Lesson I learned: Don't focus on cuts!

I have learned the hard way that focusing on the foods I am cutting out causes me to have craving's for them later. I ate two bags of hot chips over the weekend. It is better for me to focus on those good habits I am building than focusing too much on avoiding trigger and junk food. For the rest of this month my goal will be to simply start each weekend day by eating a veggie burger and a yogurt and going for a 30 min walk. I have to remember to focus on small goals that I can do rather than big goals that are hard to achieve such as never eating junk food or trigger foods. I am still working on forgiving myself quickly when I make mistakes and finding confidence from going right back to my healthy habits. I have to remember, "Progress Not Perfection!" The most important thing is that I keep moving forward on my journey and not get to far ahead of myself.

CLM

What you gonna cut?

What you gonna cut?

When it comes to weight management you have to learn to eat healthy food and exercise, but that is not the only thing you have to do. At some point you have to suck it up and cut some thing bad out. The question of what you are going to cut out of your diet is totally up to you, as well as how you choose to cut that bad food out.

Some popular approaches are cutting out entire foods groups such as no meat, no fat or no carbs. Some people choose to eat any and every thing and cut down on portions.

The problem with the above approaches for me, is that cutting out entire foods groups makes me feel too deprived and not in the candy counts as a food group sort of way, I actually feel like I am starving my body and psychologically I just can't go on a starvation plan, even if what I am doing is starving myself of a particular nutrient, I need fat, carbs and protein to function and that is just the way it is.

As far as the eat any and every thing approach as long as you only eat a little, well all I can say is if that worked for me, then I would have never had a weight problem to begin with! Some foods cannot be eaten in moderation for me. You have heard the popular commercial for Pringles, "Once you pop, you just can't stop," well that statement could not be more true for me.

The real question is, "Why would I want to start eating a food, that I know good and well I will not be able to stop eating?" That just sound like a recipe for fat.

I have gotten to the point in my health journey were I now understand that a big part of weight loss is not only starting good behaviors and habits, but breaking or stopping bad behaviors and habits. I will say that it is much easier to start good habits like drinking water, eating a healthy breakfast or walking than to stop a bad behavior like cutting out junk foods.

So to answer the question,"What Am I Gonna Cut?"

I am gonna cut, cheese, chocolate, chips and crackers, cookies, cake, pies and other desserts besides pudding, hummus, peanut butter and jelly, salted nuts, dried fruit and all forms of candy!

CLM

February's Challenge! Giving Up The Bad Stuff!

It is now February 2013 and I feel ready to embark upon a new phase of my journey were I work on stopping the bad habits of eating harmful foods such as cheese, chocolate, candy, cookies, cake,pie, fried foods and other harmful foods that my body was addicted to. It is time to become abstinent from harmful foods. I feel ready to embark upon this leg of the journey and I am standing on the shoulders of my new healthy routine.

CLM

Good Bye January!

Good Bye January, Good bye January with all your arctic winds, and icy windows. I am looking forward to the peaks of sunshine I will see in February. I managed to get through this first month of the year with a solid eating routine, of veggie burgers, yogurt, fruit, popcorn, sugar-free pudding, and protein shakes. I kept up a steady walking routine through the cold and the rain. I saw my clothes become baggy and noticed my body slimming down. I feel confident that February will be a great month. The main lesson I learned this month was how to surf through cravings and forgive myself for slip-up's. I have feel stronger than ever since I don't use any old excuse in the book to quit. CLM

Lesson: Cravings are Here to Stay!

Lesson I have learned: You Must Live With Your Cravings! I have come to realize that cravings don't just magically disappear because you are on a healthy journey. Cravings will always come and go, instead of beating yourself up and looking at yourself as a failure, you must learn to look at the cravings a guest that comes to visit you every now and then. I have learned that even though cravings are here to stay, that I do not have to be afraid of them and I am not powerless in the face of them. I can indeed say no. I can resist them. Resisting craving's does not mean, that I am craving free, only that I see the craving, feel the craving, acknowledge it's presence, say, "Hi Crave," and go about my day. I don't pay Crave no never mind! CLM

Goal Amendment

Goal Amendment: My former goal was to eat no snacks/sweets. This goal was too strict and I was not able to live like this! My new goal is to stop destructive eating. Destructive eating for me is defined as eating cheese, pizza, fast food, fried food, chocolate, fruit-snacks, crackers,chips, ice cream and all it's cousins, cake and cookies, and eating excess portions. I will also be setting a limit on my daily walks from 20-60 minutes until I am lower than 200 pounds. Things are going well. I think I will benefit from having a goal with more structure,something that I can focus on and achieve. My new calorie limit is 2000 calories per day with 1000 calories in snacks! CLM

2013 Plan for my Health!

Well first let me state that from Oct 2012- Dec 2012 I lost 20 LBS. My current weight is 270 LBS. All in all for 2012 I have kept the same ten pounds off since April 2012, so I have learned maintenance. My lowest known weight this year was 267 LBS. My plan for 2013 is very simple. I plan to continue with the healthy habits I developed in 2012 and work on my one bad habit which is eating junk food. 1. Drink a ton of water all day long. 2. Walk daily, at-least 20-30 minutes. 3. Meal plan and track what I eat. 4. Eat lean meat, fruit, vegetables, whole grain and non-fat diary. 5. Eat three meals a day, with no sweets or snacks. The only part I am still working on is the no sweets or snacks. I am hoping that by May 2013 I will be down another 20 LBS, making me 250 LBS. I believe I can do it! I know I can. All it takes is focusing on small task each day. CLM