Back to Basics!
I wrote this in 2009 but thought I would share again because some of us are just too hard on ourselves. I was watching Extreme Makeover, Weight Loss Edition from Monday night & the lady said this about falling off her program (paraphrasing):
"I thought that well now that I have eaten 5 chips, I ruined it & I might as well just keep on eating."
NOT! This is one of the many reasons that people get off track & keep them from losing the weight. So you ate & enjoyed - OWN IT!!!!! Just get back to it - GET BACK TO BASICS & YOUR FOOD/EXERCISE PROGRAM. Don't fall into the trap of "now I screwed it up so I might as well give up". That is NOT acceptable! Honestly, you are going to feel worse if you keep on eating & keep gaining weight. So it takes 2 or 3 days to get it off. Big deal. In the scheme of things & life, that is a blip. You get it off & keep moving forward! Your health & life are more important!
SO, HERE IS THAT OLD POST:
If some of you woke up today feeling way too sluggish, the clothes were a bit snug around the tummy & the scale said something that got your blood pressure screaming .... stop, take a breath or a few breaths. If on July 4th you opted for the enjoy all day & get back to it tomorrow or maybe Monday, then do just that! If you ate all that fun & fattening stuff over the holiday and maybe had a few drinks too many then think about it. Probably a lot of the food you ate was higher in sodium than your body is used to. Sodium makes us retain water which in turn causes temporary weight gain until we flush it all out. So, just get back to your healthier eating & within a few days, all will be fine. If you ate & drank to your heart's content then the scale is obviously going to add some pounds (3-4 if it is me!). Again get back to basics & the body will return to "prior July 4th holiday" soon enough.
Here are some things you can do:
*First & foremost, just get back to basics & your regular healthier eating pattern! Don't fall for the "I ruined it so now I might as well give up". This is NOT an option!
* Don't stress! I know, easier said than done & I am one to stress easily! BUT, many studies say stress can cause weight gain so try to do your deep breathing & move on!
* Drink a lot of water to help flush out the extra sodium. Many of the holiday foods are packed with water retaining sodium, so get back to your normal workout schedule & eating habits & all should be fine in a few days at the most.
*If you want to speed things up, you can always step up the workouts for a few days with increased intensity to burn more calories AND change the protein/carb ratio for just a few days to get off the added "bloating" that makes you feel so UGH! Eat a bit more of your lean proteins & cut back on some of those starchy carbs for just a few days. Keep eating your veggies & keep that fiber & water flowing too! Flush it all out! That should help get rid of that bloating that is tightening up the pants/shorts.
All in all, if you just get back to basics & your normal eating and workout schedule, you should feel fine within just a few days or less. Life is to be lived so don't feel guilty about any "fun" you had on July 4th. Yesterday, today & tomorrow on are new days so just keep moving forward & not backward!
Are you back to basics today? What, if anything, are you doing to get off the holiday bloat? Did you have a nice holiday? Share!!!!
Categories: Motivation/Support, Fitness, Weight Loss, Awareness, Exercise, Healthy Eating, Tips, Dieting, Challenges, Acceptance
Tags: acceptance awareness dieting fitness challenges Exercise healthy eating holiday weight help holiday eating holiday healthy eating tips motivation support Weight Loss weight loss maintenance tips Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition
I had a great day off! My dad is improving so well! I ate off plan frequenty the last 6 days, but overall did well. The scale showed I lost weight so I am good with that result!
Great post Jody, I totally agree get back on to your plan if you go off, never give up!
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Sheri, so glad your dad is doing better!!! Congrats on weight & making it thru!
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well I never got away from basics.
the HUSBAND?
thats a whole 'nother story...
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I am like you Miz - never far from the basics - hubby & rest of family are different but that is fine. To each their own!
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Great reminder! Not only was it a holiday, but we were at the beach. Thanks to the Old Bay infused crab feast, I think I got my month's worth of sodium! Wow! Back on it full-scale tomorrow.
BTW, one fun thing about traveling is working out in different gyms. I met a 60-year-old woman with a gorgeous fitness-made body. I wish I had gotten her photo. I actually told her how beautiful she was, she probably thought I was totally weird but her efforts should be recognized.
Anyway, sorry for the tangent, and thanks for the reminder during the summer holiday/travel season!
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Courtney, glad you got thru to comment!!! I would have loved to see the pic of that 60 year old!!! Dang!
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You mean not all is lost? Good.
Honestly, I am quite proud of myself this weekend but I will remember this post for my future stumbles. I know there will be many.
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Ewa, you are funny! Congrats on being PROUD!
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I'm glad that for those of us that just do it quietly and get it done, all this diet and exercise stuff works! It's all about establishing habits, the positive or the negative.
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Dr. J - so true - establishing habits!
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Yep, back to basics for me. It's not really all that hard once you make it a habit. In fact, it actually feels comfortable and welcome. Who knew?!
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Cammy, I agree with you. When I stray too far, I feel like crap so it is really not worth it to me.
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I was back to basics yesterday
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Karen - YAHOO!!!!!!!!!! You have found what works for you!
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Great reminder! 80% good 20% not as good for me!
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Sian - moderation is good - enjoy life!
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LOVE THIS POST!!! This is one of the things I still need to work on -- I feel like if I eat something rich/high cal and I don't count it, "Well, there goes the whole day, may as well have a grilled PB&banana sandwich too." And I KNOW I need to stop!!
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Sable - you will get there. It took me some years to get there. Sometimes it is like one day - it just clicks!
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This is something I so often struggle with. I don't know if it's my all-or-none mentality or just an excuse to want to keep eating bad for me, but I do have to be careful of that trap. So much so that sometimes, I will make myself eat a little something off program and then stay on program, just to prove to myself that I can.
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Jeremy, it takes time to learn this but it will be natural at some point. I like your testing of yourself! YOU CAN DO IT!
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