I was at the gym and I saw a saying from the quote board, "Don't wait until New Year's, or don't wait until Monday to start. Today is a new day."
I took a picture of it and saved it on my phone. I said, I have this weekend and then I start. I went all out. I had alcohol, ate like a pig, nachos....and then Tuesday I started. That was the last time I had nachos and pizza. That quote has been a huge motivator.
How did you start?
MB: I did the research I needed to lose weight. I learned about calorie intake, calories burned, food choices, exercise...it's a lifestyle. I didn't use any weight-loss program or trainer. I did this all on my own. I wore a body bug every day and logged my food.
I'm not very disciplined and I have a very addictive personality. So I think my personalities clashed through this journey. Because of my addictive personality, when I saw results I kept saying I want more. The other part was discipline. I think logging my food really helped. If I hadn't, I would have been lazy. I might have had an extra handful of nuts or a bar of chocolate and say, "Just this once." I wanted so badly to lose weight.
More: How to Create Healthy Habits
The first four months, June through September, I was averaging 18 pounds a month lost. I went to Hawaii in October weighing 299. I needed to lose 30 more pounds.
I've kept the same routine and same food tracking. But, losing weight became a little harder. The body bug helped me understand how many calories I was burning and needed to burn.
When I first started my journey, I was burning about 4,000 calories without working out. Working out, I would burn about 4,600 calories. I was only taking in 1,700 calories. So it's a vast difference when you start out. But, your body is working so hard to operate, that's why it burns more calories.
More: Diet Detective: Know Your Calories
As you get fit, your body doesn't need to work as hard. Therefore your body doesn't burn as many calories, which is why you need to work out to burn calories. Today, if I don't work out, I barely burn 3,000 calories. So we are talking a 1,500 calorie difference, working out vs. not.
I kept on working hard until I lost 100 pounds. I am 269 pounds now. I don't want to ever be 270 pounds. I reached my goal of 100 pounds, but that's not the end.
To stay motivated I need to set a goal. Just because my goal ended does not mean I go back to my habits. This is a lifestyle change. I set a new goal, to try to lose 10 pounds and build muscle. I want to drop my body fat down to about 15 percent. It's hard, but I am determined.
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