Use It and Lose It! 5

LoseIt is available for use through a website and the App Store.

I’ve never thought of myself as a dieter.  I still don’t.

But today I feel a sense of control, a sense of health, and a sense of cheer that I haven’t enjoyed in years.  And that’s because of a little tool on my phone that has translated into some big changes for me:

The LoseIt app.

About ten weeks ago, I heard on Michael Hyatt’s podcast that he had lost a few pounds using a fun little app that incentive-ized good eating habits and exercise.  I looked at my large mid-section and thought, “Why not?”

I’m glad I asked that question.

Today, I’m 25 lbs. lighter (with plenty more to lose) and feeling much, much better about my life; spiritually, emotionally, and of course, physically.

LoseIt doesn’t say what to eat, it just asks that I scan the barcodes of foods I choose, or enter the restaurant dish I ordered, or estimate the calories based on its large dictionary of food values.  Usually within a few clicks after each meal, I have a good record of what I’ve eaten (and thus, a sense of how many calories I can still eat later on).

And it is amazing how much those clicks have changed my attitude about food.

Suddenly, I can’t wait to “burn a few extra calories exercising” (thus, earning the ability eat an extra snack).  And when I’m at a restaurant, rather than looking for the best value (read: big, cheap food) and scan the menu for the healthiest items.  I like to save a few hundred calories in my “allowance” for a late-night bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios.  (Yes, Mom, I’m still not giving that up!)

Because LoseIt “counts the calorie cost” of each thing I eat, I end up leaning into the better foods and choosing smaller portions of the “bad” ones.

I feel great.  I also feel hope.

I just wanted to pass this tip along, for two purposes:

1. My own accountability.  I’m looking forward to the day when I can post that I’ve reached my ideal weight.  According to LoseIt’s calculation, that time should be around January of next year.  I’m pushing myself a bit harder than the app recommends, and hoping to move my “ideal weight date” to Christmas morning.

2. For some of you.  You might be just like me. You’d love to be healthier, and you’re motivated by measurable goals and fun tech-gadgetry.  Give LoseIt a whirl.

I just finished a 20 oz. Pepsi, by the way, while writing this.  Yes, it was 250 calories.  But I’m still under-budget for the day, so, other than whatever other awful things soda does to someone, I’m in the clear. I’m on the road to better health, and, I am convinced, a better future.

Want to join me?