There have been many times in my life that I have asked myself, "why am I fat?"
Was it because I loved food so much? YES! Was is because I wasn't brought up with healthy food or exercise? YES! Was it because food loved me back? YES! Was it because food was always there for me? YES! Was it because food didn't judge me? YES! Was it because I was stuffing down issues that had nothing to do with food? YES! Did I eat because I was happy? YES! Did I eat because I was sad? YES! Did I eat because I was furious? YES!
Do you get the picture?
We all have reasons for eating. Those of us who struggle or struggled with obesity have reasons for taking it to the extreme. All of these reasons are different but all cause or caused the same result.
It was important for me to deal with the things that caused me to over eat because I DO NOT want to go back. I ate for all those reasons mentioned above but mostly because I was miserable. It made me feel good at the start but overall it made me feel like crap.
It's funny because it's like a catch 22...I ate because I was miserable but being overweight made me miserable.
Now, after all I learned, I have a healthy relationship with food. At the start of all this it was really hard to re-train my brain (and myself) to eat for the right reasons...because I was hungry. The emotional eating had to stop or it would eventually kill me. Sure, I still have cravings for chocolate and pizza and other not-so-good-for-you foods. I have found healthier versions of these foods that satisfy my cravings and don't make me feel guilty for eating them and I don't feel that I have sabotaged myself.
If you are on a weight loss journey yourself and have a hard time with emotional eating, have a conversation with yourself (not out loud, you don't want people to think you're crazy). Ask yourself "why am I eating the entire bag of chips?" Check your mood before making a rushed decision to eat a box of cookies. You may find yourself making a different decision after you answer those questions.
Happy Eating!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
There's A Party In My Tummy...
The most important step in choosing a healthy lifestyle is deciding to do it. The next step is actually doing it. Many times I made the decision but wasn't successful in following through because I really didn't know what to eat. I knew, obviously, what healthy foods were but there really is only so much chicken, fish, and veggies one can injest.
One of the reasons I think we have been successful this time is because we changed our mind set. THIS ISN'T A DIET!!! This is how we will live the rest of our lives. So it's extremely important that we eat things we like and aren't starving ourselves.
It's crucial to find out how many calories you should be eating for you specifically. I eat 2100 calories a day. I mentioned in a previous blog that I eat 6 times a day, every 3 hours and make sure I eat equal amounts at each meal.
The first priority is to make sure you eat enough calories. The second priority is to make sure you are getting enough protein at each meal. The third priority is to make sure you are getting enough carbs and the last priority is making sure you are eating the good fats and limiting the bad ones. Good fats are in nuts, olive oil, avocados, etc.
So now what??
I have a few "go to" cookbooks that I use regularly for breakfast and dinner ideas and staple snacks to keep me on track.
Cookbooks I love are Ellie Krieger "So Easy" and Ellie Krieger "The Food You Crave." I also am a huge fan of Hungry Girl. She has a new cooking show on the Cooking channel on Saturday's. She has a daily newsletter, 2 cookbook's , and she is on Facebook, so check her out.
Websites that are also helpful are http://www.sparkpeople.com/ and www.tasteofhome.com/healthy.
It's a good idea to write down everything you eat so you know exactly what you're eating and how many calories you are getting.
On the menu for this week is Pumpkin Pie Muffins, Oatmeal & Applesauce Pancakes, Oven "fried" Chicken, Four Cheese Macaroni, Hummus and Grilled Veggie Wraps, Spaghetti, Sloppy Joes, No pudge Brownies, and Yum Yum Chocolate Muffins. All of these are low in calories and fat and very delish!
Snacks that I eat are almonds, cocoa almonds, greek yogurt, hummus and veggies, cheese sticks, light babybel cheese, grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, multigrain crackers, cottage cheese, baked tortilla chips & salsa,100 calorie popcorn, mini rice cakes, fiber one bars, protein bars,and sugar free jello and pudding. I mix and match the low cal ones to make sure I am getting 300-350 calories at each snack.
Now that we have been doing this for 5 months it has become our way of life. I never have felt like I was dieting. I am eating yummy foods and never have that starving feeling.
I have lost 44 pounds, my BMI has gone down 5%, and I have gone down 4 sizes! I average about 2 pounds a week and I am losing mostly fat while maintaining my lean mass.
I know this may be a cliche, but seriously...if I can do this so can you. This is the reason for this blog, to pay it forward and give hope. Right before I started this I was hopeless, desperate, and scared. But I did it and am continuing to do it and so can you!
One of the reasons I think we have been successful this time is because we changed our mind set. THIS ISN'T A DIET!!! This is how we will live the rest of our lives. So it's extremely important that we eat things we like and aren't starving ourselves.
It's crucial to find out how many calories you should be eating for you specifically. I eat 2100 calories a day. I mentioned in a previous blog that I eat 6 times a day, every 3 hours and make sure I eat equal amounts at each meal.
The first priority is to make sure you eat enough calories. The second priority is to make sure you are getting enough protein at each meal. The third priority is to make sure you are getting enough carbs and the last priority is making sure you are eating the good fats and limiting the bad ones. Good fats are in nuts, olive oil, avocados, etc.
So now what??
I have a few "go to" cookbooks that I use regularly for breakfast and dinner ideas and staple snacks to keep me on track.
Cookbooks I love are Ellie Krieger "So Easy" and Ellie Krieger "The Food You Crave." I also am a huge fan of Hungry Girl. She has a new cooking show on the Cooking channel on Saturday's. She has a daily newsletter, 2 cookbook's , and she is on Facebook, so check her out.
Websites that are also helpful are http://www.sparkpeople.com/ and www.tasteofhome.com/healthy.
It's a good idea to write down everything you eat so you know exactly what you're eating and how many calories you are getting.
On the menu for this week is Pumpkin Pie Muffins, Oatmeal & Applesauce Pancakes, Oven "fried" Chicken, Four Cheese Macaroni, Hummus and Grilled Veggie Wraps, Spaghetti, Sloppy Joes, No pudge Brownies, and Yum Yum Chocolate Muffins. All of these are low in calories and fat and very delish!
Snacks that I eat are almonds, cocoa almonds, greek yogurt, hummus and veggies, cheese sticks, light babybel cheese, grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, multigrain crackers, cottage cheese, baked tortilla chips & salsa,100 calorie popcorn, mini rice cakes, fiber one bars, protein bars,and sugar free jello and pudding. I mix and match the low cal ones to make sure I am getting 300-350 calories at each snack.
Now that we have been doing this for 5 months it has become our way of life. I never have felt like I was dieting. I am eating yummy foods and never have that starving feeling.
I have lost 44 pounds, my BMI has gone down 5%, and I have gone down 4 sizes! I average about 2 pounds a week and I am losing mostly fat while maintaining my lean mass.
I know this may be a cliche, but seriously...if I can do this so can you. This is the reason for this blog, to pay it forward and give hope. Right before I started this I was hopeless, desperate, and scared. But I did it and am continuing to do it and so can you!
Friday, February 4, 2011
A Day In The Life...
Getting started on this journey took a long time. I never felt I was prepared enough or had the right tools, or it wasn't Monday. I had a billion excuses why it wasn't the right time. I even tried convincing myself that I liked myself the size I was. Which couldn't of been more untrue!
This journey was like jumping into the deep end of the pool for the first time. You know how to swim but your still unsure, nervous you're going to sink.
I'm not sure what it was inside me but I had enough. I was physically uncomfortable. I was emotionally uncomfortable. I gathered as many tools as I could and just did it.
The first thing I did was to get rid of all the junk so I wouldn't be tempted. The next thing I did was replace the junk with healthier options: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, etc.
Then I made meal plans for the whole week so I knew exactly what I was going to be eating. At the start I wasn't eating nearly enough calories because I didn't know any better. After being educated by our personal trainer I now eat enough to fuel my body and burn through the fat. During the first week I quit drinking soda and coffee and replaced it with water. I drink a gallon of water a day. I also put a limit on processed foods. They're no good for you!
After about 2 weeks we invested in two things that have really helped us to stay on track. The first thing was a personal trainer and the second thing was a BodyBugg. Both can be pricey but I'm not sure we would have been as successful as we are if we didn't have these things.
I only have two more sessions with our personal trainer but he has taught me so much that I know I can do it on my own now. I workout six times a week for an hour at a time.
We saw the BodyBugg (http://www.bodybugg.com/) on the Biggest Loser. You wear it on your arm and it keeps track of how many calories you burn each day. You log in the food you eat and it gives you a breakdown of how many calories you consume, how many calories you burn, how many steps you take each day, how much protein, carbs, fats, fiber, cholesterol, and sodium you are taking in, and so much more. It's fantastic! It takes the guess work out of losing weight and really has helped me stay on track.
I also recommend writing down everything you eat and drink so you know where you're at as far as calorie consumption.
One other very important thing our personal trainer taught us is to eat 5-6 times a day every three hours and eating the same amount of calories each time. It's also important to have protein, carbs, and "good" fats at each meal. This helps to increase your metabolism, prevents you from having that "starving" feeling and making bad choices, and it increases your energy.
The bottom line for losing weight is about calories in versus calories out and making those calories in "good" ones. It's also about getting your heart rate in that "fat burning zone" so the fat will melt away. And it's about believing in yourself and knowing that you are worth it and deserving of feeling good and being healthy.
I have good days and bad days like everyone else. Bad days are to be expected. I also allow myself the occasional "cheat" day. I do not go over board but I get enough to satisfy the craving. This isn't a diet for me, it's the rest of my life. I have had to change the way I think about food in drastic ways. I have to tell myself that it's okay to have one piece of pizza because I know that I am going to get right back on track and not sabotage myself and give the whole thing up.
So far, I have lost 35 pounds, lowered my percentage of bodyfat by 3.58%, and went down 4 sizes in my jeans. I am proud of my accomplishments so far and can't wait till summer!
Enjoy your own journey my friend.
This journey was like jumping into the deep end of the pool for the first time. You know how to swim but your still unsure, nervous you're going to sink.
I'm not sure what it was inside me but I had enough. I was physically uncomfortable. I was emotionally uncomfortable. I gathered as many tools as I could and just did it.
The first thing I did was to get rid of all the junk so I wouldn't be tempted. The next thing I did was replace the junk with healthier options: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, etc.
Then I made meal plans for the whole week so I knew exactly what I was going to be eating. At the start I wasn't eating nearly enough calories because I didn't know any better. After being educated by our personal trainer I now eat enough to fuel my body and burn through the fat. During the first week I quit drinking soda and coffee and replaced it with water. I drink a gallon of water a day. I also put a limit on processed foods. They're no good for you!
After about 2 weeks we invested in two things that have really helped us to stay on track. The first thing was a personal trainer and the second thing was a BodyBugg. Both can be pricey but I'm not sure we would have been as successful as we are if we didn't have these things.
I only have two more sessions with our personal trainer but he has taught me so much that I know I can do it on my own now. I workout six times a week for an hour at a time.
We saw the BodyBugg (http://www.bodybugg.com/) on the Biggest Loser. You wear it on your arm and it keeps track of how many calories you burn each day. You log in the food you eat and it gives you a breakdown of how many calories you consume, how many calories you burn, how many steps you take each day, how much protein, carbs, fats, fiber, cholesterol, and sodium you are taking in, and so much more. It's fantastic! It takes the guess work out of losing weight and really has helped me stay on track.
I also recommend writing down everything you eat and drink so you know where you're at as far as calorie consumption.
One other very important thing our personal trainer taught us is to eat 5-6 times a day every three hours and eating the same amount of calories each time. It's also important to have protein, carbs, and "good" fats at each meal. This helps to increase your metabolism, prevents you from having that "starving" feeling and making bad choices, and it increases your energy.
The bottom line for losing weight is about calories in versus calories out and making those calories in "good" ones. It's also about getting your heart rate in that "fat burning zone" so the fat will melt away. And it's about believing in yourself and knowing that you are worth it and deserving of feeling good and being healthy.
I have good days and bad days like everyone else. Bad days are to be expected. I also allow myself the occasional "cheat" day. I do not go over board but I get enough to satisfy the craving. This isn't a diet for me, it's the rest of my life. I have had to change the way I think about food in drastic ways. I have to tell myself that it's okay to have one piece of pizza because I know that I am going to get right back on track and not sabotage myself and give the whole thing up.
So far, I have lost 35 pounds, lowered my percentage of bodyfat by 3.58%, and went down 4 sizes in my jeans. I am proud of my accomplishments so far and can't wait till summer!
Enjoy your own journey my friend.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Haters
I am a people pleaser. I want to make everyone happy. I have spent the majority of my life worrying what others think of me. I have gone out of my way to make sure people like me because I just couldn't stand it if I knew someone didn't like me. My life was consumed by thoughts of being good enough. I needed validation from my friends or Luis that I was doing a good job or that I looked good. I never knew how to validate myself or knew if I was doing a good enough job. Frankly, I had ZERO self confidence, no self-esteem, and I really didn't know who I was or what I wanted.
Well no more my friends, no more. Through this process of losing weight I am discovering my voice within. I look at myself in the mirror, really look and tell myself positive things. Now, don't go thinking I am crazy, I don't talk to myself but I am starting to notice my potential. I am actually reaching goals I have set for myself and doing things out of my comfort zone. This blog for example is something I have been wanting to do for a while and I finally just made the decision to do it. Posting the link on Facebook was a HUGE deal for me because it opened me up to the haters. The old me would have never done such a thing becasue I would have been too worried about what others thought. Maybe no one would like it, or read it, or thought my writing sucks. Well, maybe there will be someone who doesn't like it, or maybe my writing does suck but you know what? That's okay.
There will always be haters in the world. I am learning to embrace them. The only thing that really matters is how much you believe in and love yourself and I, for the first time, truly believe in myself.
I am lucky to have people in my life who are so supportive and loving. Now I can add one more person to that list...ME!
Well no more my friends, no more. Through this process of losing weight I am discovering my voice within. I look at myself in the mirror, really look and tell myself positive things. Now, don't go thinking I am crazy, I don't talk to myself but I am starting to notice my potential. I am actually reaching goals I have set for myself and doing things out of my comfort zone. This blog for example is something I have been wanting to do for a while and I finally just made the decision to do it. Posting the link on Facebook was a HUGE deal for me because it opened me up to the haters. The old me would have never done such a thing becasue I would have been too worried about what others thought. Maybe no one would like it, or read it, or thought my writing sucks. Well, maybe there will be someone who doesn't like it, or maybe my writing does suck but you know what? That's okay.
There will always be haters in the world. I am learning to embrace them. The only thing that really matters is how much you believe in and love yourself and I, for the first time, truly believe in myself.
I am lucky to have people in my life who are so supportive and loving. Now I can add one more person to that list...ME!
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Very First
About three months ago my husband Luis and I decided that we needed to make a change. At the rate we were going there was no way we would have long, healthy lives or see our children get married and have children. The scary part about this decision was that we have made this decision before, many times before. It was always, "we'll start Monday." I lost count of how many Mondays came and went and still no changes were made.
A little over two years ago Luis had a heart "scare." He was at work and started having chest pains. Long story short, he had extremely high blood pressure, and slight blockage in one of his arteries. That was a huge wake up call for us both. I did some research, got rid of all the junk in our pantry, and bought healthy food. In all the research I did it seemed like most of the sites I went to said that 1200 calories a day and one hour of cardio 5 days a week was what we needed to do in order to lose weight. So thats what we did. Boy did we lose the weight and fast! I lost 50 pounds in 12 weeks and my husband last 80 pounds in 16 weeks. We were both so excited about how we looked! This all happened right before summer. Neither one of us was at our goal weight but we got so consumed by the summer parties, the yummy appetizers, and delicious cocktails that we got off course. The weight came back and then some. With that the sadness came. The happiness I felt was gone. I was so embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I could only imagine what people thought. Everywhere I went I felt people were talking about me and all the weight I had put back on. I was miserable.
Fast forward...
July 2010 we moved from Illinois to Arkansas for my husbands job. We moved away from our family and friends which was very hard. I was excited to start new and become closer as a family unit and nervous about what was to come. My weight was always on my mind I just kept pushing the thoughts away (stuffing them away with food).
The "weight loss" talks started occurring more and more often between my husband and I. We both wanted to lose weight so badly but we were both so nervous about how to do it becasue we failed last time.
We took the leap of faith and started our Journey in October 2010. The first week I lost 8 pounds and my husband lost 10 pounds. We were thrilled! We were still unsure about how many calories we should be eating and what kinds of exercises we should be doing so we decided to arm ourselves with a personal trainer. We discovered BodyWorks in Bentonville, AR http://www.workurbody.com/. The owners of Bodyworks and their personal trainer Brian Camp, saved our lives. We have learned so much about nutrition and exercise. The reason we were not successful the last time we tried to lose weight was because we weren't eating nearly enough or exercising the right way. Since joining Bodyworks, I have lost 34 pounds. This time I am losing actual fat. My endurance has increased tremendously and I am able to do things that I have never been able to do before.
I have a long road ahead of me still but I am so excited to be on this road.
With each pound I shed a new me is being revealed. I am a little more confident, more happy, and more excited about life. In the blogs to come I will share information, recipes, thoughts, and much more. If there is anyhting I can help you with feel free to ask.
I am here for you...
A little over two years ago Luis had a heart "scare." He was at work and started having chest pains. Long story short, he had extremely high blood pressure, and slight blockage in one of his arteries. That was a huge wake up call for us both. I did some research, got rid of all the junk in our pantry, and bought healthy food. In all the research I did it seemed like most of the sites I went to said that 1200 calories a day and one hour of cardio 5 days a week was what we needed to do in order to lose weight. So thats what we did. Boy did we lose the weight and fast! I lost 50 pounds in 12 weeks and my husband last 80 pounds in 16 weeks. We were both so excited about how we looked! This all happened right before summer. Neither one of us was at our goal weight but we got so consumed by the summer parties, the yummy appetizers, and delicious cocktails that we got off course. The weight came back and then some. With that the sadness came. The happiness I felt was gone. I was so embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I could only imagine what people thought. Everywhere I went I felt people were talking about me and all the weight I had put back on. I was miserable.
Fast forward...
July 2010 we moved from Illinois to Arkansas for my husbands job. We moved away from our family and friends which was very hard. I was excited to start new and become closer as a family unit and nervous about what was to come. My weight was always on my mind I just kept pushing the thoughts away (stuffing them away with food).
The "weight loss" talks started occurring more and more often between my husband and I. We both wanted to lose weight so badly but we were both so nervous about how to do it becasue we failed last time.
We took the leap of faith and started our Journey in October 2010. The first week I lost 8 pounds and my husband lost 10 pounds. We were thrilled! We were still unsure about how many calories we should be eating and what kinds of exercises we should be doing so we decided to arm ourselves with a personal trainer. We discovered BodyWorks in Bentonville, AR http://www.workurbody.com/. The owners of Bodyworks and their personal trainer Brian Camp, saved our lives. We have learned so much about nutrition and exercise. The reason we were not successful the last time we tried to lose weight was because we weren't eating nearly enough or exercising the right way. Since joining Bodyworks, I have lost 34 pounds. This time I am losing actual fat. My endurance has increased tremendously and I am able to do things that I have never been able to do before.
I have a long road ahead of me still but I am so excited to be on this road.
With each pound I shed a new me is being revealed. I am a little more confident, more happy, and more excited about life. In the blogs to come I will share information, recipes, thoughts, and much more. If there is anyhting I can help you with feel free to ask.
I am here for you...
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