Resolutions and Weight Loss

It is the number one New Year resolution, "I want to lose weight!"

I have struggled with my weight my whole life, and from the day I was aware that I needed to be concerned about what I was eating, I was learning all the "tricks."

In the thirty-plus years I have been trying to keep my weight in a healthy range, I have learned about and/or tried just about every fad diet under the sun. Liquid diets, diet pills (legal and not), The Cabbage Soup diet, Weight Watchers, Herbalife, Deal-A-Meal, Fit or Fat, Fit for Life, low carb, high protein, no white, no dairy, and I even did a seven day fast with the idea that I could cleanse and reset my metabolism. Of all these programs, Weight Watchers is the most practical and sane.

Here is what I know: You have to get in the weight loss game because you want to live your life in a way that promotes health and fitness. You have to do it for you. This is where weight loss starts. It is a journey and there are no shortcuts. This I know.

Losing weight is a very simple concept, fewer calories in, more calories out (burned with exercise). I did not say it is easy, I said it is a simple concept. What has been successful for me is to make one change at a time, while being mindful of the other things that matter. Intentional exercise is critical. In November 2005, I quit drinking soda. I never did like the diet varieties so if I had a soda, it was fully charged. I have had fewer than ten sodas in over two years. I also cut out most all fast/convenience food. I have eliminated one bad habit at a time.

With that, understand that I still do not have a grip on my sugar addition and on emotional eating. I wake up thinking about food, affirming I will have a good food day. I think about it most minutes of the day, and do the best I can to not eat after 7:30 PM. I am still thinking about food (and not eating it) all the way until I climb into bed and when I wake up, it starts all over again.