Permanent Weight Loss and Yes, Diets DO Work

Gaining weight is easy, losing it is hard and according to several well published studies keeping it off is damn near impossible. Studies show that 95% of people who lose weight put it back on in five years or less.

95%

Ouch.

Why is that? I'm not sure what the studies say but my guess is people don't fully change their lives. The diet/exercise program they were on was just temporary. They started their weight loss regime to reach a goal: reunion, new years, summertime, something. And once that goal is reach they go right back to their old, fatty ways.

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar:

You start your diet/exercise regime. You follow it to the letter (mostly), the whole time counting the pounds you lost and the counting down the days until you can end this godforsaken diet. Ouch. And the moment you reach your goal weight it's HELLO OREOS! WOO HOO!

And then we complain that diets never work and how is it we managed to put the weight back on so fast. And this is for those of us who actually got started to begin with.

LOL.

As a person who has gained and lost twenty pounds most of my adult life I understand the process all too well. What I've come to realize however, is there is only one way to lose the weight and to keep it off: Recognize that whatever I do I have to do it FOR LIFE.

That's right. For life.

So if you're going to do Atkins, you're going to do Atkins for life. If you're going to do Weight Watchers, you're going to do Weight Watchers for life. If you're going to do The Zone, you're gonna do it for life. It's just that simple.

You can't look at a 'diet' as a temporary thing. It's PERMANENT. So change your way of thinking and recognize that whatever you decide to do, it needs to be something you can do forever.

For me for example, I recognize I can't be on a diet that's not going to allow me to eat ice cream...lol. I can't. I tried. It never works. SMH. And the reality of it is I just eat more ice cream. LOL. I've never been good at deprivation.

So think long and hard before you start that next diet program. Ask yourself if this is something you can do for life. If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board and try again. Remember it shouldn't feel like a diet. It should feel like your life. 'Cause the truth of the matter is...it is.

Practical Guide to Getting 90 Minutes of Exercise a Day

This was posted at the bottom of the previous blog but I thought it was important enough to warrant its own post.

Tips to Getting 90 Minutes of Exercise A Day

1. Take the stairs. Stairs burn lots of calories. Instead of taking the elevator, hop on the stairs. Yes, even if you're on the sixth floor. The higher the better.

2. Park far away. You'll be amazed at how much walking you do when you don't park near the building you're trying to enter.

3. Take a page from Tracy's book and work out on your lunch hour (or half hour). A brisk walk or weight work out will contribute to the 90 minutes you need to make each day.

4. Get up early and walk, run or go to the gym. If you just don't have the time during the day to work out, get up early and make it happen. Yes I recognize that could mean 4 or 5 in the morning for some of you, but hey if you treat exercise like you do work then it shouldn't be a problem.

5. Go for a walk after dinner. It's simple yet effective.

90 Minutes a Day Keeps the Fat Away

90 minutes.

That's the magic number to losing weight AND keeping it off.

Some years ago I was watching Dateline and they were following three people who had lost a significant amount of weight (30 pounds or more) and kept it off. What they had in common and what a medical study the show quoted showed: if you want to lose weight and keep it off, 90 minutes a day of working out is what it is going to take.

Period.

That's very different then the 30 minutes a day that was recommended for decades and more in line with the new government guidelines that say 30 - 45 minutes of aerobic activity at least 5 days a week PLUS an additional 30 to 60 minutes of additional physical activity a day (walking, taking stairs, housework, yard work, etc) for weight loss.

So how do you get 90 minutes of exercise a day into a busy work and home schedule?

Well ask yourself this: Do I watch 90 minutes worth of TV a day?

If the answer is yes - then you have 90 minutes to work out.

I recognize that it is not that simple but my point is that 90 minutes represents an hour long drama and a sitcom or three sitcoms or a Lifetime movie, so it is possible.

Practical Tips for Getting 90 Minutes Worth of Exercise a Day

1. Take the stairs. Stairs burn lots of calories. Instead of taking the elevator, hop on the stairs. Yes, even if you're on the sixth floor. The higher the better.

2. Park far away. You'll be amazed at how much walking you do when you don't park near the building you're trying to enter.

3. Take a page from Tracy's book and work out on your lunch hour (or half hour). A brisk walk or weight work out will contribute to the 90 minutes you need to make each day.

4. Get up early and walk, run or go to the gym. If you just don't have the time during the day to work out, get up early and make it happen. Yes I recognize that could mean 4 or 5 in the morning for some of you, but hey if you treat exercise like you do work then it shouldn't be a problem.

5. Go for a walk after dinner. It's simple yet effective.

Well...Since We're Putting Up Pictures...

This is the BEFORE me. I'm 157 - 161 pounds give or take a pint of ice cream or two. My goal is to be 140 pounds by the end of the year. Dec. 31 to be eact, so I can spend my New Years celebrating the fact that I lost 20 pounds (25 pounds in all I was 165 when I started on this weight loss journey).

I had to put up a hot pic. Couldn't let Tracy outdo me. LOL.

Still plugging along!!

"Cake? None for me, thanks!"

Dang, I'm Hot!!

Hi everyone!!

Well, don't quite know what happened, but I managed to gain 3 pounds this time around. Actually, I do know what happened, so here are my "Official List of Excuses!!"

1. Missed a couple days of walking and working out and the days I did walk, I kinda half-assed it. Gotta sweat ladies!!

2. Since all the other folks in my office and on my team gained weight too (yay!) it is probably some kind of virus that is making us all retain water.

3. It is getting colder outside, forcing our bodies to store more fat for the coming winter months.

4. There might just be something to all this "over 40 metabolism thing"...

But the really crazy part of all this is that I lost another dress size is spite of it all! I am now officially (that means the clothes fit) a size 20! So two months, 12 pounds and three dress sizes!

Not bad! But I gotta do better! Don't want to do it, but maybe there is something to the writing down all you eat thing! I have definitely stepped up the exercise, since my body has obviously gotten used to my routine already!

Grant, my online personal trainer, sent me some more tips on lifting and I thought I'd share them with you!

Ok, now that you have had to reflect on my email,- and regret your decision to contact me in the first place-lol, I'm anticipating you may have a couple of questions. When do I add weights and how much? I'm glad you asked that question!

Use the following guidelines: when you are able to do the scheduled number of sets and reps in a given exercise, increase the weight by the smallest increment possible, e.g., on the bench press if you can do all 3x15 with the weight of the bar only, add a 2.5lb weight to each side and use that until you can again do 3x15, then take the 2.5lb weights off and use two 5lb weights and start the whole process over again, and on and on. You will probably reach a point that you think you will never get beyond, but keep at it and you WILL eventually get to the next level.

Machines are a little more difficult, because the weight increments are usually in 10-20lb increases. In this case, again increase by the smallest amount of weight you can but you will probably have to reduce the number of reps you do because of the large increase in weight, e.g., on the wide grip pulldown, the lowest weight is probably 20 lbs and the next jump would be 40lbs-that's a pretty big step so instead of doing 3x15-or 12 or whatever was specified, do 3x12, if that is still too much try 3x10 until you reach a spot where you can do at least two full sets and have to struggle to finish the last 2-3 reps of the last set.

Make sense? By going in small increments and slowly you are less likely to injure yourself or to over train and get mentally and physically burned out. The mental part of lifting is very important, it's not just about beating your way through the next weight plateau, mentally push yourself along the lines that focus on the muscle that you are using to lift as well as the lift itself.

For instance, when you are doing triceps kickbacks really concentrate on the contraction of the muscle all the way through the range of motion and also watching yourself in the mirror to make sure that you are moving the weight in a steady and controlled method-no swinging the weights and basically just flailing away-I'm sure you've seen some people doing that from time to time in your gym. Another thing, do not worry about how awkward you may feel when you first start doing and exercise or how much weight you are doing compared to what others may be doing-you have your own schedule and your own pace, concentrate on that-focus, focus, focus.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, my guess is that you will be pretty sore in the beginning-maybe even a little sore at me too, HAHA-that is to be expected and with time it will become less and less intense (but it ain't never gonna go away, so get over it!!). Having said that however, as I said in my email, if you feel pain that is not muscle related stop the exercise immediately and let me know-ankles, knees, hips, elbows, necks, etc. Remember death is nature's way of telling you to slow down when you don't listen, and my way of saying "na nanny boo boo". And we don't want that now do we?

Isn't he a sweetie! Well, til next time.....oh wait! I got some new pics of the kinda new me! Thanks to Michele for taking them and putting up with my overly vain self! You can do it!

Cya!

The Tracy and Grant Show!!!!

Hey everybody!

I'm on my way to cracking 230 this week so I thought I'd give you guys a sneak preview of twisted madness that is Grant.....I mean the helpful guiding hand that is Grant.....

This is just like having my own Dr. Phil!!

Talk at ya all later! Gotta do my cardio! This morning I was at 231!!!

ME: Finally starting to see the "toning" part of my weight lifting! So....I dont think that I will have to do crunches after all! Yay!
GRANT:-----------------------------------Yeah, in your dreams!!!


ME: I choke down 64 oz of water a day - but I loooove diet rite soda!! So a liter of water to counter a liter of soda!
GRANT:-----------------------------------------------------Let's see, artificial sweeteners, oh, yeah, here it is under "Things that make you glow in the dark"


ME: Added more weights today - not sure if the lumps on my shoulders are muscles or knots!
GRANT:------------------------If you can't tell, you ain't using enough weight!!!!!

ME:Hey, if this works out (which it will) we could be like Bob Green and Oprah and make a book and stuff!

GRANT:Just as long as you know it will be the "Grant and Tracy Show" and not the other way around:-)

Folks, it's gonna be a loooong 3 months!

Talk at ya later, if I survive the stair machine!

A Little Help From My Friends.......

Hey All!!

Ok, back on track! Aunt Flo and her friend Dubya Retention are gone after a nice weeklong visit and I am happy to announce that they took 2 more pounds with them!! 232.4 as of this morning!! That's 12.4! Allright! Finally out of the Dreaded .08's!

I decided that I would take a commenter's advice about exercising thru the pain because 1. Your metabolism is at its highest at that time of the month and 2. The symptoms would lessen as you exercised.

Weeellll, that person was right!!! Cramps were at a minimum and bloating went down somewhat. Didn't have the total Shamu effect this time! So thank you commenter's, what would I do without you?!?

Which leads me to today's topic - Friends! Someone once said that good friends make smaller butts.....or was it Good fences make crazy neighbors....oh well it was something to do with friends! I have been blessed to have some people around me that are not only an inspiration, but are mean and will yell at me if I don't eat and exercise like I am supposed to!

Ha! Just kidding! They are as excited about the changes that exercise and good eating is making in their bodies and lives and act as a support group for me. When I don't think that I CAN DO IT, they remind me that I can - and will! or no cash.....

Got two gung ho gals at work, Cynthia and Michele. They are my walking buddies at lunch. Ken , the only guy in our weight loss group, goes along with us! Are we dedicated or what!?!

Michele has effortlessly now lost 20 pounds! Cynthia has lost some weight also and has quit smoking!! Me, I am now obsessed with working out and walking and the scale. Ken is still eating McDonalds, but instead of a whole Big Mac, he takes the pickles off. How we have not killed each other is beyond me!

True story!! Last week, Cyn, Mic and Me decided to take a hike on our lunch hour. We were going to go to another park that had trails on it and the trails ranged from 3/4 miles to 2 miles. We were just going to walk for about 30 min and then grab some lunch .

Now, me and the woods don't really jibe, not since I watched the "Deliverance/I Spit On Your Grave" marathon on tv one weekend. But, I figured, I was with two able bodied ladies and it was broad daylight so what could happen........riiiiight?

Well, ya know what happened? We fooled around and got on the long trail! Yep just a talkin and laffing til one of us noticed that we had passed our 30 minutes. Then we started getting quiet and walking faster....Michele fell, albeit gracefully. It was still funny.

We had to call back to the office and let them know that we would be late getting back - maybe an hour, maybe more. Hopefully before sundown. You had to be there, it was so hilarious! Three bug eyed women looking for civilization ("is that the parking lot? no, more damn woods!")

We did make it out in an hour's time tho - I was never so happy to see my old van! And since it was a nice hilly, rocky, climby trail, we are going to do it again. This time we will pack lunches and take flares, just in case we go off the beaten path again - Cynthia!!!

I also have many good friends in the blogosphere! Thank's to all of the encouraging words of support!

Someone that you will be hearing from soon on this blog is a regular in the BW Blogs - it's Mr. Grant from the WM that Prefer BM blog! Yep , Grant has offered to help me and give me some advice on my journey to Gucci bikini land! He is a trainer and fitness expert. He is also funny as hell, next blog I will give you a sample of his hilarious advice! So thank you Grant - you have your work cut out for you!! And, no your not getting a cut of the winnings......

Well, gotta go! Hopefully, I'm on a downhill slide - would like to get at the minimum 10 more pounds off before the next weigh in.....I CAN DO IT!!

Til next time...Stay out of the woods!