I failed the test this weekend. I jumped in the river and I got soaked! In other words Friday night and all day Saturday I ate party food indiscriminately. But there was a reason for this self afforded "green light".
On Friday morning I weigh myself and saw that I had lost another 2 pounds! Which puts me at 254 lbs. However, since Friday night I broke my regular diet/eating habits, I changed the results that I would have had on Saturday morning. I could have lost up to three pounds, had I held firm. Oh, well.
Hopefully, I will continue this weight loss pattern. I am happy losing 2 pounds a week. This morning I weighed myself on another scale, not my regular one. It said 248.4 lbs. I am certain it was wrong.
There is no way that could be accurate. Unless my scale has been wrong all along. Because, otherwise that means that I would have lost close to 8 lbs. in one week! It is not impossible, but I think I am going to take that as a misreading. I will continue to rely on my scale for my official weigh-ins.
That is all for now. I just thought I should post up the results. I didn't get to before because life got in the way. Parties, family time and deep thoughts occupied my weekend.
I hope I can lose another two pounds by next Saturday and not put myself in any more situations that lead to excess.
Excess creates imbalance.
Imbalance creates disharmony within the self and with others. The most difficult thing to do in life is to strike a good balance and keep it.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Temptation Is Innocent
If you find yourself being incredibly tempted to betray your own commitments, it is likely that this is the product of your own doing more than anything else. In other words, if you fail to stay away from the "bad" foods, chances are that you didn't distance yourself far enough from them to begin with, so of course the challenge is going to be that much more difficult to overcome.
As with anything else that we seek to stay away from in order to be faithful to a prior commitment, when trying to lose weight and change the course of your life, it is essential that you open your eyes to your own everyday actions and see where the flaw lies. It is within your control.
You are the one who, when out at the supermarket, allows yourself to grab that bag of potato chips (empty carbs) and soda pop (about 8 to 12 teaspoons of pure sugar) with the idea that,
"It's just a small treat. I don't eat this stuff everyday".
But then the next day you buy yourself a candy bar and orange juice and think nothing of it, because - hey, see, I'm not eating those chips and soda everyday. This line of thinking takes place in our minds. I call it justification. You justify your bad habits by attempting to fool yourself in the way you look at the things you eat.
And then there is the idea of situational temptation. If you know you have a weakness for chocolate cake, don't hang around at a party around the time they are going to cut the cake.
Make up an excuse to leave.
You can come back later when the cake is gone and the pressure is no longer there to participate in this mass sugar overdosing event.
I personaly don't understand why the celebration has to be marked by the inclusion of some decadent treat like a cake?
Why can't it be some other treat, like fruit or beer?
Hmm, beer versus cake...yup, beer wins.
It's easy to not be tempted to eat the bad stuff. All you have to do is walk in the opposite direction of where the bad stuff is being offered. If you go for a swim, chances are you will be getting wet. You don't want to get wet? Don't dive into the river!
With that said, I am confronted by a situation which could very easily lead to me being participant in a night of drinking and eating beyond necessity. I don't have to, but it is a party. And when you go to a party in South Texas, and you don't eat or drink, well that's just like telling your family to go bend over somewhere. Not appreciated. Maybe that's just my family. But anyway, I will be tested. Let's see if I am able to hold and not give in.
Tomorrow I will have new results. Let's hope I can hold. If not, then I will count today as my "off " day, and will start the new week tomorrow. I don't want to do that because I like taking the whole day Saturday to do whatever I like. Oh, well. Until tomorrow.
As with anything else that we seek to stay away from in order to be faithful to a prior commitment, when trying to lose weight and change the course of your life, it is essential that you open your eyes to your own everyday actions and see where the flaw lies. It is within your control.
You are the one who, when out at the supermarket, allows yourself to grab that bag of potato chips (empty carbs) and soda pop (about 8 to 12 teaspoons of pure sugar) with the idea that,
"It's just a small treat. I don't eat this stuff everyday".
But then the next day you buy yourself a candy bar and orange juice and think nothing of it, because - hey, see, I'm not eating those chips and soda everyday. This line of thinking takes place in our minds. I call it justification. You justify your bad habits by attempting to fool yourself in the way you look at the things you eat.
And then there is the idea of situational temptation. If you know you have a weakness for chocolate cake, don't hang around at a party around the time they are going to cut the cake.
Make up an excuse to leave.
You can come back later when the cake is gone and the pressure is no longer there to participate in this mass sugar overdosing event.
I personaly don't understand why the celebration has to be marked by the inclusion of some decadent treat like a cake?
Why can't it be some other treat, like fruit or beer?
Hmm, beer versus cake...yup, beer wins.
It's easy to not be tempted to eat the bad stuff. All you have to do is walk in the opposite direction of where the bad stuff is being offered. If you go for a swim, chances are you will be getting wet. You don't want to get wet? Don't dive into the river!
With that said, I am confronted by a situation which could very easily lead to me being participant in a night of drinking and eating beyond necessity. I don't have to, but it is a party. And when you go to a party in South Texas, and you don't eat or drink, well that's just like telling your family to go bend over somewhere. Not appreciated. Maybe that's just my family. But anyway, I will be tested. Let's see if I am able to hold and not give in.
Tomorrow I will have new results. Let's hope I can hold. If not, then I will count today as my "off " day, and will start the new week tomorrow. I don't want to do that because I like taking the whole day Saturday to do whatever I like. Oh, well. Until tomorrow.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
10 Ways to Avoid Relapse
Alright, let's get right to it.
The 10 Ways To Avoid Relapsing Into Bad Eating Habits.
In descending order, from 10 to 1, Letterman style!
10.) Throw all your junk food in the trash can immediately.
9.) Dump some disguisting filth on top of your junk food already in the can, cuz you know you'll be digging in there when the cravings hit you.
8.) As soon as the cravings hit, don't fight the craving, instead engage in a task that will require time and effort to accomplish and feign interest in returning to fulfill your craving after you are done with that task.
7.) After you have completed the task, if you are still craving, punch yourself in the face to remind yourself that what you would be doing by eating junk is hurting your body just like hitting your face for no reason, like some idiot.
6.) Drink plenty of water.
5.) Drink black coffee or green tea with Stevia extract sweetener. They both contain tons of antioxidants that help clean your cells and give you energy to burn more fat.
4.) Don't sit around letting the cravings get the best of you. Get up and move, exercise, play with your kids, go for a walk, get involved in conversation; anything that will get your mind off that craving. If you have eaten properly, the craving is artificial, therefore will go away in moments. Just ride the wave.
3.) Allow yourself to snack on watery fruits or veggies. Throw in some peanuts or sunflower seeds.
2.) Go to the nearest mirror and place the scale right in front of it. Weigh yourself and look at yourself. If you are happy with what you see, then by all means, go crazy with your junk food. If not, then remind yourself of your goals and your accomplishments so far, and remember that no one and nothing has power over us other than the power we concede.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING TO DO TO AVOID RELAPSE IS....
1.) Come back and read this blog for more tips! Ha!
But seriously, folks, look at my previous posts. Check out my pictures. You can see I was pretty huge. If I can lose 100 lbs. you, too, can do it. There is nothing special about me, other than determination. You have the power. Take charge and nothing will defeat you. Suerte!
The 10 Ways To Avoid Relapsing Into Bad Eating Habits.
In descending order, from 10 to 1, Letterman style!
10.) Throw all your junk food in the trash can immediately.
9.) Dump some disguisting filth on top of your junk food already in the can, cuz you know you'll be digging in there when the cravings hit you.
8.) As soon as the cravings hit, don't fight the craving, instead engage in a task that will require time and effort to accomplish and feign interest in returning to fulfill your craving after you are done with that task.
7.) After you have completed the task, if you are still craving, punch yourself in the face to remind yourself that what you would be doing by eating junk is hurting your body just like hitting your face for no reason, like some idiot.
6.) Drink plenty of water.
5.) Drink black coffee or green tea with Stevia extract sweetener. They both contain tons of antioxidants that help clean your cells and give you energy to burn more fat.
4.) Don't sit around letting the cravings get the best of you. Get up and move, exercise, play with your kids, go for a walk, get involved in conversation; anything that will get your mind off that craving. If you have eaten properly, the craving is artificial, therefore will go away in moments. Just ride the wave.
3.) Allow yourself to snack on watery fruits or veggies. Throw in some peanuts or sunflower seeds.
2.) Go to the nearest mirror and place the scale right in front of it. Weigh yourself and look at yourself. If you are happy with what you see, then by all means, go crazy with your junk food. If not, then remind yourself of your goals and your accomplishments so far, and remember that no one and nothing has power over us other than the power we concede.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING TO DO TO AVOID RELAPSE IS....
1.) Come back and read this blog for more tips! Ha!
But seriously, folks, look at my previous posts. Check out my pictures. You can see I was pretty huge. If I can lose 100 lbs. you, too, can do it. There is nothing special about me, other than determination. You have the power. Take charge and nothing will defeat you. Suerte!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The One-Two, One-Two of Servings
Today I almost slipped back into a hopeless overall attitude, which could have landed me right back where I was yesterday, comforting myself with food. But it was on the trip to drop off my kids at school early this morning that I happened to look into the rear-view mirror and caught sight of my youngest son eating a potato and egg taco in the back seat that immediately brought a smile to my face. The way he was chewing it looked like he was so thoroughly enjoying his food, that it inspired me to be positive again. It got me thinking that this is exactly how it should always be. We should be able to fully enjoy our food without being preoccupied with abusing it.
It is not easy to stop yourself from enjoying a great meal, when all your life you have been accustomed to indulging in tasty food, ignoring your body's loud calls for you to stop, it's full already! That has been my problem for a large part of my life. And I know this is the main problem for most people who become overweight and obese. It may not be entirely that they always overeat, but they certainly indulge by eating mainly foods that please the pallet and do nothing else.
Today I spoke to a young man about weight issues. He is overweight. His family members are overweight. One of his relatives was once known as the largest man in the region. Obesity is obviously a problem that prevails in his family. So in discussing food options and eating habits, I asked him to tell me what he had eaten last night. I assumed immediately that he had eaten all sorts of decadent sides like mashed potatoes and gravy. But he quickly proved me wrong. He had eaten only ground beef on rice. Nothing else. I was impressed...momentarily, that is, until I asked how many servings he had consumed. He admitted he had eaten three servings.
I asked him what the reason was for him to have eaten three servings? He felt put on the spot, of course. Instead of answering forthwith, he justified the extra servings by indicating that the bowl was relatively small. I asked him to be completely honest with me and say whether or not the extra servings were simply because he had enjoyed the taste of the food, and not because he had remained hungry after the first serving. He admitted that it was for the taste of it.
The majority of us do this all the time. I did this just yesterday. We indulge in tasty foods because the act of eating involves so much of the senses. It is addictive. And the worst part of it all is that we indulge in all the foods that immediately go toward creating or storing fat in our bodies.
While I sat with my young friend at lunch today talking about weight issues and how eating the wrong foods and overeating is directly tied to this, behind us was a table with pizza boxes stacked up on top of each other. There had been a meeting in that area where we had sat down. There had not been that many people there, but there sure had been a lot of pizza consumed. They had nothing else but the pies. My friend looked at me and said, "Imagine all the fat that comes with eating that." This, I recognized, was the beginning of an awakening in his awareness about the role our food choices play in our health.
So if you wish to begin to undo some of the bad habits surrounding your eating, start by identifying what foods you usually consume and how often you do. If most of the food you are eating involves flour, wheat, sugar, fried foods or a list of ingredients so complex and scientifically named that you can't even pronounce them, then you are in serous need of a food/eating habit change. If you are the type that can't handle going cold turkey, start by eliminating one of these from your everyday meals.
I would recommend starting with the sugar. Identify anything in your diet that contains sugar in any form: being regular sugar, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup or any other label that is used to disguise it. This will do wonders to normalize your insulin levels. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, hit the supermarket and buy yourself a box of stevia extract sweetener. Make sure it contains erythritol. This kind of sweetener has fewer calories than sugar. There is a product called Truvia, which is the one I use on my coffee.
Check it out here: http://truvia.com/about/?gclid=CLbc7-er4rYCFUyY4AodNXQAzg
As with anything, use in moderation. Nothing in this green Earth is safe to consume in unending quantities. That should never be the case when eating or drinking. That kind of practice is precisely what leads to obesity, because there is no balance. Even "healthy" food can make you obese if you abuse it.
It is not easy to stop yourself from enjoying a great meal, when all your life you have been accustomed to indulging in tasty food, ignoring your body's loud calls for you to stop, it's full already! That has been my problem for a large part of my life. And I know this is the main problem for most people who become overweight and obese. It may not be entirely that they always overeat, but they certainly indulge by eating mainly foods that please the pallet and do nothing else.
Today I spoke to a young man about weight issues. He is overweight. His family members are overweight. One of his relatives was once known as the largest man in the region. Obesity is obviously a problem that prevails in his family. So in discussing food options and eating habits, I asked him to tell me what he had eaten last night. I assumed immediately that he had eaten all sorts of decadent sides like mashed potatoes and gravy. But he quickly proved me wrong. He had eaten only ground beef on rice. Nothing else. I was impressed...momentarily, that is, until I asked how many servings he had consumed. He admitted he had eaten three servings.
I asked him what the reason was for him to have eaten three servings? He felt put on the spot, of course. Instead of answering forthwith, he justified the extra servings by indicating that the bowl was relatively small. I asked him to be completely honest with me and say whether or not the extra servings were simply because he had enjoyed the taste of the food, and not because he had remained hungry after the first serving. He admitted that it was for the taste of it.
The majority of us do this all the time. I did this just yesterday. We indulge in tasty foods because the act of eating involves so much of the senses. It is addictive. And the worst part of it all is that we indulge in all the foods that immediately go toward creating or storing fat in our bodies.
While I sat with my young friend at lunch today talking about weight issues and how eating the wrong foods and overeating is directly tied to this, behind us was a table with pizza boxes stacked up on top of each other. There had been a meeting in that area where we had sat down. There had not been that many people there, but there sure had been a lot of pizza consumed. They had nothing else but the pies. My friend looked at me and said, "Imagine all the fat that comes with eating that." This, I recognized, was the beginning of an awakening in his awareness about the role our food choices play in our health.
So if you wish to begin to undo some of the bad habits surrounding your eating, start by identifying what foods you usually consume and how often you do. If most of the food you are eating involves flour, wheat, sugar, fried foods or a list of ingredients so complex and scientifically named that you can't even pronounce them, then you are in serous need of a food/eating habit change. If you are the type that can't handle going cold turkey, start by eliminating one of these from your everyday meals.
I would recommend starting with the sugar. Identify anything in your diet that contains sugar in any form: being regular sugar, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup or any other label that is used to disguise it. This will do wonders to normalize your insulin levels. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, hit the supermarket and buy yourself a box of stevia extract sweetener. Make sure it contains erythritol. This kind of sweetener has fewer calories than sugar. There is a product called Truvia, which is the one I use on my coffee.
Check it out here: http://truvia.com/about/?gclid=CLbc7-er4rYCFUyY4AodNXQAzg
As with anything, use in moderation. Nothing in this green Earth is safe to consume in unending quantities. That should never be the case when eating or drinking. That kind of practice is precisely what leads to obesity, because there is no balance. Even "healthy" food can make you obese if you abuse it.
Monday, April 22, 2013
A Setback is not A Defeat
Setbacks are common things we deal with in our lives. If everyday we experienced only success in what we do, there would be no learning process, no need to improve ourselves or rethink our strategy to perform what ever the task at hand.
Today was one of those days for me: a very difficult day full of stress and pressures that drained me of energy and compelled me to comfort myself with food. I tried hard to maintain my discipline, but must admit that today I was not triumphant.
But that is okay.
We must be able to look at each day as isolated and a challenge all of its own.
Each day brings a renewed effort in the battle to keep up with your good habits while distancing yourself from the bad habits.
I did fail on my discipline today. But it was not an entire failure. I craved foods for the sake of eating because I was stressed out, tired, and exhausted. However, instead of simply losing myself in the process, I at least was able to take control of what foods I was eating during this tough day.
I did not consume sugar or flour or wheat in any forms. But I did eat three meals and three snacks during the day. The last meal was at 8 p.m. which is a big no-no for me. Nonetheless, the foods were all meats, cheese, peanuts, fruit, and a lot of diet green tea, plus one large serving of black coffee late at night.
I am sure the list of foods doesn't seem as bad as I was making out, but the problem is two-sided. One, I ate way after 6 p.m.; and two, I did absolutely no exercise. It is possible that some may look at my previous posts and think that I do not believe in exercising for weight loss, but this is far from the truth.
My belief is that exercise is absolutely crucial to weight loss, but it should not hurt, nor incapacitate you, nor should it require that you go out of your daily routine. Since I am a single parent, I do not have the time to get in my car and go to another location away from my home to exercise. I must incorporate exercise into my everyday time demands and duties.
Therefore, although today was a day in which I was way off on my weight-loss strategy, which I am sure will have undone some of my progress because it was like having a second "day off," I still believe in my capacity to effect the changes that I desire and recognize that this will take time and consistency.
It will also take the presence of mind to acknowledge that setbacks are a natural part of life, and they, too, can assist you in motivating yourself to refocus on your goals.
Don't be afraid to lose the battle today. There is always tomorrow to regroup. You should fear losing faith in yourself, for this will certainly lead you to lose the war.
P.s. They can't all be home runs.
Today was one of those days for me: a very difficult day full of stress and pressures that drained me of energy and compelled me to comfort myself with food. I tried hard to maintain my discipline, but must admit that today I was not triumphant.
But that is okay.
We must be able to look at each day as isolated and a challenge all of its own.
Each day brings a renewed effort in the battle to keep up with your good habits while distancing yourself from the bad habits.
I did fail on my discipline today. But it was not an entire failure. I craved foods for the sake of eating because I was stressed out, tired, and exhausted. However, instead of simply losing myself in the process, I at least was able to take control of what foods I was eating during this tough day.
I did not consume sugar or flour or wheat in any forms. But I did eat three meals and three snacks during the day. The last meal was at 8 p.m. which is a big no-no for me. Nonetheless, the foods were all meats, cheese, peanuts, fruit, and a lot of diet green tea, plus one large serving of black coffee late at night.
I am sure the list of foods doesn't seem as bad as I was making out, but the problem is two-sided. One, I ate way after 6 p.m.; and two, I did absolutely no exercise. It is possible that some may look at my previous posts and think that I do not believe in exercising for weight loss, but this is far from the truth.
My belief is that exercise is absolutely crucial to weight loss, but it should not hurt, nor incapacitate you, nor should it require that you go out of your daily routine. Since I am a single parent, I do not have the time to get in my car and go to another location away from my home to exercise. I must incorporate exercise into my everyday time demands and duties.
Therefore, although today was a day in which I was way off on my weight-loss strategy, which I am sure will have undone some of my progress because it was like having a second "day off," I still believe in my capacity to effect the changes that I desire and recognize that this will take time and consistency.
It will also take the presence of mind to acknowledge that setbacks are a natural part of life, and they, too, can assist you in motivating yourself to refocus on your goals.
Don't be afraid to lose the battle today. There is always tomorrow to regroup. You should fear losing faith in yourself, for this will certainly lead you to lose the war.
P.s. They can't all be home runs.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Relish the Struggle
 |
| Artist unknown |
You have achieved, therefore what is there to fight for? You have overcome all challenges and barriers, therefore now all there is to do is sit there and rot on your high position. In the days of ancient Mexico, when the Spaniards invaded, there was a great story unfolding in the midst of the protagonists involved: Moctezuma, Cortez, Malinali.
One was the product of a group which had achieved their goals and was sitting on a high and mighty throne...rotting away. Moctezuma had no where else to go. He was emperor of all. He had no purpose but to get fat off of his riches.
The other was a nobody compared to his magnificence, Moctezuma. Nonetheless, Cortez was destined to be at the right place at the right time, with the right people to assist him achieve his wildest fantasies.
And he did. Yet as soon as he reached the very top of that colosal pyramid that controlled Mesoamerica, and became a great man, he was quickly reduced by his own patrons and reminded of his status as a virtual nobody. He was not given a throne in Mexico, not even a thanks, because he had served his purpose and there was nothing else he could achieve for them or for himself. And he died like the simple merchant/mercenary/sailor that he was.
Malinali's successes, as well, were tied to the conquest. She was a slave who was given to the invaders as a gift among other sex slaves. But she aided the Spaniards well in more ways than one, and they loved her for this. However, as soon as her services as interpreter in tri-lingual conversations were able to be provided by other Spaniards, she was tossed away, like a used rag for washing in others' hands. She was reduced back to her slave status.
Why the history lesson? Because I am a history buff. But the point is, it happens time and time again. Look at great boxers, like Mani Pacquiao. When they are coming up, everyone is exited about their prospects and how they will perform against the current "best" or the champions of the day. But as soon as they reach that summit, the conversation shifts, and the expectation becomes a question of when they will fall, and at the hands of which new up-and-coming challenger?
Once you reach the top, there is nothing left but to fall again.
When speaking of weightloss, it is important to prepare for this possible eventuality. It is not beneficial to "go on a diet" at any time in your life. Diets have a starting point and an ending point. What happens at the end? Statistically, most people rebound right back to their decadent ways and to even greater weight gain than when they started their "diet".
If you want to lose weight and be able to keep it off for good, or for a long time, you absolutely must frame the goal in your head as a lifestyle change.
This involves planning.
Plan what foods you can rely on to quell sudden cravings for decadent treats. For instance, keep peanuts with you everywhere you go. Whether at your office or in your car. Women can carry little packs of peanuts in their purses. Keep bottled water at hand always. When thinking of eating a meal, don't leave the planning phase for when you are hungry and just got an hour or half an hour to eat. Plan your meal at least one day ahead of time.
What fruits are you fond of? Are they the more sugary type? Try sticking to apples, pears, berries and any fruit which contains a lot of seeds or edible peal. As for veggies, if you are the type that never eats that stuff, that is simply because you have only been exposed to a certain variety of vegetables.
Go to your supermarket and take a few more minutes in your shopping routine to look through the variety of veggies available. Buy small amounts of as many as you can so that you can try each one out and determine which one you like and can treat as your default veggie. You NEED to have a go-to veggie and protein source/"good" fat in every meal so that you can help yourself feel fuller longer and enjoy the health benefits that comes from this meal combination.
And, by all means, try to stay away from the soda pop. This is the toughest thing to do. I struggle with this a whole lot. I will be treating this topic on another post.
That's all for now. Peace.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Results for Saturday April 20, 2013
Next week will be so much easier for me to delve deeper into this weight loss method that I have been engaged in. I plan to structure it a bit more, with more opportunities for exercise whenever possible and meal planning.
So, I suppose some people want to know the results for this week. The first week was unusually successful, since I was able to shed 7 lbs. But, as I mentioned last Saturday, those results are not typical and I did not expect to see that happen again for this week. And that did not happen. However, I did lose an additional two pounds from the weight achieved last week. So that puts me at 256 lbs. today. Oh, yeah.
I mentioned last weekend that usually when you begin to change your eating habits, you will first lose some weight then gain a little back. This is an ongoing process throughout your weight loss period, since you are maintaining a strict adherence to one menu for most of the week and then allow yourself a day to splurge.
As soon as you indulge in carbs and sugar, your body immediately goes through changes, mostly resulting in a greater retention of water. This is my theory. The precise reason for this is probably in some medical journal. But based on my experience for the past 2 years, I have noticed this trend.
So, I said last weekend that since I had gained back 3 lbs after my "day off" that I would be able to lose that amount beyond the achieved 258 lbs. That meant that I was committed to reach the 255 lbs. by today. I was short by one pound, but still, we are talking about me having lost two pounds in one week. That is awesome by any standard. And if we look at it closer, this means that in two weeks, I have lost 9 lbs! That is incredible!
I am very pleased with my results this week. This only fuels my motivation to keep going strong. I hope this is helping some of you out there who may feel trapped by your situation. Believe me when I say that I know exactly how that feels. You feel like you are a prisoner in your own body. With no hope of escape, no way out.
But there is a way. Here it is.
This method can help men and women. It is likely that women might experience a slower rate of success. Nonetheless, success is almost assured if you are honest with yourself, decisive about your goals, and disciplined.
Have a good day! Buena suerte!
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