Oh! But really quick, for those of you who remember me mentioning my "prom night" date that I was going to have with Ben, here's a photo (strapless gown for the win! Thanks Jani Snell!):
In the last year I've been asked now and again how I've managed to drop the weight (currently at 158 pounds, by the way). I thought I'd take some time to write out my "how-to" guide so that I have somewhere to point people in the future when I'm asked this question. It will also be a fabulous reminder for me on what I need to continue do to be successful. I'm calling them my "Tools and Rules". Today I'll start with my top 3.
(One quick disclaimer: I use the word "diet" a lot. I really hate that word because it's become so taboo over the last few years. I always get the people who look at me with condescension and say "it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change". While I totally agree with that statement, that this is much more than just changing what you eat for a short period of time, I don't mean "diet" when it's defined like that. The word diet has two definitions in the dictionary. The noun: "The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats." And the verb: "Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight." While I am "dieting" by making restrictions on myself, I'm also simply talking about my "diet", as in the foods I eat habitually.)
Rule/Tool #1: Jesus & Made to Crave
The foundation for truly changing anything from bad to good in my life will always start with Jesus. It has only been with His guidance and grace that I've managed any of this. The best tool He gave me for this specific battle is a combination of His Word (which I need to use waaaaay more often than I do) and the words of Lysa TerKeurst in her book, "Made to Crave".
Lysa has been dealing with the struggle of food for many years and as many of us do, she's sought to find the right balance between saying no to food and saying no to vanity. In her book, what she really teaches her readers is to not just say no (and live in constant deprivation) but more importantly to say "yes". Yes to filling your life with God and choosing to redirect your unhealthy food cravings towards the One who you were created to crave eternally.
She gives her readers some practical advice on how to do things, but she does not say one diet plan or workout routine is best. I really appreciated that because I don't think one diet fits all any more than one cocktail dress fits all. Everyone is made differently, enjoys different foods, and usually has a specific workout that they know they will actually do. My diet and workout routine might be the perfect fit for some of you out there, but I know better than to think it will "work" for everyone. What will work is to lay down your eating habits at the cross and ask Jesus what needs to change about them. For me, food was in control of me instead of me being in control of my food. That needed to be dealt with (and still is dealt with) everyday while I figured out what my new lifestyle would look like.
Above all, my attitude about food, health and beauty needed to change. They were all tied together in this secret place that I wouldn't let God touch. Reading Made to Crave and giving God full access to this struggle was essential (and still is) to making me successful long term and not making it about the wrong things like looking hot in a mini-skirt.
I recommend this rule/tool for everyone who struggles with food more than once in a while and wants to know what God thinks about your eating habits.
Rule/Tool #2: Food/Workout Tracking
This tool has been one that more recently I've been able to shelve, but was absolutely essential in the beginning of my journey. The web has tons of these tracking websites (Lifehacker lists their top five here), but my weapon of choice has been Sparkpeople.com. Sites like SparkPeople offer much more than a place to write down how many calories you've consumed. They offer food, workout, and goal tracking, while supplying you with recipes, fitness articles and testimonials of others who have been successful in their weight loss. They also offer a place to connect to others while you go through their weight-loss journey. You can access SparkPeople from your computer, but it's also available as an app on Android or Apple devices. I strongly encourage anyone starting a weight-loss plan to check out a site like SparkPeople and look into all they have to offer.
Tracking helped me be realistic about what I was eating and how much I was working out. It held me accountable and gave me parameters to stick to. Because I was such a major food addict, I needed all the boundaries I could get. I couldn't be trusted (still can't!) to make decisions in the moment. I needed a plan and rules in place so that I knew when it was okay to say yes and more importantly when I needed to say no to certain foods.
I recommend this rule/tool for anyone beginning their weight loss journey and in need of some structure. So basically everyone who wants to change their eating/workout habits and knows that simply wanting to change isn't enough. You need the how.
Rule/Tool #3: Greater Curvature Stomach Plication
This is the most controversial and drastic tool I've put in my dieting tool belt. Let me start by saying weight loss surgery is not for everyone. Most people will not need to do what I chose to do. And for those of you thinking about if it's the right step for you, I strongly suggest you do your homework, talk to your doctor and pray about it. It is not a cure all or a magic bullet. If you are not dedicated to changing how you deal with food (and your health in general), surgery will not fix your problem.
There are now many options available for someone considering weight loss surgery, all of which have their risks. Plication surgery is very new on the market, but the studies done have shown it to be one with the fewest complications and highest success rate long term. Also, since there's no device to implant (and pay for) it's one of the cheapest choices. This procedure was presented to me while I was looking into lap-band surgery, otherwise I would never have known about it. After much prayer and research, I truly felt God had brought this opportunity to me and two months later I was under the knife.
Plication surgery was just one more boundary put in place to keep me safe. When I do make indulgent food choices, it limits the amount. Even when I'm eating healthy foods, I used to have a very hard time with portion control and the surgery changed that for me. About a cup and a half of food and I'm basically stuffed. That means that things like buffets are no longer a temptation, since I'd barely be able to eat half a plate's worth anyway!
I recommend this rule/tool only to those who feel their eating is truly out of control, and only after much thought, prayer and research. You need to know the risks involved and know your own body's ability to handle those risks.
So there's the top three things I use in my healthy eating journey. I'll add to this list in my next post, giving a bit more of the "secret recipe" to how God's helped me lose 74 pounds.
Much love,
Leigh
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