I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the scale. 180 pounds. This was the biggest I had ever been. During high school, I was a size 3 and was very active. I never had a great relationship with food. I was always constantly yo-yo dieting and making myself sick. Once I came to college, I let the stress of it get to me, and gained a total of 50 pounds. I gained a lot more than the average “freshmen fifteen.” When I looked at myself in the mirror, I could not recognize the person I had become. I not only felt self conscious, but I began to have several health problems including asthma and high cholesterol. My doctor warned me that if I didn’t lose weight I would continue to have health problems. I realized that enough was enough, and I needed to change. Not for my appearance, but for my health.
Recently I began seeing a weight loss doctor that put me on a strict diet. In total I have lost 25 pounds. You might be thinking, “sign me up,” but let me tell you it’s a lot harder than it sounds. I now eat two meals a day. Each meal consists of seven ounces of protein and one cup of vegetables. Each day I take three appetite suppressant pills, and once a week I get injected with vitamin B-12. Each week I go in for a weekly check in at my doctor’s office. I began doing cardio and lifting weights every day, and even joined an aerobics class. After losing 25 pounds, I decided to continue the diet on my own. I’m still not at my goal weight, but I have come a long way from where I was.
Losing weight takes a lot of work, so I wanted to share with you some easy healthy tips that everyone can follow. Remember that losing weight should be about getting healthy not about an appearance! Always consult a doctor before changing your diet.
1. Drink lots of water.
This is the magic trick. Avoid drinking juices and sodas and drink more water. On average a minimum of eight cups per day is recommended. If you hate the taste of water add fruit to your water for added taste.
2. Avoid eating most carbs.
Yes, we all love carbs, but most carbs do more harm than good. If you don’t want to cut out carbs completely, go for 100 percent whole grain.
3. Drink less alcohol.
This is definitely a hard one to follow, but those fruity alcoholic drinks have more calories than you think.
4. Exercise as often as possible.
Make use of the school’s gym and try to make time to go in at least twice a week. If time is an issue, try walking instead of taking the shuttle, and take the stairs when possible. If you need motivation to work out, sign up for one of the school’s HFIT classes and gain credit while you work out.
5. Cut down on your portions.
Be mindful when serving yourself and only eat when you are actually hungry. 7 ounces is the average recommended amount of protein per meal.
6. Eat your fruits and veggies.
Instead of going for that chocolate chip cookie, swap it out for an apple. Grapes, apples, and strawberries are the best choices because fruits they have the least amount of calories. Swap regular dressing for a low-fat dressing and cut down on calories.
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