simple weight loss hacks: keeping it real

There is, and has always been, one key element to weight loss. Forget what the fad diets and drug companies say, the solution is simple: energy in should be less than energy out. This mean that the amount of calories you intake should be less than the amount of calories you expend. It is simple, and it is straightforward.

Except that it isn’t. Most of us lead normal lives that do not involve food scales and calorimeters. And while I am all for writing down the foods you eat on a daily basis (as well as exercise information), I think it’s absurd and non-productive to measure food and count every single calorie.

Don’t get me wrong - there is some benefit in engaging in these activities in the short-term. Wearing a calorimeter for a few days can help give you a good sense of what your activity level is really like. Counting calories helps you understand portion size and lets you set realistic goals. But you can’t spend the rest of your life doing this.

Instead I like to advise on a few practical and simple tips that help you lose and maintain weight. Some of them are obvious, but unless you’ve actually tried them, you might not realize how powerfully effective they really are.

1. Eat a piece of fruit before every meal. Note the key terms here: “before” and “every”. Most people eat 3 meals a day, so that’s 3 servings of fruit at minimum. If you eat more often, then it’s a judgement call, but generally, your biggest meals should involve fruit. Also, it is important to consume the fruit before the meal. Why? Simply because fruit is mostly fiber, sugar, and water, and it will help fill you up. A piece of fruit consists of a small apple, banana, orange, or 1/2 cup of berries (for example).

2. Drink plenty of water. You don’t need 8 glasses, necessarily. But everytime you crave a snack or a sweet, drink a glass of water first. You can even drink a glass of water before every meal. Just don’t over do it.

3. Cut out the fake drinks. This goes for sugar-, hfcs-, and artificially-sweetened beverages. That means no crystal light, diet coke, gatorade (unless you have a hang over or are exercising), in addition to the usual suspects (fake juices, soda, etc). Diet coke might not have any calories, but it has no nutritional value either. In fact, some research is suggesting that it only makes you crave sugars and processed foods even more. If you need a flavored or sweetened beverage, just go with 100% natural juice. Better yet, eat a piece of fruit and drink a glass of water.

4. Eat in season. Food has growing seasons for a reason. When something is locally produced, buy it locally. The freshness and seasonality ensure that you are receiving the most nutritional value possible. When you eat food out of season (or flown in from far away), you lose important nutrients.

5. Be colorful. Food should not be monochromatic. Instead, make every plate a rainbow. This doesn’t mean skittles, this means a variety of vegetables. In general, aim for an orange or red vegetable and a green vegetable with meals (ideally, every meal, but realistically, 1-2 times a day).

6. Replace oil with oil spray. Stop frying your food in oil. A few spritzes from an oil sprayer (for best results, buy an actual sprayer and fill it with oil - you’ll also save money over the long run) means less oil used and thus fewer calories consumed.

7. Eat Real Food. Forget about the 100-calorie snacks. Forget about micronutrient-infused water/yogurt/tea/oatmeal. Eat real, eat whole, and maybe even eat raw. Need a snack? Have some nuts or carrots. Forget about anything packaged. If it has a brand or a trademark (except perhaps organic or fair trade labeling), forget it.

8. Be mindful. If you pay attention to what you’re eating, and I mean, really pay attention, you’ll notice something significant: crappy food tastes like crap. You just never realized before, because you were too busy watching TV or chasing the kids. So the next time you crave a bag of chips, try this: put one chip in your mouth and let it sit on your tongue for a few seconds. Experience the taste, the texture, the consistency. For 10 seconds, do nothing but become aware of this chip. Then, do the same with a raisin or an orange slice. You’ll see what I mean.

These are just a few really simple steps that anyone can implement. There’s no need for fancy diets, or points, or measuring anything (unless you are just completely clueless about portion size). I don’t count calories at all. I just try to keep it real.

weekend rewind, weight loss edition

So I started reviewing older posts, and thought it might be nice to revisit some of them every so often. This weekend, I read through the ones I’ve tagged “weight loss”, and thought I’d highlight a few that I liked:

On November 13th, I turned 30.

The Biggest Loser is for serious contestants only.

Exercise is a cornerstone of good health.

And some favorites from other bloggers:

Brip Blap once lost a lot of weight.

Lazy Man and Health can’t save money and be on a diet.

Debbie Rocker keeps it simple.

being frugal doesn’t mean missing out

A lot of people think that just because you are on a budget, that means you have to make major sacrifices in your life. That is not true at all. Granted, your “buy it now” mentality might have to change, but let’s be honest here - that’s not really a sacrifice. That’s just learning maturity.

And just because you shop around for the best prices doesn’t mean you have to settle for something cheap. There are ways to still maintain your lifestyle without killing your budget. Here are some ways I’ve found:

1. Go vegetarian. I stopped eating meat for non-financial reasons, but I’ve found that it actually has had a great impact on my grocery bill. Meat is not cheap (unless you happen to like the really cheap stuff, and then you might want to consider the impact on your medical bills), but vegetables generally are.

2. Shop at the farmers’ market and frozen food aisles. The first guarantees fresh, yummy-tasting produce. And so does the second. Produce is frozen at the peak of freshness, so it still retains its nutritional value. You might not be able to make a tasty salad, but you’ll make some great sauteed dishes.

3. Get your hair cut at a training school. The cheapest place for me to get a haircut or color is the Aveda Institute. Sure, they’re students, but they’re supervised and have completed a good deal of their training before they get near your hair. Plus, I get the bonus of Aveda products. The downside is that they take a little longer, though I like to consider it as extra attention.

4. Buy in bulk. Whatever you are buying, buy more of it. You’ll have to be vigilant and organized to avoid being overwhelmed, but if you have a system in place for remembering what you bought, you’ll spend less money in the long run. The bonus for me is that I buy bulk at Whole Foods, so I get high-quality beans and rice on the cheap.

5. Take a walk. You don’t have to drive everywhere. In fact, as the weather gets warmer, consider walking to any location within a mile (or even 2). You’ll save money on gas and wear and tear on your car (both made worse by shorter trips). You’ll also get outside and enjoy some exercise.

6. Try the Couch to 5K. A lot of people think they can’t run. The problem usually is that they do too much too soon. Couch to 5K is a great program that teaches you the right way to ease into a running program. I’m planning on trying it out in April. The benefit is that, with a good running program in place, you can get rid of that gym membership you never use anyway.

7. Get a part-time job at a place you frequent. Whether it’s a clothing store, a yoga studio, or any other place that gets a decent portion of your monthly salary, consider asking them about part-time opportunities. A lot of places only require a few hours a week. I work at my yoga studio for a couple hours every Sunday and in exchange I get free yoga classes. I save over $100 a month, get to meet a lot of cool people, and get some exercise and stress reduction.

8. Volunteer at your CSA. A lot of CSAs need volunteers to help pick the produce. Most will let you work for a few hours once a week and in exchange you’ll receive a weekly share. One share is generally good for 2-4 people, so if you go twice a month, that could be your monthly produce. You’ll get exercise, save money on groceries, and learn a bit about where your food comes from. And don’t forget to stew and freeze the extras for the winter!

There are only a few ways I’ve learned to save money without making major sacrifices. I’ve also learned a lot about myself and the world around me through some of these activities. That’s never a bad thing!

finding an activity plan

If you’re like me (and trust me, you are), you hate to exercise. In fact, I find “exercise” to be a distasteful word - too similar to “exorcise”, a process that just scares me. I also hate the term “working out”. Unfortunately, with our eating habits and sedentary workstyle, we are all in need of a good workout now and then.

I grew up never exercising, and in college hit my all-time weight high (which isn’t really all that high). But I was ridiculously out of shape. After college, I got a gym membership, because my workplace offered a discount and the gym was right below my building. It was full-service, with machines galore and lots of group classes. I lost a lot of weight, got in better shape, and starting feeling so much better about myself. I also learned to hate exercise a little less (though I still hate the word). I no longer have that membership (or that convenience), but I did learn a few tricks to motivate myself to be more active.

1. Find a buddy. We are social animals; we like to be active together. A friend will make the “work out” seem less like “work” and more like something fun. In addition, a little healthy competition goes a long way towards motivating us to succeed. Finally, a friend provides accountability; when you’re waffling on whether to go to the gym or to go home and eat pizza, your friend will make sure you make it to the gym. An alternate option is to take group classes, and makes friends with others in the class (and the teacher). They’ll know when you miss class, and you’ll have some socializing to look forward to. I hit up my existing friends, my work colleagues, my climbing gym, and even Craigslist to find activity partners.
2. Find an activity you like. You absolutely must enjoy what you’re doing or you won’t stick with it. Again, it should feel more like fun, than work. So think hard about what you like to do (and don’t like to do). If you don’t like running, then don’t start a workout plan to jog 5 miles a day. This can be harder than it sounds, and I might post more about this later. Currently, I rock climb at a local gym; I find the activity to be both physically and mentally challenging, both things I require.
3. Find a comfortable spot. If you feel off-balance in your place of exercise, you won’t settle into the habit. It doesn’t have to be a gym, it can be your own home, your neighborhood, wherever. Whatever the activity, it has to done somewhere where you’ll feel relaxed. The people who work at my climbing gym are wonderfully supportive; they help me out whenever I need it, and make me feel welcome. In addition, my yoga studio is like my sanctuary. I look forward to going to both.
4. Find your learning curve. Think about those times you developed a hobby. You had to put in an initial investment of time and effort, yes? Building an activity plan is no different. If you’ve decided you like step aerobics, don’t expect to be an expert in your first class. You’ll trip and misstep, but that’s part of the learning curve. Climbing was extremely hard for me at first, but over time, as I learned technique, I began to eagerly anticipate hard moves that made me pop off the wall. Climbing is an activity that one can never be perfect at - there is always upward movement.
5. Find a goal. Decide what you want from your activities. Ideally, you should think big picture - not just weight loss, but also maintenance. In addition, consider other elements, such as flexibility, endurance, muscle strength, etc. There also goals within specific activities, such as running 5 miles within a certain amount of time. For me, I set a goal of being to climb at a certain level by a certain time. Then I set mini-goals to achieve it. I’ve also set a goal for my yoga practice that I will be developing in a few months.
6. Find your passion. Don’t half-ass your life. It’s the only one you’ve got. Find something bigger than yourself that’s worth living for and worth keeping yourself healthy for. Maybe your kids, your dog, your community. It doesn’t matter. Feel the interconnectedness we all share. Commit.

emotional underpinnings

*warning: spoiler*

A friend of mine loves The Biggest Loser.  I’ve never seen it, but lately I’ve been concerned about my lack of discipline so I thought I would watch it.   For those who don’t know, it’s basically extreme weight loss, with an intense workout plan and weekly weigh-ins.  The two teams with the lowest percentage loss are voted upon, and one team goes home.

A couple of thoughts - the workouts are intense.  I like to think I’m in excellent shape, and I wouldn’t last a day on that show.  Anyone who makes it a week or more has my respect.

Second - there is no mercy.  The trainers are all about tough love (which conceivably is what I need).  Cry as much as you want, the trainer will just sit on you while you’re doing push-ups.

But the most striking factor of this show is the emotional impact.  The contestants are fully emotionally vested in this program.  Despite the brutal workouts, they do not want to be voted off. They want to lose the weight. And in the process, there is an incredible amount of personal growth (and this version, interpersonal as well).

Weight, like money, carries with it a lot of emotion.  Many of the bad habits we fall into are not necessarily because of ignorance or lack of discipline.  Sometimes they result from deeper emotional blocks that we have yet to work through.

Today, the white team went home.  When giving their justification, the teams voting them off all stated that one member lacked the motivation to be there.  And in the end, I think that’s really what matters the most - whether you have the drive to accomplish the goal you’ve set.

details: resolution #7

Lose 10 lbs. Isn’t this everyone’s resolution? But I’m planning on walking to/from work at least once a week, taking a dance class once a week, and hitting the stationary bike 2-4 times a month (I won’t be unrealistic by saying once a week - I hate the bike). I’m also committed to keeping the soda out of my diet. Now to cut out the other unnecessary sweets…

I think this one is pretty straightforward!

new years resolutions

So the new year has already started for me (Nov 10th), but it can never hurt to clarify intentions. Here are my goals for the next year and how I hope to achieve them:

1. Take the lead class in February. Climb 2-3 times a week to build strength.
2. Pay down all my debt and start aggressively saving. Frugal living is key, as well as funneling all excess income into debt repayment (with some set aside for savings).
3. Practice Level 3 yoga regularly. Attend yoga classes 3 times a week.
   
4. Take a vacation. A real vacation. Hopefully, my trip to Malaysia will work out, and I am also trying to find time to visit my brother in Utah and maybe even go to Hawaii.
5. Finish classes and my thesis and graduate! Classes are done in May, and I am aiming to complete my thesis by the end of August.
6. Learn to manage anger properly. Lots of deep breath. Counting to 10. Um, any help?
7. Lose 10 lbs. Isn’t this everyone’s resolution? But I’m planning on walking to/from work at least once a week, taking a dance class once a week, and hitting the stationary bike 2-4 times a month (I won’t be unrealistic by saying once a week - I hate the bike). I’m also committed to keeping the soda out of my diet. Now to cut out the other unnecessary sweets…

So, there we go.  In future posts, I’ll elaborate further.

random update

I happened across an old post and realized that I’d aimed to take the lead class in October. Needless to say, it didn’t happen. I’m now aiming for February. That basically gives me this month to get myself into climbing shape. It’s doable, I think. I also need to get off my ass and get some cardio into my life. Where do you find the self-discipline to do something you absolutely loath? I hate those machines at the gym, but it’s too cold to go outside, and I’m not paying to take a class. So the stationary bike it is. Blech.

I’m also working on figuring out a plan for yoga. I’d like it to no longer be the occaisonal visit to the studio, but something more consistent. In order to do that, I need measurable goals, and mostly in two areas. The first is an attendance goal (ie, 2-3 times a week). The second is an improvement goal. That one is a bit trickier. How to measure improvement in something that can be so highly variable? Somedays I can touch my nose to my knees. Some days I can’t.

In other news, work is getting exciting again. The next year should be very intellectually stimulating and hopefully will offer some good future opportunities. Now to work out that time management thing…

turning 30.

I will be 30 in less than a week. 4 years ago, when I turned 26, I got all freaked out. Now I can’t wait to enter my 30s, and put some emotionally, professionally, and philosophically turbulent years behind me. I have to admit, I look, feel, and present myself the best I ever have.

In the past 10 years, I graduated from college, went home for a bit, and came back to DC (where I’ve been ever since). I also finally started getting myself into shape.

In the past 5 years, I underwent a major career shift into public health, started a masters’ degree in the same, and starting growing out my hair.

In the past 2 years, I made another major life change that will not be discussed just yet. I also got serious about yoga and climbing, though I still haven’t worked out a good plan for either.

In the past year, I made a workable budget, got my debt in order, took some fabulous overseas trips, and applied for a major fellowship that could change the course of my life.

And in the past month, I transitioned into a position that is closer to my overall career interests.

The only downside is that I still haven’t fixed some pesky habits. I still eat crap. I still yo-yo with an exercise routine. I still spend impulsively. I am still cleaning-averse. All have gotten a bit better, but I think there is one major underlying factor here (aside from laziness) - I have terrible time-management skills, and there is just always something “more important” to do.

There’s always something!

there is no love sincerer than the love of food

After a few weeks of eating nothing but mediocre delivery and Chipotle, I’ve started cooking again.  The main reason is because it’s wreaking havoc on my budget… But really, the motivating factor is my waistline.  It really comes down to this: I’m getting fat.  Like seriously, I’m putting on like 5 pounds a month.  Yuck.

So I made idli and sambar today (yum) and an experiment in veggie burgers.  Sadly, the veggie burgers were a little dry, but I’ll try adding oil and maybe more soy milk next time?  In the meantime, I’ll just slather on a ton of honey mustard, mushrooms and other yummies.

The best part?  I spent approximately $10 at the grocery store for the entire week!