Life of the Lintee Bean

It’s over three months in, and I’m still loving the NutriSystem plan! I can’t believe it, really. I’ve tried SO many diets – there are few I would make it three months on, and definitely I’d be screaming to quit by now on the others! But how can I complain when I’m eating food that tastes better and makes me FEEL better than ever before?

I wore my hot-cat-mama-skinny-pants yesterday. I went to Dress Barn several weeks ago and tried on a few dresses – I NEVER wear dresses or skirts, but it’d be nice if I had a dress for my niece’s wedding in July. I landed up buying TWO dresses – in size TWELVE! Then I got a case of buyer’s remorse. So many of my clothes are now loose and baggy – what if the dresses didn’t fit in July? I decided to take them back and try them on in the next size down – except they didn’t HAVE the next size down anymore… so I tried on the size eight – and they FIT! They’re a tad snug, in my opinion, but they definitely fit!

One of the dresses makes me feel absolutely beautiful. I’ve had clothes before where I thought “oh, this dress is beautiful” or “oh, I look nice in this” – but I look beautiful in this dress! It’s not the DRESS that’s beautiful, it’s ME! It accentuates all the positives, and flatters the negatives, and I feel gorgeous in that dress.

My seamstress-stylist-angel has her new website up and devoted an entire page to pictures of me in a suit she altered. Keep in mind – these pictures were taken less than 24 hours apart! I did NOT lose weight overnight – simply by wearing clothes that fit I LOOK 20 pounds lighter!

Julia Needlman – Alterations

I’ve lost 22.6 pounds since I started NS on January 10. My body fat is down to 31.5%. (I started out at 41.3% body fat.) Someone asked me how I’d been so successful. I’m honestly not sure exactly what’s lead to my success, other than following the NS plan. I didn’t lose much in the beginning. I walk five days a week – to and from the train, which lands up being about 30 minutes (2 miles) a day, 150 minutes per week. In February I was also doing exercise videos three times a week, but things got busy and I got out of the habit.

I’m just taking it slow and steady. I eat extra veggies or fruit or even an extra dairy if I get hungry, as I’d rather “cheat” with a low-calorie snack than get myself in a situation where I get tempted and eat something awful. I’ve struggled with digestive issues my entire life, and I feel the best I ever had on this plan, so it’s incentive not to stray much. Not that I’m perfect, mind you. I’ve gone out to eat a few times – twice was a diner, and I got an omelette and asked that they prepare it in vegetable oil spray, not butter or whatever – but I got the regular full-fat cheese on it.

My friends are very supportive and when we get together they make an extra effort to have veggies and fat-free or low-fat dip for me to snack on. I anticipate my weight loss will taper off at some point. I don’t even want to THINK about how many calories I used to consume. I’d order or cook a pizza and eat ALL of it by myself.

Also, I think eating the several meals a day really helps. In the past, I’d often eat one (huge) meal a day. I’d grab a coffee (and often a pastry) in the morning, then eat a huge lunch, then either eat a big dinner or nothing at all for dinner. Now I’m eating the NS three meals plus snack plus dessert – and it took getting used to, but I think it helps the metabolism greatly.

Also, I’m getting SLEEP now. I’ve struggled with sleeping for years due to a movement disorder in my legs – and I finally got a referral to a neurologist who prescribed a medication that’s helping me and I can sleep at night. Studies have shown sleep aids weight loss. The statistics are staggering. More than 60% of Americans don’t get enough sleep, and more than 60% of Americans are obese. Not a coincidence.

I would never have imagined myself as someone others would look to for inspiration! I’ve tried (and failed) SO many diets since my teens… but this one works for me!