Your Happy Weight :)

    I read an article recently on Spark People (dear Spark, please chill with your website's ads!) about the effort it takes to be "lean." The author, Molly Gallbraith, discussed the effort she had to exert in order to be lean enough for a fitness competition. Her friend could live in a state of "perfect leanness," while Molly had brain-fog, was cold all of the time, and felt immense fatigue throughout her body.

The second picture from the left (w/ the six pack) depicts Molly Gallbraith
when she was fit, but also cold and hungry and foggy.

     In another article about genes and body type, Molly Gallbraith posted this set of four pictures that show her size throughout the years. She said she was happier somewhere in the middle, not at her smallest. (You should also read the article because she discusses how your genes don't have to affect your size. Shape, yes, but size, no.)
    Everybody's genes are different. I do believe some people are naturally very lean and others are healthier with a few extra pounds on their bodies. For me, my upper body stays pretty lean, and my lower body is never as toned as I want it to be! And it drives me up the wall to watch a neighbor stay lean all over even though this person probably doesn't even eat anything green. We're all different. And we all need to find our "happy weight." Everybody has a happy weight, and I think finding and maintaining your happy weight makes a world of difference in your health, energy levels, and body image.
     So how do you find your happy weight? I feel like I can speak to this issue because of the amount of thought, time, and effort I've put into figuring out what really works for me in terms of a sustainable healthy diet. I know how much I need to exercise, how carefully I need to eat, and how often I can indulge in order to stay within a few pounds (above or below) my happy weight :)

Here's what works for me:

1. Eat real, whole foods 90% of the time. I'd say I follow paleo to a T 80% of the time. 10% of the time, I eat healthy foods that are not considered paleo, and the final 10% includes happy hours and delicious desserts :) Now, this is a probably a monthly view. I've had an indulgent week (mixed in with many good choices, too!) but that's not my norm.
    What's important is that I'm happy with these percentages. If my diet consisted of more than 10% indulgences, then I would feel sluggish and steadily put on weight. If I ate less than 10% (so if I tried to be perfect all of the time) I would probably go crazy, feel too restricted, and eventually give up. It's all about a happy balance!

2. Move Frequently. That means do cardio a couple times a week. Lift weights or do body-weight strength work a couple times a week. Try to get off your butt at work if you sit in a chair all day.

3. Find Ways to Manage Stressful Situations. We fog our brains when we allow stress to take over our lives. We overeat, over drink, defer exercise, and forget that we need to take care of ourselves. We need to have strategies to manage stress. If that means happy hour, that's fine. But just do one happy hour venting session with your close friends. Then it's time to move on and come up with your next strategy. Simple, low-impact exercises like walking and yoga are known to reduce cortisol levels in the body. Go back to #2 and create a habit of using exercise as stress relief.

4. Sleep. We crave sweets and other carbohydrates when we are low on sleep. Sleep more, crave less!

5. Be Self-Aware. I eat slowly most of the time. I know it drives Ryan crazy to watch me nibble on a piece of chocolate or to take a month to finish a pint of ice cream because I only eat one or two bites every once in a while.  I love food so much that I really don't ever get fazed by feeling full. The food tastes just as good when I'm stuffed as it does when I'm starving. So I have to practice mindful eating. Most of the time, I eat slowly with purpose. It makes all the difference.  (Click here if you want to learn more about mindful eating.)
       It's also important to be self-aware while exercising. I think If I were working with a trainer, would I try harder? If Jillian Michaels and Chris Powell were nearby, would I do more reps? Jillian Michaels herself talked about this issue in one of her podcasts. Sometimes, without someone to push us, we work at only 50% of our fitness potential. That's okay on occasion, but we need to have a 90-99% day every once in a while, mixed in with a lot of 75-80% days. We're worth the effort, and we're better than 50%.

5. Be Nice!  Be nice to yourself. This is a lesson I have to learn again and again. Feeling guilty over mistakes and slip-ups, whether in diet or work or with family, does not allow us to move forward.

If you want to read more about Molly Gallbraith, click this link for her website! I'm a big fan over her overall message of attaining and maintaining a healthy & happy weight!

Question for Readers: What's keeping you from settling in with your happy weight? Or if you've reached your happy weight range, what is a strategy that keeps there?

Good night!