3 things that work for me

I’m a firm believer that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all, sure-fire approach to regaining health from an overweight or obese state. I had followed other peoples’ recommendations for exercise and diet plans to the letter. I’d spent 9 months sweating buckets at a gym 5 times a week. As my weight ballooned to well over triple figures I succumbed to a sense of failure. I told myself I couldn’t lose weight, and believed there was some physical reason why I couldn’t do it. It became too painful so I decided never to try again, and sunk into denial.

getting in touch with something i really want

One day Meyles spoke to me about his concern for my long-term health and his desire for us to be active and unlimited in our retirement years. Meyles touched on something that I did really want. I was scared to try again because I couldn’t handle the constant cycle of failure. However, this time I faced myself with determination and became Cardinal-Cyn-The-Weight-Loss-Detective.

the investigative judgment

I began experimenting with my own health. I began walking and trying different diets and monitored my progress to see if there was any loss. I began to keep a journal that recorded my activity, food intake and weight. When I saw something worked, I tried to do more of the same to get better results. If what I was doing didn’t work for a month or so, I would change the ‘recipe’ and try something new. So I narrowed down the elements of my lifestyle that both benefited me and didn’t benefit me. Keeping records was key.

what works for me

So the 3 steps I still use for my health are:

1. Check my journal of weight, diet, exercise and analyse the results
2. Act on my own analysis and record results
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2

I learned that I respond well to protein and very limited grains; a combination of cardio and strength training; and to manage my sleep patterns into a regular routine. I learnt that my success depended on planning, consistency, taking my lunch to work, awareness of different types of fats, appropriate rest and active support from others. I gained a sense of mastery over my own life as I navigated my way through dinner parties, busy-ness, conflicting opinions from experts, emotional ups and downs, and a loss of over 30kgs over a period of around 2 years.

I became obnoxiously enthusiastic about health.

What works for you? Have you ever been obnoxiously enthusiastic about anything? Tell me by clicking ‘comments’ and spill the beans!