"Choosing trust over doubt gets me burned once in a while, but I'd rather be singed than hardened." -Victoria Monfort










Thursday, August 09, 2012

The Truth About Weight Loss...

Once you get serious about losing weight. You go thru highs and lows. I am at a point where I needed to look back and remember why I even started. I'm burning out. I'm struggling.

The secret to weight loss is...there is no secret.  Calories in vs. calories out is the only way to go. You can either workout a ton to eat more calories, or work out a little, and take in less calories.

You want to have a cheat day? You have to plan your entire week around it, that's all there is to it!

To lose a pound, you have to create a 3,500 calorie deficit. That puts it into perspective!

I've been gaining and losing my last 10-15 for almost a year now!! 10 lbs. may not seem like much. But it is the difference between squeezing into your pants, or wearing them comfortably


What's different between me and most people, is that I don't give up if I have a bad day. If I eat horrible one day, I am stringent for a week to make up for the calories. I never work out and sacrifice calories because I enjoy it, I do it because that is what it takes to lose, and maintain weight. I'd much rather eat whatever I want, vs. eating chicken breast and vegetables every day. Who wouldn't?


Seriously, I often wake up in a sweat from dreams about swimming in mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese!!

I do no like working out.

I do like to challenge myself. And own the over 90lbs I have lost, but there has never been a time that I can say I look forward to a work out. And I never say "wow, another day of chicken and vegetables, yesss!!"

I spend my lunch break running, then run more miles at the gym, sometimes 4 times a week, and then take a weight training or kickboxing class on top of it all in a day. I don't like it...It kills me. I'm exhausted!! It's hard. I hate it!

People have the perception that because I do it, I must like it. Even my super crazy kickboxing instructor/fitness nazi tells us "it never gets easier, and you probably will never enjoy it". And that is how she makes a living. 



That's me, in the striped shirt, in line for cake at a work function....circa many years ago.

And that's me 35lbs after the striped shirt, and after another 60 lbs in the sparkly top. 

The only thing I do like about weight loss, is buying clothes in the single digits. Shopping in regular stores vs. plus sized ones. The trade off for the enjoyment of clothes shopping, is sacrificing with diet and exercise. It all boils down to priorities.

Working out at 250 lbs didn't  feel great, and it isn't fabulous at 160 either. I am always sore, almost always tired, and at the very least once a week I ask myself how I can still go on this way, forrever!!

I am a food addict, and I can post a few weeks worth of blog posts about the struggles I have and have had with food.  Granted, it gets a smidge easier the longer you go without your drug (sugar, carbs for me) the easier to resist them it gets.

But, just like alcoholism, it never just "goes away". You are never cured. You have to learn to cope with it.

Unlike alcoholism, you don't have to consume alcohol to live...but we do have to eat.


9 comments:

If your body is a temple, mine must be a mansion! said...

Preach it sister! I just restarted after thinking about my WHY and I am down 4lbs this week! Keep it up, you look fabulous darling!

Fizzgig said...

temple:
thank you! sometimes it seems so monotonous, that you need to remember the reason you started, so you don't fall back to the start again! It sure doesn't ever get easier!!

Rachel said...

You look fantastic! :) And this is such a great post. I think we all suffer from some sort of addiction. For many years, I had the opposite problem -- but it was still an obsession/addiction of sorts. Food issues run rampant in our country and it's because we talk about them that other people seek help! :) You rock!

Teena in Toronto said...

Hopefully I'm back on track on Monday.

Carolyn G said...

God I could have written this post except I haven't lost all that weight yet. Today, I felt like quitting but instead of 2 miles, did 3 just because I knew I had to.

So many days, I feel like not doing it because I hate to exercise as well but I know if I don't then I will never reach my goals.

*sigh*

Miss Anita said...

wow! You've done amazingly so far! Keep going if that's what you want, you can make your goals girl!

Fizzgig said...

rachel:
thank you, i have been struggling with reminding myself how i feel now vs. how i felt at the beginning. It is so easy to lose sight of that. It's quite normal to be a food addict, the more I talk to people the more I get that...everyone has a "drug" of choice!!

Teena:
as long as you keep getting back on track, you'll reach your goals!!

carolyn:
its so hard!! my best advice that I have said a billion times, is give yourself 30 days of "clean eating" no processed foods. One month and then when you go back to them, you really understand what it does to your energy level. Until you do that cleanse, you don't know. It helps keep me on track!

missy:
thank you!! well i have to keep going forever. until i lose the 10-15 and learn to keep it off with a balance I can live with.

Unknown said...

Wow, you look great! And I'm with you, I hate working out! I'm so lazy and I know it's gonna catch up with me one day...

Daydream Frenzy

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xx

Allison M. said...

you are a total inspiration and have determination beyond belief. I hope you know that!

planning meals for the week helps me and saying NO to dinners/drinks. I'd rather hang out going for a run or walk or at the beach.