By Debbie Moesle, MPT
Have you ever heard of a physical therapist who doesn’t like to exercise? If not, now you have! I am the exception that proves the rule: a sedentary PT.
Over the last few years, because of some health issues and stress, I began steadily gaining weight. After the Christmas holidays, with all the edible delights they offer, I hit that number on the scale. I knew my clothes were getting tight, and I definitely saw it in my face, but I was shocked nevertheless.
I knew I had to make a change and lose some weight, but the thought of going to the gym was terrible.
I made a commitment to myself to start taking better care of me, so I started watching what I put into my mouth. I downloaded a calorie counter app on my smartphone and started tracking everything I ate. I was shocked at how much I was consuming. The apps don’t lie. Suddenly aware of how many calories I was racking up, I began to eat less. And in a period of four months, despite minimal physical exercise, I lost nearly 20 pounds.
How did I do it? With guidance from my app, I made several changes to my dietary routine. I am sharing my experience to help others who don’t like to exercise or who can’t exercise because of pain or other issues.
- I started planning my meals. Each week I create a shopping list and daily menus. By planning ahead, I could ensure that my family and I got healthy, balanced meals.
- While in the grocery store, I began avoiding certain aisles. Have you ever noticed that the healthier food options are located along the store’s perimeter? I began staying there and wandering into the aisles only for staples, cleaning supplies, and frozen veggies.
- When I got home from the grocery store, I chopped up vegetables so that they were readily available for snacking and dinner side dishes.
- I started cooking more. When I look back, I realize just how addicted to restaurants we were. I love to cook, but with three active kids, life always seemed to get in the way. By the time we got home from practices, it was just easier to stop somewhere for dinner. So I started coming home from work and preparing dinner right away, which was easy since I had pre-planned my meals and had all the ingredients on hand. There was no standing at the fridge, saying, “What do we want for dinner tonight?”
- I try to eat at about the same time each evening, despite my kids’ activities, and the routine has helped me curb my appetite.
- I changed the way I snack. I like both sweet and salty snacks – I don’t discriminate! But now I buy fresh fruits and vegetables and keep them on hand for those sweet/savory snacking options. I make a healthier veggie dip by substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream and eliminating mayonnaise. When I crave sweets, I opt for fresh blueberries or a banana.
- I started watching portion sizes and measuring everything. I am amazed at what I thought was the correct portion vs. what it actually is.
In closing, I have changed my ways. I am leaner and feel much better. And when I shared my experience with my co-workers – the physical therapists who actually exercise – they told me they were gaining weight, too! Since then, a few of my colleagues have downloaded apps and started tracking their meals as well. They are losing weight, too, without changing their normal workout routines.
I hope my experience helps show people that they, too, can lose weight without exercise. And in an unexpected turn of events, I now have enough energy to get off the couch and start moving. With the arrival of spring, I am looking forward to walking our dog, riding my bike, and playing some volleyball. Nothing too serious like hitting the gym, though. I’m not there yet!
Debbie Moesle, MPT, is a physical therapist at Mayfield Physical Therapy.