Choosing your hard; sacrifices and success

When you engross yourself in your goals, sacrifices you make, things you or other people think you are missing out on doesn't matter. The results and achievements are worth it. You don't have to do too much to lose weight and keep yourself healthy. It is just a matter of following a simple scientific formula Energy In & Energy Out.

Eat healthy, less fat and carbs but don't cut them out completely or eat too little. I find calorieking.com.au food diary very useful. Food is important to provide nutrients for essential bodily functions such as breathing, blood flow, nourishing the organs and other systems to help them do their job etc. Now I know when reading this you may think it's hard finding time to exercise, cook, busy with work, stress, love for food etc. Question yourself would you rather put the time and effort now into making yourself healthier rather than when you are diagnosed with an unfortunate illness. I used to be an emotional eater so I learnt that I don't need food to keep me happy. Food is just an energy source and I shouldn't treat is as a friend or resort no matter how tasty or satisfying.

My eating nowadays is mainly:

• serving of sultana-bran with yoghurt for breakfast during summer months. Cup of lentil soup or watercress soup made with oats during winter months
• half cup of rice, stir-fry vegetables with palm size lean meat, no oil or a bit of extra virgin olive oil only to avoid sticking to the wok when in a rush, 
• smoothies (made from no fat yoghurt, ice, rose water and mango or fruit of your choice), 
• sliced capsicum or carrot as a snack
• almonds 
• fruit like an apple or pear 
Of course, we enjoy food with family and friends and those kind of things are good but food can also become an enemy if consumed incorrectly. Identifying the weaknesses is important. Mine is savories, pastries, breads. Once a week I treat myself to a breadroll. Others may choose to treat themselves to icecream, piece of chocolate, cake etc.

The other day I was having lunch with friends and one was telling me "it is sad that you can only indulge once a week and you can't have ice cream with us" but later she says she is considering a lat band which costs around $20K!!!? In other words; price of a car, 20 years of gym membership and for what? make you choke on what you eating so you will lose weight? Personally, I am happy I am counting my fats, protein, carbs etc and exercise in order to lose weight rather than getting surgery to tie a weird band around my stomach that makes me choke. I begged her not to do it and to just be consistent with food and exercise. I am very thankful for my mother for her wonderful healthy and tasty cooking. She lost 3kg (and she is already in her healthy weight) when I started eating healthy because she does the meal preparations and cooking at home. God blessed me with a great mother. So my point is you don't have to sacrifice too much to eat healthy. You can indulge once a week and still lose upto 0.5 - 1 kg a week provided that you are consistent. Take it from someone who lost 35 in 1.5 years. The food diary helps to identify and monitor.

My point is eating healthy and exercising is not hard. It would be harder for me to be obese. I used to buy all my clothes from myer plus size section and it was expensive. One bra would cost around $60. Now I only spend $8-20 max on a bra. Dresses from the myer plus size section or other places would cost me over $350. Now I can buy dresses from $15 and spend an average of $30. It doesn't cost much to dress trendy and look good. Same time, it doesn't cost must time, effort or money to eat healthy and exercise. I would rather do it now while I have the chance before been diagnosed with a serious illness. Like a peer told me on calorie king, Being fat is hard, being thin is hard, so choose your hard.