How I did it: I made lifestyle choices that were for the better. I've been eating less and working out more. I don't deprive myself of any of the treats that I love. I just remember that if I eat a lot, I better work out a lot.

The first choice I had to make was a change in diet (of course). Breakfast is a must. And I rarely snack now, and if I do I try to make sure it's fruit or something healthy. Lunch is my biggest meal and again, I eat whatever, but just in smaller portions. Dinner usually my smallest meal and I try to do it before six.

I started running. I live in Los Angeles, so I'm very close to the Rose Bowl. They have a track there that is very hard to run, but in the last couple months I've built up my tolerance to run it =) One way around the track they have is 3.3 miles. After two months of running, I'm able to do 6.6. It's not easy and I don't "run" but jogging/running has been key. I run twice/three times a week. I try to work out on the weekdays and save the weekends for relaxing. Other cardio I do is spin bikes (the ones in the class, not the stationary bikes). I do 45 minutes of up and down resistance changing on the bikes. For "weight training" I do yoga. Which I LOVE! It's helping define muscles that I didn't think would get definition!

I've been battling my weight forever. I've worked out hard, I've kept journals. This time around, I really made the lifestyle changes people keep talking about. This time around I think I've been so successful because I focused on making the lifestyle changes, not losing the weight. 

Lessons & tips: Don't be so hard on yourself. In the past, I'd beat myself up for a bad day of eating or a missed workout. Nowadays, I kind of just shrug and try again tomorrow. I ditched the diet journals and the counting calories and the strict schedule of working out. I really listen to myself and my body. If I don't want to, i don't go, but the change that I've made is thinking about why I don't want to go. If it's really a valid reason not to go work out (really tired, have an early morning at work, things like that) then I don't go, but this time around my body just knows when is a go and when it's a no go. Also, I've been running with a friend who is more fit. He really helps push me to do more. It really helps! Find a buddy to motivate you!

As for eating... I treat myself, but not all the time. I've eliminated empty calories and sweets (which is a tough thing to do because I'm a high school teacher and around it all the time) Once in a while I'll treat myself to hardcore sugar (soda or candy) but for the most part I eat healthy snacks. I'm not dieting either! I'm serious! I eat whatever I want, but I just eat smaller "palm sized" portions. If I go to a dinner with a friend I save half of my meal for lunch the next day. I think doing things like this really do make the difference.

Oh and baby carrots. Eat lots of baby carrots as snacks. Those things make me SOOOOOOO full. 

Resources: Working out: Asics running shoes =)
                     The Rose Bowl Track in Pasadena, CA
                     Spinning Bikes
                     Yoga at The Yoga House

Eating: baby carrots
            palm sized EVERYTHING portions! =)

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Nov 17, 2009, 06:17PM PST | 1 comment | 2 cheers