06:10
Faizan
I only dieted (I mean seriously dieted to lose weight) once in my life, and it was such a negative experience. I was starving all the time! I felt deprived and miserable and to make things worse, I lost maybe a pound. I look back on it now and think, "What was I thinking?" That was the problem; I wasn't thinking. I felt stressed, overwhelmed, and unhappy with the way I looked. I mindlessly reacted to my feelings and put myself on a diet.
This happened right after my first baby was born 26 years ago. I was trying to adjust to my new life situation. I was learning how to nurse my newborn which didn't come easy for me, dealing with the fact that I had a C-section, functioning on very little sleep, and I had to say good bye to my old life (and body).
When I finally got a few hours (in a row) of sleep, I came to my senses and realized that I wasn't helping myself by dieting. So I stopped the calorie-counting and restriction, and stepped back to re-assess. I figured out that I was overeating in general as a way to comfort myself and I was consuming way too much sugar and half-n-half in my (many) cups of decaf tea.
I decided to make a few mindful changes. I cut back on the tea and drank more water; I tried to eat when I was hungry and stop when I was full; and I started getting outside more for long walks as a way to comfort myself rather than eating. Eventually, my baby and I settled into a new routine and I was able to get back to my usual healthy way of eating. I began to feel better and gradually lost most of the baby weight. It took more time than I wanted and required a strong commitment to my health. There were bumps in the road along the way, but I stayed with it.
Even though I lost weight, my body had changed the way most women's bodies change after child birth. I had stretch marks, scars, saggy skin, and more wrinkles than before. It was hard for me to come to terms with this, but once I made peace with my "new" look, I felt even better.
I learned these three important lessons back then and they continue to hold true today...
First lesson - diets don't work!
Second lesson - achieving and staying at my personal best weight requires commitment and dedication.
Third (and most important) lesson - my health and well-being are so much more important than the number on the scale.
Being healthy in our fast-paced world - with all its unhealthy temptations - is quite challenging. Rather than dieting, you need to develop a skill set of healthy habits. Think of this as SKILL POWER rather than will power.
If you want to achieve your personal best weight and stay there for good, focus on eating for optimal health. Use these five skills to eat better and feel awesome. Be a HEALTHY LOSER!
Posted in: health and fitness
