I know water is good for you and I am really good about drinking it, but you have to admit it can get boring after awhile.
A couple months ago I had a Pampered Chef party. I loved their great Pampered Chef Citrus Press the consultant showed us. You insert a lemon or lime, hold it over your water, and you have an instant refreshing beverage. I found we could get out whole family a refreshing drink with just one half a lemon. Do remember to count your carbs, but they are low and so worth it!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
How to Survive The First Few Days
Something I have learned is that surviving the first couple days of this program can be tough. My body feels incredibly hungry all the time, and I am constantly craving sugar.
After the last time I tried this program, I said that the key to success is surviving the first three days. After that, it will get easier!
Here are some of the things I did to help reduce hunger pangs and cravings:
1) Drink lots of water. It is much easier to fool my stomach if it constantly has something coming in, so continually sip lots of water. Drinking water does, of course, also have other health benefits.
2) Don't worry about the amount of food you are eating. I find the first few days I feel like I am constantly hungry and therefore frequently eating. Don't worry! You are at the beginning of a new journey. Your appetite WILL go down!
3) Preplan your meals. When you are hungry and feeling like you could eat the entire contents of your pantry, it is good to already know what you are going to eat. I also find it helpful to aim for a bit under my 20 grams of carbs so that I have space to add snacks as needed
4) Have appropriate snack foods available. I find it helpful to have some high protein foods available that can be grabbed in a hurry - cheese, hard-boiled eggs, lunch meat (make sure you get the sugar and nitrate free kind), canned tuna or salmon, smoked salmon, and so on.
5) Record what you have eaten right away. That way you can see how well you are doing. (I have faith in you!)
6) Eat something small every two to three hours. That way your blood sugar will stay more even.
7) Packing a brown bag lunch? Pack something extra that will keep if you don't need it, but can be eaten quickly if you find yourself still hungry. I am adding this tip because my poor husband ate his lunch yesterday and was still starving. He needed to have packed more protein and it was too late to do anything about it.
8) Make sure you are getting all your vegetables in. Not only do they have lots of vitamins, but they also have lots of fibre that will help keep you feeling full.
Keep busy and keep focused! You can do this!
After the last time I tried this program, I said that the key to success is surviving the first three days. After that, it will get easier!
Here are some of the things I did to help reduce hunger pangs and cravings:
1) Drink lots of water. It is much easier to fool my stomach if it constantly has something coming in, so continually sip lots of water. Drinking water does, of course, also have other health benefits.
2) Don't worry about the amount of food you are eating. I find the first few days I feel like I am constantly hungry and therefore frequently eating. Don't worry! You are at the beginning of a new journey. Your appetite WILL go down!
3) Preplan your meals. When you are hungry and feeling like you could eat the entire contents of your pantry, it is good to already know what you are going to eat. I also find it helpful to aim for a bit under my 20 grams of carbs so that I have space to add snacks as needed
4) Have appropriate snack foods available. I find it helpful to have some high protein foods available that can be grabbed in a hurry - cheese, hard-boiled eggs, lunch meat (make sure you get the sugar and nitrate free kind), canned tuna or salmon, smoked salmon, and so on.
5) Record what you have eaten right away. That way you can see how well you are doing. (I have faith in you!)
6) Eat something small every two to three hours. That way your blood sugar will stay more even.
7) Packing a brown bag lunch? Pack something extra that will keep if you don't need it, but can be eaten quickly if you find yourself still hungry. I am adding this tip because my poor husband ate his lunch yesterday and was still starving. He needed to have packed more protein and it was too late to do anything about it.
8) Make sure you are getting all your vegetables in. Not only do they have lots of vitamins, but they also have lots of fibre that will help keep you feeling full.
Keep busy and keep focused! You can do this!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
10 Reasons I Am Getting Started
Most people start a new diet or lifestyle knowing exactly how many pounds they want to lose. I actually don't know. Though it's embarrassing to admit, I don't actually know what I weigh at the moment. I can guess but I do not know. I am presently so large that I can not find a scale that goes high enough. My doctor was not even sure where I could access one!
Therefore I am focusing on the bigger picture of WHY I am losing weight. I created my own list of reasons to lose weight:
1) To be healthier
2) To have more energy
3) To walk without pain
4) To be able to do activities with my children
5) To be able to buy clothing in a regular store
6) To sit comfortably in a chair with arms
7) So that my husband can hug me tightly enough to cross his arms behind me (in a bear hug)
8) To be able to volunteer more
9) To get in and out of the shower easily
10) To have more space in the car(especially behind the steering wheel)
That's my current list. Anyone else got a different reason?
Therefore I am focusing on the bigger picture of WHY I am losing weight. I created my own list of reasons to lose weight:
1) To be healthier
2) To have more energy
3) To walk without pain
4) To be able to do activities with my children
5) To be able to buy clothing in a regular store
6) To sit comfortably in a chair with arms
7) So that my husband can hug me tightly enough to cross his arms behind me (in a bear hug)
8) To be able to volunteer more
9) To get in and out of the shower easily
10) To have more space in the car(especially behind the steering wheel)
That's my current list. Anyone else got a different reason?
Monday, January 7, 2013
Day One
I have been going to start for several months now, and finally got there today.
Although it may seem contradictory to wait so long, I am actually glad I did.
I spent many hours thinking about what I needed to do to succeed, and what I would need to give up. I weighed the two choices thoroughly and knew that I wanted the freedoms that come from losing weight enough that I am willing to pay the price.
The other reason it took me so long was menu planning. I have really been struggling with menu planning the past few months and I knew that I needed to have a good plan in place to succeed. By the time I got close to menu planning Christmas was here, and a good friend pointed out that trying to start something new amid all the Christmas temptations would be like asking to fail. I heeded her advice and waited. Yesterday I spent several hours menu planning, my husband made a trip to Costco, and today we have begun.
I am glad we put the extra effort into making a strong start. It felt good to get up today knowing what the day was going to look like. It was so much easier to deal with hunger pangs when I knew what the next meal was, as well as how many carbohydrates were left that could be put towards snacks.
Now it is almost bedtime and I sit here pleased with myself. I have eating 19 net carbs and drank 8 glasses of water. If I was in elementary school, I would definitely be getting a gold star on my chart today!
Although it may seem contradictory to wait so long, I am actually glad I did.
I spent many hours thinking about what I needed to do to succeed, and what I would need to give up. I weighed the two choices thoroughly and knew that I wanted the freedoms that come from losing weight enough that I am willing to pay the price.
The other reason it took me so long was menu planning. I have really been struggling with menu planning the past few months and I knew that I needed to have a good plan in place to succeed. By the time I got close to menu planning Christmas was here, and a good friend pointed out that trying to start something new amid all the Christmas temptations would be like asking to fail. I heeded her advice and waited. Yesterday I spent several hours menu planning, my husband made a trip to Costco, and today we have begun.
I am glad we put the extra effort into making a strong start. It felt good to get up today knowing what the day was going to look like. It was so much easier to deal with hunger pangs when I knew what the next meal was, as well as how many carbohydrates were left that could be put towards snacks.
Now it is almost bedtime and I sit here pleased with myself. I have eating 19 net carbs and drank 8 glasses of water. If I was in elementary school, I would definitely be getting a gold star on my chart today!
My New Life Begins...
I have spent most of my life battling with my weight. I was overweight as a child and through much of my teenage years. Ironically, looking back at the chart my mum gave me of my height and weight at different ages, I did go through one stage of being a normal BMI, but I was clumsy and had no self-esteem so I still felt absolutely huge. By the time I was old enough to face reality, my body had long since caught up with my perceptions.
Over the years I have tried many, many diets. Over the years I have failed just about as many. For some reason my body resists losing weight. I lose thirty to thirty five pounds, then stop and regain. No matter what I change, how much I weigh and measure food, and how much exercise I do, the scale moves no further. Agonizingly frustrating. However, the worst part was that I would feel terrible throughout it - lightheaded, dizzy, tired.
The only program I have ever had success with was Atkins. I have tried it twice, for three months at a time, and both times I lost fifty pounds. More significantly, I felt great doing it. Both times I suffered the same downfall, coming off it for a vacation away then struggling to get back on the bandwagon. I have realized that I need to let go of the feeling of deprivation and embrace the feelings of good health and success. Sounds good, doesn't it? That's because I am only on day one! We will see what happens when push comes to shove.
I am writing this blog to keep myself accountable in my journey, and in the hopes that those of you who ride along with me will learn something that helps you in your own journey.
Over the years I have tried many, many diets. Over the years I have failed just about as many. For some reason my body resists losing weight. I lose thirty to thirty five pounds, then stop and regain. No matter what I change, how much I weigh and measure food, and how much exercise I do, the scale moves no further. Agonizingly frustrating. However, the worst part was that I would feel terrible throughout it - lightheaded, dizzy, tired.
The only program I have ever had success with was Atkins. I have tried it twice, for three months at a time, and both times I lost fifty pounds. More significantly, I felt great doing it. Both times I suffered the same downfall, coming off it for a vacation away then struggling to get back on the bandwagon. I have realized that I need to let go of the feeling of deprivation and embrace the feelings of good health and success. Sounds good, doesn't it? That's because I am only on day one! We will see what happens when push comes to shove.
I am writing this blog to keep myself accountable in my journey, and in the hopes that those of you who ride along with me will learn something that helps you in your own journey.
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