How I eat

So this entry is about what I do daily to lose weight; Oh hey, I have not told you my weight.....

Ok~ So I was 333, and now weight 295.2 lbs.  I have lots to lose, but hey, I have lost nearly 40lbs, I cannot complain at that.  I am averaging about 10lbs per month on my own.

I know what you are thinking, if she can do this on her own, why does she need surgery.  If you look at all the weight loss diets you have been on, what happened.  You probably cut your calories to beyond sustainable, exercised your butt off, plateaued, and re-gained your weight.. Am I close?

This is why I am getting surgery.  Losing weight is not hard, we all can shed those unwanted pounds, probably not all of them, but we lose either faith or energy to make this impossible task sustainable.  We go back to the way we ate before, and we gain back out weight and then some.  I am getting this surgery to help me out in the long run, to help me with the most difficult task to weight loss, the maintenance mode.  It will take me over a year to get to maintenance mode, after all I have 150lbs to lose.  I am planning to lose this weight at whatever rate my body likes, and use my new tummy to help me get to goal and stay at goal.  My body will tell me when I am healthy, and I will become the Niki that I was destined to be.

Although secretly I would love to fit into single digit clothing, so I hope healthy me is there hahaha.  But really, the size doesn't matter.  What I do know is that I am not healthy now, and I will be healthy a year from now.

So, after all of that reading, what am I doing now:

Calories: 1200 per day
Fat: Still around 20-25g
Protein: 60-80
Carbs: 130
Fiber: 20
Salt: less than 2000mg

This is my target, what I strive for every day.  When you decrease your fat, it is amazing how easy it is to maintain 1200 calories.  Although, the big difference I have this time around, is I do not really focus on getting a low calorie day in.  I focus on everything else, especially my nutrients, and I seem to fall right into the desired calorie goal.  I still eat out, and I still enjoy food.  I just look for nutrients instead of calories.

Also I cannot stress this enough, read the labels.  After learning to read labels, I am now making much more informed decisions, and can really focus on eating healthier.

My motto now, is based on Benjamin Franklins phrase "Eat to live, don't leave to eat".  I really have embraced this motto.

In the next 4 weeks, I will be taking a bariatric cooking class at Garratt Wellness Center; I am so excited!  I will update you on Sept 5th about my first cooking class, and again on Sept 7th about my doctors appointment.

Cheers to an exciting life-altering Autumn!

Hugs
~Nicolyn