LosingIrene  

I spoke to a friend of my husband named Vicki some time ago. We got to talking about my weight loss and she mentioned that she wanted to do this 3-day diet to lose 10 pounds. I explained to her that wasn’t a healthy way to do it and why. I had been reading a lot of blogs about dieting and the crazy ways people try to lose the excess pounds and it inspired me to write what I truly feel about weight loss.

Diets Don’t Work.

When I first began this journey into becoming healthier, I new it would be difficult. I was raised in a typical Hispanic household (well not really typical) where everything was fried, greasy, and just plain bad for you. I loved Burger King, Wendy’s, McDonalds, and White Castles. We would visit IHOP weekly for the biggest breakfast we could get our hands on. Then, after all that eating, we’d come home, sit on the couch and watch hours and hours of television. Not a pretty sight.

I knew all that would have to change. And the majority of that did.

Now, my life consists off going out to the park, the beach, the mall, eating salads, roasted vegetables, and lean meats. I work out 5-6 day per week, either in the gym or outdoors. I cook, play with my daughter, walk the neighborhood, and try to keep active.

I am not on a diet. I don’t want to just lose weight. I want to change my lifestyle. That means that I won’t allow myself to be bogged down by the scale numbers anymore. If something isn’t right, it’s because I did something that isn’t consistent with my new lifestyle.

Diets Don’t Work.

I have been on a load of diets. The only thing that came close to working was Atkins. Yes, I did the low carb thing for 2 years; I lost 27 pounds and was able to keep it off for the entire time. But when I began eating normally again, all the weight came back. The reason was because I didn’t learn what proper portions were, I didn’t know that some carbs were good and others, not so much. I didn’t learn that exercise was necessary in order to be healthy. I was lazy, plain and simple. I wanted the easy way out.

Diets Don’t Work.

The only thing that works is changing your life. And the first part of that change is education. In order to become a healthy person you have to be committed to what that means. Is there sacrifice? Yeah, but just a little. Is there work involved? Yeah, but its fun. Is it hard? Yes, but only until you accept it for what it is.

Diets Don’t Work.

I love my new life. I love sweating at the gym. I love having enough energy to spend all day at a theme park and then going to the beach at night. I love being able to play with Olivia and not getting tired so easily. I love getting out in nature, going hiking or just walking around, being with the trees. I love cooking my own meals. I love that even though I am nowhere near my goal weight, I am so much healthier that I was just a year ago.

Diets Don’t work.

Because you can diet and lose all the weight you want. That doesn’t make you healthy. You have to make the decision to do things the right way. You can choose to simply lose weight and have that consume your entire life. Or you can chose to be healthy and get out there living your life.