Where to begin?

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Hey Healthy Lifestyle devotees- I have a question for you

Where is the "best" place to start when trying to improve one''s health/tone up/slim down?

A few weekends ago I went windsurfing at a family member''s lakehouse. This past weekend, on another visit to their humble abode, they shared some photos from the windsurfing experience. And I was in a bikini. It wasn''t pretty. And for the first time in my life I realized that I *thought* I looked better than I *actually* did-- usually it''s the reverse. A year of law school, wedding stress, and general sloth-like lifestyle has gotten the best of me. SOMETHING needs to change- but what??

I go through phases where I work out a lot (running, intense weight training) and then, after a few months, I just *stop.* The same can be said for eating well- though generally I DO eat healthfully, I just eat WAY more than I should... So where to begin? Should I keep eating the same large portions and start exercising with consistency? Or hold off on exercising and start to manage my portions? I know that doing both things full-force is a recipe for disaster, and after 8 weeks I''ll be burnt out.

What do all of you suggest as a starting point for a lifestyle change?

FWIW- I''m not looking to lose a ton of weight... I''ve gone from about 123-4 to 127-8 (eep) on a 5''4 small-ish framed bod, but I don''t want to dip much below 120. I haven''t even weighed 120 since... wow... Maybe 8th or 9th grade

. I just need to make some changes or the pounds and flab will continue to creep on. I find myself feeling less and less motivated, and it is starting to worry me. Even my fiance has gained a few pounds. I want to stop this trend before it gets worse, but don''t want to feel that we''re "dieting" or "trying to lose weight"-- I just want to find a more-healthy way of living.

 

[marcy]

I would take baby steps and find things that work for you since you want to make those changes last for a lifetime. Since you don''t have to lose a lot of weight maybe cut back about 10% and eat healthier food and try adding some type of exercise for 10 - 15 minutes each day. We often say slow and steady wins the race. A lot of us use Sparkpeople.com to find out where we should be on calories, food and exercise. It''s free. You go enter in your info and put in where you want to be and it gives you recommendations. Feel free to join in on the chat on our weekly HLT group. Everyone is very helpful and supportive. Good luck.

 

[Lorelei]

I would see what changes you can make such as lowering fats and sugars initially, make healthy swaps and still eat well but beware of hidden cals. For example choose grilled instead of fried foods, cut down on sugar and portions of high fat foods, look for healthy painless changes. Also find an activity you enjoy for working out or just generally getting more active, you might find you can lose this small amount of weight easily with a few changes.

 

[tlh]

I agree with both these ladies!

Best wishes!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I would try to make a change in one area every week. Areas I would consider are physical activity, diet, and overall well being.

Examples for physical activity: Exercise for 15 minutes 4 x a week, than the next week increase it to 20 minutes. Do this until you get to 45+ minutes.

Examples for diet: Change your breakfast starch to a whole grain (e.g. whole grain cereal) one week. Add a piece of fruit the next week. Do the same for lunch the next week, than dinner

Examples for overall well being: 15 minutes to your self, one week, than maybe some relaxing exercises the next week.

There are some guides to help you do this - I did Dr. Weils 8 week program about 12 years ago. It was not easy, but long term it helped me change some habits. I am sure there are newer books that help you make changes slowly.

 

[cindygenit]

Hmmm am i the only here who thinks you don''t need to lose weight?

127-8 lbs on a 5''4" height is normal!

But if u want to lose a few pounds, u can do simple exercises like walking and jogging and try to substitute your meals for healthier options.

 

[ficklefaye]

PPM, i think what you''ve described is very similar to my situation, i go through phases myself from working out all the time for months to sitting on the couch for months, i started by going to the gym and taking some classes, it''s amazing how working out makes you more conscious about what you put in your mouth, the classes also are helping me because i''m not self-motivated when it comes to working out, i enjoy team sports and working out in groups, you just need to find what works for you, good luck!