Do you want to lose weight but are just overwhelmed at how to start, or think I cant do it so why even try. I use to do this all the time. I was overwhelmed with how to start and do it right this time, and then my thoughts would turn to when was I going to fail again, so why even bother.
When I first started my new eating life style, I didn’t know where to start, I was afraid of failing yet again. I didn’t want to talk about it to everyone, because I thought they would be thinking to themselves “oh here she goes again on a diet, I wonder how long this one will last a day, week, maybe a month if she is lucky and does it right this time.” So I just kept it to myself to see what was going to happen and if I was really going to be able to do it this time around.
If you have ever felt overwhelmed or not knowing how to get started, you can start slow and see what happens, then the more you see results the more excited and more encouraging it is to you, which helps tremendously to keep you going and do better and better.
Exercising:
Start slow and make small changes to start with. Like I have said I have been walking 2 ½ miles 5 days a week in an average of about 35 minutes. If that seem like to much right now set your goal to walk for 15 minutes each day and as a week or 2 go by add 5 minutes to your retinue. Or if you can do 30 minutes but 5 days seems like to much at first start at 2 or 3 times a week and increase that after a while. I have also heard that you can do 15 minutes walks 2 times a day. Find what will be easy for you to get you doing something and just keep increasing it over time.
Food choices:
1. start keeping tract of EVERYTHING you put in your mouth food or drinks for a week, and I mean everything, (don’t try to cheat and not jot something down, because your not fooling your waist line) even if you just take a bite of something write it down. Lots of times we just don’t realize how much food we consume each day.
2. Don’t go for the second helping.
3. Start reading food labels so you have an idea what your actually eating (then you can plan on making healthier choices.) Also by reading the labels you will see what the serving size is suppose to be.
4. Start weight and measuring the foods you eat, so you have a very clear idea of what your eating.
5. Cut back on food with sugar in them.
6. Cut back on processed foods (I know they are easy and convenient but horribly bad for you)
7. change from eating white carbs, to eating whole grains/whole wheat (pastas, beads, rice, etc)
8.
You can just choose one of these at a time to start slow as to not feel to overwhelmed, let yourself get use to one thing for a week or so and then add in another.
I was just reading on a web site this woman was starting what she is calling a 12 step (month) program. She is going to set a monthly exercise goal and a monthly food goal her. Her example for her 1st month 30 mins cardio 5 days a week, 20 mins toning 3 days a week. Food Goal: No pop. Then at the start of each new month she will continue with her 1st months goals but add a little more to them. She will be picking something new to try or something to cut back on each month. I think this is a good idea, it's a easy way to start slowly.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Trigger foods and what to do about them
As I have said in previous blogs, my own personal opinion is food is an addiction. No different than a drug addict or an alcoholic. Whether you believe this or not we all do have certain food that “trigger” us. This means if you are around it you possible cant stop yourself from eating this food, and or if you do give in and eat that particular food it can send you into a tail spin of overeating that food or worst other foods as well that you normally would stay away from.
For me the biggest trigger food are doughnuts and baked chips. (It is getting easier to control my urge to overeat these food, except when my hormones are at full speed, if ya know what I mean) (it sucks to be a woman sometimes)
This is what happens when these foods are around me and my hormones are going strong, I seriously cant control my urges to eat the food, it’s like it calls or pulls me till it put the crap in my mouth, then you just go into a vicious cycle of anger, self hate, & being very disappointed in your self, sometimes it just leads to more over eating.
Just last week I was making the kids some YUMMY Maple brown sugar swirl toast for snack, one slice is 120 calories, 2.5g fat, & 8g sugar, well as I was making this for the kids it smelled SOOOOOOOOOO good, just like a maple doughnut and that my friends is my biggest down fall, (keep in mind I was hormonal at this particular time) so what do you think happen next, I took just a “little bite” of a piece of toast, NOT SMART, I should have known better, that lead to me making myself TWO F-ing pieces of the toast, that I inhaled so fast. As I was doing this I was thinking about 2 things, one, if I eat it so fast it wont really count, what???? (the crazy shit we try to tell ourselves) Two, I was thinking to myself as I was downing the toast, slow down dumb ass and at least enjoy the food, but no it was so tasty I gobbled it up faster then fast, at a total 240 calories, then I was pissed at myself!
What I do and am obviously still working on from time to time, is I try to just not have these particular “trigger” foods in my house. (I still have a couple loaves of the yummy bread I gave to the kids as a snack, well sorry kids but I am giving that bread away to someone else) The baked chips are usually always in my house but I just make sure they are out of site, then most times if I don’t see them then I am fine. The chips are something I can have with dinner or lunch and measure out a serving size and I am fine with them, but I cant have it for a snack because then I seem to eat to many. So I just know the baked chips are only for dinner or lunch meals.
My best advice is just don’t buy foods that you know are triggers for you, or if you have to have them for others in your home then keep them out of your site, don’t leave the bag of cookies right on the kitchen counter or in a cupboard you frequently get into, so it isn’t right in your face all day every day. Better yet you can buy a healthier choice of most foods, (except the doughnuts, I haven’t found them in sugar free yet, look out when that day comes) but they have some good cookies in sugar free, they have really good baked chips, no sugar added ice cream, or candy. You still need to be careful to not overeat the healthier choices, but at least they are better then the other. There also is no reason everyone in your home cant eat healthier food choices, just because they may not need to lose weight it is still healthier for everyone to cut down on sugar, fats, and the astronomical about of white carbs people eat, opposed to whole grains foods.
So in closing today, don’t buy the bad food your shouldn’t be eating and you wont eat them!! LOL
P.S. I walked 2 1/2 miles each day, 5 days last week, I sure didn't want to get up at 5:45am and do it this morning, but I made myself, like I said it is only about a half an hour, I can drag my ass out of bed for about an half hour of walking, that's doable for me!!!
For me the biggest trigger food are doughnuts and baked chips. (It is getting easier to control my urge to overeat these food, except when my hormones are at full speed, if ya know what I mean) (it sucks to be a woman sometimes)
This is what happens when these foods are around me and my hormones are going strong, I seriously cant control my urges to eat the food, it’s like it calls or pulls me till it put the crap in my mouth, then you just go into a vicious cycle of anger, self hate, & being very disappointed in your self, sometimes it just leads to more over eating.
Just last week I was making the kids some YUMMY Maple brown sugar swirl toast for snack, one slice is 120 calories, 2.5g fat, & 8g sugar, well as I was making this for the kids it smelled SOOOOOOOOOO good, just like a maple doughnut and that my friends is my biggest down fall, (keep in mind I was hormonal at this particular time) so what do you think happen next, I took just a “little bite” of a piece of toast, NOT SMART, I should have known better, that lead to me making myself TWO F-ing pieces of the toast, that I inhaled so fast. As I was doing this I was thinking about 2 things, one, if I eat it so fast it wont really count, what???? (the crazy shit we try to tell ourselves) Two, I was thinking to myself as I was downing the toast, slow down dumb ass and at least enjoy the food, but no it was so tasty I gobbled it up faster then fast, at a total 240 calories, then I was pissed at myself!
What I do and am obviously still working on from time to time, is I try to just not have these particular “trigger” foods in my house. (I still have a couple loaves of the yummy bread I gave to the kids as a snack, well sorry kids but I am giving that bread away to someone else) The baked chips are usually always in my house but I just make sure they are out of site, then most times if I don’t see them then I am fine. The chips are something I can have with dinner or lunch and measure out a serving size and I am fine with them, but I cant have it for a snack because then I seem to eat to many. So I just know the baked chips are only for dinner or lunch meals.
My best advice is just don’t buy foods that you know are triggers for you, or if you have to have them for others in your home then keep them out of your site, don’t leave the bag of cookies right on the kitchen counter or in a cupboard you frequently get into, so it isn’t right in your face all day every day. Better yet you can buy a healthier choice of most foods, (except the doughnuts, I haven’t found them in sugar free yet, look out when that day comes) but they have some good cookies in sugar free, they have really good baked chips, no sugar added ice cream, or candy. You still need to be careful to not overeat the healthier choices, but at least they are better then the other. There also is no reason everyone in your home cant eat healthier food choices, just because they may not need to lose weight it is still healthier for everyone to cut down on sugar, fats, and the astronomical about of white carbs people eat, opposed to whole grains foods.
So in closing today, don’t buy the bad food your shouldn’t be eating and you wont eat them!! LOL
P.S. I walked 2 1/2 miles each day, 5 days last week, I sure didn't want to get up at 5:45am and do it this morning, but I made myself, like I said it is only about a half an hour, I can drag my ass out of bed for about an half hour of walking, that's doable for me!!!
Monday, July 12, 2010
The speed or lack there of the weight comes off:
Re cap on my exercising, I did good this last week. I start my work out week on Sundays, so I walked around my neighborhood at 6am for 2 miles (30 minutes) Sunday, Monday (and I went to the gym Monday evening with Roy) Tuesday, Wednesday I went to the gym at 5:30am, Thursday, & Friday I walked. So much better then before I feel good about that. I didn’t do any Saturday or Sunday, but this morning I did 2 ½ miles! Now on to this weeks topic.
The speed or lack there of the weight comes off:
I have been fat most of my adult life, I have dieted and failed many many times, in my opinion “diets” don’t work, I know people hear this all the time “diets don’t work you need to change your life style” I have learned now this really is true. You can lose weight on any “diet” but the problem is keeping it off when you stop the ”diet”, that is why you just need to change the way your eating habits in general forever.
Of course everyone myself included, wants a “quick fix” they want to lose the weight fast. You have to remember it took years to put on the extra weight so you have to expect it to take a while to take it off, sometimes it seems like a LONG while. You can find tons of diets or product that claim it will take off a lot of weight in a fast amount of time, you have to remember the old saying “if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is” Yes these diets and products can take weight off, but in a healthy way? Or permanently? Most times no, they are nothing but quick fixes that most times don’t last long term. The key is you will need to change your eating habits permanently. This means less food in general, smaller portions, less fat and sugars, just eating healthier foods in general, and of course the dreaded exercise!!!!
I haven’t set unrealistic goals for myself, because I know myself, if I set to high goals and they don’t get met then I will get mad and give up. Then the vicious cycle begins, I get all mad at myself wondering why I cant seem to do this and or stick to it, and then just give up AGAIN. It took me 14 months to lose 70lbs so far, I personally feel that took me a long time, I have to keep reminding myself we are all different, remember that and don’t beat your self up if you don’t lose as fast as you would like. My husband didn’t see the numbers move much on the actually scale for the first 4 to 5 months, but he dropped several clothing sizes, he was working out more than I was and doing more weights lifting, so you could tell in how his clothes were fitting better but not on the scale at first. He got very discouraged at times but stuck with it and by 8mo he has lost 39lbs, but even better was a drastic difference in how he physically looks and better yet how much better he feels. So everyone is different, I have also heard it depends on your age, the older you are the harder it is and longer it will take you to take it off, you might see results right at first, some people do and some don’t, just try not to get discouraged and quit if you don’t.
Now if you have gone for month and months and still are not seeing much of any results either on the scale or how your clothing is fitting, I would take a hard look at what and how much your really eating. It goes back to the last blog on portion control and keeping track of what your eating. Sometimes we think we are not eating as much as we are, or that little bit/taste here and there don’t count, well yes they do count. Being honest with yourself and keeping track of EVERYTHING you eat and drink is key. Reading the labels and knowing how many calories are in each item you eat is knowledge you need to lose weight effectively. I know I was surprise how much I really was eating and how many calories things were when I actually started reading the labels and keeping better tract of what I was eating. So if you are not seeing the results you want don’t get discouraged but start to change up what and how much your eating and add in more exercise.
The speed or lack there of the weight comes off:
I have been fat most of my adult life, I have dieted and failed many many times, in my opinion “diets” don’t work, I know people hear this all the time “diets don’t work you need to change your life style” I have learned now this really is true. You can lose weight on any “diet” but the problem is keeping it off when you stop the ”diet”, that is why you just need to change the way your eating habits in general forever.
Of course everyone myself included, wants a “quick fix” they want to lose the weight fast. You have to remember it took years to put on the extra weight so you have to expect it to take a while to take it off, sometimes it seems like a LONG while. You can find tons of diets or product that claim it will take off a lot of weight in a fast amount of time, you have to remember the old saying “if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is” Yes these diets and products can take weight off, but in a healthy way? Or permanently? Most times no, they are nothing but quick fixes that most times don’t last long term. The key is you will need to change your eating habits permanently. This means less food in general, smaller portions, less fat and sugars, just eating healthier foods in general, and of course the dreaded exercise!!!!
I haven’t set unrealistic goals for myself, because I know myself, if I set to high goals and they don’t get met then I will get mad and give up. Then the vicious cycle begins, I get all mad at myself wondering why I cant seem to do this and or stick to it, and then just give up AGAIN. It took me 14 months to lose 70lbs so far, I personally feel that took me a long time, I have to keep reminding myself we are all different, remember that and don’t beat your self up if you don’t lose as fast as you would like. My husband didn’t see the numbers move much on the actually scale for the first 4 to 5 months, but he dropped several clothing sizes, he was working out more than I was and doing more weights lifting, so you could tell in how his clothes were fitting better but not on the scale at first. He got very discouraged at times but stuck with it and by 8mo he has lost 39lbs, but even better was a drastic difference in how he physically looks and better yet how much better he feels. So everyone is different, I have also heard it depends on your age, the older you are the harder it is and longer it will take you to take it off, you might see results right at first, some people do and some don’t, just try not to get discouraged and quit if you don’t.
Now if you have gone for month and months and still are not seeing much of any results either on the scale or how your clothing is fitting, I would take a hard look at what and how much your really eating. It goes back to the last blog on portion control and keeping track of what your eating. Sometimes we think we are not eating as much as we are, or that little bit/taste here and there don’t count, well yes they do count. Being honest with yourself and keeping track of EVERYTHING you eat and drink is key. Reading the labels and knowing how many calories are in each item you eat is knowledge you need to lose weight effectively. I know I was surprise how much I really was eating and how many calories things were when I actually started reading the labels and keeping better tract of what I was eating. So if you are not seeing the results you want don’t get discouraged but start to change up what and how much your eating and add in more exercise.
Monday, July 5, 2010
My battle with exercise
I HATE exercising, but I am committed to do this!!!! I have lost almost 70lbs now, but I just cant seem to get a handle on the exercising regularly part, I don’t like it, maybe because I am lazy, I don’t know, all I know is I really don’t enjoy it, and with that said it makes it soooooo easy to make excuses to not get off my ass and do it. I love the results and I actually love the good feeling you get after your done exercising, for me it is just getting my butt in gear to DO IT!! One of the motivating factors that is helping me get focused is I keep hearing how good exercising is for you whether you have extra weight to loose or not, they say everyone really should be exercising, it has been proven over and over again how good it is for your general health and helps you live a long healthy life. Since I said previously one of the big motivating factors for me to loose weight was I wanted to be around for my kids, I want to live a long healthy life, and exercising from what I keep hearing is one of the key factors to this. So it is time to kick it in gear and make myself do this and stick with it!!!!
We joined a gym in November 2009 (first time I have ever belonged to a gym) my goal was to go 4 days a week, I did good at first but the last 2 to 3 months I have slacked way off. I have been having some hormone issues, because of the weight loss. My dr said because of the amount of weight I have lost it messed up my hormone levels which has given me a number of horrible symptoms. Two of the worst is shear exhaustion mid way through the day, and my body feeling like I have been hit by a semi truck, I am in the process of trying to get my body back to normal, so yes I have a excuse for not being able to exercise as much, but still there are probably sometimes I could have pushed myself to go, but it is just easier to sit on the couch and whine about how crappy I feel!!! I am slowly starting to feel somewhat better now, so I have been making it to the gym 1 to 2 days a week, and just this last week I started walking early in the AM. I walk around my neighborhood for 2 miles, it takes 30 minutes. 30 minutes out of my day is so doable for me, and I will say I am actually kind of enjoying it. At this point I can seem to MAKE myself do 30 minutes everyday, opposed to going to the gym for 1 ½ to 2 hours a day 4 days a week. I know I am not getting nearly as good of a workout this way, but the way I am looking at it is at least I am doing something, and hopefully when my body gets back to normal (whatever that is, ha ha ha) I will have more energy to get back to the 3 to 4 days a week at the gym. I must give kudos to Roy though, through all these months of me slacking at going to the gym he has continued to go by himself, which is wonderful, I am very proud of him!! The only time he didn’t go regularly is when he was worked almost 240 hours in 19 straight days, that of course was during grad season and they were slammed at work, and he was working his ass off at work.
At this point I am trying to find a exercise program that works for me, my goal is to progressively push myself to do more and more. As I said I guess I am just lazy, and I know myself if I push myself to hard I WILL not continue an exercise program, but I also know I need to push myself some or I wont get anywhere either, so I am in the process of trying to find a happy balance. This is all a learning experience for me.
I found all this info on the internet and thought it was worth passing along:
* Heart disease is twice as likely to develop in inactive people as in those who are more active.
* Physically active women have a 60 to 75 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than inactive women.
* Physical activity helps maintain weight, blood pressure, and diabetes—all risk factors for heart disease.
* One of the easiest ways to begin exercising is walking.
*No medicine is as powerful as physical activity.
Exercise is not just something that you do it is something that you become. Whether you like to exercise or not isn't really an option, it is a choice, a choice that is dependent on you!!! Nobody can do this for you no exercise program or trainer, no pill or supplement. It comes from deep within you. (this is what I am trying to tell my self)
Most people need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week.
People don't want to hear about the patience aspect. They want instant gratification. But the cold, hard reality is if you want to lose weight and keep it off, it's work. No one loses weight and keeps it off without trying.
In closing exercising is great for everyone’s overall health, doing the walking for 30 minutes 5 days or more a week, is a wonderful start then you can start increasing your amount of walking or start doing more cardiovascular exercises and weights. If you are doing nothing right now 30 minutes a day is a GREAT start, everyone can find 30 minutes a day to help yourself have a better quality of life, you and your families deserve it!! So get movin
We joined a gym in November 2009 (first time I have ever belonged to a gym) my goal was to go 4 days a week, I did good at first but the last 2 to 3 months I have slacked way off. I have been having some hormone issues, because of the weight loss. My dr said because of the amount of weight I have lost it messed up my hormone levels which has given me a number of horrible symptoms. Two of the worst is shear exhaustion mid way through the day, and my body feeling like I have been hit by a semi truck, I am in the process of trying to get my body back to normal, so yes I have a excuse for not being able to exercise as much, but still there are probably sometimes I could have pushed myself to go, but it is just easier to sit on the couch and whine about how crappy I feel!!! I am slowly starting to feel somewhat better now, so I have been making it to the gym 1 to 2 days a week, and just this last week I started walking early in the AM. I walk around my neighborhood for 2 miles, it takes 30 minutes. 30 minutes out of my day is so doable for me, and I will say I am actually kind of enjoying it. At this point I can seem to MAKE myself do 30 minutes everyday, opposed to going to the gym for 1 ½ to 2 hours a day 4 days a week. I know I am not getting nearly as good of a workout this way, but the way I am looking at it is at least I am doing something, and hopefully when my body gets back to normal (whatever that is, ha ha ha) I will have more energy to get back to the 3 to 4 days a week at the gym. I must give kudos to Roy though, through all these months of me slacking at going to the gym he has continued to go by himself, which is wonderful, I am very proud of him!! The only time he didn’t go regularly is when he was worked almost 240 hours in 19 straight days, that of course was during grad season and they were slammed at work, and he was working his ass off at work.
At this point I am trying to find a exercise program that works for me, my goal is to progressively push myself to do more and more. As I said I guess I am just lazy, and I know myself if I push myself to hard I WILL not continue an exercise program, but I also know I need to push myself some or I wont get anywhere either, so I am in the process of trying to find a happy balance. This is all a learning experience for me.
I found all this info on the internet and thought it was worth passing along:
* Heart disease is twice as likely to develop in inactive people as in those who are more active.
* Physically active women have a 60 to 75 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than inactive women.
* Physical activity helps maintain weight, blood pressure, and diabetes—all risk factors for heart disease.
* One of the easiest ways to begin exercising is walking.
*No medicine is as powerful as physical activity.
Exercise is not just something that you do it is something that you become. Whether you like to exercise or not isn't really an option, it is a choice, a choice that is dependent on you!!! Nobody can do this for you no exercise program or trainer, no pill or supplement. It comes from deep within you. (this is what I am trying to tell my self)
Most people need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week.
People don't want to hear about the patience aspect. They want instant gratification. But the cold, hard reality is if you want to lose weight and keep it off, it's work. No one loses weight and keeps it off without trying.
In closing exercising is great for everyone’s overall health, doing the walking for 30 minutes 5 days or more a week, is a wonderful start then you can start increasing your amount of walking or start doing more cardiovascular exercises and weights. If you are doing nothing right now 30 minutes a day is a GREAT start, everyone can find 30 minutes a day to help yourself have a better quality of life, you and your families deserve it!! So get movin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)