Half Size Me

A program of one. Supported by many.

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Weight Loss Success Story: Losing It and Loving It!

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Weight Loss Success Story: Losing It and Loving It!Guest Post By Mary Smith

I’m no stranger to weight loss – having previously lost 100 pounds through a combination of different diets.

I have two children and a husband and love cooking. I always prepared nutritious family meals – but it was the stuff I ate after those meals that was causing my weight problem.

I was utterly addicted to soda – Dr Pepper and Cherry Coke to be precise. I would have at least two bottles per day, sometimes more on weekends.

But my biggest downfall was ‘sharing packs’ of chocolate – things like Maltesers and Mars Planets. They come in large packs for sharing, but I would eat a whole pack by myself in one sitting!

Unfortunately, most of the weight crept back because I didn’t make permanent changes to my lifestyle to maintain the loss. So, in January 2012, I found myself at a weight I’d hoped I would never be again – 240 pounds.

However, in January, something clicked for me.

I can’t explain it, but I just knew I could lose the weight. And for the first time, I knew how.

I realized it would take time and I would have to make drastic changes to my lifestyle in order to ensure I didn’t gain the weight back. It was going to have to hurt – mentally and physically.

Learning the secret

While I’m afraid there is no magic cure, I didn’t do anything you can’t do too!

I began with a restricted 1200 calories per day (more on that in a moment), I did this in the first stages so I could familiarize myself with proper portions and control.

I also kicked the soda habit. This one hurt pretty bad and I wish I could tell you it was easier, but it took sheer determination to say “no”. Most importantly, I no longer bought the sharing packs of chocolate.

I’ll allow myself an occasional treat, but I always make sure I buy an individual portion and I log those calories!

I started exercising regularly. Every lunch time I’d go walking with a friend – normally for about 50 minutes. We would cover 2.5 to 3 miles. Gradually we increased our speed.

When the weather was poor, I’d do a workout DVD at home (I started with Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred). The weight steadily came off, and then about six months into my journey the weight loss stalled.

Dealing with setbacks and obstacles

I was very frustrated. I was doing everything right. Eating right, exercising, logging all my calories, but I was lucky if I lost half a pound a week.

I asked some people on My Fitness Pal forums what they thought the problem was and every one came back with the same answer – I wasn’t eating enough calories!

I don’t know about you, but the thought of eating more calories to lose weight just didn’t compute within my pea brain!

But, I did some research and everything I found seemed to agree. After all, at 1200 calories there was no way I could eat less, so the answer must be to eat more!

Finding the tools for long term weight loss success

I found a helpful calculator that accounted for my current weight, height, age, gender and activity level. It told me I needed to eat 1623 calories per day for fat loss. I decided to gradually increase my calorie intake to this level.

It hasn’t been easy. After six months, to go from eating 1200 calories a day to suddenly consuming 400 additional calories took time to get used to. But, since increasing my intake, my weight loss has continued at a steady pace of between 1 to 4 pounds per week.

In June, I decided to try a new exercise: running. Reading the blogs of so many women who’ve lost weight and discovered a love for running inspired me.

I found a Couch to 5k ten-week training program. When I first started, I’d run and walk intervals of one minute. During the running intervals I felt like I would pass out! But I knew the walking interval was coming soon, so I would just tough it out.

In ten weeks, I’ve gone from not being able to run for one minute to running 3.1 miles! I absolutely love running and know it will help me maintain my weight loss. And even though I’m not at my goal yet, I know I’ll reach it.

Nothing stands in your way

I’ve found the best way to lose weight is to make changes to your eating you can live with for life. While that may sound like a long time, I’m not talking about being on a lifelong diet.

I’ve never once viewed this experience as being on a “diet”. Instead, I see it as simply changing the way I eat for the better. As mentioned before, I allow myself treats, but that’s exactly what they are – treats!

I’ve also found exercises I love doing. This is key to becoming a healthier person. Whether it’s running, biking, swimming, or lifting weights, find a physical activity you enjoy.

If you’re at the start of your journey and it looks like an insurmountable summit, I just want to encourage you to go for it!

Once you get into the zone, literally nothing will stand in your way of success and trust me, if I can do it, I know you can too!

Do you have a weight loss success story you’d like to share to inspire others? Check out the Half Size Me submission page for more information!

About the author: Mary Smith blogs over at A Walk in the Woods. Her blog follows her journey to find a new, healthier life through weight loss and fitness. So far, she’s lost 55 pounds with another 24 to go until she reaches her goal.

 

 

Interview With The 1 Meal 1 Workout Podcast

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Neon Mic by fensterbme / photo on flickr / Creative Commons licenseby Heather Robertson

Recently, I was contacted by Aaron, one of the 3 hosts of the 1 Meal 1 Workout Podcast. They wanted to interview me about my own weight loss journey.

It was an honor to be invited on and I had a great time doing the interview.

Here are a few topics we covered:

— Running races and obstacle courses
— Fetting motivated to lose weight because of your kids
— Paying attention to how certain foods effect your body
— And a whole lot more

You can download and listen to the episode here.

Please give it a listen and let me what you think in the comments!

7 Ways to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits In Kids (and Be a Proud Mama Too!)

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Baby eating apple by Reini68 / photo on flickrby Heather Robertson

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”
— James Arthur Baldwin

In episode 26 of the Half Size Me show, I mentioned an article I read that explained how to encourage your kids to eat healthy. It reminded me that many times, as busy moms, we can forget to provide healthy snacks for our kids.

This happened to me while on a recent trip to the grocery store with my own kiddos. Usually, I bring bananas, grapes, or some other fruit for them to snack on. But because I was in a hurry, I forgot. So I told them we’d get a snack while we were at the store.

Now, every once in awhile, I’ll buy them a pre-packaged, trail mix-type snack. They like it, and because it has nuts and raisins and there’s minimal chocolate in it, I’m okay with it too.

Once we were in the store, I told them they could pick out one of those snacks, but Max, my oldest, turned to me and said, “Mommy, my tummy has been upset and I really don’t want that.”

Surprised, I asked him, “Okay, what would you like then?” I fully expected to hear back requests like Graham crackers, or goldfish crackers, or another typical processed “kid-friendly” snack food. But instead, he said, “Mommy, I want fruit.”

I was floored.

I realized that, for the first time since starting my own weight loss journey, I was seeing the impact my choices were having on my kids.

I’ve mentioned before my concerns about childhood obesity. Since I was an obese child myself, I don’t want my kids (or anybody else’s kids) to ever have to deal with that pain. But because of the healthy food choices I’ve been making over past few years, my influence is having a positive effect on my kids. It’s a stepping stone process.

Look at it this way, once you can get your own eating under control, and show that you’re taking care of yourself, it will have a direct impact on the current and future health of your children.

Remember this: You’re teaching your children every time they see you.

Every time they see you reach for something in the pantry. Every time they see what you are putting on your plate. You are teaching them.

That single moment with my son made all the nights I didn’t have ice cream worth it. It made all the times I could have had pizza but didn’t worth it. It made all my good choices worthwhile, because it’s not just about me.

And it’s not just about you either.

It’s not just you who is affected by these major changes you are making. Your children are going to be affected too. What you’re doing is worthwhile because you’re planting the seeds for your child’s future health.

Here’s a list of 7 ways you can help encourage healthy eating habits in your child (inspired by the post “Healthy Eating for Children“):

  1. Have dinner together as a family.
  2. Avoid putting too much pressure on your child to eat.
  3. Don’t comment about the types or amounts of food your child is eating.
  4. Make healthy food choices when preparing meals, because your kids will follow your example.
  5. Be consistent with meal time every day, if possible.
  6. Offer your kids healthy meal options often enough to prevent them from getting too hungry.
  7. Make sure that, during family meal time, you leave off the T.V. and that everyone talks and enjoys each other.

50 Things I Can Do After Losing 170 Pounds

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Robertson family on the run!by Heather Robertson

Because of the positive response to my post on 40 things I won’t miss about being 170 pounds overweight, I’ve written a list of the benefits and non-scale victories (NSV) that have happened since I reached my goal weight.

So, here (in no particular order) is my list of 50 things I can do after losing 170 pounds!

I can:

1. Get off the ground without any help.
2. Do pushups on my toes.
3. Run for longer than a minute.
4. Put on jeans without having “love handles” to grab.
5. Get lifted off the ground by my hubby.
6. Smile when my kids ask why my husband is bigger than me.
7. Get asked to coach a Pre-K Physical Education class.
8. Maintain the energy to keep up with my kids.
9. Jump on a trampoline with my kids.
10. Swim with my kids.
11. Go for long walks or hikes with my family.
12. Hold a hover or plank position.
13. Run with my kids (and win sometimes!).
14. Realize that anything is possible when I put my mind to it.
15. Pick a size 6 off a clothing rack and have it fit.
16. Get dressed up for no reason other than “because it makes me feel good.”
17. See muscles in my shoulders, arms, and back.
18. Hear my doctor say I was at a healthy BMI for my height.
19. Know that I’m the most physically active person in a room regardless of gender.
20. Sit in an armchair and have space on either side of me.
21. Try on my wedding dress and realize it’s huge on me.
22. Loving the way I look in clothes.
23. Put clothes I like back on the rack because of my budget, not my body.
24. Wear sexy underwear.
25. Renew my commitment, every day, to living a healthier, fuller life.
26. Look at myself in the mirror.
27. Cross my legs.
28. Wear size B panty hose.
29. Buy size small shirts and workout clothes.
30. Experience people not wanting to offer me junk food because, in their words, “You obviously don’t eat it.” (What they don’t know won’t hurt them! 🙂 )
31. Hear people refer to me as in shape or healthy.
32. Know that, even after 3 C-sections and a hernia operation, my body is stronger than before.
33. Realize my husband and I together weigh only 34 pounds more than I did at my heaviest.
34. See everyone smiling bigger at me because I smile bigger at them.
35. See how strong I am both physically and mentally.
36. Watch my doctor’s expression when she pulls out my chart and sees how much weight I’ve lost.
37. Challenge myself by running a race.
38. Play with my kids without accidentally hurting them because I’m out of touch with my body.
39. Do jumping jacks.
40. Choose to play with my kids or sit and watch them because I want to, not because of my weight.
41. See myself as beautiful for the first time in my life.
42. Finally accept who I am.
43. Look forward to challenging workouts.
44. Say “no” to what I don’t want and not worry about what others think of me.

This is a kids' ride... and I can fit!
This is a kids’ ride… and I can fit!

45. Create any new habit I want if I’m patient and willing to commit.
46. Feel, for the first time, that I’m in control of me.
47. View food as fuel for my body and not as “the enemy.”
48. Celebrate others achieving their goals, instead of being jealous because I couldn’t achieve mine.
49. Be a role model for other moms by showing them healthy is an option worth working for.
50. Realize that people are capable of so much more than what they think they can achieve.

And here’s one extra:

51. Prove that no matter what the obstacles in your path, you can achieve your health and fitness goals, or whatever you set your mind to!