If I Can Do It, You Can Too

I am the world's worst dieter. I love cakes, cookies and pies. Big sandwiches piled high. Nice porterhouse steaks with a baked potato and loads of butter and sour cream. Mmmmm.

And I hate to exercise, except maybe getting from the couch to the kitchen and back.

Does that sound like you too?

There is hope!

First, you have to want to lose the weight. There is no magic pill that can do it for you. The possible exception is bariatric surgery (stomach banding or stapling), but those have consequences that last a lifetime. And still you might not lose weight if you find ways to cheat!

Okay, you've decided to lose the weight -- where do you start? Some people do better jumping right into a program, for example Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. Others (like me) do better "ramping down" for a week. Making better food choices (grilled chicken instead of fried, a sweet potato with cinnamon instead of a loaded baked potato) and decreasing the amounts slightly. Then start on a plan or program.

Can you lose weight without exercising? Most people can, but if you stick to the diet religiously and can't seem to shed more than a half pound a week, you will have to add some form of exercise. And in either case, you may as well get used to the idea -- exercise helps you lose weight faster!

You don't have to spend hours at the gym to get that exercise. Just 20 minutes of walking a day will help. And if you have to split that 20 minutes into two 10-minute sessions, that's OK too. If you can make it to 30 minutes, that's even better!

Do you find walking terribly boring? What did you like to do when you were younger, or what do you always wish you could try? Maybe tennis, or swimming or pilates or just plain dancing around the house! What suits you best? Try it for 3 weeks and see what happens.

When I weighed myself Sunday, I found another two pounds gone - yay! That makes 7 pounds since January 1. Maybe it doesn't sound like much, after all those commercials about losing 25 pounds in a month. Sure, maybe I could if I stuck to a very low calorie diet and exercised like crazy. But I'd very quickly tire of that and gain the weight back when I quit the diet and exercise. I'll take the slower route. It would be really nice to lose 12 pounds a month, and maybe I can do that if I add another 10 minutes a day of exercise per day. Hmm, guess I will build up to it. :)