8 Steps to Get Fit and Stay Fit

I realize I sound like a "how to" manual, but as I was jogging this morning I thought through some of the things I have learned in my journey. It is so overwhelming for a heavy person to even think about going on a diet. Especially if they have tried and failed multiple times. I saw a friend in the grocery store last night and told her about my switch to a gluten/dairy free lifestyle. I know she struggles with depression like me and thought it might be beneficial. I said, "It's really not that hard." She said, "Margaret, you make everything look easy. But it's not easy." It hurt my heart. So how can I simplify what I have learned into a few paragraphs that might help others out there get started? I'm going to try.

1) Forgive yourself for letting your body go. You have value and are worth the effort.

2) Don't buy into the hype. People will try to sell you diet "miracles" the same as they will a Whopper.

3) Sacrifice and then persevere. Your body doesn't know what healthy is. You "think" you want a burrito supreme but your body is probably craving water. You will have to retrain it and yes, it's going to be difficult. But it's worth it. I started by cutting out sugar and refined white flours. I drank water instead of putting food into my mouth. I walked about 15 minutes at first. I weighed 310 pounds and thought it was impossible to lose weight. It is not. You just have to train your body and your mind what healthy is. You will not lose weight eating Recess Peanut Butter cups, no matter how many miles you walk.

4) Relapse happens. Your favorite food is there and you eat it. And then you eat more. And then you realize your whole diet is blown and you may as well call it quits. Walk anyway. Start again. Never give up. Never surrender.

5) Work through your emotional issues with food. It really does all start in the brain. You don't want to eat brussel sprouts, you're not going to eat them. You want some chicken nuggets and you can't stop thinking about them. You get sad. It's not fair that Misty Skinny girl gets to eat heaps of candy and never gains a pound. You hate her. You imagine stabbing her with toothpicks. You give in and eat chicken nuggets and feel like a failure. You are not a failure. You just have to stop the negative self talk. So you don't want Brussels Sprouts? What do you like that is healthy? Find a whole food that is tasty(raisins, lean meat, your favorite leafy vegetable). So you don't like any of those things? Cut sugar out of your diet and your taste buds will change. I guarantee it.

5) Ask for help. I have faithful friends who listened to me cry when it got too hard for me. They help carry the water. And I asked God for help because He is my best friend. I never understate that because I could not have walked through this journey without Him.

Hebrews 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

6) Study hard. Read everything you can about losing weight. Testimonials. Books about nutrition. Get excited and talk about it to everyone. Make them mad with your new smarts about living a healthy lifestyle. Real friends will bear up under it, phony friends will walk away. You didn't need them anyway. I read "Half-Assed-A Memoir" by Jennette Fulda. She lost half her body weight through diet and exercise. Reading that book evoked so many emotions in me and I realized that I too could lose weight. Thank you, Jennette! You inspired me! 7) Have fun! Try new foods you would have never eaten before. For me it was pineapple, guacamole, fish tacos, fresh blueberries. Yes, you may have to eliminate most of what you ate before but that stuff is poison to your body. Discipline your mind to NOT think about the foods you can't have and concentrate on the yummy foods you can. 8) Just keep swimming. Dory said it best in Finding Nemo. What works for someone else may not work for you. Your body is different than mine or your moms. Listen to your body and just keep moving. When I weighed 310 pounds I had to walk around the block and it was awful. When I weight 261 pounds I had to keep walking around the block and it was not as difficult. I knew that if I just kept walking and eating right, I was honoring my body. It was hard work. It was maybe the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life, but it was worth it. Today is a beautiful, glorious day. I grabbed my workout clothes and jogged and walked 6 miles. I went slow and careful because of my goofy hip. And I had fun. I love the clarity the dairy/gluten free diet is affording me. Today I am making hummus to eat for lunch this week. I amaze everyone at work with my beautiful salads and even fresh guacamole that I made at work in the lunch room. Do I sound like I'm miserable because I can't have Recess Peanut Butter Cups and White Castle? Yes, it took me a minute to get over those cravings in the beginning but they did pass. I have lost 140 pounds. I never thought it was possible. What can you do to improve your life?

Now go get 'em!