How to eat everything and lose weight, a guide
Last summer, I lost 9 pounds in just over a month and blogged about it. I had promised I would blog about how I did it, but I never did, because I am clearly a liar. A lazy liar.
For the next couple months that followed the writing of that entry, I continued to lose weight. I continued to lose weight all the way to 131 lbs, and then I forgot how I had been keeping the weight off in the first place and decided that I was the exception to the rules that had been created by me, for me. Three months after that point, I achieved the impressed feat of gaining 10 pounds within two months.
If I was the “lets make excuses” kind of person, I would tell you that I have been under a lot of stress in the last 2-3 months, which is obviously the reason I gained it all back. If I was the “lets justify our fatness” kind of person, I would tell you that we had an especially cold and snowy winter season, and that this extra blubber was needed for winter hibernation and heat conservation.
But I am neither, so I will tell you this happened because I was lazy ass who was too lazy to write down what she did to lose the weight and keep it off, thus allowing her to: 1) forget everything, 2) break all the rules, 3) become a pig, and 4) gain it all back again.
So here is my long overdue weight loss guide. I could let you assume I’m writing this now of all times because I promised, but that would make me a passive liar. True is, I need to fit into a skin-tight spandex Latin ballroom dress in just under a month and I would prefer to do it without the use of Crisco or fishing line. Thus, the lose ten in thirty days challenge begins.
1. Know this: Burn more calories than you eat and you’ll lose weight; but eat more calories than you burn and you’ll gain weight.
It’s a very simple, mathematically-trackable formula. You can’t beat the system.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism examined the effects of diet alone (25 percent fewer calories consumed) versus diet plus exercise (12.5 percent fewer calories consumed and 12.5 percent more calories burned) in overweight but otherwise healthy adults. Researchers hypothesized that the diet plus exercise group would lose more body fat, but results showed equal amounts of weight and fat lost in both groups. This confirms that weight loss is all about calories: If you burn more calories than you eat, you’ll lose weight. (Mayo Clinic)
2. Eat small, eat slowly, eat often
- Eat small portions, because then you can eat more often and never feel hungry.
- Eat slowly, because when you eat fast, you don’t feel full until its too late, and then you end up feeling too full, and SURPRISE! you over-ate. Again.
- Eat often, because then you won’t eat as much, you won’t go hungry, and because you won’t go hungry, you won’t be in such a hurry to shove food in your mouth, meaning you’ll eat slowly.
3. Drink water
Most weight loss programs leave you fatter than ever a couple months after losing it all because you just lose water and not actual fat. We want this weight loss thing to be long-term; It needs to be done in a sustainable, healthy way—so start drinking water, because you need it, it’s good for you and it will help you operate at peak performance. Here are some reasons why water so essential to weight loss:
- It flushes out toxins and waste in the body
- It suppress the appetite
- It has been shown to speed up your metabolism
4. Be realistic: moderation, moderation, moderation
The simple truth of the matter is that you are probably not going to be able to go cold turkey on everything bad and fatty for you; true change is a long-term thing. But it has to start somewhere.
You probably have some bad indulgences. You probably eat a lot of other things you wouldn’t normally consider “indulgences” but sneakily pack on the pounds regardless; like meat or dairy products, for example. The un-diet isn’t about turning you into a grass-eating, nuts-and-seeds-loving, soymilk-drinking vegan overnight (or ever). It’s about heading in the direction of a healthy lifestyle with you living at your optimal weight; and right now, that means moderation.
For example, the first time I lost 9 pounds in a month, it was summertime and I had a special place in my heart for Rolo ice cream. When I started the un-diet, I would still regularly enjoy my Rolo ice cream, just in much smaller amounts, accompanied by more exercise. Had I indulged this sinful (but oh so good) behavior in large amounts accompanied by no exercise, I would have gained weight. But I didn’t, because I ate a little bit of bad food in a smart way.
And just when you thought you were safe…
5. You need to get off your fat ass and exercise.
Surprise! I bet you didn’t see this one coming. You might have thought you were off the hook when you read point #1, but you were misled. As I mentioned in the previous point, the un-diet is ultimately about heading you in the right direction of a healthy lifestyle; and a healthy lifestyle, as you might have already guessed, incorporates exercise.
The un-diet is really not about losing weight, but getting in shape; so exercise is key. After all, you could lose all the weight you want any way and be a walking pile of bones, but what’s appealing about that? Besides all the positive health benefits, exercise will get you toned. And toned is sexy.
Something to note: when you start turning fat into muscle, your scale might not be as aware of this as your tape measure will be, so be sure to not only weigh yourself, but also measure yourself – waist, hips, thighs, etc. You’re going to lose it somewhere.
A recommendation on exercises:
If you’re anything like me, getting out of the house to workout is half the battle. This is why I love home workout DVD so much; just pop one into the computer you’ve been sitting at all day and start moving. It’s way easier than finding the motivation to get dressed and leave the house. Of course, you’re going to want to incorporate many different types of exercises into your exercise program, but this is a great way to get started (and a great element to keep in your workout regime).
Since my biggest weight issue is my stomach fat, I used Core Rhythm’s “Secret to sexy abs” workout DVD (30 min.) almost exclusively during my one month challenge, and I am using it again in combination with two hours of running and six hours of intensive dance practice per week. (And as a bonus, it also dramatically helped my core body movement for dancing!)
Conclusion
So there you have it. I started following these principles again just over a week ago, and since then, I’ve gone from 142 lbs to 139 lbs—and this is including Valentine’s day weekend in which I was given way too much chocolate and forced at gunpoint (true story! … okay, not really) to eat deep fried brie at my best friend’s birthday dinner. (Of course, there has been a non-stop ache in my abs from attempts at redemption in the form of sit-ups and ab workouts, but I haven’t done any self-denial in the name of food or gone hungry, so I consider it all a success.)
Here’s to fitting into your skinny jeans again!
Disclaimer: I’m not a health professional, so naturally, I know nothing but what worked for me. Follow at your own risk. (But really, would it kill you to burn more calories than you eat?)
“Eat often, because then you won’t eat as much, you won’t go hungry, and because you won’t go hungry, you won’t be in such a hurry to shove food in your mouth, meaning you’ll eat slowly.”
This is right, but by eating often, you keep your metabolism going (burning), and the faster your metabolism is, the easier is to burn. Besides, by eating often, your blood sugar is kept at a stale level. When you are several hours without eating, your blood sugar levels are very low, making you very hungry, resulting in you eating the whole fridge’s contents. So…eat small, often and slowly!
I have to add, the it’s important not only to reduce the amount of calories consumed, but to improve the quality of your food. Sometimes you don’t even have to reduce the amount of food, but to change unhealthy for healthy foods.
I’d only want to know what your source for drinking water increases metabolism is. (Thanks in advance).
Reply: Very true! The main reason I didn’t mention changing to healthier foods is because this guide was written according to what I did, and my biggest challenge was the fact that I was eating very healthy AND exercising lots but not losing *anything* – it was frustrating, because I don’t eat many refined foods, no white anything (rice, bread, crackers, etc.), no meat, little junk food (no potato chips, some chocolate, some candy) … so it got to the point, before I had this list, that I was faced with the idea of limited foods I liked, like brown rice, potatoes or wheat-free whole grain bread—and I’d go hungry. And a hungry Chanel is a bad thing for the world. ;)
I’ve read the “water increases metabolism” thing several places, but I found one study that showed it increased it briefly: http://walking.about.com/cs/howtoloseweight/a/water011204.htm
February 17th, 2009 at 4:32 amThanks for writing this! Even though I know all of what you wrote on here is true, it’s still quite difficult for me to un-diet because I just want to see results quickly and then I get discouraged. Even though I know that a pound or two a week is good weight loss. Anyway, I’m on the road to healthy weight loss and your entry was a good reminder of the things that I need to keep in mind! Thanks!
February 17th, 2009 at 5:52 pmYou can do it! With similar strategies, I went from 156 to 120 last year, and felt great. My biggest change was committing to exercising 3 times a week.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:20 pmI’m a big fan of workout DVDs myself. My favorite one by far is Shamira’s Sensuous Bellydance Workout. I have the first one (on VHS) and the second on DVD and I love those tapes because it is so much fun. You focus on learning the dance and she is helpful about describing how it should feel when you move certain body parts in each technique.
It’s not about exercise as much as having fun. And now whenever I hear music, I want to dance and at the very minimum, do some hip rolls.
I’ve also found that I drink more water with my jug. I bought it at Walgreens the summer before last and it holds the doctor recommended 8 glasses of water a day. I just fill it up in the morning and keep it with me. Just having it around makes it so convenient and I’ve noticed my skin has been clearing up and I’ve been feeling much better.
But as always, I love reading tips to find new ways to incorporate healthier habits into my lifestyle. These are just what has been really successful with me.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:35 amPerhaps you need to do some more running too, you seemed to like it before ;)
http://chanelwood.com/musings/like-crack-only-better/
It’s a good feeling when you get going…
February 20th, 2009 at 10:05 amGreat tips. I guess self-discipline should be included during your work-out plan or period to avoid gaining weight again. You have to realize that you have a goal and you must stick to your plan to achieve it. But nonetheless, you should also reward yourself a little of those favorites of yours once you loss some weight.
March 13th, 2009 at 6:14 amReading about weight loss tips is always fun. Thanks for the entertainment. Do you mind if I ask for your email address?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:02 amIt’s important not only to reduce the amount of calories consumed, but to improve the quality of your food… Sometimes you don’t even have to reduce the amount of food, but to change unhealthy for healthy foods….
May 25th, 2009 at 6:18 amYour article is really best. It has given me idea of eating well, and how to lose weight.. good one. I recommend Consume things that have no calories. There are two things you eat and drink that contain no calories: water and fiber. The more of these you get into your diet, the better off you will be. For example, you can eat a pound of mixed salad greens with assorted raw vegetables (carrots, red cabbage, celery, broccoli, onion, etc.) with a low or no-calorie salad dressing and only have eaten 100-150 calories. This is because of the high water and fiber content of the salad and low calorie dressing. Also, eat lots of celery. It has only 8 calories, but amazingly, it takes more than 8 calories to digest it. So, you actually BURN calories by eating celery! It’s not much, about 2 calories per 8 inch stalk, but it sure doesn’t hurt.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:08 pmThese type of ideas are really helpful. It helps people a lot in losing weight as well as eat everything specially those who can’t stop themselves for eating and are not able to do dieting and stuff. Hope to get some more stuff at your blog as i am a new reader and enjoying reading your posts a lot :)
June 19th, 2009 at 9:20 amThanks
Hey guys, Its a great site for the unhealthy weight losers…I liked the realistic approach of this post…
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:32 pmthis approach really hit home…
July 1st, 2009 at 1:01 pmThere is a lot of good information in this article… For all you diet-conscienc people out there green tea also helps to reduce cravings…. Eating breakfast will help stop those cravings you may have later on in the day and along with working out in morning eating breakfast will also keep you energized throughout the day…
July 9th, 2009 at 11:57 pmLose weight by eating! Cool diet plan! If you’re serious about losing weight, never go more than five hours without eating…. Eat three meals a day and choose a healthy snack between lunch and dinner… Instead of raiding the vending machine when hunger strikes at 3 p.m., eat the healthy snack you brought with you from home….
July 14th, 2009 at 6:43 amnice topic ,but i cant believe that loss weight by eating .if we eat and sleep daily in the noon time means automatically it will increase your weight right.any way am going to try this to decrease my weight .if its decrease i will be so happy if it doesnt sorry i cant.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:50 amReally I felt funny while I read your blog title How to eat everything and loses weight ,guide.. After read your blog I really felt amazing and I liked your idea to loses weight even eating all the things.. Thank you for your tips and suggestion to loses weight..
July 15th, 2009 at 9:35 amVery informative… Thanks for sharing… Loosing weight may not be related to how much you eat as much as it is impacted by what you eat… The more veggies you eat the better… Get used to eating fruit for desert… If you fill up with vegetables and eat fruits for dessert your life is bound to improve….
July 17th, 2009 at 8:28 amAlways begin your routine with warm up exercises and finish off your routine with cooling down exercises…. Eat a well balanced diet that is low in fat and sugar, eat more fiber and whole grain foods as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables….
July 18th, 2009 at 11:34 pmEnjoy food for taste, fill up with water… Many people become more successful at long term weight loss when their motivation changes from wanting to be thinner to wanting to be healthier… Change your mindset to think about selecting foods that will help your body’s health rather than worrying about foods that will affect your body’s weight. ..
July 29th, 2009 at 9:20 amif you have decided to lose weight then do not eat too much chocolates, oily food, fast foo etc.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:00 am3. Drink water
Most weight loss programs leave you fatter than ever a couple months after losing it all because you just lose water and not actual fat. We want this weight loss thing to be long-term; It needs to be done in a sustainable, healthy way—so start drinking water, because you need it, it’s good for you and it will help you operate at peak performance. Here are some reasons why water so essential to weight loss:
It flushes out toxins and waste in the body
It suppress the appetite
It has been shown to speed up your metabolism
This is so correct, it is somewhat ironic that more people don’t see the benefits of drinking water, when they are implimentig a diet program on how to lose weight. Great Post!
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:57 amHey,mate.Generally I do not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this post really forced me to do so! really nice post.thanks for sharing this.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:32 amI’ve been a fan of the MC for a few years now. I decided to purchase this book because it had some great pointers for making the MC more effective and for clearing up some questions I had. Whenever I get ready to do the MC again, I read through this book to remind myself of the details that make the MC successful. It really helps put in the frame of mind to be prepared for the MC. Thank you, Peter!!!
December 8th, 2009 at 3:02 amNice article on nutrition, but nada on building a monster squat.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:31 ami was thinking that hoe i loses whght so fast and slow .i been went to loses weght fast.how you do that.then i hard that you can loses weght when you drink water and run and do otheres things.to.then i hard that.you can make your self loses weght.by runnny and walking and playing around to.and then.if you eat slow not fast can you loses weght then.if you put small things on your plate then you actlly loses weght fast to.myboyfriend.needs help to.to loses weght fast .we all try to help him to loses weght. is there a way to help him to loses weght. fast.he is there a way to have him to get up and do runnny and walking his family try toi help him to loses weght fast.myboyfriend.weght mybe 5oo pound or 400.pound .to.so can you help him to do that.he is kinda handycop.but he is kinda big.his grandma try to help him to loses weght.to.sometimes his grandma help him to buy clothes to.we go out of town for his clothes there no clothers for him here.so pleses help us to make him loses weght to. okey .p.s.memoryhawkins
January 17th, 2010 at 2:08 pmThe water tip is great. I recently read some amazing health facts about water. Its unreal just how much it balances the human body. Also thanks for mentioning the exercise bit. People think that they can lose weight just be restructuring their diet, but you need a combination of activity and good eating.
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