The Nest

Nestie jackiback on new foods, new workouts and new ideas!

Posted Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:38 AM

Nest Anni: So what’s your overall goal? Weight loss? Getting toned? Running a race?

jackiback: When I started, my overall goal was weight loss. Now I only have about 15 more pounds to lose, and my focus has shifted to just being a more overall healthy person.
 
Nest Anni: What was the breaking point that provoked you to make changes?

jackiback: I had been kind of working out and making kind of better decisions for a few months and finally I lost a pants size. It seemed like that's when I realized that I could be healthy and change my body. This is when I really took it up a few levels and started working out with intention and paying more attention to what I was putting into my body. From then, the weight just started to drop off and I felt much better overall.

Nest Anni: What kind of changes have you made so far?

jackiback: I think that the change that has made the biggest difference is that I started making all of our meals. We've been out to eat only a handful of times in the last six to eight months. To be honest, we don't miss it. I make menus two weeks at a time, and we go on a massive grocery trip and get everything we need. There are several benefits to this: There are less chances to impulse buy unhealthy, snacky items, we have 14 full meals laid out ahead of time, and it tends to save us money, which is always good! I made it a point to make healthy, clean meals that are tasty and good for us. I love to eat and wasn't willing to sacrifice taste and meal enjoyment. It's been tricky, but the difference in my body and how I feel has been stunning.

Nest Anni: What’s your favorite healthy snack?

jackiback: I eat more fruit than any person I've ever met. I love apples, bananas, berries, and grapes most of all, but I don't discriminate. I eat tons of fruit. To be honest, I don't even really limit my fruit intake. If I'm hungry between meals, an apple will fill me up. If I want something sweet, a handful of strawberries will do the trick.

Nest Anni: What’s your biggest obstacle?

jackiback: Right now, my biggest obstacle is just making the time. Summer is so busy that I feel like I don't have a spare minute, and when I do, I just want to relax. The trick has been fitting in workouts in little time chunks or incorporating them into what I'm already doing. I can spend a day lying out by the pool if I swim some laps. A long walk in the park is even better if it's at a brisk pace.  These type of things. I've also started waking up early on days I know I won't have time in the evenings so I can get it out of the way first thing.

Nest Anni: Do you have any secrets to your motivation?

jackiback: The best part about all this for me is that I don't shy away from mirrors or scales anymore.  While I never had this horrible self image or beat myself up a lot, since I've lost weight, I've realized that I got into the habit before of avoiding looking in mirrors on purpose. I'm not even exactly sure how much I've lost because it had been so long since I ventured near a scale. I never consciously thought of these things, but in retrospect, I wasn't happy with who I was. As my body has changed, I've learned to become more comfortable in it and that motivates me to no end!

Nest Anni: What HASN’T worked for you in the past?

jackiback: What hasn't worked for me is just working out. I've been fairly active on and off for my whole life, and at some points, I could run even farther than I can now, but I never really watched my food intake. I had always heard that abs are made in the kitchen, but I'd go to the gym and then come home and eat a meal that was probably worth double what I'd just worked off. It didn't phase me to eat fried food, candy bars, and other things that I tend to shy away from now. I know that I couldn't have made these changes in my life without changing how I ate, and really my whole attitude toward food.

Nest Anni: Any advice for others trying to get on track?

jackiback: Just go for it. One piece of advice that's always thrown around on The Nest is to just get into your workout clothes and shoes. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Tell yourself from the get-go that if you aren't feeling it in 10 or 20 minutes, you can quit. Just having this 'out' will make it easier for you to keep going. Also, don't be afraid to try new things. New foods, new workouts, new ideas. The same ol', same ol' will get old after awhile, and if you aren't careful, you could fall right back into your old routines. Do different stuff, eat different stuff, and keep it fun and exciting.

Thanks so much! Jacki is the moderator of the Health & Fitness board. Keep an eye out for her daily workout check-ins!

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