As a lot of my close friends know, in high school I struggled quite a bit with losing too much weight in a very short time period. I am now able to freely talk about it, but for a while it was very hard for me. I became obsessed with dieting, weighing myself, not eating regular meals (or at all) and usually feeling sad, lonely, and depressed about myself often. I went from being 125 lbs. at 5'6 to 99 lbs. I am now in much better health and condition, as I am now 115 at 5'7. (My dad says that because I started eating, I grew an inch. I think he was partly joking when he said it, but I believe it!) I did not realize the importance of health, eating regularly, and getting good exercise. (I would over exercise excessively and sometimes pass out during class.) Here are a few tips that have helped me (and I'm sure many other girls who are struggling with this problem can relate) overcome my weakness.
1.) Do not weigh yourself every day. I used to weigh myself probably 15 or more times a day. That is, until I started getting help and realized that doing so can alter your mood, and finally realizing that your weight fluctuates by about 5 lbs. throughout the day! I have actually just decided to get rid of my scale. I focus more about how I'm feeling and what I'm eating rather than the number on the scale. It is, really, just a number! If it alters the way you feel or your mood; do what I did, and just get rid of the scale. :)
2.) If you decide to keep your scale (it takes lots of courage to just throw it out), do not weigh yourself at night time! Doing so will just cause you to become frustrated if you aren't seeing results. If you are going to weigh in, I recommend doing so once a week, same day, in the MORNING.
3.) Drink tons of water. Doing so will help you feel less hungry and also helps metabolize your food. Studies show that sometimes the feeling of hunger is actually just a feeling of thirst. If you drink lots of water, you will be less likely to eat too much.
4.)Don't compare yourself to somebody else. Women everywhere are always comparing. It is important to, first, realize that you are YOU. You will never be somebody else no matter how much you try. It's much easier to accept it now rather than try over and over again to look or be like somebody else. And second, realize your potential as a person. You may see a beautiful girl, and think "oh, I wish I looked like her," but you don't know her struggles or difficulties or her weaknesses. It's important to be grateful for who you are and what you have, rather than what somebody else might appear to have. Nobody is perfect, and nobody has it all.
5.) Work out! I can't tell you enough how much working out daily has changed my life. I am now less likely to focus on my calorie intake, as I run at least 4 miles every day. My daily workout routine consists of 30 minutes of high intensity on the elliptical, 10 minutes on the bike, and I focus on one body part per day.
6.) Don't skip meals. Never, ever skip meals. It slows down your metabolism and if you do it often enough, your body will start storing everything that you eat as fat. NOT GOOD!! I usually eat 3 or 4 300-400 calorie meals. My daily caloric intake is somewhere between 1200-1700 usually. But, I don't count! Because I work out so often and I haven't had babies yet (once I do have babies and my metabolism slows down, I will have to be more strict about it, but not yet!) And I find that even if I eat a little more one day, my weight always stays the same because I have built muscle that burns more calories.
7.) Muscle weighs more than fat. I had to come to terms with this as I was 112 lbs and I have now gained 3 lbs in muscle. However, I fit into my clothes the exact same. It took me a little bit to understand this, but I have now learned to focus on the way I look and feel, rather than the number on the scale.
8) GENETICS. Everyone has different genetics. As I said before, you can't compare yourself to anybody else. Your body will never be like another person! Your genetics are a huge determining factor in the way you look. Your food intake and exercise will determine the rest.
I will be honest, I still struggle with my eating habits at times. It usually crosses my mind every time I eat, as I delt with my eating disorder for 2 years. But I know each day if I focus on the good, and less on the bad; remember what I'm thankful for, and remember those that care and love me, I will continue to grow and become better. The most important thing is who I am on the inside; as that is what people will remember the most.
"People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
I hope that this post has helped or inspired those who read it! :)
I also just added a few things to my make-up drawer/closet so I thought I would review!
this really is the best lipgloss I've ever had. I bought the color 227. I love it because it's super shiny, yet isn't sticky and hardly feels like I have anything on.
Purchased at Nordstrom
TOMS! Cutest, most comfortable shoes ever. I bought the sparklies and I love them. They are adorable!
Purchased at Nordstrom.com
Hot Tools NanoCeramic Curling Iron 1 1/2 inch. I love this curling iron because if you have long hair, it gives you those big, wave-like curls! It also holds curl well and glides through your hair easily. Love it.
Purchased at ULTA
