Weight Loss 101

I wrote this on my family blog a while back, but felt it was appropriate to share here as well. As more and more of my friends and family (and sometimes even perfect strangers) start their own weight loss journey, they often approach me and ask what I did to lose the weight. So I want to share a few of the basics that made a big difference to me...

Please remember that I am not a health professional--I am merely sharing what worked for me... ;)

1. Pick a plan. I happened to join Weight Watchers, because I wanted to maintain regular foods in my life and not feel deprived, but make healthier changes overall.(and I absolutely LOOOVE it!) That program setup worked for me. You may choose something else, but regardless you have to have some consistency somewhere. You can't do low carb here, and low calorie there, and cabbage diet another time, and throw in some slim fast there too. You've got to pick something and stick to it so you can maximize your success. And most important, you have to LOVE the plan you choose...if not, you will drop it like the boyfriend with bad breath.

2. I decided not to DIET. (notice the first three letters of that word are DIE! :) I just have REFUSED to accept my weight loss as being associated with the word DIET throughout this process. Diet = deprivation to me...and it also doesn't give of the feeling of long term sustainability.I simply saw that I was making certain healthier changes to my eating habits. This was HUGE for me--because our minds play such a big role in the weight loss process!

3. WHEN YOU BITE IT, WRITE IT! Yes, write down what you eat--do it daily. I have done it now for
 8 1/2 months. Sure, I've had a day or two where it was as possible as I hoped, but aside from that I haven't faltered--I have stayed constant and at this point it is such a habit. I know that if I am to lose weight, it is imperative that I know exactly what I am putting in my body, HOW MUCH of it, and when I did it--it is SO helpful in so many ways! Consider what you put in your body almost like transactions that debit from your daily account balance (points target or calories, etc) Deduct the number as you eat--so you know where you stand. This also made me take accountability for those little bites and licks that would happen throughout the day and helped me STOP doing so. I didn't want to take the time and efforts to have to write a nibble of fruit snacks or a bite of mac and cheese or the last few tastes of dinner as I was putting it away. The write it when you bite it habit helped me change the nibble habit.

4. In realty, the most important thing is location, location, location. With healthy eating, the most important thing (at least to me) is PORTION, PORTION, PORTION. Seriously--test yourself! Fill up a bowl with your favorite cereal or icecream, for example. And then read the box and take from your bowl the appropriate serving size. YOU WILL BE STUNNED. Try it with a bowl of cereal--you'll be stunned!!

--Take your recipes--figure out the nutritional info for them. There are lots of websites that do this--and then keep the info for YOU to know the nutritional content and decide what numbers work for you (sometimes shaving off 1/3 of a piece of something can cut back the fat and calories and SUGAR by a lot more than you'd think!)--so you know that for YOUR recipe 1 1/2 Cups of soup is a serving, or that your favorite chocolate cake serves 15 (instead of 12 like you've always thought). 

The smallest changes make the biggest impact.

--After reading this post, run, don't walk, RUN buy a kitchen scale (I have a digital one...LOVE it!). I can't believe I went without one for so long! As far as I am concerned, it is a KITCHEN ESSENTIAL...as much as the forks and knives in my silverware drawer. I use it when cooking--I use it when plating my food (I put my plate on their and zero it out, and then add my meat or whatever I am weighing so I know I am getting an accurate amount). I use it when I am getting croutons or almonds or whatever else has a crazy serving size of like 2 TBSP when it's a bizarre shape that would in no way fit in a measuring spoon! :) LOVE it! While some people may think that this would get really old or be a pain, I never have seen it as that. I see it as an empowering tool--I love the control of knowing that I am no longer eating a 10 oz piece of chicken out of ignorance, but rather a 4 oz. one...and by the same token, that I can have 4-5 croutons instead of the 1-2 I thought would make up the correct serving.

 

5. DON'T DEPRIVE -- (again, I am speaking from my experience and what worked for ME)  obviously, as part of a change for healthier eating there has to be SOME resisting of the old junk you've eaten. If not, there will be NO change in your weight or health. However, I have heard about some eating plans that institute a certain day or the entire weekend to eating what they want, and only making them be on track the remaining day. This, to me, sounds absurd! :) If I feel like I have to go X many days without eating something, and then have 1-2 days to have a free-for-all, I will WITHOUT FAIL binge on the foods that are terrible for me! 

This is where portion control and your food journal come into play. I can't speak for other eating plans, but for Weight Watchers you're allotted a certain amount of points. Because of the high point value of certain foods, there are certain foods that automatically became less appealing because I found that I didn't WANT to spend my points on them. But once in a while I find that something like a hotdog or pizza or french fries sounds good. So let's say I eat a hotdog. I write it down. And I just make sure that I eat soup or something else lower in points that is filling to compensate for the high points I am spending on that delicious dog! And at the end of the day it balances out. I still have dessert and sweet treats...but they are SIGNIFICANTLY scaled back from where they used to be. I find that now, a small piece of candy or a single serving brownie in a mug or something small is really all I need to get that sweet fix...instead of the big brownie sundae drizzled with caramel and hot fudge and whipped cream and cherries...

This brings me to my next point...

6.  In time when you mess up, pick yourself up and move on! In other words, don't let a slip up keep you down. It takes more than one weekend to ruin you for life. Consider it an opportunity to learn and just recognize where you went wrong and how you can fix it next time, and move forward. Don't drag your mistakes on and on and dwell on it forever....it will only lead to one more piece of cake to try to drown your sorrows. :)  

7. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE! It's really important to find non-food ways to reward yourself during the weight loss process. I thought this was silly at first, because CERTAINLY just losing the weight should be prize enough. But there is a whole different level of satisfaction that comes from having something to look forward to! 

Set milestones for yourself...maybe you'll start off with aiming to lose 5% of your body weight....then 10%....then go by pounds...maybe you will break it up into 5 or 10 pounds segments. And then pick rewards to match! You don't have to spend a lot of money doing so...maybe you set up an agreement with your husband that after meeting a goal, he will do the dishes and put the kids in bed and massage your feet and watche a chick flick with you...okay, maybe I've gone a little far here. lol. But you get the idea. Or maybe it will be one new piece of clothing...or a massage at a salon...or even just a new haircut. Just be sure to find something that you will be EXCITED about--

My 50 pound goal prize was to buy a little black dress...since I have never in my life owned one or felt like I could look good in one. My 60 pound goal was to buy shoes to match. It feel fantastic to have something to look and feel incredible in!

8. GET MOVING! I didn't start out doing much--but I did start out doing SOMETHING. Go for a walk, a run, park farther in the parking lot at the store. Instead of carrying all your groceries over your arm in one giant load, take a couple trips out to the car. Join a class. Walk up your stairs a few times. Do a workout video--just pick SOMETHING! As the weight came off, it because easier and easier for me to do more and more--and that's a good feeling! 

9. WEIGH YOURSELF. Take pictures. Rinse. Repeat. :) I seriously wish I had done a real before picture--and checked in doing so throughout my weight loss process. I was too ashamed. But hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had just done it--

10. TELL A FRIEND. Or lots of them. It is such good "therapy" to journal your way through this process--and to share your successes or hangups with someone. There is a HUGE amount of support to be found--and it is SUCH an encouraging thing to know people are behind you.

I hope that ANY OF YOU who are in this process of shedding the pounds know that I am SO happy to be that cheerleader for you if needed. I mean it!! This process has awakened me in a passion for this topic, and I am so happy to share snack ideas or meals or tips and tricks....or just to be a sounding board. Just hope you know that....feel free to leave a comment or email me if you wanna talk more about it! 

hollowayfam (at) yahoo (dot) come

What works...

I have had a lot on my mind--thinking about our big upcoming move and all that is to be done for that...thinking about this blog, and whether or not it is doing much good (sometimes I feel like I'm speaking to an empty room. lol), and thinking about weight loss in general.

I'll admit, I had a couple "off" days last week. I'm an AVID tracker--when I joined WW I set out to make it almost a game. And it is to me now...kind of like I am on the Price Is Right...wanting to get as close to the goal number without going over. :) But I had a day or two recently that I just didn't track. Period. And part of me felt kind of guilty, while part of me just was at peace with it. (don't you hate those devil vs. angel fights??) They were also the days I just munched on whatever. BLAH.

At my WW meeting this week, we talked about what works for me in regards to weight loss, and what DOESN'T work. I had a couple things come to mind...

1. What works for me is TRACKING. I feel so much better knowing what I am eating, keeping tabs on it so it's not a mindless game. I like feeling in control. And honestly when I track, I feel liberated in my food choices. The numbers let me know what I can still fit in to my day (or week, if I am using my weekly points) and it helps me keep my choices in check.

2. What works for me is EATING FILLING FOODS. The extent of our St. Patrick's Day celebrations here was treating the kids to a box of Lucky Charms. :) We hardly ever have sugar cereal. Well, after the 2nd day of them eating it, I broke down and decided to have a bowl myself. I measured it out. I counted the points for it. 3 pt+ for 3/4 C of Lucky charms...just in case you're wondering. PLUS the skim milk I put on....1 pt+. PLUS the 2 pieces of light toast I had...2 pt+...plus the butter...1 pt+. And I did have a banana to go with it...

Pretty soon I was at 7 pt+ for a breakfast that I wasn't even full after eating!

Other meals I could have eaten for 7 pt+...

2 chunky monkey pancakes with peanut butter syrup and fruit

baked oatmeal with a side of fruit

Hash brown casserole with a piece of whole wheat toast

banana pancakes and syrup, 1/2 C egg beaters--scrambled, 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 2/3 C frozen hash browns.

AND YET, I chose 3/4 C of Lucky Charms. :)

My point is, I somehow had thought I was missing out by not eating those dang Lucky Charms. The fact is, and I realized this AFTER eating them, I totally don't MISS them, per se. At least not as a meal. Should I choose to have Lucky Charms again, I won't be using all those points as a meal--but maybe a snack. I just know that for ME, I feel SO much better---so much LESS like snacking all day while trying to fill that hunger void I have because I didn't eat something substantial--when I eat something good and filling to start the day.

And along those lines, one more thing that works for me...

Having those very "off" days once in a while...

I learned a lot about myself those days. Strange, right? :) I learned that my body truly DOES feel much better when I eat right. I feel better about myself when I am in control and not reverting back to the mindless snacker that just ate to eat. And all those foods I thought I was missing out on by not choosing to eat them...well....truth is, I don't miss them at all. They've been replaced, by bigger and better things. And I like that fact. I like that I can just let go of the idea that I was losing out by not eating huge portions and all sorts of chips and candy and other junk (mind you, I still eat those things on occasion and within reason).

 I don't miss the food I used to eat the way I used to eat it.

I'm different now. And seeing that change, makes me feel so very good.

And that is what works for me...

What works for YOU?

Knowledge is POWER!

I have so many things to post--some fun little tips and recipes--but I wanted to share something that's been on my mind first!

This week is my birthday--and with birthdays comes all the birthday freebies, and big dinners and indulgent desserts. I felt quite nervous with it approaching--not really sure what to expect, and NOT wanting to gain weight or make bad choices.

I always go on special dates with each of my kids to use up some of my b-day freebies--and so when I went out with my daughter to Baskin Robins the other day, I did a little research--checked out the points in certain icecream, tried to decide what I was going to get. I was shocked to see that it was 8-9 points for most of the ice cream selections--but not so surprised when I saw the scoop in the bowl, because it really was substantially more than the 1/2 C serving size I would do at home--even for the one scoop. And I really wasn't willing to spend 9 points on a dish of ice cream.

My daughter offered to share, and I felt that was a good, happy-medium solution. :) So we shared. And the whole experience was more about our time together, like I wanted it to be, than it was about the ice cream.

Fast forward to Monday night--when we went out as a family to Red Robin for my free birthday burger. I had sworn off eating out at places like that for the past few months, knowing most everything was unhealthy. And while I know I could have swapped out my burger for chicken and gone without fries, I also know that I don't eat burgers often--and that it is okay to treat yourself sometimes! This was one of those times for me...

I had looked ahead at the nutritional facts (check out their site! It's super cool!!) and knew what burger I wanted. After plugging it in to my points+ calculator, and about falling off my chair with how many points it would be, I wrote in my tracker right then the amount of points it would be for 1/2 a burger and a serving of fries. I figured if I was still hungry, I would order a side of fruit. That allowed me to track backwards, so to speak. Knowing I would have a bigger dinner, and taking the points out ahead of time, let me know how many points I would have left for the day--so I chose lower point options like soup, and had a smoothie as a snack, because I knew it would help keep me full through the afternoon.

Dinner was SO delicious--and we all enjoyed ourselves. My husband had the other half of my burger, and I realized once I was there that there was NO WAY I could have eaten that whole burger by myself anymore. Half was plenty....if not more than plenty!!

It truly felt so liberating. to be able to eat out--whether it be ice cream or burgers--and know that while they are foods I don't want to eat every day anymore, I CAN EAT THEM, and I can still lose weight or maintain weight doing so--because I took the time to KNOW what I was putting in my mouth and decide how much of it I wanted to eat.

By the same token, some of those things you assume are healthy and couldn't possibly be very high in points, will often be shocking! It's ironic to think that a burger and a salad could be the same points+ values...but it happens!

Guess that's the key--knowledge is power--it gives you the information to make the right choices for YOU--whether to splurge, or celebrate, or just eat more than you thought possible in your everyday foods. You just never know until you find out!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Are you up for a challenge?

Look up 5 items this week that you don't know the pts + values of--whether it's a snack you used to eat or something you've sworn off because you assumed it wouldn't fit in on your weight loss journey, or a meal at your favorite restaurant...look up the nutritional information (many websites offer it, or you can often google it and get lots of great information) and figure out the points! I promise you will feel a great sense of freedom by not blindly guesstimating--and by being able to fit that forbidden treat in every now and then.

Remember...KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!

Little white lies...

I reached my weight loss goal the other day, so I am technically in maintaining mode right now.

It's a weird feeling--a GOOD FEELING! :)

And because I am still counting my points and tracking as part of my maintenance working towards lifetime, I obviously still keep a diligent record.

Today I was tallying things up and writing them down at the end of the day. I found myself in debate over a piece of garlic bread I had with dinner. I KNEW in my heart of hearts that if I honestly counted the points for it, it would be 4 points+.

But I didn't want to. I wanted that bread to magically only be 3 pt+. It makes no sense, I know.
 ONE LOUSY LITTLE POINT.

And so I wrote it in. 3 pt+.

It made me think about how far I have come--where I have been in my life--and what losing all this weight has given me. Do I think that fibbing on my 1 little point would have made me gain back everything I lost or be a total deal breaker on the scale this week? No...no, I don't.

But the truth of the matter is, it's the little white lies that got me where I was before...the "I'm only ate a few chips" that really translated into half the previously unopened bag. There is freedom in facing the facts about what you're eating. If I had told myself tonight that my garlic bread was only 3 points, I would forever think of it as only being 3 pts. And I would forever calculate it as that. And what if there is another day, when I don't like another points value...and I decide to fib a little there too...

How many points will it take to get me off track...to lie to myself enough to give up what I have worked so hard for?

I quickly went back and changed the points. 4 pt+ for my piece of garlic bread.

There. I did it. It felt good. It felt real. And honest.

The only way to change a problem is to face it right on. To avoid or deny, is to skate around the real issues at hand...and the way to keep yourself from growing and progressing.

And I guess that's just my challenge to you...and to me...to avoid the little white lies...that the couple crackers here and there don't have points if you don't track them, or that the 3/4 of the sandwich really only counted as half...or that the garlic bread was 3 points instead of 4.

The scale, your body and your mind will thank you...and I think you'll find in yourself a greater dedication to eat right--not just now, but always.