Make Something Already!

I wanted to share a favorite motivational saying of late.  

I just might have to make it my screen saver!  

Feel free to snatch one up if you could use this simple reminder...

12 Reasons I'm Giving Up on Counting Calories

Here are 12 reasons why I think I'm through with counting calories or points on a regular basis:

1. I feel limited
2. It feels like a chore
3. Let's face it, it's boring
4. It consumes my thoughts
5. It can take too much time
6. How accurate is it, anyway?
7. It feels robotic and counter-intuitive
8. I start viewing food as good or bad
9. It becomes quite frustrating if I eat at a restaurant
10. I get sucked into buying diet-type food because it's advertised as "low-calorie"
11. It takes away the enjoyment of eating as I obsess about them before or during eating
12. I don't feel like I should have a "normal" meal and try to make modifications just for me

I'm not giving up,

I'm moving on...

More to come...
Update: This post is all about what's helping me to move on.

A Little Inspiration

Here is a great video!  Thinking of you Dad.



Eating a Colorful Rainbow Roundup

I'd like to stop feeling like a

complete failure

at dinnertime when a certain plate remains untouched

by a certain someone who will remain nameless,

so I am gathering ideas to teach and reinforce the idea of

healthy eating

and the importance of a variety of food. 

________________


Today I Ate a Rainbow - This looks like a cute site with great products which include the "Today I Ate a Rainbow" kit using colored magnets to help visualize what children have eaten, and a book titled, "The Rainbow Bunch."   These products are available through their website or through Amazon: Rainbow Innovations Today I Ate A Rainbow Kit

Their site also has free resources: coloring pages and games, a "Today I Tried" chart to aim for the 10 exposures to new foods that it takes before we get used to it, and several videos including Today I Ate A Rainbow song.

_______________

Here is a link to a printable game called : Eat a Rainbow

_______________

Wegmans has an awesome printable "Eat a Rainbow Everyday" chart that I think I'll laminate for the kids to put stickers on as they "eat their colors" throughout the week.

_______________


These Healthy Kids Plates are an excellent idea.  Here is printable place mat with the plate on it.  The creator also has a book that looks great: 201 Healthy Smoothies and Juices for Kids: Fresh, Wholesome, No-Sugar-Added Drinks Your Child Will Love.
_______________

What about you?  Any other suggestions out there?



What's Working: IGNORING THE EXTREME

Something that I know is working for me, and it's a big one, is this:

Ignoring the Extreme

I've read a lot about people losing this way or that way. Who hasn't? Extreme diets, exercising, and photos of chiseled bodies are everywhere. Such extremes can only be held out for so long.

One blogger only drinks water. Only. Water.

This same blogger says she still counts calories with one "cheat" meal a week and another one I came across that was pinned as "very inspriational" says she keeps her calories "really low" to keep the weight off even though it's been a few years

Now, I know water is good for you and I like it, but - only drinking water? For the rest of my life?  No thanks.  And I know there is no way that I will be able to live on 1200 calories the rest of my life while "allowing" one cheat meal per week. I also know from observation of "thin people" that they don't eat that way. Thinking about calories, and how to get the most nutrition from them, I can do. Counting every bite, every day - not going to happen.

There was another blog of 3 women that take pictures of every meal they eat and count the Weight Watcher points. This is not to say they don't have some good points and ideas, it's just the extreme lengths they go to in exercise and eating seems like it would be difficult to maintain, and, well, not much fun.

Maybe these people and others like them help motivate some, but I think those types of things kept me "stuck", feeling like I would fail before I even tried. I've lost weight on Weight Watcher before. I know how to lose weight with extreme exercise and low calories. I also know how to get yourself injured and sidelined for over a year and to gain it all back and more.   The kind of determination it takes to stick to extreme measures doesn't last. Not in my world, anyways. Weight loss and maintainance shouldn't be a marathon in will power. I want to be healthy. I don't need to look like a swimsuit model, thank you very much!

So on with my secret weapon to help me:

I've found an awsome podcast.  The show is called "Fat 2 Fit Radio."  These guys, self-admitted recovered yo-yo dieters, are the voice of reason and stick true to their philosephy

"If you eat and exercise like the thin person you want to become, you will eventually become that person."

So all you have to do is figure out how many calories you will need to maintain a healthy weight.  The Basal Metabolic Rate calculator on their site is very helpful.  When I finally figured this out I wasn't so hungry and I'm no longer prone to binging.  You can eat more than you think.  A big thing I learned is to NEVER eat below your basal metabolic rate.  It is the number of calories your body needs if you were in a coma.  A COMA!  Well, I'm a whole lot more active than that!  I realized I'm not "sedentary" at all.  No wonder I would get ravenously hungry trying to eat at a lower calorie level.

Most diet plans set people up for failure and gaurentee repeat business because of the extremely low calories.  The Fat 2 Fit guy's goal is not the speed of weight loss but permenant weight loss, "slow and steady wins the race."

I think we have been so conditioned by society that we think we have to give up so much of what we love in order to be thin and that we have to punish ourselves in some way in order to lose.  I'm not exactly saying that it's easy, but it's a whole lot easeir than trying to stick to a 1200 calorie diet!    One listener to their podcast said,

"Being healthy is hard, but being overweight is harder."

So true.

What's Working: THINKING POSITIVELY

{Week 5}

Today I weighed in at almost 2 pounds down. 

I had to do it twice because I couldn't believe it. 

It's been a busy, stressful weekend for me and I don't feel like I've been focused enough.  But I like what I see

- it's not a number I've seen since before Braden was born! 

So I guess I'll keep with the plan this week

and keep thinking about what's helping me to lose weight.

 

 

 

 

Thinking Positively

 

Getting and keeping my head in the game can be tricky between the day in-day out of

meals,

diapers,

tantrums,

sick kids,

lack of sleep,

me being sick,

husband traveling,

time management,

household chores,

behavior management,

pain management,

 kids extra-curricular activities*gasp*

 

I think you get the picture.

 

Yes, I think I obviously need to find some "me" time - BUT, until then, half of eating healthfully- maybe more - is all about the thoughts.  Our self-talk is powerful!

 

I wrote a quote down a while ago that goes along with this:

"If you hate being fat, start hating the thinking and behavior that made it so." 

Change comes from the inside-out.

 

I have found this to be

one of the most difficult things to change

and it takes vigilance to stay on top of any negative thoughts that creep in whether it's from

old habits,

an incorrect self-image,

or triggers from the environment.

 

If you've been "trying" to lose weight, stop and listen to your self-talk throughout the day. I say it's difficult, but the funny thing is, it's completely within our control.  Self-talk can work in a positive way, too!

Up Next: IGNORING THE EXTREME

What's Working: WRITING

Before I lost these last 5 pounds I had lost about 10 (over 10 months ago). Those were pounds I put on simply from the combination of being in chronic pain and unable to exercise. I have really struggled with these five pounds! Up and down. Back and forth. Strange to think that I've finally broken free of that weight after all that time of "trying". I never want to see or feel that extra weight again so I'm looking at what's working to keep my focus and motivation.

Writing Works!

Whether it's
blogging,
journaling,
or actually
sitting down and really thinking
about my goals
and the reasons for them
- writing is definitely good for weight loss. 

Blogging About Weight Loss

I'll admit that deciding to blog was a hard step for me.  "What will people think?" 

Not that more than 3 or 4 people regularly read my blog!  But they come here for the kids. "Who wants to hear my ramblings and random thoughts?"  And let's not forget, "What if I'm not successful?" 

But does it really matter what other people think?  All in all, I'm glad I did!  It's really helped me to be accountable.  And just maybe it will help someone else.  Or maybe help someone who has never been overweight to understand how difficult the process can be.  A little motivation to keep weight in check or compassion for those in our lives who struggle with these issues could go a long way.

If you would like to blog about your weight loss journey there are a few options.  Of course, I've used Blogger.com because it's easy to use and free (not that paying a little is bad - it may even help you to stay more motivated).  I've even started to post from my phone with Blogger's mobile version and have found it to work great.  There are a lot more themes with Wordpress.com and some people seem to really prefer it over Blogger.

Another option is Blog To Lose.  It is a site made up specifically of weight loss bloggers all helping each other to reach their goals.  The community reminds me of  My Fitness Pal which also provides a space for you to blog.

Keeping a Food Journal
At first I wrote what I ate and logged the calories. Most days. It certainly helps with awareness. But now I'm backing off and seeing what happens. I know they say that writing every morsel increases your chances at weight loss, but as long as I'm losing and feeling good about the way I'm eating, I'm letting myself off the hook unless I start gaining or hit a plateau. Being in tune with my body's needs is my ultimate goal, not to be on a diet the rest of my life and have to count calories. Will this strategy continue to work? Time will tell...


Writing Down Clear Goals
I think many times this is either done too hastily or not at all.  There's a lot to consider:

• What is a healthy weight for me?
• Why do I need to lose weight?
• Why do I want to lose weight?
• How will my life change if I reach my weight loss goal?
• What will happen if I don't reach my goals?
• How do I plan on staying motivated daily?
• How will I measure my progress?
• What deadline is reasonable?

Write it all down.

Study and take notes from reliable sources if you're not sure about some things.

Review your goals daily and your reasons for needing to lose weight often! 

And it isn't set in stone.  There's nothing to say you can't re-evaluate along the way. 

I set a clear and easy goal of losing only a pound a week until June. That pushes me back into the high end of the "healthy" weight category on the BMI chart. After that I'll consider what I want to happen next. (After major celebration, of course ;-).)

I'll continue
next week
with several more things
that are working for me!
(Oh, and maybe a picture or two of my cute kiddos!)

On Losing 5 Pounds

It's been a month since I went "public" with my (hopefully last and final) weight loss attempt so I've been thinking about what's working. 

I want to say,

---somewhat apologetically---

"I know, five pounds isn't much in 4 weeks time, but..."

And then I think:

WAIT!

5 pounds is huge! 

Even one pound of true fat loss is an amazing accomplishment - think of a pound of butter...

Four sticks of butter! 

I've lost the equivalent of 20 sticks of butter!!! 

Yes, this requires a photo.  I can't help it - I'm a visual person...

Huh. The body is actually pretty effective at storing it!

Wait a minute....

I've got 20 more pounds to go!  And that's just the first goal. 

(Don't worry Warren, I don't think I'll feel the need to buy 20 boxes of butter for that!) 

On the Boat...

OK, technically it is a ship. 

A

VERY

 BIG

 ship. 

We sailed on the Disney Dream.  I love their attention to detail and no one beats Disney's service! 

We went with Warren's brother Eric and his family.

Right away there were character sightings. 
Very exciting.

Braden really enjoyed the splash pad in the shade. 

Hailey got to meet many Disney Princesses at once! 
Her favorite is Ariel.  She didn't have her legs on our last cruise so this was a special treat! 
The princesses were never out of character.

It was fun going with cousins this time! 
Jake nicknamed Braden "Captain Hook" because he was his hook to talk to the girls.
(Not that he needed him, that kid's got game, I tell you!)

And FYI: I actually maintained my weight during our vacation! Getting sick may have helped a little.  I regained my appetite the second day on the ship. 

How could I not with all the delicious gourmet food? (My favorite was a

buttermilk lemon custard - Oh, my stars!)

This past week has been rough on me while I feel lousy.  Not much calorie counting.  But I'm learning to listen to my body and learning to balance the calories.  Today was weigh-in day:

I lost almost a pound and have hit a new low for the past year. 

About another pound and a half and I will be down to where I was when Braden was born.  And while it may not show much on the scale I got to tighten my belt to the next notch - now that's some incentive! 

I'm going to try to get back on a daily blogging schedule to keep my focus.  I plan on sharing my "go-to" breakfast and some surprising things that seem to be working. 

A Boost To My Motivation {Day 5}

I'm weighing in on Monday's, so even though it hasn't technically been a week, and even though yesterday was so "bad" for me with snacking,

I still got on that scale today! 

(I normally wouldn't have.  I would have figured I'd blown it and waited several days --or weeks!-- until I was fed up again and started back at square one.)

Well, I do have to say

I'm glad

I'm doing this.  It will definitely keep me on track more easily.  Because despite feeling like I shouldn't bother stepping on the scale,

I did. 

And even though it hasn't been a week, I've almost lost a pound.  I know that doesn't sound like much but I don't care how slowly those numbers change, as long as they continue to change in the right direction!

I've also realized that my goals for weight loss are a little vague.  How did I ever expect myself to get anywhere if I didn't know exactly what I wanted?  So after a little research about goals and healthy weight loss, I've written and posted my goals in 3 places: beside my bed, the bathroom mirror, and the refrigerator.

My Umteenth First Day

What do you do when your child is sick and, having believed her to be attention-seeking, you send her to school only to discover that she is indeed ill and so you go to the store to buy her ice cream and popsicles and stop at McDonnalds on the way home in order to get her to eat something - anything, and when you get home she discovers they messed up her hamburger (again!) so she won't touch it...   


 and you are standing there...

with a hamburger in hand...

after 7 p.m....

and you are hungry...

very hungry from eating carefully and sensibly all day...

very sensibly.

What do you do? 

 

Image source: Mcdonalds.com



You eat that hamburger.  Oh, yes.  You do.  (And by that, I mean eat that one and whatever your other child doesn't eat...)

As you inhale it you push back thoughts of maybe only eating one of the buns and what this might do to your calorie budget and in doing so almost don't even taste it.  But because you're committed, motivated, or just plain scared about how you will write about this, as soon as your head is cleared from devouring the last few uneaten fries, you gather your wits about you and dare to log what you've just eaten. 

Normally I would not have done that last part.  Normally I would then feel terrible and decide that I had failed for the day and I would have then turned to a rich treat like ice cream because it's there and, well, because I blew it, didn't I?


 Well, no.  Turns out I did not.  Turned out I even had calories left over if I made the right choice! 



Image ource: Yoplait.com



( ( ( I am now sounding an audible sigh of relief because my umteenth first day wasn't a failure...) ) )

What do you do when you're super hungry

and there isn't the best choice in front of you? 

How do you you minimize the "damage"?

Too Camera Shy

Have you noticed that when and if I put a picture of myself on this blog it is from the shoulders up, or hidden behind a child?  Actually, pictures of me are few and far between because I'm usually the one behind the camera, which has suited me just fine the past few years.

Here I am yesterday, all too willing to smile for Hailey because I knew the camera wasn't going to capture it all...

 

But I'm so tired of that self-conscious point of view!  So I'm starting something new here because I've started and stalled on my own weight loss attempts countless times in the past 8 months.  I could continue to accept underlying reasons of why I can't lose weight (PCOS, lack of sleep, stress, injured feet, etc.) or I can focus on what will work.  Putting it all out there (ok, not all but you know what I mean) just might be helpful.

Weekly posts starting this Monday exploring why it seems so ridiculously complicated to lose weight when it is supposed to be simple as calories in vs. calories out, and a hopeful shift in my thinking as I seek motivational insights.  And shorter daily updates of successes (or maybe sometimes the struggles). 

This feels like my last thread of hope.  Someday I hope to look back at these posts and see how far I've come and find the inspiration to never ignore a few pounds of weight gain again.  A few pounds adds up over time - well, it can work in the opposite direction, too, right?!