Since hitting publish on my latest health related blog post, My battle with IIH – an update for you, many of you have asked how I lost 28 kilos.
What do I eat? is the most popular question asked.
I joke that I basically eat nothing but fresh air and sunshine, but that’s not true.
How I lost 28 kilos
I eat regular, healthy, fresh meals three times a day. Sometimes I’ll have a snack too and I always have a cup of coffee.
There’s a full run down of my daily food intake in this post, What I Eat In A Day.
However there are a couple of things I’d like to chat about in regards to ‘dieting’ and losing weight.
So make yourself a non fat, gluten free, sugar free, almond milk cappuccino and pull up a chair.
Because when it comes to weight loss, this is what I know for sure.
1. Diets don’t work
I grew up surrounded by women who were always on a diet.
I thought eating nothing but coleslaw for days or being weighed in a hall in front of a group of randoms was completely normal.
It’s not.
For me, diets have a 100% failure rate.
So when I was told that losing a bit of weight might help resolve my IIH initially I was less than thrilled.
I knew I had to lose weight, but the last thing I wanted was to go on a diet.
So I didn’t. Instead I made several small changes that over time led to big results.
my tip: ditch the diet and embrace a healthy lifestyle you can permanently maintain
2. Small changes lead to big results
There aren’t any official ‘before’ photos of me. No ‘this is me on Day One’ images anywhere.
It never crossed my mind to take any, because for the first time in my life I wasn’t viewing this as a diet.
Instead it was a new way of eating and living.
That approach, combined with battling a fairly crap health condition, changed me both physically and mentally.
Here are the main changes I made in order to lose weight and keep it off.
- I started saying no instead of yes
Prior to being diagnosed with IIH I was a MASSIVE people pleaser who said yes to all the things, all the time.
“Would you like a slice of cake?” No, I don’t but you’ve gone to so much trouble so, Sure!
“Can I top your glass up?” No, you can’t but I don’t want to offend you so, Yep!
“You haven’t eaten very much. Pass me your plate, I’ll put some more on there for you” OMG I do not want to pass my plate but it would be rude not to so, Ok then!
“Next time you’re at the shops can you duck into XYZ and pick up XYZ for me?” I don’t have time to do your personal shopping but it’s easier to just say yes so, Of course!
Saying no to people was probably the biggest change I made.
“Would you like a slice of cake?” “No thank you. I don’t eat cake anymore.”
“Can I top your glass up?” “No thank you. I don’t need another wine, but a water would be lovely.”
“You haven’t eaten very much. Pass me your place, I’ll put some more on there for you.” “No thank you. I don’t eat much anymore because I’m working hard to not lose my eye sight.”
“Next time you’re at the shops can you duck into XYZ and pick up XYZ for me?” “Sorry, I can’t. I don’t get to the shops much anymore and when I do, I don’t have the energy to stay there very long. Have you looked to see if you can purchase it online?”
My Tip: if people react negatively to your new-found confidence, their reaction says more about them than it does about you. It’s ok to say no politely, especially when your health is involved.
- I found my motivation
Weight loss by intimidation never works. You don’t need to be bikini body ready by Summer.
You already have a body. Just put a bikini on your body and BAM! you’re ready.
Instead of worrying about the size inside your clothes or the reflection in the mirror – which, by the way, is gorgeous. Really. You are absolutely gorgeous. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise – try and find something that motivates you to lose weight.
For me, it was my eye sight. I want to see my kids grow up. I want to travel the world with my husband when we’re old and actually see the sights. I want to be able to see the words I’m writing for you on this blog.
THAT was my motivation.
It wasn’t – and still isn’t – about reaching a certain dress size. It was about my health and nothing else.
- I dropped the late night snacking
The old me used to think nothing of having a little something after dinner.
Not dessert – that would be bad for me – no, it was just a little snack. A bowl of something to nibble on while I was watching tv.
That stopped. So too has snacking during the day.
My Tip: ditching the snacks made a huge difference to my daily calorie intake. It was hard at first, but now? Snack Free is my new normal.
- I took my own food to BBQ’s
If we were invited to a friend’s place for a BBQ or dinner etc, I’d offer to bring a salad.
That way I knew there would always be something on the table I could eat.
- I ditched the alcohol
I used to love a cheeky champers on a Friday night. I even had a hashtag for it #fizzyfriday
I’m not a believer in eliminating entire food groups, so ditching the alcohol wasn’t a deliberate decision. However not drinking for 12 months definitely helped when it came to shedding the kilos.
Basically the medication I’m on to help control my IIH symptoms left me feeling lousy for quite some time. Drinking was the last thing I felt like.
There’s also the side effect of anything fizzy tasting like metal, which rules out pretty much everything on a cocktail list.
I haven’t had a beer, soda water, sparkling mineral water, soft drink etc in two years. I do push through with a glass of champers now, but to be honest, I usually don’t feel like it at all.
3. Exercise isn’t everything
I say that for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, I am a self-confessed exercise avoider. The only thing I enjoy about exercise is when it ends.
Secondly, I’ve done the whole flog yourself senseless at the gym thing. Then I’d spend the weekend inhaling food and drinking cocktails, all while wondering why I wasn’t losing weight.
These days I’m much kinder to myself.
I exercise a couple of times a week and it involves either walking or water walking.
I’d much prefer to watch what I eat than for the rest of my life than have to run 10k a day.
So that’s what I do. I watch my daily intake of food and do gentle exercise.
What I eat in a day
Because I know so many of you want to know what I eat in a day, here’s what a typical day looks like:
Breakfast: 1/2 cup carman’s fruit free muesli with milk OR two poached eggs on multigrain toast OR a yoghurt stack (below) + a cappuccino
Lunch: usually left overs from dinner the night before OR home-made chicken and veg soup OR cruskits with ham, cheese, tomato OR two poached eggs on toast
Dinner: Scott does almost all of the cooking now and gets most of his recipes from Jamie Oliver. They’re easy to make and super healthy. Chicken and quinoa salad is a favourite.
Snacks: I don’t have them often, but if a snack is required I’ll grab a small handful of almonds or a piece of fresh fruit.
I hope all of that information helps. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them here on the Facebook page.
A final word
There is no quick fix, no magic bullet, no secret to losing weight. We all know how to do it.
Most experts will say just eat less and move more. Simple!
However I truly believe there is so much more to it than that.
If there’s no known medical reason for a weight struggle, there could be something else going on.
Depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, fear – they all show up in mysterious ways. Sometimes, for some people, they show up in the form of emotional eating.
If someone in your life opens up to you about their weight, please be kind to them.
Listen and offer support, like a good friend should.
And finally, it took me two years to lose 28 kilos. Two years. Not weeks or months, but years.
I had a lot of guidance from medical experts, incredible support from my husband and my own determination to beat IIH.
I’ve always held the belief that slow and steady wins the race.
Whatever it is you want from life, if you start today and take a steady, consistent approach, just imagine what you could achieve two years from now.
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