Top 16 Tips From Our Weight Loss Journey

So many diet plans available - This is our weight loss Journey.

How many people actually can say they had fun losing weight?  We tried so many different diets over the years, and, yes, we lost weight but could never keep the weight off.   I mean, we've done the food delivery, diet pills, counting calories, cutting out all meat, adding in all meat, and so on.  You name it, we might have tried the diet.  Most of the time, we stuck to them for a week or two.  I even did the grapefruit diet, where all I ate all week was grapefruits, and on Friday, I would have a big steak or whatever I wanted.  Sure, I lost weight, but as soon as I started to eat regular food, I gained it all back and usually more.  Weight loss isn't easy, but it can be fun!

Losing weight and having fun

We decided in January 2017 that we didn't like how we felt or looked.  I mean, my sweatshirts were getting tight.   We knew that we had to do a lifestyle change and not really ANOTHER diet.   If you think about it, "diet" IS a four-letter word that no one should ever say in public!!!  For so many years, I was shamed about the amount of food I was eating.   What can I say I like to eat!  The biggest decision we made was not to eat something that didn't taste good.  Food has to have flavor, and if I don't like the way it tastes, I push my plate away.

We both love to cook, drink wine, play with our dogs, and most of all, we love each other's company, so deciding on our "lifestyle" change is the right thing for us.  We were not going to be successful if we had to go on a "structured" diet.  So we started to track our food and make sure we didn't eat too much.  All the food we make is our favorites and whatever we are hungry for.  WE cut out oils, fats, and prepared foods.   I mean, when you can make a homemade pizza with half the calories and twice the flavor at home, why would you ever order out?    Don't get me wrong, we still order pizza, but most of the time, we decide to make it at home. It tastes better, saves money, and is usually ready faster than delivery.

For example, if I want a glass of wine... I am going to have one!!!!

16 Tips on what we did on our weight loss journey

First of all, you have to want to lose weight and decide it's not going to happen overnight.  In fact, we lost weight, and in October, we stopped writing down what we were eating.  We did fine until Christmas, New Year, and that darn Super Bowl.  We gained about 12 pounds.  But that's OK.  I think that if I deprived myself of those few extra drinks, the biscuits and gravy, some amazing appetizers, and things like mashed potatoes, I wouldn't be true to myself.  Again, this is a lifestyle change, not punishment!!

1. Set a realistic goal.
2. Do this for you, not someone else.  Don't worry about what others think.  Remember, instead of stress eating, remind yourself that you deserve to be happy and healthy, and NO ONE is going to take that away from you!
3. Drink lots of water, not wine (Most of the time)
4. Find someone you can work with and will help you be accountable
5. Weigh/measure everything while you are cooking (buy a kitchen scale)
6. Measure everything you eat
7. Cook foods at home, take your lunch to work
8. Write down everything you eat and track your progress
9. Don't eat family style. Build your plate and don't go back for seconds
10. Treat yourself when you meet goals and even sometimes when you don't succeed
11. Add spice and flavor to your foods
12. Before you start your weight loss journey, determine what are the worst things you eat or drink.  Then cut them completely out of your diet for a few weeks
13. Don't start exercising until you are ready.  Either start exercising or dieting- don't try to start both at the same time.  Have some success first with one, then add in the other.
14. Enjoy the best foods if you need a candy bar.  Buy some expensive chocolate and eat just a small piece.  Or measure out a small bowl of ice cream.
15. If you have a craving, eat something healthy.  For example, I love Buffalo chicken wings, so when I'm hungry for them, I make buffalo chicken meatballs.
16. Most importantly, Stick with it and Don't get frustrated.  This is for you!!

We will expand on each of these tips to share exactly how we lost 100 pounds.  We'll also share the steps we are taking to lose our next 100 pounds and reach our goal weight.

This isn't easy, but we can all have fun on this journey.  Please join us and share your goals and success stories.

Some other posts focused on our weight loss story:

• Why are goals important? - Establishing and setting goals for short and long-term success and how we applied these practices to our weight loss journey.
• Deciding to lose weight forever - Deciding to lose weight is a personal decision and should be fun. We are sharing our story of what made us decide to lose weight.
• About Us - Mother and daughter duo on a weight loss journey sharing fat-cutting, flavor-boosting new and reimagined recipes and hacks.
• Struggles of beginning a diet Journey - Our weight loss goals - Discover our journey towards a healthier lifestyle, including weight loss goal setting and delicious recipes, on our blog!
• Lifestyle The tipping Point to losing weight - Setting up a plan to start our new lifestyle, understanding our diet direction, and looking at how we feel about ourselves.
• Owning your lifestyle journey - Our Lifestyle Journey (diet) Don't let Stress take control of your life! It is so hard to keep up with everything.