I gather you're not releasing a lot of that water you're drinking!

Just keep trying and don't give up.

Maybe next week you'll have a loss.

Keep eating healthy.

Oh me! Is that 6 lbs this week that you've lost or a total of 6 lbs?

I really wouldn't recommend only eating 2 meals a day. It isn't healthy for your body to do that. You can eat 3 or more meals a day and if you eat the "right" foods, you can still lose weight.

Just don't cheat your body on things that it needs by your only eating twice a day.

Congratulations on the 6 lbs. loss.

Keep up the good work. I'm so proud of you.

Oh no...six pounds total!! i usually don't eat breakfast (yuck) so lunch and supper are the biggies. I am eating fruit and veggies as snacks...so no body cheating here!!!

Eat larger meals early in the day.

Your metabolism slows down towards the end of the evening and is less efficient at digesting foods. That means more of the energy stored in the food will be stored as fat and your body won't absorb as many nutrients from the meal.

Many American families tend to have their big meal at dinner time. The problem with this is your day is basically over and your body's need for energy isn't as great as it is early in the day. This large meal late in the day can also make you feel tired, and who wants to feel too tired to have fun now that the work day is over?

Try eating a medium sized meal for breakfast, a large meal for lunch and a small meal for dinner.

Better yet, try eating 4-6 small meals over the course of your day. That keeps your body fueled for the whole day without dumping a large amount of food into your stomach, which your body might have a hard time digesting.
Don't skip breakfast!

Many people do because they don't feel they need to eat breakfast, or they just don't feel hungry first thing in the morning.

Research shows that people who skip breakfast are usually fatter than those who eat a well balanced breakfast. Although you might not feel hungry first thing in the morning, if you skip breakfast you will feel extra hungry come lunch time, making you more prone to overeating for your afternoon meal.

1 lb
 

Just 1 lb this past week -- I was premenstral :rolleyes: :rolleyes: So today it was 163 lb. :rolleyes: Maybe I will do better this week I am going to go to the gym mon, wed, fri and do cardio. So hopefully I will have a better week.

Kara, don't be discouraged. All those 1 lb's add up to make several.

I think you'll be surprised how exercising will play into the eating healthy.

Congratulations on another pound. I'm proud of you.

Keep up the good work.

Hey!! Are you calling me fat!!! :eek: Just kidding!! Ok, I will TRY to eat breakfast!

Egads! LOL

No way! That was meant for everyone - just trying to explain it to everyone!

But I am glad that you are going to try to eat that 3rd meal. LOL :thumbup:

Thanks!
 

Every little bit of encouragement helps, and you are right I shouldn't be so hard on myself because 1+1=2 and so on so it is slow but maybe the cardio will help.

Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow!!!!!
 

WOW!!! :bravo: I am SOOOOOOOO IMPRESSED with all the losses and the "sames"!!! Congrats, everyone!!!!!!!! You are all doing sooooo well!!! :we're #1:

For those of you who feel like they are stuck, try something different. We have had people work on snacking correctly, people going fat free, people drinking lots of water, and people exercising. These people are losing weight! :D

For those of you who maybe aren't losing like they had hoped, it might be time to try something NEW! :) Go back and look through this incredible thread, choose something you would like to try, and GO FOR IT!!! :star:

Another thing that might work: keep written track of what you are eating and drinking every moment of the day for a week, including portion size. Then at the end of the week, take a hard look at what you put into your body. If you need some help to look, you can PM me and I will give you my fax number and you can fax it to me and I will help you analyze it, make some suggestions on how to change a few things, and voila! You will be losing weight soon!! When I tried this, I found the act of having to write things down MADE me take a look at what I was eating right then and there! :wink: I cut my portion sizes and ate different foods, SIMPLY because I knew I had to record it! The simple act of writing it down made me police myself better! It might just work for YOU! :p

Keep on keeping on!! All of you who are losing weight MUST know now that eating healthier and being aware of how and what you are eating WORKS!! :D And for all of you who are not losing as much or as quickly as you wanted, PLEASE know that sometimes for some people IT JUST TAKES MORE TIME! :clock: Don't give up!! YOU CAN DO THIS!! We are THERE for you!! :hug:

Out of the mouths of babes...I told my daughter that I lost 3 lbs. and she said "not in one week" with concern. She is in the 9th grade and just finished a Food Choices class and was told that you're not supposed to lose more than 2 lbs. per week because it's unhealthy for the body. So I curbed her concern and told her that I only lost 2 this past week for a total of 3 so far...so in her book I'm doing it the healthy way :thumbup: Made me feel good for her concern and then for her to commend me and validate my progress. :D

That's so awesome!
 

Very cool!! :p

As Glad said, you should be keeping track of what you are eating. Recording it somewhere to analyze it. A good place to do this is by checking out Diet Organizer.

Go to: dietorganizer.com

We have a special discount rate for that program that's good for about another 10 days. So go & download the 10 day FREE trial period to make sure you don't have any problems and that it's what you want. We have some who have already downloaded it.

It's a great program. I'm doing so much better since I have to input my food - it makes it "so real"! It makes you more conscientious!

Good luck everyone! Keep up the good work. Remember - it's best to only lose 1-2 lbs per week.

Congratulations to everyone that is losing!

[QUOTE=Muffie's Mom]Would you enlighten us all as to how you changed the way you combined your foods? We'd all love to hear from you about it.

Congratulations on keeping on track and loosing more. Way to go!

When it gets closer to the time for the puppies to come, ahead of time put your snacks in snack size baggies and have plenty of bottles of water on hand. Then, when you get hungry, just grab a baggie and take small bites and eat verrrrrryyyyyyy slowwwwwww! Chew each bite a longgg time!

Try to think positive because you are doing so well. Don't think negative about the whelping time. Try to stay positive.

I'm so proud of you. You're doing great!

Ok since you have asked I will try to inform you of what a nutritionist from Duke University told me to do.
First off follow the wonderful advice given by the ones that started this thread about low fat , smaller portions etc.
Now I am 66 years old and have found it was extremely hard to lose weight as I am not able to go to the gym ( its too far so I can only walk and work around home ) to do intensive workouts along with the cutback in food calories.
That being said here is what I was advised to do - It sounds complicated at first but it really isn't and I no longer am hungry between meals which eliminated all those snack calories ( yes even the 100 calorie bags add up )

Do not combine carbs with protien

eat protien with lots of vegetables ( preferably green )
eat carbohydrates with lots of vegetables
do not eat anything else with fruit


they advise staying away from milk totally- limited amounts of cheese because of the fat. Watch low or no fat products that there haven't been additional sugar added to overcome the flavor

wait at least 4 hours between meals

If you are hungry between- eat Vegs- cauliflower or broccoli, carrots etc or salad.

I eat pasta with a sauce I made of diced onion, garlic and diced (canned or fresh) tomatoes with basil and oregano. You would be amazed at how good just a simple food can taste when not loaded with sugar and other canned food junk.

I have more ideas and recipies if anyone is interested but don't want to load this thread up with them unless requested.

I don't expect to keep losing at the rate I have been but it sure was a great kick off to keep me motivated.

Keep in mind that this is still just healthy eating with lots of eggs, chicken, fish and fresh or frozen vegs. Stay away from canned if you can as it has too many preservatives and way too much salt which besides the blood pressure issue can keep you holding water and you won't see a loss even if you are losing fat.

If I didn't make this clear, PM me and I will copy the sheet she gave me and e mail it to you.

[QUOTE=hasrv4fun]Way to go, girl! It sounds like you are on the way - the right direction.

I would like to clarify what you wrote: "Do not combine carbs with protien" - which certain carbs are you talking about?

Thank you for posting.

Congratulations on the weight loss. Keep up the good work.

It would be all carbohydrates and I'll try to go further with the explanation- Here are my 4 basic rules
1. After eating a meal consisting of proteins, wait 4 hours before eating any carb.

2 After eating a meal rich in carbs, wait 4 hours befor eating any protein or fruit.

3. after eating a meal of fruits/melons wait at least 2 hours before eating any carbs.

4 If a meal containing protein or carbs consists of over 30 % fat wait at least 7 hours before eating anything.

Summary--Proteins can be combined with vegetables but not with carbs.

Carbs can be combines with veggies but not with proteins

Fat slows down the digestion process

Fruit can only be eaten with fruit.

An example of carb with veggies would be ( I have this a lot )
Mediun baked potatoe with a sauce of veggies such as cooked togather broccoli, green peppers, onions and tomatoes 9 you could use a good low sugar salsa) Or pasta with a all veggie sauce - NO MEAT in it

the following combinations are forbidden;
bread with cheese, meat fish or eggs
pasta with cheese, meat fish or eggs
rice with cheese, meat fish or eggs
potatoes with cheese, meat fish or eggs
pancakes and ravoli with cheese, meat fish or eggs
only limited amounts of beans lentils and peas

Don't know if this helps or not because it looks at first so complicated but believe me ther is plenty to eat and you soon figure out ways to wrap your meat and cheese in a leaf of lettuce for a lunch sandwich :D

I find it makes me be more creative with seasonings and such to dress up plain chicken and veggies for dinner and my ( slender ) husband is complimenting dinner each and every night. So look at all the good I am doing my body and my sycie ( spelling?) as well with all the compliments :thumbup:

Keep asking if there is something you don't understand as I am only too happy to help with what I feel is a very simplistic healthy way to cut the fat and other chemicals from our diets and regain our youthfull figures ( don't I wish ) :D
I know this works as I have never been able to lose this much so quickly, feel so good and have some energy as well as not being hungry all the time.

Sticking to Lifestyle Changes: Healthy Eating
 

Sticking to Lifestyle Changes: Healthy Eating

How do I pick a healthy eating plan I can stick with?

Start easy, with a food diary. Use a chart or a journal to write down everything you eat or drink every day. Write down the date, the time of day, and about how much of every food or beverage you ate and drank. Be complete and honest. Stick with the food diary. This is the most important thing you can do to make your eating habits better.

Weigh yourself every week on the same scale. Use a tape measure to measure your waist. Keep track of your weight and your waistline, because improvements in weight or waist measurement can reduce your risk of getting diabetes.

Set goals that you can keep track of. For example, "Lose 15 pounds" or "Lose 3 inches off my waist" in the next six months. There is no diet program that works for everyone. One approach is to start with what you like and make small changes to see the effect on your goals.

You might look over your food records for the past week or two. Write down the fat and calorie counts of all foods and drinks. Use this list to plan a few diet changes. You can set goals for what you plan to change in the next week. For example, "Keep my daily calories below 1,500" or "Find healthier substitutes for five foods with the highest fat or calorie counts."

What can I do to help me stick with this healthier eating program?

Go slowly. If you are moving toward your goals by making just a few changes, that is great. Keep it up. If you are not moving toward your goals, make a couple more changes and see what happens.

Review your progress with your doctor. Bring your food diary to each office visit. Ask for tips and answers to your questions. Let the doctor know what problems you are having.

Don't stop eating all of the foods you like. That isn't a good plan for a long-term change. Eat smaller servings of the high-fat, high-calorie foods you love, or eat them less often, or try healthier substitutes.

Avoid too-large servings by measuring your food portions. If you do this every day at home, you will get a good idea what a half cup of mashed potatoes looks like. This will help you when you eat at restaurants.

Plan carefully for eating out. Plan ahead, be the first person to order, and be assertive about getting just what you want. You might let the other people you are with know that you are trying to eat healthy foods and would appreciate their support.

Try to notice and change food and eating cues at home and work. Eat only in one room in your home. Pay attention to your food--don't eat while you are watching TV or reading.

How do I keep from getting bored?

Try different foods. Check some cookbooks out of the library for new recipe ideas. Once in awhile, let yourself have a week when your only goal is to maintain your weight. Some people change their calorie or fat limits over the week. For example, they might eat only 1,500 calories Monday through Saturday and let themselves have 2,000 calories on Sunday. Take an exotic cooking class with a friend to pick up interesting food ideas.

What happens if I slip?

Everyone slips off their plan from time to time. Figure out what triggered your slip, and plan how to avoid that trigger the next time. Don't just make excuses though. Get back to your plan at the next meal.

Questions!
 

Question: Exercise is too much like hard work, where do I begin?

Answer: Exercise is all about feeling good about yourself and positive about your achievements. Choose an activity you feel comfortable with (walking is an excellent beginner’s choice) and start with just ten minutes. It’s all about getting out there and moving, breathing and living.

Question: I don’t like jogging or walking, what can I do?

Answer: There are lots of exercise activities you can do around the house which do raise your pulse rate to the “fat burning” range! Sweeping up leaves, cleaning windows, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom are all excellent, providing you put in some extra energy over a sustained period of at least twenty minutes.

Question: I’m worried that I’m not getting enough iron. How much iron should I have each day?

Answer: A lack of iron can result in anaemia and recent studies show that many Australian women and teenage girls are far too low in iron. Women should make sure they get 12-16 gms of iron every day. The best source of iron is from red meat, liver, kidney, fish, and poultry and to a lesser degree from dark green leafy vegetables and wholegrains.

Question: Are you getting enough calcium?

Answer: Calcium is essential to ensure we do not develop osteoporosis later in life, but calcium is also essential for strong teeth, nails and for optimal muscle and nerve function. Antacids, large amounts of unprocessed bran, tea and coffee and milk, can drastically impair iron absorption.

You cannot replace bone mass already lost, but you can prevent further loss by improving your calcium intake.

Question: How can I find time for breakfast?

Answer: Many busy working people skip breakfast – don’t! It’s the most important meal of the day. A simple breakfast consisting of a low fat, low sugar cereal, skim milk and half a banana, and a slice of toast will not only get you and your brain up and running with enough fuel to energise your day, but will also kick start your metabolism for the day into the bargain.

Question: How can I get going without my coffee to start the day?

Answer: Coffee (and to a lesser extent tea) is one of the worst ways to start your day! Coffee gives you a caffeine boost which just as quickly lets you down again, but it also increases hunger by boosting the output of insulin and is also dehydrating, making you thirsty and hungry and looking for a second hit.

Question: How can I find time to exercise?

Answer: Find time! Healthy people manage to fit daily exercise into their daily routine! Fit exercise into your day by getting up half an hour earlier (you really won’t miss that half-hour sleep) or at lunchtime (up and down the stairs if it’s raining) or after work at a gym, on an exercise bike or treadmill.

Question: I want a snack with flavour – what can I eat?

Answer: Snacks mid morning and mid afternoon are essential to keep our bodies re-fuelled, but they don’t have to be carrot sticks! Make the fruit stall your snack bar and enjoy the abundance of fresh fruit we are so lucky to enjoy. Strawberries, oranges, apples, peaches, pears, nectarines…the choice is endless. Add low fat yoghurt and you have a yummy and nutritious snack.

Question: How can I stop my friends sabotaging all my attempts to eat healthier?

Answer: Be honest and tell them it’s your choice what you eat. Tell a white lie and say you are worried about your cholesterol level (even the most persistent saboteur will accept this) and your doctor has told you to avoid high fat foods.

Question: All I’ve ever eaten for lunch is a pie and sauce! What else is there for lunch?

Answer: Healthy people choose salad sandwiches and fruit, fruit salad and yoghurt, pasta with a vegetarian sauce, or a big bowl of soup with a wholegrain roll. Take your own from home, or purchase at any snack bar or sandwich bar.

Question: What should I be drinking?

Answer: Water is the beverage of choice and apart from the last 50 years or so, that’s all we drank! Alcohol is a toxin and goes straight to the fat stores, tea and coffee are both drugs which dehydrate and make you hungry, fruit juices are outrageously high in sugar as are soft drinks. A popular cola drink contains all the above and is not a healthy choice. Sports drinks are designed only for professional athletes such as marathon runners.

Question: I work long hours. How can I find the time to cook?

Answer: Most supermarkets are open 24 hours a day, so no excuse! Shop once a week and plan ahead for healthy, quick to prepare family meals such as stir fries, pasta with sauce, or grilled fish, chicken or steak with a big salad and vegetables.

Question: I dine out often! How can I lose weight and still do this?

Answer: How do you think the Queen manages! You can ask for whatever you want and most good restaurants do this for you only too happily. After all, you are the customer and they want you to come back often. And….contrary to what your mother told you, you do not have to eat up everything on your plate.

Questions! Questions!!
 

Question: My family loves all my traditional family recipes – I can keep cooking them and still lose weight?

Answer: The solution is to keep making them, but make them over into a low fat, lower sugar format. Use little or no oil, substitute cream with low fat yoghurt or “skinny tinny” and substitute herbs and spices for salt in recipes. Trim all visible fat from meats before cooking and choose low fat cereals and breads. Your family won’t even notice the difference, except they will probably all feel better!

Question: I’ve failed on every diet I’ve ever attempted! What’s gone wrong?

Answer: “Diets” just don’t work and will be guaranteed to fail you every time. You haven’t failed, the “diet” failed you. The only thing that will work is to stop “dieting” and think healthy eating instead. Expect to succeed and you will succeed.

Question: Why do people keep offering me food and even if I say no, no, no they still push?

Answer: Unfortunately the more you say no, no, no, the more unhelpful people will push unwelcome food at you! Practice saying “Thanks, it looks great – I’ll have some later”. Try it – it really does work.

Question: Food is everywhere! Why do I get tempted all the time?

Answer: An awareness of why, where and when we eat is an essential part of establishing a healthier eating style. Food does surround us constantly and becoming aware of the traps and working out a strategy to become in control of your relationship to food and resisting constant temptation by food is an important part of losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight.

Question: How do those goodies just find their own way into my supermarket trolley?

Answer: Planning is the key to food shopping. Planning a menu for the week for the whole family, making a shopping list taking your weekly menu plan into account and only purchasing what is on your list is the key. Learn to read the labels and only purchase foods which are natural, low in fat, sugar and salt and without preservatives and chemicals. If you don’t buy it, it won’t end up in your kitchen! You are in control and you have the right to choose healthy food.

Question: The kids demand I buy all those snacks! How can I say no?

Answer: Making healthy food choices is a family lifestyle decision and it’s your decision what ends up in your trolley. Avoid impulse buying, don’t buy food for the kids you don’t feel comfortable buying. A lot of food marketing is directed at children, so solve the problem by shopping late at night and leave the kids at home. The whole family will benefit from eating healthier food.

Question: Why are lifestyle changes are so difficult to make?

Answer: Any change takes courage. Courage is the power to face difficulties. Courage comes from a determination to succeed and to practice new lifestyle skills. When we isolate our problems and work on finding a solution we gain the necessary courage to succeed.

Question: Why do I feel as it my life is stuck in a rut?

Answer: Once we stop learning, we stop growing as a person. Being open to new ideas, new concepts and new learning will mean developing new skills. Starting is the key, because if we want to be successful in any endeavour, we must start sometime. The house of success is built brick by brick.

Question: I can’t afford to go on expensive pre packaged food diets – what can I do?

Answer: No one needs pre packaged diet food! The power to achieve successful weight loss lies within each of us. We alone have the responsibility to develop a healthy weight. When we understand this, we begin to realise that we alone are pushing ourselves forward or holding ourselves back.

Question: There is so much conflicting nutrition information in magazines and on TV! What is really correct?

Answer: It’s a case of sourcing out information and taking an intelligent and informed look at it all. Basically, 80% of what we eat should come out of the ground in the form of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains. We need quality protein to build and repair, dairy products to supply calcium and minimal amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Chemicals, preservatives and colourings in food are a real health hazard, as are sugar laden soft drinks.

Question: I have a family history of diabetes – is it important I lose weight?

Answer: With a family history of heart disease, diabetes, stroke or bowel cancer, attaining and maintaining a healthy weight is imperative to remain healthy. These are the killer diseases which can be directly related to obesity.

Taking charge and gaining control over weight will go a long way towards preventing the killer diseases, many of which show a family pre disposition to developing.

Questions! Questions!! From A Healthy Weight Forum
 

All these comments came from a Healthy Weight Forum. These are great weight loss tips offering pointers for practical, effective weight loss tactics.

Question: I plan to eat well each day, why does it all fall by the wayside?

Answer: Planning is like a road map. It can show us the way, head us in the right direction and keep us on course. By planning our own healthy eating style and exercise regime and putting the strategies in place to manage relapses to get back on track, we can all learn to manage our weight.

Question: Plateaus are so discouraging! What causes a dieting plateau?

Answer: Everyone who goes on a “diet” will plateau! This is because all diets put people on a set calorie intake day after day. The body naturally becomes attuned to a very low energy intake and slows metabolism down.
This is why weight goes back on again after each diet attempt, plus interest.

Successful, maintainable weight management is not the result of “dieting”. It can only be achieved by a varied and enjoyable food intake which fits into your own family lifestyle.

Question: I don’t want to change anything! Why shouldn’t I keep eating the food I like?

Answer: To achieve a change in our health and weight we have to accept that some changes will be inevitable. Change can be daunting or it can be an exciting, goal-oriented challenge. It all depends on how you view change. We can still eat the foods we “like” (which is usually all the fat laden foods) but enjoy them in moderation. High fat, high sugar, high salt foods are “special occasion foods” not everyday foods.

Question: I lasted on my last diet for three weeks and then my mother arrived to stay and it all fell apart. How can I prevent this from happening again?

Answer: The ability to handle relapses and then get back on track again as soon as possible is the key to success at any endeavour. Problems in life arise for everyone – even for those people with the trim bodies you envy! The trick is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on track.

Question: I’ve lost and gained weight back on again more times than I care to remember! Why does overweight keep finding me?

Answer: As with any endeavour with an end result worth achieving never give up. Keep persisting and persisting until you achieve that goal you set yourself. If it is worth achieving (and what could be more important than your health!) then it is worth persisting despite the challenges, which will appear along the way.

Question: I’d love to lose weight, but my husband says he loves me just the way I am. Is he telling me the truth?

Answer: If you are not happy within yourself, then how can those who love you possibly be happy? Our greatest power is the power to choose. We can decide where we are, what we do and what we think. No one can take the power to choose away from us. We can be what we want to be. The choice is ours and ours alone.

Question: My whole family is overweight – if I lose weight, won’t I feel like the odd one out?

Answer: If you are happy with your weight and are healthy, there is no reason to allow anyone to tell you to “lose weight”. However, if you are unhappy and unhealthy, maybe now is the time to be a pioneer within your family and help point them in the right direction from a healthy point of view, by your example and inspiration.

Question: I’ve got young children – how can I find the time to lose weight?

Answer: The force of habit and making excuses are quick to force us to fail or never begin! The more we do something, the more likely we are to do it again. Establishing a healthy eating, cooking or exercise habit forms a bridge, which enables us to walk across the deepest valley to success.

Question: Why does something always happen to prevent me from reaching my goals?

Answer: Choosing to fail or choosing to succeed is entirely up to the individual. There are no limits to our possibilities. When we imagine success and positive happenings in our lives, this is what we can expect to achieve. When we imagine success our vision expands, we capture and hold onto our dreams and our views are fulfilled.

Question: I try to lose weight, so why do I fail each time?

Answer: “Trying” to do something allows us automatically to fail. In the words of Joda the Jedi Master in Star Wars. “Do or do not. There is no try.” Choose to do it or to not do it. However, if you choose to do it, then do it – don’t just try! Listen to what your own self talk is saying to you and re-program your head to tell you positive self talk, not negative, self limiting self talk.

Question: I’m so busy, is the only food that is quick take away?

Answer: No! There are plenty of healthy choices that are quick and easy to make, or purchase, instead of fried chicken, fish and chips or hamburgers. Any milk bar will make you a salad sandwich or roll. In winter, soup and a bread roll is a great choice. Stir fries are made in minutes. A barbecue chicken is easily purchased – remove the skin and serve with a big salad or vegetables quickly steamed in the microwave. Result? A difficult problem solved with ease and a healthy satisfying lunch or dinner in minutes.

Question: I really envy all my friends who are slim and full of energy. Why is life so unfair?

Answer: Life is not a rehearsal and there is no such thing as a magic weight loss fairy (or magic pill for that matter) which will turn you into a slim person overnight. Instead of wishing you could be slimmer and full of energy, take a good look at just what you are eating and how much exercise you perform each week. To both lose and maintain weight we need to reduce our total fat grams eaten per day to around 20-24 grams, eat three balanced meals and two snacks every day and exercise four times per week. Remember, healthy people do it all the time!

Questions From A Healthy Weight Forum
 

Question: Why do most of my friends say how bad everything is in their life and shoot all my attempts to improve myself down in flames?

Answer: Life is not a rehearsal and there is no such thing as a magic weight loss fairy (or magic pill for that matter) which will turn you into a slim person overnight. Instead of wishing you could be slimmer and full of energy, take a good look at just what you are eating and how much exercise you perform each week. To both lose and maintain weight we need to reduce our total fat grams eaten per day to around 20-24 grams, eat three balanced meals and two snacks every day and exercise four times per week. Remember, healthy people do it all the time!

Question: I’ve heard about “goal setting” but am a bit confused. How do you “goal set”?

Answer: The purpose of setting goals to achieve what we want in life. We need to focus our attention to achieve those goals. The mind will not reach toward achievement until it has been set clear objectives. Results begin when we set goals. Set easy to achieve short term goals, then set goals to be achieved in one year then five years, then set your ultimate long term goals. Remember, a goal not written down is only a wish.

Question: Do we really need 8-10 hours sleep each night?

Answer: Research shows that most people really only require six hours. This means that most of us have two hours extra each day to live life, learn, fit in exercise, spend with family before school or work. Added up over a year, that is 728 hours extra to achieve our goals.

Question: How can losing weight make me feel better?

Answer: The health benefits from even a small weight loss are extraordinary. Even a 10% reduction in overall body weight can see blood pressure come down, cholesterol levels come down and energy and self esteem levels go up. As we lose weight, there is less strain on backs, knees and ankles, reducing pain. Headaches become lessened, we sleep better and function more effectively in all areas of our lives.

Question: How can I exercise when it’s too cold to get out in the winter?

Answer: Try telling that to our Olympians who train in hail, rain, snow and sleet during the winter months! However, if you are really not up to exercising in those cold and dark early mornings or early evenings, hire an exercise tread mill for the winter months, join a gym or purchase an exercise video.

Question: Why do I feel such a sense of failure when I always put weight back on again after going on a diet?

Answer: Diets are doomed to failure each and every time! The only successful way to both lose weight and maintain weight is to establish lifelong healthy eating habits. When we take small daily steps and congratulate ourselves every day for even the smallest change towards achieving our weight loss goals, we begin to think like a winner. And the more we think like a winner, the more we begin to feel and look like a winner.

Question: Why are my thin friends so lucky?

Answer: There is no luck involved in being slim, healthy and full of energy! What is involved is healthy, low fat regular meals and snacks, and a sensible exercise routine. Most people really do have to work at keeping their weight where they want it to be. There is no luck involved. It’s all about getting out there and doing it, not wishing it would happen.

Question: I’ve thought about beginning so many diets in the past. Why can’t I never get around to it?

Answer: It does take a lot of courage to begin to make significant lifestyle changes. Most people with a weight problem do need to ask for help and this takes courage. In fact, sometimes taking that first step is the hardest part of making any change. Until you take that first step, you stand little chance of reaching your goal. Once you have made the decision to change, stick to your resolve and commit to changing your lifestyle for good health.

Question: I’d love to do all sorts of things in my life. Why is it that somehow I just don’t get there?

Answer: Stop procrastinating! Thinking about, or wishing about, becoming slimmer won’t help. Set your goals a bit higher than you feel you can achieve and always aim for super success. Wallowing in doom and gloom is not nearly as much fun as knowing you have won, and achieved everything in life you want to achieve.

Question: I really hope I’ll be slim and happy one day – will it happen?

Answer: This life is not a rehearsal – we are only given one shot at it. One shot to become the person we really want to be. One shot to eat well, get our weight down to where we want it to be. One shot to learn as much as we can. One shot to improve our lives and the lives of our family and loved ones. Don’t leave your life behind without knowing you gave it your best shot.

Question: I really hope I’ll be slim and happy one day – will it happen?

Answer: This life is not a rehearsal – we are only given one shot at it. One shot to become the person we really want to be. One shot to eat well, get our weight down to where we want it to be. One shot to learn as much as we can. One shot to improve our lives and the lives of our family and loved ones. Don’t leave your life behind without knowing you gave it your best shot.

i forgot to post yesterday..but i went back to 141

Just make sure that you always weigh the same time every week. I always weigh early in the morning before I eat anything. If you weigh at night, you have 3 meals plus water in you so it'll be more. lol

OK everybody! If you read all those "Questions", I'm sure that you're all in the right state of mind to really kick this "Eating Healthy" into gear for yourself and your family.

No more excuses, right? It's all a matter of saying "I'm going to do it" and then, do it!

You have to think things out. Plan ahead of time.

Remember this is to help make you a healthier person. It is for lifetime!

Good luck everyone!

I was a bad girl yesterday and had a Subway - I don't think it was the one JARED was eating.....the upside was - I divided it in half and had half for lunch - the other for dinner....

Let me tell you - After all the healthy eating I've been doing - eating that made me feel sick....no lie...SICK. :(

I'm thinking of looking at each pound lost equal to a large Potatoe.

So far - I've only lost 4 Potatoes. :(

It's strange because once you start this healthy eating and then go back and cheat, your body will let you know in some way, shape or form that it doesn't like that food anymore!

Good job on losing the 4 lbs. I'm proud of you.

Congratulations!

Need extra support!
 

Hey everyone, I am in Minnesota for meetings and I really need some extra support. These meetings are designed to kill healthy eating! Breakfast was fruit, (had a bowl of berries!), oatmeal (can't even LOOK at oatmeal), sugary cereals like Fuitloops, (passed) and EGG MCMUFFINS!!!!!! So, I ate berries and more berries. I am starving and it's another hour until lunch. At the break there were donuts, muffins and cookies. I never realized how awful the food is at these meetings. (awful good tasting, awful bad for you). I'm trying to stay on track but there just isn't enough to choose from. What can I do???

It's really difficult when you're at someone else's mercy! And they have no idea what they are doing to people that want to eat healthy.

Was there not even a salad or something healthy there? That's sad.

Check with the front desk at the hotel and see if they have some fresh fruit or something you can take to the meeting to eat.

Is there somewhere close you could run out to get something healthy?

I'm sure this is a hard lesson learned. Maybe the next time you might want to try to take some things with you.

Can you get to a grocery store??
 

Is there a grocery nearby?? Go get yourself some HEALTHY snack food!!

I have always been appalled at the food at meetings, too. I have spoken with coordinators before about asking for healthy choices, and sometimes they could do something else for you, but you need to know what to ask for. Yogurt is usually a decent alternative. Good job on choosing fruit for breakfast! Good luck with the rest of the meals!!! :p

Thanks guys! This hotel is in the middle of no where! (They do that on purpose so people don't sneak out of the meetings!) Believe me, I'm in a meeting in Baltimore in March and I will be bringing a lot of my own food. The sad truth is, most of the people want the junk food, it's part of the meeting experience, I guess. I used to be the same way. I just hadn't given it a thought until I got here and saw what they were serving.