Weight Loss is Easy!

Everyone has bought into the media's diets or flip flop bipolar "Okay okay the last idea sucked, this will make you thin" ideas, and it seems almost everyone has some part of their body they want to look more eye catching. After years of struggling with weight loss, I have managed to find a lifestyle that works. From all the books and websites I have read, this is a collection of both information from those books, my own experience and the experiences of those around me. I hope you enjoy reading it. Of course this lifestyle change may not work for you, and as always I can and will not force you to follow anything I say. It's all a choice, but I hope you make some that work for you! :)

Now let's begin!

1. Make it a Lifestyle change

If you just go on a diet or something in short term, it's useless, because you will constantly be jumping back and forth from being ridiculously thin to overweight or more.

2. Have at least one hour of moderate to intense aerobic exercise workout a day

Aerobic exercise burns the most energy, so that's the type of exercise that tones. What exercises are these? Cycling, running, jogging, swimming, dancing, step aerobics, skipping, martial arts, most sports (soccer, basketball, ice hockey...etc)- anything that keeps your body moving, working a sweat, make your heart rate go up and breathing heavily. Breathing is very important, as its oxygen and glucose combined that burns away energy. This is the same advice I have gotten off two of my friends who follow this lifestyle- they are both models and very beautiful. One does high intensity interval training of running on an oval 7 days a week, every week- the other does aerobics at the gym. That gives you a good idea of what you're striving for!

But I don't have time!

Yes, it's hard to juggle your schedule, isn't it? I have to juggle study, work, maintaining a relationship, doing chores and socializing as well as taking care of myself. Big demands! But it is possible. I talked to one of my friends (who I will keep anonymous) about how she manages to work part time, study full time, live on her own with a friend and manage to do at least 2 hours of exercise a day! She said "You just make time for it". So who cares about your schedule! Go do that gym session or run around the block! After all, if you don't have time for you- no one else is going to bother to do anything about it! I have found this "Screw it, just do it" method works. If you plan out your day you may be surprised how much time you do actually have.

But I hate exercise!

Adapt it to be something you enjoy. I watch TV and alternate between running back and forth the room with a medicine ball for 3 minutes, then do step areobics for another 3 minutes. Nowadays I do yoga. Of course this may not work for you- but add fun things to it until you enjoy it! Switch it up! Even better, sign up and pay for something new! Like a hip hop class or cycling! There are plenty of options out there, and the more you find something you love, the better!! You'll want to exercise. You'll want to get fitter and stronger so you can better do your favorite sport. It really is so much more enjoyable to exercise as a group! The "at home exercise" option may fit those who have little time on their hands or have money to spare.

3. Adjusting to the Lifestyle

You'll be surprised. I thought I'd hate the lifestyle with a passion but after some will-power it was the best decision I had ever made. You feel great, look amazing (sweat and the exercise hormones helps clear the skin and is great for acne), also be a lot fitter, of course will lose weight and KEEP IT OFF. I am the type of person who used to be really lazy and hated the thought of a workout. Now so long as I know WHY I'm doing it, I can exercise anything! But at the moment I'm really into dancing.

Remember exercise is such an addictive habit to get into ("Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy" - Reese Witherspoon as Elle in Legally Blonde!), it helps so much with confidence and if you have the will power and find something you enjoy, you will not regret it! Remember if you get sick of something, change to something else! Pick out a time you can exercise, and repeat in your head "Today when I get home from [such and such] I will do [such and such] exercise". Do it! It becomes easier the more you do it.

3. Always have one serving/helping of food, and make it the smallest size available

Huge portion sizes is a contributing reason as to why we're so friggin' fat. It really is. In 2006 I decided I hated my body and wanted to lose weight. So I cut out desert, I didn't eat any junk food, hardly ever. 1 in a 100 chance I'd eat something unhealthy. But I was devastated! I was still gaining weight, and I had no idea why since I was eating healthily! When people say "Change your diet its making you fat" that would never apply to me, because I am one of the healthiest eaters I know. The problem was I was still eating massive helpings of food, and sometimes I'd eat more than one massive helping. Large size was the go for me.

Having only one serving/helping of food, and making it the smallest size available is a great way to fix up portion sizes. Keep in mind, more than one helping is the equivalent of another meal altogether! We're not meant to eat until we are full. We are meant to finish eating when we are satisfied. This method helps with that. Keep in mind if you cook too much, just put it in the fridge and eat it over the next few days. It saves you having to cook every single day!!

But that isn't enough food! I don't want to starve!

It is a fear for survival. I know it all too well. I look at Sumo Salad and see the small bowl you can eat out of. I think "WTF I'm still going to be hungry after that. It won't fill me up at all". You will be surprised! Give it a go. Normally it's just the right amount to keep you satisfied, even almost full. :) And hey, if you're still left with an angry, empty, rumbling tummy afterwards- for god's sake, buy another bit of food! However, keep in mind your stomach will literally shrink when you cut down the amount you eat.

4. Never go Hungry

When we starve ourselves, when we start eating again our body goes "OMG I've been starving all this time I have to put all this weight on!" - and your endeavor of starving yourself to loose weight is pointless. Not only does it make you look really unhealthy, but it slows down metabolism, so you'll be less likely to loose weight without doing anything- and you'll be weak, unable to concentrate.... If you're hungry, I believe its better to eat something unhealthy and not starve (if that really is your only option), then starve and eat healthy food later.

5. The Junk food you have during the day counts as your desert

To loose weight, you don't have to cut out junk food. Just follow Tip #3 (and this one) and you're all set! If for example, I'm out at the shops and I want a muffin. I can go "Yeah, damn right I'm going to eat this muffin, but it'll be my desert so I can't have anything later on". It works so very well :) It means you don't have to completely cut out sugary goodness out of your life forever.

6. Get a Calorie Counter and Keep Track of What you have Eaten

It is not too difficult to do. It's just useful if things don't go according to plan. For example, if there's a day where you ate a really big serving of food, keep a mental note of drinking only water for the rest of the day /cut out dessert so you don't take in more calories than you need to. MyNetDiary is available online or with an Iphone/Ipad. It has been fantastic. I am no longer worried about whether this bit of food will make me fat, or whether I am doing enough to lose weight or not. These thoughts were plaguing me for years, even brought me into a semi state of anorexia nervosa at one point!

7. Go Vegetarian

My twin sister, Dot, became vegetarian a year before I decided to.... and she was loosing weight naturally without doing any real exercise, while I was working my ass off every day! I was so jealous, so now I have gone vegetarian too. This change will piss a lot of people off, and by no means do you have to. But the benefits are obvious. Almost guaranteed weight loss. Since by the Atwatar factor each gram of Fat has the most energy in it, fat makes you fat. And meat is very high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Cut it out and your calorie count has dropped considerably. Just make sure if you do this you get enough Iron and protein- especially Iron or you will get iron deficiency anemia, and you will be very week. Fluradix is an iron supplement I take every day, and I eat a great deal of spinach and red kidney beans- they're magic foods high in iron!

But I love meat, I don't want to say goodbye to it. My diet would be so boring

This was the main reason I didn't become vegetarian for so long, but it has other benefits besides weight loss and generally better health: clear skin. My acne was horrible, I was buying the most expensive cleansers, using it properly with little results. But for some reason, being vegetarian has cleared up my skin. I don't even use cleanser anymore and it is a lot better than it was when I was cleansing my face. And don't worry about lack of variety. Being vegetarian has opened me up to "strict vegetarian foods" - meals that 'only vegetarians' eat, and they taste amazing! Also you can get meat substitutes, like 'fake meat' made of special protein. I have yet to try some but it must taste somewhat decent otherwise no one would eat it!

Here is a very interesting article about The Facts of Vegetarianism

But there are people who manage to stay thin as still eating meat, so its up to you. :)

8. Be patient

Results come incredibly slowly, there will be times where you still mentally insult yourself for looking the way you do (although remember those are just thoughts!). I had to keep reminding myself that since results are happening I just have to wait a while and I will look the way I want to eventually. On the ShapeFit website, it seems the average time period for becoming the way you want to look on a lifestyle that makes you lose weight is 6 months. Half a year. It's lengthy, but I know you can do it! :)

9. Know the Difference between Hunger and Appetite

Very important to avoid overeating or eating out of boredom, depression or other reasons. Hunger is when your stomach is empty and growling for food. Appetite is just when you feel like eating because you saw something yummy. Make sure you only eat when you're hungry. Appetite is a trap! Try drinking tea to take your mind off things if you ever feel like emotionally eating or eating out of appetite alone.

That's all my tips. People come up to me now and say "You look fabulous" and "Oh my god, you're so thin!". Give it a few more months and I will be the way I want to look :) Over the past few months I have been losing weight for the first time in my life instead of constantly gaining it. It's very satisfying, exciting and wonderful experience. :) My wish is I can give you this experience as well. Good luck!

WEIGHT LOSS IS EASY

IF IT ISN'T YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG

Finally I'd like to share before/after weight loss success stories people have sent in at Shapefit.com. There are plenty of them and they're all very inspirational! So if you need motivation to get off of your bum from the computer, read them, and go for a walk!

for all its worth, the anime Kaleido Star always makes me feel like running around and exercising, so if watching other people exercise at the gym, dance or do gymnastics gets you pumped, try that too! :) <3

I would just like to mention that while I have a basic accredited qualification in Nutrition, I am no replacement for a Naturopath, Nutritionist, physiotherapist or personal trainer. Please consult one of these individuals if you would like to change something about your weight.