My absolute skinniest during my adult life is for sure when I was on Nutrisystem. I believe I went from around 240 to around 170-180. That is a change from wearing 36 jeans around my hips to 34 around my natural waist. It's going from an XL to an M. Thinking about that actually makes me a bit sad. All this work... vows to never put it back on again... That's the past though and you can't dwell...
During this time, I believe I just got out of a bad relationship and of course was looking for something to do. It seems like everytime I get into a relationship there is a letting myself go part to be lazier... I needed to improve myself. I ran into an old grade school friend who still lived in the area around this time and found out that he worked out at the gym so I started as well as a means to socialize and also do something about my weight.
In addition to starting at the gym, I started on Nutrisystem. With the different food options (although some of it sucked) it wasn't bad to follow. There's no watching what you eat or really anything thinking. They give you food to eat and you eat it. I don't remember how many calories I was eating a day, but I was really bad about supplementing my meals with fruit and veggies. Actually, I don't think I ever really did. I was obsessed with how much weight I was losing...
While Nutrisystem, played an important part, I would have to say my workouts at the gym were what really defined that time in my life. I lived on the eliptical. I would go and workout for an hour at a high intensity. My job at the time had me travel around Chicago a lot and was very good with time. I would always work out in the evening, but in addition sometimes I had morning workouts because I didn't have to leave for a location until later. Sometimes during the week I could just go back to the gym between travelling to different locations. Either way, I was at least getting an hour worth of exercise everyday and usually it was around 2 hours up to 4 hours I think a few times. I was a beast and really was blinded to anything, but the results.
It's a bit funny, I think one of my downfalls as I started gaining weight again was dropping Nutrisystem as I just didn't know how to eat healthy and I would go out with the guys who didn't have the same zeal for healthy meals as I would need. I started doing more weight training and socializing more at the gym which was great for vanity as I was bulking up nicely, but really wasn't necessary yet as I needed to work more on my cardio still and focus on losing weight than adding some bulk to my arms and chest.
With Nutrisystem, I didn't have to worry about what to eat, but I also never had to learn how to portion myself properly. Also, it was hard to go out as I would have leftover meals from my plan I didn't use if I did go out. I met a girl around that point as well and for the dating process Nutrisystem just didn't fit. Going out to eat, snacks, and other food aspects of dating just didn't help anything.
Of course, I worked out less as well. Slowly, the weight crept back up. Of course, the weight loss process wasn't healthy as I didn't see the doctor and I was really limiting myself on calories daily while expending a lot of energy working out. Unless, I actually changed what I was doing into a sustainable lifestyle I was never really set up for success.
After so many words, I guess the main point is it's a lifestyle and eating habits that needs to be changed in order to have success. Hopefully, I can add little things I learn from my own research and findings... even things I feel from personal failures and successes.
I apologize for rantings and disorganization when I put these up. Really, they aren't planned, but just are a jumble of thoughts that I type up. I'll try to proofread these before posting, but no promises. I don't know if I'll talk about MDBETHIN next or something else... I guess we will see.
Oh... and on a more current topic. I'm at 235 right now after a weekend of dogsitting and having brunch both days... and deep dish pizza. It was the gf's idea and it was a great treat although probably not the best idea so early into this new and hopefully final try into getting in shape. The 235 could also be because I don't think I was taking in enough water previously. Regardless, hopefully I'll hit 230 soon and will be happy once I leave the range of worrying if XL shirts will fit nicely.
Keep up the hard work! If you want any of my Insanity dvds, I have the entire set and they worked really well for me. I also followed the diet plan that came with it.
ReplyDelete-Melissa