I Got it From My Mama

Weight has always been an issue in my family.. The only female on my mother's side of the family that was small framed and didn't have a weight issue was my Mamaw.  Out of all my sisters and my niece I am the smaller framed, tiniest female.

Staying that way however is a struggle. One thing I have going for me is that I am fairly active. I do workout as apposed to just watching whats going in my yap or taking the latest diet pill on the market regardless of side effects. I grew up watching my mother try every fad out there. We won't EVEN talk about the 2 weeks she was on the cabbage soup diet that was therapy inducing..

She also was on FenPhen and is to this day pissed its off the market. Health inducing issues be damned - when I mentioned to her that it was killing people he said I'd rather be dead than fat.. Come to find out Mamaw was on some major drugs for weight management as well - in her defense it was the 50's when it was given out like tic tacs when she become addicted and no one then treated the addiction.

Is it any wonder ALL of us girls have body issues?? None of the role models have been healthy ones.  Each looking for a quick fix - my Niece even went so far as gastric bypass and lost a shit ton of weight in months - however she fixed none of her issues and although shes not morbidly obese anymore she has put back on a fair amount of what she paid to have take off.

I will admit to taking supplements to get over a plateau and kick start things but I am never on them for very long and don't consider them a fix. The only thing that is a fix is what you eat and how you move. You can't not get lasting results without that partnership.

I get it. I do however get pissed at times that I do have to watch what I eat and I have to workout or the smallest cheat sticks around. If I am not careful I scrap it all in frustration and end up starting over.. That I also get from my mama and years of bad examples...

Good food - Bad Food - Set meals - Grazing... What IS the answer??

Is it any wonder everyone is confused on the "formula or Secret" to losing weight and getting fit? It seems like every day there is another study out that disproves something we were told was "the" way to to do it just a year or so ago. The latest - Milk is bad for your bones - no shit that is the latest word.

There is NO secret - its basic math calories in, calories out (expended). 3500 calories make up 1 lb its your choice if its coming or going.

I do like that Shape magazine has an article on the myths and fads of dieting.
(http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/10-unbelievable-diet-rules-backed-science#080713) I am not a breakfast eater never have been, probably never will be. I'm sure that next year something else will come out and say the opposite of this article, but for now I am glad to see that I am not "killing" my metabolism by skipping the Grape Nuts (ewww).

Honestly you have to figure out what works for you and go with it. What my "key" to it all may not be your key. I have learned I can't just eat 1200 calories a day and be productive much less nice.  I can't label foods good or bad - as soon as I do I abscess about the "bad" food list until that is ALL that I want. For me food is food, now some of it I can eat more than something else.

I've also learned the scale is NOT a good indicator of where I am at - my jeans are.. Since I am working on sculpting muscles the scale isn't helpful - the tape measure and how things fit are a better indicator of progress for me.

Yes you will have ups and downs and yes you will find that something that worked at the start of your journey doesn't in the middle. Things are always evolving, but generally you have to try something and see if it works for you - someone else go to formula just may not be yours.