Do It For Yourself!

I walked into my bathroom today and looked at myself in the mirror and I can really see the inches falling off. So I decided to try on a skirt that I haven't been able to fit for a few years now. I held onto it because I use it to measure my weight loss. If I can fit into it, I've lost quite a bit and if I can't fit it then I have a ways to go. Although I still have a ways to go to reach my goal, I was elated to see that I could fit the skirt! I actually have it on right now. I looked at myself in the mirror and I said---YOU GO GIRL! Do it for yourself.

That's actually my inspiration for today's blog and my message is simply that...DO IT FOR YOURSELF!!! Sometimes we set out to lose weight for the wrong reasons. Maybe we want to look good for a loved one, maybe we need to fit in a wedding dress, maybe we saw someone else losing and it was a temporary inspiration. You have to do this thing for yourself---because you love you and you want to live a healthy productive life. All the other things/reasons will fall into place once you start losing. You will be able to fit the dress. You will look good for your loved one, but you can't have that as your main focus or it won't last. Eventually you'll end up reverting back to your old ways and start to put weight on. I started my weight loss journey because I had gone to a store to buy an outfit and they had some really cute clothes. See, sometimes when you're big, you know you're big but you don't know how big you are. I picked out some outfits that I just knew would have me looking hot and after I tried them on they did just that...I looked a hot mess! It's funny, but really it's not. I was so disgusted with myself that I put everything back on the rack and left the store. I didn't look for anything else, no, nothing in a bigger size. I just wanted out of that store as fast as possible. So, my journey was started because I was tired of myself being in the condition I was in. It wasn't just to get into an outfit for a one time event. It wasn't so that I could make someone else happy. Guess what? If someone isn't happy with you now, they won't be happy with you when you lose weight. They will just find another issue to take up. So please don't kid yourselves there. Trust me, I've been there and done that too many times, but that's another subject. Anyway, I wanted a change. A life long change and I know that if I can do it, you can do it. There's no one person on this earth better than the next. Whatever you set your mind to do, nothing can stop. If there are mountains in your way, climb them, go around them, heck chop them down! Know that no matter what you can do this and the reward you reap in the long run will be so much more worth it because you did it for YOURSELF.


Peace...

Fighting the Urge to Splurge

So you're sitting next to someone at work and they're munching on a piece of German chocolate cake. They offer you a slice...what is your response. These things we have to think about because they are real life situations, it's bound to happen. You have to remember that everyone you encounter is not making the same change you are making and so you have to make a decision. Your mind is telling you to go ahead. It's only 1 piece after all, but think of what the one piece will contribute to your calorie intake for the day and think of what it will take for you to work it off. Planning ahead for these type of situations is the key. If you want to lose weight the right way, you have to plan your meals and even your snacks. a person who has their breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner spelled out for the week is less likely to indulge. When offered the German chocolate cake, they can refuse because they have a substitution ready. guess what? You will feel so much better about yourself if stick to your planned meal. You'll be proud of yourself.
Here is a great site that offers some daily/weekly meal plans if you need it:

http://www.freedieting.com/free_diet_plans.htm

In addition to eating right at home or work, you want to still eat healthy if you go out to a restaurant. And yes, it is possible...;-) Try following these steps:

* Ask the waitress/waiter for a low-fat/low-carb/low calorie menu and order from it
* Order the foods you'd like, but scale it down a bit (ask for no cheese, or low-fat salad dressing...etc)
*Do not drink soda, it bloats the belly. Try a water with lemon, sweet tea or juice
* Go for a turkey burger instead of ground beef
* Order a meal/salad with grilled chicken

My point is, no matter what position you happen to find yourself in, there will always be options. The hard part is for you to choose the right option and after doing it over and over, it will no longer be the hard part...it will become a habit and then a life style. Stay encouraged!

Until next time...