A Lifestyle, Not a Diet!

Moderation is the key to sustaining a healthy goal weight. I've been on diets for the last ten years and keep losing and gaining the same ten pounds. Now that I'm in my thirties, I'm carrying 15 extra pounds. My goal is to sustain a healthy weight over the long term. Here's my plan:

I am preparing the majority of my food. Approximately 85% of my meals come from whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and lean protein like chicken, fish and turkey.

I am keeping a food journal and using Calorie King software to measure my calories. Each day I plan to eat 1500 calories and at times, I will eat 200-250 calories that I earn through exercise in order to sustain myself through the workouts.

I control my portions by looking at my plate and making sure 1/2 is full of fruit or veggies, 1/4 is whole grain and the remaining 1/4 is lean protein. I am learning what portion sizes look like so when I eat out I can make those decisions. Sometimes it is easier to order soup (not cream-based) or a salad, then an appetizer as your meal in order to control your portions.

I meet with a trainer at the gym twice a week for an hour long strength training workout.

Five times a week, I do 45-55 minute cardio workouts. Sometimes I go to the gym and use their equipment (stationary bike, wave machine, treadmill, stairmaster, etc.) and sometimes I stay home and jog for 25 minutes and get on our elliptical machine for another 20 minutes. I never stay on one machine for the entire session. 15-20 minutes on three different pieces of equipment helps combat boredom. I always work out with my Ipod. Typically 80s pop music!

I wear a pedometer every day. I don't wear it in the gym, though. By aiming to walk 10,000 steps a day - in addition to my workouts - I find ways to keep moving. Walking the dog longer, walking up stairs and escalators, parking farther away, walking in the mall, etc.

My goal is to drink 5 bottles of water a day (16 oz each)I limit my coffee to 1-2 cups a day.

Finally, I do not judge my success by stepping on the scale. For too long I was stuck on the number. Now, I measure my hips, waist and chest because it shows how toned I'm getting. My goal is to be athletic, toned and healthy. I am currently a size 10, but would like to wear my size 8 clothing again.

It is not important to me to lose weight rapidly. It is very important to me to sustain a healthy weight longterm and not view this as a diet. I want to create a lifestyle that I will happily want to live.


(Updated January 7, 2008) Check out my healthy cooking blog at www.testdrivekitchen.blogspot.... to learn some of my favorite recipes!

1) Aim to prepare 85% of the food you eat. Limit your consumption of packaged foods
2) Take a guided tour of your local Whole Foods market or farmers market and learn all about the produce, whole grains, and lean protein options.
3) Use a food journal to count calories. Did you know that 3,500 calories is equal to one pound? If you lose 500 calories a day through a combination of calorie reduction and exercise, you will lose 1 lb per week. On the web, www.calorieking.com offers software to track calories easily. It's the easiest one I've ever used! You can also use a small notebook and a calorie book to track them. I aim to eat 1500 calories a day and expend approximately 300 calories per day through walking, strength training or cardio excerise.
4) Control your portions by looking at your plate at each meal. Don't fill past the rim of your plate. Section your plate into three areas. One half is fruit and vegetables, One quarter is cooked whole grains and the remaining quarter is lean protein like chicken, turkey or fish.
5) Be sure to count condiments or seasonings in your calorie intake.
6) Take your hip, waist, chest and arm measurements. Don't check them obsessively. You'll see greater change if you measure yourself once a week or every ten days. If you are like me, a scale will not tell you all that you've accomplished. The toning you get from exercise can lead to better fitting clothing and an overall better mood!
7) Don't drink your calories. Try to drink more water. I aim to drink 5-6 glasses a day. It keeps me feeling fuller, keeps my skin looking great, and just keeps my body going like a well oiled machine.
8) Wear a pedometer. Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day. You'll find yourself climbing more stairs, walking up escalators and parking farther away from the mall in order to reach this goal. It's approximately 1.5 hours of walking in your 24 hour day. You can do it!
9) Strength training builds muscle and muscles use up more calories than fat. They also make you look leaner and smaller. An hour of strength training or weight lifting burns 150-300 calories a session depending on how vigorous your workout is. Try to get one hour of strength training in 2X a week.
10) Cardio workouts are natural mood lifters! There are countless benefits to cardio, not to mention having fun while doing it. One of the greatest benefits I've gained is a deeper, less interrupted sleep. It is proven that you'll lose weight and stick to your new lifestyle if you're well rested. Aim for 4-5 cardio workouts a week. Start with 30 minute sessions and aim for 45-50 minute sessions. Train for a 5K for motivation. Also, aim for 8 hours a sleep per night.