How I lost weight and maintain my weight loss

This post has been brewing for a long time.  I see so many commercials and advertisements for the newest weight loss drug or weight loss "trick" and it makes me so frustrated.  Why?  Because 10 years ago, heck 5 years ago, I would have done anything to lose weight and get "skinny".  I was desperate to be thin.  I was the person these people market to.  Because who wants to really lose weight the "healthy" way?  We just want to lose the weight, like, yesterday.  So that pushes people to believe the hype/ads and try out every fad diet & pill on the market.  

Before - 200 lbs

After - 130 lbs

Keep in mind, I am not a registered dietician.  If you have any questions, you should consult your physician.  I am only speaking from my own experience and knowledge from research I have done.  I have been there, done that in regards to dieting:  see my post on my weight loss journey.

Here are tips on how I personally lost weight and also how I have maintained it.

1.  Eat Real Food.  This seems simple right?  Well unfortunately because of all the options now in the grocery store from huge food companies, there are many "food substitutes" on the aisles.  Most of them make health claims.  Low fat!  High fiber!  Probiotics!  Blah blah blah.  This literally means nothing if they have to add a ton of sugar and chemicals along with those couple grams of fiber or other nutrient (which is, by the way, not natural and was created in a lab).  So, here are my real food rules:

a.  Eat food as close to nature as possible or straight from nature:  lots of fruits and veggies.
b.  If eating meat, it must be organic, antibiotic and hormone free.  If possible, buy straight from the butcher.  Buy local as much as possible, such as from your farmer's market.
c.  Dairy should be organic (from cows not treated with rgbh - growth hormone) as to avoid added antibiotics and hormones.  Buy local as much as possible.
d.  Eat complete grains, ones that have not been broken down.  All pasta, rice, and bread must be whole wheat/whole grain.  Also, brown rice pasta, brown rice bread, and brown rice tortillas are great gluten free options.
e.  Strive for 5 ingredients or less on your packaged foods.
f.  Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day.  Dehydration can cut your metabolism by as much as 80%!
g.  Look for no salt added products or low sodium.  You'd be surprised by how much salt is in canned soup and other canned products.
h.  Sugar should be a real form, such as honey, pure maple syrup, molasses, or organic pure cane sugar (unprocessed).  And when I am losing weight, I restrict my sugar intake considerably.  Sugar is very addicting and causes cravings and fake hunger cues.
i.  No soda at all!  Go cold turkey!  Soda has been proven to cause cravings and overeating.  If you want to lose weight, seriously, do not drink any more soda.
j.  Here is a quick list of chemicals and additives to avoid at all costs:

• Artificial colors (red, green, yellow, FD&C colors)
• Benzoate preservatives (BHA & BHT)
• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
• Potassium Bromate
• Propylene glycol
• Propyl Gallate
• Sodium Nitrate & Sodium Nitrite (in 99% of all deli meats and hot dogs..this one is proven to cause cancer)
• Mono sodium glutamate (MSG)
• Olestra
• High Fructose Corn Syrup

2.  Count Calories.  I put this tip as #2 since I don't recommend counting calories alone.  The first and second tips MUST go together.  Figure up your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is essentially how many calories you burn on a daily basis if you were completely sedentary.  This does not include any calories you burn doing daily activities or exercise.  My BMR is 1,300 calories.  I work out almost every day, burning 400-600 calories plus I'm very active with my kiddos.  In order to maintain weight, I eat about 1,800 calories per day.  To lose weight, I would eat 1,400-1,600 calories per day.  And keep in mind, not all calories are created equal!  Eating an apple is much better than eating a100-calorie pack of oreos. 

I count my calories using a free app on my iPhone, MyFitnessPal.  You can go in and enter your info and goal and it pops out with how many calories you should eat per day to meet your goal.   

3.  Exercise 4-5 days per week.  I have gotten into the habit of exercising for not just weight loss but also weight maintenance.  As many calories as I burn off exercising I allow myself to eat extra that day.  I figure up how many calories I burn on my free iPhone app, MyFitnessPal.  Also, when I exercise, chances are I will make better food choices that day.  Why would you work out hard at the gym then want to go through drive thru?  It takes a lot of time and planning for me to exercise with 4 kids.  I am not going to ruin that by making bad food choices to completely cancel out my workout.  

Find forms of exercise that make you happy, it should not be a chore!  There are so many options out there.  Have a gym membership?  Try some new classes!  Zumba, Pilates Yoga, Hot Yoga, Kickboxing... Don't have a gym membership?  Try jogging or walking outdoors, download Nike Training app for your iPhone, or buy some workout DVD's.  You can also find TONS of workouts on HULU Plus and even on YouTube!  

4.  Set a goal.  When I am in weight loss mode, it helps to set a goal.  Usually it is for an upcoming trip.  For example, if I know I will be going on a beach vacation in June, I will set that as my goal date.  I make my goals realistic.  Losing 1-2 lbs per week is realistic for most people, as long as you are being consistent in eating good and exercising.  

5.  Manage and limit your bad eating days.   When I fall of the wagon, even if it's just one meal, I always have a plan to get back to my weight loss track.  If you want to lose weight in a timely manner, you can't afford too many bad eating days/meals.  Don't let one bad meal or even one bad day turn into two days or a week or a month.  I always limit my "bad days" to once in a week - MAX.  If even that.  This would usually be a night out or holiday or special occasion of some sort.  Don't get derailed from just one bad decision.  It doesn't have to completely ruin your efforts.  If I feel like I had a really bad weekend or couple days, I detox the next day to "start over".  Basically, I limit my meals and snacks to fruits and veggies only with a green monster smoothie and tons of water.  If you have a juicer, bonus.  Here are a couple other detox plans from Food Babe and one from Skinny Ms.  

6.  Meal plan.  I am never caught with "my pants down", so to say.  I make my worst food choices when I didn't plan out my day well enough and forget to eat in a timely manner.  When I get to the point that I'm shaking and light headed, I will literally eat anything in sight.... forget about healthy meals or choices.  

• OR if 6:00 rolls around and I haven't planned dinner, guess what?  It's pizza delivery.  Every week, I go through my recipes and plan 5 dinners (with sides), breakfasts, lunches and snacks.  Here are some of my favorite recipes.  
• I have also got into the habit of bringing snacks with me in the car while I'm out. My favorites are raw nuts, trail mix, PB packets (Justin's), pear, and banana.  Or if I know I'm going to be out during lunch time, I pack a green monster to sip on. 
• Make a big container full of chopped veggies and take a portion out each day with some dressing for a quick lunch.  Example: today I cooked 4 c chopped broccoli, 4 c chopped cauliflower, 3 c chopped tomatoes, and 1 c sliced olives and tossed with 1 c cooked quinoa.  I separated it out into 4 servings for lunch all week.  I could serve it with some chopped avocado and olive oil and vinegar or even 3 T hummus.  This can even be served cold!  

6a.  Don't keep problem foods in your house.  Serious about losing weight?  Get rid of the crap in your fridge and pantry...now!  If it's there, you will eat it.  Don't overestimate your self-control.  So, on the other hand, stock up on healthy snacks, tons of fresh fruits and veggies.  

7.  Drink lots of water.  I always start my day with 2 huge glasses of water before I put anything else in my mouth.  And I drink a huge glass of water about 15 minutes before each meal.  I make sure to have about 8-12 glasses of water per day, depending on my activity level.  Water is the only beverage I drink, other than some green tea and coffee.  I do not waste my precious calories on things like juice.  Plus, most juices are chocked full of sugar (see tip #1).  Many times in the afternoon, when I'm feeling a little sluggish and hungry, I have 1-2 glasses of water.  That leads into my next poing, #8:

8.  Assess if you're really hungry.  When you make the switch from eating processed, sugar-loaded, fast foods, it could take a little while for your brain to go back to normal.  The foods most americans eat are loaded with sugar and make us have crazy cravings and ravenously hungry.  When I eat all real foods (see #1), my cravings disappear and I am more satisfied.  Sometimes we eat out of boredom or as a stress-reliever.  When I feel like I'm having one of these moments, I think to myself how I will feel after I eat the thing I am wanting and how I will feel the next morning when I wake up.  I know I will feel bloated and mad at myself for making the poor decision.  If I'm really hungry, I will go for some raw veggies with homemade hummus or a piece of fruit (banana, apple, pear, etc).   I know this one seems like a no-brainer, but you wouldn't believe how often we eat just because we're bored or stressed or whatever, not because our body really needs food.  

9.  No sugar.  When I was losing weight, I could not eat any sugar without getting crazy cravings.  When you eat sugar, you want more. It's a vicious cycle.  Try to limit your sugar intake or cut it out completely if you can.  

10.  No late night eating/snacking.  This one has made a significant difference for me.  Not everyone has an issue with this, but I do.  I could do great all day but after the kids are in bed, that's when I decide I want to de-stress from the day and food did that for me.  I had to cut it off almost completely.  I sometimes have a glass of wine or some homemade popcorn with a movie rental with my husband, but I limit it to that.  I make a point to eat a satisfying dinner so that I'm not hungry after the kids are in bed.  

Maintaining my weight loss

• Many of the tips I mentioned above are still valid for maintenance.  The biggest change is the daily calorie intake is increased to approximately 1,800.
• Just because I have reached my goal weight doesn't mean my healthy diet is over.  This is a healthy lifestyle and I will never go back to eating the junk I ate before I lost the weight.  When I eat healthy, I have more energy, have better moods, and wake up more easily in the morning.  
• I still pay close attention to my daily calories and intake.  I notice when I don't input my calories for a week or so, I can easily gain a pound or two.  You can gain weight eating real food too!  
• I make a rule for myself that I will never buy a bigger size of pants.  If my pants are fitting tighter, I detox or get more strict on what I'm eating.  
• I don't weigh myself very often.  I usually weigh about once a month.  I can tell if I have lost or gained weight depending on how I feel and how my clothes fit.  

Hope these tips help to get you motivated to lose weight or help you to maintain your weight loss.  Thanks for reading!!