T.I.M.E.... AND PERFECT EATING!!

After having 3 children, there was a time where I was convinced I needed to have surgery to fix certain body parts.  But my tune has changed.  As your body begins to minimize you will begin to shrink all over.  Unfortunately, there is no such thing as spot reducing.  This means you can't look at your upper right thigh and say.... I would really really like to drop a few inches right there, and suddenly it evaporates.  It would be nice though.  As we work hard in the gym, the muscle will come... your fat will begin to burn away, and you will begin to minimize all over.  In some places it will happen right away.  Many times it's in the places you are not as concerned about.  This is very normal.  JUST STAY ON TRACK!  Often times we do not give ourselves credit for how far we have come, and want that beach bod after working for a few months on and off.  As you get closer and closer to your goal the importance of your food will make or break you. 

Each one of us wants something different in our weight loss journey.  I was sitting at lunch with a few ladies a week ago and I was telling them about my story, and showed my before picture.  I told them my starting pants size.  One lady said, "If I could just get there, I would be happy!"  Perhaps that is as far as you can wrap your head around and don't think smaller is physically possible.  But I'm telling you that it is possible.  HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE-- ALL IN TIME.... AND IN GREAT EATING!! 

When you turn on the TV and watch the infomercials with the crazy before and after pictures you will see the fine print at the bottom of the page.  It says, results may vary AND that eating played a MAJOR role. 

You must be spot on with your eating and be prepared for the results/loss to not come immediately.  We have stubborn fat that has been there for perhaps a long time.  It will leave... BUT NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT!  So who is going to be stronger???  You.... or YOUR FAT???   I remember beginning my journey with determination, and stepping on the scale for almost a month and not seeing a single drop on the pounds side.  I felt defeated, but hung on only because my support group was there cheering me on and telling me I could do it.  I remember climbing the stair mill and tears rolling down my face because I didn't think I could ever drop weight.  At this time it is very easy to give up.  It is very easy to grab that cookie or french fry, or loaf of bread especially when you feel so defeated.  But I'm telling you that it will come, but it will take a fight!!  Your body thinks you are going to give up.....because let's admit it, you have quit before, BUT NOT THIS TIME!!!

I found this quote and fell in LOVE:

"IF YOU ARE TIRED OF STARTING OVER, THEN STOP GIVING UP!!!"

When I help people get on track and they begin to feel pumped about the goal ahead they usually say to me, "Ok, I can do this! I'm going to TRY to be eat well.".... My response is, "You are not going to TRY, you are going to DO it!!"  Life is not going to slow down.  Obstacles are not going away.  Holidays with meals are always around the corner, a vacation may suddenly arise, someone may get sick, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING!  You must push through those times.  There are NO EXCUSES if you want to lose weight... NONE!  Eating well for a few days, or even a week, will not change you.  It must be done for an extended period of time.  It must be done without mess ups.  Every time you give up, the fat just holds on tighter. 

Don't look at the scale over and over again.  Track your inches monthly.  Cut out the bad carbs completely.  Start with a great breakfast that will start your day on the right track with fuel that will energize you.  NO DESSERT.  Make sure you always have a healthy snack handy.  WATCH THAT CARB COUNT!!  Nobody likes to write down what they eat, but until you do you won't realize how much you are consuming (Fat, Carbs, Fiber, Calories).  Minimize your dinner portions and allow your food to digest before you go to bed. 

 Do not allow yourself excuses why you messed up, YOU ARE NOT BEING FAIR TO YOURSELF!!

PERFECT EATING WILL ALLOW YOU THE CONFIDENCE

TO DROP THAT SWIMSUIT COVER UP

 AND FLEX YOUR  MUSCLES

 FOR THE WHOLE OCEAN TO 'SEA'!!!!

Changing Size

In order to change the size you are now, you MUST change the size of your portions.  Over eating is one of the main causes people's waistlines begin to grow.  We eat far too much, and far too much of the the wrong things.  The size of our stomachs are about the size of our clenched fist.  Go ahead, clench it up and look at it.  That's not very big.  I'd venture to say your portion size is bigger than that??? When we over eat regularly- we stretch out our stomachs and train our bodies to think we need that much food at a sitting.  We have confused ourselves that the time to get up from the table is when we have the feeling of being uncomfortable, and not just satisfied. 

When I speak of portions, I am not merely referring to the amount of fries, cheeseburgers, and oreos.  I am talking about ANYTHING YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH!  Just because it's a "healthy salad" does not mean you eat the size of  a horse trough.  Initially, re-training your body to eat smaller portions can be hard.  Eating will need to be done more frequently this way because your body will burn through the food in your system faster.  This will also help to speed up your metabolism in return.  When we eat such large portions the food sits in our stomachs and our metabolisms have to work overtime to work through it all and process where that energy needs to go.  This is why when we get up from the table after a large meal and feel so tired, it's because our body is putting all of it's focus on metabolising your food. 

Moderation and Balance are keys to MAINTAINING a healthy eating lifestyle.  I saw this online earlier this week and I loved the comparisons to portion control.  Think about this, or should i say 'CHEW ON THIS':

Portion Size Control:

Cheese/Dairy- Size of a matchbox
Pasta- Size of an ice cream scoop
Butter- Size of Postage Stamp
Pancake- Size of a CD
Potato- Size of a Mouse (for your computer)
Fish- Size of Checkbook
Salad Dressing- Size of 1 oz Shot Glass
Meat- Size of IPod Classic
Brown Rice- Size of Baseball
Peanut Butter- Size of Golf Ball
Beans- Size of Light Bulb
Dark Chocolate- Size of Dental Floss Pack
Slice of Cake/ Brownie/ or Cookie- Size of one Post-It Note
Veggies- Size of Two Fist Sizes
Ice Cream- Size of Half a Baseball
Popcorn/ Trail Mix- Size of ONE handful
Chips- 10-12

I think that helps put things in perspective.  Non of us eat healthy ALL the time.  From time to time it's okay to allow yourself some potato chips or ice cream.  However- if we use the chart above you will never get out of control with your intake.  Because even though it's your free day, it does not mean the calories you consume will be 'FREE OF CHARGE'.... to burn one peanut m&m you will need to walk the length of a football field... AND THAT'S JUST ONE! 

BY CHANGING THE SIZE OF YOUR PORTIONS, YOU ARE CHANGING THE SIZE OF YOUR WAISTLINE.

TODAY IS A NEW DAY!!!

DO IT FOR EVERY TIME YOU CRIED OVER YOUR BODY

DO IT FOR EVERY TIME YOU DIDN'T LIKE WHAT YOU SAW IN THE MIRROR

DO IT FOR THE FIT BODY AND DOUBLE-TAKES

DO IT FOR YOURSELF... THE CONFIDENCE WILL COME!!!

"CHILDREN DO NOT OVER EAT.  IT IS SOMETHING WE TEACH THEM TO DO.  BE A GOOD EXAMPLE AND HELP CREATE HEALTHY EATING HABITS THEY CAN CARRY INTO ADULTHOOD."

Drinking Water, Water, and more WATER

Drinking water is one of the main keys to your success, and most people do not drink nearly enough.  It has multiple purposes, and perhaps the more you understand it's vital role the more you will push the fluid.  The water we consume helps keep our liver and kidneys clean.  The cleaner we keep these organs the better they function for you.  Our liver helps convert the fat in our bodies into energy.  Our kidneys help to remove wastes from our blood and act as a filter to our urinary tract.  Our kidneys also help keep our blood pressure regulated.  WOW!!!  Talk about IMPORTANT!!!  (study out and reserch these amazing organs, they do so much!)

So how much water should we be drinking??  If you open books they will say 8/ 8oz glasses a day, but I am going to push the envelope a little bit further.  THAT IS THE MINIMUM ONE SHOULD DRINK IN A DAY!  A GALLON is key to long lasting health and weight loss.  I have heard it all:

1. But water is boring.
2. It doesn't taste very good.
3. It makes me go to the bathroom too much.

There isn't another way around it-- we must have water, and even though you may be functioning right now on little water, it will take it's toll on you down the road. 

We must take care of our bodies now so we may have quality of life later!!

Don't worry folks, I'm not going to leave you without help.  Now that I've made such a big deal about water, it would probably help if I gave some tips and pointers about how to go about drinking THAT MUCH in a day. 

I like to do it in the form of water bottles.  33-36 oz water bottles, to be exact.  It would look pretty funny if u rolled into the grocery store carrying your gallon jug of water for the day and sat it in that front part for babies!!  So, unless you spend most of your time at a gym (where it is pretty common to see folks with a jug) break it up into smaller increments.  You can use any kind of water bottle.  Sometimes I just refill a big bottle (33-36 oz) I picked up at the convenience store.  Sometimes I use cute decorated water bottles... it really doesn't matter.  I try to have 4 of them filled and put in the fridge the night before for convenience.  If it's hot outside you can freeze one or two and let them thaw and drink them later in the day.  (note: don't freeze all of them)

It's important if you are trying to push more fluids that you begin drinking water immediately when you first wake up.  Most people are not thirsty when they wake up... DRINK ANYWAYS!!!  Have a bottle sitting by your bed if you need to and start ASAP!  Don't just sip, or it's going to be a long day of drinking water.  Really really get that water in your body.  We want to set up for success! Try to have 1 1/2 of those big bottles finished before you leave the house in the morning.  You will find that the more you drink first thing, the more thirsty you are.  On days I don't get to my water right away in the morning, the less thirsty I am through the day.

Another idea is to reward yourself.  If you really like to drink other things, then tell yourself you can have a glass of that AFTER you have consumed your gallon of water for the day. 

You may find that you are visiting the restroom more frequently than normal.  This is not a bad thing!  You are cleansing your organs.  You are helping the waste/fat out of your body.  You are promoting a better life down the road. 

YOU CAN DO IT.... START TODAY!!! 1 GALLON... SO START CHUGGING!!!

*You think drinking 1 gallon of water a day is crazy???  Nah, take it from me... I let my children put underwear on their heads and run around pretending to be WWE entertainment-- So I MUST know what I am talking about!!!! =)

Have a great day everyone!!

Five Steps Forward, Two Steps Back...Then 5 MORE Steps Forward

Good Morning!  I was excited when my alarm buzzed this am. Fall is almost here and it's my favorite time of year.  I get up very early in the morning to give myself time to begin my day before the morning routine starts.  There was a time when I would roll out of bed 30 seconds prior to waking up the children for school, and i found myself feeling sluggish and not as happy and peppy when helping them get ready for the day, because i too was still trying to wake up.

If someone asked me two years ago how long it would take me to lose my weight and i said over a year, I probably would of never started.  My reaction probably would have been grabbing the closest bag of lays potato chips and onion dip.  I would have felt defeated before I ever started.  However, looking over the last year and a half I have truly appreciated that the journey was not a fast one.  The Saying, "Five Steps Forward, Two Steps Back"  describes my weight loss well.  I lost weight in 10 lb increments.  For those that have more or less to lose, that number may be different.  I took my goal 10lbs at a time.  It was all I could wrap my head around.  I would work very very hard in the gym each time I went to insure i wasn't waisting my precious time there, and that stayed constant.  I wanted to make sure I never got out of the routine.  But...eating was my battle and the kitchen my battlefield.

Some eat when they are happy, some eat when they are sad, I like to eat FOR BOTH EMOTIONS AND IN BIG PORTIONS!  Food is what brings so many friends and families together.  Growing up, my family would have Sunday Dinner around the table and sit and laugh for HOURS after a meal.  In my husband's family, his mother and all of his sisters love to cook--so the kitchen is where everyone gathers while each person adds her "spice" to the meal.  When you see an old friend and want to catch up...IT'S USUALLY DONE OVER A MEAL.  You don't say to them, "Hey, let's meet up for a brisk 5 mile walk so we can talk."  No!  I will venture to say it goes something like, "Hey, let's do lunch or dinner so we can talk."  What would a child's birthday party be without Pizza?  What would a football game time be without snacks?  What would baseball be without the hot dog and nachos?..... I hope you see where I am going. 

We are learning a new way to live and to adapt to our daily eating habits.  This is why it is so important to look ahead on your calendar and decide what it is that you are willing to do.  The time to decide to not eat those nachos or that double cheeseburger is not when it's placed in front of you when you are so hungry you could eat an elephant.  To have success, you must plan ahead!! 

This is why there are different eating levels (1 and 2).  You don't want to undo all your hard work by having an eating fest after 6 weeks of clean Level 1 eating.  However, your body and mind may need a break.  When you drop to Level 2 to regroup you will be able to maintain that hard work through exercise and  better eating choices still 80% of the time.  For some, you may still lose at that time.  Taking a free meal, or a free day in Level 2 and allowing more fruit consumption or pasta and bread (in a controlled amount)  may help you not get burned out, and it will make you more likely to make this a lifestyle change.  

The scale may do a little creep of 1-3 lbs at this time.  It is important that you don't allow that number to go any higher than that.  After you regroup and rededicate yourself to the battle, it will be time to leave Level 2 and go back to Level 1 and take it a few steps further towards your goal.  It's more important to pay closer attention to the scale while on Level 2 then on Level 1.  Make the goal that once you get below a certain increment, you will never see the scale tip that high again.  For example... If your weight has just dropped below 150 or is teetering at 149ish... that would not be a good time to come off Level 1 and go to Level 2.  Wait until you have reached 147.  Once you have dropped out of the 150's or 160's ... or even 250's-300's... make the goal to not get back to that set of numbers.  YOU ARE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS!!  The scale will fluctuate, and it's important to realize that.  But if you think about it in regards to FIVE STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK you will not be as hard on yourself.

Find the positives in the journey.  DO NOT LET YOURSELF GET DISCOURAGED!  By taking the time to lose the weight and staying focused on creating new habits, you are making those lbs stay off forever.  The idea of the quick fix will set you up every time.  You didn't gain the excess over night, nor will you lose it that quickly and keep it off.  You must realize SELF DISCIPLINE MUST BE ACHIEVED, IT WILL NOT BE EASY, BUT THE REWARDS WILL PAY OFF 10x MORE THAN THE WORK YOU HAVE PUT FORTH.  Your self confidence will grow, you will be a more pleasant individual to be around, your goals will be set higher and THE WORLD WILL BE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

PACK YOUR BAGS FOR THE JOURNEY, BECAUSE YOUR LEAVING AND NEVER GOING BACK!!

*You know you are a mother of boys when you notice your 4 yr old is outside doing circus tricks on his bike and you yell for him to "HOLD THAT POSE SO I CAN GET MY CAMERA!!"

It Starts In The Kitchen (Level 1-Level 2)

It really does!!  Consider this:  80% of losing weight and getting fit depends on what you put in your mouth each and every day.  You can't spend endless time in the gym sweating and working to the max and then go home and put whatever you want into your mouth.  IT JUST DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT!  The first thing you need to do is identify what results you are looking for.  I have tried this formula for myself so many times....BECAUSE I LOVE TO EAT!  But alas folks, if you want serious results, you must gain control of the kitchen first and foremost.

Ideally, I'd like to tell you that you need to get into your kitchen and throw out anything that will sabotage your goal.  However, being a mother means I have a family that I live with.  I have a family I cook for.  I have lunches to pack, and snacks to make all day for my 3 children and husband.  Cleaning out my pantry of anything not on my list of conducive foods is just not feasible for me, nor is it for many of us.  So instead, try to figure out what some things are that are ultimately MORE tempting than others to you, and  get rid of those items in your home in the beginning and replace them with things you are less likely to feel the need to consume. 

There are 2 stages when it comes to meal consumption levels.  Level One and Level Two.  Level 1- I use when I am working towards a goal.  For example: Weight Loss, Toning or Body Sculpting, or Training for an athletic goal/event like a 5k or marathon/triathalon.  Level 2- I use when I want to stay put and/or maintain. 

Level One
Level One is used for different periods of time.  I tend to go to Level 1 for a minimum of 4 weeks and maximum of 12 weeks at a time.  I feel like 4 weeks is the minimum because it gives your body enough time to adjust and realize, or think, that this is the new way you will be eating so it's forced to go to the stored fat in our bodies to burn the necessary calories we need in any given day.  Level 1 is much more strict.  It does not give you exceptions to the fact that you are at chuck E cheese for a birthday party or that it's labor day weekend and you are at a Bar B Q with your friends grilling out.  However, you can make it work regardless of where you are and what "special event" is going on that day.

 Level 1 Rules: 
1.  No Bread, No Pasta, No White Potatoes, No Rice, And No Dessert--NO EXCEPTIONS
2.  Fruit is eaten in smaller portions (1-2 servings approx. not exceeding the size of your fist) and not after 12/noon.
3.  Making a Journal of what you consume on a daily basis.  This one is very important in the beginning.
Once you have done this for a while you will make more of a mental note and running tally of what you have consumed over the day. 
4.  Stay under 75 grams of carbs a day (Pay attention to labels)
5.  Eating every 2-3 1/2 hrs
6.  Begin each morning with a bowl of Oatmeal.

Level Two (a,b,c)
Level Two is used after you have been working really hard and mentally need a break from Level 1.  Level 2 requires almost more control than Level 1.  The reason is because "free meal(s)" are allowed and you must be able to be focused and disciplined enough to go back to careful eating habits once your "free meal(s)" are up.  The Rules for Level 2 can vary.  Level 2 means that you follow Level 1 80-90% of the week, but allow for 1 free meal(a), 1 free day(b), or 1 free weekend or 2 consecutive days(c).  1 free meal(a)- is recommended for those who have just begun their journey to becoming more fit and are still under 50% of their final goal.  1 free day(b)- is recommended for those who have reached 50-75% of their weight-loss/fitness goal.  A free weekend (2 consecutive days(c))- is only recommended for those who are within 25% of the finish line and their final goal.  Staying on Level 2(c) is only recommend for 4-6 weeks maximum, and then either going back to Level 1 or Level 2 (a).  Once you have reached 100% of your goal you can stay on Level 2(c) longer.  If you suddenly begin to feel your pants getting tight, or see the scale budge upwards, it's time to do a quick Level 1 Adjustment to put yourself back in check. 

Level Two Rules
1.  2 Extra fruit servings may be added (With Portion Size Same As Level 1- No more than Size of Fist) each day
2.  80-90% of your week should be Level 1 allowing 1 serving a day of your choice (brown rice, 100% whole wheat pasta, 1 serving 100% Whole Wheat Bread, or 100% Whole Wheat Crackers)  It is very important that you chose only 1 and maintain 1 serving size, avoiding any of these after dinnertime.

Level Two- Free Meal Rules
1.  A Dessert May Be Added To Free Meal
2.  Portion Size Of Free Meal Should Not be taken to gargantuan proportional size.