There are NO quick fixes!!

I am having a very good day today! I love days like these. Days when I wake up and know what I'm going to do, what and when I'm going to eat. There is no guess work, and the routine is comforting. Most of all I know it works. I've seen results! This is (slowly) becoming a passion for me, and I hope I can someday help motivate others to start, or continue, their own weight loss journey.

I woke up, and got my son off to school. I came home and had my Shakeology. I just got done with my work out. I did the 20 minute Turbo Jam, and the standing Ab Jam. I did the Turbo Jam full impact (for the most part) and I got my heart rate up to 90% during the Turbo. I did the standing Ab Jam because I still had energy and I wanted to do the whole Ab Jam. But then I got done with the standing and I was exhausted LOL According to my heart rate monitor I burned about 650 cals this past hour. I ate a bowl of my homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch. I was bad and didn't have a snack, but I need to go grocery shopping. We really do not have much in the house.

I feel like Erin and I are really accomplishing something with, not only our weight loss, but our health in general. We are doing it the old fashioned way, which is the only way for me. I've thought seriously about using pills, even went as far as asking my doctor about them. I've thought seriously about bariatric surgery at one point. I've even thought about doing extreme cleanses to lose weight quickly. I've read up on all of these different ways of losing weight. And it all come back to the fact that major lifestyle choices are necessary to maintain weight loss. And there can be serious side effects with pills, surgeries and cleanses.

One major weight loss medication is Phentermine. Phentermine is a stimulant as well as an appetite suppressant. It is supposed to be prescribed to those who are morbidly obese with risk factors to the persons health such as diabetes, or high blood pressure. Phentermine is also habit forming, and can cause "unpleasant side effects" upon sudden withdrawal. Yeah, it works, but if during the time a person uses this medication they do not learn how to eat properly as well as start on an exercise program and stay with it, they are going to gain the weight back as soon as they stop using the medication. There are reasons I am overweight. I was a chronic over-eater, I ate junk food, processed food, a lot of carbohydrates, very little fruits and veggies. I lived a sedentary lifestyle. If I were to take Phentermine, and continue that lifestyle sure I'd lose weight, but where would I be when I quit taking the medication? Right back to where I started. Only now I'll know what it felt like to fit in the smaller jeans. I'd be defeated and deflated!

Alli, is an over the counter medication, that helps the body block the fat that would otherwise be absorbed in the body. Now there are some really really nasty side effects if you eat over the recommended amount of fat in your diet. I'm not going to list the side effects here, but I'll give you this link. Go about 3/4 down the page and you'll see a whole list. http://www.drugs.com/alli.html Yes it is said that if you eat the reduced fat diet that is recommended with Alli then the side effects are greatly reduced. BUT we should be eating a reduced fat diet anyways. Our bodies do, in fact, need some fat for healthy skin, hair, joints, etc. Blocking all fat is not a good thing. If we cut back on our fat intake, and eat the right kinds of fats (such as mono-unsaturated fats, as well as poly-unsaturated fats) and we exercise we will be lose weight. And we will be doing it in a healthy way.

I do see the need, and the benefit for many people that do, in fact, need bariatric surgery. I feel it can truly be a blessing to those who need it! I know, however, that it is not for me. My highest weight was 332 pounds. I was miserable and felt like I'd never lose weight. But then I walked in the doors to the Biggest Loser Club meeting that night back in April 2009. And I put in the effort. I lost seven pounds the first week of the challenge. I knew then that I COULD DO IT! Since that first night I have lost 61 pounds. I am on track for reaching my main goal of losing 100 pounds in two years. By April I WILL have lost 100 pounds. So I know I can do it. And I feel so blessed and lucky that I am one who can do this. I know many cannot. I also know of at least three people who have had bariatric surgery in some form or another, and who are now extremely morbidly obese. One woman is a friend of my cousin. She had lapband put in. She never changed the way she ate, never changed her activity level, does not exercise and hasn't lost a pound. NOT ONE! The other two people make me sad. To have gone through all the pain and recovery from surgery and then lost all that weight, only to put it back on plus would be the worst kind of failure for me. If I can't change my life NOW, I can't change it after the fact, and I refuse to put myself through that, nor do I see the need seeing as how I am doing this on my own. I have to add, though, that Erin and I have a mutual online friend who had major bariatric surgery at he beginning of June, and has lost 62 pounds so far according to her ticker. I wish her so much happiness and success because she really truly deserves it. Love ya Kacy!

There have been a lot of talk on cleanses as well. I view these as a quick fix honestly. Our body naturally cleanses itself. That is what our liver and kidneys do. They filter out the toxins and our body gets rid of it as waste. Yes, if we extremely limit our calorie intake and take laxatives or excess fiber we are going to get rid of some poundage. But it won't be of "toxins" or of fat. We will lose muscle because our body goes into starvation mode. Again once the cleanse is over, weight will come back on, and now you gotta work harder to regain muscle mass. Another tip, muscle burns more calories than fat does. So these cleanses actually kick ya in the ass twice. Just sayin'....

Healthy diet and exercise go a long long way! Its not just the "old fashioned" way of doing it. Its the only way that really works. If you decide to use medications, pills, or surgeries to help you along, you HAVE to do the work! There are no quick fixes!