I meant to post this last Sunday, but I figure that I’d be making too many posts that day. So now it’s a couple of days late, but I need to post this, because…well, anniversaries need to be celebrated, right?

So last June 20, 2010 was my first year in Fitness First. :)

*insert cheers here*

It’s been a long journey, and whenever I see pictures of myself before I started working out, I realize how much I haven’t been taking care of myself then. Okay, fine, I realize how fat I was then, and how okay I was with doing that and not doing anything physical. I can’t exactly remember how I felt then, but I knew I’ve never felt better than I do now. I have better coordination, I run faster, I don’t get tired easily, and I feel a whole lot confident now than I used to.

It’s not just working out per se, but just taking responsibility for myself and aiming to be better. You know?

Okay, enough of the fancy schmancy stuff — you can read my testimony here. Today, I’m going to share everything that I did that worked. It may or may not work for you, of course, but you can try. :D

TINA’S WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY: WHAT WORKED:

• Exercise at least 3-4 times a week. When I was starting, I tried my best to work out for 5 times to make the most out of it. Now that I’ve gone a bit of a long way, I made sure to go 3-4 times a week instead. One hour is usually enough, but sometimes when I feel like it, I exercise for about 2 hours — 2 classes equivalent.
• Cardio + strength training. Never skip strength training. The other day I saw a reflection of my arm a few hours after I worked my triceps off, and saw there was definition. Hee, vain moment. But building muscles supports weight loss, so don’t ever skip that!
• Food diary. I realized that the weeks I gained the most weight are the weeks that I don’t log my food. I don’t know if it would work for everyone, but really, logging food helps me keep track of what I eat, and I know when I can allow myself to eat more or stick to veggies when I ate too much.
• Offsets. On days I knew I ate a lot, it means one thing: I need to burn it off the next day. Seriously burn it off. I remember one particular week when I knew I ate a lot but ended up losing weight for the week because I managed to offset my eating with exercise. Eat a lot, sweat a lot. Sweat a lot, eat a lot. We exercise so we can eat the food that we want. :)
• Variety. Since I’m a gym rat instead of a sports buff, I seek more variety for my routines. That’s why I run, that’s why I always try to attend classes. Variety is good for the body, and weight loss. :P
• Eat your veggies. And fruits. But yes, always eat your veggies. I’ve learned to like veggies especially broccoli…ampalaya, I’d have to learn how to love you yet. :P
• No deprivation. I used to be very, very strict at what I eat, but now I allow myself to eat what I want. Not always, though, but I give myself more space now, just as long as I keep on working out. Ice cream and chocolates — not a problem. :)
• Lots of sleep. Sleep builds muscles. Muscles burn calories. See where I’m going? :P

TINA’S WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY: WHAT DIDN’T REALLY WORK:

• Weight loss supplements. Never tried, will never try. I like the way I do it.
• Tea. This didn’t work for me because I really never liked the taste of tea, so I don’t drink it as often.
• Being too hard on myself. Never ever be too hard on yourself. If I gain weight one week, then it’s okay, I’ll just work harder the next week. Just as long as I don’t go back to how I was before, then it’s okay. :)

I wanted to make a longer list, but it seemed like I’m out. Like what I said in one interview I wrote for work — this isn’t just a diet or a routine, it’s a lifestyle. Long-term weight loss mean a lifestyle change, and I can definitely testify to that. :)

Oh, and let me tell you: the last ten pounds are still the hardest to lose. :P But don’t let that discourage you.

So cheers to one year!  Hello, First Club! :P