It may be difficult to acknowledge, but denial won't do this issue any good. Here it is: I've gained ten pounds and some pudge around my tummy since I've started college. I know I'm not really fat or overweight in any sense, but just seeing that I've put on some extra baggage bothers me. Although it may be simple and easy to blame this wholly on the dorm food in the dining halls, the rational part of me recognizes that other factors and newly acquired habits have contributed to my weight gain. I have never really been a huge snacker up until the start of college. Bored? I snack. Stress out? I snack like a fiend. I've also been eating out a lot more than I had back home.
So what to do, what to do? Diets do not do it for me, at least all the ones I've tried have failed for me. They've left me hungry, grumpy and lethargic--a total no go for a college student. What to do, what to do? I've concluded that as much work and change as it may involve, the only reasonable and healthy approach toward weight loss is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This would entail me changing my old lifestyle of overeating, eating and snacking on unhealthy foods at that, and living a sedentary lifestyle. I've been slowly cutting out as many processed junk foods as possible, limiting my sugar intake, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, and cooking and preparing my own food instead of eating out all the time. Okay, I didn't say I cut out ALL junk food. That's really unrealistic at this point. I still crave chips every now and then (: Chips in moderation though.
That's only one half of the lifestyle change I'll need to adapt to though. The other half? Get off my butt and exercise. I absolutely hate exercise...I guess because I'm so out of shape. Exercising is really difficult too when the gym is so far away and we don't really have access to equipment and such. Karina's a big fan of workout dvds, especially the Jillian Michaels ones. I've recently started doing the dvds with her. Jillian is really motivating! She actually makes me want to work out. The routines and circuits are pretty difficult--cardio, abs and strength. The strength parts of the workout kill me every time. I haven't an ounce of muscle in my body so lifting weights is super difficult. We've been doing the dvds for a couple weeks now and I definitely feel my endurance improving. Comparing myself now to my pathetic self on day one of our workout, I've come quite a long way.
Karina goes jogging and I guess I'd like to pick that up too. I've been jogging with her a few times, but I'm usually too lazy to go every day. The track is pretty far and with school work and other commitments, this doesn't really leave too much time for working out. Oh, I forgot to mention.: we usually do our dvd workouts at 11:00 pm at night. Yeah...
Results? It may be a little too soon to notice any drastic results. If anything, I do feel more healthy, energized, and physically fit. Weight loss and stuff doesn't come quickly or easily, so I know I still have a ways to go to lose weight and tone up. Let's hope that I can keep this up. Maybe one day I'll be able to cut chips out of my diet--or not.
