One of the most common threads of conversation present in the e-mails from Mary-thoners reporting that they have reached their half-way point is “I haven’t lost any weight.” Some are ok with that – while others are not – but most often the question is WHY???? 
The obvious answer is that we MUST take in fewer calories than we burn. It’s easy to account for what we take in – as long as we measure and keep track of every mouthful – but it’s more difficult to measure those calories burned. There are online charts that equate the activity with the calories burned, but none actually knows OUR bodies. The number may be close – but it’s just never exact and that makes things difficult.
I thought this was an interesting quote that I find to be true: “There are a number of factors that contribute to our weight gain that you already know. But it’s not just about finding time to exercise or choosing the salad over the burger–it’s about genuine commitment to make healthy decisions every day….REGARDLESS of what’s happening in your life. If you’re not ready to make some changes, losing weight will be hard.”
After going through the loss of my dad this past month, I had many reasons NOT to exercise – but I had more reasons why I should exercise – and I did. My schedule was turned upside down and it would have been very easy to over eat or eat unhealthy foods, but I didn’t. Why? Because I know what it feels like to be overweight, inactive and unhealthy as a result and I NEVER want to feel that way again. I know how easy it is to yo-yo up and down on the scale and just one bite – one taste – can send me over the edge. I refuse to let that happen. 8 years ago and over 100 pounds overweight, I wrote myself a letter where I outlined what I would no longer eat in my lifetime and I’ve stuck with it. Please note – the Mary-thon is NOT a weight loss program – and I’m not trained to give weight loss advice – but I can tell you that fitness and healthy eating is important to me. Since the process is individual everyone is different and everyone must find what works for him or her.
Here are a few tips to consider, if you would like weight loss to accompany your Mary-thon program. Be open-minded and be honest with yourself as you evaluate your routine accompanied by your eating habits.
- BE PATIENT: Give it some time. It’s NOT going to happen overnight. If you have 100 pounds to lose – 26 weeks of exercise and healthy eating will give you a good start, but steady and slow progress is the healthiest way to get it done.
- BE CONSISTENT: You can’t focus on your exercise and diet a few days of the week, binge and do nothing the other days – and expect to lose weight. For most of us, it just won’t happen. Your body needs consistency in order to maximize its potential when it comes to fitness and weight loss.
- EAT HEALTHY: Fad dieting may be a quick fix, but healthy eating is the only way to keep it off.
- EXERCISE: Exercise regularly and exercise for the rest of your life. Aerobic exercise accompanied by strength training is a GREAT combination for success.
I found a great article that discusses these very principles. It lists 10 reasons why it’s hard to lose weight and it’s well worth the read. It’s called: 10 Reasons Why it’s Hard to Lose Weight and here’s the link:
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/10_weightloss.htm
The reason the Mary-thon is 26 weeks is because 30 days or 60 days or 90 days is just not enough. When we’ve worked out for 26 weeks – the commitment to continue has become a part of our lives. Once you’ve completed your 26 week Mary-thon – we hope you’ll keep at it.
Of course, there will be another “Mary-thon event” coming up – and we’ll give you those registration details in a few weeks. :-)
Good Luck and Keep Moving Forward!
Mary
