Brenda was kind enough to have me as a guest recently on her internet radio show, The Poop Scoop, to tell a little bit about my weight loss story. I’ve lost about 40 pounds but the best part is that I’ve kept it off for close to two years. At 46, I weigh much less now than I did in my teens and 20s and I feel energized! The Fiber35 Lifestyle is so easy…35 grams of fiber a day and the pounds float away! Here are some of the things I’ve learned along my weight loss (and maintenance) journey:

Portion Control – Are you eating the same amount as your spouse or significant other when they either weigh more than you? If you’re not losing weight and perhaps even gaining weight, you have to eat less. The first few bites of a meal are the best. After that, they all taste the same, so use a little tough love with yourself and mind control. Everything you eat, just eat less.

Raise Your Metabolism – You have to move your body more to rev your engine so to speak. Incorporate cardio plus building muscle with resistance training whether with bands, weights or exercises like pushups. Also, mix up your cardio routines to avoid boredom…there are so many ways to move your body from walking, running, biking, elliptical and other machine, rollerblading, swimming and much more.

You’re Not on a Diet – Think of this as a lifestyle change because otherwise, you’ll gain all the weight back once the diet is ‘over’.

Ask yourself, ‘Why do I want to lose weight?’ – If you don’t look like the person you feel like on the inside, maybe it’s time to put your mind to work. You have to want the weight loss and new body more than you want the food.

Don’t Contemplate Exercising – I use what I call the Nike Psyche. The minute you think about the fact it’s time to exercise, your mind will talk you out of it. So just do it!

When you lose weight, it’s better to do it slow – This way, the new ways of eating become habit forming. You need to get used to it because if you’re going to keep the weight off, you need to eat less FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Why? The lighter you are, the less food you need to maintain that weight.

Study nutrition and learn what is good and bad to eat, where there are hidden calories, what are good and bad carbs, best fiber foods, and the leanest protein sources.

Make sure you’re eliminating regularly by eating enough fiber, drinking plenty of water and taking a natural laxative formula for occasional constipation.

Lastly, don’t deprive yourself. If you want something sweet, eat a small portion of whatever it is. If you had an overindulgent day, get back on track and balance it out with a day of eating mostly fruit and a sensible dinner. Then get back on track. Remember, you need to get used to eating like this for the rest of your life if you want to be lean and mean!

Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!