'Turn Your Breakfast Bowl Upside Down'





I'm Doing it Again...

Recently on the Dr. Oz show; he introduced a new and interesting idea of how to save yourself 100 calories during your morning meal. Instead of pouring the cereal into your bowl first and then adding some sliced fruit on top, he suggested doing it in opposite fashion. Fruit first and then top it off with your cereal.

"Turn your bowl upside down." he said.

Last week when I was at the store I bought a 1/4 flat of fresh strawberries. So, when I saw his idea yesterday I could hardly wait to try it! I grabbed about 10 or so strawberries, which I washed and then sliced. I made a healthy pile in my bowl and then proceeded to pour my granola over the top. He was right! I used much less of the cereal and more of the fresh strawberries.

Being the analytical person that I am, I decided I wanted to know for sure if I had saved any calories. I measured out the two options being sure to keep my portions realistic and then calculated the nutritional information. 

Sure enough! The new option saved me MORE THAN 100 Calories! It actually saved me a total of…

136 Calories Saved!

Not only was it the same amount in bulk as what I was used to; I had the added bonus of the strawberries nutritional value. Strawberries have vitamins: A, C, E, K, B6 and Folate, as well as Omegas 3 and 6 fatty acids. Afterward, I felt super good and plenty full. I think it was just about the best bowl of granola I’ve ever had!

My investigation led me to a pretty great outcome and I believe I will never have cereal the same again! This blogger is a changed woman! Give it a try and check back to let me know what you thought…

Start tomorrow and turn your breakfast  upside down!





Be Courageous and Remember, Today is Anew!

I must relax & cut things down to a manageable size!

             

If you're like me, Dieting can be exhaustive and stressful! The battle to lose the weight can get so overbearing it consumes you. It's six weeks into my weight loss journey & I'm getting discouraged simply because I'm not losing the big pounds. 


I got on the scale yesterday I had only lost 1/2 pound. My heart sank a little and I thought to myself, "If I don't lose more weight; how can I be an inspiration to anyone?" 
Transforming my life is more than what the scale says! I do not want to get skinny quick just so I can gain it all back plus more! This time I have to remember that I'm in it for the long haul & no matter what a 1/2 pound loss is still a loss!

How am I going to keep it alive?

The top five things I know I must do: 


1. Drink Water
2. Eat fish and colorful veggies every week.
3. Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, but more is better.
4. Look out for excess intake of fat, sugar, sodium, and carbs.
5. Take vitamins & supplements.

Being dedicated to these five items is key for me. 

If I do nothing more than the things on this list; I'm certain that weight loss will happen. Even if it's only a 1/2 pound, the changes I'm making are a lot better than the choices I was making before I started out.

Remembering a loss is a loss and keeping it first and foremost on your mind is the goal. 

Obsessing over dietary changes is only stressing me out and making it difficult to go on with the plan. As with anything, whenever I begin to feel this way, I remember to bring it back down and start from the beginning. 

Relaxing into this new approach is something I need to master if I am to be successful and rewarding myself in new and interesting ways is too. Instead of using food as a reward maybe I will buy myself something new to update my style.


I believe that treasures of the heart lead to treasures of the mind. In the past I've gotten to this point and given up. I can feel that train of thought creeping in. I want to make sure I'm taking care of myself emotionally as well as physically. 


Today I will approach the day with renewed strength and dedication. I will talk to myself in a positive voice and I will rediscover the things in life that are good. I encourage you to do the same! 


Let's kick start it again and again until we get it right! 


              

                      



*This blog is not intended to provide medical advice. Please consult with your doctor for treatment of any medical condition and before beginning any diet or exercise regimen.










Mastering the Plateau!






It's been a few weeks now that I haven't lost or gained much. I'm hovering right around 250 pounds. I've been as low as 248 and as high as 252. I'm still struggling with late night eating as well as some poor food choices and while "Frogging" is an idea that I think will work; it seems to be proving a little uncomfortable.

I'm feeling good about the fact that I have been able to hold my weight and I'm equally pleased by the changes in my dietary choices. The uncomfortable part is the discipline it takes to "maintain" my weight, not gaining or losing, but staying at one weight level on purpose. 

In the past, I've always called this time a "plateau".

In the preceding link to the Mayo Clinic’s article entitled, "Getting Past a Weight-Loss Plateau, they describe the phenomenon of plateauing as, "A weight-loss plateau occurs when you no longer lose weight despite continuing with your exercise and healthy-eating habits."

For me, plateauing is something I'm trying to master now instead of fighting. I want to make lasting changes and I believe that controlling a healthy maintenance weight for a few weeks at a time will help me. Instead of rushing the weight loss process and failing again, I want to make changes for a lifetime.

So, for me, jumping from one weight loss goal to the next and hovering there for a while will increase my chances of success. I've never been able to just stay in one place with regards to my weight for any substantial amount of time. 

Learning the discipline of maintaining my weight has been an interesting ride for me so far. I'm becoming more aware of the difference between the number of calories it takes to lose weight verses maintaining it. 

I found this easy to use and helpful calculator that shows weight loss as well as weight maintenance recommended daily caloric intakes. It doesn't require you to sign up and it compares with several other calculators I found on line. 

So, whatever your weight loss choices may be I hope that you are successful in your goals. This isn't an easy journey, but it is one worth taking.

Kick Start the Metabolism & Shrink the Fat.


Much as I dislike drinking water every day, it helps the weight loss process in several ways. I find that it will settle the stomach in the morning and rehydrate me after a night’s sleep. Claims by leading authorities’ say that water kick starts the metabolism for an added boost and I've found that to be true. I’ve also seen a change in my digestive system that is positive, not to mention, water flushes the fat from your body.

I have also begun to take Raspberry Ketones Razberi-K 100mg twice a day as was featured on The Dr OZ Show (Tips for shrinking your fat) as well as drinking the Clover tea he suggested as well. Read his article about it.

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I would like to hear from you about your weight loss stories & struggles. Let's start a conversation...

The First Six Steps to Any Weight Loss Program




Starting out each day I am filled with resolve to, "Get it right" this time. I begin the day with stretching and exercise, water and a healthy breakfast, but somewhere in the middle, I give in. My cravings for food consume me and I am helpless to fight. In the end, I succumb.


It starts out harmless enough. I believe that anything in moderation is okay. So, I give into the craving, thinking that a just a little will fend it off and I can get back to the healthier choices, but giving in only creates more of the same craving headaches and I have lost the battle again.

Before I know it I am engaged in an all-out war with myself. My attempts to stay on track are diminished and I'm left at the end of the day with a long list in my food journal. How did I get here and how can I get back to where I was?

This is when I began to have a revelation! Food is controlling me and I am powerless!

For a decade now I have been under the authority of my cravings. I have been completely powerless and continually defeated when it comes to controlling my diet. If only I could wrangle in my destructive behavior and stop the endless battle—I would be set. Over the last weeks I have identified my triggers, my habits, my weaknesses and my resolve, but achieving my weight loss goals has been difficult! 

Now I'm admitting in greater detail that I have a problem and that I am powerless over food! 

My thinking is evolving and I am gaining new ground every day, but still, it isn't enough. During this weight loss process I have begun a step style journey of my own. First, I began by talking openly about my eating disorder (ED), then I started to formulate a basic plan, next I reached out for help through friends, family and the on-line community and now, I have realized my powerlessness.

These are the steps I've developed so far: 

1. Reflect inward and realize that an eating disorder (ED) exists.
2. Begin to have positive self talk designed to create a plan map.
3. Reach out in places you know are safe and begin an open conversation.
4. Admit to yourself and a close support member that you are ineffective in controlling and managing your diet in healthy and productive ways.
5. Be open to obtaining spiritual guidance from your personal Savior and seek instruction beyond yourself.

While I believe there are some things from the standard 12 step program that could be applied to an eating disorder; I am certain that a dietary program that relies on steps will need revamping in order to truly work. 

It is time to become fearless and transparent. I must dig deep into the reasons and circumstances that got me where I am currently. I believe that reaching back into my past and putting together a clearer map of how I got where I am today will bring insight and release from the chains that bind me to my unhealthy eating. 

In every life situation there are defining moments that change us and our way of doing things.

There are paths known and unknown that got me here and those things must be discovered and addressed before real change can occur. With this in mind I turn to the next logical step:

6. Begin uncovering past observations and choices that led to the eating habits you have today and write them down.

As with anything I’ve done in this life, there’s always been some kind of order or instructions that were used to get me where I am today. These paths must be sought out in order to find answers and gain resolution going forward. 

Developing a strategy is imperative and necessary & I hope that these steps will be helpful in assisting in your weight loss plan. I know they are helping me so far.