4 Tools I’ve Used to Lose Weight

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I am not a doctor, none of the information on any of these pages pertaining to the Ketogenic Diet or Adrenal Fatigue should be considered medical advice and should not replace the care of your personal physician. I am simply eager to share the information I have learned while on my own journey to health. Before you embark on this journey, please consult with your physician.

I am not a fan of diets.

While the word “diet” is generally used to describe our eating style, the word “diets” in the context of weight loss insinuates a short-term, or even longer-term, eating style that will likely not become a lifestyle.

Many of them cannot be a lifestyle because they are so restrictive as to be unhealthy.

I’ll even take a risk to say that if you are ready and willing to go on a super-restrictive short term diet that would be unhealthy for the long term, you should examine your motives behind it, because it is only indicative of a deeper issue inside you that needs to be resolved.

Unless, of course, this is under the directive and careful observation of your medical doctor!

However, I am a fan of tools!

And in my experience, tools are necessary for weight loss. Especially if you have a lot to lose.

Here are 4 tools I use that have helped me to lose 40 pounds and keep it off.

Post edited in 2018 with new information

1. Going Keto

It was in early 2017 – one year after writing this post – that I was frustrated. I had hit a stall, and then began gaining again. I felt discouraged and deeply disappointed in myself.

My Adrenal Fatigue was once again worsening, I was having migraines twice a month – sometimes for up to 4-6 days at a time.

I was having skin eruptions again and randomly after eating would end up with excruciating stomach pain that would last for hours — sometimes 6-8 hours at a time.

I was desperate.

One afternoon, while searching for answers, I landed on information about low carb, high fat. That led me to learning about the Ketogenic diet, which for me has since become a lifestyle.

I went Keto in February 2017 (it is now April 2018) and haven’t looked back.

I have since lost 30 pounds and am still losing. I have lost a ton of inches, so much so that most of my friends can’t believe how much thinner I look!

But best of all, my body is healthier, my adrenal fatigue is lessening, and my hormones are finally becoming regulated!

2. Fitbit Pedometer

Before, whenever I had to give information on my activity level, I always chose “moderately active”.

I’m a mom of crazy boys, so it puzzled me for a long time how I could be so active and still battle weight gain.

They say that for good health it is recommended to walk 10,000 steps a day. I didn’t know how many steps I was walking per day, but I was convinced it was at least half that, if not more.

So, I decided to get a pedometer and find out how I was doing. The first week I wore it and went about my normal day each day. There was not one day that I clocked above 2,500 steps. 1/4th of what’s recommended.

That can hardly be classified as “moderately active”!

But, as I began to try hard to get my 10,000 steps in, I not only noticed my energy levels rise, I also noticed my inches drop off dramatically!

Sometimes you have to get creative to get those 10,000 steps in, that’s why tomorrow I will share 16 easy ways to get your steps in!

I love Fitbit because its social. You can add friends, do challenges, stay accountable, and it syncs with My Fitness Pal!

You can find a Fitbit Pedometer here.

3. My Fitness Pal

While counting calories has been scientifically debunked as a form of effective and lasting weight loss, I use My Fitness Pal to track my macro and nutrient intake.

My Fitness Pal is awesome because its database is the most extensive I’ve ever seen.

They even have most products found here in Croatia! Plus, the app allows you to scan the barcode to easily access a product in their database. Amazing!

It’s also social, so you can add friends, make it competitive, and ask questions in their forums. It syncs with a lot of fitness trackers, as well.

You can follow me on My Fitness Pal here.

4. Sleep Tracker

One of the most difficult parts of my weight loss journey has been the fatigue. I battle fatigue every. single. day. It’s hard, because it’s a vicious cycle.

I feel tired, so I don’t exercise because I’m tired, and lack of activity only makes me more fatigued. But the lack of physical activity prevents me from sleeping well, which only makes me even more fatigued.

It’s awful!

Sleep deprivation raises blood sugar and cortisol levels that help to keep you from losing weight. So if you’ve been doing all the right things and not losing weight, you should probably look at your sleep patterns.

You simply cannot get 5-6 hours of sleep a night and expect to have good results.

But I’ve learned that:

• I must move and move a lot to feel better. Even when I don’t want to….and
• I sleep better when I’m active.

I also sleep better when I cut back on screen time, when I hit my “sleep triggers”, and when I drink a calming tea.

I have found using a sleep tracker makes me more aware of how I’m preparing my body to sleep. Well rested people are healthy people; but chronic fatigue prevents weight loss from occurring.

You can read about how important sleep is to me in this post: 6 Tips for Homeschooling with Chronic Illness

I now use the Mi Fit fitness band to track my sleep. It synchs with an app that tells you how much slept and the quality of your sleep.

These 4 tools have been essential to my successful weight loss journey. What tools have you found that have helped you?

More Articles on Weight Loss:

Why Do You Want to Lose Weight?

5 Easy Tips to Lose Weight and Keep it Off

Weight Loss Starts From the Inside Out

4 Tools I’ve Used to Lose Weight

16 Ways Stay-at-Home Moms Can Get More Steps

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Rosilind

Owner at A Little R & R

Rosilind, a Pacific Northwest native, is a missionary living in Croatia and married to her Bosnian hero. Together they live in the country with their 2 active boys where she enjoys fruity candles and a hot cup of herbal tea on a blustery fall evening. She holds an Associates of Practical Theology and is passionate about discipling and encouraging women. Her passion for writing led her to author a number of Bible studies. She is the author of A Little R & R where she encourages women to live for the glory ofGod. She leads an online Bible study affiliated with Good Morning Girls. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

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