Friday, October 30, 2009

Words from Dear Husband

This is Dear Husband filling in for MRS MOM with some tips and suggestions to help out.

I KNOW what you are going through because I have lost 4 inches on my waist and generally gone down 2 shirt sizes with a few changes. I am 6' and was up to 269. Now I am 6' and have no idea how much I weigh because weight doesn't correspond to my being leaner or feeling better. Also to remember is that when you start exercising and building muscle you will........weigh MORE because muscle weighs more than fat. Building muscle will make you weigh more initially but that extra muscle will help your body metabolize more efficiently. Throw the scale away or at least hide it in the closet. Use the clothes you normally wear as a marker instead.

I simply decided that I wasn't comfortable being that fat so I had choices to make. The first change I made was to stop eating AS MUCH. Notice I didn't say diet or stop eating altogether. Not eating will cause spikes in blood sugar and make for some nasty days. (Trust me I tried that before)

Second was I started using Stacker 2 to help control my hunger pangs/irritation. It gave me the energy boost I needed to start and KEEP moving. The more I do the better I feel physically and psychologically. No exercise at all..just the motivation and energy to get more household things done and more time with the kids.

Do not try some fad diet. The only time tested way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise (move) more. Eat your regular food, just eat smaller portions and skip the desert 5 days a week. Yes I said 5 days because a little desert in moderation lets you take a day off with no guilt. No special food, no secret ingredients to buy. Just do what you normally do....it will make your life easier and will "feel" normal.

Yes I have physical and psychological cravings. Yes my stomach complains and there are days I could eat everything that doesn't eat me first. And yes there are days I feel like crap and want some comfort food. On those days I compare how crappy I feel at that moment compared to the feeling of being fat ALL the time. Those brief periods of discomfort (hungry or irritable because I DIDN"T eat that ice cream) are nothing compared to how much better I feel and easier I can move without the spare tire.


Is it hard?...YEP. Is it worth it....YEP. Small changes made me 39 lbs lighter..(I just weighed) but they made the QUALITY of my life more than any scale could say. My joints don't hurt..I sleep more soundly and I wake looking forward to the day. I could spout lots of sayings to motivate but deep down the only motivator is YOU. The support of the group is awesome but don't let a slip up make you so embarrassed that you stop. The old "OMG I GAINED 5 lbs and can't tell say that on the blog so I quit". If you break down and eat a quart of ice cream in one sitting....just try to understand WHY, then let it go and pick up where you left off.


That extra energy also helps out in other ways/areas....BUT this is a family blog so I will leave that to you, the dear reader, to contemplate.

**Mrs Mom back in for a moment. I hope you guys don't mind if Dear Husband pops in to contribute now and again! He is my rock- my support, my biggest cheerleader, and I swear he has half my brain. His support on this journey has made all the difference in the world to me. DH also mentions taking Stacker 2's. I don't- I'm doing this all on my own, with only determination to drive me on.

3 comments:

Lil Mama said...

I have decided that I just have to work out twice as much because I have no will power when it comes to food. Thanks for the advise.

Laura said...

Hi DH - nice to hear from you! Great job on the 39lbs. I think what you wrote about cravings is some good advice - feeling a bit of discomfort at the moment compared to the feeling of being overweight all the time - that simplifies the emotional side of things pretty well!

I think it's great that DH contributes - especially since I think support at home is soooo important.

My hubby is supportive too - we are trying to be more conscious of our food choices and portion sizes. He's a triathlete, so he has the workout side of things down pretty good, but he is always game to slow things down to my speed to do something together.

Chelsi said...

WoW! Good for you for the weight loss! You must feel amazing and you have such a great attitude about it! I agree with what you said about not dieting and to watch portions... I'm just not keen on the no dessert thing, for me I need to find light desserts as I LOVE my dessert:)