How I Lost the Weight

When I went from 265 pounds to 165 pounds, people kept asking me how I did it. My answer was that I changed my lifestyle. I started eating less and exercising more. My response just sparked more questions about what I ate, how often I ate, and what type of exercises I did. Those questions led to the birth of this web site.

For me, the keys to losing weight permanently were:

1. Facing my feelings. I had to face the fact that I am emotional eater and find other ways to deal with my emotions.


2. Feeding my soul with daily inspiration. Just 15 minutes a day, everyday made a huge difference. My attitude changed from "This is too hard. I can't" to "This is doable. I can".


3. Setting goals. I set a long term goal of 168 pounds then set interim goals along the way (200 pounds, 185 pounds, etc). As a general rule of thumb, I aimed to lose 2 pounds per week.


4. Pushing play. I committed to exercising with my DVDs at least 30 minutes a day 6 days a week. Beachbody's Hip Hop Abs, Slim in 6, and Turbo Jam helped boost my metabolism so I could enjoy some foods I loved and still lose weight.


5. Drinking water. I didn't realize how many "empty calories' I was consuming when I enjoyed a sode, sweet tea, or cappachino. I switched to water (sometimes with Crystal Light) to eliminate those calories and cut my sugar cravings.


6. Eating healthier and more often. Instead of skipping breakfast and having a big lunch and dinner, I started eating smaller meals. 5-7 to be exact.I focused on eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables daily. I also traded white bread, rice, and pasta for their whole grain counterparts most days. Chicken, fish, turkey and lean pork became my meats of choice.


7. Planning ahead. In order to eat 5-7 healthy portions per day, I had to change my routine. I started packing my breakfast and snacks. I researched the menus at all my favorite lunch spots for healthier alternatives and my dinners came from tasty Team Beachbody recipes. I also planned my workouts a week in advance and logged them into WOWY - Beachbody's online super gym.


8. Controlling portions. Pigging out became a thing of the past. I ate smaller portions of meat and enjoyed fruits and veggies. When I induldged, I had 1/2 of the amount I normally would to keep my calories in check.


9. Allowing cheating. Yes cheating. I allowed myself one cheat day per week so that I wouldn't feel deprived. I looked forward to my cheat day (Saturday) all week and planned what I would enjoy. I ate my cheat foods in small portions and made sure I still had my fruits, vegetables, and 64 oz of water.


10. Weighing in regularly. I weighed myself once a week to see if I was moving in the right direction or needed to make adjustments.


11. Measuring monthly. I measured my chest, arms, waist, and thighs monthly to see my progress. The scale was not my be all end all.


12. Making a pact. I logged on to Beachbody's online supergym daily to find "success buddies" to work out with. The accountability kept me from missing my workouts. I also found inspiration on the community message boards.

That's how I lost the weight!