Weight Loss Weekly

This is a current shot of me

This was me December 2007, 34lbs. heavier than today

This post is part of a weekly series of posts titled "Weight Loss Weekly".  Weight loss weekly is part of a collaboration with 3 other bloggers who, like me, are trying to lose weight.  Join us as we share our struggles and victories in our personal battles to lose weight.  You will find introductions to the other three bloggers as well as snippets from their blog posts below.

With the start of each new year, comes a slew of new year's resolutions.  I would bet that the majority of resolutions in America have something to do with losing weight.  I started gaining weight when I went away to college (as a lot of people do).  I have a weakness for buffets, and eating at a buffet three meals a day for a year can do anyone in!  I probably gained 25 lbs. my freshman year and kept that weight on through college.  After college, I started working as a teacher.  I was living on my own for the first time in my life, was exhausted from teaching all day, and got in the habit of picking up Chinese food 3-4 nights of the week at a supermarket on the way home.  I gained a few more pounds.  After teaching for a year, I got married.  I was (still am) blissfully happy, had a husband who was cooking for me, and started putting on weight again.  It was after a year of marriage that I realized, something had to change.  I was unhappy and unhealthy.

The question this week is "How did I get overweight in the first place?"  I think for me, it is more helpful to look at the habits I possess that contributed to my weight gain and talk about what I am doing to change them.

1.  I eat way too fast.

I am often the first one finished at the table.  Eating quickly does not give my stomach a chance to tell my brain that it is full which means that I'm often the first one getting seconds!  I need to start putting my utensils down between every bite, sipping water between every bite and try to be the last to finish.

2.  I eat "just whatever" way too often

This was my problem in college and when I first started teaching.  I took no ownership of what I was eating and just ate whatever was fast and easy.  When you take ownership of what you eat, plan it, shop for it, cook it, you take more pride in what is going into your body hence eating better things.

3.  I eat "wherever" way too often

How many times a week do you eat in your car?  How many times a week do you eat while you are typing at your computer, watching T.V., standing at the counter?  Meal times are sacred times.  Of course there are days when I have to go through the drive through at McD's, but I don't want to have this be a habit or to happen more than once a week.  

4.  I eat like I don't know where my next meal is coming from

Because I eat too fast, I eat until I am overly full rather than content.  I need to slow down so that my stomach can tell my brain "I am content" rather than, "Stop!"

Last January, I found the book French Women Don't Get Fat.  With this book, I realized what my bad eating habits were and why I had gained weight.  Slowly, I have worked to change these habits and have so far lost 34 lbs.  The changes I made were not radical.  They were simple changes of slowing down, enjoying my food, and eating consistently, yet because my bad habits are so ingrained in me, they are so hard to change and stay with consistently.  I want to pass good eating habits onto my children however, so I must continue to fight to change my bad habits.  To keep myself accountable, I have started an online food journal which you can follow on Twitter.

This post is part of a series of posts that will be coming out every Monday titled "Weight Loss Weekly".  The posts will be designed not only inspire you on your own weight loss journey, but to help me and the authors of these posts stay motivated and inspired as well.  There are three other bloggers that are participating in this series with me.  Below are their names and introductions to their "Weight Loss Weekly" posts.  

They are:

Nurit from 1 Family. Friendly. Food

Nurit says:

"Once upon a time there was a little girl.  She didn't like to eat, her mom didn't like to cook, and her dad lived in the land of far far away so he wasn't around to do any cooking.  (Oh, well, it wasn't "IN" for men to cook those days anyway).  The little girl never ate breakfast and she rarely ate the food in her school lunchbox.  Her mom was annoyed when she returned her lunchbox back with all the food, so she got rid of the evidence in the trash before she got home."  To read more, click 1 family. friendly. food

Sunny from That Extra 20 Pounds

Sunny's post:

"I don't think it would be fair to blame the whole 20 pound weight gain on Chicken Biscuits.  (More like just the last 5 lbs, hehe!)  I actually think I could blame the majority of the weight I gained on dieting.  Here's why"...www.ThatExtra20Pounds.blogspot.com

Giyen from Bacon is my enemy

Giyen's post:

"I can give you a million excuses about why I am overweight, but the real reason is"...find out why here.