Last summer I knew I was getting heavy. But when I went to the doctor at the end of August and was told that I weighed 187 pounds (AFTER a month of dieting!) I was shocked. It hit me like a bullet. I could not believe that I let myself get that heavy. Yes, I had two kids in two years. Yes, I had moved across the country earlier that year and was adjusting to my new job as a stay at home mom. But that was no excuse for me. I had never been that heavy (non-pregnant) before. This was not OK. I decided that after the long Labor Day weekend this was it for me. Time to get my act together. No more soda, no more ice cream EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT., and I was going to get off my butt and do something about this. I want to set an example for my girls. I want them to be proud of me, not embarrassed to be seen with me. I wanted better for myself.
Cutting Back (Not Out)
So I did it. I gave up soda, cut back on junk food, cut back on dairy, and committed to working out 5-6 days a week. At first it was Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, then her Ripped in 30, then Shaun T’s T25, and I am currently maintaining my weight loss with Tony Horton’s P90X3. One thing these workouts have in common? Their length. They are 25-35 minute long workouts. There is no excuse to not be able to find that kind of time. For me, I get up at 5am (ugh, I know!) and workout, shower, and have my coffee before my girls even think about waking up. I enjoy that me time. I NEED that me time.
Snack Health(ier)
As far as food goes, I am not on a diet by any means. I eat what I want but I watch my calories. I do not overdo it. I use the MyFitnessPal app to track my daily intake. I don’t eat dessert ever single night like I used to. I don’t finish my girls’ lunches when they don’t – it goes in the trash or the fridge depending on what is left. I still snack – a handful of chips (I love Better Chips), or pretzels, or peanuts – twice a day. I found that if I tried to not have my little indulgences throughout the day, I would binge on the weekends and gain.
Drink Water
I drink water like a fish. Seriously. I drink at least eight 16 oz glasses a day. And one to two coffees a day with a dash of creamer, no sugar. I do not drink cow’s milk at all. I use it in cooking sometimes but that is it. I use almond milk in my cereal. I buy the vanilla unsweetened and I use that with cheerios or corn flakes. It is awesome because it makes it taste sweeter – like their sugary counterparts.
I have lost 52 lbs and I am currently maintaining and toning. I am not perfect. Every now and then I grab a Coolatta at Dunks, have a big piece of cake, or a bowl of ice cream. Just not every day. And one last tip. Do not eat after 8:00 pm. Just don’t do it. If it is past 8:00 pm – you are not hungry, you are just bored. If I can do it, you can do it!
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.
Miss Slick One
Friday 28th of November 2014
Yeppers, I'm that 'before' photo right now... I always 'try' to do something new or different, but never stick to it. *sigh* 40 yrs of habit is hard as heck to break.