So, getting started with a serious blog is about just as hard as starting a serious weight loss plan... But I'm here again, and I plan on coming back. You can't get rid of me that easy!
I've been having a rough time with my long term plans for a healthier lifestyle. No one ever said it would be easy, so I'm adjusting to the dedication it's going to take me. Having to balance career, social life, home care, family, and weight loss is pretty hard, but it's definitely do-able. Everyone's different in the area of organizing, but I find it helpful to make a daily list of things to do and mark them off as I go. I can't stand schedules... they make me feel very closed in, but if I don't have anything to organize me, I pretty much just do whatever.
Well, I promised everyone measurements, and measurements you will have. I have lost a mere pound I last posted here; it's a bit discouraging, but I also haven't been going to the gym as religiously as I should have.
Weight: 260
Dress size: 20W
Pants size: 22W
T-shirt size: L-XXL
Waist: 48"
Chest: 51"
Hips: 53
Neck: 17"
Upper arm: 19"
Thigh: 30"
Okay, so there it is. I laid it all out in public for everyone to see. My promise to give everyone measurements weekly or bi-weekly (if life gets in the way) so that I'm held accountable for my weight loss and for the things that I share with you.
Now that that business is taken care of...
I wanted to talk to everyone about choosing a diet plan that's right for you. Now, it's no secret amongst any of my friends that I'm a huge promoter of Weight Watchers. I think it works for everyone, as long as you make yourself work with it, and that it's the healthiest and encouraging ways to diet. If you just follow their system without paying for online access or going to the meetings, that's perfectly fine, as long as you can make yourself stick with it. If you're like me, then you need lots of support and something to hold you accountable, so the meetings are wonderful and inspiring and you see people just starting, people struggling, people succeeding... They give you all sorts of wonderful tips and the leaders are always there to help you out. The online program is great, as well, because you have access to the online community as well as tons and tons of recipes with the points allotments, an online journal that tracks your progress with all sorts of neat little charts, and a database that tells you how much basically any sort of food is worth (as well as a recipe maker that will let you put the ingredients in and tell you how many points per serving it is).
If you're interested at all, visit the Weight Watcher's Official Website and get some information! I really do suggest something similar to Weight Watchers, because it's based off of a healthy diet, exercise, and just living a healthier lifestyle. You don't feel like you're starving yourself but you see results. If you're not so keen on Weight Watchers, then either find another diet plan that appeals to you (as long as you're not starving yourself, i.e. eating less than 1200 calories a day).
If you just want a suggestion on what you eat, this is what I'll tell you:
- Drink eight or more glasses of water a day (and try to get one whole lemon in there a day, I suggest squeezing it in your water over the eight glasses).
- Stay away from store-bought juices and try to drink either Crystal Light if you're craving something other than water, or make your own juices. It's much healthier, because you still have all the raw nutrients in the juice you made as well as the fiber.
- Either cut soda out of your diet (except for when you feel like treating yourself) or take to drinking diet sodas. I don't suggest having any soda, as even the diet ones are pretty bad for you, but if you're just after pure weight loss and you really can't do without your fizzy beverages, then do the diet soda thing.
- Try to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Only up to 2 of those servings should be fruit, because fruit is still full of sugar and carbs and it'll give you pretty bad teeth problems if you do too much of it. Try to eat a lot of green, leafy vegetables like spinach, but honestly, just eating more vegetables will help.
- Find delicious ways to prepare your veggies. Eating salad all the time can get really monotonous and make you feel like a rabbit. One of my favorite ways to prepare veggies is to grill them on my George Foreman with a little bit of salt and pepper and a tablespoon of olive oil. It brings out the flavor and makes the veggies way less boring and a lot more delicious. You can add whatever herbs or spices you want without sacrificing flavor or adding calories. Basil has become one of my favorite things about life.
- Eat less meat. Try to have at least one or two meatless meals a day. Try to eat less protein in general; most people get more than enough protein a day. To find out how much protein you need a day, try this: weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg, THEN weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm. That should tell you how much protein you need a day. Generally, a person needs 40-70 grams a day depending on weight and age. Try to eat way less red meat and more poultry and fish.
- Cut back on the carbs. Carbs are definitely good for you, but Americans eat way too many carbs. 200-250 grams a day is a decent estimate. Try to start getting your carbs from more nutrient rich sources such as whole grain bread, cereals and pastas, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Avoid unhealthy carbohydrate-rich foods, such as sugary snacks, pastries, sugar-sweetened soft drinks, candy, cookies, greasy chips and most processed, packaged snack foods. Those particular foods hare high in calories while offering hardly any nutritional value and are often laden with saturated fats.
- Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. It's the healthiest way to lose weight, and any more than that you risk rebounding and gaining the weight back when you stop dieting.
- Do NOT eat less than 1200 calories a day unless you're on a medically supervised diet.
- Use a calorie calculator to see how many calories a day you should eat, like this one.
- Take at least one day off of dieting. Don't go overboard, but let yourself eat some foods you won't let yourself eat on the diet. It helps psychologically for long-term goals by reducing the feeling of punishment your body might acquire and it keeps your body from getting used to the new calorie intake you have. Also, if you go out a lot on the weekends, it's almost impossible to eat healthy if you go out to eat; even salads at restaurants can have more calories that a Big Mac.
- Stay away from fried foods and start grilling and broiling. If you like to saute, stay away from butter and use alternatives such as a little bit of olive oil, flaxseed oil, or substitute butters like Smart Balance.
Whoo! That was a lot to share, but I hope it helps some of you who feel pretty lost starting a diet. These are the main things you want to remember when you're dieting, because not only will they help you lose weight, but you'll start feeling better, you'll get better bowel movement, and you'll generally live a way healthier lifestyle.
So to end this week, I will leave everyone with a couple of questions that I'd love for you to comment on:
1. Would you like for me to open up a weight loss forum to share tips and strategies and support?
2. What sort of recipes would you like to see me start posting up? Desert foods and snacks, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, or more quick and easy?
I'm going to start including recipe videos, as soon as I get my webcam fixed!
Bon appetite,
Steph
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