Gobble, Gobble!

I am not the kind of guy who worries about what I eat.  I rarely step on a scale, and I really don't know what I weigh right now.  That is part good fortune, being blessed with good genes and a high metabolism, and part philosophy.  I don't believe weight has much to do with fitness.  There are good athletes of all shapes and sizes. 

But I realize that weight is a bit of a national obsession.  Look no further than the popularity of shows like 'The Biggest Loser'.  So with the 'overindulge' season upon us, I can't help but notice a weight loss/fitness story that has been unfolding literally right under my own roof for the last several months.

This is a story about the transformation I've witnessed in my wife.  I write this as an observer, not as a participant, because she has been following her own programs without so much as a word of advice from me.  But if she asked my advice, I would probably have suggested she do just about exactly what she has been doing.

First, a little background.  My wife is 34 years old, and has a couple marathons under her belt.  She also has given birth to our 4 children, the youngest being about seven months old.  She has never really had trouble with her weight, but after having kids, she was a long way from her 'pre-baby' days, and she was on the verge of giving away the old clothes in her closet she figured she'd never fit into again.

I'm not going to offer one of those weight loss advertising 'before' and 'after' testimonials, but suffice to say she has transformed her body into a lean, athletic build that not only allows her to fit into her old clothes, but find that some are too loose!

How did she do this?  I would call it common sense, but then I'm not profiting from the multi-billion dollar weight loss industry.  Whenever I'm asked about the subject, however, I say you need to watch what you eat, and work-out more.  Basically, that is what she has done.

First the work-outs.  Christine has been a work-out fiend.  Because she is busy with the kids and her company all day, she has been getting up early, and working out before the kids get up. Three days a week that involves going to a gym where she has been doing a combination of strength and cardio workouts.  The other days she does some running, cycling, and yoga/pilates from home.  All of them are high-energy workouts that consume a lot of calories.

That's a great start, but it's only half of the equation.  I can give you an example.  When she trained for the two marathons she ran a few years ago, Christine complained that she didn't feel like she was losing weight, and her figure wasn't getting slimmer from the increasing mileage she was putting in.  In retrospect, however, she now realizes that she never watched her diet during that training.  In fact, many casual runners tend to treat themselves to big meals as a reward for their hard marathon training.  The result is they get in better shape, but never really lose much weight.

So this time, Christine also signed up with the Weight Watchers program.  I was 
skeptical, but then, my opinion was pretty much irrelevant to her.  Nevertheless, when she explained that they really don't tell you what to eat, just how much you can have, I warmed to the idea.

Many of you probably are more familiar with the concept than I, but as I understand it, they give you a certain number of points a day.  Every food and drink is worth points, the high calorie, high fat foods tend to be worth many more points than the healthier options.  So if you want to indulge, you can, but you will have to watch it the rest of the day.  The bottom line for her, is that it makes her think about everything she puts into her mouth, and whether she really wants or needs it.

The real challenge comes when we go out to dinner with friends, and when we want to enjoy a few drinks afterward.  But she has been able to find menu items that work for her, and save up enough points to enjoy herself while staying on her point target.

The result has been nothing short of amazing.  I know how that sounds, and I never would have imagined that I would be writing those words about anything having to do with diets or weight loss, but I've got to give credit where it's due.

The holidays offer another big challenge, with lots of snack food everywhere, and her husband going around eating whatever he wants, but Christine seems pretty confident she can stick with her program.  She's come a long way in a few months.  There's no turning back now!

So we'll start Thanksgiving day with a Turkey Trot!  Hope to see you out there...

Comments

[Judy M.]

You've got the WW concept down pat, John. And you've got the husband-who-supports-his-wife bit down, too. Kudos to both of you. And have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[Acai Optimum]

I agree with you Judy; wonderful post. My favorite so far for 2010. Please keep up the good work!

[Ross]

Im sticking to the exercise more and eat less diet.

Maybe I should write a book about it...... Calling it a weight-loss secret

[ClubPenguinCheats]

Kudos to both of you. And have a wonderful Thanksgiving.