Of Course I Gained Weight Over the Holidays, Didn't You?

Rule # 5: Living a good life is more important than shedding a few pounds.

What are holidays for if not for feasting with friends?

We had company on New Year's Day for black-eyed peas, rice, cabbage, ham, cornbread, and chocolate pie.  I love my own cooking, especially Southern country cooking, and I managed to gain 3.5 pounds.

When I got on the scale the next morning,  I knew I had to pay attention.

I doubled down on vegetables and logged everything I put in my mouth.  I ate nothing I didn't love.  And although I didn't go to the gym, I tried to exercise every day, either walking or jogging on the elliptical trainer.

I have a theory about exercise.  It's not exactly calories in and calories out, but perhaps our bodies are better able to consume the calories if we get moving.

I lost 2 pounds already.  But tonight we're going to a sushi restaurant.  Opps.

So I'm trying to lose in public.  I'll keep you posted and I welcome you to post with me.

How to Lose Weight without Suffering #1

RULE #1 Eat whatever the hell you want…

Just not everything you want.

I lost ten percent of my body weight and have kept it off for over a year without pain, without “dieting,” without combining stupid foods. Southern Belles don’t suffer on purpose.

It all started on June 15, 2011, but I didn’t know it, I thought I was just going to spend a month in Europe.  At the time I said I weighed 150.  It was more often 152, 153, but I didn’t want to be petty. I also said, my weight fluctuated between 152 and 147.  (The only time I hit 147 was when I had the flu.)  But I thought I looked OK and at 5’4”, I wasn’t unhealthy.  Five pounds overweight, according to the CDC, but what’s 5 pounds? 

In London I joined my cousin who was going through a divorce and had lost 60 pounds on the misery diet. Misery aside, she looked great and was determined not to stay that way.  We walked everywhere.  She ran and swam.  I just walked.  She cut out sugars, starches, and breakfast. I ate breakfast and bread, but I wasn’t going to pig out on cookies around her.  Still we ate in restaurants almost every night and sometimes at lunch. She counted calories, I was just aware that I didn't want to overeat. "I didn't eat everything I wanted."

When I got home on July 15, 2011 I weighed 148.  A month later, I weighed 146 without suffering. That’s when I decided to get serious and see how much I could lose while living my life.  My goal was 130.  

In my next posts I’ll let you know how I did it and some easy rules that I follow.