Was your New Year’s resolution to
lose weight? Personally, I don’t
make resolutions but I do understand
those who do. The first day of a new year
seems like the perfect time to start a
weight-loss diet, to exercise more, to
work on food-related issues or to perhaps
weigh yourself for the first time in a
long time.
If you are overweight and decide that you
want to lose weight, please consult with
your physician before starting any
weight-loss routine or program. It’s
important to know if you have any medical
issues before you increase your activity
level or weight-loss diet.
I know that when I went to see my
personal physician over two years ago and
discovered that I had borderline high
cholesterol and my doctor told me my
actual weight, I was surprised and
worried. It took a year but I did lose 75
pounds. My cholesterol number decreased
by over thirty. I never had high blood
pressure but that number also improved.
Since that time, my weight has fluctuated
ten to fifteen pounds. I continue to try
to manage my carb addiction. But I also
know that I honestly cannot completely
cut carbs out of my diet. It is a
delicate balance when I am faced with
tempting foods when I am trying to keep
those foods to a minimum. Like I’ve
said before, it’s hard to have
“just a little”.
If you do decide to diet, watch out! It
is inevitable that the minute you decide
to eat a more nutritious, well-balanced
diet, sugary treats will start to
magically appear all around you! There
will be people who think you
shouldn’t diet and will start to try
to change your mind. Or some may try to
sabotage your success. How willing will
you be to set boundaries and have tough
discussions with people? It’s better
to prevent problems, be open and honest
about your plan, and to ask people to
support you.
After you have seen your doctor you may
need help deciding where to start. Your
physician should be a good resource. I am
not an expert. I came up with my own
weight-loss plan which may or may not
work for you. And I still have not
achieved my ultimate weight-loss goal. I
found a lot of information online. I
calculated my BMI and BMR. I calculated
how many calories I could consume in a
day and figured out the correct portions
of the foods I like to eat. I don’t
like thinking a lot about food and
laboring over food choices. For that
reason, I did eat a lot of microwave
meals. I like and still continue to eat
steam bowls for lunch and dinner. I still
like to eat oatmeal, fruit and wholegrain
waffles for breakfast.
This year, I would like to learn more
about food preparation and cooking. I
admire people who can take any recipe,
substitute healthier ingredients and turn
a high-calorie meal into a tasty
reduced-calorie meal. I don’t know
how to do that. But I would like to
discover how to be a better cook.
Being overweight isn’t healthy. It
doesn’t feel good. It can lead to
heart disease and other illnesses. I
believe that there is a genetic factor to
obesity. If you look at families, you may
see common factors regarding weight. Is
that based on genetics, lifestyle or
both? I think it’s both.
I would like to encourage you to share
your story with me.
I am genuinely interested in knowing how
other people handle their weight. If you
have always been at a healthy weight, how
do you maintain it? Did you gain weight
after having children? Did you lose it or
are you having trouble?
If you are plus-size, are you happy? If
you are a size zero, are you happy? What
do you see when you look in the mirror?
How do you feel about your body? Do you
enjoy looking in the mirror or do you
avoid it? Have you ever attended a food
addiction program? Have you ever lost
weight and gained it back?
If you struggle with an addiction of any
kind, I urge you to seek support. If you
struggle with a food addiction or
disorder, know that I understand. I would
like to hear your story.
What I know for sure is that several
things help me with my struggles with
weight. Talking about it is at the top of
that list. Talking about food addictions,
disorders, obsessions and unhealthy
thoughts about food is a common daily
occurrence for me.
Discussions about healthy food recipes
and exercise routines are also common.
What I would like to do with this column
is to offer you, the Valley Patriot
reader, the opportunity to share your own
personal stories with me.
I am not a food, weight loss or eating
disorder expert. I am not someone who is
qualified to offer advice or tips. I
would, however, love to read your story
and possibly share it with other readers
and continue my own personal story in a
monthly column. If you are interested,
please email me at
Happy
New Year!
