No Dieting!

It has been several years now since I lost 60 pounds over the course of a year.  I am still asked how I did it, on a fairly regular basis.  But I don't think losing the weight was my biggest challenge.  I think keeping the weight off has been the much bigger challenge and one which, knock on wood, I seem to have figured out. 

I drink a lot of water.  For the most part, I eat very regular meals.  I have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner almost every day.  I try to keep my meals balanced and healthy, and to cover all the food groups.  I stay away from fried foods, desserts, and white breads and grains.  I'm not saying I never have any of those things; I do.  In fact I think it is a bad idea to deprive yourself of anything.  But if I stick with healthy meals most of the time, the occasional cookie or biscuit is not going to make me put all my weight back on. 

I also exercise very regularly.  Some weeks I do better than others, depending on what else is going on in my life, but I have it in my mind to go to the gym almost every day.  Then even if I can't make it one day for some reason, I still make it most days.  Unless I know for sure that I cannot go, I bring my gym bag to work every day.  Having it in the corner of my office reminds me that I am going to the gym after work. 

Another thing I do is weigh myself every day.  I have heard varying opinions on this; some people say that is focusing too much on a number and that you can get obsessed with what the scale says.  But for me, I like to know if that number is trying to creep up a little bit so that I can make it stop creeping.  You have to do what works for you with weighing. 

And although I keep saying it over and over until you're probably sick of hearing it, I have a workout partner.  It makes me accountable even though we don't always work out together.  It keeps me showing up at the gym even if I don't feel like it, because I know the next time I see her she is going to ask what I've been doing at the gym lately.  Then she will put me in my place by telling me she ran 100 miles on Saturday or whatever.  But it keeps me motivated.

Start small - take little steps to improving your eating habits and exercise - and over time you will have those habits so ingrained that they feel like a natural part of your life and not a "diet".