Ack! I'm going to be in a wedding in 7 months and I need to lose weight!

[nancypants]

I've needed to lose this weight for some time. Actually I had lost quite a bit but then vacation last summer did me in (between my Dad taking us out to eat a LOT and doing a lot of sitting for the 7 days of driving we did, I gained a hideous 12 pounds of it back!!) ((((sigh)))) Basically, I want/need to lose 40 pounds. Okay... I'd be super happy if I lost 30. 40 would be less than I've weighed since 9th grade so it's probably unrealistic.

Now that the weather is not continuously sub-zero I am starting to walk as many times a week as I can in the mornings but this is so hard to do because I suffer with insomnia and it's really difficult to wake up early.

We do not eat really unhealthy but I have a tendency to take seconds at dinner time. BAD BAD BAD!

But I'm going to be in a wedding... I haven't been in a wedding in a very long time!! All of those (except my own) I had just recently had a baby and was nursing -- dieting wasn't an option. But now it is... but I don't want to just diet. Something has to change permanently.

For any who have lost several pounds and kept it off, how did your lifestyle change that helped you maintain the weightloss? I don't imagine I will ever be "thin" as my family is more of the "sturdy muscular" type. I don't necessarily want to be "thin" just toned.

So exercise and eat right are the answers I know I need to hear but help me expand on this. Any exercise I do has to be doable without a gym membership or a treadmill, as unfortunately those are not an option right now.

Bracing myself for rapid fire pep-talks! :rolleyes:

[jjmw1]

I have just started the Fat Smash Diet. It is the diet they used on the Celebrity Fit Club and the diet my doctor actually recommended to me. The first 9 days are a detox of sorts and I lost 8 lbs in just those 9 days. Now I am slowly reintroducing foods back into my diet and the weight loss has halted for the last 4 days, but I also am not exercising very much with the cold weather.

Good luck on your weight loss journey. It is so hard to keep it off! I fluctuate like crazy with my weight. DH and the kiddos can eat anything they want, but I have to be so careful about what I eat.....

[WTMindy]

want a partner? I really want to lose about 15 pounds, but I'd love to get it off before summer clothing time!! I also know all the right answers, know what I need to do, but find myself just not wanting to do it!! Maybe if I had an accountability partner it would help. :o

The best way I have found to lose weight is using the Weight Watchers point counting system. It is very balanced. You can eat whatever foods you want, but it has to fit into the alloted daily points. This really encourages healthy eating because then you get to eat more! I have never been a member, but I just got the info from a friend.

[nancypants]

want a partner? I really want to lose about 15 pounds, but I'd love to get it off before summer clothing time!! I also know all the right answers, know what I need to do, but find myself just not wanting to do it!! Maybe if I had an accountability partner it would help. :o

The best way I have found to lose weight is using the Weight Watchers point counting system. It is very balanced. You can eat whatever foods you want, but it has to fit into the alloted daily points. This really encourages healthy eating because then you get to eat more! I have never been a member, but I just got the info from a friend.

That sounds great Mindy. I'm almost as bad at accountability as I am about self-control though! LOL :p No... seriously, I would love it.

Can you e-mail me? nancypantslady at gmail dot com

Oh and um... it has to start after today because I am having a whole bunch of people here for dessert tonight and I am making Ree's chocolate sheet cake! ROFL Please say I can have a piece!

[Hoggirl]

portion control. I am not a fan of any eating regimen which tells me what I can and cannot eat. I eat what I want, but I control the amount of what I eat. Small portions of healthy foods. And occasionally a splurge! I find it helpful to limit sweets to one day a week. If you can do this with all junk food that is even better, but I have a fondness for chips :o But really, I truly believe that maintaining a healthy weight is all about portion control.
Just my 0.02

[Jennifer in MI]

I've been working really hard at losing weight for the last six weeks. It has been SOOOOO hard!! But, I'm determined to lose 35 pounds. (15 pounds gone!!!)

First, set a realistic goal. Really, are you going to be able to weigh less than what you weighed in 9th grade? I set mine by going on line and looking at weight charts and BMI and my body type and doing a little research. (My goal is 145 - I'm 5'10")

Second, figure out how you want to eat. Would you do better on an Atkins/South Beach type diet? Or are you more of a vegetarian sort? I decided that I'm more of a vegetarian sort. I eat eggs every morning with a piece of fruit (and sometimes a bowl of oatmeal). Lunch is always steamed veggies with 1/2 an avacado in a wheat wrap. Snack is usually nuts or cottage cheese with pineapples. Dinner is whatever we're having - ONE serving!! No snacking after dinner. It's been working!

Third, set up an exercise routine. Then, DO IT!!! LOL I have had to force myself to work out every day. But, I'm really determined to lose this weight!! I feel great! Oh - and my blood pressure is down - it wasn't high before, but it's come down from 120/75 to 100/65!!

Fourth, measure yourself and take pictures before you start. I wish I had done this so I could see the progress. I was just so disgusted with myself, I didn't want to! LOL But, I did after a couple weeks and I'm seeing the numbers come down and I look better. That is encouragement enough now.

Fifth, weigh yourself every day. I read this tip on line somewhere - the people who have the best luck keeping weight off are the ones who weigh themselves every day. That way, if you're starting to creep up, you'll make the necessary adjustments on a daily basis. I've been doing this and it's interesting to see that my weight will go up one day and then down three pounds the next.

Anyway, I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination!! I'm just sick of blaming this extra weight on the baby (who is now two!! :o). You can do it!! It sounds like this wedding just may be the goal you needed!! Good luck!!

[Cindy in C-ville]

She's a 48 year old woman who at 40 yo decided, "Enough!" Her husband had left her and she was fat and miserable. Now, she looks absolutely amazing and is actually a swimsuit model. If you do a search on her, don't do it with dh around. Some of the pictures are a little racy, although impressive! Her premise is clean eating every 3 hours along with exercise. She says that 80% of your physical condition is formed in the kitchen, 10% through exercise, and 10% is genetics. She advocates strength training and cardio. I'm using my free weights and then running and don't have a gym membership. I have ~ 20 lbs to lose, but I use my clothes more than the scale. Here's what I eat in a typical day:

Breakfast - smoothie (skim milk, fruit, protein powder) or oatmeal with apples
Snack - apple with almond butter
Lunch - leftovers (salmon, chicken, soup) from night before with a salad
Snack - hummus and veggies
Dinner - Something yummy - whole grains, salad, vegetables, some type of meat
Snack - cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit and almonds

BTW, I've tried WW and I do much better without any sugar. Portion control doesn't work for me. Frequent GOOD meals are much better. It's just way too hard for me to have one chocolate chip cookie. I've also tried the deal where I have one "free day" a week. Doesn't work for me. My cravings soar sky high.

:) Cindy

[Amy in MD]

I am good at losing weight... keeping it off is harder the older I get.

The best way for me to lose weight it so cut out sugar entirely and replace it with lots of fruits and vegetables. Small portions of healthy carbs, at breakfast and lunch mainly, and really no sugar or white flour stuff for t. Right now I am seeing if I can lose weight by allowing a with a little dark chocolate a day. I have about 15 pounds to lose.

You can do it - deadlines always help me. I also enjoy training for something to get me serious about my exercise. Can you do a fun run or organized fundraiser walk sometime before your wedding?

You are not alone. Good luck!
Amy

[nancypants]

portion control. I am not a fan of any eating regimen which tells me what I can and cannot eat. I eat what I want, but I control the amount of what I eat. Small portions of healthy foods. And occasionally a splurge! I find it helpful to limit sweets to one day a week. If you can do this with all junk food that is even better, but I have a fondness for chips :o But really, I truly believe that maintaining a healthy weight is all about portion control.
Just my 0.02

That is probably my biggest problem because I don't eat unhealthy stuff... junk food is a rarity for the most part. I just like seconds of yummy stuff! LOL And I also like leftovers for lunch sometimes. Lunch is one of my hardest meals to deal with. I hate thinking about what to eat for lunch!

[abbeyej]

I've posted about this before, but dh and I have both been doing "Eat to Live" (Dr. Joel Fuhrman) and are really happy with it. It's the opposite of what some others have said -- it's not an "eat what you want, but not very much and still lose weight" diet, it's an "eat the very best possible foods for you and only those, but as much as you can stand and lose" diet... Basically, tons and tons of fruits and veggies, lots of beans, very limited fats and grains, and no sugar, dairy or meat. (More of those things once you're past the initial phase, if you choose to add them in...) The goal is to eat 1lb of raw and 1lb of cooked veggies each day, 4+ fruits, 1C + of legumes, less than 1 C of whole grains, and a little fat (in the form of raw nuts or seeds, avocados, or olives) each day. At first, dh and I joked and called it the "why bother eating" diet. ;) But as we've stuck with it, we feel really good.

In the past, we *did* eat a pretty good diet, but felt like portions were out of control. Now I realize that it's only certain things I really needed to cut back on. Grains would get me -- I could easily gain weight in brown rice alone! ;) Or I'd cook veggies and overdose on olive oil because it's "good" for us.

I lost 21lbs in the first 5 weeks (the sixth I was sick, so I'm gonna wait another week before I count losses), and I was sort of in the position you were in... If I lose 30 (total), I'll be where I was when I got pregnant with ds -- 40, and I'll be the thinnest I've been since my early teens (though I hit that weight once before between kids). Dh only lost a few lbs, but he didn't *need* to lose, and he has had to cheat a bit with travel, etc. (He was doing it more for general health, not weight -- he's always been thin, but his cholesterol tends to run high despite generally good food choices.) Still, we both feel really good about the new way of eating and don't plan to deviate hugely from it in the future. We *have* allowed ourselves one "cheat" every week or so to eat the thing we *most* wanted during all those days of following the diet. Once I had grilled salmon and asparagus with butter, another time it was a turkey sandwich on sourdough bread, and once it was a bacon cheeseburger. I'm normally *such* a sugar-addict, and yet after even a week of this, sugar wasn't what I craved or wanted to spend my "cheat" on...

This is a pretty extreme diet. I'm convinced it's one of the healthiest ones out there though, and we were both amazed that after a few weeks, we really didn't *want* to quit (beyond the occasional modest cheat). (Despite the fact that early on we'd joked that we'd never before faced a diet where you're *begging* for a meal to be over, "Please don't make me eat any more!") I'm also incredibly pleased with the weight loss so far and looking forward to reaching my final goal.

[momo4]

To help cut down on the desire for seconds or eating too much the first time around, you can eat something with about 60-70 calories 30min before your meal. It triggers the hormone that tells your stomach there is food in there and that you don't need to keep eating. You feel full faster at your meal. 1Tbl of Coco oil, an apple, 14 almonds, etc.

There are a lot of diets out there that recommend this. I think there is one called the apple diet and you eat an apple 30min before the meal. It helps you to get the full message faster and adds fiber to the meal which means you won't absorb as many calories.

Just one suggestion.

Anyway, for me, I have to exercise like you are already doing and make healthy food choices. The no sugar idea is excellent as well.

[Claire]

http://www.sparkpeople.com . I lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. The hardest part is tracking your food and exercise every day, but it really keeps you on the straight-and-narrow and it WORKS!

[~FireFly~]

Hey Abbey, How long have you been on this? I'm interested b/c I lost 21 lbs doing sparkpeople which was fine and all, but during the hoildays, starting in Oct and ending at New Years, I've gained it all back, sigh. So, I'm trying to get back into the spark mode, but haven't been able to b/c I don't have enough time. One of the only reasons I'm back here is #1) I missed it and all the people and #2) I had a question about my oldest ds. I happen to come back to find a new format and trying to manuvere it is challenging to me. I think change is good though, so, more power to them. If I thought I'd stick with sparks and be able to access a pc all day long so I could keep up with what I eat and excercise I'd do it, but right now, I'm having a hard time doing this and working and HSing and trying to figure out my ds.

I'm rambling at this point. Hope you all can use something I've said.

~Stephanie

[Amy in MD]

I've posted about this before, but dh and I have both been doing "Eat to Live" (Dr. Joel Fuhrman) and are really happy with it. It's the opposite of what some others have said -- it's not an "eat what you want, but not very much and still lose weight" diet, it's an "eat the very best possible foods for you and only those, but as much as you can stand and lose" diet... Basically, tons and tons of fruits and veggies, lots of beans, very limited fats and grains, and no sugar, dairy or meat. (More of those things once you're past the initial phase, if you choose to add them in...) The goal is to eat 1lb of raw and 1lb of cooked veggies each day, 4+ fruits, 1C + of legumes, less than 1 C of whole grains, and a little fat (in the form of raw nuts or seeds, avocados, or olives) each day. At first, dh and I joked and called it the "why bother eating" diet. ;) But as we've stuck with it, we feel really good.

In the past, we *did* eat a pretty good diet, but felt like portions were out of control. Now I realize that it's only certain things I really needed to cut back on. Grains would get me -- I could easily gain weight in brown rice alone! ;) Or I'd cook veggies and overdose on olive oil because it's "good" for us.

I lost 21lbs in the first 5 weeks (the sixth I was sick, so I'm gonna wait another week before I count losses), and I was sort of in the position you were in... If I lose 30 (total), I'll be where I was when I got pregnant with ds -- 40, and I'll be the thinnest I've been since my early teens (though I hit that weight once before between kids). Dh only lost a few lbs, but he didn't *need* to lose, and he has had to cheat a bit with travel, etc. (He was doing it more for general health, not weight -- he's always been thin, but his cholesterol tends to run high despite generally good food choices.) Still, we both feel really good about the new way of eating and don't plan to deviate hugely from it in the future. We *have* allowed ourselves one "cheat" every week or so to eat the thing we *most* wanted during all those days of following the diet. Once I had grilled salmon and asparagus with butter, another time it was a turkey sandwich on sourdough bread, and once it was a bacon cheeseburger. I'm normally *such* a sugar-addict, and yet after even a week of this, sugar wasn't what I craved or wanted to spend my "cheat" on...

This is a pretty extreme diet. I'm convinced it's one of the healthiest ones out there though, and we were both amazed that after a few weeks, we really didn't *want* to quit (beyond the occasional modest cheat). (Despite the fact that early on we'd joked that we'd never before faced a diet where you're *begging* for a meal to be over, "Please don't make me eat any more!") I'm also incredibly pleased with the weight loss so far and looking forward to reaching my final goal.

It also really helps too when my husband is on the bandwagon. Thanks for sharing the book title.

Amy

[abbeyej]

Hey Abbey, How long have you been on this? ... If I thought I'd stick with sparks and be able to access a pc all day long so I could keep up with what I eat and excercise I'd do it, but right now, I'm having a hard time doing this and ...

We've been doing it for just over 6 weeks now, and I'm down 22lbs... I know that's not nearly long enough to make claims about "keeping the weight off", but I certainly intend to stick with it and feel that that's very doable.


I have to say, one of the things I love about the Eat to Live plan is how incredibly simple it is to follow. It's tough because it's a big change (even from our relatively healthful prior eating), but the rules aren't complex or confusing in any way. And I don't count calories at all, because it's just not necessary -- if I follow the rules, I'm not capable of eating an excessive number of calories. The rules are these:
1) eat 1lb of cooked and 1lb of raw vegetables today. (Once you've attempted this for a couple of days, you know how much that is roughly -- and how nearly impossible it is to accomplish, lol -- so you just eat as much veggies, cooked and raw, as you can.)
2) eat 4 or more fruits each day (as many as you like, but try for at least four),
3) eat 1 or more cups of beans per day (Cuban black beans, Indian curried lentils, vegetarian chili, minestrone soup with vegetables and garbanzos, etc, etc)
4) limit whole grains to the equivalent of 1 C or less per day (and no refined grains)
5) you may have 2oz of avocado (I'm not sure how much that is -- I finally decided I could have up to half an avocado per day without problems), and/or 1oz of raw nuts or seeds... He also allows salt-free olives. I think the idea of a salt-free olive is insane, so I occasionally eat a few plain old ordinary olives... ;)
6) no sugar, no oil, no meat, no dairy, no juices, no dried fruits

I'm eating more veggies and fruits than I've ever eaten in my life. My skin looks better than it has in ages (which surprised me, given now little fat is included in the diet)...

[whitestavern]

What seems to work for me is exercising every day, as it's SO hard for me to cut down my food intake. I bought a Walk Away the Pounds DVD and I do try to do it every day. I do the 3 mile walk and it takes 45 minutes. It's very very easy (I'm a mess with aerobics--two left feet). When I have extra time, I'll try to do some spot exercising/weights work. I also have to have a midmorning snack and an afternoon snack, otherwise I overeat at meals. I try to have sensible, low calorie dessert at night (currently a square of dark chocolate) so I don't feel like I'm punishing myself. I'd love to be involved in the "buddy thing" if you set something up. I have about 25 more pounds I'd like to lose.

[Amy in MD]

We've been doing it for just over 6 weeks now, and I'm down 22lbs... I know that's not nearly long enough to make claims about "keeping the weight off", but I certainly intend to stick with it and feel that that's very doable.


I have to say, one of the things I love about the Eat to Live plan is how incredibly simple it is to follow. It's tough because it's a big change (even from our relatively healthful prior eating), but the rules aren't complex or confusing in any way. And I don't count calories at all, because it's just not necessary -- if I follow the rules, I'm not capable of eating an excessive number of calories. The rules are these:
1) eat 1lb of cooked and 1lb of raw vegetables today. (Once you've attempted this for a couple of days, you know how much that is roughly -- and how nearly impossible it is to accomplish, lol -- so you just eat as much veggies, cooked and raw, as you can.)
2) eat 4 or more fruits each day (as many as you like, but try for at least four),
3) eat 1 or more cups of beans per day (Cuban black beans, Indian curried lentils, vegetarian chili, minestrone soup with vegetables and garbanzos, etc, etc)
4) limit whole grains to the equivalent of 1 C or less per day (and no refined grains)
5) you may have 2oz of avocado (I'm not sure how much that is -- I finally decided I could have up to half an avocado per day without problems), and/or 1oz of raw nuts or seeds... He also allows salt-free olives. I think the idea of a salt-free olive is insane, so I occasionally eat a few plain old ordinary olives... ;)
6) no sugar, no oil, no meat, no dairy, no juices, no dried fruits

I'm eating more veggies and fruits than I've ever eaten in my life. My skin looks better than it has in ages (which surprised me, given now little fat is included in the diet)...

Very encouraging! I guess the hard part would be eating out.
Amy

[Seeker]

Personally, I do just about everything the "medical experts" say not to do, but then I have been into alternative health for many years.

I fast. If I am fasting to detoxify and break a poor eating habit, like taking seconds, I try to fast for two weeks. However, I have been fasting for a year doing one to 5 day fasts before I attempted a long fast and I used to fast one or two days every week. It reduced aches and pains, promotes healing (my skin looks much better), and I just felt much better overall. Afterward, I digested food more efficiently and desired healthier foods more. I also used to have some difficulties with my blood sugar, but as I fasted more regularly, it just went away. I also like that studies suggest there is a connection with fasting and longevity. I had my daughter late in life and I want to be around a long time (and healthy) to see my grand-babies.

I am ashamed to say that I abandoned that lifestyle after I had my daughter and I have been about 15 pounds over the weight I would like to be for the good portion of eight years. After my pregnancy, I was probably 25 lbs. over the heaviest weight I had been until then. I did three two-week fasts about two months apart after my daughter weaned and got back to my ideal weight. Then I gained back 12 lbs. after a vacation and a bit more over the years, because I had stopped fasting and did more indulging.

So, at 15 lbs. more than I should be...again, I finally made a New Year's resolution to go back to what I used to do, so I fasted for two weeks and every week since I fast one day. I am no longer tired by afternoon and feel much better. Again, I am digesting food better, eating less with satisfaction, and I have continued to lose weight slowly. I am now down pass my goal, which was to just fit back into my "fat" clothes from over eight years ago.

I am also an advocate for the Blood Type Diet, which is not so much about losing weight, but eating foods that are compatible with your digestive processes and blood chemistry.

Lastly, I eat more fat, based on Weston A. Price's research, mostly raw milk products, because I agree with his findings. I have seen how healthy dairy farmers are who use raw milk, but I stay away from processed foods and trans fats. I have found that I crave sweets and tend to overeat, if I don't eat a diet higher in fats.

Exercise is also vital (I actually used to be in body building), but if I exercise without breaking my eating habits by fasting first, I will just gain more weight as I increase my workouts, because I am hungrier and will eat more.

Lastly, if I am really craving something, I just eat a small amount of it. If I deprive myself too long, I will tend to pig out on something else and still will not be satisfied, so why not give in just a little to a craving and get past it?

Everyone is different, but all this works the best for me. I lost 17 pounds since January 1st and I am still losing about 1/2 pound a week while I am eating the things I like to eat, including some desserts, six days a week. I don't crave between meals much and I drink purified water mostly, but I am about to have a half glass of milk before I go to bed--it's what I am craving. ;)

[nancypants]

Okay Claire! I joined!! :eek: Now to actually follow through. :o

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Okay Claire! I joined!! :eek: Now to actually follow through. :o

Just click here (http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=8627&gcode=49I2F1HTCT) .

Let me know if it doesn't work. That is, if you want to join us. ;)

[chickenpatty]

I know you've gotten a load of advice already, but...

Write down every single thing -and the exact quantity thereof- that you eat every day for 3 weeks. You will be amazed at how many calories you are eating. I did this and realized I was eating well over 3500 calories a day. No wonder I wasn't losing weight despite running for 22+ miles a week!

It is hard work. Good luck!

[CLHCO]

I like the "Eat to Live" and it has helped some. I started losing weight but very, very slowly. I have tried other gimmick diets and they didn't help at all. I have been off it the last few weeks though. Not because I didn't like it but we went out of town and it's almost impossible to keep kids and a DH happy out of town and eat like that.

Perhaps enough of this diet talk will inspire me. I find I need to be aggressive with a lack of grains. He is correct that people who have trouble losing weight often need to dump the grains. I can *maintain* with some whole grains but I've come to the realization that I cannot lose with any grains at all. And I love grains. :(

[melissaL]

I have made myself a corset, a 19th century one. I got the pattern of e-bay. it has immediately taken 5 inches of my waist. it doesn't feel tight, it doesn't restrict my breathing. but it does make me feel full, and not hungry. I have been wearing it for 1 week and have already lost 3 pounds.
MelissaL

[nancypants]

Thanks everybody! You've been really encouraging!! I'm about to click that link Pam! :D

[Sweetpeach]

I'm not the only one! Yippee.

My daughter, now 4.5, used to ask me in her sweet, little princess voice -- "Why 'cause you fat, Mommy?"

Sometimes I start to drown under the weight of my own perceived unloveliness, and then the wheels completely fall off the wagon.

It's an uphill battle for me . . . the cold Canadian winter, disdain for the treadmill, eating too much and too often. Excuses everywhere.

My dear friend tells me that most humans sink to their lowest common denominator -- we do what's easy, not what's healthy.

*sigh*

I wish you much love and grace for yourself, Nancypants.
You can DO it!
T

[Sweetpeach]

She's a 48 year old woman who at 40 yo decided, "Enough!" Her husband had left her and she was fat and miserable. Now, she looks absolutely amazing and is actually a swimsuit model. If you do a search on her, don't do it with dh around. Some of the pictures are a little racy, although impressive! Her premise is clean eating every 3 hours along with exercise. She says that 80% of your physical condition is formed in the kitchen, 10% through exercise, and 10% is genetics. She advocates strength training and cardio. I'm using my free weights and then running and don't have a gym membership.

I just checked her out online -- wow, what an incredible transformation.

Did you purchase any of her books? Can you give a review?
As for using your free weights at home -- do you have a guide for what you do? Do you have a bench?

TY, Tricia

[Sweetpeach]

You are an **amazing** photographer.

Lord willing, I'll never return to Anyplace/Anywhere Alberta, but if I were, I'd be looking you up for a family photoshoot.

The trampoline photos were fab.

T

[Old Dominion Heather]

My methods are not fun, but they are effective.

1. Food Poisoning/Stomach virus: I caught one over a year ago. I lost about 25 lbs over 3 months. I still can't eat large meals. Pre-virus I could easily down a restaurant sized hamburger and fries. Now I can eat about half what I could. It is like all that time when I couldn't eat shrank my stomach.

2. Stress... Last year when we were going through all that drama with the church, I would go out and walk at night because I literally was in despair. I would walk/run for 1-2+ hours while ds had football practice. I would keep walking until I was exhausted, too tired to eat, too tired to be worried for our friends who were in the middle of the whole thing. Now that it is almost spring, could you sign up your boys for some outdoor sport and walk while they have practice? Football worked really well because I just walked around the track and they practiced in the middle.

The eat to live stuff is certainly true, though. I think that is very much psychological though. Dh associates food with comfort, and I don't. He has a harder time with his weight than I do.

You can do it! It will be spring soon. You can make it! Get your ipod and head out. It will be spring soon!

[Tami]

I started the journey toward better health a couple of years ago. So far, I have lost 40 pounds and counting. I don't worry about the weight, though. I really don't!

I am focused on two things: 1) Feeding my body well and 2) exercising daily

What worked for me was adding "rules" one at a time. Every small change you make for better health will make a HUGE difference over time.

What I realized is that our bodies crave whatever we put into it. If you feed you and your children sugar, white flour, and salt -- that is what your bodies will crave! After a few months of eating whole grains fresh foods, my body started actually craving what I was putting into it! My tastes (former junk food junkie) really have changed. However, I think I will always be somewhat of an addict, because one bite always leads to more! LOL!

Remember, taking care of your health and body will teach y our children to do the same.

Here were rules I implemented and that worked for me. I started with easy ones and when I got comfortable with one rule, I added another. Baby steps, one at a time.


My Health Rules:

1) Drink 6 glasses of water a day
2) Exercise to exhaustion daily (I like to run my stairs or dance to music)
3) No white flour
4) Eat 5 servings of veggies every day - 1/2 should be raw
5) Snack time = raw fruit time! Have a variety of tempting fresh fruit and ENJOY!
4) No processed foods (If I stuck at McDonalds with friends, I simply make the best choice avilable to me and move on. For me, salad and a yogurt)
5) No eating after 6pm. Have a cup of herbal tea instead
6) Looking down at lunch or dinner plate, at least 1/2 my plate should be veggies.
7) No sugar - sweeten with maple syrup or honey - purge the house of all sugary things!


That's it! To help me plan meals, I use Saving Dinner (http://www.savingdinner.com/about/all_about_leanne_ely_books.html) Low Carb. It is wonderful for planning fresh, healthy meals! The author is a dietician, and any of her meal books would work, including the "Regular" one. Leanne taught me how to cook fresh, healthy meals, which is something I never learned. Her books are a great tool for mentoring healthy, fresh cooking methods.

I also have a good lunch and breakfast menu at my blog. Feel free to check it out - in siggy line.

You can do it. One step at a time.

BTW, I don't do well with portion control of sugary things or white flour. I am apparently an addict. I do fine staying clear of them, though! After about 3 days, the cravings go away and healthy eating is so much easier without all the sugar cravings. I am convinced that the majority of adults and children I know are thoroughly addicted to white sugar! Kick the habit - you will feel INCREDIBLE!

[Susan in IL]

I did Weight Watchers and lost 35 lbs in 8 months just by using portion control. I was not about to give up food I liked because I know that I would gain it all back again once I lost. I still ate chips - anything salty is my downfall, I am not a sweets eater - used butter on my toast, drank regular pepsi (cut down a lot), ate just about everything but less of it. Instead of a whole sandwich for lunch, I only ate 1/2. After finishing my portion at supper, I picked up my plate and took it to the sink.

Sometimes I would have a challenging week but kept going back to the basic premise of eating less.

Good luck.......

[Sunny]

I also am on a quest to loose about 35 pounds. My family just got season ski passes for the rest of this year, and next season, and because Ijust fell and broke my tailbone, I didn't get a pass... Wahaaa. I want to be fit and stronger next year, so I can go.
I took off 35 pounds a few years ago and was feeling really good and keeping it off, then gained it back when I tweaked out my knee and was sitting for months rehabing. I had based my action on physical activity and it worked, until I couldn't exercise.
This time, I'm T-Tapping it, and so far it is working. 3 pounds the first week!
Can we have a tiny accontability group and get these pounds off?
email me if I can join you gals.

[BamaTanya]

Yes, join us at Sparkpeople! We'd love to have you on our team!

[lynn]

I lost 30lbs last year in 4 months. I started really watching what I ate and drank. Cut out the sugar in my coffee, no bread or rolls at dinner, upped the veggies and fruit, took vitamins more regularly. I started a run/walk program. I got up everymorning around 4A and got my butt out the door day after day after day. I am now running 5-7miles/days (5-7miles@days) mixing this up with taebo, sprints for 30 min, walking at 7-10% incline for 30 min. You just have to move more and eatless this I am sure you already know but it is hard to change bad habits but eventually something clicks and you just do it no more argueing, excuses you just do it because you finally want to. That's all I have to say about that... I'll get off my soap box. You know what you have to do and only you can decide to do it.

[nancypants]

You are an **amazing** photographer.

Lord willing, I'll never return to Anyplace/Anywhere Alberta, but if I were, I'd be looking you up for a family photoshoot.

The trampoline photos were fab.

T

Thank you Sweetpeach! You really are a peach! And so sweet! ;) Thanks!

[nancypants]

I lost 30lbs last year in 4 months. I started really watching what I ate and drank. Cut out the sugar in my coffee, no bread or rolls at dinner, upped the veggies and fruit, took vitamins more regularly. I started a run/walk program. I got up everymorning around 4A and got my butt out the door day after day after day. I am now running 5-7miles/days (5-7miles@days) mixing this up with taebo, sprints for 30 min, walking at 7-10% incline for 30 min. You just have to move more and eatless this I am sure you already know but it is hard to change bad habits but eventually something clicks and you just do it no more argueing, excuses you just do it because you finally want to. That's all I have to say about that... I'll get off my soap box. You know what you have to do and only you can decide to do it.

Thanks Lynn! That was the kind of spanking I think I needed! LOL :D What do you sweeten your coffee with? Anything? I just can't have coffee black. I just CAN'T! Blech! I know no coffee would be the bestest probably but... we'll get there... it seems like every other sweetener just tastes so chemical-y.

[nancypants]

Thanks Tami. Great advice!

I don't actually eat too much sugar on a regular basis. Dessert happens maybe once every two weeks. Where I do down the sugar is in my morning coffee. I just love my morning coffee, ya know? And I haven't found any sweetener that tastes natural enough. (I've never tried honey in coffee... I can see maple syrup being good for that though...mmm... and very Canadian!) :p

I very rarely eat late night snacks (or anything after dinner). The things I love and tend to eat too much of are comfort foods at dinner (and for lunch if there are leftovers.) We do eat almost exclusively fresh veggies. I almost never use canned and rarely even use frozen.

I definitely need to work more fruits in. I'm betting that if I simply have a ton of fruits around and eat them as snacks throughout the day I might see a major difference fairly quickly.

My attainable goals for this week are to drink 8 glasses of water a day and to get 8 hours of sleep at night. (As an insomniac this is a big challenge but I'm really working on it!)

Thanks again for the many great tips!

[abbeyej]

You know, Nan, unless you're putting just massive quantities of sugar in your coffee, I think you shouldn't worry about it. If it's not causing you to break down and eat *other* sugar during the course of the day, and you're just talking about a teaspoon or two a day, I vote for leaving it alone. Focus your attention on other areas where you'll feel less deprived and make a bigger difference. Enjoy that little bit of sugar. ;)

[nancypants]

You know, Nan, unless you're putting just massive quantities of sugar in your coffee, I think you shouldn't worry about it. If it's not causing you to break down and eat *other* sugar during the course of the day, and you're just talking about a teaspoon or two a day, I vote for leaving it alone. Focus your attention on other areas where you'll feel less deprived and make a bigger difference. Enjoy that little bit of sugar. ;)

AbbeyJ... did I ever tell you that I love you? http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/posiepie/hugs.gif