Hina's Weight Loss Mantra

"My weight loss is a happy byproduct of a healthy lifestyle. I am working towards a Healthy Life, not just a skinny life." ~ Me

I came up with my mantra while giving a weight loss pep talk to one of my friends. She has managed to lose a considerable amount of weight through dedication, personal strength, and hard work. She inspires me to stay true to my newly acquired healthy lifestyle, and I am extremely proud of her. (You know who you are, and I am SO proud of you! You are awesome!)

I know how hard it is to lose weight. I have been overweight for almost my entire life, and I hated it. I was a normal sized child, but when puberty hit me (and it hit pretty early) I packed on the pounds. I was bookish and studious, but I was not born with the "sports gene." Growing up as the "fat kid" was hard, especially with a skinny, athletic sibling. Kids can be cruel, and I was teased a lot.

You'd think things would get easier when you're an adult. Sure, most people mature and acquire some tact. (Most people do. Others will be inconsiderate jerks for much longer, until someone butters their floor, and possibly even after that.) I'm 5'7", and at my heaviest, I weighed roughly 228 lbs. I may have weighed more, but I stopped weighing myself because it was too depressing. I was a size 18 before I knew what happened to me, and that was when I was 23 years old! Do you have any idea how hard it is to be overweight, in your twenties, and living in Los Angeles? LA is the land of red carpet couture, Hollywood diets, and all kinds pretense designed to make you feel like you're not good enough, not pretty/handsome/sexy enough. Want proof? A coworker once told me that he wasn't in-shape enough to go to his neighborhood gym in Hollywood. I asked him if the point of going to the gym wasn't to get fit and get in shape. He replied, "Yes," but too many celebs, models and industry affiliates worked out there. Imagine that - having to lose weight before you can set foot in a gym.

I managed to lose 20 lbs. in my mid to late 20's, but I was still clinically obese. However, I have just entered my 30's, and in the last nine months I have lost (drum roll, please!) ..... 62 pounds!! Pretty cool, huh? In April 2006, I was a size 14. I'm now around a size 6/7. In nine months, I have lost 30% of my body weight. I think that's awesome, and I am totally proud of my accomplishment! You know what's better? I'm not starving, I'm not deprived of chocolate, my weight is not going up and down on a yo-yo, and I've actually acquired some great tools for living a healthy lifestyle. And I personally believe that you cannot have mental or physical health without some good chocolate.

People ask me what I did to lose weight, because when they see me, the difference is pretty dramatic. I'd like to say there was a miracle pill. (Wouldn't you love it if there was a miracle pill?) I'd like to say that I found a miracle diet that worked magic on my body. However, the truth is that I just decided, for various reasons, that I needed to get healthy, and that means eating healthy foods in moderation and exercise. As my husband told me so often, the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume.

I started out using Nutrisystem, which really taught me a lot. I learned about portion size and how to count my calories. It sounds so elementary, but you wouldn't believe how many people out there have no idea how many calories they consume in a day. I had no idea about my intake, although I knew that FDA food labeling standards put forth a 2000 calorie per day average. When I started a food log to find out, I was shocked to find out that I was downing about 5000 calories every day. And this is when I thought I was being rather health conscious! (Health tip: Trail mix, although usually loaded with protein, omega 3s, and antioxidants, is also fairly high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. Yikes!) I also subscribe to Hungry Girl, a most fantastic resource for people looking to lose weight. Among other helpful tips and information, Hungry Girl provides insight into high calorie, high fat food frights, and provides diet empowering alternatives.

I am no longer on Nutrisystem, because I don't feel like I need it anymore. It is incredibly convenient, but it's also pricey for me. Besides, I have found, and also created, some simple, tasty, low cal dishes. I do still read Hungry Girl daily. I also have some other resources, which help me daily with my weight goals.

If you're looking to lose weight, I recommend a few things. These are things I did, things I believe in, and things that worked for me. I'm not a dietician or a physician, but hey, I lost over 60 lbs., and I'm still losing. I can't be completely full of it, right?

1. Definitely talk to your doctor. My doctor gave me a few dietary and exercise guidelines, and they were extremely helpful. Safety first!

2. Don't "go on a diet." Food is not a temporary thing, it's something you'll be living off of for the rest of your life. An ad for Weight Watchers reads, "We help you lose weight by teaching you to have a healthy relationship with food." This is so important, and so true! Learn to eat healthy portions of healthy foods for your every day meals. Learn how to eat a healthy diet.

3. Be knowledgeable and accountable for yourself. Know how many calories you consume in a day. If you don't know, start a food log. It doesn't have to be fancy. I keep a daily desk calendar in the kitchen. Whenever I eat something (a meal, a snack, whatever), I log the calories. At the end of the day, I tally everything to see how much I've eaten. The best part is, no matter what I've eaten, every morning I tear off yesterday's page, and start a clean new day. (Slightly hokey, but very mentally and metaphorically uplifting.) It keeps me aware of my nutrition, and I am accountable for my food decisions. It can also help you become aware of any eating habits you have, like constant snacking, or stress eating. Once you know how much you're eating, and when, you'll know where you need to make adjustments.

4. Do some exercise. I personally hate gyms. I hate the smell, the mindless hamster wheel-like exercises (the Stair Master stairs don't go anywhere!), and I hate to be around stinky, sweaty people. So I have to sneak in my exercise when I won't mind it so much. (Every little bit helps!) I park far away from store entrances so that I have to walk more. When my son watches The Backyardigans, I dance with him. When I take my boy to the park, I chase him up and down hills. I play music and dance around the house when I'm doing housework or cooking. Anything you can do to move your body, do it.

5. Just make a commitment and start to be healthy. Oddly, the hardest thing for me to do was Start. I made up my mind that I had to be healthier - for me, for my family. But for some reason it is so scary to make that change. What if I fail? What if I lose weight then gain it back? What if people say things about me? What if I have a heart attack while walking up this hill? Good grief, what if I succeed?! It's scary to take that first step, but I swear that once you get started, you gain momentum.

A good support system is also extremely helpful. Having encouragement at the right time can make or break you. I had my share of lows when I could have jumped into vat of melted ice cream to drown myself, rather than eat a salad. (I still have those days on occasion.) I could not have stayed focused without my loving husband telling me that I was very able to lose weight. My family and friends helped me, and they continue to help and inspire me to be a healthy individual. They remind me of what I have accomplished, what I started from, and how well I am doing. And that helps me keep going. I have 6 more pounds to shed until I reach my goal weight, then I only have to maintain that for the rest of my life. I'm very committed to living a healthy life, and I'm committed to teaching my son to live a healthy life. And I would like to inspire others to live a healthy life. It's a lot of hard work and discipline, but I believe I'm worth it.

Remember, don't just work towards a skinny life. Make a commitment to live a Healthy Life! If you develop healthy habits, the weight will come off! If you don't have a support group, or if you feel alone in your weight loss journey, feel free to drop me a line. I can be a very helpful weight loss cheerleader. Just ask my friend. She's managed to lose a considerable amount of weight, and I am so proud of her!