How It Works
Want to learn more about my program? I welcome you to read on and learn what I've learned...
It’s All in Your Head
Your mind can be your worst enemy. It doesn’t matter what you eat, how much, when – or whether or not you exercise. If you aren’t in the right mindset, YOU WILL NOT ACHIEVE PERMANENT SUCCESS.
What is the right mindset?
- Don’t set unrealistic goals – Stop focusing on the wrong stuff --either how many pounds you want to lose or when you want to lose it by. What difference does it make? What are you going to do when you reach your goal? Gain it all back like every time before? JUST TAKE ONE DAY – ONE HOUR – AT A TIME AND DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO FOR JUST THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
- Fully commit yourself – Have confidence in the person or program you have chosen to help you. If you have nagging doubts, DON’T DO IT.
When my doctor told me that he could get me healthy and thinner, I believed him. He said it with such confidence that I put my absolute trust in him. He said I would have to do everything he recommended if I was going to succeed. And then he added the clincher – “I know you can do this.”I was scared not to do it. I didn’t want to let him down.
- Give it your all – You must make your new regimen – NEVER CALL IT A DIET! – your top priority. I used to put work deadlines, clients, family, the dog – everything – before my needs. STOP IT! It’s unproductive and will undermine your efforts.
- Stop thinking of your efforts as losing weight – The opposite of “lose” is “find.” Do you really want to find the pounds you lose? I don’t think so! You want to relinquish the pounds. Don’t hold onto them. GIVE THEM UP!
Research Your Options
There are literally thousands of weight loss programs out there. Many of them are good, but they all have one thing missing: they focus on weight loss (bad word) rather than lifestyle. YOU WANT TO MAKE A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. Think about it: why go to all the effort of just losing weight when you can get really healthy and fit?
I didn’t select a standardized program. Been there, done that.
I didn’t want to purchase prepackaged food because it’s expensive and I eat out a lot. I also didn’t want a program like Weight Watchers, either, even though it’s one of the highest rated programs, because I hate math and didn’t want to count points, glycemic index and stuff like that, and I didn’t want to attend weekly meetings and weigh in. I know, from past efforts, that I would go to meetings feeling thin and good about myself – until I got on the scale. Noooooo.
Instead, I went to a dietician and diabetes educator to learn about what foods to eat, how much and how to incorporate exercise into my new lifestyle. I read a lot. I asked a lot of questions. With the help of my team – physician, dietician and diabetes educator, I created my own program. Later I added the expertise of a trainer.
You can do the same thing. I'll Help You!
Just remember... WHATEVER PROGRAM YOU SELECT SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:
- Emphasis on low carbs, healthy fats and protein
- Ongoing nutritional education
- Good maintenance track record
Get Organized
Once you’ve made the decision to adopt a new lifestyle, you’ll need a few RULES TO LIVE BY. Here’s what worked for me:
- NEVER be hungry.
- NEVER eat anything you don’t like.
- NEVER do any exercise you don’t enjoy.
- NEVER be a slave to the scale.
- Keep a detailed journal of everything you eat and how much you exercise.
- NEVER beat yourself up if you eat or do something you didn’t intend to do.
- DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT YOURSELF!
Next, you will need a few tools to get started. These include:
- Food scale. A digital battery operated one is the best. Get one that weighs in grams as well as ounces, and that sets to zero with a container on it. It doesn’t have to come with a container; you can use your own.
- Measuring cups. You’ll need two sets – one for dry ingredients and one for liquid. Did you know there is a difference? I didn’t. Duh.
- Measuring spoons.
- Calorie/carb book. My bible is The Calorie King Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter by Allan Borushek. I ordered it on Amazon but you can get it in bookstores, too. He has an online version as well, but I like to use post-it notes on the sections I most frequently consult. An added plus is that his website has food product updates, and the book and online version give you the nutritional value of fast food and commercial products. There are lots of great mobile apps that will do the same thing. If you’re a techie, go ahead and use one.
Finally, you will need to become familiar with reading labels on products and asking for the portion size and nutritional value of the food you order in restaurants. Believe me – they will gladly tell you. They know how much their portions weigh because their bottom line depends on it. And chances are they know the calorie/carb count as well (not so much at Asian restaurants, unfortunately). Learn More About My Tools & Rules ›
Psych Yourself Up
When people ask me if it was hard to lose 135 pounds, I tell them – truthfully – no. I never once thought about how much weight I had to lose (relinquish). It would have been too daunting and depressing. Instead, I told myself this:
EVERY POUND THAT I LOSE I NEVER WANT TO GAIN BACK. I WANT IT TO BE GONE – ONCE AND FOR ALL – FOREVER.
That’s what kept me going – STARTING MAINTENANCE FROM DAY ONE. I was committed to changing my life – not just my body. Was it worth it?
Here’s what changing my lifestyle did for me:
- I am no longer functionally diabetic. No more Metformin. Perfect blood sugar. Terrific A1C. Better insurance rates.
- I no longer have to take blood pressure medication. Normal!
- I reduced my asthma medication because I don’t get attacks very often.
- I have great stamina. I can walk up a lot of flights of steps – and hills – without huffing and puffing or breaking a sweat. I don’t have to drive around a parking lot looking for a close spot. And my dog is happy because I can walk her for an hour or more. And – believe me – I am the furthest thing from a jock.
