Real-life weight loss

My brother eats meat. Lots of it. And vegetables. They call it the Paleo diet or the Caveman Diet. The Hunter/Gatherer diet.

And he's lost 30 pounds.

My husband's parents are on the HcG Diet. They can eat 500 calories per day. (In case you forgot, the average recommended intake is 2,000 calories per day.)

My mother-in-law has lost 20 pounds.

But the Caveman Diet and the HcG Diet really cramp your social life. Dinner parties are out, unless you bring your own food. Your time and energy is spent on menu planning and food preparation. And if you're cooking for your family, you have to just cook a separate meal for yourself. Three times a day.

Who has time for that?

Over the past eight years and five pregnancies (one of which was a twin pregnancy), I have managed to lose the same 30 pounds after each baby and keep it off, maintaining a social life and feeding my family at the same time. The trick is to focus on a healthy lifestyle over a short-term fad.

I've listed some tips I've learned that I want to share for those of you in the same situation.

1. Fad diets will tell you otherwise, but keep it simple: Calories in verses calories out. Eat less, exercise more.
2. Eat healthy foods. Fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy are much better choices than bagels, muffins, and cookies. Try to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies.
3. GET THIS: Pay attention to your portion size. Pull out your measuring cups for a week or two until you get comfortable eye-balling your portions. Did you know a portion of meat, for example, is roughly the size of the palm of your hand? That's HALF a chicken breast. A bowl of cereal should be less than a cup, but most cereal bowls hold two or three cups. Get smaller dishes, if you have to, to make you more satisfied with your smaller portion sizes.
4. If you get hungry between meals, eat a 50-calorie snack. A piece of fruit. A 1/2 cup of yogurt. A 1/4 cup of walnuts. (That's not very much. See number 3!)
5. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables for snacking. Clean, peel, and chop them when you get home from the store, and keep them handy for snacks throughout the week. When you have the munchies, the last thing you want to do is spend 15 minutes preparing a snack. That's why we often reach for the prepackaged, high-calorie convenience foods.
6. Don't deny yourself goodies. I had a 1,200 calorie/day diet and reserved 100 calories each night for a 1/2 cup of sugar-free ice cream. The promise of that treat everyday kept me away from indulgence the rest of the day.
7. Eat something healthy before you go out to dinner or social engagements. An empty stomach is much more likely to indulge.
8. When you get the munchies, find a distraction. In the past, I have planned several different strategies for my 3pm munchies--go for a walk, get out of the house, chew sugar-free gum, have a cup of coffee.
9. Shop on a full stomach. You are less likely to buy yummies if you're not hungry. And if it's not in the house, you won't reach for it when you want a snack.
10. Don't eat for the last three hours before you go to bed. If you're desperately hungry, have some vegetable juice.
11. If you want to jump-start your weight loss, a short program like Slim in 6 (6 weeks) or P90X (90 days) works wonders. But stick to moderation and healthy eating in the long run. I have found that I just cannot maintain an ongoing lifestyle that dedicates more than an hour each day to exercise, as well as lots of time and energy on menu planning and food prep. I do have a passel of kids to care for, after all. Oh, and a husband, too.
12. If you have trouble fitting exercise into your life, try finding ways to incorporate it with your family. I took the kids to a playground with a walking track--they played while I walked for 30 minutes. I lost 9 pounds in 2 weeks just by adding a 30-minute walk to my day. Try a home-video that incorporates both cardio and sculpting. I used Slim-in-6 and Power-90 for years. I also like the SELF series. I once joined a gym that had childcare included for 2 hours each day.
13. Set realistic goals. You do NOT need to look like anyone you see on a billboard, on television, on movies, or in magazines. Accept the shape of your body, enjoy your build, and appreciate your curves. Focus on health rather than form.
14. Reward yourself. I bought a new outfit every time I dropped 5 pounds.
15. PRAY for help! Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit for a reason--we humans don't naturally tend that way.

Find something that works for you. Avoid temptation. Pray for help.

You don't have to be a Caveman to lose weight and keep it off. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle, you'll probably live longer than any Caveman ever did. And look good doing it. ;-)