I've never written about how I was able to fit on my wedding dress while still working at the culinary school. But I've realized that it's important for me to write about it. This is not only for the purpose of looking your best on your wedding day but to really understand that diets don't really work unless you are an athlete. I hear people say I'll go on a diet (for a few days or weeks) and it never happens. The truth is, it never will and it will never work. But how does one find the motivation to eat healthy, lose the excess bad fat and maintain a healthy weight? It's one question with so many answers that leads us to many different ways of doing it.
One thing I usually say is ditch the word diet (as a verb) but change your bad diet to a healthier diet (as a noun). Dieting (verb) will not work if you don't change your diet (noun). It may sound simple but doing it is the complicated part for most people.
When J and I set the date for our wedding day, I never really had the motivation to exercise and eat properly. J keeps on telling me that we need to exercise but we only jog at the park once. But prior to meeting J, I was already in the habit of going to the gym and exercising. I was already eating healthy even with occasional binge. I was already at my healthy weight and body frame. Why in the world do I need to maintain my weight and figure on my wedding day? I have to because at a certain time, I stopped my membership at the gym when J and I are going out more often. Going out more often means eating out more often as well and that includes the dessert. And I find the paying for the gym membership is way too much for my budget already.
So, what did I do?
I started exercising 2 months before the wedding (because that was the only time I had the motivation to do so). I downloaded Barre3 videos on my Ipad. My friend gave me a code and the website allows you to watch it for free for a limited time. I was hooked on Barre3 so I did it until 2 days before the wedding.
I still eat the same food but in small amounts but with increase consumption of fruits and vegetables.
I ate fewer sweets and other simple carbohydrates.
I don't count calories. More on that later.
Most importantly, I stopped sweating the small stuff over the wedding preparations and details. A wedding is only for a day (or even only half a day) while a marriage is for a lifetime.
Actually, in my case, I didn't do much because I believed I was eating properly already. My body frame was proportioned and I don't consider myself fat. But what I really wanted to change is that I wanted to have more lean muscles and still maintain the figure. We're talking about the arms and the waist line. Although I didn't develop really defined long, lean arms, it didn't sag either.
Two things: Exercise and Healthy Lifestyle
I'm still doing Barre3 because I can do it at home even with limited space. My motivation to get back in shape is not really to look good, although that is a plus factor. My main reason is I want my body to be functional and efficient again and to move with flexibility, grace and strength, and definitely more energy. The exercises were designed with a purpose so that we can move better with our everyday activities such as picking up things from the floor, reaching for things from the shelve or carrying groceries or the baby. Pilates is great but a teacher is required to do the movements properly and correctly. So Barre3 has been very helpful now.
When it comes to food, I make sure that I eat whole and real foods most of the time except in emergency situations. I've heard this before many times and I still hear it again. People would go on a diet from Monday to Friday and would indulge during the weekend. They would have their cheat days on Saturday and Sunday. It might work for a short while but it will not establish healthy eating habits. I still like the 80/20 rule. You eat 80 percent healthy foods and indulge with the 20 percent. So, it means to eating whole and real foods 80 percent of the time focusing on foods that are mostly home-cooked, using healthier cooking methods and incorporating more plant foods into your diet. Then, you can have a bar of dark chocolate or a piece of cake shared with your loved one or maybe some bacon into your salad or soup. For me, the 80/20 rule works better overtime because you're not depriving yourself of important calories and nutrients that you're not getting from the 5-day calorie-counted/2-day indulge cheat day diet.
Losing the excess weight is hard after I gained my pregnancy weight, what more for other people who have gained so much? With a husband, a home and a baby to take of, the challenge is even more difficult most especially that Nate and I have been sick for almost a week. Priorities have to be redefined and time has to be managed well. In, the age of technology, knowledge is disclosed to everyone but with too many information these days, what should we believe in. I think we need to go back to the basics of what healthy food is. That would be a great article to write next time.