Time To Drop Some Weight—Get And Keep A Healthy Life
I think I might be onto something, for me at least. I've tried many diets over the years and had quite good success with a couple. I always had a spectacular metabolic rate when I was younger. I could eat anything and everything. When I was in high school, we all counted calories. When my family got into fitness, biking, running and doing triathlons, we were a diligent low-fat family. That worked, I started running at 38 and weighed 118#. However, this probably wasn't the best approach. Over the years, my weight crept up to 152# which seemed like morbid obesity at the time. Atkins worked like magic for me. Simple carbs are NOT our friends. I learned a lot following Atkins. Good quality animal protein, in much smaller quantities, and lots of vegetables are still staples in my diet. However, I've also added a tiny bit of good quality whole grains, and cut back on the fat recommendations. However, it worked too well. I dropped 40# in 3 months - too much, way too fast. 112# was not a good weight for me. I looked like I was on a hunger strike. A long, long hunger strike! Since then, which was in my early 50's, it's been hit or miss with success. I gradually gained back all that weight over the next decade, which takes me to my early '60's when everything changed.
I started having problems with autoimmune diseases and, at the same time, my metabolic rate took a nosedive. While on prednisone for 3-1/2 years, my weight shot up - WAY up. I've lost 27# so far but still have another 20 or so to go. It helps a lot with weight problems, if you don't think in terms of a 'diet' as a temporary fix. It needs to be a commitment to a lifestyle change that you can stay with, possibly forever, or until you feel led in a different direction.
I'm thinking I've discovered a couple good ways to accomplish my goals.
First, I do best with 2 meals a day and then later in the afternoon or early evening when I've had them both, a healthy snack, if the munchies hit. For me snack-attacks always happen in the evening. The rest of the day isn't a problem.
Second, I've been really intrigued by the science behind the concept of Intermittent Fasting. There are a few definitions of this. The one that suits me is to daily, limit the hours I can eat to a smaller timeframe, instead of the more typical American way. When I was younger I'd have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with 2 snacks in between and a late evening snack. When I'd stay up late reading, sewing or working on a recipe, I could be eating, on and off, for up to 18 hours a day (I don't need a lot of sleep). I've tallied those calorie totals and it was ridiculous. A NFL player in training might down more per day than I was, but not by a whole lot.
For my body and my goals, I've decided to limit my eating time to 6-8 hours. I'm not a big "breakfast" person, in regard to type of food, nor the time I eat my first meal after waking. So, I've found that I lean toward 11am as a good start time for me, stopping around 7pm.
Third, when I go back to my most natural roots in regard to attempting to get my life healthier, including attaining and maintaining an appropriate weight for my bone structure, height and age, I find counting calories works best for me. I actually like doing this!
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| 2012 - Just under 150# |
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| 2012 - 145# |
I've also decided that 2 meals, at or under 500 calories each, coffee in the morning, lots of water and herbal tea all throughout the day and if I'm really hungry toward the end of my food time-frame, a healthy snack. I'd like to keep my daily calorie total under 1,200.
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| 11-2019--172-175# - currently 168# |
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| 2018 - Right around 197# |
If you're also struggling, maybe you'd like to hop on my plan and see if it could work for you. If so, type "Under 500 Calorie Meals" in the search bar. I'll be adding recipes in this category, including calorie totals so you can use these ideas, or the actual recipes, mix and match them to come up with a calorie total that works for you.
Prednisone, combined with my metabolism dropping, quickly added almost 50 pounds to my tiny frame, within about 3 years. I've been off that about a year now, so it's time to get serious about losing the rest, getting and staying healthy! I've been doing this for almost a week. Today I'm down 5 pounds! I ate more than I have recently, but my calories for the day were right at 1,000. I'm finding that equals a lot of food, when I only eat healthy, nutrient dense choices. Whatever you decide, if you're struggling with your weight for any reason, I hope the best for you, with your efforts to change, reset, lose and then maintain all your goals. I wish you peace, patience, persistence and that you know and feel God's love. . .Lin 💗
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