When you are almost 40, your body starts to change. It's easy to gain 2 kilos and it's so hard to lose it. I am 37 and I was never overweight. When I was pregnant with my son, I only gained the weight of having him in my belly. 12 weeks after giving birth, I was back to my regular weight of 47 kilos.
There is no secret. I am going to spill some note-worthy facts that you can find useful as you read along.
IS BEING FAT GENETIC?
While many people believe that weight is a genetic thing, I disagree with it. We are all born the same. No one was born skinny or fat. What changes over the years is our relationship with ourselves and the food that we eat.
I see a lot of people try to search for ways to lose weight. While there are a lot of fad diet going on, everybody seems to want to achieve it as fast as possible. If you lose it fast, you'll gain it back more quickly.
So, what's the answer to losing weight?
Consider this, you went on a diet and stopped eating a lot like you used to for 7 days. And then, you went on a water fasting. Of course, you will lose weight because input (food) is less. Sounds easy, right? But let's be honest, we don't just want to lose weight. We want to maintain it.
The hard part is, can you maintain it?
More than WHAT you eat, losing weight is HOW you eat.
Losing weight is not about what you eat in the next 2 weeks. It's about changing your relationship with food. Here are TWO helpful questions to ask yourself:
- Do you eat when you are HUNGRY? or Do you eat because you WANT to?
- Do you eat to NOURISH your body? or do you eat when you NEED comfort?
EATING WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY
When your brain signals your body of hunger, you will eat and use it up like fuel. If you make it a habit to eat only when you are hungry, there's not a lot of "extra" which can become "fat".
But, I am always hungry... that is another story.
It’s normal to feel hungry 3-4 hours after eating a meal. This suggests that the body’s natural hunger cycle is around 3-4 hours between meals. If you feel hungry ALL THE TIME beyond this average meal interval, you are having a problem beyond food. For people who have diabetes, it will be hard to go on a diet and respond normally to hunger cravings. They go hungry right away even just after eating a meal. So in this case, better to address your diabetes than to look for fad diets.
EATING TO NOURISH YOUR BODY
If I give you a bunch of steamed broccoli and a donut right now, which one would you rather eat? If your intention is to take care of your body, you will choose the bunch of steamed broccoli.
A lot of us choose to eat for COMFORT. That is why all these sweet cravings are hard to resist. Food is not always about comfort. Twice a week, it can be but to do it everyday is a health disaster.
My point is, always go back to the intention of why you eat.
Recognize and respond to natural hunger and fullness signals, rather than eating out of boredom, stress, or other emotions.
STEPS TO ACHIEVING THE RIGHT MINDSET ON FOOD
1. ASK YOURSELF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS BEFORE EATING:
"Am I really hungry?" Here are some hunger signs:
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A growling or rumbling stomach
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Lightheadedness and/or dizziness
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Increased desire to eat
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Mood changes like irritability
Try to drink water and you will realize, you are just thirsty but not hungry. Works really well for me!
2. MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS.
Eat when you need to, rather than out of habit or emotional triggers.
3. BUILD A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD.
Remember to eat for nourishment. This will take time but with consistency and discipline, you can make it. Some examples to help you:
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Plan a healthy meal recipe
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Stock your kitchen with healthier options: anything more healthy than your previous choices will help. Small changes lead to big steps.
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Modify your environment. Don't go to places that tempt you to eat fastfood, etc.
4. CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS. If you are used to eating frequently, find a good meal replacement drink to help you keep up with your energy requirements everyday. Be patient, good things take time.
Filipinos tend to eat 3 meals per day with 2 snacks in between. Is it really necessary? The answer is no.
For me, I skipped eating lunches after I made a habit of having a full breakfast because I am not hungry at noon at all. I make sure I have 15g protein, take at least 240 calories and 7g of fat for my energy source. I have been taking my Nutrimeal from Usana. One pack is two weeks worth of breakfast with no need for lunch. Saves me money because it keep me full from morning until the whole afternoon. Less cravings, less hunger signals because of the essential macro nutrients it contains in one serving.
CONCLUSION
When people say I am lucky to have a normal weight, I don't take it lightly. I resist the urge to eat when I know I am not hungry. I also make conscious choices of my food everyday. It gets easy when you dig deeper on what your body needs. When you feed and nourish your cells everyday, you will have lesser hunger signals and you will feel full easier.
Losing weight is not at all shedding off fats. It's about a change in habit and mindset. Stay true to your cause - you are your most important asset and you deserve true health!
It's never too late to start something.
