Tools

Way back in January of 2007 when I decided it was time to get my butt off the couch and lose weight, I knew I couldn't do it alone. Let's face it- you don't get to be 315 pounds by being an expert in diet, moderation and exercise. After lots of trial and error and research, here are some of the things that have worked for me.

1. Weight Watchers Online
Yeah, I had to take accountability for the way I was eating and boy howdy, writing it down sure was a wake-up call. I went to one Weight Watchers meeting but it very much wasn't for me. I'm not really good at sharing in front of a group and some of the tips the ladies shared during that meeting seemed a tad wackadoo to me (for instance, pouring salt all over your restaurant leftovers so you wouldn't be tempted to keep eating them).

The online program works for me. I decided at the very beginning of this diet thing that I didn't want to give up any food that I liked and that I didn't want to cut out a whole section of food just to lose weight faster. I wanted to develop eating habits that I could keep for the rest of my life. By writing down what I was eating, measuring out portions and watching for cravings and patterns, I realized that I could eat basically whatever I wanted just as long as I stayed within limits for the day. This was a big revelation to me as in the past, my diets certainly didn't include ice cream and chocolate!

2. Food Scale

Yes, I felt like a crazy person the first couple of times I weighed out 52 grams of cereal, but the scale is a lot more accurate than measuring cups and a ton more accurate than eyeballing out a cup of something. My eyeballer was wayyyyy off, which may be how my weight got to be such a problem anyhow. Plus, trust me on this, weighing out ice cream is a lot easier than pressing every bit you can into a measuring cup and then scraping it out.

3. The Gym

I was one of those people who would forge notes in high school to get out of gym class. Once we had a soccer dribbling test and my time was something like triple the second worst person's. I am not an athlete. My coordination is right up there with a Jenga game.

That's why it shocked me when I decided to join a gym. I had lost my first forty pounds by going on long walks with the dog, but when my weight plateaued a little I knew I had to step it up. Going in and signing up was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Everyone there was thin and athletic and perfect. I was convinced that they were all secretly watching me and laughing at me, and I had visions of the locker room that rivaled the movie "Carrie." I was absolutely terrified.

A couple of days in, though, I realized that nobody gave a rat's behind about me there. Everyone was there to do their own thing and then get out. Once I realized this, I felt a lot better plopping my big butt on an elliptical machine in front of girls who look like Barbie dolls.

I started out doing Water Aerobics at the gym and moved on to machines and even some classes. My confidence went way up when I realized that hey, I may have run to third base when I finally hit the ball in softball in sixth grade but that didn't mean I couldn't do seven miles on a treadmill. Slow improvements over time and working towards becoming even more fit really motivated me a lot. Working out is always going to be work for me, but I love the way it makes me feel. It's a lot more satisfying in the long run than sitting on the couch and watching Billy Mays sell health insurance from beyond the grave!

More tips in a later post!