A Balancing Act You Can Do

Since September of 2015 I’ve lost over 56 pounds and in August of this year was thrilled to hit my target weight of 145, even going a little below. I didn’t time it that way, it’s just the way I lost weight. Everything I did was a balancing act, do a little of this, a little of that and practice leads to good health. If I can do it anyone can.

The time it takes to lose weight is not divided into weeks or months. I wanted to lose it as fast as possible but my body had its own ideas. I plateaued at 180 pounds and again at 165 (where I thought I’d NEVER lose any more weight,) gained back weight, (without overeating) and more. I just stuck to my plan of logging my food and bike riding. If I messed up one day I’d start again the next.

It was a balancing act that I found my body and I could do! Along the way, I learned oodles about myself and my body that I use today to keep my hard-earned figure.

A Little Of This

Water is my “go to” drink now. It’s all I drink and when I get tired of it I add fruit. I bought a water container that has a ball in it that crushes the fruit when I shake it and it works well! I put raspberries, blueberries, any fruit I want in it and take it with me. I call it my Jammin’ Juice. Drinking water can keep you feeling full and helps your body function properly.

I quit most sugary drinks including fruit juices (except OJ) and soda. At first, I wondered how I’d do this but now I don’t even notice it’s gone! My biggest problem is fat but it makes things taste good and I use the better fats versus the bad.

Of course, I’ll have an occasional soda, milkshake or even an alcoholic drink. I make sure and log them.

I also quit snacking. Many new diets now have “days off” or teach you healthy snacking. I think learning to expect snacks between meals can go wrong. For me, it’s 3 main healthy meals and for snacks, it’s a piece of fruit, carrot sticks or a handful of nuts.

The diets that promise you “days off” are not what you think. It doesn’t mean you can have days to totally go off of your diet. These diets have strict rules for your days off they are not days you can just eat what you want.

The best thing is to find something that is doable for you. Be honest with yourself about what you can eat or drink and find a good application that will help you keep track.

A Little Of That

I bought a Jawbone UP3 health band I’ve been wearing since October of 2015. I used it to learn how to improve my sleep by changing my bedroom and sleeping habits. I use it to monitor my REM, awake time, light and deep sleep.

I used to be an insomniac but now I sleep like a baby and get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. The recommended is 7 1/2 to 8 hours a night.

New studies say sleep is important for weight-loss and good health. If you don’t get enough sleep there’s a good chance you are overweight. Sleeping well will make you live longer. Sleep is something we all take for granted but if you get enough quality sleep for a period of time you will notice the difference.

A Little More Of This

I’ve been on a 1,200 calorie diet since September of 2015 and learned to eat more healthy foods. At first, I walked and watched steps to lose weight. I lost over 30 pounds but needed something more to tone up.

In February I started riding my bicycle every other day. I would ride however long I could stand it until I got better at it. Every other day was good because I had a day off in between. It wasn’t easy and sometimes I had to walk my bike up a hill.

I started to see small changes in my body that were adding up. Since cycling is aerobic it takes fat off of many parts of the body especially the legs, waist, stomach, and butt. It gives you a good core workout. One thing about regular exercise, you will gain a little weight in muscle but muscle burns more fat so in no time you will start losing again.

I wanted to lose as fast as possible but I still took days off and went over my calories for the day. I just made sure not to lose my head about it and go hog wild with the food and drink. In August I hit my target weight.

Some More Of That

I have to exercise if I want to keep my weight off and I do that by bike riding and walking. It’s not easy to motivate every other day and I do miss a day sometimes due to weather or life but it works for me and keeps me going.

Now that I’m in such good shape I can walk without a cane ( I still need both knees replaced eventually) and further than I have in years. I find on my days off from cycling that I get bored if I don’t have a lot to do. I decided that a walk on my days off can be something I really enjoy. I can now walk up to 4 miles and I like to hike on nature trails. It makes me so happy to be active spending my time outside and I sleep like a baby.

A Bit Of This

Because I’m happy with my diet I’m sticking to it. The foods I eat now on a daily basis are the foods I love. I still log my food and stick to a set amount of calories while I ride my bike or walk every other day. My weight has been stable around 142 and my health is wonderful. I’ve been extremely happy although my life is pretty much the same with the same issues. I just can’t be unhappy and I’m thankful for it. Be positive!

This balancing act you can do! Each of us has our own road getting to our target weight but it is so doable. You’ll feel like quitting, you’ll be hungry and you’ll have cravings but the weight will come off. Take before and after photos so you can share your story with others when the time comes because you’ll be so proud of yourselves.

I urge you to get back on a bike or find something you like to do because it’s so much easier to lose weight with exercise. We must do aerobics and weight-bearing exercises to stay fit into old age. Picture yourself at 70, or 80, do you want to do things for yourself? Someone told me to visit an old folks home for motivation. You’ll never forget it.

Heatlh! It’s a balancing act you can’t aford not to do!