My Five Thoughts on Maintaining a Healthy Weight

It’s ok that I’m not one of those lucky ladies who never has to think about managing their weight. I am not overweight either, yet just like the next woman (or man) I have plenty of insecurities about my physique. (Read this blog post from Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb for inspiration in acknowledging your very best!) Throughout my years as an adult woman my weight has fluctuated up and down (sometimes quite high or low–I’ve gone in both directions!), yet with the help of a very dear friend, *Caron, I have been working on continually changing my mindset. By no means am I a thin person, but there are five ways of thinking–or at least TRYING to think–like a skinny person that I try to follow. These are the five thoughts that  through my mind as I try maintaining my healthy weight:

1. MINDFULNESS
I have my ideal weight–I won’t mention the actual number, but it’s a weight I can usually happily maintain. Part of the reason I am writing this post is to remind myself that it takes a certain mindset to be there. I am at my 2 kg marker point higher than what I like to be. Therefore, it is time for me to turn on my mindfulness–not partake in some crazy diet or become obsessive, but simply be mindful. I need to be AWARE of what goes in my mouth and be conscious of what I am eating. When I am involved, conscious, aware, and mindful of what goes in, I make healthier decisions and therefore maintain my happy weight.

2. SELF CONTROL
Being aware and mindful is only part of it: for me having the self control to make smart decisions and follow through is the next and most important part of maintaining my healthy, happy weight. This is by far the trickiest part for me. I’m quite immature at times, and I definitely live in “the now,” so saying no or yes to different food items will sometimes trip me up. It’s when I confuse self control with sacrifice that I get in to trouble. When I turn healthy decisions into emotional dramas, I overindulge or eat because of the way I feel. I get in to trouble when I might eat to ease an emotion rather than just face the emotion head on. If I am aware that I am making a decision about what I do or don’t eat, I am able to get back on track. And sometimes those decisions are no or yes to certain foods, and this is ok because I have decided. I have been in control of what goes in my mouth.

3. BALANCE
Balance is so very, very important. This is the “robbing Peter to pay Paul” bit. Balance in the amount of food each day and the quality of the food is important. For example, when I’m aware that in the evening I’ll be going out for dinner, than I should use self control during the day in anticipation of the evening. If I have a heavy lunch or breakfast, I’ll choose to eat lighter for the rest of the day. See, it all goes back to number one: mindfulness. If I’m mindful about what I’m eating, I can then attempt for balance with what I’m actually eating. Balance is always more successful for me when I plan ahead and now what’s ahead of me in my day.

4. ACTIVITY
Activity is sometimes the part that gets neglected either because of not finding the time or because of the aches and pains my current body experiences. Regardless, it’s important for me to find something. Right now that something is swimming–in the ocean! By November that will change (way too cold!), but I will have to find something. Another activity I enjoy is walking. It’s so beautiful here in Hong Kong and the options are endless. Hiking is also a fun family activity, so on the weekends, I try to join Kevin on his walks. Another thing that works for me is climbing stairs–and there are plenty of those to find around here! If I don’t have a lot of time, I can just climg the 200 stairs next to my house a couple of times. Even dropping into a plank every now and then reminds me to hold in my core. Activity, whatever it is, adds to the balance in my life. I get to have a moment to just space out and not think of anything else. It’s important for all of us to figure out what that activity is–even if it’s just a minute plank in our offices!

5. TOOLBAG
Teachers always have tricks in their (imaginary) tool bag. In order to think like a thin person figure out your tips and tricks. These are some of mine:

• Find some guilt-free pleasures. Mine are soda water, choc-mint gum, a handful of almonds, two squares of very dark chocolate, pomelo….something that you love and satisfies but doesn’t cause too much damage.
• Eat oranges for a day! This is an interesting meal plan that Caron introduced me to, and on days when I want to get back on track this 2 day schedule helps. On the first day you eat oranges all day with a grilled steak for dinner (size of your palm), some cherry tomatoes, and 1 tbsp olive oil. The next day you eat more oranges and for both lunch and dinner another steak and cherry tomatoes. Oranges are amazingly filling and so delish! It’s interesting how each one tastes a little different; I like to open them each and compare the tastes. A day like this helps to get me back on track.
• If I don’t have the hour that a swim takes me, I’ll find some stairs (they’re everywhere in HK) and go up and down them for about 15-20 minutes. I’ll be guaranteed sore legs the next day!
• If you think you want more of something, first drink a big glass of water and see how you feel in 10 minutes;
• Drink lots of water–try soda water for a more filling effect.
• This is a silly little thing I do. If I’m going to indulge in say chips or fries, I only eat four. It’s my splurge number. It’s like one for each in my family. Make a magic splurge number–that isn’t too high!

Let me repeat. I am not thin, yet I’m not too large. I don’t diet because it drives me crazy. Instead I try to maintain a mindfulness that keeps me aware. I try to practice self control and create balance in my eating. I’m not super active at the gym every day, but I do try to get some activity because it makes me feel better adding balance to my day. I have little tips and tricks that sometimes work for me. Mainly, maintaining my weight has become a matter of AWARENESS  in these areas. I wanted to share them with you.

What do you think? If you are naturally thin, does this sound familiar? If you are like me, what works for you in maintaining your weight? Please share in the comments.

*If you would like to bring someone into your life that would help you figure out what your needs are in maintaining a healthy weight, please contact Caron. She is EXCEPTIONAL! She is a certified nutritionist and life coach, and she will definitely help you figure out the best mindset for you!