A lot of people have asked how I managed to lose 50 pounds and keep it off (so far so good). I was one of those people that ate all day, even without being hungry. I put on fifteen pounds after the kids, then the rest crept up on me at about a rate of 3-5 per year after I hit 35. Not a huge jump from year to year, but you put them all together and it sure adds up. I was no longer that 94 pound person that I was when I got married!
I do have one positive result of extreme stress, it kicks my metabolism into a higher gear. Last September Tim moved to CT to work and Trev moved to California to go to school. Ariel was back at Boston University at the end of August. Suddenly I was an true empty nester for the first time in FOREVER! Literally. I have never lived all alone for any length of time and I did not like it. Depression hit and the appetite went out the window. I dropped a quick 30 in a couple of months. As I got used to my new life my appetite started to return, but by now I liked the slimmer me and decided another 20 pounds needed to go. My goal was to get to 115 pounds.
I have never been big on exercise and wasn't about to start. I do like to walk and do that on a semi regular basis, especially with 4 dogs in the house. I also added in the Wii fit for some fun here and there. Mostly I just cut back on portions and watched calories. I like my savory and sweet things and I wasn't about to give them up. I admit I am not doing this the healthy way. I probably should have a bowl of pasta instead of the bowl of ice cream, but if I eat the pasta I still follow it up with the ice cream! LOL. I did give up most drinks for just water. I have some juice and hot cocoa here and there, but if I keep drinking water I feel fuller and that helps cut back on the portions.
Here are some of the tips that work for me. I snack on pickles. Very low cal and flavorful enough to satisfy cravings. I also love salsa and will eat it on celery stalks. Again very low cal and the fiber from the celery helps fill you up. I am lucky that I love fresh fruits and vegetables so I do get some nutrition and I do not count those as calories. I keep bags of extra dark chocolate chips on hand and eat them several times a day. You can have 20 for only 70 calories so when you eat just 5 or 6 at a time to satisfy a craving you aren't expending a lot of calories AND YOU GET TO EAT CHOCOLATE!!!!! I do have a dish of ice cream here and there or even a fat boy, but usually in place of a meal. I also buy the small sundae cups (vanilla with chocolate sauce) and add some chocolate chips for less than 100 calories to eat after a meal. Babybel cheese is a satisfying snack for 60 calories. Just read the labels on the stuff you like to find out where you can cut back and still give yourself plenty of your favorites.
The big downside to quick weight loss is the excess skin. A little has toned back, but I still have a lot of loose skin and I probably always will unless I have it tucked here and there. I highly recommend you do this a bit slower so the skin will recover better. So far it has been easy to maintain. I float between 110 and 115 pounds. When it gets up to 115+, I start to cut back a bit again. I sometimes go off it entirely for trips or occasions and the few pounds I put on seems to come back off pretty easy.
One thing I have noticed is that at first I thought I looked terrific. Now that I am used to the "new" me, I am seeing flabby skin and some bulges here and there. I am still 20 pounds heavier than when I was in my early 20's and it shows. I want that 20 year old body again, but I know that isn't realistic and will need to resign myself that I look pretty good for 50. My kids also had poor reactions to the "new" mom. My son keeps saying I look anorexic. I'm not sure how with the muffin tops and flabby arms, but to him Mom was always much heavier so I don't look like Mom to him. On the other hand, my husband is remembering that 20 year old again and likes it...LOL.
I do have one positive result of extreme stress, it kicks my metabolism into a higher gear. Last September Tim moved to CT to work and Trev moved to California to go to school. Ariel was back at Boston University at the end of August. Suddenly I was an true empty nester for the first time in FOREVER! Literally. I have never lived all alone for any length of time and I did not like it. Depression hit and the appetite went out the window. I dropped a quick 30 in a couple of months. As I got used to my new life my appetite started to return, but by now I liked the slimmer me and decided another 20 pounds needed to go. My goal was to get to 115 pounds.
I have never been big on exercise and wasn't about to start. I do like to walk and do that on a semi regular basis, especially with 4 dogs in the house. I also added in the Wii fit for some fun here and there. Mostly I just cut back on portions and watched calories. I like my savory and sweet things and I wasn't about to give them up. I admit I am not doing this the healthy way. I probably should have a bowl of pasta instead of the bowl of ice cream, but if I eat the pasta I still follow it up with the ice cream! LOL. I did give up most drinks for just water. I have some juice and hot cocoa here and there, but if I keep drinking water I feel fuller and that helps cut back on the portions.
Here are some of the tips that work for me. I snack on pickles. Very low cal and flavorful enough to satisfy cravings. I also love salsa and will eat it on celery stalks. Again very low cal and the fiber from the celery helps fill you up. I am lucky that I love fresh fruits and vegetables so I do get some nutrition and I do not count those as calories. I keep bags of extra dark chocolate chips on hand and eat them several times a day. You can have 20 for only 70 calories so when you eat just 5 or 6 at a time to satisfy a craving you aren't expending a lot of calories AND YOU GET TO EAT CHOCOLATE!!!!! I do have a dish of ice cream here and there or even a fat boy, but usually in place of a meal. I also buy the small sundae cups (vanilla with chocolate sauce) and add some chocolate chips for less than 100 calories to eat after a meal. Babybel cheese is a satisfying snack for 60 calories. Just read the labels on the stuff you like to find out where you can cut back and still give yourself plenty of your favorites.
The big downside to quick weight loss is the excess skin. A little has toned back, but I still have a lot of loose skin and I probably always will unless I have it tucked here and there. I highly recommend you do this a bit slower so the skin will recover better. So far it has been easy to maintain. I float between 110 and 115 pounds. When it gets up to 115+, I start to cut back a bit again. I sometimes go off it entirely for trips or occasions and the few pounds I put on seems to come back off pretty easy.
One thing I have noticed is that at first I thought I looked terrific. Now that I am used to the "new" me, I am seeing flabby skin and some bulges here and there. I am still 20 pounds heavier than when I was in my early 20's and it shows. I want that 20 year old body again, but I know that isn't realistic and will need to resign myself that I look pretty good for 50. My kids also had poor reactions to the "new" mom. My son keeps saying I look anorexic. I'm not sure how with the muffin tops and flabby arms, but to him Mom was always much heavier so I don't look like Mom to him. On the other hand, my husband is remembering that 20 year old again and likes it...LOL.
