Ditching the Scales

Lorna Smith, owner of Urban Green Cuisine, wanted to share with you her experience with weight loss and the steps she took to ensure success after many years of being unable to sustain the short-term success’s she had. A minefield of information, with weight loss groups and 100’s of diets to tempt you to lose weight quickly. Like you, Lorna has tried many of them. The reality is that there are no quick fixes, have a look at how she did achieve sustained weight loss.

Ditching the scales, eating more and exercising less? It can’t be true?

It is hard to believe that nearly three years ago, I was nearly eight stone heavier! Yet here I am, training five days a week, and completing various challenges along the way. Five days a week may sound like a lot, but to put this into perspective: that’s only 5 hours out of a 168 hour week! Three years ago I would have never thought I’d be able to complete two power walk marathons, let alone haul myself over a 10 ft wall at the Wolf Run! 

It’s all in the mind

To lose weight requires you to move more and eat less. Simple right?

Not so much. Being active everyday will ensure you make improvements. Making healthier food choices and eating less processed foods and dreaded refined sugars will help with weight loss. The hardest part however is finding the motivation to sustain your new way of life and maintain a balanced approach to eating, exercising and enjoying yourself. Stay assured – this is entirely possible! You can conquer your goals.

This is how I did it

Support: I reached out for professional support following years of yo-yo dieting. I realised no matter how much I calorie restricted and drove myself into the ground at exercise classes, I needed to change my mindset to food and exercise. I sought advice on how best to do this, and I finally found the results I had been longing for.

Exercise routine: listening to the advice I had gained, I embarked on a new training regime which included strength training, conditioning and cardio – with rest days! Those rest days were still active, however far more relaxed – walking around Lydiard, Coate Water, or even the streets of Swindon with friends.

Goals: small steps lead to success. I challenged myself with local walking events before building up to marathons and muddy obstacle events. With my weight loss, I embraced losing a pound a month over a pound a week – if I was making changes, that was enough to spur me on!

Food: I established a healthy, balanced diet. I wasn’t always a vegetarian. Over a 7-day period I alternated between meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes. Cutting out processed white foods and refined sugars was something I explored, and I increased my intake of healthy fats and fibre.

Consistency with both food and exercise: every week I planned my menu, precooking in advance to ensure I wasn’t tempted or led astray by easier options!

• I eat recommended portion sizes
• I eat regular meals (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner) so hunger is always at bay
• I eat healthily, cutting out processed food and snacks
• I eat food in their natural forms

In terms of exercise, I plan my days of activity – and I stick to them! Sometimes things do come up, however I dedicate myself to rearranging my activity. The routine of attending regular classes motivated me, and as I saw improvements, this motivation soared! I was not just motivated by how I looked, but the improvement of my fitness and strength. It made me feel good!

Family and Friends

I let my family and friends know what I was doing, and I enlisted their support. Most of my previous dieting life had been slotted in around my social life, however I made a change and increased the value of my goals. And it was so simple! I chose activities such as walking the streets with my best friend - 5 miles of chin waging! Why wouldn’t you want to do that? How we laughed… In all weathers!

Gym Buddy - On joining my gym I made some very special friends indeed. These people have motivated me over the last 3 years and have pushed me when I needed it - even when they were unaware of how they were helping. My gym twin is half my age, but we are like minded in every way. She pushes me to do my best every step of the way and is there for me in good times and bad. We motivate and encourage each other, and she is a big part of keeping my mind focussed to do what I need to do.

Last but not least…. My trainer

Having a personal trainer in the beginning felt very weird. I was very self-conscious of how I looked when exercising and this was something I had to process and get over. However having an open and honest partnership that turned into a friendship helped eradicate my original fears and worries.

My trainer also provides a source of therapeutic support. I’m an open book…. the good the bad and the ugly… I can’t hide it! I talk about everything - not just my weight, food and how I’m progressing. Stress in your personal/work life can have a dramatic effect on what your trying to achieve in the gym and with weight loss. Talking to Jamie allows me to get this stress out and refocus my mind and enjoy the training ahead. 

I’m not a doctor, a weight loss expert or a nutritionist. I’m just a normal woman who spent her life looking for a quick fix then woke up one day and decided to take charge – to make a positive change to my lifestyle. I have talked about small steps for success, here’s what you could do:

• Don’t be focussed on stepping those scales. Look at your body and how your clothes fit to indicate changes. Your weekly visit to the scales could go up and down dependent on a lot of circumstances: illness, hormones, water retention, stress… The list goes on! Don’t let the scale motivate you: let your fitness, strength and well-being be your motivator for change.
• Go and speak to a trainer – it’s not as expensive as you think. Mixing up your exercise routine, it isn’t just about the cardio – it’s about finding a training style and ethic that works for you and your body. A trainer will help you build this gradually.
• Eat regularly but naturally. I eat 5 times a day and as a result I’m never hungry.
• Plan your weekly meals and precook them for the week. I don’t need to snack on crisps or whatever is convenient. My fridge is always full of great food already cooked for me. It is relatively easy to plan time for this too.

You may have excuses, I know them all! The sooner you stop and redirect your focus, the quicker you will realise you can do it. You can achieve the change you want to see! You can be your happiest, healthiest you.

If you would like to find out more about me, my journey, and my meal plans please contact me through my website.