How Do I Do It?

     Hello! Lately everyone has been asking me how I've been losing all of the weight so fast, so today I thought I would post some tips and some of my "rules" that have gotten me where I am today... 37.2 lbs lost, by the way!!! And I finally hit 200 lbs today, which means that if I lose anymore, I will be in the 100's for the first time in over 9 years!
     First off, I have to say that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that part of the reason I am able to lose it so quickly is because my Father in Heaven is helping me. There is no way I could do it on my own. Seek for His help and guidance. He will give you the strength to do what needs to be done.
     However, I did have to do my part as well, and here are some of my "rules":

• 1. Don't eat after 6:30 pm.
• This rule is one of my most important rules. One reason for this is if you eat late at night the food will just sit in your stomach instead of fully digesting right away, because when you sleep all of your body processes slow down significantly. I have broken this rule a couple of times, but nearly every time I have I go up in pounds (Yikes!). I didn't notice the difference so much at first, but after having lost a bit more, it would make a huge difference.
• 2. Don't deprive yourself!
• There are so many "loose weight fast" diets out there that work for a little while, but as soon as you stop, you gain all of the weight back again with maybe more. This is why: During the diet, you deprive yourself of certain foods. When you get where you want to be, you stop the diet and start eating all of the foods you've been depriving yourself of... and we wonder why we gain it back. People are so surprised to hear that I still eat treats and eat the foods I really want and am still able to lose weight. The "secret", which is actually not so secret after all, is to only take a small amount. "Everything in moderation".
• 3. Cut down your intake/portions.
• This one is similar to rule 2 in the sense that everything must be in moderation. Today our world has distorted portion sizes so much that we eat way more than our body actually needs. Cutting down your portions will be hard at first because your stomach is stretched out and will need time to shrink back down to normal size. It is amazing how little your body actually needs.
• 4. Figure out why you want to eat.
• This rule is critical. Before I was losing weight, I used to feel like I was hungry all the time. However, I learned to know the difference between when I was actually hungry and when I was just bored or eating because of some other emotional reason. Another point to make for this rule is that when you do eat, eat until you are satisfied, not until you are full. Eating until you're satisfied means that you are not full, but you are not hungry either. You are at the point where you aren't full yet, but you think that you could stop where you are and be okay.
• 5. Drink a lot of water.
• I have emphasized this rule a ton on this blog. I actually have a post about some water facts and why it is so important. You can refer to it here. This is important because in most of us, our thirst mechanism is so weak that we mistake it for hunger and so we eat when all we really need is a drink of good ole' water. Did you know that when you actually feel thirsty, you are already chronically dehydrated?
• 6. Get some exercise.
• Yes, exercise is hard, and it's never really fun... at least not for me. And yes, you can lose weight for a while without it. But what happens when you hit a plateau and you are doing everything else you can? This will help, I promise! The more you work out, the easier it gets, which is also why you need to try to push yourself more every workout. You don't want to get "comfortable" in your workout or your progress will stop.

Those are my rules. Only 6, and they are actually not that hard! To loose weight and keep it off effectively, you must change your lifestyle. Being healthy is not short-term; that's why most diets don't last. So, now that I've stated my rules, here are a few extra tips for those who want them.

• Feeling sore or drained after a workout? Drink 1 cup of milk. Actually, chocolate milk is the best option in this case. I know, your thinking "Chocolate milk is actually good for you?". I thought that too, but it is true. Chocolate milk specifically has exactly the right nutrient content to replenish and restore your body after a workout.
• Not able to see your physical difference or are not losing weight and are beginning to get discouraged? Measure yourself. If you are not losing pounds, it is more than likely that you are losing inches. I can't tell you how many times measuring the inches I've lost has kept me going when the pounds just didn't seem to be coming off. Taking pictures of yourself and putting them side by side as you hit milestones is also helpful, because you now have a visual of your progress to look to.
• Need help/encouragement/support? Ask for it. There are people around you that love you and there may be more people willing to help you than you may think. You are also welcome to ask me. My email is in the "About Me" section in the top right corner. I am more than glad to help, because I know how difficult it is.

     Well, this is all I'm going to post for now, but I hope it is helpful and has answered some of your questions. Don't give up. You are too important to let your life pass you by. I never knew just how miserable I really was until I started doing something about it; now I know better and I am never going back. I don't want to be that girl anymore. I want to be better. Believe in yourself, and you can become great.

This is my progress so far. You know how with weight loss

pictures, people say "They don't even look like the same

person!"? Well, that's probably true. Same, but improved, 

body, different person. I know I am a different person than 

I was when I was at my heaviest. And that's a good thing.