Weight Loss

Ok, so I normally wouldn't post anything like this, but I'm going to anyway.

Before I start this, I must also state that I am NOT a certified dietitian or trainer. This is just what worked for me.

So I'm a swimmer so you would think I would know how to eat and take care of myself, right? Yeah, I thought so too. Until my freshman year of college. Ya know the dreaded freshman 15? Yeah... try freshman 20. My whole mindset was that since I was swimming off all of these calories, then that meant I could eat all the junk I wanted. Boy did I learn a hard lesson. Toward the end of my freshman year I was starting to notice that my pants didn't fit as well as they had at the beginning of the year, but I didn't think that much of it. I guess I didn't realize just how much weight I had gained (or I was in denial... I don't quite remember). After my freshman year I went on vacation with one of my very good friends from high school to South Carolina. Only after seeing the pictures from that trip did I realize just how out of hand my eating habits were becoming.

As an example of how I ate during my freshman year: I would eat a 'decent' lunch/dinner (although I can't actually quite say how good those meals actually were for anyone) but then I would go get a piece of cake or other sweet that they were offering that day. Oh, that and these cookies that a guy swimmer's mom made. I kid you not, they were literally as big as my head. Now, I'm all for eating things in moderation every once in a while... but this was becoming a daily habit. Not only would I eat desserts and sweets daily, but I also tended to snack while studying (which was quite often) and carelessly drink sodas and high calorie drinks that I should have been monitoring.

So anyway, after seeing the pictures from the South Carolina trip, I was a bit embarrassed and unhappy with how I looked. I've been a swimmer for a long time which meant I've generally been in very good shape. Seeing how I looked really got to me, so I decided that I was tired of how I felt and looked and did something about it. At the time, I wasn't a member of any kind of gym (although exercising is important, so don't leave it out!)- my weight loss at that point was all from eating habits.

So I actually didn't do anything all that drastic (well, I guess that depends on your definition of drastic). I cut out almost all sweets (candy, cake, cookies... that kind of thing... and notice I said almost all-- moderation is key), I started drinking only water, if I had to have fast food I would order grilled chicken (if available) with no mayo (if it was a sandwich), and I started to eat more salmon and fish (which I love). I also tried not to eat past 7:00 PM if it was possible. I only loosely count calories. I'm not obsessive about it, but I do think it's helpful to make sure that you aren't going overboard with calorie intake. It's good for me to at least know an approximation of how much I've eaten. I was also watching portion sizes. Like I said, I'm not a big calorie counter. I just try to make sure my body is getting what it needs: some carbs, protein, and some healthy fats.

It took about 7 months for me to lose those 20 pounds. I do belong to a gym now, and I can proudly say that I have kept the weight off (although I've had my moments).

So basically there is no magic trick to getting in shape. Eating well and exercising is so important! Even if you don't belong to a gym or whatever there are other ways to get some exercise in. You don't need fancy equipment. Get creative and do something you enjoy.

I just wanted to share that in case it helps anyone. If anyone that reads this has any questions for me, I will be more than happy to answer any of them. Again... this wasn't to tell anyone what they should be doing-- it was only what helped me. I'm not certified in anything or anything like that, so please don't make the assumption that I am.