Let's make
one thing clear...I have by no means reached my destination. I'm still on the
journey, but I'm halfway there at this point. I'm struggling right now, just
maintaining at this stage. I'm hoping to break this plateau soon!
Weight loss
and body image have been a problem for me since I was young. I was small as a
toddler and young child, but by 2nd grade, I "exploded" while my dad
was away on deployment. I have a rough relationship with food...I'm an
emotional eater. My mantra was, "If some is good, more must be
better!" Being introduced to athletics by my family helped me a ton when I
was teenager, but an early knee injury set the tone for things later on. I
would go through cycles of activity and "better" eating, only to get
sidelined by the knee throughout various points in my young life. That would
just start the cycle over...being 13 years old and not being able to do
anything was a blow to the already poor body image that I had. This went on
from the time I was 13 until I was 22 years old. So I would basically be
able to participate and not have to worry as much about what I was eating, and
then I'd fall off the wagon when I was injured.
I've had
many down moments, but I think one of the things that spurred my weight loss is
the fact that I love to travel. However, it would take such a physical toll on
me that it became harder to enjoy. Standing and walking for hours a day on
student trips just beat me up to the point where I'd have to stay in the hotel
at night to rest. I also hate the fact that I was just turning 30 (at the time)
and felt like there was so much, physically speaking, that I didn't think I
could do anymore. It made me sad and ashamed.
I started
out on the HCG program; it's hardcore, but I did it with my doctor's
supervision. I'm an all-or-nothing person. I've never moderated well before, so
I knew it would take drastic action to truly make a difference. The first
weekend was hell, as I was basically detoxing my body from all sugar, caffeine,
carbohydrates, and even good fats. I felt horrible but knew if I stuck with the
program, it would be worth it later. Besides, I was paying money to do the
program!
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| Can you guess her costume?? (I love this pic) |
My family
has always been supportive, but at the beginning, my then-roommate was
incredibly encouraging. Sue's actually in her 60's and I find her so inspiring.
The way that she's so devoted to her health, activity, and zest for life keeps
me accountable. I want to be as fit and active as she is when I'm her age, but
that only happens with diligence and discipline.
Since then, it's been
my sister and one of my closest friends.
My sister, Megan, had lapband surgery
last year and has since lost around 75 lbs. She was a career athlete and is
finding her way back to health. We're super competitive, so her success is a
challenge to keep me on track. Kat has fought her way back through diet and
exercise. If people think I'm disciplined, then they've never met Kat. Her
consistency, willpower, and determination far surpass my own! She's visiting me
in Korea right now!
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| Lacey and Megan before they lost it (the weight, harhar) |
Living in
Korea has been quite the challenge, looking for the foods that first aided my
weight loss. The language barrier makes it difficult for me to find my
preferred foods, but I'm finally discovering ways of procuring things that I
need. I love quinoa for the protein, Greek yogurt, and stevia. I'm not a big
fruit person, so I can skip some of those sugars, but veggies are great and I
love to make stir-fries at home. Low-fat/low-sodium broths help keep meats
moist if you want to skip oil, and I even resort to just adding extra water as
I cook while adding more spices.
In the
States, I used to love going to the gym for Zumba, cycling, or yoga classes. The
Korean lifestyle helps immensely, as I walk almost everywhere I need to go save
for trips downtown when I take a bus or taxi. This is what separates Americans
from other people; the sheer size of our country makes it difficult. I'm
getting back into yoga here with the help of some great local instructors. I
can't play the sports that I used to play, so I've had to adjust my
expectations for now. It's more important to find something, ANYTHING, that you
enjoy and can sustain over time. Anything is better than nothing!
I love
working out with music. I used to listen to anything that would keep me going
on the elliptical, stationary bike, or treadmill: club music, Euro trash, hard
rock, you name it! My old workout list named "Pump Up the Volume" if
that tells you anything : D
Keeping
track of your food consumption is important, because that's where so many of us
falter. You can work out all day long, but it doesn't matter if you're not
honest about what you're putting into your mouth every day. It's not working
for me right now, but only because I don't always know what I'm getting in the
restaurants. Yes, the language barrier excuse is a lame one, but it's legit!
There are times when I only able to order by looking at pictures.
My time is
limited by my crazy work hours, but one of the things that I have realized in
this country is that it's not always about what you eat, but rather HOW MUCH
you eat. Koreans are so communal about food; it's almost always a shared
experience for them. You won't find them eating alone, nor do you find them
having separate meals. Koreans normally share meals since so many places serve
food in a family-style setting. You can get away with not depriving yourself of
your favorite things if you're splitting a single serving with others! That is
one thing that helps me here because I don't always eat the best these days.
They also recently started putting calories counts on the menus of bigger chain
restaurant, arming you with knowledge before making choices. The US needs to
get with the program.
I
previously bought a one-month pass to a local yoga studio, and plan to do the
same now that I'm recovered following a recent surgery. They have classes every
day of the week, but my schedule only allows for certain days. It's really just
about committing myself to those days and not planning anything else on those
evenings. I do my best to get my bag ready the night before or get up early the
morning to do so. If I have a bag packed, I'm more likely to go. When I cook at
home, I try to make enough to take leftovers to work so I'm not tempted to go
out to the local fast food places or convenience store. (That is one of the
unfortunate effects of globalization; Koreans have their own versions too).
At home, myfitnesspal.com
was so helpful when I was tracking my food intake. You can find nearly
everything you can imagine on there, and it also allows you to edit things so
you can participate in the process. I also signed up for emails from "Eat
this, not that!" It's a helpful guide, suggesting healthier alternatives.
Fitbie.com is another great website with tips, inspirational stories, etc. to
keep you going.
I don't have any particular quotes that I come back to, but
one that pops into my head right now is an old saying in Spanish, "Vale la
pena." It translates to, "It's worth the pain." And I know it
will be in the end!
Comparing
old and recent pics to see where I've lost weight in my face helps me stay
motivated. I'm not one of those lucky creatures who has a thin face. If I gain
weight, you can see it there immediately, so I look like a vain little tart
checking myself out in the mirror all the time.
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| Kat and Lacey in the Pacific Northwest, Summer 2010 |
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| Lacey and Kat in Korea, July 2013 |
Mentally
being able to say to myself that I can always eat certain foods later helps, if
that makes sense. As a kid, it was always, "If I like it, I should eat
more of it, and NOW," was my modus operandi. Knowing that I don't have to
succumb to instant gratification is a big step for me!
If you fail
today, tomorrow is always your second chance. Beating yourself up constantly
will get you nowhere. Intentions are not enough though; lack of action is what
got most of us here in the first place.
Would you like to be featured on my They Are Losing It series? Email me at lupehughes@gmail.com for more information!
