First Ten

After getting my plan dialed in the first ten pounds were lost quickly. Weight loss is earned in the kitchen not the gym. Though the gym is important, real weight loss progress comes from being intentional with your diet.

I didn’t follow any fad diets. I needed to change my lifestyle; and that’s not a fad. I had to relearn what and how to eat for the long term. Focusing on something sustainable which would last a lifetime. In the past I didn’t really follow any rules when it came to eating. I ate what I wanted until I felt satisfied. I also didn’t pay much attention to what I was drinking. I was a fan of Dr. Pepper. I drank Dr. Pepper daily. I knew this was extremely unhealthy, I just didn’t care. Therefore, it had to go. I quit Dr. Pepper cold turkey. In all honesty, I thought this would actually be very difficult. However, I didn’t struggle near as much as I thought I would. I don’t know if it was because of the dedication toward my newfound health focus or if I was just ready to close the obesity chapter in my life and I blamed Dr. Pepper for getting me here in the first place. Whatever the reason I came to the realization my addiction to soda was a large reason I was obese. Sure, I missed drinking Dr. Pepper but after the first couple weeks that went away entirely. I have absolutely no desire to ever let the soda touch my lips again. In fact the thought of it even seems repulsive. To be honest, I do somewhat fear if I even drink even a little again it will send me into a spiral. Therefore, it’s now out of my life entirely!

To lose weight a calorie deficit is a necessity. That is science. So, this is my primary focus. While doing so I will also focus on getting at least one hundred and sixty grams of protein a day. But, not at the sacrifice of exceeding my calorie limit.

In high school and college, I regularly lifted weights. Though, back then, I didn’t pay much attention to my diet. However, I did use protein supplements. I was familiar with them. I knew in order to hit my protein goals while also keeping my calories low I would need to get reacquainted with the world of powdered protein. So, I spoke to my coach about protein recommendations. Now armed with that knowledge I headed to the Supplement Superstore. When I arrived I was met with eager staff. I felt like I just walked into the use car lot of nutrition supplements… But, I knew exactly what I wanted to buy and stuck to it. Only walking out with my tub of protein and a bottle of water.

I began my diet. I focused on healthy fuel sources like lean meat and vegetables. I started eating salads consistently. I ate grilled chicken, fish, then more grilled chicken, and some more grilled chicken. (Man did I eat a lot of grilled chicken…) I also discovered carrots were an excellent go to. If I felt hungry I could eat a handful of carrots. They seemed to give me a satisfied feeling and are very low in calories. Most of the time when I snacked on carrots I just ate them raw. But, if I had a hankering for some more flavor I substituted hummus instead of fatty ranch dressing.

To make this successful I needed to know exactly how many calories I was consuming. I hopped on Amazon and for $20 found a kitchen scale. I used this with a calorie counting mobile app and became meticulous with weighing my food and entering my meals into my app.

With this regimented process, nutrition, weight lifting and daily walking I dropped the first 10 pounds in barely over a weeks time.

I challenge you to pay attention to your diet and cut out soda all together. With just that you will be on your way to a healthier you!