For many of us, weight gain comes with the medications to treat our conditions. This is frustrating as we fight to get as healthy as we can be.

There are as many different plans out there as there are people, I believe. Many of them are very expensive, fad diets, or unproven. These programs may work for the short-term, but rarely provide lasting relief. After losing the weight, it is very easy to gain it all back.

The past six and a half years have been a struggle for me in this area. I continue to fight this battle. This past January, I joined a challenge group to see if it would help. Two ladies in the group had been where I was and had success. Both are nurses and were a tremendous help for me.

Here are a few things that are working for me as well as a couple things I’m struggling with.

1. Track your food. I know. I know. I honestly dislike it as much as you do. However, I am finding that measuring and tracking my food is imperative for me to be healthy. If I don’t, I go too far one way or another – too little food or too much food.
2. Calculate your needed food intake. For me, the difference between the amount of calories I need in a day vs the amount of calories I will need in a day at my goal weight was an acceptable calorie deficit for each day.
   1. If you set your calorie goal too low, it will not be sustainable. Be wise.
   2. If you set your calorie goal too high, and you sabotage yourself.
3. Once the calorie goal was set, I found that I use it as a guide. I consider 100 calories one way or another acceptable. This flexibility has helped me a lot. Some days, I am simply not hungry, but know that I need the nutrition and do what is needed. Other days, I am more hungry or have to adjust my meal plan for life and it goes over. With having the flexibility mindset, it has helped tremendously!
4. Find healthy foods you like. Yes, they are out there. The important thing is finding a meal plan that works for you. Build a meal plan around these.
5. Decide how you will handle holidays, eating out, etc. For me, it has worked to allow one day of treats for a holiday while keeping in mind the overall calorie goal. This means that I may enjoy the treat foods in smaller portions.
6. Concentrate on protein and fiber. Of course, this is within your specific dietary restrictions. I have found that starting the meal with my vegetables and a glass of water helps me stay within my goals.
7. Hydrate! Drink enough water!
8. Allow indulgence foods – in moderation.
9. Find affordable foods that work for you. You don’t have to buy expensive foods to make this work. There are options out there that are healthy and budget-friendly. It may take extra planning, but they are out there!
10. Put habits in place that you can sustain for a lifetime. This is not a short-term endeavor. Yes, your calorie needs and meal plan may change, but the habits you establish will help you.

Some things I have struggled with are getting into a rut with foods and making sure meals are prepped ahead of time. I may struggle with the rut of food a bit more than most due to an abundance of food allergies, but maybe others struggle with it as well. I am still working on this part of the journey and would love any tips that you may have!

Overall, I have found that taking a slower approach to the weight loss and realizing that these habits are life-long have been the biggest help!

Oh… yes… I am around 40 pounds down using this method even with life happening which slowed the progress. You CAN do this with God’s help!