Chart

Now that you are thinking about your goal for the month of February I want you to get a calendar and some stickers or a marker or pen.  This might take you back to the elementary school years but I want you to chart your progress.  When you workout put a sticker or write on the calendar what you did that day.  When you keep your calories under your goal amount write it on the calendar in a different color or write it on a sticker and put it on the date.  I want you to be able to know when you worked out and when you hit your calorie amount.  This will let you know for sure how you are doing and when you need to kick it in to high gear and really get to work.  Like I said sticker charts seem elementary but it really can help keep you keep on track and keep you motivated.  Now you might think you can just keep it in your head or you don't need a calendar to keep track BUT I'd like you to give it a try for a month.  You can even just print one off the computer or draw one on a paper by hand.  So get your calendar and a way to mark your progress and get ready for the first of February!!!

New Goals

Now that we have been at this for about a month we might have a better idea on some goals.  We are only a few days away from February 1st so I want you to think of a weight lose goal and exercise goal.  I also want you to consider something new.  I think this could be a great idea for those that are having a hard time working out or keeping their calories on track.  I want you to set a goal for how many workouts you will do in a week and how many days you will keep your calories on track in a week for the month of February. 
You can have a goal to workout 3, 4 or 5 days a week or more but make sure you get at least 1 rest day a week.  You will need to be specific with your goal. For instance, I will workout 6 days a week for at least 30 min a workout.  You might also make a goal to push yourself harder 2 days a week.
Keeping your calories on track should be a little stricter and you should shoot for at least 5 days a week if not 6 or 7.  Let me give you an idea of what keeping your calories on track would mean.  Say you need to keep your calories at 1400 a day to lose 1 pound a week. (Please remember that no one should ever go under 1200 calories a day. No matter what!!!!) If you make the goal to keep your calories on track for 6 days you should have your calories at or right below 1400 for 6 days of the week.  This doesn't mean the other day is a free for all.  It means that you might go over to 1500.  Please do not think the other day is for eating 5 helpings of dessert.  You will not lose weight with that kind of an effort and it will sabotage all your hard work besides confusing your body.  Remember the only what to loss weight is to have a calorie deficit and the more you over eat takes away form that deficit.  Weight lose is a mental challenge more than it is a physical challenge.  Your body might get hungry once in a while but to be honest most of the eating we do is not because we are hungry.  So put your mind over the matter and really work hard this month at keeping on track with your calories.
When you have decided on a goal WRITE IT DOWN!  Put it where you can see it and you can let me know as well if you like.  Then we will report on weigh lose and or eating and workout goals each week this next month.
I will talk more about what we are going to do with our goal tomorrow.:)

1 pound at a time

   I have talked to many people that say they want to lose 10, 20, 30, 40  or even 50 pounds and get discouraged when the weight doesn't come off as fast as they would like.  This is really probably the number one reason people yo yo or even give up on weight lose.  The key is to make small goals and remember to take baby steps.  Losing 20 pounds can feel like a daunting task if you keep thinking of that big number.  Brake it down.  If you are struggling and don't have time to really put 100% of your time and effort into it (and even if you do) there is a solution.  Instead of thinking "I have -20 lbs to go, I have -20 lbs to go....... I will never get there!!!" I want you to think of it this way.  I need to lose 1 lb this week.  If you weigh everyday, you get on the scale and see you are down .2 on Monday say "YAY,  I'm on my way!!".  When you get to -.6 on Wednesday say "Only .4 to go!!  I CAN DO THIS!!!".  When you get to -1 on Friday say "YES!!!!!!".  Then get ready to do it again the next week!  If you weigh once a week be excited about the -1 on Fridays.  YOU ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!
     After my 3rd child was born I was ready to lose weight.  I started my workouts which was walking at a 3 on the treadmill.  I started eating better and watching my calories.  I had a very small calendar that I had set up in front of my treadmill.  I had written my current weight on the first Friday and 1 lb less on the next Friday, 1 lb less than that on the next Friday and so on for the first 2 months.  These were my goals.  I weighed myself everyday and kept myself on track to meat that -1 lb goal every week.  Now 1 lbs isn't alot when you think about the fact that I needed to lose 30 lbs but it was a goal I could reach and broken down to something I could achieve.  As the weeks went on every Friday I would be proud that I met my 1 lb goal and move on.  Sometimes I would lose 1.5 or 2 lbs and the lose would add up and I would adjust my goal weights for the weeks ahead.  Before I knew it I was able to up my workout and burn more calories each time.  The time had gone by and my weight had got to the place I was when I got married. It didn't happen over night but I did happen!  So I kept it up and was able to lose 20 more pounds, one pound at a time, one week at a time.  Too many times we want to see results NOW!   Weight lose doesn't work that way, it takes time, dedication and work.   And if you think about it everything worth having or achieving is that way.  Line upon line and precept on precept.  You don't decide to have a college degree and BAM! the next week or even month you have it.  You don't plan to win a championship and BAM! the next week or even year you get the ring.  You don't even plant a garden and BAM the next month with no effort at all you have food on the table.  NOPE, nothing really works  like that.
Now I have had 7 kids and I can guarantee you I have gained at least 50 lbs each time. Every time I have started my weight lose journey the same way.  Baby step goals,  hard work, small achievements and determination. 
    Sometimes we see other people and think "Oh, they are lucky they didn't even have to work and the weight fell right off."  I will guarantee you that almost without fail they have worked hard to get where they are and we just see the end result without realizing or acknowledging their effort.  Sometimes we see thin people and assume they are just lucky to be thin, not so. I have learned, most the time, they are working harder than you think.  It is hard work for everyone!  It takes time for EVERYONE!!!  There is no healthy, fix it quick product that does all the work for you or cuts the time or effort in half.  There is no 14 day diet, 2 week workout or 5 "fat blasting moves" that will do all the work for you and have you come out looking like the lady on the magazine cover.  They all take effort.  By the way NO ONE looks like the lady or man on the magazine cover.... not even the person the picture is taken of.  But that is for a different day.   Now, with that said, there is also no better feeling than knowing you put the time and effort out and reached your gaol.  You will know YOU did it!  and You CAN DO IT.
  We are getting ready to make some new goals this week.  So, in preparation for the new goals this week get a calendar, paper, or anything and write your weight on it.  Put it somewhere that you will see it everyday and think about your goal.  I keep mine by my scale in the bathroom now but I think I am going to put it back by my bike or treadmill.    Write down your weight today.  On the first Friday put what your weight would be with -1lb.  That is your first goal.  On the next Friday put what your weight would be with -1 lb more.  Each day that you weigh don't think "Man, I still have 20 more pounds to go :( ".  I want you to only think about getting to the next number on your calendar.  If you don't get to the number this week, no worries, keep trying.  You will!  It does take hard work and it will continue to take work to stay where you want to be.  That is just the way life works.  But, it is worth the effort to have the healthy body and life you will when you get there.  You can do it, I know you can.

EAT RIGHT!

Let me say, if you eat the right foods you CAN eat enough to make you feel satisfied!!!!    EATING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF THE RIGHT FOODS=NOT BEING HUNGRY= NOT OVER EATING= STAYING IN THE COLORIE RANG= A HELATHY HAPPY YOU.  That is the real goal. Right?
Yesterday one of you told me about your efforts to eat healthy.  This is how their dinner went.  1 small tostada shell with a small spoon of beans and some lettuce and tomato.  And this is what happened.....Eat..........Hungry.........Want more....... Go back for seconds.  That amount is not enough to satisfy anyone and will lead to hunger and feeling bad for eating more and then guilt for not staying on your idea of a diet then giving up. This is also how over eating often starts. Feeling deprived then just going over board. Good intentions but not the right approach.  Luckily, her second helping consisted of loading up the plate with salad and veggies  and that IS the right choice!
Too often we think we have to starve ourselves to be on a "diet".  The trick is NOT to be on a "diet" but to choose a healthy foods and make it part of our lives.  Going on a "diet" then going back to eating junk and overeating is why people yo-yo.  Granted, right now you are cutting more calories than you will need to when you are maintaining weigh but what you eat has everything to do with being able to lose weight and eventually can help you keep you from going up again.

Definition of the word DEIT as a noun:

1. The usual food and drink of a person or animal.
2. A regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss.

We are going to change your idea of that word from definition 2 to definition 1.
We want our usual food and drink to be healthy and not just regulate it for a little bit to for weigh loss.  So this is what your meals can and should look like.

This was my lunch a few days ago. 
Tuna salad: 
Green leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, a can of tuna mixed with some sweet relish and a hand full of oyster crackers.  Feel free to add what ever else you like onions, avocado, cabbage and any other veggies. This is not a small plate this is a bowl the size of my head. Notice the majority is whole foods such as veggies and lean protein (tuna).

This was my dinner. I ate the same amount for lunch a few days ago.  My family was eating tacos so I ate taco salad.  I cut out the unhealthy taco shell cooked in oil and filled my plate with green leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, seasoned hamburger and a sprinkle of cheese.  Again a lot of other whole foods can be added like avocado, beans, onions, salsa, peppers.......The list can go on and on. This is also a huge plate of food so you can feel like you eat enough and still stay on calorie and heat more whole foods.

Now I know some of you don't like tuna.  That is ok, pick something you do like.  I use chicken a lot too.  And some of you don't like salad without salad dressing.  I have felt that way too.  There are many veriaties of dressing that have less calories but if you have to have ranch use a spoon, measure out 1 Tbsp of it and mix it around on your salad or dip your fork in it before you get the salad on your fork.  Make sure you add the 140 calories to your count. DON"T DUMP IT ON!!!
The goal here is to trade out the processed foods for whole foods and eat more veggies and lean proteins.  It isn't that hard once you figure it out.
 Keep up the great work and good choices!  Eat enough of the right foods!  Drink Water! You got this!

What Can you eat

Most of the time when you think of being on a diet you concentrate on what you can't eat.  Today we are going to talk about what you CAN eat! 
There are many ways to convert the normal diet into a healthier diet with more whole foods and less processed foods.  Here are some ideas.

Breakfast:  never skip!!!
Eggs & fruit (I usually eat a banana every morning)
Omelet with veggies
Oatmeal and fruit
Any whole grain cereal (if you have to every once in a while)

Lunch/Dinner:
Chicken breast Salad
Tuna salad:  Tuna in water drained and mixed with relish, lettuce, tomato and what ever else I have on hand.  You can also try it with lettuce and apples.
Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato and mustard.
Taco salad:  Lettuce, tomato, Lean ground beef with seasoning, avocado, sprinkle of cheese, salsa.
Grilled Chicken breast with side salad and steamed veggies.

 Snacks:
yogurt
almonds
Fruit
Cut veggies

These are just a few ideas.  I will add more as we go.  I do a lot of salads that can be used as a dinner or a lunch.  Most of them consist of green or red leaf lettuce and tomatoes as a base then add from there.  I like to add cucumbers, carrots and what ever I have on hand.  One of my favorite things to add is strawberries.  It was a surprise that I like it so much but it is so good! Be creative.  Dinners are easy to convert to healthier.  You can take what ever protein your family is eating and put it in a salad.  Leave out the mayo or creamy dressing though!

I have some crock pot recipes I will add tomorrow.

Change quote

I just woke up one day and decided I didn’t want to feel like this anymore, or ever again.

So I changed.

I had lots of excuses for not being able to change, but at the end of the day they were excuses.  Being able to change starts with

Your Decision to Change

calorie counting

Calorie counting is a important part of weight loss.  Even with whole foods you should know about how many calories you are eating a day. You can workout all day and if you don't cut the calories to a healthy amount you will never lose a pound.  Everyone has told me this is their weak spot, as it is for most people.
The first step to counting calories is knowing your goal calorie amount.  This is different for everyone because you must take into consideration your height, weight, gender and activity level, age and how much weight you want to lose a week.  There is a free calorie counter to the right on this blog that can let you know exactly what you should be shooting for or you can ask me.  Most of the ladies will need between 1200 and 1900 calories.  I think I have talked to most of you but if you aren't sure let me know. For men it will be more.
 After you have your goal calorie amount the second step is to plan your meals and snacks for each day.  Everyone has good intentions of writing it down as you go but once you eat the calories you can't take it back so you might be stuck before dinner with only 100 calories left and that is not healthy.  Or, you might get to the end of the day and have only reached 1000 calories.  That is also NOT OK.  Less is NOT more when we are talking about less than 1200 calories.  DO Not go under 1200!!!  After you have it all written down and added up make sure you have what you need to make your meals.  You can do this one day at a time or a week at a time but eventually you will find as you go along that you don't have to look everything up or add it all together because you will already know what the calorie counts are. 
Tomorrow I will start posting some meal ideas and numbers for you.  Please feel free to post what you ate and the numbers to share ideas with others.  Believe me we all need as much ideas as we can get.  Sometimes when you are trying to cut calories you feel limited so share, share, share.

Whole foods

 

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat whole foods. 

  I know this for a fact!!!  My knee is having some issues so I can't workout like I want to and diet is my main tool for weight loss right now.  BUT,  I have already seen the scale moving on down.  That is due to DIET. So here is some info on whole foods with a lot more to come through the next weeks.  Also, I will be posting whole food meal and snack ideas that I eat starting next week.

Whole foods are eating food that are in their natural form.  That means no processed foods. The secret is to eat these things because they have a lot more nutrients ,less chemicals and less calories. So you can eat enough to keep you feeling full and still lose weight and be healthy.  Stick with mostly fruits veggies and lean protein (chicken breast, fish). Whole grains are ok in moderation like oatmeal and brown rice.  You can make whole wheat/grain bread but you shouldn't eat too much.
Protein is a huge key, eat it with every meal and snack.  A serving of yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, boiled eggs or almonds are all great ideas for getting protein in your snacks.  Lean meats like fish and chicken breast can be your go to for meals.  Also eat all the veggies you can and some fruit.  This is where you get a lot of your vitamins.
Breakfast is supper important so don't skip it.  Most the time I eat eggs or oatmeal with some kind of fruit.

 

A important step that eating whole foods does is to cutting out sugars.  You can use honey or natural sweeteners.  I Love candy so when I feel stressed and want to eat candy I make a fruit salad.  Also like the article below said if you just have to have a little something sweet have a little, one serving maybe once a week at most, and don't hate your self after.  Just keep on trying your best. 

If you want to go 100% whole foods you will see a HUGE difference but it can be hard in this day and age to find food on the go.  So, like with all food choices,  DO YOUR BEST.  Notice I didn't say be perfect.  Perfection is not required, just your best.:)  I'll give you some ideas on fast food options and eat this not that ideas next week. 

 

These articles have lists of whole foods if you need more ideas.

 

http://www.ehow.com/list_7199393_list-foods-healthy-eating.html

 

http://www.ehow.com/list_7439769_unprocessed-foods-list.html#page=3

   

this one is good info on how much of what is ok and has a good list of foods.

http://www.ttuhsc.edu/som/fammed/wholefoods.aspx

 

Also use real butter if you use it at all.  Try to drink mostly water!!! 

Strength Training Program

This is the strength training program that I recommend for beginners.  It is supper simple and you can do it at home.  It is, however, important to do these moves right to prevent injury.  If you live here I will be glad to go over these exercises with you and make sure you have good form.  If you are working on strength with a trainer at a gym feel free to count that workout.  This entire workout is also located at http://www.building-muscle101.com/support-files/getting-rid-of-fat-free.pdf   starting at pg 29 and on the side bar of this blog and does have pictures starting on page 32 to help out.  Check it out.  If you have question ask!

Strength training program:

1: Bench press Exercise

2: Squat Exercise

3: Dumbbell clean and press Exercise

4: Bicep curl Exercise

5: Lunges Exercise

6: Lateral raise Exercise

7: Barbell row Exercise

8: Medicine ball abdominal crunches

Perform the prescribed exercises in the order described above. Remember, drink plenty of water while you are exercising and have a little something to eat once you are finished working out. Descriptions for each exercise is below.

1. Bench press: Lie back on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor and back pressed firmly against the padding. Take a tight grip of the barbell (overhand) with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90cm) apart. Make sure that your grip is balanced between both sides of your body. You can also do this lift on the floor and/or with dumbbells, one in each hand.   

Once your grip is set, press your shoulders down and back into the bench. This will push up your pectoral girdle and allow for a much better stimulation. Lift the bar from the rack. Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Lower the barbell to the middle area of the chest, slowly and under control, keeping your elbows away and outward from the trunk of your body. As the weight lowers, be sure not to bounce the weight - very important - do not bounce the weight from the chest. Lightly touch the chest and push the weight back up in a controlled fashion. Beginners may find that the weight starts to fall forward or backward or that the weight is rising unevenly because one arm is stronger than the other. Don.t worry too much about this and concentrate on the movement itself. After a couple of weeks you will develop a groove and this movement will be second nature.

2. Squat: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight and slowly squat down with your butt out behind you until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Press up from the heels and return to standing straight. If you are just stating out do down as far as feels comfortable!  Do not let your knees go past your toes as you go down. You can also place a chair behind you until you feel comfortable so you don't fall or go too low.

3. Dumbbell clean and press: Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Grasp two dumbbells with your palms facing inward and in one motion, pull the dumbbells up to your shoulder level. Hold them at your shoulder level. Press both weight upward over your head and then slowly lower to the starting position.

4. Bicep Curl: Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward. Flex at your elbows, curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder, and tense your biceps at the top of the exercise. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

5. Lunges: keep your back straight, step forward on your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor, then lift up, and bring your left leg forward to meet your right leg. Repeat with the left leg lunging forward.  

6. Lateral raise: This exercise can be performed standing or seated. With both hands, grasp the dumbbells with the palms facing each other. The arms must be bent in order to stress the lateral deltoids.

If you are standing, make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor spaced evenly at a little less than shoulder length. If you are seated, make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor and the ankles almost touching each other. Keeping elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells in an arc from the side of your body to level with your head. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the start position. Repeat movement.

7. Barbell Row. This exercise can be done while on a block or bench. Grab a barbell with your hands placed about 24" (60cm) apart and remove the bar from the racks.

Place your feet at shoulder width and keep them flat on the ground. Slowly bend forward at the hips keeping your back flat. Slightly bend your knees and keep your head as high as possible.

Remember to keep your torso parallel to the floor and keep your lower back flat and your butt thrust outward. In a controlled fashion, pull the bar upwards until you touch the lower part of your rib cage. Lower the weight until your arms are straight. Repeat the movement without letting the bar rest on the bench. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.

8. Medicine Ball Abdominal Crunches: Lie on a medicine ball and place your hands behind your head. Keep your feet on the floor or raise them so that your knees are bent at around 90 degrees. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body from the floor towards your legs, careful not to pull on your neck. Tense your muscles while in the crunch and slowly lower back down.

Weigh in day!!!!

It's weigh in day let me know your numbers.  Remember to subtract from the very first weight from 2 weeks ago.  Week 2s are often a lot lower numbers depending on how hard you worked week one.  You could have worked just as hard if not harder and not lost a pound or even gained when you lost over 4 last week.  This is absolutely normal. Your body is trying to adjust and if you keep working hard you will see results again next week.  There are many factors so keep

Daily Workout

Let me start by saying this is a lot of info and might seem overwhelming.  If you take only one thing from today I want you to get moving.  Even if it is just slow and easy.  The rest will come.  Everyone starts at different places.  The key is to start!

For most of you our workout goal is to do at least 30 minutes of cardio 3 days a week and weight training 2 days a week. We will be increasing the cardio and weights as we become more fit but we don’t want to do too much too fast and injure ourselves. If you have already been working out, feel free to do more that 30 min. For this program to work you will have to push your self, just don't kill yourself on the first week. On the other hand don't take it too easy. 

Cardio: The goal is to get your heart rate up! Find something you like to do. It can be swimming, walking, jogging, aerobics, yoga, biking, dancing or anything else you like. I have put a few links on the side of the page for ideas. If you are really just beginning I LOVE the beginning treadmill workout. I used it every time I am getting back into working out after having a baby. If you don’t have a treadmill, walk around the block or track. What I want you to be most concerned about is your heart rate.

Warm up: Always start out with a 5 min warm up. To warm up you can walk at an easy pace to get your body warmed up and moving.

Aerobic workout: (Aerobic in our case means you are burning fat for your body’s fuel.) After your warm up you want to get your heart rate into a “fat burring zone”. To measure or take your heart rate you need to be holding still. Place your right index finger and middle finger on the right side of your neck. Find your pulse. Once you have found your pulse time yourself for 10 seconds and count how many times your heart beats. Find your age on the chart. You should keep your heart rate at least in the 55% range for the first week and hopefully in the 70% range for the remainder of the 30 min. If your heart rate is low, work a little harder and take your heart rate again in 5 min. If your heart rate is too high slow it down and take it again in 5 min.

Cool down: Always cool down after a workout. Walk slower, bike slower, swim slower or tap side to side. Your heart rate should be back down when you are done with your cool down.

Strength Training: This should be done twice a week with at least 1 day between workouts. So if you do weights on Tuesday wait until Thursday to do it again. Warm up (walk) for 5 min then start the workout. If you are going to do weights and cardio in the same workout do the weights first so you will have good form and not be tired, then do your 30 min cardio.

Strength training program:
Exercise 1: Bench press
Exercise 2: Squat
Exercise 3: Dumbbell clean and press
Exercise 4: Bicep curl
Exercise 5: Lunges
Exercise 6: Lateral raise
Exercise 7: Barbell row
Exercise 8: Medicine ball abdominal crunches (with or without ball)

I will post this information tomorrow or you can take a look at the link I have placed on the right sidebar under Strength Training. In that link, beginning at the bottom of page 28, you will see a description of the workout. There are also picture starting on page 32 of the link.  The link also has some eating and cardio ideas.  This strength training workout is a great weights workout for beginners. It is simple and keeps you moving so you are burning calories and getting stronger. Remember muscle burns more calories even when you are at rest. By adding some lifting you will be burning more calories everyday and feeling stronger! We do not want to end up looking like body builders so this workout is perfect. Our goal is to keep it aerobic with long lean muscles, which means you should be able to do 3 sets of at least 10 of whatever strength training you decide to do. That means you should be able to lift the weight 10 times without stopping. Don’t get me wrong, I want you to have to put some effort out but I want you to have good form, not hurt your self and build LEAN muscle. You can start with a 3 or 5 lb weight but we will be going up! Do each of the lifts 10 times in the order on the list, then start back at the top of the list and do them all again 10 time, go through the list one more time at 10 times each to reach your 3 sets of 10. If it was supper easy the first set, go up to 8 lb barbells.

This is a lot of information so if you have questions ask away! 

MEAL PLAN

With eating being so important I thought I'd try to give you more info. Our goal is to get as much nutrients in each meal as we can so your choices are important.  Also you want to make sure you eat protein with every meal and snack.  It will help cut cravings.

Counting calories can be hard at first but once you figure out your go to meals it gets a lot easier.  It is well worth the effort in the beginning.  For most women you should keep your calories between 1200 and 1900. (Check here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ for your exact amount.) You must eat three meals and 2 snacks everyday. Never skip a meal!!! Even if you are going to go over on calories just try to make good choices. If you are over on your calories one day, do not try to make it up the next day with having under 1200 calories. Also do not eat more calories thinking you will just add a workout to burn it off. Remember this is your life and your goal. You can make the choices you need to to get you where you want to be. No one can force you to succeed and no one but you can take the credit when you do!

Hear are some meal ideas. Like always, these are just ideas. Feel free to mix it up and above all COUNT THE CALORIES and write it down!!! Counting the calories is so you can learn to make good choices so stay on top of that for now.  If you find something you love let us know so I can add it to the list. Try to keep each meal to around 400 calories and the snacks to 100 calories. I tend to eat the same thing everyday because it is easy to know i am making good choices. Make sure you read the serving sizes on everything. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Drinks
Drink around 1 gallon of water a day. Fill up the jug and have it gone by the time you go to bed. You can drink low fat or non fat milk. There are alot of drinks out there with no calories, some have sweeteners that are not so great if you have too much, so drink them sparingly. Try to avoid sugary juices. Even if it says 100% juice they have alot of calories and sugar. I have found a orange juice that has 50% less sugar and calories it is called Trop50 from Tropicana.
Breakfast ideas:
Oatmeal and almonds
Oatmeal with fruit
Omelet with any kind of veggies
Omelet with mushrooms and spinach
Eggs and fruit
Yogurt and fruit
Whole Wheat beagle and fruit

Lunch (With any sandwich you can use a lettuce leaf as the bread if you need to cut calories or eat it as a salad)
Tuna Sandwich or salad: w/relish, tomato and lettuce (no mayo)
Deli Meat sandwich or salad: (chicken, turkey) lettuce, tomato, mustard (no mayo)
Grilled Chicken salad
Taco salad: lettuce, tomato, cheese, seasoned hamburger meat, salsa (no chips)



Snacks (feel free to mix it up ex: cottage cheese and fruit)
Yogurt (low fat or fat free)
Fat free string cheese
Fruits and veggies
Almonds (about 10)
Cottage cheese (low fat)
Granola (i have a recipe I will share)


Dinner: use a smaller plate. ½ of the plate veggies/salad, ¼ protein source (lean meat), ¼ whole grain side if you need the calories. If you go back for seconds only get the salad or veggies.

Salmon
Tuna
Shrimp
Grilled Chicken
Lemon pepper chicken
Turkey

Green salads (no dressing!)
Eat a green salad with every dinner if you can. Mix it up. My new found favorite is Spinach, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, purple cabbage, grated carrot and strawberries.

Steamed veggies( no butter)

Soups can be a good filler but they should be clear (veggie, chicken). Stay away from the “cream of” and cheese soups. As always check calories

Cooking
The grill is probably the healthiest way to cook. There is no fats to cook the meat or veggies in. If you are using a frying pan you can use olive, canola, corn or sunflower oil or Spray Pam and lightly coat the pan. never use lard, shorting, or grease.

If you cant live without butter or salad dressing there are a few lite options in the spray bottles. use it sparingly and count the calories. Also real butter is your best option.  By the way alot of the stuff that sayes "diet food" or "light" is really not good for you so don't be fooled.

Notice there is no dessert. For now try to cut sugary and fatty deserts out. Try fruit like pineapple, a peach, grapes or yogurt. it might take a few weeks for your body to stop craving the sugar but in a few weeks you will forget you ever ate them.... OK, maybe not forget but you will see results, feel great and it will be easier to eat healthy. I promise a little sacrifice now WILL be worth it!


Serving size info
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Suggested-Servings-from-Each-Food-Group_UCM_318186_Article.jsp

There is also a meal plan on this link starting on page 15. Again count the calorie.
http://www.building-muscle101.com/support-files/getting-rid-of-fat-free.pdf

more healthy eating info:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/LosingWeight/5-Goals-to-Losing-Weight_UCM_307260_Article.jsp



http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/LosingWeight/5-Goals-to-Healthy-Eating_UCM_307257_Article.jsp

Eating Right: the first step

When trying to lose weight eating right is the most important part. You can workout until you die and you will not lose a pound if you don’t eat right. If you need to start out with baby steps start with a health diet first. Here are some tips to get started.  I'll talk more about all of these things as we go.

Drink water: About a gallon a day. Fill up a gallon container and try to make sure it is gone by bed time. This means more runs to the restroom BUT water is so important when it comes to flushing out the unwanted waist your body will needs to get rid of to lose weight and be healthy.

No processed foods: Processed foods really make your kidneys and liver spend more time filtering the chemicals and such out of your food.  Eating whole foods relieves that strain and lets the kidneys and liver do their job better, that in turn helps you feel better.  Not to mention that with whole foods you get more nutrients in less calories and less calories in a serving size.
Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed.  Whole foods does not necessarily mean organic.  Just to make this clear.  Whole foods can be fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, beans, nuts..... We will talk more about this soon!

Fruits and vegetables are your "go to" thing to eat. You can eat more or less as much as you want. Try to eat the darker greens and use a variety of other colors through out the day. Raw fruits and veggies are the best way to go but steamed is a good way to mix it up.

Fresh poultry and fish should be your fist choice when it comes to eating meat. Try to limit red meat to only twice a week and cut things like sausage, bacon and the fatty meats out all together.

If you are going to eat grains make them whole grains.  If you make them yourself that is even better.

 

Count calories: WRITE IT DOWN!!!! Keep track of everything that goes in your mouth, at least at first. You MUST HAVE at least 1200 calories a day to keep your body healthy and happy. Let me say that again.  YOUR BODY NEEDS AT LEAST 1200 CALORIES A DAY.  Eating less sends you into starvation mode and we don't want that, but more on that later.  Make good choices on what you choose to eat. Remember everyone is different weights, heights, age, male/female and have different goals. If you input your information here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ you will know exactly how many calories you need to eat to reach your goal. I like to give a range so you can have a little give and take.  And let me say if you eat the right foods you can eat a lot!!!!  That is the real goal.  EATING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF THE RIGHT FOODS=NOT BEING HUNGRY= NOT OVER EATING= STAYING IN THE COLORIE RANG= A HELATHY HAPPY YOU.:)


Limit sugar: For now we are going to try to cut out most of the sugar, aka junk food, we eat. Your body will thank you and it helps you cut those calories.



Fat: Fats are important in a healthy diet. We just want to make sure we are getting the right kind of fat. Try to keep your fat intake under 40g a day. Keep away from solid fats like lard or shorting and sugary foods like candy bars.


Remember there are no excuses. If you want to lose the weight you can!

This web page has alot of good info and some healthy recipes to try. Take some time and check it out!
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/LosingWeight/5-Goals-to-Losing-Weight_UCM_307260_Article.jsp

Recipes!
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/Welcome-to-the-No-Fad-Diet_UCM_305835_SubHomePage.jsp

Day 1!!!

To day is the day!!!

YAY for the beginning of your journey. If you haven't already, weigh yourself, take measurements and write it all down. We will be eating right and exercising for at least 30 min a day for the next 3 months!!! I know there is alot of info to come but let's get started. The most important thing to do right now is eat the right amount of calories (preferably whole foods) and workout. (I will be posting a lot more about eating and workout tips and ideas this week.) Friday's weight will be a starting point 0 for those just starting and last week for those who are ahead of the game. We will take our – lbs from this weight. An important thing is to use the same scale every time. To get the most accurate weight you should weigh in at the same time of day and wearing the same amount of clothing. For example I weigh in the mornings (when you weigh your least) right before I get in the shower. We will weigh in again next Friday for our first - lbs. If you have a digital scale you will be able to see every little ounce you are losing. If you have a dial scale you will not see each ounce but you will see it moving on down!

Measurements: I like to have body measurements too because it is fun and encouraging to see the numbers change there too. Also, as you are getting healthier there are times that your muscle mass is increasing and your fat is decreasing. Your weight may not change but your measurements still shrink because 1 lb of muscle is a lot smaller than 1lb of fat. We will be measuring again at the end and maybe every month. Make sure and write them down. (This was the best picture I could find so please excuse the random numbers)

1. Chest/Bust: Measure around the fullest part of the chest/bust. Do not draw the tape too tightly.

6. Upper Arm: Measure around the widest section of the upper arm located above the elbow.

8. Waist: Measure your waist at the smaller circumference of your natural waist, usually just above the belly button. I have a very high waist so I take a measurement at the smallest part and around my belly button.

9. Hip: Measure at the widest part of your lower hip. Mine is a lot lower than the picture shows but everyone is different.

Thigh: Measure around the widest section of your upper thigh. (around just one leg)

Calf: Measure around the widest section of your calf. (around just 1 calf)



Good luck and have fun!!!

Weigh In Day

To day is weigh in day!!!! Weigh yourself at the same time of day, same cloths, on the same scale as you used last week. Subtract that number from last week's number. Then tell me the -,+ or 0 number. Example: If last weeks weight was 189.5 and this weeks weight was 188 the number you give me is -1.5. You can text me, put it in the comments, tell me when you come over or let me figure it out when you weigh in at my house :).  If you aren't tracking weight yet let me know what your goals are and report your accomplishments for the week.  It can be working out a certain number of times a week or staying on track with your eating.  Remember to put your name on your comment so I know who you are :)
Now week 2 can be a little tricky.  Often people see good results on week one and think, "Oh, that wasn't that hard" and let their efforts slip.  SO BE WARNED.  Week 2 is usually harder to lose weigh in no matter what and especially if you lost a lot in week one.  So, EAT YOUR BEST!! And workout at least 30 min everyday.  Give me your 110% this week and you will not be sorry. Keep up the hard work!!

Thursday and we are almost done with the week!  Tomorrow is my "weigh in" day.  You are welcome to weigh in/report on what ever day that works for you.    You are welcome to leave your report in the comments, call me, pm me on facebook or what ever works for you.  I can post what you report on this blog if you want me to.  If you would rather keep things private I understand that too.  One of the things that really help when getting and staying healthy is a support group.  That is what this is.  If you participate others can support you and you can help them as well.  It can seem kind of scary at first but once you feel the positive support it truly makes a difference in your confidence and your determination.  There is no judging here.  We are all just people wanting to make a difference in our health.  I hope you have been making some better decisions as far as eating less sugar and processed foods this week.  Remember every good choice is a step in the right direction!  As you are making better choices how are you felling?  I'm not going to lie, I personally am hungry and have a head ache :) not because of lack of food but because I ate so much JUNK the last month.  I am excited to get back on track thought.  I can already tell a difference in how I feel.  I'm less bloated for sure and my intestines are saying "thank you for real food", as it is almost running through me. :) TMI, I know:)  But, just letting you know, I'm right here with you. :)  Here is to our health!

Wednesday!

   Well, we are half way through the week.  How are you doing on staying on track with your goals?  Have you even made your goals yet? :)  Have you written down what you eat everyday? 
   Sarah made a comment on yesterday's post about how easy it is to just put a little bite of something in your mouth when you are in the kitchen.  I am feeling the same way.  So, how are we going to help ourselves avoid that trap.  There are a few ideas.  Make a healthy meal plan.  This should include 3 meals and 2 snacks. Ill talk more about that next week.  Next go shopping and buy the food you have planned for.  Having healthy food at the house to eat is MOST of the battle.  Next have that food ready to go.  Cut up veggies or even make appropriate snack pack sizes of food that are in bigger bags.  Next week we will focus more on getting our eating on track and give you some more idea.  Sarah suggested staying out of the kitchen! :)
   While you are focused on eating right I want you to write down when you get hungry and maybe why.  Sometimes these things can be solved by adding protein to certain times of the days so you don't feel like you are starving.  You can also know your eating triggers and find some activities that will help you avoid eating because of stress, anger, boredom, habit and other reasons.  So before you put something in your mouth ask your self why am I eating this.  If it is because you are hungry OK! :)

Write it down!

I forgot to mention yesterday that this weeks mission is to write down what you eat.  You don't have to count the calories unless you want to.  Try to cut back on the sugars and processed foods but mainly write down everything that goes in your mouth.... EVERYTHING!  The biggest problem most people have is that we eat without even realizing it.   A bit here and there, tasting the dinner as it is being made and so on.  So the first step is being aware of what you eat.  If it goes in your mouth write it down.
GO!

Begining.... again :)

  Isn't it funny that no matter how hard you work for how long if you take a break it is a little hard to get started again.  I took the month of December off from working out and watching anything I ate.  Not my best choice but it is what it is and I'm ready to get started again.
   My hardest thing in getting back on track is going off eating sugar.  Our bodies like to keep us regulated.  This doesn't mean it pushes us to the healthy choice but our body sees what we are putting in and try to keep itself at a chemical normal with the nutrients it is given.  So, if you eat a lot of sugar you will crave sugar.  This is because your insulin levels are pushed way up with over eating sugar. When there isn't that amount in your blood anymore it sends out chemicals that make you feel hungry so you can get more sugar to bring you back up to that level again.  Is eating sugar your best health choice? NO.  But, when we try to cut back we are uncomfortable and think that sugar is what makes us feel better.  Have you ever thought "I would give up soda but I get headaches when I don't have one" or "when I try to eat better I just don't feel good"  This is because your body is trying to figure out a new normal.  We have all heard of people on drugs going through a withdrawal.  The same happens when you cut the processed foods and sugar out of your diet.  Not because you are sick but because the body's chemical balance is being changed.  And, lets be honest, processed foods are mostly chemically altered remnance of what might have been considered food at one time.:)  Makes sense doesn't it.  The truth of the matter is if we cut back on the junk we eat yes we will feel uncomfortable for a little while but it is not permanent.  After a week or so our bodies determine a new normal without the sugar and chemicals the discomfort and hunger from lack of them goes away.  It takes time and you have to be willing to work through it but you can do it.  I'm one of those people that like to know how long something will take and then I can mentally prepare myself for it.  So now you know.  So many people give up because of this "withdrawal" phase but you can do this.  Say it.......I can do this!

Weigh in day

Friday is our "weigh in day" but we are going to change this up a  bit depending on what your goals are.  This might be different for everyone.  You will "REPORT" on how you are doing.  For me, I gained 8lbs since November so my first goal is to lose that and my other goal is to workout at least 3 times a week.  "Work out" can be relative.  I started by stretching and strengthening today.  Taking the month off from working out has put my knee back to hurting so I don't want to hurt myself by starting out too fast because I know where that leads.  Other goals I'm working on is to start drinking more water and cut my calories back to my normal intake.  NO MORE OVER EATIN!!!!!!  Just by changing eating habits it is easy to see weight loss, energy boost and over all feeling better.  What are your goal?  If you need help determining where to start let me know.  Everyone is different.  Good luck and lets get this year started right!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Well, 2014 is gone and we are ready to start fresh with 2015.  Before we move on I want you to take a few minutes and write down a few positive things that happened in 2014.  What goals did you reach?  What habits did you master or bad habits broken?  What were you able to accomplish that was positive?!!!  Give yourself a pat on the back!  Sometimes we dwell on the goals not reached when we really have made good progress.  Find the positive.  Find the good.  Let this energy fuel you for 2015.  We did great things in 2014 what can we do to build on that in 2015.  Where can we work a little harder?  I know we have already talked about goal but let’s do a refresher.  We should have long term goals and mid goals and short term goals.  When we think long term think 5 years.. 10 years.. 20 years.  Where do you want to be at each of those times?  These goals should be building on each other.   Sometimes these goals change a bit as we go but without a goal to shoot for in the present we tend to wonder aimlessly.   I want you to think of all aspects of your life.  This blog focuses on health but there are many things we can think of when making life changes and goals for.  So often our other goals depend on our health and the ability to function at our physical best. 

Now while thinking about these long term goals let’s make some goals for this year.  What do you want to accomplish?  Where would you like to be mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually?  How can you get there?  I often see people make a goal such as “I want to run a 5k” When in fact they hate running and really just want to lose weight.  If you don’t really want to run a 5k don’t make that your goal.  You might do that to reach the weight loss goal but those are 2 different goals.  You can train for a 5 k without losing a pound and you can lose weight without running a 5k.  So decide what your REAL goals are.  If you love to run or race make that a goal but if not what is your real goal?  As we decide what our real goals are we can make smaller goals each month or 2 to reach them.  If a race is what you want to do, how do you get there? If being able to play with your kids is a goal, how do you get there?  If being the best “you” is your goal what does that look like and how can you get there?  I’m here to help you with the question of “how do I get there?”, but I need to know your real goals.  This might take some intense thinking time.  Take that time, brainstorm, talk it out and write things down.  Don’t just write down something because everyone else is doing it.  What do YOU want?  It has to be what you want if you truly are going to be successful at reaching the goal.  If your husband really wishes you would run a 5 k with him…..ok, but what do you want?  What are YOU willing to work HARD for?  Where are YOUR desires?  Take time and make your goals this year real.