Editors Note: This post was formerly published on another blog I no longer own, but readers have enjoyed it, so I’m posting it here:
Readers have asked me to share what and how I eat, and some of my story, so I’ve decided to map it out below for you (I lost almost 20 pounds in a little over 3 weeks doing this). It’s all about balance. This can be adjusted based on your weight and the amount you’d like to lose or maintain.
I’ve done this 2 other times in my life and lost over 60 pounds (I gained it back by NOT eating this way). Today, I am now 35 lbs over my ideal weight of 125. I was 64 lbs over it not too long ago. And I was pretty down because nothing I liked fit me, I was more tired, and I was generally upset with myself that I let myself gain all this weight back. In 2005 and 2006 I was at my ideal weight, eating and living healthy, and really enjoying life. How could I have let this happen?! Time snuck by while I just continued to gain and continued to eat in unhealthy ways. I was very disappointed that I had to begin again.
Resorting back to unhealthy eating for me meant the following:
- Skipping breakfast
- Eating cookies almost nightly
- Eating lots of refined grains
- Not eating vegetables or fruit
- Lots of take-out (the pizza and chinese varieties)
- Eating unbalanced and large proportions of food at meals
- Drinking lots of soda and coffees with sugar
So, even though I had to begin again, and was not looking forward to the work it involved, I figured I had to do it for my health. What I was eating was not healthy, balanced, or rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. I believe in eating the right foods for optimum health, and incidentally those work toward keeping you at an optimum weight. I was tired, feeling heavy, and bordering on obese. So, I decided it was time to get back on track again, and again make it a lifestyle.
I don’t adhere to any gimmick or fad diet, rather, I incorporate fresh and whole foods as much as I can. I avoid processed foods, and refined sugars and flours as much as possible. And I follow the snacking guidelines when I need a snack. Here’s what I’ve done so far:
The 30 Day Challenge
Changing my eating habits from such unhealthy ones to such healthy ones again seemed an overwhelming task. I needed something simple, something to kick-start me in the right direction, something I could do without failing. I needed to do one thing and just concentrate on that. So, without changing my eating habits, I took the 30 Day Challenge, focusing on just one habit for 30 days. My choice was to eliminate sugar from my coffee. Doing the challenge shed some unwanted pounds, and once I was comfortable and successful it gave me the motivation to take on more because I felt like I had achieved something. So, I also eliminated soda, and began rearranging my eating habits to eat properly once again.
Healthy Foods & Proportions: What I Eat
These are the general proportion guidelines I use. I don’t call it a diet, since this really is not a diet to me but a way of life. I follow these the best I can, avoiding refined sugar and flour and using whole and natural foods as much as possible. These guidelines can be adjusted for a person’s relative size, for there is no science.
Breakfast
- 1 whole fruit or 1 cup mixed fruits or berries
- 1 half cup (4 oz) whole grain
- 4 oz of dairy or protein
Lunch & Dinner
- 8-12 oz vegetables
- 4 oz protein
- 4 0z grain (I cut this grain out when I’m trying to shed weight)
- 1 whole fruit or 1 cup mixed fruit
- 1 tablespoon fat
Because this way of eating optimizes health by incorporating whole and natural foods (and is high in veggies and fruits compared to the average American diet), it’s a way of life, a healthy way of eating, which actually leads toward ideal weight while giving our bodies the vitamins and nutrients our we need. All the food groups are represented here (including fats, which are necessary for health) and if a variety of whole and fresh foods are incorporated, this is a great way to eat: it will actually keep you satisfied and give you more energy.
Don’t Call It A Diet!
A diet sounds like a restriction. It has negative connotations and wreaks of deprivation to me. This way of eating is full of abundance, and is actually a proper way to eat. We’ve been conditioned to think that our regular way of eating is okay and that eating right and healthy is “a diet”. I choose not to buy into this, or any gimmick that’s going to “help” me become slim. Whole and natural foods, eaten in the right proportions, are all I or anyone else needs, not to mention some exercise. In the name of simplicity, I’m only eating properly right now. I know eventually I’ll have to exercise, and that it’s important for my health, muscles, and bones, so I do want to do it. But right now I’m still settling into eating right and trying to keep it simple so I don’t fail. Once I’m more comfortable, I plan on incorporating some simple exercise practice, and I’ll be sure to share them later.
You Might Also Enjoy:
