Weight Loss and Little Incentives

Okay, as usual, I am struggling with weight loss. This week the struggle has to do with pints of strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Today I ate 1 and 1/2 pints worth!!! This is no way to inspire my weight loss efforts.

So, I got to thinking. I am mad for beauty treatments or products or clothes. What if I get to indulge in these items ONLY when I have a successful week (one where I act like I am actually on a focused weight loss plan). I know it is crazy but it just might work. And I am just desperate enought to try it.

For one week, I am going to stay focused and eat no ice cream or cookies and then I will get to plan a treat. I have to think of what that treat is -- but I will have to hurry otherwise it will not inspire good weight loss behavior. Hmmm, what will it be. Maybe a trip to my favorite store for one shirt next weekend. That is not a bad idea. One shirt in exchange for 7 days of good, focused, losing weight behavior.

Let the games begin!

Weight loss success!

If you want weight loss success you have to write down every bite, every morsel and every spoonful you put into your mouth. Everything. I read this great article this morning about a study done where they measured a group of people who remembered what they ate as compared to what they actually ate on a given day. Guess what? They underestimated what they ate by 1050 calories on average. Yikes - yes 1050!

I learned from Weight Watchers that you can only have successful weight loss when your hold yourself accountable for what you put in your mouth. Writing down everything you eat:

1) Keeps you focused on your weight loss goal.
2) Provides a record of weight loss and weight gain so you can look back at your eating behavior in the different situations and see what worked and what didn't.

For weight loss success you owe it to yourself (and I owe it to myself) to jot notes down of everything we put in our mouth. This is not for the rest of your life, just for the time span in which you wish to lose weight.

Losing weight is well within your means if you just do a few things to help yourself along!!

A new way to eat for weight loss!

Yesterday I went to a more whole foods type of store. I want to start looking at a new way to shop and prepare for weight loss. Here are some guidelines I used -- it was a different perspective on weight loss:

1) No junk food that was full of scary ingredients. I did buy cookies but they had only organic ingredients that I could easily pronounce.
2) I bought marinades for salmon and chicken but only whole food products that included no sugar or saturated/trans fats.
3) I went nuts for the fresh fruits and veggies.

I am so excited about my weight loss journey. I did not sacrifice one thing in honor of losing weight. I am actually eating healthy. If I can get this thought of being good to my body and my future health (so what if I eat Newman's own cookies and snacks), it will stop me from making bad choices when I have no willpower. Weight loss and good eating will be a way of life rather than a continuous plan!

My new motto is to be good to myself and body and the weight loss will follow. At the very least, I will be healthier!

Clean up your eating habits and lose weight!

I have been reading up a little on saturated fat and trans fat. Wow, what an eye opener! I knew these things all along as I have been trying to lose weight forever (I am really just on a weight loss continuum).

Not only should we not eat "bad" fats for weight loss but trans fats are deadly. Apparently the food industry has known this for years but trans fats have only been on high alert since the beginning of this year. I am inclined to wonder if manufacturers are putting all of these chemicals in our food to get us addicted them and therefore not ever lose weight. And yes, here I am, hardly able to resist the delicious junk food's "come hither" approach as I try year after year to lose weight. Hmmm. Really makes you think.

Okay, trans fats are killing me (as well as helping me gain weight). Sure I watch those items I buy at the store. Anyone trying to lose weight has to be a pretty cautious label reader. However, what about all of the food we buy already prepared at restaurants? You better believe the preparers are not nearly as nuerotic as I am about what kind of food I am putting in my mouth.

Maybe if I just became a little more cautious about trans fats, that would help me keep my eye on saturated fat. While it won't kill me, saturated fat will stop me from losing weight.

I am on a roller coaster and I want off!

I bet you are in the same place. I decided that I am quitting Weight Watchers on line in my efforts to lose weight. I realize that this is counter intuitive to losing weight and I know that Weight Watchers is a wonderful program. It is just not working for me anymore. I am very interested in quality (not quantity) but also in moderation.

I am moving more toward a holistic weight loss plan. Unfortunately, I forget about this weight loss strategy while I am grabbing that delicious powdered donut!!!

I am very interested in a plan that I mentioned in an earlier post. I believe it will not only help me lose weight but it will make me feel better and be healthier. Plus, it will be a weight loss strategy for all time so I won't be puzzled wondering if I can have anymore food for the day.

No saturated fat.
No processed food.
No canned food.
No frozen food.

This is the easiest weight loss plan of all. I only have to think about four things and that's it. How hard could that be?

I learned something interesting by accident!

I have been doodling over weight loss for what seems like 20 years. In that time, I have heard of this interesting strategy but never put it to good use. Well, Saturday I did and here's what happened:

Saturday I just happened to not really have a taste for junk food and an almost craving for fruits and veggies (very rare in my lifetime). I simply wasn't very hungry all day so I was leaning toward good food. That is until about 8 p.m. that night. I had a hankering for some Blue Bell ice cream which we had tons of in the freezer. However, I also couldn't resist the juicy watermelon we'd just cut up...so I prepared a big bowl of watermelon and decided if I was still hungry, I could have ice cream.

Low and behold! I was pretty full and just had a few bites of ice cream. I was shocked that that was all I wanted. I could not believe it. Ordinarily, I'd eat the whole pint of ice cream and then eat a little melon.

I think I will try this strategy (with salads before dinner, like you are supposed to do) on a regular basis!

I have turned a corner in my mind...

Now it may be easier because it is summer...but I noticed this radical change in my eating habits. Whatever it is - I love it. My fridge is overflowing with fruits and vegetables. I do not ordinarily enjoy fresh veggies but I am going crazy this year for all of the delicious flavors. I am eating 8-10 servings seemingly every day. Here's how:

- grapes -- my father (who has separate living quarters in my house) takes all of the grapes off of the vine prior to storing them so this makes a great snack just to reach and eat fast
- carrots, broccoli and snap peas -- one of my dear friends brought over a giant veggie tray from Costco a few days ago (I dip these in just a hint of queso and I love it)
- melon -- my dad just bought a huge watermelon and cut it all up - yum!
- bagged salad -- we have a salad with every meal
- corn -- we have been buying corn on the cob that has already been cleaned up
- strawberries -- this is another grab food we go nuts for

I have not been reaching for the bad treats these last couple of days. Not only am I getting a huge variety of vitamins but I am also significantly boosting my fiber intake!

I am spiraling out of control!

Yikes. I am eating more than ever before. I have even stopped keeping track of what I have eaten over the last couple of days. There have been lots of parties and celebrations. Today, I even ate a pint of ice cream. I never do this. It is really getting out of hand. Did I mention that a few weeks ago I bought a size 14 pair of pants and they are snug?!

Tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to get my weight loss plan in gear. I will wake up and plan a day of good quality eating. I will not sacrifice my health and sexy body (in waiting) for a quick scoop of ice cream or delicious chip. I will look longer than the moment and determine that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

Maybe I will even break down and weigh myself tomorrow -- did I mention I just ate some leftover lasagna from lunch today? I will gain control of this one thing in the world that I can control!

All it takes is just one day of success to fuel the next.