Posted Apr 14 2011, 12:01 am
About weight loss programs.
I want to start out by saying this is my personal opinion and/or experience. Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another.
That said I could delve into what I think are the pros and cons of all the different weight loss programs, but frankly there are too many to name and I don’t want to bore or lecture you. I will instead focus on the two programs that have/are working for me and why.
First, Weight Watchers. As I think I said last week, I’m a former WW member. After our son was born, I was a stay-home mom and thus my activity level was much lower than when I worked fulltime. Though I continued to make good food choices and worked out regularly, I was taking in about the same number of calories as I was burning off, so I wasn’t losing any weight. (If your calorie input isn’t less than your calorie output, ie a calorie deficit, you won’t lose weight.) Add to this the fact that my body had changed from my late twenties to my late thirties, and I couldn’t lose the last twenty pounds of “Willie weight” to save my life. Until I joined WW. WW gave me a plan I could follow where my intake became less than my output. I lost those last twenty pounds in a mere three months.
The two keys to what I just said are: body changing and intake verses output.
Fast forward through my forties. (Yes, Virginia. I’m really that old.) I counted my WW points religiously and maintained a rigorous workout routine throughout this decade of my life. I became first a cardio kick-boxing instructor, then a weight lifting instructor and finally an indoor cycling instructor. However, it’s like Indian Jones said, “It’s not the age, but the mileage.” I now have back, hip and shoulder issues. My workout program can’t be as hard-core as it once was because my body simply can’t take that kind of abuse. Once again, my intake became more than my output and, once again, my body changed with the advent of menopause. The end result was I put on ten pounds of very unwanted weight. And I couldn’t lose it, no matter what I did. I wasn’t in control because NOTHING I knew about weight loss was working any longer.
Until last Christmas.
That’s when my husband bought me a Body Media. What’s that, you ask? Well, it’s this little gadget that goes on my upper arm. It counts the number of calories I burn during the day, the number of steps I take and the intensity of my workouts, among other things. Along with the online program, where I log my food choices, I was back control. I was able see daily the number of calories I took in and the number of calories I burned off. Thus, I could adjust my workouts and/or food choices in order to have that all important calorie deficit. Within three months, I’d lost those ten pounds. Yip-pee! My husband, at seeing my results, ordered a Body Media for himself and has lost fifteen pounds in two months. I now use the Body Media to maintain my weight. With luck, I won’t have trouble again with my weight, but I’ll probably hafta wait until I’m in my sixties to know for sure. 🙂
So, there you have it. The two weight loss programs that have worked for me. Care to share your own trials and tribulations? And if interested in Body Media, check out the website www.bodymedia.com. Or email me with any questions. lynda@lyndabailey.net.
Have a great weekend!
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I checked out the Body Media site and it sure looks interesting. I so totally relate to the changes in life taking a toll on a body and its weight. My menopause weight gain is in the 40 pound range — sad and unhealthy, I know. A lot of it is now simply sugar addiction — and I’m not just being flippant. But some of it is metabolism change. I’ll have to save my little pennies and invest in your suggestion!
Still love your blog topic, my friend. So many of us can relate!
Lizzie, roomie!
Ya, I know what you’re saying. With our bodies changing as we age and the tough habits of our past that we need/want to change, it’s a hard road to hoe. Hang in there! I’m sooo pulling for the best German-talking Minnesotan (is that the right term?) I know.
Love ya, my Unsinkable sista!! Thanks for stopping by!
You sure look good to me, girlfriend!
Liz is right about the sugar. However, I wonder how much of the metabolism change is that we eat like we did when we were 20, but don’t exercise nearly as much. I think that must be enough to change anyone’s metabolism.
Keep us the good work!
–Suzanne
Suzanne, baby!
For those of you who didn’t meet Suzanne in Orlando, she just turned, what?, like 70 this past year. I want to look that good now at 53. You’re my hero-ine, Suzanne! I do agree that sugar is the ulimate bad guy, but I also believe our metabolisms naturally slow down as we get older. So we need a balance. Less sugar and more walking. So simple, yet soooo hard.
Thanks for popping in, Suzanne!
Waaaoooowww! I’m going to check into bodymedia fer shur! Thanks for the great tip, Lynda. I find the winter months hard, just because I’m always in front of the laptop. Summer, I eat what I want – the yardwork keeps me in shape, and I usually end up losing weight.
AJ~
Thanks for stopping by! Lots of folks find winter-time the worst. I’m kinda the opposite. I find the motivation to go to the gym easier when the weather isn’t so good.
And good luck today with your podcast! Everyone, AJ will be reading an excerpt from her debut novel Jezebel’s Wish which comes out tomorrow. Check the site http://www.edinroad.com tonight at 6:30 Eastern Time. Yea!!!!
I live in a college town and participated in a weight management study. Knowing that someone else was tracking my weight loss gave me the incentive to stay on track with my calorie goals. It’s much harder now that the study is over.
I did WW, too.
I find that the biggest eye opener for me, and the way to help me control what I’m eating, is to write down everything that gets put into my mouth. It’s amazing when you see in front of you what you’ve consumed in one day.
Very true, Abigail. Writing down your food choices makes you accountable to you! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for sharing! Loving the topics!
Thanks for stopping by, Jen!