Saturday, February 23, 2013

HERE'S HOW!

I've had so many people ask me how I lost weight and that is the reason for my blog. This week I will simply be listing the various ways that I switched to a healthier lifestyle. I won't be going into any great detail...that will be left for future blog posts (lol have to fill up a whole year of weekly blogs somehow).


MY NON-FOOD ITEMS LIST:


1. The first step is reaching the decision that it is time for you to make a change in your lifestyle...to either get healthier or to lose weight...or the best in my opinion, a combo of the two!


2. You have to get in some extra exercise other than your normal everyday movements...and it should be done almost every day.


3. In order to lose weight, a body needs a good night's sleep, so most nights I try to get to bed an hour earlier than in the past.


4. Get rid of as much stress and worry as you can from your life. Get rid of toxic relationships. A favourite saying of mine is "don't sweat the small stuff".


5. You need to get outside and soak up the fresh air and sunshine, rejuvenate/invigorate your body, mind and soul :)


6. You need to have a positive attitude about your new healthier lifestyle. If you can't envision great results, how will they happen? Be your own cheerleader!


MY FOOD-RELATED ITEMS LIST:


1. Portion control...it can be as simple as eating less than before.


2. No evening snacking while watching tv (that's a toughie).


3. Eat breakfast every morning.

4. I rarely have morning or afternoon snacks but when I do, I Keep them below 100 calories.

5. Start counting calories...it's a very helpful way to control what you eat.


6. Keep a food diary...log every morsel that passes your lips... myfitnesspal.com is my fave, I have been using it every day for over a year now!


MY SPECIFIC FOOD ITEMS LIST:


1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (can't believe I mastered this one!)


2. Limit beverages such as fruit juice, pop, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, wine, liquor.

3. Cut down on foods with high fat, sugar or salt content.

4. Switch from white to brown...ie, whole wheat or multi-grain bread, brown whole grain rice, brown whole wheat pasta, whole wheat flour.


5. Bread, rice and pasta are high in calories, so don't eat every day. (I shudder to think that I used to eat bread at every meal!)

6. Eat alot of fish high in omega-3 fat such as sardines, salmon and trout.

7. Eat low fat versions of cheese.


8. Cut down on processed foods such as lunchmeats, weiners, cheese slices and bread (buy bread from bakery section not off the shelf).

9. Cut down on fried foods, especially deep fried such as french fries.

10. Cut down on mashed potatoes & gravy...serve steamed veggies instead with suppertime meat.

11. Homemade is always better than packaged meals...for example, soup made with your own fresh ingredients tastes so much better without all those unpronouncable additives.


12. Save fast food meals for special occasions or rewards, don't stop in out of habit or laziness...lol,savour the wickedness of it.

13. Do the same with your favourite candy, chocolate, cookie, donut, ice cream, chips, etc...unfortunately they can't be a daily routine if you want to live to see the next flavour to come out!


LOL...I know I've probably forgotten to add something to one of these lists...but if/when I do remember, it will pop up in a later blog post :)

BTW...when it comes to restricting certain foods in my diet, I do not exclude anything entirely, I just cut down the amounts of bad stuff (and increase the amounts of the good stuff).


THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE: Jot down the one item ( from the lists above) that you would like to hear more about right away. Then enter it into the comments area below. Your choice will be featured in a March blog :)


NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: Monthly check-in :)

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

MOVE IT, MOVE IT!


Please click here for this week's theme music :)

LOL...I bet you can't get this catchy tune out of your head now eh?


I must confess, I am not an exercise fiend, I would much rather SIT...sit outside enjoying the summer breeze, sit in a comfy chair reading a book, sit at my computer catching up with friends on facebook, sit in front of the tv in the evenings watching all my fave shows, sit at the table eating a delicious meal (especially if it was Al's turn to cook!).
 
 
Just how much should we be exercising every day?
 
1. Aerobic activity: Get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. You also can do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week.
 
2. Strength training: Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. No specific amount of time for each strength training session is included in the guidelines.
 
As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, you may need to exercise more.


If you don’t currently exercise and aren’t very active during the day, any increase in exercise or physical activity is good for you. Start slow, and gradually build up the length and intensity of your workouts over time.


You don’t need to log all of your daily activity in one session: You can accumulate physical activity in 10-minute bursts, spread throughout the day.

150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but you don't have to do it all at once. Not only is it best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. As long as you're doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time.


Personally, I do my exercising in 15-minute sessions. The only reason for that is because I use dvds which are comprised of several 15-minute workouts. The duration of my workout varies...most times it's only 15 min., sometimes it's 30 min. and a few times I've even done 45 min. at once. On an average day I'll get in an hour's worth of exercising :)


THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE: Give it a try...even if it's just a 10-minute walk :)


NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: "Here's How"


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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

Saturday, February 09, 2013

BISCUITS OF BENEFITS

This breakfast is what Al calls my secret to success. Once he started eating it too, he began to see greater weight loss results.


Breakfast has always been touted as the most important meal of the day. And this one really fits the bill for me because it's chock full of good stuff and devoid of the bad stuff. I call it my boost in a bowl :)


First ingredient into the bowl...cereal:


My dietitian recommended this cereal to me and even gave me a coupon for $1 as incentive, lol.

Here is a blurb from Post:

Wouldn't it be great if it were easy to understand what is in your food? With Post Shredded Wheat Wheat'n Bran Spoon Size Cereal, it's easy to be confident with your breakfast choice. It's made with nothing but goodness, so go ahead and enjoy a bowl. Post Shredded Wheat Wheat'n Bran Spoon Size Cereal is made with 100% natural whole grain wheat and wheat bran. That means Post Shredded Wheat is sodium free and has zero grams of sugar per serving. Nutritionists recommend eating at least 48 grams of whole grains a day. Instead of counting servings, enjoy one bowl of Post Shredded Wheat Wheat'n Bran Spoon Size Cereal. With 57 grams of whole grains per serving, you'll get 100% of what you need for the day in just one bowl! This cereal is also low in fat and cholesterol. So what does this mean in terms of health benefits for you? They are so plentiful, this cereal could be renamed Biscuits of Benefits!

BTW: This particular cereal with the bran added has almost double the amount of fibre as the original wheat ones...9 grams!

I think that this is the only cereal out there that has no sugar and no sodium. If you know of another one, please let me know! LOl, I've been eating this one for over a year now for 5 days a week and a change would be nice :)

Second ingredient into the bowl...cinnamon:

I sprinkle a spoonful of cinnamon over the cereal because it speeds up metabolism and can dramatically lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels.
 
Third ingredient into the bowl...flaxseed:
 
 
I sprinkle a spoonful of milled flaxseed over the cereal because it works wonders for lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar and preventing heart disease.
 
Fourth ingredient into the bowl...blueberries:
 
 
I toss a handful of blueberries over the cereal because they are very high in antioxidants which significantly reduce both blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
 
Fifth ingredient into the bowl...almond milk:
 
 
I pour in enough almond milk to cover the cereal because it works to promote healthy blood pressure & blood sugar levels, lowers bad cholesterol and provides healthy fats to aid in weight loss.
 
Here is a blurb from Silk:
 
Silk True Almond Unsweetened Original
Great for your healthy diet

• No added sugar
• An amazing 30 calories per serving
• As much calcium and vitamin D as milk
• Absolutely no saturated fat or cholesterol
• 100% free of lactose and dairy
• Made from whole, natural almonds

And there you have it, my boost in a bowl breakfast :)
 
PLEASE NOTE: There are so many other ways to get a healthy breakfast onto your menu and these will be the topic of a future blog post.
 
 
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:
 
Take a look at the nutrition label on your box of cereal. LOL...should you be switching cereals? I'm so glad I did! I used to eat so many high sugar "fun" cereals...it's a wonder I never got any cavities. If you already have a box of healthy cereal in your cupboard, please share in comment area what it is. If you decide to try a healthier cereal than what you are eating now, please share in comment area the name of the old cereal and what you chose to replace it. LOL...and how bad did the new one taste compared to the old one...it sure took me awhile to get used to eating "bark" :)
 
NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: Move it, move it!
 
 
LOL...Wish I'd known it was for breakast!!
 
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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

Saturday, February 02, 2013

CRUEL JOKE

I just realized that it's time for our monthly weigh-in so the blog I promised last week will be posted next week.


And how serendipitous that I've got something funny to share with you about weighing in. Well, it's not actually funny but if I don't laugh about it, I'll cry.


My bathroom scale has played a cruel joke on me!


As you might already know about me, I weigh myself every morning. LOL...I just can't stand the suspense...wondering if the work I did the day before had any effect...if I've lost a lb. I want to know asap, not wait a whole week to find out. I know, I know...an extra low caloried meal or an extra intense workout yesterday may not show on the scale until a few days more but hey you never know what can happen right?


So...for over a year now, I've been weighing myself every morning...losing weight all year long. Mind you it wasn't a steady loss, some days I'd gain a lb, some days I'd lose 3, twice during the year I was on a plateau for 2 months at a time before starting to drop again. But it was a definite loss of poundage...from reading 192 in Jan. 2012 to reading 132 in Dec. 2012.


Then comes 2013. As usual I've been weighing myself every morning and the poundage was to be expected...gained 2 lbs. over the holidays then managed to lose it again quite quickly.


Then it's Jan. 23rd and all hell breaks loose, lol!! I step on the scale that morning and it reads 150 lbs.!! I moved the scale around to different spots on the bathroom floor, still 150. To this day, it still reads 150 :(


Okay, it's humanly impossible to gain 20 lbs. overnight, right? LOL...should I be calling Guinness Book of World Records?


At first I was flabbergasted, in shock. Secondly, devastation set in. It was a big blow to my selfpride and ego...I had been so pleased with my progress and it was like it had never happened at all. LOL...luckily I snapped out of it as soon as I got dressed in front of the mirror, the same changes to my body were still there...the same new clothes still fit fine...I got out my measuring tape and fearfully peeked at my inches...Yay, still the same! Thirdly came disappointment...I had been so happy that I'd made it down into the BMI healthy range. Now I'm back to being overweight...and it sucks :(


What a conundrum, what the heck happened?


Need to find out:
1. Was the scale wrong before and I really didn't lose as much weight as I thought I had?
2. Is the scale right now and I've gained 20 lbs...but of what, can't be fat cause measurements are same, could it be muscle?
3. Do I laugh or cry?


Need to find out:
1. Was the scale wrong before and I really didn't lose as much weight as I thought I had?
2. Is the scale right now and I've gained 20 lbs...but of what, can't be fat cause measurements are same, could it be muscle?
3. Do I laugh or cry?


I've come to the conclusion that instead of a monthly weigh-in, we should be having a monthly check-in. I know that some people never weigh themselves regularly, they rely on their measurements and/or their wardrobe as signs of their progress or backsliding.


As for myself, I'll definitely be continuing on with my healthier lifestyle...I'll still be weighing myself daily (on the evil scale) and taking my measurements every month...and as painful as it is to do, I'll change my weight on myfitnesspal so it can adjust the amount of calories needed to lose that weight all over again...happy face, sad face, not sure what to put at the end of that statement.


THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

Check-in time! Get out your scale or your measuring tape or your fave outfit...how are things going? LOL...got any juicy confessions about something you indulged in this month that you know wasn't good for you? I had cake for my birthday, but good grief, not 20 lbs. worth!!


I'll just have to keep telling myself....


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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.