What I did to Lose Weight!
I get a bit anxious when I hear people talking about the diet plan they followed to lose weight. I have tried many times to follow a diet plan and have failed each one of them.
I have gained weight many times in my life. It was after childbirth, surgery, taking pills, or just because I was stressed and wanted to eat more. I am the person who eats when I have difficulties or when I am sad. I prefer to eat treats because they make me happy and I deserve a treat for all the misery I feel.
I remember after my first childbirth, I had a belly for more than six months. I would take the bus or the subway and people would offer me their seats because they thought I was pregnant. Initially, I was very frustrated and wanted to scream out loud that I was not pregnant. Although my appearance did go along with people’s thoughts, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and feel blessed for the help I received.
My first pregnancy was a period during which I experienced so many changes on my body and it was also the first time I gained so much weight. Not only was it weird and disturbing for me to see a balloon-like belly, but I experienced amazing changes in my breathing and heart rate while I was climbing stairs or running to catch the bus. Not to mention that I felt like a beached whale when swimming in the sea and wore maternity clothes for at least eight months after giving birth.
When I was young, I used to think that the ideal body was to be slim and athletic, like most models. Apparently, I was greatly influenced by the media which indirectly promoted the idea of being skinny. Therefore I believed that being thin was the only good and acceptable body appearance for a girl. Now I believe that the most important thing is to live in a healthy body you accept, love and feel good about. I don’t know whether it is better to be fit but always stressed about calories and exercising or it is better to have a healthy but juicy body that you yourself love and accept.
Personally, I’m not skinny. I have a belly that sometimes bothers me, but I’m not going to starve myself to make it disappear. I try to eat healthy food, but I don’t always succeed. I can’t easily say no to a delicious meal with an extra glass of wine on a night out. So usually I try to eat less the next day and that’s how I balance my diet.
I once visited a dietician. It was my first attempt and my last one! It was very difficult for me, not only to eat certain foods, at certain times but also to cook one meal for the whole family and another one for myself. As you can easily imagine, I managed to stick to the meal plan for the first week and then I gave up. What impressed me the most about my visit to the dietician, who I still remember after all these years, was her words: “You should always listen to your body”. I wasn’t able to recognise the consistency of her words until after I grew up and my metabolism changed so much that not all foods are easily digestible. I have the ability to “listen to my body” and thus avoid food that cannot be metabolised.
Also, acknowledging the benefits of exercise, I try to exercise in any way I like. I used to be very athletic, playing basketball for long hours and doing track on the side. Now I don’t like going to the gym or doing any other sport, and that’s why I don’t do any of them. Alternatively, I often try to take long walks with my dogs. I prefer to have company with me when I walk, simply because it’s more enjoyable. Plus, I’ve downloaded a free app on my phone for a full-body workout that I use three or four times a week for only seven minutes.
Although I hate to admit, I tend to believe that we are what we eat and that our health and mood are directly linked to the food we eat. When I eat according to my body’s needs rather than my mood, I feel “lighter” and more energetic. And when I choose to eat lots of fruit and vegetables I feel even better.
A month ago I decided to push myself and try to lose some extra weight. I’ve been weighing five kilos more for almost seven years and I’m tired of carrying around the extra weight. These kilos were added to my body after I was forced into menopause due to breast cancer. I’m sure many women have felt the same with me!
I decided to follow the 16/8 intermittent fasting diet, which is an eating strategy that involves limiting calorie intake to 8 hours a day. It is a simple-to-follow eating plan and is valuable for my health. I eat two meals a day, with my plate filled with half a salad of mostly greens, a quarter of protein (chicken, meat, fish, beans, etc.), and another quarter of carbohydrates (potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.). In addition, I eat two snacks every day, preferably fruit and some nuts. Moreover, every morning I drink a glass of warm water with half a lemon juice and a pinch of ginger. I give myself every Saturday off so I can enjoy meals with friends and family without regret. I have managed to lose almost two kilos and I feel it is worth trying for another two or three months.
I have listed my favourite tips that have helped me continue my efforts. These are:
1. Never say the phrase “I’m on a diet”. It makes it seem like it’s hard to achieve.
2. Don’t weigh yourself more than once a week, because daily weighing becomes an obsession.
3. Drink at least two liters of water daily. Keep in mind that the average percentage of water in a person’s body is about 60%, so drinking a lot of water is vital for our bodies. I occasionally hear from friends that they have difficulty remembering to drink water. If you have the same problem, find a way to work it out. Maybe you can download an app, or set an alarm, or have your mom call you to remind you. Most nutritionists advise having a glass of water every morning before you do anything else to hydrate your body and start your day.
4. Introduce herbal drinks into your life. Apart from the fact that you are, in fact, consuming water in this way too, the choice of herb can help you in a number of ways in an impressive way. During weight loss, prefer green tea or lemon verbena twice a day.
5. Try to cook without frying the food. I am sure you have heard about non-stick pans, right?
6. Eat with an awareness of your choices. You should not be carried away by emotion. You need to be aware of what a misstep costs you and you shouldn’t discount your goal.
7. Always divide your plate into 3 portions: protein, vegetables and fiber.
8. Eat your meal or snack before you get hungry.
9. Try to figure out which foods are causing your intestinal dysfunction and remove them from your diet.
Do not feel disappointed and do not blame yourself. If you think that you want to change your body, the fundamental point is to really decide and stick to that, no matter what. You deserve the best and that should be your primary goal!
