Breaking up with Junk Food

"Breaking up with Junk Food" by Carolyn Louise Maynard Breaking up with your boyfriend Junk Food is hard to do. Some time you don't give yourself enough credit. Just deciding to end your relationship is a big deal. You are tired of your boyfriend Junk Food's crap, how he treats you and the way he makes you feel. Your boyfriend Junk Food is abusive. Look what he has done to your body over the years. Now, you need to remember that you were once in love with your boyfriend Junk Food. You use to flirt with him. He seemed so cool. He made you feel so good, but you started noticing that after a while he was no good for you. You decided to end things. You saw your face in the mirror and were determined never to let Junk Food hurt you again. You felt so strong and powerful. You threw out all your boyfriend Junk Foods clothes. Then a few weeks later you saw your boyfriend Junk Food at the club. He was looking real cute. You had a few drinks and Junk Food started to look hot again. You went out dancing with Junk Food. The next morning you woke up feeling sorry for yourself. You asked yourself, "How could I be so stupid?", "What is wrong with me?" "I know me Ex Junk Food is no good for me." You started feeling bad about yourself and when Junk Food called the next day you answered his call. You wanted to feel better and Junk Food always had a way of making you laugh. You ended up back in bed with Junk Food again. You woke up hating yourself all over again. You needed to clear your head so you called your old friend Health. "Health, what is wrong with me?", you asked. "There is nothing wrong with you." "But I keep falling for Junk Food." "You have history with Junk and it can be hard to let go sometimes. You had a few one night stands with your Ex Junk Food, but that does not have to turn into an affair. Don't pay him any attention. If you have a moment of weakness, let it go. You have not changed your mind about your Ex Junk Food. You still know he is no good for you. After a while you will see Junk less and less. Some day you will look up and not even need him anymore. Don't let your Ex Junk Food get you down. He is just going to keep trying to get you back. Try to avoid him as much as possible. If you give in for a moment, let it be a one night stand. Wake up the next morning, take a cold and sober shower and renew your commitment to stay away from him. Don't give up, you deserve better!" "Thank you Health, you are such a good friend." "I know, some times I wish we could be more than friends." You thought about what Health said to you. You started to few better about yourself. You started to see your Ex Junk less and less. You noticed how cute Health looked. You began to spend more and more time with Health. Your love for Health started to grow more and more. You noticed how you felt around health. You had more confidence, you had higher self-esteem, more energy, you were less depressed. You started getting serious with Health. One day Health proposed to you and you accepted. You got married to Health. You and Health lived happily ever after! By Carolyn Louise Maynard 12/20/12

Clean and Sober in 2013!

Clean and Sober in 2013. It is my desire to become Clean and Sober in 2013. I was gifted a box of chocolates and suddenly I was faced with the decision, "Am I going to eat this?" Now I know all the facts and stats about Chocolate, I know that for eating one piece I would have to walk nearly 3 miles to burn it off. I know that it is high in fat. I no that it is addictive and that eating one piece will lead to me eating ten. I know that it will get me high for a few minutes and then return me to a lower state of energy. I thought about how I do not drink alcohol. Whenever some one offers me a drink at a restaurant, I usually say, "No thank you I do not drink!" When someone gives me a bottle of wine as a gift I pass it along to someone else who drinks or throw it away. I began to see that I must start thinking about chocolate the same way I think about wine. I don't want to be controlled or under the influence of chocolate. I don't want to become a chocolate zombie. I also do not do drugs, at-least illegal narcotics. I began to see that I must see the offer to share some chocolate with some one is the same as me being offered to do a line of coke with someone. Chocolate has harmed me. I am obese, I get depressed, have low energy and lower self-esteem and higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer as a result of eating too much chocolate. The truth is that it is very difficult to limit how much chocolate I consume. I would not be satisfied with one bar of chocolate per day, certainly not one piece per day. Asking me to only eat one piece of chocolate per day is like asking an alcoholic to only have one drink at a bar. It's not going to happen captain! The way I see it the only way out of being addicted to food drugs or food narcotics is to get clean and sober. I have tried portion control and that did not work for me! I have meal planned, counted calories, tried three meals a day, tried six, but I have not been serious about a commitment to be clean and sober from food narcotics. Sure I have made commitments to my health, to eating right and exercise without directly addressing my addiction to food drugs. Whether you count calories or not, there is something about the chemistry of chocolate compared to that of an apple. It is easier to limit the intake of apples than it is to reduce the intake of sweets. I define food narcotics as all food substances that are both harmful and highly addictive, on my list that would include every sweet known to man, snack foods or junk food such as chips or crackers, fried foods and cheese products. It is my desire to be free of food narcotics in 2013 and for the rest of my life! I do not wish to a food addict any longer! Carolyn Louise Maynard (CLM) 12/19/12

Mon Dec17 Update!

Monday December 17th Update! My goal last Monday was to reduce the amount of junk food I ate by eating small meals high in protein and by eating pretzels, frozen fruit bars, sugar-free pudding, taking in no more than 200 calories a day from treats. I did meet my goal for 3 days last week. I am still so excited that I was able to get my eating under control for the 3 days. The rest of the days I did eat junk food and even some fast food. I realized that the difference between the days I met my goal and the days I did not was tracking. I tracked my calories on the days I met my goal. I now see the importance of Tracking as a powerful aid to my health and weight-loss. When I track I eat less food. I am more aware of what I eat and I make healthy food choices. Tracking is so beneficial to my weight-loss journey that I will not become a devoted tracker, knowing that whether I track the good, bad or ugly I will always eat better tracking than what I would have eaten without tracking. Awareness is a powerful tool. Tracking is a powerful tool that takes practice and it requires learning how to make it work for you. My new goal for Monday December 24th is to have tracked for 7/7 days. I know that by tracking I will meet my goal of staying under 200 calories per day for my treats! CLM

The Key to My Success!

When it comes to cutting back on calories the key to my success will be in me avoiding junk food and making sure that the percentage of my calorie intake that is devoted to snacks/ treats in no more than 20% of 1000 calories daily. The most important thing will be for me to stick to my daily calorie budget of 200 calories for treats each day. I have developed skills of eating lean meat, fruit, vegetables and whole grains and using portion control to help me cut calories throughout the day. I also drink only water. The next part will be in me making sure that I am staying to the 200 calorie treat limit. I know if I stick to my pretzels, sugar-free pudding and frozen fruit bars I will stay on target. CLM

Non-Scale Victory!

When I started walking in October 2012 it was a struggle just to walk for 60 minutes. My feet would hurt so bad and the end that I could hardly stand. Now it is Dec 2012 and I have continued on my walking routine, building up my stamina from short 20-30 min walks at a time. This morning I woke up at six am on a Saturday and I was able to do a straight 90 min walk without getting tired! My stamina, strength and endurance have all improved. My cardio-vascular health has greatly improved within a very short time period. I am so thankful for my legs and feet which power me to walk for miles. I have rediscovered my joy and passion for walking and reclaimed myself as a long distance walker. CLM

Three days in a row!

Three days in a row! Since Monday I have been on a roll. The goal of simply cutting out the junk food is so working. I have not gone over my calorie limit in three days. My daily treat allowance budget of either pretzels with a sugar-free pudding or pretzels with a frozen fruit pop has not been exceeded. I took my snack consumption down from 1000-3000 calories a day to less than 200 calories a day. I do enjoy mini meals high in protein. I have noticed that by making sure I am eating my protein at every meal I am far less hungry. When I eat the small meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner with a treat and a mini meal after dinner I still come under 1000 calories a day even though I am eating way more food. The difference is that I have shifted the balance of the quality of calories I consume from empty calories to healthy calories. I eat more real food and less junk food. Before 90% of my calorie intake was from junk food. I would easily eat 1000 calories worth of junk. I eat no junk now and even my treat meal is only 10% of my daily calories. I am learning that in order to keep this up I will have to exercise my endurance muscles and continue to stick to my healthy plan knowing that today's work will lead to tomorrow's victory. CLM

The Real Question is not Why, But What!

The Real question is not why you want to lose weight, but what you are willing to do to lose the weight. For a long time I have had many reasons to lose weight, find reasons to lose seemed to be quite easy from wanting more self-esteem and cute clothes, to wanting more energy or better health. The harder question and the question that mattered the most was, What was I willing to do to lose the weight. I am know for me I am willing to do the following: Walk every day when it is not raining! Walk for at-least 20 minutes every day. Walking for 30 during my lunch break. Walk for at-least 20 minutes on weekends. Walk for multiple 20-30 minute sessions. Drink only water, tea and low cal drinks. Plan and track meals daily. Eat meals from fruit, vegetables, lean meat, and whole grains. Until now, there is one thing I was not willing to do and that was to cut out junk food, and for as long as I was unwilling to do it, the weight stayed on. I am finally willing to cut out empty calories. I am willing to give up junk food (sweets, fried foods, cheese products, chips and crackers!) I am finally willing to say I'd rather starve than eat empty calories. I am making the commitment to enter 2013 junk food free and to remain that way so that I can keep the weight off. No matter how much I may eat, I know one thing is for sure and that is my calories will no longer be coming from junk food. Junk food is way higher in fat and sugar than healthy food. For me if it is a choice between an apple or a cookie I am choosing the apple. I'd rather eat five apples than one cookie. At-least I know the apples will give me fiber and I will get full from them. The cookie is addictive and more than likely eating one cookie will lead to me eating ten. I can eat just one apple, but I have never been able to eat just one cookie! So this year I am focused on what I am willing to do to lose weight rather than why I want to lose. CLM

Goal for the week:Dec 10

Goal for the week: Dec 10 This week my goal is to not eat any junk food from this Monday Dec 10- Monday Dec 17. I plan to accomplish this by allowing myself three mini meals after dinner. One mini meal will be a protein bar and a fruit-cup for 290 calories and the another mini meal will be a yogurt and 100 cal pack of almonds for 160 calories. I will eat up to three of these mini meals after dinner when I get hungry. I will be so happy not to have eaten any junk food at night. It is my goal to completely stop eating junk food at night. Will report on Dec 17 what I was able to accomplish. I will try my best. CLM

December Update!

December Update: Well, well well, this month may have just started, but I have not just started! I have been going strong on my walking routine since October. I am headed into this new year feeling more happy and confident than ever! My short walks have really been they key to my success in consistently walking. I walk during my lunch breaks for 30 minutes Monday-Friday. I walk for 30 minutes after work a few days a week. I walk for 20-30 minutes after dinner a few days a week. I walk for 20-30 minutes in the morning a few days week. This walking plan is so much better than when I use to hope I would walk for 60 minutes every morning and never did it. I have also been tracking what I eat and keeping a food journal since October. I was tracking using an Excel sheet and I was not really looking at my calories. Recently I started using Livestrong.com again so that I can track the calories. For the most part I have been unsuccessful at my goal to eat three meals a day with no snacks and no sweets, like my goal to walk every morning for 1 hour it needed some adjusting. Now I follow a six meal a day plan with protein at every meal. I also have certain treats that I allow myself such as pretzels, frozen fruit-bars and sugar-free pudding. I also have frozen yogurt once a week. I am learning to manage just these treats and will be working on this plan of eating and monitoring my calories for all of 2013. I am happy that I don't have to create any New Years Resolutions concerning my diet and exercise, because I am already living out the changes every day. I no longer beat myself up when I make mistakes, when I fall I pick myself up immediately and ask myself a simple question, "What Have I learned?" The answers I find help me to live the next day even better. I am not focused on my body size right now, just focused on what I can do each day to live a healthy life. I know that in time my body will respond to my healthy habits. One thing I am learning to work on is getting a good nights rest. I am training myself to go to bed earlier so I can wake up the next morning refreshed and full of energy. Any way, that is what I have been up to from Oct-Dec. I have also been posting on a fitness challenge on FaceBook,and I made a few videos on youtube. I am continuing on my health journey and looking forward to what the New Year may bring. CLM

11/15/12 Update!

Well where has half the month gone? I am not sure, but I do know that I have managed to continue going for my daily walks. Walking is becoming a serious addiction! I am noticing that the walking does have a cumulative effect, the more I do it the better I feel and the looser my clothes are. I walk in short burst of 20-30 minutes throughout the day. Today I walked at 6:30 am, at 11:00am, at 6:00pm and I am talking myself into another walk at maybe 8:00pm. My eating goal is to have only 3 meals a day with no snacks or sweets. I have had 3 day's so far this month of no snacking. For me this is a victory. By this Monday I should have 9 day's total. CLM

Happy November!

Well for the entire month of October I did manage to track my eating and exercise. I walked at-least 5 out of 7 days every week! I cleaned up my daily eating habits, toward the end of the month I started working on cleaning up evening and weekend habits. I am having some great success and forming daily habits that will give me the results I am after. I have established a body goal for myself an addition to my life style changes. I am aim to be below 200lbs and a size 16-18. I will continue to work toward my goals by tracking my food and exercise and continuing to walk daily. I have stepped my walking up to two hours per day! I only allow myself one 200 calories snack per night followed by a cup of green tea. For this month of November my goal is to stay sweet free, stick to my light snack and keep up my walking routine. I will weigh myself of December 1st and see what I was able to accomplish. For now I am keeping busy working on my actions and not just my goals. CLM

The Difference Between A Diet And A Life Style

I think the difference between a diet and a life style change is whether the healthy changes you are making are truly things you can stick with in the long haul. I think in order to form habits for life they must be balanced and things you can truly live with. Radical extremes get in the way of progress. For me saying I am going to walk for 2 hours 7 days a week is unrealistic, I could do it for a few weeks, but eventually I would fall off, I may procrastinate on doing it in the first place. This is an example of a diet mentality. What I do instead is say I am going to walk for 20 minutes in the morning before work, and 20 minutes most days after work and 30 minutes during my lunch. It is far easier for me to stick to the smaller chunks of time, because I don't feel pressure to get every thing done in one session. I find comfort in knowing I will have another chance to finish what I started. I find it difficult to get away for longer stretches of time and I find the prospect of walking for such a long period daunting whereas the idea of walking for twenty to thirty minutes is doable. I am finding that the main thing I need when it comes to life style changes is to find what truly works for me. No more all or nothing! CLM

Lesson I Have Learned: Salad Should Taste Good!

Over the years I have been very strict about what I will allow on a salad. I have used the salad spray dressing that is 10 calories per serving, I have stopped putting chopped nuts my salad, skipped dried fruit and left cheese off the salad. What I have been left with is a dry boring salad that I cannot bear to eat. I have noticed that I eat salad far less frequently and that it has become quite the chore to eat salad. For a person that does not care for cooked vegetables much I need salad daily! I have been a calorie counter and I have been afraid to order salads fearing the worst that they would be 1,000 calories the highest calorie item on the menu, and mean while I have been busy ordering french fries, fried chicken and fried cheese and rich pasta dishes instead. I think there is a such thing as going over board with becoming the calorie police. I may not mind skipping cheese on my daily sandwich, but I would like to add a sprinkle of low-fat cheese to my salad and I am not talking fat-free greek feta unless that is the taste I am going for. I am bringing toppings back to my salads, a few sprinkles of nuts, dried fruit or cheese may add some calories to the zero calorie salad, but to me it is so worth it!!!!!!!!!! Hey it is bad enough I am passing up the milk shake and the fries and having water with my meal. I will not go on an diet that I cannot live with. CLM PS: Speaking of flavor I use real mayo, made with Olive oil on my veggie burgers along with a little mustard, I figure I am off setting it by eating the 100 calorie bread. I believe there needs to be give and take and balance to cutting both calories and fat. I see now that I really need to eat from all the food groups and not just go crazy in any one direction. I also learned I rather eat light pop-corn than fat-free. CLM

Lesson I have learned: Walking does a body good!

Lesson I have learned: Walking does a body good! Earlier in the day I was feeling so blue. I went for a walk during my lunch break and when I came back I felt like a different person. As I inch closer to 30 I am learning so many powerful lessons about health. #1 I learned that fiber and water go hand and hand. #2 I have learned that walking is better than any anti-depressant. #3 Salad does not have to be a meal, you can add it to a meal. I like to start my meal with fresh vegetables. #4 Fresh fruit is a daily must. #5 I like my yogurt just on the low sugar side. #6 A small bowl of cereal is just fine! #6 When it comes to snacking low-fat is better for me than low-carb! Ice cream, chocolate and fatty chips are not the best snacks for my body. I traded in my high fat snacks for low fat treats such as frozen pops, light pop-corn and sugar-free pudding! Bonus: Today was a great day! I walked at lunch and after work! I plan to rise and shine at 5:45 am to hit the gym before work. Only non-rainy days I will bring healthy snacks to work instead of a sit down lunch and I will put the novels down and put on my walking shoes instead! CLM

The Weekend Workout

Okay, so I am tired of saying to myself I am going to walk every day and not walking any days! I will commit to atleast walking on Saturdays and Sunday's when I am not at work, this is the least thing I can do. I will work on adding more in, but for now 2/7 is better than 0/7. CLM

Can it really be so simple?

I find myself asking the question, "Can it really be so simple?" In my quest to divorce myself from junk food I am finding that I must stick to 3 meals a day with no snacks and no sweets. When I really look at my problem with eating I can see that 85% of my excess eating comes in the from of snacking/ grazing on food/ one long daily binge. This is the problem I need to address if I am to be healthy and happy. I will be focusing on having my 3 meals with no snacks to help from September - January first. Each morning I will focus on simply having my three meals. Also I will reform my fast food habits. By cutting out the extra's especially deserts I believe I can address the other 10% of my excess eating. I will be working on portion sizes as well as healthier choices. I believe I am on the road to recovery and I feel more confident. CLM

Whatever It Takes!

I have to do whatever it takes to get my body back! 1. This whole divorce from junk food has not gotten off to a good start. While I was traveling I ate some pretty wild stuff. I also had to use a seat belt extension on the air-plane. See you can totally get a reality check on your body size without getting on the scale. 2. My goal is to get to my happy weight a size healthier. 3. I will be following a gentile plan to get me back on track from Sept 18- Jan 1, 2013. I mostly just need something to help me focus. My plan will involve Breakfast- cereal with almond milk Lunch/ Dinner- veggie burger, yogurt and fruit-cup optional salad with fresh veggies! Drink- water, tea and low-cal drinks Chew- sugar-free gum 30 minutes walk every morning! No snacks, no sweets and no junk food. When I am done with this phase I will slowly add in beans and rice, pasta with grillers, soups and other cooked veggies and as well as a vitamin regimen. CLM

Chocolate Threat Neutralized!

I have chucked that Chocolate in a large communal trash been at work! I plan to clean my house of junk from top to bottom when I get home. I am serious about this divorce! CLM

A Chocolate Bomb!

Ha Ha Ha.... Right after my post about divorcing junk food for good a package of Swiss White Chocolate bars was delivered to me. I am getting rid of this chocolate quick fast and in a hurry. I will not use this as a way to go back on my word to myself. I admit honestly that I had a few bites of one bar, but that will not stop me from discarding the rest of the bars. This is what the next six months is about, totally re-programming my mine. I have to understand that every gift isn't truly a gift, in a sense that it is a blessing to your life. That chocolate is the equivalent to a case of wine being dropped off on an alcoholic's door step on the first day of their recovery. I may have shared a quick kiss with my old husband junk food, but I will not allow this to become an affair and I am definitely not getting back with him again!!!!!!!!!!! I am going through with this divorce!!!!!!! CLM

Getting a Divorce from Junk Food!

Getting a Divorce from Junk Food! Oh I tried delayed gratification, moderation and all that eat what you want, stop when you get full stuff and it just did not work for me. It is time to face the music, after 3 going on 4 years of trying to get this weight-off, the one thing I have not done is totally and completely give up the Junk. I have been a junk food junkie. Well no more! I know what junk I need to divorce (chips, crackers, candy, sweets, ice cream, fried foods etc) I don't need to give these things up for a short time I need to give these up for good, which is different than a diet. I need to get off this roller-coaster and never look back! Today is the day I am kissing the junk good bye for good. I don't care how much weight I lose, I am not looking for a specific number, but I am looking to be free of this junk food addiction for good! I will put my all into getting free. My history has shown that I can practice restraint. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. I waited until I got married to have sex, I gave up meat for over 10 years and I am going to kick these poor eating habits to the curb too! I know what works for me and that is total elimination. It will be hard, I am giving myself six months to kick all these habits cold turkey! I know I will come out better because of it, having closed the doors to diabetes, breast cancer and other illness. CLM

Delayed Gratification!

Yesterday was my first day of trying on the Delayed Gratification. It was truly an enlightening experience. I learned that I am able to put off a craving for 24hrs. Now, let me real, for a brief moment I did have to fight the urge to just put some thing in my mouth. Putting food in my mouth has been a long time habit, so it too a little effort. One I made the decision all I needed was a little push to follow through. I did not feel the pressure I normally feel when I go on total restriction plans. I had no craving for any food, nor did I feel like I had to constantly distract myself to keep from eating. I felt energy and peace. Bonus, I walked for half an hour this morning. The walk left me feeling energized, but not rushed. The thirty minute walk is my new baseline for walking and I am making peace with that. It is just enough time to feel like I did something without feeling like it is taking up too much of my time. Thirty minute windows are not difficult to find, compared to entire hours. CLM

July- Aug 2012 Updates!

July- Aug 2012 Updates! Since losing my 10lbs in May 2012 by calorie counting on livestrong.com and walking I began searching for a more sane way to lose. Counting calories became very difficult while I was out of my element, and I decided I needed some thing that would work for me in the long haul. I did not want to regain my weight so I rejoined Weight Watchers. The point system of tracking was even more work for me than the calorie counting! I did enjoy going to the meetings, but I dreaded the scale. I began to realize that a diet was not the answer to my over weight problem. I started going to group therapy for compulsive eaters as well as began going to Overeaters Anonymous meetings. I discovered that I am a compulsive overeater. I also began to read books that inspired me to look beyond the number on the scale and start learning how to truly love and accept myself. As as result of these things I am re-defining the goal of my journey! My journey is no longer about losing weight and getting to a certain number on the scale. My journey is about learning to truly love myself and heal. Part of loving myself is in eating better and taking better care of myself period. My focus for September is as follows: I will continue to learn and work through the OA principles. I will focus on ending my excessive eating and my grazing ( mindless- binge behavior). No food is off limits to me, but the way I eat is definitely changing. I will follow the 3 meal a day structure to help me to stop grazing which is the key for me. I will also be working on delayed gratification as well as portion control. Part of putting an end to excessive eating will be not allowing myself to a variety of treats any more. A typical binge for me would be eating a large amount of a variety of junk such as string cheese, fruit-snacks, crackers or chips and chocolate, topped off with ice cream. Frequently when I would binge I would go from snack type to snack type like one big party! Well I am putting an end to the party. There will be no more snack combo packs for me! Serving size matters. I will also no longer be eating giant bags of anything, nor will I be eating multiple small bags of any thing. One will suffice, one kind and one serving! In terms of my body,I am learning to be happy now! I desire to maintain my current size and then smooth out the rough edges a little so that I am as Queen Latifah say's," A Size Healthier." I am already much happier and more calm. This month I plan to slay the fast food demon as well. Will write all about it at the end of September early October. I am thinking about sharing my thoughts with my youtube family soon! nylorac1984 CLM

Why Victory is Scary!

Why victory is scary. Nothing scares me more than victory. So I had a perfect week of eating, exercise. I managed to lose 10lbs in a month. Ok, I did the work, so now what, how do I move forward? What happens when I make a mistake after I have done so well? I think this is my greatest challenge. I have to learn that this journey to become healthy and love myself is not just about the ten pounds I lost. If I ever hope to move forward I must understand that weight-loss is like playing football. You move forward, but some times you earn and penalty and have to move back to the 50 yard line. Some times you win a big game one week and lose the game the next week. I may not have an undefeated record, but I can make sure that I ultimately when the weight-loss war. I know that just as it is a struggle to lose this is preparation for the greater struggle to maintain and that the lessons I learn now and will give me the strength I need while maintaining my weight-loss. CLM

200lbs by Jan 1st 2013

I will get down to 200lbs by Jan 1st 2013. How I will get there! 1. I will walk 30 min mon-fri, 60 min on sat and sun 2. I will drink only water. 3. I will fast from tv. 4. I will eat three meals per day. 5. I will eat yogurt and nuts for breakfast daily. 6. I will eat a lunchable turkey and cheese for lunch daily. 7. I will eat a salad and a veggie patty for dinner every night. Starting weight 273lbs in June 1st CLM

Month 1 Update!

Where I started: I was 283lbs. Where I am now, 273lbs. What I did: I tracked calories using live strong, stuck to a 1500 cal plan and walked daily. At the end of my first month I went out of town and had a real challenge counting and tracking calories. The experience that I had has caused me to re think my weight-loss journey approach. CLM

What I am doing now that I was not doing before

I wanted to come a document some of the things I have noticed this time around on my weight-loss journey! 1. I truly see my weight-loss as a journey not just a number goal. 2. I see how my weight-loss is connected to my mental health, not just my physical health! 3. I am getting out there and trying no foods and new activities. 4. I am tracking my food intake like it is my religion. 5. I plan my meals for the week and for the day! 6. I no longer beat myself up when I make a mistake. 7. I treat myself with kindness. 8. I believe that I am worth it. 9. I don't let other people side track me. 10. I cook! 11. I drink a ton of water all through out the day! 12. I drink green tea to fight cravings. 13. I buy low-cal snacks. 14. I don't use the movies as an excuse to pig out. 15. I turn down office treats including office cake! 16. I choose sensible foods that are within my calorie budget when I go out. 17. I get up at 5 to 6 am to walk. 18. I ate prunes! 19. I weigh myself weekly. 20. I am determined to live this way for life! CLM

7 Day Shape Up 1st 4wk update!

Ok so I have been monitoring my health progress every 7 days. So here is a brief look at what I have accomplished in my first 4 weeks! Start Date 4-21-12 Weight 283lbs Walk 20 min End Date 5-12-12 Weight 273lbs Walk 1hr daily What I was able to accomplish 1. I earned tons of badges on live strong, the 21 day fitness tracked, the 30 day log in and the 30 day food tracked badges! 2. I walked my first 5k 3. I had an appointment with a nutritionist at Kaiser! 4. I tried scrambled eggs for the first time in like 27 years! 5. I cooked and ate one of my least favorite vegetables peas with Indian seasoning and they tasted great! CLM

I did a 5k!

I speed walked a 5k on May 6th 2012 at the San Leandro Marina. The event was San Leandro sports league Run for schools. I finished 166. I had a lot of fun and finished in one hours.

My grocery bag

What is in my grocery bag Grillers burgers, and crumbles ground turkey pre-cooked chicken strips romaine lettuce oranges strawberries broccoli tortilla chips rye crackers laughing cow cheese tuna potato indian spices miss dash spray salad dressing lemon tea dannon yogurt atkin's shakes naked shakes nuts salsa black beans brown rice mixed vegetables string beans cream of broccoli soup chicken soup whole wheat bread pop-corn deli sliced turkey CLM

Kicking Sweets to the curb!

Starting today May 16 th 2012 I am officially dumping sweets. My calories are precious and the sugar substitutes are not worth the calories frankly and the real deal is going to keep me in the fat trap. I once gave up meat for over ten years, I believe I can kick the sweet habit. I will write good bye letters to all the sweets. I plan to cope with my new lifestyle by enjoying savory chips and salsa, popcorn and nuts in moderation. I will chew gum, and drink green tea. I will still have natural sweets such as fruit, but I will be kicking the man made. I realize that a ton of food contains sugar, such as breads which have carbs. I am not eliminating carbs, just sweets as in sweet drinks, candy and desserts. Corn bread is still cool! CLM

I am that Girl!

I am that girl that gets up at five am to walk. I am that girl that eats a big green salad before dinner. I am that girl who packs celery and carrots in her lunch. I am that girl that drinks green tea. I am that girl that cooks a meal to prepare for the week. I am that girl that tracks every bite. I am that girl that say's no thank you to the office cake! I am that girl that eat's one slice of bread on her sandwich. I am that girl that drinks crystal light! I am that girl that eats tuna. I am that girl that uses the low-fat mayo. I am that girl that eats the rice cakes. I am that girl that stuffs extra veggies in the pot. I am that girl that carries a water bottle every where. Yes, this is the real me. The me I have always wanted to be. The me that is finally free. The me that is happy! CLM

My Favorite Snacks!

I am a new convert of sugar-free and low-cal snacking. I finally decided to swap my old fatty snacks for lighter versions! I traded cheese it crackers and hot Cheetos for Quaker cheese flavored rice cakes! (250 v 70) I traded chocolate candy bars such as milky ways, snickers for Atkins Endulge bars! (250 v 110) I traded chips for pretzels! (250 v 100) I traded ice cream for jello sugar-free pudding! (250 v 100) I traded fruit snacks and fruit flavored candy for jello and sugar-free hard candy! ( 300 v 10 ) I traded the impulse to snack on random cookies at work for green tea! ( 500 v 0 ) I traded milk shakes for Atkins vanilla protein shake ! ( 1500 v 160) And I feel fantastic!

Lesson: Exercise & Stress

Lesson I have learned: It is not worth it to stress over exercise and fitness! The truth is that I am already a person that has nervous anxieties and too much stress. To alleviate my stress in the past I have turned to food which has cause me to gain a lot of weight. In an effort to change and start exercising I have approached my fitness routine with the same stressed and anxious mind-set which is counter productive. It produces a negative cycle. First I stress and then I eat then. Then I stress over my weight-gain, then I stress over my fitness routine which sends me flying back to my old cure, food! I have learned that there is no good that can come from stressing over my body weight and my exercise routine. I need to stop making UN-realistic fitness goals that are based on me trying to shed weight instantly. There is no such thing as instant weight-loss or instant success. Success and weight-loss both come from sustained hard work over a long period of time. Just, because I can instantly fail or instantly gain weight does not mean I can instantly take the weight off. It takes a lot of momentum to move a large mass. It takes months of consistent diet and exercise to see results. I cannot allow myself to by into the myth of instant success when it comes to weight-loss. The body naturally likes to change gradually, this is why it takes nine months to have a baby! It is OK to monitor my weight-loss over time, but it is not OK to make judgements and set standards or punish myself based on the rate of my weight-loss. Watching the body lost is just like watching hair grow, the change is very subtle. I just need to focus on living with these small changes every day! I also need to remember that my weight is determined by what and how much I eat! Walking is simply a moving mediation! Walking can alleviate my stress so that I have less triggers to over eat, it can make me feel good about myself, but it is not a direct tool to drop instant pounds! CLM

Lesson: Less is more

Lesson I have learned: Less is more when it comes to exercise! I would always get excited about my fitness in the past and then dream up this unrealistic, unattainable, goals and I had no way to really measure them. I would say things like I am going to walk 6 miles a day for the next 30 days. I would walk maybe two days and quit. I was so hard on myself and this only lead to defeat. I decided not to be so judgmental. My body is telling me that it wants to lose weight, I can hear it in my feet, my knees, my breast, my arms and my thighs. I decided to sit down and really think about what I can do instead of focusing on the negative and failure. I can walk twenty minutes a day for seven days. Simple, short and sweet. I made a goal and a plan to do that simple task and today I walked. I have so much energy that I am going to walk for the rest of these next six days! I am highly motivated to take baby steps to melt the fat away and be healthy, happy and finally and forever fit! CLM

Lesson: Super Dieter!

Lesson I have learned: How to combine smart tips and tricks to become a super dieter!

You can have your cake and eat it too! Deprivation is not the way. Who can avoid yummy foods for the long haul. After avoiding tasty treats for weeks they just set up cravings that cause you to fall back into a diet pitt-fall. It is better to acknowledge your true nature and find a sensible way to enjoy yourself while dieting. I know that I love to snack on junk food in the evenings. I have my own private little party. I had to develop a strategy to still enjoy my evening snacks without packing on the pounds. Here is what worked for me.

1. Drink a ton of water throughout the day to keep real hunger at bay.
2. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables that are low in calories and high in fiber so that I stay fuller longer and have smaller calorie meals.
3. Eat smaller portions of carbs such as cereal and bread.
4. Eat a nice filling soup early in the day so that I am not to hungry later.
5. Eat a smart dinner, think low carb at night, save those carbs for your snacks!
6. Trade out the old junk for fun healthy alternatives.
7. Lighten the blow of the not so healthy stuff by having single size smaller portions.
8. Mix healthy stuff with smaller portions of the good stuff.

My snack profile:

yoplait gogurt 70
small single size chocolate/vanilla ice cream 100
popcorn 100
orange 62
whole wheat crackers 140
laughing cow cheese 35

Total 507 calories! The popcorn and fruit keep me full while I indulge my taste buds on the cheese and ice cream.

I can get away with snacking this way because my breakfast, lunch and dinner were so low in calories that I did not go over my 1400 limit. I ate smart things like salad, tuna, whole wheat bread, hummus, grapes, oranges.

CLM

Lesson : Tracking Works!

Lesson I have learned: Tracking works.

I have learned that tracking your weight and calories daily helps you stay focused and motivated on your weight-loss journey. One great thing that I got out of tracking was not feeling guilty when I have a treat. I know that there is a budget available for daily treats. By tracking and planning my meals for the day I can look forward to my treats without feeling deprived.

April2012 Update

Things are starting to look up. Since my last post I have continued to drink tons of water. The water has helped me have smooth moves as well as curb my apetite. I no longer have out of control hunger. I have made a real effort to eat more fruits and vegetables daily. This week I renewed my committment to track religiously on livestrong and using a simple journal. I am also back to weighing myself daily. I am doing these things to keep myself accountable. I found that when I made healthy choices during the week it was hard to sustain the effort during the evenings and on the weekends, because I tended to lose my motivation and focus. By tracking I have something simple that I can do to keep me focused and motivated longer. The other thing I started was I renewed my commitment to get in my hour a day of walking with no excuses.

CLM

Lesson: Why Walk?

Lesson I have learned: Why Walk?

I use to walk for pleasure and for weight-loss but along this health journey I ran into a few more important reasons to have a daily walk.

1. It keeps bowel movement regular

2. It relieves stress

3. It lowers risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes

4. It helps you sleep better

CLM

Lesson: Beat Heart burn the smart way!

Lesson I have learned: Beat Heart burn the smart way.

I have learned the best way to avoid heart burn is to cut back on fatty foods, reduce me calorie intake, eat smaller meals and eat slowly, exercise and lose weight.

CLM

Lesson: Water and Fiber go hand and hand!

Lesson I have learned : Water and Fiber go hand and hand!

You have heard of love and marriage and how you cant have one without the other, well I tell you this applies to fiber. When eating fiber it is most imperative that you consume adequate amounts of water in order for the fiber to pass successfully through your digestive tract. Failure to drink enough water while consuming fiber can lead to a blockage or impassable bowel or constipation. The best treatment for this is truly prevention. Drink lots of water every day to avoid this most uncomfortable problem, along with eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and exercising. Remember to increase your water intake as you increase your fiber intake. Consult a doctor if you are having any problems they can provide emergency relief if you are blocked, but the best method is to simply drink enough water so as not to cause the problem.

CLM

The Big Whammy!

I am now twenty-eight years old! I was welcomed to this ripe age by a little heart burn, for which the natural remedy appears to be eat less fat, eat smaller portions, eat more slowly, lose weight.

I repented for a few days and started eating better until I started feeling better and went back to my old ways.

Next I tried a little experiment were instead of dieting I focused on eating more fruits, vegetables and drinking water. I kept that going for about two weeks and then just one day failed to show up to the grocery store. I was still making the effort to drink my water and than I started a new office job. I brought one bottle of water to work each day for the past 4 days. The bottle holds 16oz. Normally By mid day I have drank five 16oz bottles of water, but for the past four days I only drank 16oz a day. Then I got the bright Idea to increase my insoluble fiber intake by eating these energy bars. I ate two yesterday and that is when my new age kicked out the big whammy the inability to pass a bowel movement (I was going to write something cute hear but their is no way this problem is cute). As a result of my failure to drink water I was forced to put water up the other end in the form of an enema.

As a result of the experiences I am now changing the way I think about my body, my attitude toward myself and how I think about my health journey.

Stay tuned for lessons I have learned series!

CLM

Food and I: What I have learned about myself

Truths about Carolyn.

1. I can consume cheese without end.

2. I love walking.

3. When I do not answer my hunger I will over eat.

4. I deserve fresh fruit and vegetables every day.

5. I deserve water.

6. I have to eat foods from all three major food sources to be happy, carbs, protein and fat.

7. I can live with smaller portions.

CLM

The power of words!

I will be thin.

I will be healthy.

I will be younger.

I will be fit.

I will be energetic.

I will exercise daily.

I will eat fruits.

I will eat vegetables.

I will drink water.

I will eat smaller portions.

I will shed 85lbs in 60 days!

I will reach my goal weight of 130lbs!

I will wear a size four.

CLM

After ten million years of silence!

I am back. Wow I really must be feeling better if I am back to writing on my blog. It feels like forever and a day since I have last written. So here is the update for what has been going on with me.

1. A major depression struck! I was grieving the death of my mother, stressed out about being unemployed and taking some crazy hormone meds. This lead me to feel so low that I did not even want to wake up in the morning so I slipped on taking care of myself. I have since learned that when we fall down we are going through a process that is preparing us for something even greater than we imagined.

2. I have read like ten million books ( Bethany's book "Naturally Thin", "Free to be Thin"," The Dukan Diet". I also re read "Eat to Live" I also dug up a book by a former teacher called, "Thinning from the inside out."

3. I did some sporadic walks with a friend around the local marina.

4. Things started to really look up as I started reading this book called, "Your scared self" The main thing I learned was a new way to view my so called problems in life and a way to speak into existence the things that I want. So far I have a new job to show for it!

5. My current weight is 285lb.

6. My clothes are a bit tight.

CLM