Eating Out ... Bad Few Days

I went out with a friend last night and it started out well... but we ended up at the pub, and they changed the menu... my choice for food ended up coming down to chicken wings or a sandwich with loads of unhealthy things on it... I went for the 10 wings ($.44 each! :O)... Wings are bad because they're usually fried. So last night wasn't such a great day for the new lifestyle change...

Then today, by the time I got out of my last class, I was so hungry that I was shaking, so I went to the student run convenience store looking for something to pick up that I could bring with me on my walk home, which I found out afterwards was really greasy, and it ended up making me feel not so well.

The last few days haven't been so great on the weight loss front. I know where I need to go though. I need to pick myself back up and put myself on track. I've still been getting exercise for the last few days, so that's good. But, I'm finding it hard to eat properly as I keep getting busier with school. I'm going to try to have some thinsations, a granola bar, or something in my backpack or purse from now on so that if I'm out and I get into a situation like today, I've got something to eat that's *healthy* so that I don't have to worry about making sure that I can find something that I can eat out. Since I don't eat carbs most of the time, and I try to only eat low fat things, it can be very difficult to find things while out that follow my diet plan.

Therefore, my
Tip:
is to always carry something that follows your meal/diet plan with you, so that if you get to a point where you need it and can't get home right away, you've always got a backup. :)

Hahahaha, I Love Myself.

Funny story:

I was walking home today in the pouring rain, I was absolutely soaked yet sooooooooo happy!!! (ps, I love running and dancing in the rain.) I was listening to my Asian music, in particular a Japanese rock band. One of my favourite parts of the song came on, and since it was raining, and there aren't usually people out walking when it's raining, I figured that it'd be ok to yell my favourite part of that song (I had checked earlier in the walk and no one was around.) But what I didn't realize is that a walking path had connected to the road I was on, and there were actually about 3 people in my vicinity.... Here I am yelling "FUKAKU!" practically as loud as I can, hands flailing around, looking ridiculously happy, and I turn around to these strangers giving me the strangest looks.... hahahahahaha. It made my day!

Tip of the Day: Cravings

If you're having cravings for a particular foods, here's a few techniques I use to stop myself from giving in.

1. anytime I start craving something, I like to make sure that I'm not just hungry (try to eat a meal instead)
2. if I'm craving something sweet, I'll eat a fruit which has natural sugars to give myself a healthier sweet
3. if I'm craving something fatty (say, chocolate or poutine), I think of how bad that food is for me
4. no matter what I may crave, I know that I want to loose this weight A LOT more than I want to eat that food, and the lack of indulgence now will pay off even more in the future :)

I saw a quote that I liked in my French text book last night: Il faut manger pour vivre, et non vivre pour manger.

English translation:

"Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat."
- Socrates
Greek philosopher in Athens (469 BC - 399 BC)

Yay! I Ran!

On my way home from class yesterday afternoon... I kept my pace up for most of the walk... and I was almost home and I felt that I wanted to run. So I did! I picked a target - a lamp post - a distance ahead of me, and I ran to it! I was so surprised that I actually did it, and didn't feel like I was going to topple over at the end of it! I know I've ran a few times before but this time I actually wanted to... on my own! :) I walked the rest of the way home, and when I got home, I felt like that hadn't been enough exercise, so I played a 3-4 minute song on my mp3 player, then ran and jogged on the spot, and jumped to the song. It felt so good :)

I've cut the time it takes to get home from that class by about 5 minutes, which is pretty good because it was only 35 minutes to begin with.

I also went for an additional walk last night, that took about 30 minutes with a friend of mine.

I'm so pleased with myself lately. :D I feel that I'm doing well and I'm getting results! I weighed myself today and I'm down to about 191/2 pounds, which is another 2/3 since Tuesday! Guess I'm working off all those birthday treats ;) I had someone who I hadn't seen for a few months tell me that he could see the weight loss in my face, and he hadn't seen me since before the summer. :) ahhhh... I feel so good right now! :)

Now to get working on my homework -_____-

Hope everyone's having a good weekend!

Try to stay on track...

I've been really busy with my school work this week... and although I'm ok with the change in my eating habits, I'm finding it really hard to keep with the exercise in particular. This is especially true when I have things that I need to go out for, such as groceries, laundry, or other errands wherever or whatever they may be. Maybe this is because these things take further energy out of my day, or I feel that the bus is faster and so I can get them done more easily because I'm not depending on how fast I walk to make sure I can get them done before the businesses close?... I'm really not sure, but my mindset about exercise really needs to change. For me, it's not optional, I must exercise to keep losing weight, so I really need to push myself harder to get it done every day.

On a bit of a happier note, I'm eating fewer thinsations snacks per week! I don't know how I'm curbing my sweet tooth, but I am! :)

Hmmm...

I'm finding that the last few days I've needed to eat less than I normally would to keep my hunger satisfied...
For example, I had cereal for breakfast... 2 small pieces of chicken for dinner... and a peach. I might have a yogurt or something later. But it's a bit weird because I'm getting exercise, doing homework, and going to classes, which all take some form of energy, whether it be physical or mental. Maybe my body is getting into more of a routine? I'm also going to bed slightly earlier every night... I'm hoping to end up going to bed at 1am, and waking up at 9am every day. :)

Sorry, I didn't blog yesterday!

I took my birthday off. :P. Today's going to be a quick one because I have SO much work to do right now...... anyway...

So I weighed myself today, and I'm down to 194 pounds! Yay! I've lost 13-14 pounds total. I know that I have some birthday treats to work off over the next few days, so I'm pretty happy with these results.

Alright, I need to get down to my work! Hope my readers are staying healthy and happy!

Tip: Weighing yourself every day will give you small results. I generally weigh myself one or two times per week so that I'll have dropped a pound or so in that time... and I'm not trying to remember how close the needle was to the next pound down last time. ;)

A Real Blog Post!

Now that you know a few of the tricks that I'm using, I want to start daily blogging. As I try new things, I'll keep you updated on my new strategies and how they are working out for me.

I'll admit, today's been a bit of a bad day on the eating scene. Tomorrow's my birthday and I had dinner (and dessert :O! :X) out with my family at Montana's. Since I'm not planning on doing too much on my actual birthday, today was a bit of a break day for me. I had my cereal for breakfast, got ready to go, and walked to the bus stop. (This particular bus stop is about a 15-20 minute walk from my house and it's mostly uphill.) I haven't taken on exercising on weekends yet so that was a bit of extra work for me. For dinner though, I had a half chicken (I brought half of it home), broccoli, and mashed potatoes (no gravy). I haven't had potatoes since the beginning of August so I almost died when I first tasted them. Delicious :)

My mother brought me a scale today, so tomorrow morning I'll weigh in and let you know how I'm progressing! I haven't been able to weigh myself since the end of August (I was at about 197-198 then.) I've put in a lot of exercise, and eaten quite healthy for the last 3 weeks, so hopefully my determination and work is paying off. :)

Tip: There is a 10-20 minute delay between your stomach and your brain. Often, people will over eat and not realize they're doing it, because they eat until they feel full. To avoid this: 1)Eat slowly, 2) portion your meals out and if you are still hungry 20 minutes after eating a smaller portion of food, then eat again. I've often found that I'll feel full after I've given my body time to realize the food is there. :)

Strategy 4: Exercise (continued)

If I had put everything in one blog about exercise, it would have been really long, so I figured I would continue it today.

You need to find some form of exercise that you can stick with. There are all kinds of activities at different levels of impact.. you might want to start out with a low impact activity and work your way up... but it's really whatever works for you that you think you can stick with.

Impact Level	Examples
Low	swimming and water aerobics cycling rowing yoga, pilates tai chi strength training
Medium	walking stair climbers elliptical trainers aerobics dance classes (no jumping)
High	running kickboxing aerobics dance classes (with jumping)

Think of the pros and cons of the various activities as you try them out. For example, running is a major calorie burner and you need little equipment to do it.. but it can be boring or it could aggrevate knee or ankle problems. Another thing to consider is if you have low self esteem, you may have trouble going to a gym to work out next to those stick thin people... or swimming might be a problem if you don't want to be in a swim suit in front of others... so make sure you'll feel comfortable in the place that your activity will be taking place.

Of course the examples listed are just that, examples. There are many other sports, activities, and forms of exercise that you can do. You might want to take up tennis with a friend, or join a team sport like baseball. Whatever the case... make sure it's something you can enjoy and will be comfortable doing. You CAN do it!!!

Tip: If you're finding that water is getting too boring for you, try adding crystal light singles to your water. They're low in calories, add some flavour to your drink, come in many flavours, and are much cheaper than buying other beverages.

Strategy #4: Exercise

If you're like me, you probably don't think you can do it. It is important because it burns calories and it helps grow your muscles.

Every bit of activity helps and you can start out small:

• take the stairs instead of the elevator a few times a day


• do 20-30 reps of lifting a 10 pound bag of potatoes 2 or 3 times a day


• do 10 minutes of pilates a day (youtube has many pilates videos such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQAKl2FGeTI which have easier steps if you can't do the full workout.)

However, it's best to work your way up to at least 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise a day. It's important that whatever you choose to do, you feel like you have accomplished something at the end of it and you can motivate yourself to do it every day. It's also good to know that you can increase the intensity of your routine gradually as you continue to get more fit.

For me, this activity is walking. I incorporate it into my daily routine by walking home. By the time I have reached the bus stop, waited for the bus, been driven home, and walked home from the bus stop, it only takes about 10-15 minutes more per day to walk home rather than bus depending on where my last class was at the university. I can motivate myself to do the walking because I know I want to reach home so I can have lunch/dinner, get working on my homework, and finish what I need to before I can relax. I make it fun by walking along to upbeat music and dancing a bit on the way. :) Of course it's going to be hard to walk home during the winter, but I figure that by the time the snow comes around, this form of exercise will be pretty routine in my life and I can keep myself motivated by making a playlist and walking on the treadmill at the gym until it is over. I also know that I can increase the intensity (slooooowly, over time) by jogging, running, and ellipticals (using an exercise machine that simulates walking uphill). For example, when I got to the end of my street, I got myself to run up the street to my house rather than walking. Every bit helps.

Tip: Bring water with you when you go to exercise. LOTS of water!

Strategy #3: Move At Your Own Pace

Even though it'd be nice to say out of the blue.. "hey! I'm going to eat healthy, exercise, cut junk food out of my diet, and live a healthier life!" it's not quite that easy. There are some days where it might take alot out of you mentally just to eat healthy, and there's no sense in pushing yourself too hard right from the beginning. This could lead to you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

I know that in order to loose 60 pounds, I cannot just eat healthier. This requires exercise as well. I wasn't ready to stick to a workout routine as well as eat healthier, so I chose one to stick with for a while until I was ready to start working out. Some of the benefits of eating healthier (not being weighed down with fatty foods and higher energy) gave me the push to start exercising regularly.

Keep a pace. Make goals and stick to them. Only you know how fast you want to go and whether or not you can handle it. :)

Tip: When cooking, use olive oil instead of margarine. The oils in olive oil are much healthier for you than the hydrogenated oils in margarine.

Strategy #2: My Diet

Here is an explanation of what I eat throughout the day and when:

Breakfast

I eat a fairly high protein cereal every morning for breakfast - it's an "Irresistibles" muesli (you can buy it at Food Basics or Metro). It has whole grains, dark chocolate, raspberries, cranberries, almonds, and hazelnuts and is delicious. It also keeps me from craving chocolate (my biggest vice), if I have a little bit each morning. This also ensures I get a good portion of dairy every day - calcium is good for the bones!

Lunch

For lunch, I'll eat a combination of the following: salad, a yogurt, cold cut veggies, fruit, polish sausage, and cottage cheese. I'll occasionally eat soup, but not too often as many soups have high amounts of salt in them which retains water and adds to your weight. I'll also occasionally eat a whole wheat wrap filled with mixed greens, chicken, cucumbers, etc.

Dinner

For my last big meal of the day, I make a lot of stir fry’s with plenty of veggies and meat. I have a few different bottled sauces that I like to eat on my stir fry’s including tangy thai, general Tao’s sauce, and just plain tomato sauce. Salads are also a good dinner. Sometimes it’s very difficult to think of new ideas that don’t use bread, potatoes, rice, noodles, or other pasta for dinner… but I’ll keep you updated on my new ideas as I try them once I get to my daily blogging. :)

Tip: Stay conscious of how long eating various foods takes to digest. Eating meat takes your body around 6 hours to digest, and if I eat within 6 hours of going to bed, it's generally fruit and/or veggies (which only take around 4 hours to digest), but could also be a 100 calorie snack, yogurt, or almonds.

Strategy #1: Things I Avoid

Carbs

I avoid carbs whenever possible but haven't cut them out of my diet completely, as any weight I have lost from not eating carbs would be just gained back once I start eating them again. I doubt many people can avoid bread, rice, pasta, noodles, wraps, etc. for forever! When I do eat carbs, I eat whole wheat/whole grain, and I try to eat them in the morning as carbs release energy slowly relative to other foods, and there’s not much sense in releasing energy to my body while I’m sleeping.

Beverages

Another thing to keep in mind is that many drinks are high in fat. I personally absolutely LOVE coffee, lattes, and bubble tea. If I drink a latte out, I get it non-fat (many coffee shops such as Starbucks and Second Cup will make drinks non-fat if you ask for it). If I make a pot of coffee at home, I only have one cup, and I think of it as a treat to myself. I've cut bubble tea out of my diet except for special occasions, such as when a particular friend of mine comes to visit me at university. (The tapioca is high in carbs, the drink portion [particularly in the milky ones that I like] is made with condensed milk, and is high in sugar.)

Others

I also avoid cheese, as well as junk food. I can't say that I'm never going to eat these foods again. If I want - say ice cream - if I feel that I've followed my meal plan fairly closely, and I REALLY REALLY REALLY want it, I'll have a scoop of ice cream. Any time I am "treating myself" I try to eat/drink the treat slowly so that I enjoy it more, and I make sure to portion the amount I'm intaking. I have also bought the 100 calorie ice cream cups from Breyers (English Toffee = ♥) and a bunch of other 100 calorie snacks just in case. They actually taste pretty good and are good for a light snack, something to add to your lunch, or a bit of a burst of energy.

Tip: If I am going to have one of the above foods/drinks, the key is to know that it’s a treat and to portion it. I know that I can’t eat chocolate every day, so when I do, I want to make it last… I also do not let myself eat a huge chocolate bar to make up for lost time, as that would defeat the whole purpose. If you cut all the foods you love out of your diet, you could end up getting frustrated with the whole thing and quitting. Instead, allow yourself to have small treats once in a while (for me it’s currently once a week or so) to enjoy your successes and to keep your spirits up. :)

The First Few Weeks

I want to catch you up on the difficulties and results of first few weeks, as I’ve already been changing my life for about a month and a half. The first 2 weeks have been the hardest so far.

Reason #1: I’d get cravings for chocolate, ice cream, candy, popcorn… anything unhealthy. One thing that I’ve noticed over the last month and a half is as I’m eating healthier, I’m craving unhealthy things less, and I’m craving healthier foods more. I had a bit of a shock when I was craving cucumbers, bread, and pasta rather than junk food.

Reason #2: Friends and family didn’t understand that I wasn’t eating fatty foods and would ask me to eat some with them. I remember the first night of this change in my life, I had a friend staying the night with me, and she wanted me to eat poutine with her. I remember fighting with myself (and her) saying that I’d have a nice spinach salad instead… and trust me, it was hard to say “no”. But, I think that was an important step. Now I know that I can say “no” to the foods I want even when there is outside pressure to eat them.

Reason #3: Since I was living at home for the summer (I’m a university student), I had little control over what foods were around and had less control over what I eat than I do now. (I have moved back to university now, and I love living on my own). If you’re living with others, it does get easier. Once you’ve been sticking with it longer, and people see that you’re serious, they will (at least in my experience) be more understanding and purchase/cook healthier foods.

Although the first few weeks were tough, I know that they were possibly the biggest step I could have taken towards my goal. Those 14 days proved a lot to me – I do have a lot of willpower, I can say no to junk foods, I can eat the types of meals and foods that I’m used to and still lose weight. Afterall, with just changing what I eat and when, I lost around 8 pounds, and was about 13% of the way through!

Over the next few days, I will get into more detail about specific aspects of my lifestyle change which are helping me to obtain my successes. :)

Intoduction

Hi there. I'm Amanda. I'm 18 years old and I've decided to loose weight.

There have been a few reasons for my decision. 1) I want to live a healthier life - I've grown tired of eating and living the way I have, and I am making a change. 2) I have a 6 month old nephew, and I want to be around for as much of his life as I can. 3) It feels good to be eating healthier and not weighed down with many fatty foods.

For me, food is a huge comfort, and I have often found myself snacking on ice cream, chocolate, chips, or candy if I'm upset or if I've had a bad day. Sometimes, there is no real reason for gorging myself with all sorts of junk food - just a craving, or habit. So I've decided to take control of myself and my life. For the past month and a half I've been eating much healthier. My diet consists mostly of:

• meat - largely chicken, some beef and some pork
  
• vegetables - anything from zucchini to broccoli to carrots
  
• fruit - apples, bananas, oranges, peaches - whatever I fancy when I'm in the grocery store
  

I have cereal in the morning for breakfast, and I will eat yogurt once in a while too. It's amazing how a small change can bring such great results! In the first 2 weeks of this change in my life, I lost about 8 pounds, bringing my weight just below 200 pounds. My goal is to bring my weight down to 145 pounds, and then continue to keep myself healthy afterwards so that this work and effort only has to be done once.

You'll hear me refer to this journey I'm taking as "A lifestyle change" rather than "A diet" because it's more than just something that I'm going to do for a month or a even a year, and it is not just changing what I eat. This is something I plan to stick with for a long time.

My hope in creating this blog is to give me more incentive to keep going with this on the tougher days, as there could be someone out there going through the same things that I am, and that by continuing to write this, I'll help them out as well. :)