Flab to Fab: Back On Track

So…I’ve taken a break from Flab to Fab. (Did you notice? I haven’t written a post since September 17…)

There were a lot of factors at play: moving, being poor, no motivation, etc. Obviously, I’m still seeing this as a diet and not a lifestyle change. I really need to work on this.

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve tried motivating myself by eating better and exercising. My weeks have gotten so packed with work and school that I never have time to exercise on weekdays. I have been drinking a lot more water and having healthy lunches. It’s a start, at least.

But I really want to get serious and start doing things right. So, I made a list of everything I need to do to succeed. Brace yourselves. This is a ground-breaking list! You won’t see this anywhere else!

1. Drink more water. Yep…it’s no secret that drinking lots o’ water is a key ingredient in successful weight loss. It’s also not a secret that I hate, hate, hate water. An ice-cold class of Coca-Cola just sounds so much better than water. First of all, Coke has taste. Water does not. But I know I need to really amp up on my water. I do fine at work, now that I’ve got a fancy-schmancy insulated bottle (from Wal-Mart. Don’t judge!). I just need to suck it up and drink water. Plus, I never feel as good drinking soda as I do when I drink water.
2. Exercise. Unlike most diet programs that expound, “No exercise! Eat what you want! Just take this pill and you’ll lose 30 pounds in 3 months!,” I know that’s only temporary. And not good for your health, anyway. Everyone needs to exercise, no matter how fat or skinny you are. My goal would be to exercise 5 days a week but lately, I’ve been too busy at night to exercise. I really want to get diligent about exercise because as much as I hate it, I feel so awesome afterwards! I just wish I loved it and looked forward to working out. But that’s never, ever going to happen.
3. Get 3 square meals a day. Another ground-breaking discovery right here. I usually get 2 good meals (lunch and dinner) and tons of calorie-killing snacks in between. I don’t eat breakfast. First of all, I have to be at work super early so I don’t have time to eat before work. Secondly, I don’t have much of an opportunity to eat breakfast at work, since I work in a preschool. Of course, this may be just an excuse, since we do serve breakfast and I could always sit down and eat my breakfast while the kids are eating. And I really need to cut down on the snacks and make the snacks I do eat healthy. It’s a good concept and now let’s just see if I can implement it in my everyday life.

So, there you have it. My tips for a healthier life. Pretty great list, huh? I’ve been using SparkPeople to track my food and exercise because I feel that I really have to do it to be successful. I really don’t think it’s possible, for me, to be successful losing weight without tracking. Plus, it’s a proven method of weight loss.

So, off to another great week of trying to live healthy! I weighed myself tonight and I’m currently at my highest weight yet, which is really scary for me. I feel like I have to be successful this time. I can’t keep gaining weight. I have to lose it and be healthy.

So, what are your tips for being healthy? (And no, you can’t steal my awesome, inspiring ones!)