When I got engaged, I decided to lose some weight. I set the goal at fifteen pounds gone by the time I got married. The first choice I had to make was which diet torture I wanted. With so many options, I did not know which one to choose.
I started with the carbohydrate diet. The premise of this diet is that by cutting carbohydrates you can lose weight. I thought for the sake of weight loss I could give up my favorite food, cereal. But the next morning, I was running late for work. I didn’t have time for a complicated breakfast. So, I gave in and ate a bowl of cereal. Well, that diet quickly fell off the wagon. After that I had trouble staying on any wagon.
Next came the South Beach diet. Just reading the instructions made me cringe. I could only eat certain foods at certain times, like meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables.I could add bread, dessert, and alcohol after two weeks. I did not even try that diet. It was far too complicated and, with working and wedding planning, I wanted something easier. So, I headed to Weight Watchers online. This diet’s claim to fame is that by assigning point values to every food, and eating only a certain number of points each day people can lose weight. I admit that I did lose weight at first. The problem was that I didn’t always have handy a point-value calculator for the foods that I ate. I also had trouble staying motivated on the diet. Going to a Weight Watchers meeting made me very nervous, so I decided not to go. I eventually lost interest. But I think this diet may have worked if I had done it with a friend.
Finally, I decided to just go simple. I began a walking regimen, and made simple changes in my eating habits. I switched from 2 percent milk to 1 percent milk. There is not much taste difference, it is better for you, and best of all it is cheaper. Instead of regular potato chips, I bought low fat or baked chips. They actually tasted good. For dessert I ate frozen yogurt. It tasted just like ice cream. Instead of mayonnaise, I used mustard on my sandwiches. They tasted just as good to me. For my salads, I bought low-fat salad dressing and could not tell a difference. I especially made it a point to eat more fruits and vegetables. I admit there have been times I have fallen off the wagon – like when there was cheesecake at my wedding shower. But what impressed me was that all I had to do was take an extra walk that week, or park in the farthest spot from the grocery store, and I gained no weight those weeks. Furthermore, to help me stay motivated when I ate a little to much, I bought a pedometer. It has been fun to meet my goal of 10,000 steps. Why 10,000 steps? I have heard that taking 10,000 steps is the equivalent of walking three miles. I have now lost 10 pounds. I know the weight loss is not fast, but it has been steady. I am confident that I will hit my goal of 15 pounds. This is my preferred method of torture.
