As a middle-aged mom, I know how hard weight loss can be. Trust me, I’ve been there. After having my kids, and then returning to an office job, I felt the gradual increase in weight. Once I hit 40, the old tips and tricks like cut bread for a week or two and lose 15 pounds no longer worked. I kept trying and trying and found myself in a bit of a conundrum. My doctor, who I really love, gave me what felt like motherly advice, “Be mindful” she would say. I really truly had no clue how to take that advice and convert it into something actionable. That’s why I originally joined the health coaching program at IIN. I wasn’t looking for a second career, I was looking for answers. Now with my certificate complete, I want to help other mom’s just like me to not only improve their heath but the health of their families.
Here’s what I did and what I learned.
Weigh yourself every day. Statistically, people who weigh themselves daily weigh less and have the best results on their weight loss journey.
Weight loss happens in ups and downs. This knowledge is so important. When I see a slight uptick, I no longer get upset about it. Before knowing this, I would have given up. Sound familiar? But if you just stick to your plan and look at your weight over time you will see the decline.
Replace snacks and chips with fresh fruits and vegetables. I had gotten into a habit of having a small snack bowl of crackers or chips and nuts. I replaced them with apple slices, cucumber slices, baby carrots and hummus.
Drink more water and keep track of it. I think this one was a true game changer. I don’t naturally drink a ton of water. Now I aim for 64 oz. or more every day. I have this cute wine bottle from Trader Joe’s with a re-sealable lid I now use it for my water. It looks pretty, and it’s easy to refill and store in the fridge every night.
Pick a good quality bread. I’m losing weight and eating bread. This is big news in my world I really love bread. The one I’ve been getting lately is 21 seeds and grains from Trader Joe’s. Its thin sliced, so I get to have two slices! Did I mention, I love bread?
Move more. I moved a ton when my kids were little. Lots of walks with the double stroller, lots of running up and down the stairs, and a hiit session every day when the kids were sleeping. Being a remote office worker means a lot of sitting. Now I make sure no matter what I move. Even small actions like using my standing desk or adding in 10 squats every hour add up. Most importantly, pick a few things you like to do. For me it’s walking briskly, doing yoga, riding my bike (or stationary bike), and occasionally lifting weights.
Finally, be mindful. (I hope you are laughing). Listen to your body and how much food it needs. I was overeating. That’s the truth. Now I tune into my hunger cues, which most of the time lead me to not eat dinner. If I have a good meal for breakfast and lunch, and a healthy snack in the afternoon, I just don’t crave food at night. Sometimes, I’ll have a hot cup of decaf tea. I realized that a lot of eating and overeating happens out of habit or because someone expects you to eat with them. It’s ok to politely decline.
Small actions lead to big results
The funny thing about all these things, is they are small actions and changes. If you told me losing weight would be this easy, I would have never believed you. I had bought into a lot of the clickbait out there, that its hard (read impossible) for women in perimenopause to lose weight, that our hormones are working against us, that the only solution is found in a bottle. Simply not true.
The solution to what you seek lies in you.
For me the solution was shifting my diet, habits and routine. It took time to figure it out, but by tracking and listening to my body I found what was right for me. That’s what health coaches do, they help you make behavioral changes to achieve your goals.
