6 Months In - What I've Learned Part 1

As I began writing this post, I thought I'd have a list of 5 or 6 things that I've learned over the last 6 months. But as I got into it, I realized I've learned a whole lot! So I'm splitting this up into two parts.

I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way. Some of these things I’ve always known, but are just putting into practice now. Some are brand new to me. Together, they're all helping me... I've lost close to 50 pounds so far.

• I can eat birthday cake, pizza, steak, ice cream, pasta and cookies while working on my fitness. Just not every day and just not massive quantities of it (see my thoughts on portion sizes in Part 2). If I say I can never have something again, I simply want it more.
• It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If I eat two pieces of pizza and a dish of ice cream, that doesn’t mean I need to skip the gym because “what’s the point?” It means I need to work harder when I’m there.
• Exercise is non-negotiable for me. I’ve always had ups and downs with weight, but since my metabolism took a nose dive, I’ve realized that I need to help it along now more than ever.
• Men lose weight faster than women. Period. 80 lbs vs 50 lbs., people.
• Eff the scale. I mean, obviously you need to use it for information but don't use it as your only way to measure your progress. Look at how your clothes fit, see how your endurance is better when you exercise. It's all motivation.
• Eat at restaurants less. Sure, you can always find something on the menu that’s relatively healthy… truly, you can. BUT you have zero control over what goes into their recipes. We really enjoy discovering new restaurants and it’s the primary way for us to socialize with our friends, so this is a tough one at our house. But it doesn’t mean never…it just means less.
• Keep lots of fruit, vegetables and healthy proteins accessible. And eat them.
• Variety is vital. I know that I will get bored very quickly if I’m eating the same foods over and over again. So I’m always looking for recipes that I know will taste good, that I can add to my collection.
• Log the food AND the exercise. Whether you’re counting calories, fat, carbs or nothing… it’s important to know what goes in. It’s also important to see your progress in terms of exercise. It’s so rewarding to look back a few months into your plan and see how much more fit you are than when you began.
• It helps me to always challenge myself and work toward a small goal. Challenges like running a certain distance or upping the amount of floors climbed on the Stairmaster, or coming up with a dinner that comes in under 400 calories really help keep me motivated.

So there you have it... what I've learned so far. I'll share more in Part 2, but I will continue to educate myself on health and fitness and I look forward to seeing how much more I can learn as time goes by!