The How

Since I announced yesterday that I was embarking on a journey to cut 50 pounds from the number that blazes up at me from the digital scale in the bathroom, I have been preoccupied by one simple question...How?

This is a great question, and one that I don't honestly have a good answer for.  How does one go about losing 50 pounds?

I suppose there are 2 obvious approaches to this - diet and exercise.  Easy, right?  Well...

I don't believe in "diets" - I don't think they work, and believe me, I've tried a few.  The soup diet, the no protein diet, the all protein diet, Slim-Fast, Special K, cut out soda, cut out caffeine...you name it, I've probably tried it.  Every year before Spring Break, my mom would announce that our family was going to go on a diet, so that we'd be in better shape for our upcoming trip to whatever tropical paradise she'd picked that year.

Mind you, I'm not, by any means, blaming my mom - in fact, I think it's because of her that I can cross so many different diets off my list!  I just know myself, and I know that if I try to "diet, I'll eventually end up breaking, going on a binge, and completely sabotaging whatever progress I've made.  

So, this leaves me with a "lifestyle diet" - completely changing the way I eat.  Yes, I know that there are things that I have that I could stand to cut out, but in general, I honestly don't feel like I eat a bunch of crap!  I am currently signed up for Weight Watchers.  I did WW with tireless devotion last fall - I lost about 12 pounds initially, then plateaued for more than a month, finally giving up.  But, I'm willing to give it another shot.  In theory, I think that's probably my best bet, but my big problem with WW was the points.  Not that I didn't have enough, but I couldn't, on most days, even come close to eating all my points!  I somehow just can't wrap my head around the idea that you have to eat MORE to LOSE WEIGHT!!!  I hit a mental block that I simply can't bust through.

As someone who doesn't eat fried foods, doesn't like salt, doesn't eat much fast food, drinks only diet soda (which isn't very often), and is also something of a picky eater (I won't eat what I'm not hungry for), it becomes a bit of an issue.  But, as I said, I'm willing to give it a try.

Issue #2 - exercise.  My big problem is that I haven't found a form of exercise that I really enjoy.  I've been doing the treadmill for several weeks now (with no results).  I even combined running and walking - still nothing (except sore knees).  I don't mind the treadmill, but at times, I find it kind of boring - especially when I don't have a good movie to watch while I walk!  I've tried yoga (it wasn't pretty), I don't like Pilates, and I think I'm too out of shape to handle Tae Bo or some other form of kickboxing type of exercise without getting frustrated and giving up.  I've recorded a few exercise shows on DVR, but I don't feel like I work hard enough to make it worthwhile.  I'm thinking that I'll have the best luck signing up with a gym - assuming I can find one that will allow me to do a month-to-month membership, since hubby and I are relocating in August.  If not, then I guess I'm going back to the drawing board!

If anyone out there has any suggestions on either "diet" or a new exercise regimen, please enlighten me!!!!!

P.S.  We took the dog to the park and walked about 1 1/2 miles - unfortunately, I was sipping my Saturday morning frappuccino while we did that...might have to cut those out (tear).