I recently
had an epiphany that losing weight is like trying to open a combination
lock. You can be so close, you can feel
the lock start to open but even one tiny detail that is out of place will leave
it stuck in place. I am a very visual
person so for me the analogy of a combination lock really sticks in my mind.
As I have
said before, I believe that all bodies are different. They are complex machines that operate in
similar ways, but no two run exactly the same.
We all have our own “fingerprint” if you will. While general theories and plans work for
many, I believe that you need to tweak things to compensate for the chemistry
combination in your own body. Hence, the
introduction of my combination lock theory.
Everyone has their own unique, specific combination. The dials may need to be tweaked differently
to get my lock to open vs yours.
I feel
this has been true with my weight loss journey.
If my weight loss numbers aren’t what I want them to be I start thinking
of what I can do to tweak the combination lock to get it to spring open. Did I drink enough water today? Did I eat too many calories (or too
few)? Did I get enough sleep? Did I have too many carbs? Not enough protein? Too much sugar? Did I work out long enough? Was it at a high intensity level? Do I need to change my workout routine? You get the picture.
There are
so many opinions on what is healthy and what is not that it can be difficult to
navigate….low carb, low fat, “clean”, high protein, high fiber….the list could
go on to infinity. I often feel like I
am on information overload. It is hard
to navigate all the information that is available out there and know what I
should change to achieve the results I am looking for.
Knowledge is power – strive to understand. The more you learn and educate yourself, the
more tools you have in your arsenal to use in your battle to lose weight and
get healthier. Do you know what your BMR
is? Do you know how exercise impacts
your daily caloric needs? What
difference does the temperature of the water you drink make?
This
journey should be one of conscious decisions to lead to a lifestyle change, not
a crap shoot or throwing a dart at the wall to determine what option to try
today. Understand how the human body works and how changes will impact your
results. I started out not knowing the first thing
about how to be healthy (obviously, I weighed 281 pounds!). I am FAR from knowing it all, or even much,
but I feel like every day I learn a new tip or trick or piece of information
and I am empowered by that. I love being
in control of my results!
Seek out
sources of information to help you find the right combination! There are lots of options all around you!
·
Experts – find knowledgeable people that are
sharing information that you can easily access…tv shows, websites, facebook
page updates, etc. A few of my favorites
are:
o
Chris Powell
o
Jillian Michaels
o
Dr. Oz
·
Books – I never thought I would see the day
that I would be reading weight loss books, trying to gain more knowledge and
insight into the battle my body is fighting.
But right now I have multiple books on my Kindle (and yes, I am actually
reading them)!
o
“Choose to Lose – the 7-day Carb cycle
solution” by Chris Powell
o
“Weight Loss Boss” by David Kirchoff (weight
Watchers CEO)
·
Blogs – I really enjoy following specific
people through their journey. I like
having an insight into their journey…what did they do that worked? What have been their struggles and ah-ha
moments? I particularly LOVE when I can
sign up to get my favorite blogs delivered right to my email inbox…no having to
stalk their page for updates or worry about missing out on any because I didn’t
check. (Of course this blog has that
feature…are you signed up??)
- Information
- Personal Stories/motivation
- Recipes
I feel
like I am hitting a plateau again. My
weight loss numbers are slowing down significantly. Yes, the constant birthday and holiday
celebrations of the summer are not helping but I also wonder if my body is
getting used to my routine. I am a
creature of habit. I like routine. It is easy, comfortable, predictable…safe. As I mentioned before, I just love watching
Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition. I
am so amazed by the training Chris Powell does.
He is able to help people achieve amazing results in such a short amount
of time. While often such significant
change isn’t sustainable and just comes back, I am following several of the “contestants”
from this season and the lifestyle changes they have made seem to be
lasting. He is someone I admire for the
way he motivates and encourages people.
As I also mentioned I have started reading his book. I am intrigued to read more about his carb
cycle theory. Is this the combination I
need to open my lock? We’ll see. If nothing else, it’s another weapon in my
arsenal.
It's Q&A time...What
things do you feel like are your greatest weapons or the things that have
opened your lock? Now your turn! Leave a comment to answer.....GO!
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