Dropping pounds is no easy feat. Today I will share the strategies I used (& still do) to get slim & healthy—and stay that way. Sarah Terrion, Co-Owner, NRG 4 Life Fitness, Uxbridge, ON www.nrg4lifefitness.net
Losing weight is no small feat—it often requires a complete lifestyle overhaul, and with so much information out there, it can be tough to know what strategy might work for you. And to top it all off, all the weight loss myths threaten to throw you off track. That’s why it’s helpful to know what has worked for real people.
I released 50 lbs 15 years ago. On my 5’10” frame I hid it well. I was still within the healthy weight range for my height, just the higher end and my joints ached more. I started to notice it in pictures. I started to accept that as I had turned 30, that weight was where I was supposed to be. I began to wear black a lot as I thought it would conceal the extra pounds and I found myself reaching for leggings, dresses and pull on skirts and skorts instead of my jeans and pants with waistbands. Pictures don’t lie. I decided that I couldn’t hide any longer and I was no longer happy trying to. Find your own “why” and right it down. Make it concrete.
Back in 1992, my husband, Terry, and I enrolled in a nutrition course and started educating ourselves with better ways to eat in addition to weighing in weekly for motivation. We already had the exercise part down pat, however, we were missing the nutrition end of things. I have been teaching group exercise and enjoyed how alive I felt motivating others to move together since I was 18 yrs old. Taking “aerobic classes” in the mid-80’s literally helped me to get through high school with a purpose and I found something I felt good at that in turn made me feel so good!
So back to 1992…when I started cutting back on the snacks and portions of starchy carbs, people asked me what different exercise program I was doing. I didn’t change my exercise, my muscles were just hiding under a layer of fat (in my case – cheese and trail mix). Also, because I ate healthy foods most of the time and exercised a lot, I thought the wine I washed down with the rice cakes and daily cup or two of trail mix with a sleeve of dark chocolate Ferraro Rochers ‘didn’t count’ as much as they did. Once I educated myself on what a serving size of trail mix was, I decided to forego the ¼ cup and have a little fresh fruit and hemp on my yogurt instead. It was way more satisfying to have a bowl with just a little sprinkle of crunch on top over ½ cup of berries. What a treat without the guilt. Not only does it feel empowering knowing I’m making a healthier (and still very delicious snack), I don’t have the rest of the bag of trail mix calling my name and having to deal with temptation.
Also, depriving ourselves will lead to overeating. I still eat chocolate every day. It’s my treat and I don’t want to give it up. I just have 2 squares of 85% dark now which I do not find addicting as it’s 1/3 less sugar than in the 72% dark kind. It’s carried by all the grocery stores even in their house brands. If salty is your kind of treat, source out air popped popcorn or brown rice cracker treat that are lower in sodium. Eating a little of something that’s high in sugar is addicting to me (sugar is addictive) so the 2 squares of 82% dark chocolate works for me. Below are some other tips that I adopted, that work to help keep me (and my weight) balanced.
- Start by Starting – Beginning your weight loss journey can be daunting. Instead of tackling the goal in one big chunk, break it into small pieces. Start by setting small goals for yourself that you know you can achieve. No more “I’ll start tomorrow”. Congratulate yourself by taking the most important step…starting!
- Get in the steps – I like trackers, they motivate us and give us accountability. Set your daily number of steps and use reminders every hour to remind yourself to get in steps throughout the day as well, rather than just one big chunk. Doing so reminds us to get up and fill up our water bottles and go to the bathroom. We should pee every hour so do the “triangle”. Refill the water, go to the loo and walk back to your desk! Add a flight of stairs or an extra loop after one week, then two loops etc.
To lose weight, you have to decide to get more active, parking farther away in car parks and taking the stairs whenever possible. This really works! We hear this tip a lot, however, like anything, it’s actually applying it that counts (remember in order for any weight loss program to work and to be sustainable, it HAS to be a lifestyle change).
Look for ways to get exercise in. March on the spot when brushing your teeth. Purposely walk back and forth from the dryer to put away your clothes vs folding and taking them all to the closet all at once. I march when I’m doing my weekly food prep (just be careful when knife in hand!), rinsing my vegetable, taking the food and compostables/recyclables out to the garage. Embrace activity. Rather than be upset because you couldn’t find that parking spot near the door, look it as an opportunity to get in more steps. The same with regards to the laundry…turn it into intervals of squats and fast walking. Some people fit in a few more steps while watching their favourite TV shows by getting up between commercials and walking around the house, climbing stairs, squatting, doing dips, planks, crunches on the ball etc…
If you’re mostly sedentary (and let’s face it—with 9-to-5 desk jobs being the norm, it’s hard to avoid), you’ll start to see noticeable results with just a slight increase in your activity level. Break up the hours in front of the computer by using your lunch break to move around. Walk during your lunch break or come to the gym. It’s always fairly quiet and you can get in a super efficient 30 min session. Ask us for suggestions!
- Combine exercise with healthy eating – Eating right will increase your energy which you can channel into exercise….see tip # 4!
- Join a weight loss community – our new Small Steps, Big Change program at NRG 4 Life is just that! It’s geared to those looking to shed 50+ pounds. It’s a combined approach to healthy weight loss and lifestyle change that includes a group of people working together doing 6 x 2/week group exercise classes, mini nutrition/lifestyle workshops held just before each class along with a 6 week meal plan (and shopping lists). It’s an inclusive approach with an empowering, mind-body, non-competitive philosophy. Everyone in the group is looking to lose a significant amount of weight and share similar goals and challenge. There’s tons of camaraderie, accountability and motivation especially in the 45 min group fitness classes lead by certified, caring instructors (including Jenn who has lost 100 lbs herself). The nutritional components are easy to follow and insightful, lead by Dr. Leigha Saunders, Naturopath, in Uxbridge. It’s a winning combination and very popular!
- Get in some walking and make the most of it – hit one of the beautiful trails in our area. Drive there if it’s not close enough to walk or bike to. Alternate 1 minute of super-fast walking with 1 minute of slower walking for a calorie-torching interval routine.
- Plan to stick with it – Remember that in order to keep the pounds off and maintain your happy weight, you need to develop a healthy lifestyle. That means forming a routine and keeping up the habits so you can hang on to them for life. I get myself out of bed at 4:15 a.m. four to five times a week to run, as I know once my day gets going and I check my inbox, it’s hard to get the exercise in. I know that about myself. Commit to your 12 sessions of exercise. You’ve paid your registration fee, make every effort possible to attend each session. Speak to Jenn, Neil or myself to arrange for make ups. The first few weeks may not be easy but stick to it! You will be a little stiff and sore initially as you’re challenging your muscles in different ways so expect for your body to be a bit sore. Your trainers will offer several levels so be sure to choose the one that’s best for you and pace yourself. We encourage everyone to listen to their body and to not compete or compare with their neighbor. Their spot is taken anyway! Remind yourself in week one that in a mere six weeks, you’ll be so much stronger and will have so much more endurance. That sense of accomplishment will keep you going especially at the beginning!
- Use a Tracker & Download an app – There are hundreds of healthy living apps that can help you lose weight. Find one that aligns with your goal, whether it’s to get stronger, get faster, get off the couch, or eat healthy. MyFitnessPal is a popular one that can help people to adopt healthier eating habits as you can see what you are eating every day. Once you start logging meals, it’ll identify areas you need to work on.
I find my Fitbit is great accountability for me and works well to help me get in my daily steps and I use it to track my meals should I notice the weight going up a few pounds. It helps to keep me in check!
- Adopt a Mantra – Replace the negative voice in your head that’s telling you to quit with a motivational saying that will inspire you to keep going even when it gets tough. Mine is: “I am so happy and grateful now that I weigh….” ie. 5 lbs less than your current weight, not the ultimate goal weight otherwise, that can sound overwhelming. I then repeat “I am so happy and grateful for my healing.” I say both while I’m running! Use these or your own and repeat them during your warm up and also during times when you’re in traffic, even brushing your teeth or meditate for a couple of minutes. Sit or lay comfortably, begin noticing your breath and begin to repeat your mantra. If any thoughts pop in to your mind, acknowledge them briefly then let them go. Meditation and being successful not just in weight loss, in life in general, goes hand in hand. Bringing mindfulness to your day can help to calm you down, drastically reduce anxiety and bring things into perspective.
- Get hung up on it – I suggest to clients to keep yourself on track during your weight loss journey (and to maintain healthy weight loss) to hang a motivational picture right on the fridge. “I have a picture of a runner beside my mirror in my bathroom that says, ‘Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments” This visual cue can serve as a daily reminder of your goals.
- Variety in exercise – Not only can doing the same thing day after day get boring, it might also become ineffective. Kick up your exercise and adding in the twice-weekly workouts with your Small Steps group and trainer is ideal. We will introduce you to circuit training, indoor cycling, and more. You will love the variety.
- Pick a power song – Listening to music during exercise can help you to work out longer and harder because the tunes distract you from fatigue. Music can make you feel like you can conquer any workout and walk longer. One of my favorite push-through tunes: Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Stronger’
- Strength train – Not only does strength training tone your body and help to prevent injuries, but it also increases your metabolism for days after the fact, meaning you’ll burn more calories even after the workout is finished. Lifting can totally transform your body and is so empowering. The extra calorie burn will help the pounds melt off of you quicker while supporting your joints.
- Make exercise fun – this is where NRG 4 Life comes in! In order to make a routine stick, you want to keep it fresh and exciting so you don’t burn out mentally. Walking can get monotonous. The more fun you can make exercise, the more likely you are to keep doing it.
- Sign up for a challenge – one of our trainers, Jenn did this initially on her 100 lb weight loss journey. Sometimes, you might need an external motivator—like a race or a competition—to keep you on track. After a slow, steady start to her slim down (approx ½ lb/week), Jenn, signed up for her first race which she walked/ran at the annual Uxbridge Run for the Diamond event in April.
- Make time for your workouts -busy schedule? We all have one these days. That’s not an excuse! We can all fit in time to workout. We have to make the time. We all have the choice. It has to be a priority. This is our health we’re talking about. If we have our health, we have wealth. We have to nurture our own health. It’s not a given. It is a gift so we need to continually check in and keep it tuned like a well-maintained car so it can serve us well. Make time for exercise now or make time for disease later. Be creative and schedule in your workout like you would any other appointment. This is your health and well-being we’re talking about! Nobody can look after YOU except for YOU! One of the most compelling little videos that reinforces the importance of this point is a Doc Mike video called 23 ½ hours. It’s a must watch for motivation. Keep it as reference and whenever you need a little reminder to stay on track, give it a view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
- Make it a family affair – Including your significant other in your workouts can help to keep you on track, even if your goals aren’t necessarily the same. Make time to make exercise outings part of ‘your’ time, together by hitting the gym, going for hikes. It can be your new “date night”! Having your partner on board can really help keep you accountable. If you don’t have the support of your partner, that’s ok, remember the expression “if it has to be, it’s up to me”. You are strong enough to do this without the support of a partner. You may just have different schedules so working out together most times doesn’t work for you. Try to get in a weekly walk though. Maybe on the weekend? It’s a good way to combine catching up, reconnecting with some activity!
- Find workout buddies – Schedule a workout with a friend—you’ll be less likely to skip out on it knowing that she/he is expecting you to show up. Or, again, use your workouts as “dates” where you can catch up with friends. It can be a weekly girls’/guys night. Catch up, bond, and even enjoy a fun workout that burns a bunch of calories instead of drinking wine and eating appy’s!
- Eat a nutritious diet – Swapping out unhealthy foods for nutritious ones gives you benefits beyond just losing weight. For example, I prep my meals on Sundays. I make up 5 big salads for lunches, having them all packed with the exception of the dressing so I just have to reach in the fridge between clients and pop it in my lunch bag to go. I used to do drive bagels thinking it was a better choice than the burgers and fries most people have for take out, right?? Not!! – often the same calories just less fat. A calorie is still a calorie at the end of the day! All those extra carbs (granted they were never “white” bagels, they were still the same amount of calories! My salad includes tuna, turkey or chicken with tons of different lettuce and herbs topped, peppers, cucumbers, beets and homemade dressing. Put in whatever veggies you like and make sure you include 3 oz of healthy protein. The fiber in the veggies and the protein will keep you full longer. I also have a muffin made of sweet potato and berries using healthy fats from chia seeds and hemp with no added sugar. This and a serving of fruit works for me along with a healthy snack later in the afternoon, helps me to avoid over eating at dinner and keeps my blood sugar balanced so I crave less carbs later in the day.
- Break-the-fast – we know by now that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—but it’s also the one that is easiest to skip or opt for not-so-great food options. People who skip breakfast, tend to overeat later. Choose a healthy breakfast that is a combination of healthy carbs, protein, fat and fiber that will keep you satiated and that will set you up to fuel your day. I love eggs in the morning along with ½ gluten free (I’m celiac) sprouted flax seed bagel. My new go to breaky and a game changer for me are pre-cooked steamed omelettes. I slice up my veggies – mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, fennel, eggplant, parsley, thaw out frozen spinach portions and chopped broccoli (draining the latter two ingredients well) so they’re already to be added into the zip lock bags assembly line style. I crack 1 egg and ½ cup egg whites (or use 2 eggs), a shake of cayenne pepper and salt free Italian seasoning then use your hand (on the outside of the bag) to “beat the egg”. Then add a handful of each veggie. It’s a great way to use leftover veggies too and works well if you’re camping, have friends overnight or for the family (write the name on the outside of the bag). I find that cooking 3 or 4 in a large saucepan at a time works best, however, it depends on the size of your pot. Bring the water back to a rolling boil when you’ve added the bags and set your timer for 15 min’s. You may have to drain the omelet as some of the veggies have lots of water in them. They key is to drain any frozen veggies you may be using, really well. Clean up is minimal and everyone can eat together. In my case, after I’ve come home from the gym mid-morning, I just have to reheat my omelet and bam, breakfast is ready! I also freeze half of my batch for later in the week and thaw out as needed.
- Know your serving sizes – It’s not just what you eat that can make you pack on pounds—it’s also how much. Adjusting to smaller ½ cup portions of brown rice or pasta can be tricky at first, however, round out meals with extra veggies to keep from getting hungry.
- Use smaller plates – think about it: If you have a big plate, it may be easy to pile on the food until the plate is full, leaving you with portions that are way too large. Since I regularly ate balanced meals, I knew it was my portions that had to be fixed. I switched up my larger dinner plates for smaller dinner plates so I can fill them up and feel like I’m getting a lot which I am. The average dinner plate has increased from the 50’s by 50% (and so has the average waist line…hmmm, see a correlation here??)
- Satisfy your cravings – Yes, you can treat yourself to a your favorite indulgence from time to time (as long as you keep your portions in check). Follow the 80%/20% rule. Eat healthy, clean food 80% of the time and treats 20%. Depriving yourself or the “all or nothing approach” can lead to unhappiness and binges. The root of most people’s poor eating habits is emotional eating.
- Make your own snacks and bars – there’s some great energy ball recipes out there. Mine: oats, pumpkin puree (canned – unsweetened, not pumpkin pie filling), honey, chia seeds, 85% dark choc smashed into chunks (better than “dark chocolate” chips) and walnuts. Yuuumy sprinkled on ½ cup of lactose free PC yogurt for me…satisfying as a treat! Instead of eating prepackaged foods, which can be loaded with unnecessary sugars and calories, whip up your own fat-burning healthy snacks.
- Make sleep a priority – People who get enough sleep tend to weigh less than those who don’t. Additionally, researchers found that well-rested dieters lost more fat than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle. Whenever I don’t sleep enough, I’m ravenous the next day. During sleep, our hormones rebalance themselves so to keep hunger in check and help with weight loss and healthy weight maintenance, aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night.