Weight Loss and Some Great Tips

The next couple of weight loss blog entries will have some fabulous tips to get you focused in the right direction.

1) Track everything you eat.
The key to weight loss is being mindful of what you eat. There is so much that we eat without even thinking. For example, here is what I have eaten so far today:

- Breakfast: oatmeal, coffee w/3 oz coffee creamer
- Lunch: 3 cups lettuce, 1 c. broccoli, 2 T feta, 20 pretzels, 1 T sunflower seeds, 1/4 c. dressing

Jotting this down makes me realize I need 1-2 more servings of fruits/veggies and no more carbs for the day. Ordinarily I just eat without thinking - based on what I have a taste for at that moment. Just as with tracking, I believe planning out your food has the same impact on keeping your focus on your weight loss goals.


2) Stop multitasking while you eat.
I am the worst at this. You know that delicious salad I ate for lunch above? I ate it while I was writing this blog. I rarely eat without multitasking. Doing this poses some problems for your weight loss efforts:

- you are not stopping to enjoy the food that is nourishing your body
- you are not thinking about what you are eating, you may be eating too much because you are not focused on your level of fullness (i.e. you could eat a bag of chips without even thinking about it -- it takes your brain 15 to 20 minutes to send a message saying you are full

Stop mindless eating while you are doing something else!!

Happy day of weight loss success!

Weight Loss and Eating at Night

I have been on a semi-test lately in an effort to lose weight. I figure I have to cut back somewhere and I typically get a little out of control at night. I eat fairly healthy during the day as I am eating for performance...not want to have my mental clarity compromised (see why this is so important at www.mylifewithms.com) by eating too much junk during the day. However, night time eating poses a huge threat to my weight loss success plans. I am just packing on the pounds with the mindless evening eating.

I have noticed a couple of things:
- I feel better when I don't eat too much at night or just protein
- My stomach is not as puffy when I don't eat a lot at night
- I am actually hungry in the morning
- It is tough at first but I know I can eat again in the a.m.
- I am actually exerting some control over my eating and weight loss!

So, I am really going to make a concerted effort over the next few weeks to experience some weight loss success. That starts right now as this week is Thanksgiving (great ideas for controlling eating at www.thanksgivingdayideas.com)! Let's all get a handle on Thanksgiving eating so we can say that we had contol and we were practicing good weight loss habits!!!

Weight Loss - How To Jump Start Your Weight Loss Plan Before Christmas
by: Eva Moffat

I read this great article that I wanted to share with you on managing weight loss as we are going through the holidays!

• Be In Charge of Your Cravings
• Check Your Walking Shoes
• Make Your Weight Loss Plans
• Only Have Healthy Choices In Your Kitchen
• Your Day Should Start With Breakfast
• Progress Is Better Than Perfection
• Watch Your Portions

Be In Charge Of Your Cravings
In a survey of busy mums, it was found that their biggest challenge to weight loss was combating their cravings for foods loaded with calories and so sabotaging their efforts of losing weight.

The problem is, mums have such a heavy workload, they don't make the time to sit down and eat a healthy, leisurely meal.

So missing meals or eating the wrong kinds of foods will confuse the body.

If a meal is missed, the body will think, ‘Hey there's going to be famine, food is scarce, I'd better store what is available just in case.' When this happens, the food is stored as fat. This is of course the opposite of the chosen game plan – that is to be on a weight loss diet.

Or the harassed mum will grab something quick and easy to eat, but her choices may be unwise. Something sweet or starchy will make her feel full and satisfied, but an hour or so later and she will be hungry once again.

What can the busy mum eat that will keep her cravings in control and make sure she does eat healthily? Planning ahead may help. If she is going to be out of the house for some time, a bag of snacks for when the rumbly tummy occurs or hunger pangs make themselves known. What should she include in the bag?

• Some unsalted nuts
• Dried Fruit C

Craving for something sweet she should give in to it. If she wants chocolate, she should have chocolate. Instead of eating a whole bar of it, she should just take a few small pieces, then not chew it but allow it to melt slowly in her mouth, savouring the taste. It would be better not to avoid the foods that are craved, but rather eat them in small portions.

Check Your Walking Shoes
72% of mums who took part in the survey said they only had about 30 minutes a day or less to be able to exercise. So no matter what exercise you choose to do, as long as it's regular, it would be better than not exercising at all. Join forces with a neighbour; take the dog for a walk, Just walk, doing ten more steps each day will help to burn more calories.

Make Your Weight Loss Plans
• How much time each day have you available to exercise?
• Have you stocked up your kitchen with low fat healthy foods?
• Don't forget healthy snacks, for example, fruit, nuts, small yoghurts and low fat cheese. Snacks high in fibre and lean Protein will keep you feeling full and satisfied between meals.

Can you find the time to visit the gym on a regular basis?

Make out a schedule (timetable) don't be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a treat at least once a day. A particular food you enjoy, just keep it to small portions but don't cheat, it's your reward for doing something positive towards your weight loss goals. Have you got a book you have been wanting to read, but you never seem to find the time. Work that into your timetable. Once again give yourself a treat by reading a few pages after you've done some exercise.

Put your timetable where you can see it regularly. On the fridge door, on your makeup mirror, on the bathroom mirror. Maybe on your wardrobe door. Wherever you put it, be sure to notice it. It will keep you motivated so you will reach your weight loss goals.

Only Have Healthy Choices In Your Kitchen
If you have nutritious foods in your kitchen it will be easier to work them into your diet. Always have fruit and vegetables ready cut up, so you can just eat it when you feel like it. Before snacking on chocolate, eat some fruit or vegetable. This will take the edge off your appetite, so you will eat less chocolate.

Your Day Should Start With Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why is this? Breakfast = break – fast. It is the first meal of the day. Normally you will not have had anything to eat since the day before, could be eight hours. You have to eat because your blood sugar is low. If it is too low, you may have fainting attacks. Not eating breakfast may mean that later in the day you will eat unwisely due to being very hungry. This will make a mess of your weight loss plans. If you can work fibre, lean protein and fruit into your breakfast, you will be doing yourself a big favour.

Progress Is Better Than Perfection
Make a habit of eating healthily, and exercising regularly, this will become part of your life. Even if you have not reached your anticipated goals, anything in the right direction is good. You are making progress. Be proud of yourself. You don't have to have reached perfection; progress however small should be applauded. Still Watch Your Portions Even After You Have Reached Your Target Weight Congratulations on reaching your Target Weight. Now is not the time to go back to your old eating habits, or you may end up where you started – needing to go on a Weight Loss Diet.

• Continue keeping a check on what you eat.
• Watch your portion sizes.
• Exercise regularly. And you should be able to enjoy your weight loss for many years to come.

Copyright (c) 2006 Eva Moffat
About The Author
Eva Moffat has helped many people with their Weight Loss problems over the years. Now it is your turn to be helped. For more of Eva’s practical help, visit Eva’s Weight Loss Site http://eva-moffats-free-weight-loss-info.blogspot.com/

Weight Loss and Protein/Emotions

I am trying to eat more protein in an effort:

- to lose weight
- to eat fewer carbohydrates
- to feel fuller, longer
- to feel less sluggish after a meal

I find that when I do eat more protein I just feel better. When I feel better, I tend to make better food choices (to lose weight) and am more active (again promotes weight loss). All around, eating more protein is better for me so why am I just conscious about it now?

This is what I think. I have always focused on carbohydrates because they make me feel emotionally better. I don't reach for carrots and cheese when I am stressed. I want chips and cookies. It is no wonder that I am constantly trying to lose weight. My emotions yo-yo, why not my weight loss efforts?

So, that begs a question. I have been conscious of the need to lose weight all of my life. This has really not done much for my weight loss efforts. What if I instead focus on my emotional health and think carefully about what I am feeling. Maybe if I focus on the emotions, I will stop going to food.

Hmmm...

Losing weight...I am on a feeding frenzy!

Last week, I was so excited as I seemed to somehow gain control of my eating and was making great headway in the losing weight arena. I was:

- Eating only when I was hungry (which may mean putting my fork down halfway throught the meal)
- Eating little at night so that I actually wake up hungry
- Making good choices about my food

Well all of these weight loss efforts were gone after a few days in Vegas and a number of Pink's hotdogs and french fries. As a result, I am now on a feeding frenzy that I can't seem to stop. I am going to try and gain control of my weight loss (or lack of) behavior tonight when I make a salad with marinated fish for dinner. I know when I eat protein and veggies for dinner, I am full the rest of the night. To help guarantee my positive weight loss behavior, I think that I will have a half of a protein shake this afternoon. A girl's got to do what a girls got to do...

I must remind my inner voice that I can do anything, particularly gain control of my wait and enjoy great weight loss!