the theory per se (maybe I can use the excuse of emotional eating because I was watching a scary movie?!? …scary movie+nervous emotions=eating more?!? If excuses could burn calories, I sometimes think I would be fit enough to be in the Olympics!)

For those of you who don't know, the theory of '80/20' is that 80% of the time you are good-meaning you eat healthy, and 20% of the time you are allowed to have a bit of a splurge-nothing TOO crazy though! I try to really stick to this concept in general because I have found that depriving yourself of those few treats can actually make you gorge on those treats at another point (insert the massacre of Reese’s with their fallen solider Reese wrappers all over the bedroom). In a previous blog, I mentioned that splurging can be a slippery slope because having one chip can lead to suddenly being at the bottom of the bag and not remembering how you got there! Adversely however, if you deprive-deprive-deprive yourself and then suddenly allow yourself one bite-you may not be able to STOP! I usually allow myself to have small bites of the foods I really want, and those small bites here and there tend to keep the pounds and ‘gorging demons’ at bay! This works because the small bites here and there keep me from feeling entirely deprived of those foods. This is MY version of the 80/20; everyone must find a system that works for them!

However, this weekend was probably more like 60/40 for me, and though I was disappointed in myself I have to remember to climb back on that god damn healthy wagon; and yes, sometimes the ladder to climb back on seems longer and more painful than it does at other times! Don’t let the fact that your health food wagon lost one of its wheels and axles (right after going through the drive through of McDonald’s) stop you from fixing it and moving onward and upward.

After eating poorly, people who are trying desperately to maintain have the tendency to feel as though “S#!+, that’s it, I’m going to be large and in charge again!” But that ISN’T the case (I constantly have to remind myself of this)! After eating poorly this weekend I was lying in bed half asleep and I remember rolling over and having my arm brush against my stomach. I actually thought to myself, ‘wow, it’s not already fat again!’

One or two slip ups aren’t going to pack the pounds back on as long as you get back to being ‘good.’ When I was going to weight watchers meetings I heard a lifetime member who had been maintaining for years say, “If you gain 5 pounds get back on track, if you gain 10 go back to a meeting.” I wholeheartedly believe that only you are responsible for your own health, and if you live by this rule, you CAN and WILL succeed in maintaining!

Trying to maintain weight loss isn’t about being perfect 100% of the time. Instead, it’s about finding a healthy balance in eating; which is why 80/20 tends to work beautifully for some former ‘fluffy’ people, like myself, that are trying to keep the bulge at bay (however, the creamy salad dressing, tons of honey glazed bread, and huge bowl of pasta I had on Friday night probably isn't the best way to exemplify this theory...or to start off my weekend)…. 

Until next time, back on the healthy wagon and continuing to try to keep the bulge at bay...

DO Make a Mountain out of a Mole Hill!

For those of you who have shrunken your muffin tops to the size of a ‘mini-muffin’ as if it were a scene out of ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’, it is very likely you have noticed changes in your everyday life since losing the weight. Having your jeans feel looser, or friends/relatives noticing your weight loss is an obvious change and should give you a jolt of self-confidence (which usually lasts about 1 minute due to your skinnier, taller, and prettier friend having walked in the room)! However, these are merely the obvious changes that folks think about.

People who have never had to struggle with their weight don’t entirely understand that there are things that happen in people’s daily routines that ‘fluffy people’ (my favorite term for people fighting the battle of the bulge) can’t do or struggle with doing. Noticing and consciously recognizing these changes, as minute as they may be, is an integral part of embracing and celebrating maintenance.

For example, when I go to the doctor’s office these days I find my own small jolt of self-confidence in the visit. No, I am not referring to seeing the number on the scale being in a range I never thought it would be, and I also am not referring to my doctor saying that I am in a perfectly healthy BMI (body max index) range for my height.  These are definitely wonderful feats and trust me, I celebrate them often! However, I am referring to the self-confidence I attain from getting my blood pressure taken! Again, I am not referring to the medical results of the doctor squeezing my arm so tight that it feels as though it may just POP off my shoulder! Instead, I am speaking to the small victory that I no longer need the doctor to try to fit the “normal” person’s blood pressure cuff onto my arm out of politeness then say, “Oh, let me just try one a bit bigger…” A BIT BIGGER? Really? I wonder which chip gets bequeathed the honor of being the defining one to send me from a ‘normal’ cuff to the “bit bigger” cuff-the FLUFFY person’s cuff?!?

These small, every day, experiences stay with you long after the weight is gone-and then some…

Now, I go into the doctor’s office and sometimes the “normal” cuff is too BIG and I need the small one! In fact, it is the feeling of having the doctor put the normal cuff around my arm recently that made me decide I HAD to write this blog! Little incidents like these are a DAILY occurrence for someone who is trying to maintain their weight and these occurrences should be valued and celebrated. You SHOULD make a mountain out of these small mole hills! These mole hills should be given recognition in a new positive light because if they aren’t; the old memories will remain sedentary in the negative shadows in your mind.

Another example is that I used to own tons of earrings.  The reason I had an addiction to earrings is because they were, as I always joked, “one size fits all!” (which is a term that people who struggle with their weight know is the biggest lie since Bill Clinton said he ‘did not have relations with that woman’).  Now, when I borrow a friend’s bracelet or ring it is a mole hill that I consider a mountain! To go from being anxious to even try on a bracelet around my friends because I knew it wouldn’t fit-to trying any and all jewelry on is something I am proud to celebrate!

Weight loss and maintenance is not easy, and no one ever said it would be. Whether it is wearing jewelry, having a smaller blood pressure ‘cuff of death’ at the doctor’s, buying a size smaller shoe (yes, your feet lose weight too!), or simply being able to see your toes again while standing straight up-these are milestones that MUST be celebrated (and no, do NOT celebrate them by eating a piece of cake haha!). Every time I experience a little flash back to the chubby days and see how my life has changed today I just take a moment to bask in it. I think about where I’ve come from and how hard I worked for it; and I will be damned if I don’t take a second to reflect upon my accomplishments! But please note, I reflect these accomplishments many times internally-I’m not sure people would entirely comprehend my love/hate relationship with a blood pressure cuff while sitting in an emotionally sterile doctor’s office! ;)

Remember, celebrate we will-because life is short but sweet for certain…

Until next time, trying to keep the bulge at bay!

Trying Not to Burst Your Belt OR Your Wallet…

“Hello, my name is Rachel, and I am a couponer!”

Yes, I will proudly stand up and admit my addiction to couponing. Couponing has saved my fiancé and I a lot of money (they say [whoever they is] 1 hour of couponing can equal $100 in your pocket)! But, it is not always easy eating as healthy as possible with a grocery list that adapts itself weekly to only the items that are on sale. I pride myself on getting the best deals every week, but sometimes trying not to break the bank could lead to breaking out the next size up jeans (damn that deal on Cape Cod chips and Cheez-Its...epic fail). These types of foods are commonly on sale in the grocery store, which combined with the matching manufacturer coupons create deals that can get you sometimes up to 75% off (or in one case the store paid me 50 cents to take the item home-I bought three-LOVE IT!). Anyway, couponing on a healthy diet isn’t always the easiest thing to do-but it can be done!

But first, there is one thing that anyone who is trying to eat healthy and save money should know. You must find unusual ways to save money and calories; yet be just as satisfied as you would have been if you had eaten a gallon of Rocky Road. For example, think about freezing low-calorie yogurt or even better, freezing a can of pineapple (Dole goes on sale very often) then eating them frozen. It’s like having a very refreshing ice cream dessert! Besides the cost effective nature of it, frozen treats like these take a long time to eat so you will eat less! (Warning: channeling Charlie Sheen)*winning*

Now, I want to explain two ways to save money because most people choose not to use coups; and for any of you who don’t want your coups-feel free to send them my way (just kidding, wait-not joking)! The first is the ‘Flyer’ way the second is just the ‘Couponer’ way.

The ‘Flyer’ Way:

Couponers (or anyone who is truly on a budget) eats, breaths, and sleeps by a grocery store’s flyer! But if couponing isn’t your thing-you should live by the flyers too! My hubby-to-be and I only buy things that are in that flyer. For example, last week strawberries were BOGO (buy one get one free-sorry, couponer talk) and the week before potatoes and onions were BOGO. The items on sale, especially in the fresh produce section, circulate often enough that you could be getting many different kinds of produce/products every week! Also, though the flyer shows some great deals every week, don’t forget to look for sales that are occurring in the store that are NOT in the flyer. Last time I went shopping turkey meatballs were on sale and I had no idea -now they are resting half in the freezer, and half in my belly!

I want to take a moment however and concede that, yes, there are times that you need to buy things that are not on sale-and that is OK…everything in moderation right (dieters know this best)? ;)

The Couponer Way:

First, if you are new to couponing go to this website: http://livingrichwithcoupons.com/ It’s a great tool for coupon virgins and explains the ‘ins and outs’ of couponing quite well. 

There are two important rules to couponing, and these rules especially ring true for people trying to keep the money in the bank and the bulge at bay. 

The first commandment of couponing is: thou shalt not be brand loyal. If you are brand loyal you are missing out on both trying new things, and saving as much money as possible. Be willing to try new brands and new foods-you may be surprised and find out that you prefer a different kind of cracker that you never would have tried otherwise (personal amazing experience with crackers)!

The second commandment of couponing is: thou shall learn when certain products go on sale. Granted, this comes with couponing experience but some of it is common sense. For example, diet products and low calorie foods go on sale in the beginning of the year because that’s when everyone is determined to keep up with those pesky New Year’s resolutions-we are all better though and do them all year round, right? haha... Therefore, stock up on products when they are on sale-which many times coincide with when there are coupons available for them (again refer to the above website if you’re confused).

Now you’re probably saying to yourself, ‘OK, so you explained couponing, but how does this help my waistline?!?’ Well, I’m glad you asked! Many times just because the coupon shows the full-fat, full-calorie, full-WAISTLINE, version of a product- doesn’t mean it won’t work for the healthy alternative! Allow me to explain.

I discovered (because of a manufacturer coupon combined with an in-store sale) that Tollhouse Low-Fat Crackers are a really great low calorie snack. You get 6 large crackers for 60 calories (one WW point). Now, I could literally have a love affair with crackers and cheese (may have cheated on my fiancé with them yesterday) so this was such an amazing find for me to discover! Another time I used a Nabisco coupon towards Nabisco 100 Cal packs and discovered a whole new nightly treat!

Overall, your healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to cost you your budget, and your budget doesn’t have to cost you your healthy lifestyle.

Until next time…trying to keep money in the bank and the bulge at bay!

Stability in Instability? That is the Question...

I bet Shakespeare never had to struggle with his weight. Even if he did, he definitely didn't have to lose weight or maintain loss in a society where 68% of adults are overweight!

One thing that I have found extremely difficult in my most recent chapter of weight loss is the instability that the maintenance stage can bring. Trying to switch from a 'diet' to a 'lifestyle' is an issue that I believe every person struggling with their weight faces. For me, stability brings control and control brings results. But life surely isn't that simple, if it was, I would be a size 2!

When one is able to actively plan their meals and know ahead of time what they will be eating and when, maintaining or losing weight is that much easier. However, throw holidays, birthdays, family parties, nights out, hell-even forgetting your perfectly packed lunch for work with the points already calculated (insert picture of my perfect lunch sitting at home on the dining room table) can throw your weight loss challenge for a loop! For me, I try to find as much stability as there can be in the instability that is called life.

For example, Tuesday was Valentine's Day, or Single's Awareness Day-whichever holiday you observe I am not one to judge. Either way, it is a day of extreme happiness or self-loathing...both of which can cause people to throw their dietary judgement onto cupids back and send it flying. Many people will say (and I tend to agree) that a splurge now and then is OK, which is seemingly the main concept of the "80/20" strategy of maintaining weight loss (this will be discussed in a future post) but splurging can be a slippery slope. Therefore, I try to find as much stability there can possibly be in the instability that exists.

Take my Valentine's Day for example. I knew my hubby-to-be and I were going to be going out to Olive Garden for dinner (shout-out to one of my best friends for giving us a 'congrats on your engagement gift card' to OG)! The day before, I looked up the menu online and calculated the points (again, I'm an old WW member and count points on my own-can't afford the meetings anymore). I knew exactly what my choices were going into the restaurant and it allowed me to be 'good' while I was there.

But looking up the nutritional information did another thing that I think is even more important. As I looked around at what people were ordering around me I KNEW EXACTLY how many calories they were consuming-and let me tell you, being healthy is way more satisfying than chicken Alfredo at 1,440 calories; 82 grams of fat! (http://olivegarden.com/Menu/Nutrition/) I allowed myself to go "wild" and have an extra bread stick (making 3 all together) since, they are addictively good. Overall, I skimped where I could and splurged where I wanted-this, I think, is the true key to general maintenance.

But there are times when instability will creep into your day without you being able to create an action plan for it, and adapting is essential. Everyone hears people say that portion control is pertinent, and I agree it is, but sometimes it's harder than it seems-put me and a bag of Salt and Vinegar Cape Cod chips in a room together and I'll show that bag who's boss!

When faced with situations where I have no control on what is being served, how much is being put on my plate, or how it is cooked, I try to eat slow and consciously. At Olive Garden, I ordered one of their tiny new deserts (it was Valentine's Day, I wasn't about to settle with the after dinner mints they give you) that are only a bit over 200 calories; and yes they are TINY! I ate it at a glacial speed with my cup of coffee (coffee/tea-another trick to having something sweet and filling) and at the end I felt as though I had eaten an entire slice of cheesecake! I enjoyed everyyyy, singggggle, bite and avoided the downfall of eating 500 calories to receive that same enjoyment. Slowdown. Think. Enjoy.

The world of food is a fairly unstable place and forging through it finding ways to maintain weight loss is very difficult. I try to explain to my friends and family, that I am not one of those lucky people that can eat whatever they want-I have to fight for the healthy body that I want. It is a constant battle but one I am trying to come to terms with. I just know that one day I will be sitting on my future back porch looking onto the lake of my nonexistent vacation home and will be eating a slice of fresh apple pie; and I won't be thinking twice about it because I will have mastered maintaining!

But until then....still trying to keep the bulge at bay!

The REAL Beginning...

This may seem odd, or even trite, but I decided I need to start a blog! There are so many blogs that exist about people documenting their trials and tribulations down the path of MOST resistance-weight loss; but I've been pondering the thought: are there really many blogs that exist which document what is said to be (and IS) the most difficult part of weight loss...maintaining it!

To explain a bit further as to why I am doing this...at my heaviest I weighed over 260 pounds (I have never really admitted that number to anyone before)! In fact, I weighed so much that at one point I remember contemplating the thought *if I just gain 20 more pounds then I can qualify for gastro-bypass surgery and the FAT will just mellllllt awaayyyy!* I don't remember what exactly made me decide to lose the weight but there were enough reasons that existed as to why I should.

In gym class I ran a 21 minute mile (everyone was already done and playing tennis while I and one other girl finished), I was the fattest one of all my friends-by a large margin (pun intended), no guys were interested in me at all, not one of my senior portraits did I want to put into the yearbook, and honestly-having that much weight on you makes you feel like S#!%! Therefore, I decided that I had to make some changes. They were very small at first, and increased when I was ready. In looking back at pictures of myself from those old fat days, back then I never thought I was as fat as I actually was-a blessing in disguise I suppose...

Something interesting that I believe many people trying to get rid of the bulge do is: you document your life's milestones in pounds not feelings (note I'm a bit under 5' 10'')...

• 2003-2004-sophomore and junior year in high school-heaviest ever 260...
• 2005-high school graduation 230...
• 2006-end of freshmen year of college 211...
• 2007-studying abroad 190....
• 2008-camp counselor at a summer camp for international students (first summer) 180....
• Jan-2009 returning from the Dominican Republic and joining Weight Watchers 204...
• May-2009 graduating college 174...
• Nov-2009 meeting my fiance, Mike 164...
• May-2011 walking in my Master's graduation ceremony 160...
• Aug-2011 getting my first 'real' job and moving in with my fiance 164...
• 2012 starting my at home workout videos (something I had never done before!) 158...
• TODAY: 152
• UPDATE: as of 7/31 149/150

In looking at those numbers, people will see three things that I genuinely believe ring true for those that struggle with their weight.

First, it can and usually does, take a long time to loose the weight. When I tell people that I have lost over 100 lbs they constantly ask me, "Oh my god, that's amazing-how long have you been doing it?" It's as if I'm supposed to say-well, I'm more amazing then the Biggest Loser contestants and I lost 100 pounds in one  month! Instead of conjuring up a sarcastic and diabolical lie such as that, I always respond by saying "it's over a few years." But to tell them the truth, that I've struggled with the battle of the bulge for over 7 years, is a hard pill to swallow-something in fact I have not swallowed until this very moment (thanks to my little handy-dandy timeline above-can't ignore it when it's in black and white)! Weight loss can take a long time, and if you want others to understand that-you must first understand it yourself.

Second, the number doesn't always go in that southern direction you are hoping and are working so desperately for. There were times in between these milestones in life that I was 'Yo-Yo-ing' up and down in the same 8-10 pound range for what seemed like years. In fact, since I met my fiance in late 2009, I have been Yo-Yo-ing (or as I prefer to call it, maintaining) around that same range for years-literally!

And lastly, third, one does not lose the same numbers when they weigh 170 that they did when they weighed 230. When I look at a scale these days and I only lose .2 of a pound it sends literal shivers up my spine because I have a need to see BIG numbers. I want more of those times where I lost 5 or 7 pounds in a WEEK to feel like I have truly accomplished something! Proportionally though, my body is not going to lose the numbers it used to-but believe it or not, this is one of the hardest things in adapting to losing major amounts of weight. It ties into the whole mind-game that exists in losing the big L-B's. The mind-game of weight loss is enough for at least two or three separate blog posts haha...But I try to remember that even when I stay the same and don't lose one freaken ounce, that if nothing else, I should count that as 2 lbs that I didn't gain!

So with ALL of this being said, I want to conclude my introduction post with what this blog is and is not. I do not believe that my opinions from my own weight loss journey (or life in general where it may apply) are what all people struggling with their weight go through. Everyone is different, and their experiences are even more different than they are.

Also, as stated in the first few sentences, there are a ton of blogs out there documenting people's weight loss journeys. They are each different in their own right, and document their journey accordingly. Admittedly, I can't write about the struggles with keeping the bulge at bay without touching upon the process of getting here (or there, since there are a few more pounds to go). But with this being said, I want this blog to concentrate on just that-keeping the bulge at bay! I truly believe maintaining is harder than losing, and that is what I will explore! Feel free to agree, disagree, discuss, and share. Hell, I just admitted my actual current weight to the world-hope my Dr. doesn't feel slighted since she was the one trusted soul with that CONFIDENTIAL information before now ;)

So, just like that, let the NEXT journey begin...keeping that damn bulge at bay!