Did you know that I lost 95 pounds in one year? Yep. Honestly.
That was three years ago.
I went from a size 20 (edging on a 22 XXL) to a size 8 (with the occasional 6 thrown in).
I made a life-style change using Weight Watchers online, and later, by attending the in-person meetings as well. Plus I indulged in a LOT of excercise.
However, even using the Weight Watchers points system, there's a LOT of leeway. It's a great guideline but
YOU still make the choices. At least I did and most people who do. (there are suggested menus on line, but I never followed those - mainly because I hate tuna, and they usually include tuna a few times weekly)
I'll start posting a lot of weight watching tips here as so many people have asked me for advice on how I accomplished this wonder.
I feel that with any
diet or lifestyle change, you need t: 1) eat a healthy, balanced diet, 2) drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, and 3) excercise at least 30 minutes a day, better yet, 60-90 minutes daily.
The year I lost 95 pounds, my primary exercise was walking. I walked almost every day, usually between 60 and 90 minutes. I walk during both my breaks at work and on the occasional lunch hour. I walk for another hour (or more) after work at one of the nearby parks. I run as my breath will permit. Mainly, I walk. It's cheap. It's easy. I wear my MP3 player and bop along to my tunes, so it's fun.
A couple times a week, I bicycled instead of walking. If time permitted that day, I did both. Occasionally, I took the kids rollerskating. That was the BEST exercise, at least according to the scales. Occasionally, I took the kids swimming. How I wish I had my own pool or still belonged to the gym. But I don't. Our city pools suck because the one within walking distance of my house is always monopolized by the swim teams and also because they close at 7 pm. I don't get home from work until 6 pm anyway. The second city pool completely belongs to the swim and diving teams. The third and last city pool, is for families. However, it's mainly for young children. There's nowhere to swim laps or exercise. They also close at 6 or 7 pm. Suffice it to say, I'm really MAD! at our city's recreation/swimming department. Also suffice it to say, I have my eye on LA Fitness and their pool!
Now I take taekwondo 5-6 days a week. That's also great exercise. There are added benefits - now I can defend myself. I'm making new friends. I have a goal to become a black belt. I'm having fun. I'm happy. Oh! Tomorrow morning I graduate to camo belt.
Hooray! I'm so pumped!Food tips:
- Eat lots of fruits
- Eat lots of veggies
- Eat chicken (broiled or baked. NEVER fried)
- Eat seafood like shrimp (NOT shrimp scampi, fried shrimp, or the like)
- Be careful with salads (they are not always, nor even usually low cal. It depends on the dressing and all the ingredients. Croutons are NOT your friend!)
- drink only fat-free milk and use only fat-free dairy products
- severely limit carb intake
- Tootsie Roll pops are only 1 WW point (Honestly! What a lifesaver!)
- Skinny Cow makes an awesome 2 WW point ice cream sandwiches. In particular, the mint chocolate are to die for.
- 98% fat-free popcorn is heaven sent. Stockpile it!
To be a lot more specific, I take LOTS of food with me to the day job daily. (Hint: The stash of food hiding under my desk would feed my entire department of 6 for a week if we get surprised and shut in by a hurricane.) I do this so the evil snack machine won't tempt me.
I either take 2 cups of cut-up radishes, cut up watermelon, or a small bag of mini carrots and fat-free/low cal veggie dip for my snacks. I also keep an apple and/or a banana handy for my afternoon snack. Sometimes I take a Claussen's kosher dill pickle with me as well. And I also keep a bag of Werther's 1-point Weight Watcher's English toffee treats and Tootsie Roll pops in my desk for when I absolutely have to have candy.
I'm constantly hungry and I can't survive without eating - a LOT. I nibble almost constantly. Once I start eating for the day, I have trouble stopping. I used to hold off eating for as long as I could, often till 2 or 3 pm. But now, I have to take thyroid meds first thing in the morning ( I have a low-functioning thyroid), and I get sick if I don't eat immediately after, so I have to eat early. Also, now I know that I need to kickstart my metabolism by eating something (healthy) early.
I get around this as best I can by filling up on veggies and fruits - the radishes, or watermelon, or carrots and dip. OR I eat a 2 WW cup of instant cream of wheat with a couple packets of Splenda. OR I eat a low cal version of a sausage biscuit. Take one Boca sausage patty (or Morning Star brand sausage patty) and one Weight Watcher's English muffin. Put the sausage patty inside the split open English muffin. Microwave on high for 40 seconds. Voila! One fantastic, low-cal, sausage biscuit. It's only 2 WW points! Okay, and I still nibble on the radishes or carrots the rest of the work day.
For lunch, and dinner, I usually have one of these meals:
- one WW frozen entree (4 points or less) - I almost always add one or two cups of canned mushrooms and sometimes a cup of chopped green onions, to add to the flavor and also to make it more filling
- one can of spinach and one can of mushrooms. I usually eat them separate, but when they accidentally get mixed, they still taste great. Sometimes, but not always, I'll also have a banana. The spinach and mushrooms alone is 1-1/2 WW point. With the banana, it's a whopping 3-1/2 point meal. Not too shabby.
- chicken vegetable soup. I only add a little bit of chicken for flavor, even though chicken isn't high calorie. There's not enough protein nor flavor if you leave it out totally. I make it with one can of whole-kernel corn, one can of green beans (my favorite is Italian green beans but it can be any variety), one can of cut carrots, one can of diced tomatoes, one to two chicken breasts diced into small pieces, 2 tblsp chicken boullion, two Tbslp garlic salt, and two Tblsp oregano. Uhm uhm good! With only a little chicken, this is about 1 point for 2 cups. With more chicken, it's 1-2 points per cup. Again, a lot of food for the points value! Oh! Do NOT drain any of the juice. That makes your broth. Do NOT add water.
- Spinach pie. I love this! Mix one package of very-well drained frozen spinach (thawed of course), two cups of fat-free cottage cheese (I prefer WalMart brand over all the brands), two cups fat-free mozarella cheese or two cups fat-free cheddar cheese. Sprinkle about a Tsp each of salt and pepper. Mix well. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. The entire "pie" is only 9 WW points. I usually only eat 1/3rd or 1/2 at a time. However, if I'm super hungry, I have been known to eat the whole thing.
- Spicy green beans and mushrooms. Caveat: I only like this when made with Italian green beans. Combine two large cans of green beans with 1 small to medium can of mushrooms. Include all the broth from the cans. Sprinkle very very generously with Cajun spice and fairly liberally with black pepper. Cover with lid. Heat until boiling. Reduce to simmer until most of the liquid is drained. I eat this as a complete meal or a side dish or sometimes as a snack. It's extremely spicy. Of course, I LOVE spicy! One cup is zero points. Two cups is one point. I think three cups is either 2-1/2 or 3 points.
- Shrimp. Boil it. Broil it. Grill it. Skewer it. Just don't fry it. Four ounces is about 2 WW points. Cocktail sauce is also very low-cal, so enjoy!
- Salsa!!! It's very low cal, spicy, and delicious, so made for me. Of course, it needs chips or veggies. I love chips. Chips aren't extremely low cal, but not too bad. Occasionally, maybe once a week or every other week, you can have chips and salsa. Or use salsa as a salad dressing or topping for a baked potato. (Hint: Baked potatoes are about only 5 WW points - plain. Do NOT add butter or sour cream. However, you can use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" or salsa. I also like to add regular or green onions to baked potatoes for flavor)
- I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Another great invention. I use it on corn on the cob and baked potatoes.
- Egg whites or egg substitute. I can make a mushroom omelete for about 4 points that's filling. For a couple mores points, I can have it with fat-free cheese. Scrumptious!
- Corn on the cob. Surprisingly one small to medium corn on the cob is only 1 WW point! I love corn, so I'm doing the happy dance. However, if you indulge in two cobs in one day, it's not just 2 WW points, but 2-1/2 WW points. I also eat a lot of corn on the cob.
- Fish. Fish, like chicken and seafood, is very low cal. It's very healthy on one hand, but has health concerns if consumed more than once a week, so I eat a cod fillet once a week or every other week. Unfortunately, I'm picky. The only fish I really love is cod. I hate tuna and I'm not big on salmon, tilapia, white fish, etc. I broil it or occasionally use a spicy breading.
- low-cal grilled cheese! Seems like a paradox, doesn't it? Use either two slices of WW bread, or use other low-calorie bread. Use fat-free or low-fat American cheese single slices. Use non-fat butter spray or I can't believe it's not butter, and "fry". This is about 4 WW points for one sandwich. I should do this more often - maybe tomorrow!
- WW diet milk shakes. Pure ambrosia. of course, you have to buy the mix at either a Weight Watchers store/meeting house, or order online. It tastes like a milk-shake. I love the chocolate. If you make it with water, it's only 1 point for two big glasses! If you use fat-free milk, it's only 3 points. I always make it with water and it still tastes great.
- Diet Soda. I know, I know. It's not particularly healthy. But I like it. There's practically no calories. You do get used to it, at least I did. And diet rootbeer also has the added benefit of NO caffeine. Woohoo! Although I also like Diet Pepsi. I used to love Mountain Dew - I mean I guzzled it during my Air Force days, practically survived on it. But I hate diet Mountain Dew. (unless they changed the formula in the past couple years)
- Denny's vegetable soup. One bowl is only 1 WW point! This is a lifesaver. At least it was when they served it daily. My local Denny's (perhaps the entire chain) only serves it on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays now. Sometimes they run out late at night. :(
- SUBWAY!!! Need I say more? Okay, I can't help myself. Eat any of the 5 under 5. I usually get the turkey breast and ham on whole wheat. It's only 5 or under if whole wheat bread is used. Load it up with veggies.
I can't mention all my tips and tricks in one article. This is already way long. So, I'll end for now, but I promise I'll bring you more tips, hints, and tricks often and soon.
I'd like to hear from other people who have lost weight, how you did it or how you are doing it. How do you keep it off? What are your favorite recipes? Your favorite low-cal food? Any tips, hints, and tricks that you're willing to share. Readers, writers, and otherwise, most of us are trapped in a computer chair for several hours of our day, so it's easy to gain weight and hard to lose it.
Ashley
