Glasses of Water

Just a little health tip to share today. This one stems from a good friend of mine at Sparkles of Light.

WATER lots of Water

We all know we are suppose to drink plenty of water. However, one thing that I have been trying - CHUG - really CHUG -  a 12 oz glass of water before you eat ANYTHING! Yes, this is a lot of water - well if you eat a lot it is. :)

The benefit over the past not quite 2 weeks - I have lost 1.5 pounds! My skin also thanks me - especially the bags under my eye. The bags are now equivalent  to a small purse instead of a jumbo travel bag. ;)

Now, if you are dehydrated, you will likely see the scale go up a couple of pounds first. Don't panic, this is just water weight - that you probably need. Keep going and likely you will start to lose fat. :)

The one side effect I am not keen on - I spend more time in the bathroom these days. I do feel better though, and less tired.

Give it a try. See if you FEEL a difference.

Later Gator.

Maintaining through the Holidays

The Holidays. Such a wonderful time of year. Lovely extra family time. Gifts. Parties. FOOD. Lots of food. Lots of BAD foods. Temptations around every corner. For me, the challenges start now. Halloween. Candy - oh so much candy. Luckily, these days candy is not as big of a draw for me. I say that, but how many mini candy bars did I eat today - I don't want to know.

So, tomorrow it goes into a cupboard so I don't see it all day staring at me. The quick grab. I feel like I need a bowl to smack my hands if I go near it. :)
I need to plan. Options. What other foods will I keep on hand that are healthy alternatives and quick, easy grabs?

Derailed, again...

Oh crap. I've gained.

Derailed is not even a good description. Crashed and burned covers it better - but luckily I don't have any of my own photos of something in flames!

I had been holding steady - not great, but considering everything going on, I didn't feel too bad about that. But, then - I went CRAZY! Not thinking at all about what I ate or how much I exercised. It's totally my fault and all within my control.

I am not doing this for anyone other than myself. And yet, I always feel guilty when I eat something I shouldn't. Then, I beat myself up over it. Why do I do this? I suspect I am not the only one that falls into this trap.

So, my back is better and time to start exercising again.
Time to remember calories count - no matter how 'healthy' they are.
Moderation and balance are key.
WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN!

Not sure how I will make it through the holiday season - which starts now. I love to bake! You have probably guessed that by now. My goal is to lose 10 pounds between now and the end of the year. I best get at it!

Lesson 9: Problem Solving

There are so many obstacles that can get in our way when we are trying to achieve a goal (weight loss and better health in this case). To deal with these obstacles we need to do a little problem solving.

Step 1: Identify and Describe the Problem in detail.

Lesson 8: Enlisting Social Support

Social support has been shown to be important for overall health and well-being. Studies have shown those with supportive relationships live longer, healthier lives. So - today we will be examining types of social support, how to find it, and what to do with those that are unsupportive.

Types of Support:

Lesson 7: Talking back to negative thoughts

Who has NEVER had negative thoughts? It can be a vicious cycle - bad thoughts lead to eating and non-activity, which leads to more bad thoughts. AHHH! Sometimes, we are not even aware we are having them! Trouble.

Here are common negative patterns:
1. Good vs bad. When everything tends to be divided into good or bad, success or failure, on or off a program.
2. Excuses or rationalizations. We all have these - there are always reason why we do (or don't do) something - and they are usually not our fault. It is like we have no power to control situations. Or life is just so busy there is no way we can fit a healthy lifestyle into out lives.
3. Should thoughts. These thoughts expect perfection and set us up for disappointment. These assume someone is standing over use forcing use to do things we don't want to do. e.g. I should have eaten less - or I should NOT have had that...
4. Not as good as thoughts. These thoughts compare ourselves to others and blame us for not measuring up. e.g. So and so lost 5 pounds and I have only lost 2.
5. Give up thoughts. These defeat ourselves. They often follow the other kinds of negative thoughts. e.g. This is too hard; I might as well give up.

How to talk back to negative thoughts.
1. First, catch yourself.  Is this thought moving me forward or bringing me down? As soon as you are aware of the thought - take responsibility for it. 'I am doing this to myself.'
2. Imagine yourself yelling STOP. If you are somewhere appropriate - go ahead and yell at yourself.
3. Talk back with a positive thought.

Example responses to negative thoughts.
1. Good vs bad: Talk back with 'work towards balance.'

• Don't expect perfection, but don't indulge yourself either. Work towards a balance.

2. Excuses: Talk back with 'it's worth a try.'

•  Instead of looking for something or someone else to blame, give yourself a chance. Try SOMETHING. You just might surprise yourself and succeed!

3. Should: Talk back with 'It's my choice.'

• Take responsibility for your actions. You, and you alone, are in charge of what you eat and how you exercise. No one else has expectations for you. This is for you, your health and well being.

4. Not as good as: Talk back with 'everyone is different.'

• How many times do we tell our children - it doesn't matter what others are doing, it only matters that you are trying your hardest to be a good person and to achieve your best in school/sports/etc. Hmm, maybe we should listen to ourselves! We are to be happy for other people successes and work our hardest on our own goals. (MAN, I need to remember this one!)

5. Give up: Talk back with 'One step at a time.'

• Problem solving is a process. It takes time to make changes. Learn from what doesn't work and keep moving forward. Learning is always a success.

I always try to remember: it took years to develop these habits, it will take time to undo them too!
Good luck!

What is your strongest negative thought?

Lesson 6: Physical Activity

Yes, it is important to exercise. There are LOTS of benefits - both physical and psychological. I could make a big long list of all the benefits - instead I will just say, we should all be exercising unless there is a medical reason NOT to.

Physical activity BURNS calories (you know, those pesky things we keep eating every day). Those that are successful in weight loss and maintenance, all follow regular exercise routines.

What types of activities should be done?

• Choose activities you can accomplish and enjoy. Stick to things you like - or can at least tolerate. If you despise the activity, you won't stick to it. 
• Choose aerobic activities. You will burn more if you can do moderate to vigorous activities. Don't worry if you have to start slower, you will build up to higher levels as you 'get into shape'.

How much should be done?

• The public health recommendation from CDC and ACSM is at least 30 minutes per day on most or all days. For weight loss and maintenance, it should be closer to 60 minutes every day.

Finding time to be active.
This is usually one of the biggest barriers to exercise.

• Set aside a block of time like you would any other appointment or 'to do' items during your day.
• Schedule physical activity for the week. Instead of planning one day at a time, plan your entire week. This will allow you to see your availability for the week and plan longer/shorter workouts to best fit your schedule. 
• Look for free time during the day. Use the time to be active. If you have 10 minutes at work, walk the stairs rather than checking your email.  Or talk a walk around your building. Try to see how many 2-3 minute walks you can accumulate throughout the day.
• Turn inactive time into active time. Evaluate how you spend your time. Be honest with yourself.  Try cutting your TV time in half. Talk a walk, go to the gym, etc instead.

Increase Adherence to Your Workouts
Set up activity reminders and cues.

• set an alarm
• prepare - have everything ready to go and visible throughout the day.
• fitness magazines, pictures, etc can be laced around the house/office as reminders/motivators to be active.

Identify any barriers that may arise and make a plan.

• If you walk/run outside: what will you do if it rains? 
• If you began programs in the past, why did you stop? How can you prevent this from happening again?

Find ways to increase enjoyment and add variety to your routine.

Establish long-term physical activity goal.

• Do a 5k (schedule one).
• Bike/hike certain routes/lengths.
• Your goal should be difficult, realistic, and measurable. Hard enough to challenge you, but realistic enough to actually achieve.

Share your goals with friends/family. Facebook is great for this.

Believe in yourself.

• Don't underestimate what you can do. If you doubt yourself, you are less likely to achieve your goals. Set a goal you know you can achieve and then increase your goals as you achieve each one.

Lifestyle activity
Things you do in your day to day happenings. This counts in your overall fitness as well.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Park at the far end of the lot instead of the close end.
Take several trips up and down the stairs throughout the day instead of piling things for a later trip.
Every hour, take short walk breaks at work.
Use your lunch break to get in 10 minutes of walking.
Get off the bus 1 stop earlier.
Walk the dog instead of letting out in the yard.
Take activity breaks during TV commercials.

Lesson 5: Eating Healthy When Eating Out

Eating out can be challenging when trying to lose weight (or even maintain for that matter). This lesson presents 4 keys to healthy eating out:

1. Plan ahead
2. Ask for what you want
3. Take charge of what's around you
4. Choose foods carefully

Plan Ahead

• Pick where you eat carefully. Go somewhere that you know offers low-fat/calorie choices. If there is a restaurant that is challenging for you - don't go there. Avoid 'all you can eat' places - DANGER!
• Do a little research. Call ahead or look online for nutritional information and choices. Plan what to order before you go so you won't be tempted once there.
• Prepare yourself. If you know you will be eating out later in the week, budget your calories to allow extras for your day out. That day, watch your calories earlier/later in the day. Eat some fruit or drink water before you go so you aren't 'starving' when you get to the restaurant. 
• Other things to consider. Don't drink alcohol before eating. For evenings at a friend's, bring a safe side dish from home to share with others.

Ask For What You Want

• Think, When Harry Met Sally . Ask for lower-fat/calorie options cooked in a healthy way. For dressing, ask for them to be served on the side. Don't be afraid to ask for items that are not on the menu.
• Ask for the amounts you want. You can ask for a half serving. Or, just ask to box half of it up to take home. Also consider ordering just an appetizer or something from the children's menu.
• Be NICE. Be decisive, but not threatening. 

Take Charge of What's Around You

• Be the first to order.  Don't be influenced by those around you.
• Keep foods off the table. Have chips/salsa, bread, etc removed or place on the other side of the table where you can't reach them. 
• Ask for your plate to be removed when you are finished eating. No picking on what's left!
• Watch Alcohol. There are often large amounts of empty calories and can cause you to let your guard down.
• If at a social gathering - stay away from the food table!

Choose Foods Carefully

• You know what to do...
• Stay away from fried foods. 
• Watch out for fatty sauces. 
• Trim visible fat.

Where are your favorite places to eat? How will you change your habits to fit your new lifestyle?

Lesson 4: Reducing and Changing Cues

Why do we eat what we eat?

There are many reasons we eat.
1. Hunger. Yes, physical hunger is the obvious. We need to eat to nourish our bodies. BUT, there are also times we have a desire to eat without feeling physical hunger.
2. Thoughts and Feelings. Emotions can trigger eating. For example, I go to sugary treats when frustrated or bored.
3. What other people do. If a friend offers you some food, you may feel obligated to eat it - or just want to eat it.
4. Sights and Smells. Just seeing or smelling food can trigger the desire to eat.
5. Activities. Watching TV, going to a ballgame, going to the movies. How often do you NOT think of the foods you will eat when doing these (or other) activities? Never right? right? Yeah, me too.

So, how do we change our behaviors and habits?

1. Stay away or hide!

• Don't keep your 'trouble' foods in the house or at work. If you must, use single servings, or hide them. Don't keep them in plain sight.
• Use opaque containers.
• When you finish eating (at home or a restaurant), remove the plate or put a napkin on top.  If at a restaurant, ask for a to go container right away. Put any 'extra' in the box so you won't be tempted to eat 3 servings instead of one. 

2. Build a new healthier habit.

 

 

• Keep the healthy stuff in sight. Put the healthy stuff in prominent locations in the fridge, not so healthy stuff in the back.
• Set a designated eating place in the  house. Restrict your eating to this one place.
• Separate eating from other activities. No more watching TV while eating. :(
• Use smaller dishes - ones that better fit the correct portion size. You are less likely to feel 'cheated' if using smaller dishes with the correct portions. Correct portions and large dishes makes you feel like you are eating nothing.
• Don't eat while cooking/baking. (Ohhh, the calories I must consume before we are ready to eat!!)

Shopping: Yep, this can be troublesome for all of us. Make a list. Stick to it! Don't go to the store hungry. Don't be a slave to coupons. Just because it is on sale - doesn't mean it is good for you.

Examine your habits...

Make a plan. Figure out what your 'bad' habits are and make a plan to change them. Write it down. There is something about having something in writing that helps to stick to the plan!

So - what are your habits? How do you plan to change them?

Lesson 3: Healthy Eating

Yep, most of us just need to eat healthier and eat less. I am guessing we all know what that means. But, if you want a little refresher, here are some tips. And, remember, the definition of healthy can vary - a lot. I have to set the bar on the low side - otherwise I may just drive myself nuts! I am in LOVE with carbs. Any kind of carb. I have been trying to eat more foods I prepare and fewer prepackaged foods, more 'natural' foods (foods that come from the earth) fewer foods from a factory. I have nothing against pre-packaged foods. I still use them a lot. I just figure that fruits and vegetables are probably better for me than oreos. But, it is a work in progress.

That are lots of ways to change eating habits. Three main areas are:
1. How you eat
2. What you eat
3. How you prepare food

How You Eat

• Have a regular pattern of meals.  Stick to a schedule - this will help from getting too hungry and losing control. Try to set colorie goals for each meal. If you can plan your food for the day, you will be less likely to indulge and go crazy.
• Eat slowly.  This helps to better digest food and give your body time to feel full. You will also be more aware of what you are eating and when you feel full.
• Don't worry about cleaning your plate. (Do any of us worry about this?? Not me, I am usually more worried about seeing an empty plate and still feeling hungry! :) ) Serve yourself smaller portions. When eating, stop periodically, put your fork down and do a hunger test. If you do not feel hungry, push the plate aside.
• Veggies first. Fill up on all the veggies first, then eat the food on the rest of the plate.
• Smaller plate. Use a smaller plate than you normally would. This will help to decrease portions AND fool your body into thinking you have just as much as you did with the large plate. Weird, I know, but this DOES work.

What You Eat

• Everything in Moderation! Eat high fat/high calorie foods less often.

Less of this... 

• Eat smaller portions of the high fat/high calorie foods.
• Eat LARGER portions of low fat/low calorie foods.

More of this...

• Try substituting lower calorie options when possible  - use low fat margarine, mayonnaise, cheeses, salad dressing, etc. WARNING - 'low fat' options still have calories and often have MORE sugar than the 'regular' option. READ THE LABELS.
• Instead of flavoring foods with fat - try spices or other low fat options.
• Lower the fat content in the meat you eat. Buy lean cuts. Trim visible fat. Broil, roast, bake, grill - no frying. Remove skin from chicken and turkey. Choose a white meat. Drain off fat after cooking. Eat more FISH!

How You Prepare Food

• Avoid Frying food.
• Use vegetable spray instead of oil.
• Use 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg.
• Again - use more spices and less fat
• When baking, incorporate more whole grains. You can substitute up to half the regular flour in MOST baked goods without significant changes in flavor and texture. You can certainly use entire whole grains - BUT you are warned, you and your family WILL know the difference. I like to use a combination of whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and wheat germ. There are many other options, I just have never tried them.
• You can 'hide' pureed veggies into several meals as well.
• Substitute for fats. There are many options for removing fats from foods by substituting low fat yogurt, low fat sour cream, unsweetened applesauce, flax seed, etc. I like to substitute SOME of the fat. Again, you can substitute all of the fat, but the texture will suffer. I don't have a ratio here to stick to, but you can experiment a bit. Non-fat options tend to make the texture rubbery.

There are several blogs out there with healthy recipes. Just be careful - everyone's definition of healthy is different. Make sure to check the nutrition content. Calories, fat, carbs, fiber, sugar. It all counts. You just have to find the right balance. If you have a favorite site for recipes - please share.

Happy Eating!

Lesson 2: Intro to Weight Loss

At first, it seems a little weird that the introduction to weight loss is the second lesson - but I guess the idea was to get us started by setting goals and then work in the rest of the facts. I guess it doesn't really matter - I am just following the program here. So, I will get on with it...

This information is based from a Diabetes Prevention Program funded by the NIH. Surprise, surprise, the study found that easting right and exercising reduced your risk of diabetes.

This program supports making gradual, healthy, and reasonable changes. No cold turkey here. No instant changing everything. I knew there was a reason I liked this plan! This plan is designed to help lose 1-2 lbs per week.

We may be a bit unsteady at first, but we will get stronger!

The key to weight loss is controlling calories. You have to eat less and exercise more. Yep - that simple. To lose 1 pound you need to burn 3500 calories (eek!) more than you eat. To do this, you need to create a deficit of 500 calories per day. If you want to lose 2 pounds, you need a 1000 calorie deficit. Oh - the standard 2000 calories per day recommended - that's for average height and weight people. Those of us that are short - should be more like 1700 calories (what????).

Remember, these are just averages. Your metabolism rate changes things as well. BUT, most of us do NOT have a high metabolism -so that's not much of a help. (SIGH).

So, how do we do this?

EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE

• Exercise AT LEAST 2.5 hours per week (~750 calories)
• Pick activities you like
• work up to your goal - this could take up to 4 weeks
• spread the exercise out over several days 3-6 days is recommended
• if you are less than 200 lbs - you should be eating about 1200 calories per day
• if you  are more than 200 lbs - you should eat about 1500 calories per day

SELF MONITORING
This helps us be aware of what exactly we are doing.  Write down everything you eat, when you eat it, and how much you exercise. This has been found to be the single best predictor of successful weight loss. Get your pens ready!

• Be honest and complete - don't lie - it will only hurt you. Don't forget everything you drink and all the extras like butter, dressings, etc. Carry your journal with you  so you can keep track wherever you go. There are apps for this now, if that is easier for you.
• Be accurate. Read labels. Use calorie guides (I have used this one)
• Measure your foods to increase accuracy. You may be surprised at how little the serving sizes are.
• For those of you familiar with Weight Watchers - this is a big thing for the program. For good reason! You can use their systems, or just count calories. Either way - you MUST know what you are eating!
• At the end of each week, give yourself a grade on how well you stuck to your goals. Think about your exercise and eating habits.

A little about behaviors. I tend to be an emotional eater. When stressed, upset, bored, etc I go to the kitchen. This is always a battle for me. Do you struggle with this too? It is helpful to write down emotions in the guide too. I find when I am recording everything I eat, I tend to eat less, just be cause I don't want to write it down. Emotions and justifications are funny things. There are books out there on this subject and how to deal with it.

One other tip - Take pictures of yourself as you go. Every month or two. It is hard to see results when you are looking at yourself every day. Pictures help to show the changes. Body Measurements are also good. Sometimes, the scale doesn't show the whole picture.

Good Luck! If you are interested in a food log, I have an electronic version of the one included in this study. Happy to email it to you if you are interested. Just leave a comment.

And so, it begins

We just returned from vacation. We had a wonderful visit with the in-laws at the beach. I have been struggling with my weight for a while now - but this past week I saw some photos of myself (I am  usually the one behind the camera so I get to avoid this quite nicely). AHHHH! Is that really me?!?! I have been wanting to lose weight  but have lacked the motivation. I think I have found it! So, today, I woke up and started exercising. I took photos of myself - no, I won't share those quite yet. Took measurements and wrote them down. Threw out the cake left over from vacation. I'm sure I will crave that again, but not today! :) Thank goodness for small victories. And, I am starting this blog. Mostly just to catelog my weight loss journey, but also to record my life's journey. This blog is a work in progress - like everything in my life. So, be patient with me. The most important part for me right now, is just to start.

I have been on a weightloss journey before. I did quite well for a year. I lost 25 lbs and kept most of it off for a year. Then, we started to build a house - ourselves. Stress, little time for food preparations, and old habits crept back into my life. But, as we were finishing the house, I was getting back on track. We had more time on our hands and food preparations were going much better. I was exercising again. THEN - I got pregnant and everything went out the window. I gained the most on this third pregnancy and have not really been successful losing the weight again. But then, I haven't really tried either - I must be honest. Oh - did I mention, I have back issues. I do have medical restrictions on exercises - which just makes this a bit more challenging. I have used this as an excuse for some time now - pain is a powerful driving force. But, no more. So, now at an all time high weight (in a non-pregnant state) I think I am ready to make life-style changes. We shall see. Any bets??? Anyone else want to join me?

So...
DAY 1!!!!! Starting point 180 lbs (eeek!)
exercised 45 minutes - doing Bootcamp workout by Kenneth Hogan. (I have found this to be ok with my back - with just a few minor modifications)
Off to the grocery store this afternoon - we have NOTHING in the house as we just got back from vacation.
Food goals - eat more vegtables than treats.


Oh - I should mention one more thing. I LOVE sweats and breads. I have a love affair with carbs. I don't like to follow diets - just try to eat a balanced diet and exercise most days.

eat right and exercise. Simple yes. Easy NO.