When I started my weight loss journey, I never intended to lose 125 pounds. I knew I was over a 100 pounds over weight according to the BMI chart. I NEVER considered that getting to healthy weight was an option for me. I could only focus on 10 to 20 pounds at a time otherwise the mountain seemed insurmountable. Each time I got to my next goal, I just wanted to keep going.
In the beginning, small choices are definitely the way to go. Small choices each day add up to a lot. Here’s some changes that I considered ‘easy’ because of my natural eating habits. Some of these might seem impossible for you. If so, switch it for something that DOES seem possible. Below are some cuts I made that I would have naturally eaten otherwise. See how it adds up:
Monday: Skip bread on sandwich at lunch (save 150 calories), baked chips for regular (save 100 calories), fruit instead of cookies (save 200 calories), sugar free popsicle instead of ice cream after dinner (save 200 calories)
Tuesday: veggies and hummus instead of chips (save 150 calories), flatbread homemade pizza for takeout (save 400 calories), espresso and half and half instead of a latte (save 150 calories)
Wednesday: half a bagel instead of full (save 200 calories), salad for lunch instead of a sandwich and sides (save 300 calories), Skinny Cow candy instead of a candy bar (save 150 calories)
Thursday: Diet pop instead of regular (save 300 calories), single cheeseburger instead of a Big Mac (save 500 calories), applesauce for dessert instead of cookies (save 150 calories)
Friday: A wrap instead of deli sandwich (save 250 calories) ground turkey tacos instead of beef (save 250 calories), banana and peanut butter instead of dessert after dinner (save 200 calories)
Week’s Total: Saved 3650 CALORIES! WHAT?
For those of you wondering, there are 3500 calories in a pound. So with simple switches like those above, I was able to drop at least a pound a week in the first phase of my weight loss. My body was so full of sugar, grease and gunk that I instantly had more energy and would get hungry before the next meal. These were all things I COULD do so I wouldn’t focus on the things that I thought I couldn’t. For those also wondering, here’s what a pound of butter looks like:
Think about what it feels like to look at that picture above and realize that’s what you LOST this week by making simple changes. Now imagine 5 or 10 or 20 of those. Crazy Right?