So. For the past 3 days, I've been doing a special diet. Its effective as a jump-starter, but it sucks. I'm not gonna lie to ya. I've been slightly miserable. Its supposed to be chemical breakdown that burns water weight and some fat. I'm sure it also shrinks your stomach a bit as well. You can find the diet here. I have not done this for any reason other than the fact that I just want to be done losing, I want to be at my goal, I want to maintain. I found it on Pinterest and decided to try it and I will tell you that since starting it on Tuesday, I've lost almost 4 pounds, and I'm not even done with the last day yet. It says you can lose up to 10 pounds while on this, but since I'm so close to my goal and have less to lose, I have not had the same results a lot of people who are just starting have had. But that's ok. I just wanted something I can do periodically until I'm done without over-doing the exercise.
This is the first "program" I've tried while on my journey. While I do find it great to be given a list of specific foods to eat, it's not as much food as I'm accustomed to in each meal. Surprisingly, when the calories are added up, it's actually only about 100 calories less than the calorie count I've been consuming lately. However, because each meal is so small and there is no snacking, I've definitely been feeling hungrier than normal. The site says that you should continue with exercise and activity, but because I've been eating less and not as often, I've had to dial back my jogging as not to over-exercise (yes, you can over-exercise). When I'm eating less than normal, I have to exercise less in order to keep from burning too many calories that my body actually needs to survive and not hoard fat. It's tough for me because I actually enjoy jogging and hate that I'm not able to do what I normally do. I know, first world problems, right?
The most exciting thing about this diet is that I've gotten to eat ice cream with every dinner...Yes, you read that right. ICE CREAM! Not frozen yogurt, not smoothies. Ice Cream. And it has been glorious. All of the other foods listed are things that I love to eat anyway so I was not worried about not liking any of it. Also, it's relatively cheap (Although I did have most of the items beforehand). The worst part of this diet? No cofee....Yeah. You can have it 1-2 times on the first day, but the second and third day is water only. I don't mind drinking water one bit, but without coffee, I feel like my body is so mad at me. I drink coffee every single morning and sometimes another cup in the afternoon. To say I've had caffeine withdrawels (especially on the second day) would be quite an understatement..
After you've finished with the three days, you must wait 4 days to restart if you so choose. During those four days, eat like you normally would (I mean, don't eat like you normally would if you normally grab a burger every meal...duh. Eat a normal healthy diet..). After four days, you can start the diet again. I may or may not try again after the 4 days have passed. I'm going to wait and see
Now, I'm not neccessarily recommending this diet to anyone, I'm simply sharing with you my experience with it and letting you know how I've done with it. If you have hypoglycemia or are proned to low blood sugar, I would suggest you not try this. This is strictly a jump start diet. You should not eat like this on a regular basis. Do as they say: 3 day diet, 4 normal days. If you do decide to try it, let me know how it goes! I wanna hear other experiences with it! I'll also update after I'm completely done and let you know my final loss after the 3 days!
Size 6/8
<3 "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Rohn <3
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
"Comparison is the theif of joy." -Theodore Roosevelt
One of the more frequent questions I'm asked is how long it has taken me to get where I am. While this is a legitimate question, the answer should in no way effect your own personal journey. I've been working on this process since the beginning of January, which means I've been at this for almost 8 months. While that is kind of a short time in which to lose 60 pounds, I did not do anything unhealthy or strange to do so. There is no secret pill or secret workout or anything like that. I've truly done this the old-fashioned way! So, the reason I'm writing this post is to elaborate on the subject of pace. Your pace is just that, your pace. No one else's.
Everyone's personal pace is going to differ from mine. Period. Just because I've done this in 8 months does NOT mean that you're going to do this in 8 months. It may only take you 6 months, it may take over a year. It really depends on your body and how strict you are in your eating and exercising habits. I've been, for the most part, very strict in my routines and eating. Its the only way I've been able to do this. But someone else may not have the discipline I've (miraculously) maintained throughout this process. If you're more relaxed in your habits, then it will probably take a lot longer to see results, but that's not necessarily a bad thing! Honestly, the slower you lose, the more likely you are to keep it off! Yes, I did lose pretty quickly, especially in the beginning, but now that it has slowed as I'm almost to the finish line, I now know how to maintain. Oh yes, I'm an expert at maintaining my weight..
I freely admit that I struggle with this. I struggle with this often. I hate the struggle, but its there, and it will be there for the rest of my life. As a food-addict, I will have to think about it and work on it for as long as I'm alive. I would love to be one of those people who is just naturally skinny, but ya know what? Those people haven't had to endure the struggle I'm in the process of overcoming. They haven't had to fight to be their size. I feel a true sense of victory by overcoming my past lifestyle. While this process is ongoing, I feel confident in the pace in which I've gotten here. Just because you don't see results immediately does not mean you should give up. On the contrary, fight harder! Fight for those numbers on the scale and on the clothing tag! If you truly wish to change yourself, you truly have to fight! I fight small battles every single day in this war against my former inner-fatty. And honestly, I don't always win those battles. But that doesn't mean I'm surrendering. This just means that I have to fight harder and push myself further.
The quote in the title of this post is a good statement to remember. Don't compare yourself to me. Don't compare yourself to anyone except the old you. Only compare yourself to that person you no longer want to be. The new you is just that, a new person. Forget that other person who used to say "I can't do it" or "I don't care". Focus on the now and focus on the task at hand and don't forget that you're stronger than you think you are! You are your own person and should focus on doing what you can when you can. Don't try to keep up with anyone else but yourself. You are your own person with your own individual life, keep up with yourself.
Everyone's personal pace is going to differ from mine. Period. Just because I've done this in 8 months does NOT mean that you're going to do this in 8 months. It may only take you 6 months, it may take over a year. It really depends on your body and how strict you are in your eating and exercising habits. I've been, for the most part, very strict in my routines and eating. Its the only way I've been able to do this. But someone else may not have the discipline I've (miraculously) maintained throughout this process. If you're more relaxed in your habits, then it will probably take a lot longer to see results, but that's not necessarily a bad thing! Honestly, the slower you lose, the more likely you are to keep it off! Yes, I did lose pretty quickly, especially in the beginning, but now that it has slowed as I'm almost to the finish line, I now know how to maintain. Oh yes, I'm an expert at maintaining my weight..
I freely admit that I struggle with this. I struggle with this often. I hate the struggle, but its there, and it will be there for the rest of my life. As a food-addict, I will have to think about it and work on it for as long as I'm alive. I would love to be one of those people who is just naturally skinny, but ya know what? Those people haven't had to endure the struggle I'm in the process of overcoming. They haven't had to fight to be their size. I feel a true sense of victory by overcoming my past lifestyle. While this process is ongoing, I feel confident in the pace in which I've gotten here. Just because you don't see results immediately does not mean you should give up. On the contrary, fight harder! Fight for those numbers on the scale and on the clothing tag! If you truly wish to change yourself, you truly have to fight! I fight small battles every single day in this war against my former inner-fatty. And honestly, I don't always win those battles. But that doesn't mean I'm surrendering. This just means that I have to fight harder and push myself further.
The quote in the title of this post is a good statement to remember. Don't compare yourself to me. Don't compare yourself to anyone except the old you. Only compare yourself to that person you no longer want to be. The new you is just that, a new person. Forget that other person who used to say "I can't do it" or "I don't care". Focus on the now and focus on the task at hand and don't forget that you're stronger than you think you are! You are your own person and should focus on doing what you can when you can. Don't try to keep up with anyone else but yourself. You are your own person with your own individual life, keep up with yourself.
Me and my Mommy who is accompanying me on this journey :)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
"If you want to be happy, be." -Leo Tolstoy
Changing my lifestyle has had many effects on me. Obviously, I look different physically, but I have also been told that I look different emotionally. I stopped to think about this and realized that not only do I feel good about myself on the outside, but I feel even better about myself on the inside. This change has created within me an attitude that I have never possessed in my entire life. I've always struggled with depression, social anxiety, and self-consciousness. Changing my appearance, of course, has had a profound impact on the way I feel, but also impacted my mind. Being happy should not be directly correlated with how you look, but with how you think. Yes, the two are connected, but not in such a way that your happiness should depend on how you look. The fact that I'm smaller and more confident is all well and good, but it would mean nothing if I didn't feel that my attitude has made a complete turn-around.
One of the most completely amazing revelations I've had is that I, Rachel, former fatty and lazy bum, would inspire people to do the same. The amount of comments, messages, and "likes" on Facebook I receive every time I post something about my progress is absolutely overwhelming and a bit mind-blowing. I've always felt that I've just blended in and been in the background, but now I feel that I've truly accomplished something and my reward has been not only feeling amazing about myself, but also in knowing that I've helped others. Just helping one would have been enough, but the amount of people I've apparently inspired honestly kind of makes me want to cry. Tears of joy, of course :)
This is not all about getting skinny, though. I'm fighting this battle to become healthy, to become fit, not to be thin. That's honestly just a perk of the process. I was never able to run very long or far, I had no stamina, and I had no drive. All of that has changed. I truly am like a different person. But only in the best way! Also, I don't mean healthy only in the physical sense, but in the mental and emotional sense as well. In the 7 months that I have been doing this, I have not struggled with depression. This is kind of amazing for me. Before, about every 2-3 months or so, I would spiral down into a little black hole and not want to see anyone or go anywhere for about 2 weeks. I would have to force myself to be around other people or to even leave the house. When I was in school, I even got all the way to a class, sitting in my car in the parking lot, turned my car back on and driven home before, simply because I couldn't bear the thought of being around people for even an hour of my day. True story. It has been scientifically proven that exercise and eating correctly have an impact on depression and happiness. I have found from personal experience that this is absolutely true. It also can help your sleeping patterns. I used to struggle with sleep, sometimes going through bouts of insomnia. However, since this change, I sleep better than I ever have before. I do still struggle with it from time to time when I'm stressed, but overall, it has improved greatly. Obviously, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are greater than just getting into a smaller size or being able to show a little more skin. Being active and eating correctly change change your life in so many ways.
The greastest change I've seen in myself is my overall attitude. I used to be one of the most negative people I knew. Nothing ever went my way, nothing was going to make me happy, nothing about my life was good. Or so I thought. My struggles with depression have always burdened my life and always made me feel even worse about myself. However, after I decided to change my lifestyle and get healthy, I could feel a weight lift off of my shoulders, as if the dark rain clouds had finally cleared from above my little Eeyore head. As soon as I started to feel that I was improving, I suddenly began to feel a little more happy, a little more positive, a little more ME. I feel now that I can move on with my life, open a new chapter. My newfound positive attitude has gotten me back to school. I'm (if everything goes according to plan) starting again in January. I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to now. Like, I have wings, like nothing can stop me! I've always been somewhat of an underachiever so when I finally felt that I was succeeding at something, I felt that could keep going and that I could truly accomplish something. For real this time. I've tried so many times to diet or lose 20 pounds and ya know what? It didn't work. Why? Because I was looking at it as a temporary thing. I wasn't truly looking ahead into the future, I was focused on the now, on the "if I don't see results immediately, it's not worth it". This is a journey, yes, but it is also a permanent change. I will never eat the way I used to, I will never lead the sedentary lifestyle that I used to, I will never be the same. And that's the most amazing revelation I could have never expected. I didn't think in the beginning "I sure hope this works." No. I said to myself "I'm doing this, I'm changing, this is going to work."
A healthy life = a happier you. That's what I've learned from all of this. When I do eat something greasy or too sugary, I feel awful. I feel heavy, I feel gross. Its always a good reminder of why I eat the way I do. Even though that is just a small, temporary reminder, it reminds me of the big picture and of the fact that I used to eat that way all the time. Doing that constantly kept me in a perpetual state of unhappiness and I didn't even realize that it was one of the contributing factors. I'm not saying that your happiness completely relies on what you eat, but your happiness will improve if you feel good about what you're doing and what you're accomplishing. Choosing the right foods over the wrong is a small sort of accomplishment, a small victory in the ongoing battle, but doing the right thing will present greater benefits than when you choose the wrong thing. Instead of that greasy hamburger, order a wrap. Instead of sitting on your couch watching t.v. all day, go for a walk or a jog. 10-15 minutes out of your day won't kill you, in fact it will help you! Start small, but you have to start! Change your mindset, change your life. Small victories lead to great victories. Leo Tolstoy said it best, "If you want to be happy, be." Absolutely Mr. Tolstoy. Absolutely. It truly is all up to you! You can choose whether or not you're going to enjoy life, whether or not you're going to get out of bed with a smile on your face! You're only going to be happy if you truly want to be, so make the decision. What's it gonna be? A temporary satisfaction from that cupcake or permanent joy and confidence from a healthy life? I think you know which one you truly want :)
One of the most completely amazing revelations I've had is that I, Rachel, former fatty and lazy bum, would inspire people to do the same. The amount of comments, messages, and "likes" on Facebook I receive every time I post something about my progress is absolutely overwhelming and a bit mind-blowing. I've always felt that I've just blended in and been in the background, but now I feel that I've truly accomplished something and my reward has been not only feeling amazing about myself, but also in knowing that I've helped others. Just helping one would have been enough, but the amount of people I've apparently inspired honestly kind of makes me want to cry. Tears of joy, of course :)
This is not all about getting skinny, though. I'm fighting this battle to become healthy, to become fit, not to be thin. That's honestly just a perk of the process. I was never able to run very long or far, I had no stamina, and I had no drive. All of that has changed. I truly am like a different person. But only in the best way! Also, I don't mean healthy only in the physical sense, but in the mental and emotional sense as well. In the 7 months that I have been doing this, I have not struggled with depression. This is kind of amazing for me. Before, about every 2-3 months or so, I would spiral down into a little black hole and not want to see anyone or go anywhere for about 2 weeks. I would have to force myself to be around other people or to even leave the house. When I was in school, I even got all the way to a class, sitting in my car in the parking lot, turned my car back on and driven home before, simply because I couldn't bear the thought of being around people for even an hour of my day. True story. It has been scientifically proven that exercise and eating correctly have an impact on depression and happiness. I have found from personal experience that this is absolutely true. It also can help your sleeping patterns. I used to struggle with sleep, sometimes going through bouts of insomnia. However, since this change, I sleep better than I ever have before. I do still struggle with it from time to time when I'm stressed, but overall, it has improved greatly. Obviously, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are greater than just getting into a smaller size or being able to show a little more skin. Being active and eating correctly change change your life in so many ways.
The greastest change I've seen in myself is my overall attitude. I used to be one of the most negative people I knew. Nothing ever went my way, nothing was going to make me happy, nothing about my life was good. Or so I thought. My struggles with depression have always burdened my life and always made me feel even worse about myself. However, after I decided to change my lifestyle and get healthy, I could feel a weight lift off of my shoulders, as if the dark rain clouds had finally cleared from above my little Eeyore head. As soon as I started to feel that I was improving, I suddenly began to feel a little more happy, a little more positive, a little more ME. I feel now that I can move on with my life, open a new chapter. My newfound positive attitude has gotten me back to school. I'm (if everything goes according to plan) starting again in January. I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to now. Like, I have wings, like nothing can stop me! I've always been somewhat of an underachiever so when I finally felt that I was succeeding at something, I felt that could keep going and that I could truly accomplish something. For real this time. I've tried so many times to diet or lose 20 pounds and ya know what? It didn't work. Why? Because I was looking at it as a temporary thing. I wasn't truly looking ahead into the future, I was focused on the now, on the "if I don't see results immediately, it's not worth it". This is a journey, yes, but it is also a permanent change. I will never eat the way I used to, I will never lead the sedentary lifestyle that I used to, I will never be the same. And that's the most amazing revelation I could have never expected. I didn't think in the beginning "I sure hope this works." No. I said to myself "I'm doing this, I'm changing, this is going to work."
Sunday, August 19, 2012
"You need to have a redesign because familiarity breeds a kind of complacency." -Timothy White
Whether you're just starting your journey to a healthier you or you've been at it for a while, one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give you is to consistently change. Yes, you need to adopt some sort of daily routine, some sort of eating regiment, but often you will find that your body has become weary of a certain routine, a certain exercise, or a certain food. This may happen after a few weeks, it may not happen until a few months have passed, but I can assure you it will happen.
I can remember the first time I hit a mini-plateau and thinking "why is this not working now?" Well, the answer to that question was that my body had become bored and I had to change what I was doing. I upped my daily caloric intake by about 100 calories on top of adding in some extra exercise and I found that my body responded in a positive way by proceeding with further weight loss. You truly must pay attention to what your body tells you! And it will talk! Not only does my body get bored with doing the same thing over and over, and eating the same things all the time, but I personally get bored with it. I'll get stuck on a certain food for a long time and get so used to adding it into my daily eating habits that I think I'll never be able to eat it again! I got stuck on squash and zucchini for so long that I'm not sure I can ever even look at either of them again! Its so easy to stick to one or two things for a long time and not give it any thought, but then my body tells me its time to move on to something else. There are certain foods that I will most likely always keep as a "staple" in my kitchen like the ingredients I include in my smoothies, but I have to make changes from time to time. Its a good way to keep your body guessing and sort of "shock" it back into weight loss.
As you progress, the amount of exercise you take on should also increase. As I've gotten smaller, of course its become easier and easier for me to carry myself through a jog, but its taken a lot of adding and changing to get to this point. I was only walking in the beginning, but as I changed, so did my exercise. Just recently, I've added crunches and planks into my daily routine, as well as jogging twice a day (if time allows) instead of just once. This has contributed greatly in my recent progression. When you decide its time to change your exercise routine, always add, not subtract! Don't replace an exercise, just add to what you're already doing. For example, if you're jogging/walking, just add distance or speed! Or do like I've done and add new exercises on top of what you're already doing. Always, always, always ADD!
You can't change if your routine doesn't change. I can't give you a definitive answer about how often you should change your routine because every individual is unique and handles certain things differently than others, but I can tell you that YOU MUST SWITCH IT UP! I tend to go through routine redesign approximately ever 1-2 months. I absolutely encourage getting into a daily routine, I've come this far because of my habitual living and routine-oriented lifestyle, but every so often that routine must be rocked! When you feel you've become stuck, redesign what you're doing. Experiment, trial and error, figure it out, form a new routine. Complacency cannot become standard in this process. I just can't stress this enough! Listen to your body, it will always tell you what it needs!
ENJOY!
I can remember the first time I hit a mini-plateau and thinking "why is this not working now?" Well, the answer to that question was that my body had become bored and I had to change what I was doing. I upped my daily caloric intake by about 100 calories on top of adding in some extra exercise and I found that my body responded in a positive way by proceeding with further weight loss. You truly must pay attention to what your body tells you! And it will talk! Not only does my body get bored with doing the same thing over and over, and eating the same things all the time, but I personally get bored with it. I'll get stuck on a certain food for a long time and get so used to adding it into my daily eating habits that I think I'll never be able to eat it again! I got stuck on squash and zucchini for so long that I'm not sure I can ever even look at either of them again! Its so easy to stick to one or two things for a long time and not give it any thought, but then my body tells me its time to move on to something else. There are certain foods that I will most likely always keep as a "staple" in my kitchen like the ingredients I include in my smoothies, but I have to make changes from time to time. Its a good way to keep your body guessing and sort of "shock" it back into weight loss.
As you progress, the amount of exercise you take on should also increase. As I've gotten smaller, of course its become easier and easier for me to carry myself through a jog, but its taken a lot of adding and changing to get to this point. I was only walking in the beginning, but as I changed, so did my exercise. Just recently, I've added crunches and planks into my daily routine, as well as jogging twice a day (if time allows) instead of just once. This has contributed greatly in my recent progression. When you decide its time to change your exercise routine, always add, not subtract! Don't replace an exercise, just add to what you're already doing. For example, if you're jogging/walking, just add distance or speed! Or do like I've done and add new exercises on top of what you're already doing. Always, always, always ADD!
You can't change if your routine doesn't change. I can't give you a definitive answer about how often you should change your routine because every individual is unique and handles certain things differently than others, but I can tell you that YOU MUST SWITCH IT UP! I tend to go through routine redesign approximately ever 1-2 months. I absolutely encourage getting into a daily routine, I've come this far because of my habitual living and routine-oriented lifestyle, but every so often that routine must be rocked! When you feel you've become stuck, redesign what you're doing. Experiment, trial and error, figure it out, form a new routine. Complacency cannot become standard in this process. I just can't stress this enough! Listen to your body, it will always tell you what it needs!
And now I'll leave you with a few of my favorite recipes:
Apricot-Dijon Glazed Chicken Thighs
Serves: 4
Calories: 380 (2 thighs per person)
Preheat Oven: 425 degrees
-8 medium sized chicken thighs
-1 (12oz) jar Smucker's Sugar-Free Apricot Jam
-2 tbsp Honey
-2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
-Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
- Place chicken in baking dish, season well with salt and pepper.
- In a saucepan, combine jam, honey, and mustard. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir until all is combined and thick.
- Spoon the mixture over the chicken evenly.
- Bake about 45 minutes, basting with mixture from bottom of dish every 10 minutes.
Ham and Cheese Crescent Sandwich
Serves: 3-4
Calories: 360 (3) or 270(4)
Preheat Oven: 350 degrees
-3 tbsp "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" (this is the "butter" in the squirt bottle)
-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
-1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
-1 can reduced-fat Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
-16 slices Oscar Mayer 98% fat-free Honey Deli Ham
-5 slices Sargento Ultra Thin Provolone Cheese
- Unroll dough on to a floured surface. Pinch the seams together as best you can.
- In a bowl, combine"butter", mustard, and worcestershire. Stir well.
- Pour 1/2 of sauce onto dough.
- Arrange ham slices evenly onto one side of dough (going long-ways).
- Arrange cheese on top of ham. Pour a little more sauce on top.
- Fold dough over onto ham. Pour remaining sauce on top of dough.
- Bake about 20-25 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
- Let cool, use pizza cutter to slice into 3-4 sandwiches.
Brownie Batter Pancakes
Serves: 1
Calories: 150 (plain)- Makes about 6-8 small pancakes (and they're delicious!)
-1/4 c flour
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
-sugar substitute to taste
-pinch of salt
-1 tbsp "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" (again, the kind in the squirt bottle)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-5 1/2 tbsp Silk Original unsweetened Almond Milk
- Mix all dry ingredients well, then combine with wet ingredients.
- Pour into small circles in saucepan. Cook over medium heat like a regular pancake.
- Do not make too big, will become difficult to cook through and flip.
- You can top with sugar-free chocolate syrup or with fat-free cool whip. Anything you choose! Just remember to take those calories into account, as well!
ENJOY!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
"We acquire the strength we have overcome." -Emerson
I nearly cried when I looked at the scale yesterday...Tears of complete and utter joy! I finally got past my plateau. I've lost two more pounds which makes a grand total of 58 and I'm so glad to have gotten past that hump! This is a prime example of how changing things up can really have an impact on weight-loss. I feel that adding in the smoothies, adding in more protein, and cutting back on carbs has made this happen. Also, I was not as disciplined over the last couple of months as I had been. I finally got myself back in gear and I'm right back on track. Now, about those smoothies. A lot of people have asked for the recipes and I'm happy to oblige.
First, I'm going to give you a list of the specific products I use so that you can purchase them yourself in order to keep the calorie count consistent with what I've calculated.
-Stoneyfield Farm Plain Non-Fat Yogurt (should be 110 calories per serving)
-Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter (should be 180 calories per serving)
-Ghirardelli Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (should be 15 calories per serving)
-Silk Original Unsweetened Almond Milk (should be 30 calories per serving)
-EAS Lean 15 Protein Powder- chocolate and vanilla (should be 100 calories per serving)
-Hills Bros. Instant coffee Skinny Latte
You will also need:
-strawberries, bananas, blueberries
-canned pumpkin puree
-spinach (I know, that sounds scary, but I promise, when blended you can't taste it. Its a metabolism-boosting food so I like to add it to as many things as possible)
-cinnamon
-pumpkin pie spice
-vanilla extract
-sugar substitute (I useGreat Value, the loose kind in the big bag)
Side Note: The protein powder is pretty expensive (about $20 per tub..), so if you'd like to save money on that, add about a 1/4 c of yogurt to a recipe that calls for powder. This will help fill the protein void when subtracting the powder.
Also, if the powder is what is supposed to give the shake its chocolate or vanilla flavor, substitute it with 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder or with a tsp of vanilla extract to help with the flavoring.
With all of these recipes, you simply throw it all in the blender and turn it on high until everything is smooth! I now freeze mine and eat them like ice cream :) It gives me the feeling of eating something more substantial while leaving me feeling full but not bloated or weighed down. I've been having one for breakfast and another for my afternoon snack everyday for the past 2 1/2 weeks and obviously it has made a difference!
Mix and match some of them, change them up, drink them, freeze them, whatever you want! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have!
Remember, if you've hit a wall, don't get discouraged and don't give up. Just work harder to fix it! Add something to your workout, add something to your diet, just change it up. DO NOT,however, just eat less. Not eating enough is only going to send your body into survival mode and will begin to hoard fat. After that horrible process, you will just be wasting away, weakening your organs and breaking down your muscles in the process. Please, don't harm yourself to get skinny. Its really not worth it....Do it right. Be persistent. You CAN do it. You WILL keep going. Say to yourself over and over :)
First, I'm going to give you a list of the specific products I use so that you can purchase them yourself in order to keep the calorie count consistent with what I've calculated.
-Stoneyfield Farm Plain Non-Fat Yogurt (should be 110 calories per serving)
-Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter (should be 180 calories per serving)
-Ghirardelli Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (should be 15 calories per serving)
-Silk Original Unsweetened Almond Milk (should be 30 calories per serving)
-EAS Lean 15 Protein Powder- chocolate and vanilla (should be 100 calories per serving)
-Hills Bros. Instant coffee Skinny Latte
You will also need:
-strawberries, bananas, blueberries
-canned pumpkin puree
-spinach (I know, that sounds scary, but I promise, when blended you can't taste it. Its a metabolism-boosting food so I like to add it to as many things as possible)
-cinnamon
-pumpkin pie spice
-vanilla extract
-sugar substitute (I useGreat Value, the loose kind in the big bag)
Side Note: The protein powder is pretty expensive (about $20 per tub..), so if you'd like to save money on that, add about a 1/4 c of yogurt to a recipe that calls for powder. This will help fill the protein void when subtracting the powder.
Also, if the powder is what is supposed to give the shake its chocolate or vanilla flavor, substitute it with 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder or with a tsp of vanilla extract to help with the flavoring.
Reese's Shake (absolutely amazing..)-160 Calories
-1/2 c yogurt
-3/4 c milk
-1/2 tbsp peanut butter, not quite a full one though
-1 heaping tbsp cocoa
Strawberry-Blueberry Smoothie- 135 Calories
-1/2 c halved strawberries
-1/4 c bluberries
-3/4 c yogurt
-1/2 c milk
-1/2 c spinach
-sugar substitute to taste
(could also take out the strawberries, add 1/4 of a medium-sized banana and you have banana-blueberrry!)
Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie- 165 Calories
-1/2 tbsp peanut butter
-1/2 banana, medium-sized, ripe
-1/2 c yogurt
-1/2 c milk
-sugar substitute to taste
Pumpkin Pie Shake (my absolute favorite!)- 130 Calories
-1/2 c canned pumpkin puree
-1/2 c yogurt
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 c milk
-sugar substitute to taste
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake- 160 Calories
-1 c milk
-1 c halved strawberries
-1/2 c spinach
-1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
-1/2 c yogurt
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp cocoa powder
-sugar substitute to taste
Chocolate-Mocha Shake- 115 Calories
-1 c milk
-1 scoop chocolate protein powder
-1 tbsp instant coffee
-1/2 c spinach
-sugar substitute to taste
Banana-Oat Smoothie- 260 Calories
-1/2 banana, medium-sized, ripe
-1/4 c instant oats
-1/2 c yogurt
-1 scoop chocolate protein powder
-1/4 tsp cinnamon
-sugar substitute to taste
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie- 140 Calories
-1/4 c halved strawberries
-2 tbsp yogurt
-1/2 banana, medium-sized, ripe
-1/2 c milk
-1/2 c spinach
-1/2 scoop protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)
-sugar substitute to taste
Frappe- 70 Calories
-1 c chilled coffee
-1/2 c milk
-1 scoop chocolate protein powder
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-sugar substitute to taste
With all of these recipes, you simply throw it all in the blender and turn it on high until everything is smooth! I now freeze mine and eat them like ice cream :) It gives me the feeling of eating something more substantial while leaving me feeling full but not bloated or weighed down. I've been having one for breakfast and another for my afternoon snack everyday for the past 2 1/2 weeks and obviously it has made a difference!
Mix and match some of them, change them up, drink them, freeze them, whatever you want! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have!
Remember, if you've hit a wall, don't get discouraged and don't give up. Just work harder to fix it! Add something to your workout, add something to your diet, just change it up. DO NOT,however, just eat less. Not eating enough is only going to send your body into survival mode and will begin to hoard fat. After that horrible process, you will just be wasting away, weakening your organs and breaking down your muscles in the process. Please, don't harm yourself to get skinny. Its really not worth it....Do it right. Be persistent. You CAN do it. You WILL keep going. Say to yourself over and over :)
Monday, August 13, 2012
"Life is the sum of all your choices." -Albert Camus
To eat it or not to eat it...that's always the question. Eating less calories doesn't always mean you're eating correctly. Sure, you can rip open a 100 Calorie Oreo Pack and it will fit right in with your daily caloric intake, but is it going to help you? No. If you're going to eat that many calories, why not make it count? Instead, go to the refrigerator and cut up some strawberries. 100 calories worth of strawberry halves is 2 cups! That's so much more food for the same amount of calories and it is going to benefit you in more ways than those carb-ridden crackers will. Yes, fruits have carbohydrates, but let's discuss the difference between slow carbs and fast carbs. A slow carbohydrate is one which breaks down slowly and creates energy at a more regulated speed. One very important role this plays is keeping your blood sugar stable, and if you want to burn fat throughout the day, a stable blood sugar level is what you want. These are the carbs found in natural sugars, the good kind of sugar.
These awesome carbs can be found in:
-lean beef
-turkey
-chicken
-all kinds of beans
-cheeses
-all seafood
-eggs and egg substitute
-veggies such as carrots, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, snow peas, asparagus, peppers
-fruits suchs as strawberries (all berries), apples, peaches, grapefruits, peaches, oranges, apricots, prunes, pears
-non-fat yogurt
-almond milk
-pasta (surprisingly) but of course in moderation, still high in calories
-grains such as quinoa, bulgar, barley, old fashioned oats (not instant..I'm guilty)
Basically, you should be eating foods that are natural and have no sugar added.
Now, a fast carbohydrate is one which takes less time to break down the foods. They produce energy very quickly. Fast carbs trigger your body to release a Insulin. Though, the main function of insulin is to pull the sugars from your blood into the cells for energy, excessive insulin (which is triggered by intake of fast carbs) works to store the extra carbs as fat. Not good.
Avoid these:
-fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, raisins, mango
-grains: brown rice can be ok, but instant rice is a big NO! Avoid rice cakes!
-dairy products such as rice milk, ice cream, not good.
-potatoes, so that means lay off of those french fries! (sweet potatoes are much better for you so if given the choice, go for that)
-Snacking: avoid anything with a rice base or anything with added sugar.
So, what have we learned about carbs? Not all of them are bad! Your body has to have them so why not choose the right ones?! Balancing your diet can really have an effect on your weight loss, so make sure you're consuming protein, sugar, carbs, fat, and starch (not a lot of starch, though. Don't eat too much corn or peas).A lot of people attempt to cut at least one out, but I just don't see how that's possible when all of this is found in just about every food! Of course you want to consume as much protein as you can because it helps to keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. Along with protein, you need to consume more slow carbs in order to maintain a steady blood sugar level which in turn also helps to keep you feeling full. I avoid as much bread as I can, but my addiction to the stuff is hard to kick. So, when I do consume bread, I make sure that it is only present in one meal a day, if at all. If I have a sandwich for lunch, I'm going to have something like chicken with vegetables for dinner. If I'm going to have one of the many, many recipes involving reduced-fat crescent rolls that I've come up with for dinner, I'm going to eat something like soup or spaghetti squash for lunch. So you see, balance.
Here is also a list of superfoods and metabolism boosters which help you to burn fat and avoid illness:
-almonds
-avocado
-blueberries
-broccoli
-cantaloupe
-carrots
-flaxseed
-oats
-brown rice
-salmon
-apples
-water
-cinnamon
-olive oil
-cocoa powder
-tomato
-yogurt
-garlic
-beans
-soy
-eggs/egg beaters
-spinach
-cottage cheese
-ginger
-lemon
-all fish
-sweet potato
Of course, with all of these on the list, remember to balance out your intake of fast and slow carbs.
But I digress. The real reasoning behind this post is to make you think about your choices in calories. Like I've said before, a plain hamburger from McDonald's is 250 calories. What else could I have for 250 calories? An oven roasted salmon fillet with honey dijon sauce, 1 cup of steamed green beans, 1 cup of pan seared squash, AND a sauteed apple covered in cinnamon...Yeah, all of that...over that tiny little hamburger. So really, really think about it. Even if the food you're thinking about eating is low in calories, think about what that particular food is going to do for you. Is it going to help you or hurt you? Is it going to keep you full or is it going to only satisfy for a few minutes? Is it worth it? When you're shopping for groceries, don't just look at the calories on the package, take a look at the amount of sugar, fat, protein, and carbs (just don't forget about that list of fast/slow carbs I shared with you).
Pay attention! Pay full attention to what you're putting in your body. What you think may be a good choice could possibly hold you back!
Don't just eat a low calorie diet, eat a good calorie diet.
These awesome carbs can be found in:
-lean beef
-turkey
-chicken
-all kinds of beans
-cheeses
-all seafood
-eggs and egg substitute
-veggies such as carrots, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, snow peas, asparagus, peppers
-fruits suchs as strawberries (all berries), apples, peaches, grapefruits, peaches, oranges, apricots, prunes, pears
-non-fat yogurt
-almond milk
-pasta (surprisingly) but of course in moderation, still high in calories
-grains such as quinoa, bulgar, barley, old fashioned oats (not instant..I'm guilty)
Basically, you should be eating foods that are natural and have no sugar added.
Now, a fast carbohydrate is one which takes less time to break down the foods. They produce energy very quickly. Fast carbs trigger your body to release a Insulin. Though, the main function of insulin is to pull the sugars from your blood into the cells for energy, excessive insulin (which is triggered by intake of fast carbs) works to store the extra carbs as fat. Not good.
Avoid these:
-fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, raisins, mango
-grains: brown rice can be ok, but instant rice is a big NO! Avoid rice cakes!
-dairy products such as rice milk, ice cream, not good.
-potatoes, so that means lay off of those french fries! (sweet potatoes are much better for you so if given the choice, go for that)
-Snacking: avoid anything with a rice base or anything with added sugar.
So, what have we learned about carbs? Not all of them are bad! Your body has to have them so why not choose the right ones?! Balancing your diet can really have an effect on your weight loss, so make sure you're consuming protein, sugar, carbs, fat, and starch (not a lot of starch, though. Don't eat too much corn or peas).A lot of people attempt to cut at least one out, but I just don't see how that's possible when all of this is found in just about every food! Of course you want to consume as much protein as you can because it helps to keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. Along with protein, you need to consume more slow carbs in order to maintain a steady blood sugar level which in turn also helps to keep you feeling full. I avoid as much bread as I can, but my addiction to the stuff is hard to kick. So, when I do consume bread, I make sure that it is only present in one meal a day, if at all. If I have a sandwich for lunch, I'm going to have something like chicken with vegetables for dinner. If I'm going to have one of the many, many recipes involving reduced-fat crescent rolls that I've come up with for dinner, I'm going to eat something like soup or spaghetti squash for lunch. So you see, balance.
Here is also a list of superfoods and metabolism boosters which help you to burn fat and avoid illness:
-almonds
-avocado
-blueberries
-broccoli
-cantaloupe
-carrots
-flaxseed
-oats
-brown rice
-salmon
-apples
-water
-cinnamon
-olive oil
-cocoa powder
-tomato
-yogurt
-garlic
-beans
-soy
-eggs/egg beaters
-spinach
-cottage cheese
-ginger
-lemon
-all fish
-sweet potato
Of course, with all of these on the list, remember to balance out your intake of fast and slow carbs.
But I digress. The real reasoning behind this post is to make you think about your choices in calories. Like I've said before, a plain hamburger from McDonald's is 250 calories. What else could I have for 250 calories? An oven roasted salmon fillet with honey dijon sauce, 1 cup of steamed green beans, 1 cup of pan seared squash, AND a sauteed apple covered in cinnamon...Yeah, all of that...over that tiny little hamburger. So really, really think about it. Even if the food you're thinking about eating is low in calories, think about what that particular food is going to do for you. Is it going to help you or hurt you? Is it going to keep you full or is it going to only satisfy for a few minutes? Is it worth it? When you're shopping for groceries, don't just look at the calories on the package, take a look at the amount of sugar, fat, protein, and carbs (just don't forget about that list of fast/slow carbs I shared with you).
Pay attention! Pay full attention to what you're putting in your body. What you think may be a good choice could possibly hold you back!
Don't just eat a low calorie diet, eat a good calorie diet.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Motivationally Speaking
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."- Jim Rohn
This has become one of my favorite quotes because its significance throughout this whole self-improvement journey of mine speaks so loudly. It has become an increasingly common occurrence to be questioned about my journey and the biggest trend I have noticed within these inquiries is about my motivation. While I cannot fully explain to someone what goes on in my crazy mind, I will tell you that the motivation comes from that little voice in my head, SkinnyRachel's voice which is now speaking more loudly than FatRachel's voice ever could...I don't know how I could possibly explain what finally "clicked" in my mind after so many years of not listening, but I can attempt to explain how I've kept up my determination throughout this process.
I think my number one inspiration has come from looking in the mirror...While that may sound vain, it has become my main method of calculating my progress. Yes, I do weigh myself (way more often than I should, might I add..), but that's not always the best way to gauge how far I've come. In the past 2-3 months, I've only lost maybe 8-10 pounds. I've been stuck in this little rut for a while now and it is incredibly frustrating. However, the rut is only visible on the scale. I have noticed small details about myself that have improved. I looked in the mirror a few days ago and realized that my shoulders are square...Never have I had defined shoulders! They've always been rounded and flabby, just like the rest of my arm, but now I can see that my arm workouts have actually made a difference! I bought a new pair of jeans a few days ago because my one and only pair of skinny jeans had become too big. I was searching for a cheap pair as they are only transitional, and much to my surprise, the pair I found is from Rue21. I have NEVER been able to wear their jeans! Even the biggest size! And now I can wear their size 9/10, which of course in real clothing is truly about an 8...junior sizes..ugh. So, working out on top of jogging has helped to trim my body even more. I'm sure I've gained some muscle, which is great, but it is slightly discouraging when I fail to see results on that darn scale.
Weighing yourself is a positive thing, but it is so very easy to become obsessed with it. I weigh myself more than I would like to admit...so I won't...and I know that its a bad thing, but it has become a way to really keep myself in check from day to day. I do not recommend to anyone that they weigh themselves daily....do it once a week, at most. But you should weigh yourself. Seeing a number makes the journey seem so much more legitimate when you can compare to where you started, but please don't let it become the only thing you care about! Focus on the fact that your body is getting smaller, your health is improving, and you're gaining confidence! Focus on the improvements, not what you still have to work on. Yes, you should think about what you need to keep improving, but do NOT forget about the positive changes you've already made! Its also easy to stand in front of the mirror and nitpick every little detail about your body and to focus on the areas you hate, but while your standing there, don't overlook the fact that something else has improved. I hate that the weight is not coming off as quickly and easily now as it was in the beginning, but all I can do is keep going. All I can do is keep working my ass off (literally...I had a pretty huge butt..) and keep telling myself that this is worth it, that the improvements, however far and few between they may be, they are, in fact, improvements.
When I'm not doing so well with my eating habits, its easy for FatRachel to speak a little more loudly and try to convince me that I've ruined the day anyway so I should just keep eating badly. It is SO hard not to listen to her, but I have to. SkinnyRachel tells me get back on track at the next meal, not the next day. Just because I may have made a mistake in one meal or had a snack I shouldn't have had does not mean that my day is blown. If something like that does occur, I simply adjust the rest of my calories for the day to accommodate the change as best I can. That's all you really can do. Waiting until the next day to get back on track is not the way to go about it because it can turn into another day of "well I'll just do it tomorrow". Before you know it, a week of terrible eating days and guilt-ridden nights has passed. Fix it as soon as you possibly can! And don't kick yourself for falling off of the wagon for a minute. It happens. Its going to happen again. Just don't let it ruin your day or week or month. Stop, breathe, eat correctly.
Eating badly also makes me physically feel terrible. My body can tell when I've had something unhealthy. I feel heavy, I feel bloated, I feel lethargic, drained...It tastes so good at the time, but it always makes me feel like I've gained 10 pounds back in 10 minutes. Not feeling like this is great motivation. Haha. Since I made the switch from crap to correct, I've felt like a completely different person. I sleep better, I have an exponentially higher amount of energy, but most importantly, my mood and attitude toward life are both so different. I've suffered from depression and social anxiety for most of my life. Since the change, depression has not been an issue at all. Social anxiety, however, will always be an issue. While it has been connected with my weight in the past, that is not the only factor in my anxiety. It has most definitely improved with my confidence on the rise, but I will always have to deal with the fact that I don't particularly like to see people very often, haha. Having higher self-esteem just makes it less of an issue and makes me want to go out more often than I used to. Becoming more emotionally stable is wonderful inspiration. Ya know, that whole actually wanting to be around people thing ;)
As you can see, the improvements play a big part in my determination and inspiration, but they weren't there in the beginning. I didn't start to truly see results until I had lost between 15-20 pounds. Once I got to that point it became so much easier to keep going. Getting to that point took a lot of focus, a lot of telling myself to just do it, get out of bed, walk, run, do something active, go burn some calories, don't eat that bowl of cereal, those strawberries are so much better for you, don't sleep so late, go to bed earlier... I truly had to force myself into jump-starting this process. Sticking with it in the beginning is one of the accomplishments in my life that I am most proud of. I'm not gonna lie and tell you it was easy because it was not. I just wanted it more than I wanted anything else, more than I wanted to continue laying on a couch. Once I got into that mindset, it was all clear.
Don't get discouraged when you don't see immediate results. Keep counting those calories, keep exercising, keep concentrating, you will feel a difference before you see it. Once you see a difference on the scale or in how your clothes fit, don't go reward yourself with a cupcake. DON'T DO IT!!! Reward yourself with a smile and good healthy meal :) Wait until you've given your body a long enough amount of time to adjust to this weight loss routine to indulge in something not-so-healthy. I didn't treat myself with something super amazing until I had lost about 25 pounds. And even then, that little indulgence after such a long period of time without actually boosted my metabolism and helped me lose a couple of more pounds in the following days! Make sure you're spacing out these treats, doing it about every 15 pounds can keep your body guessing and shock it into losing!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
From Lazy to Living.
Alright, so I was receiving so many messages on Facebook to ask about the details of my weight-loss. I love helping people out, but responding to so many messages does become tiresome so I decided to start this blog in order to help others out, give advice, and most importantly, to keep myself accountable. I feel that sharing with others will help me to keep up with my own progress better.
First thing's first: Introductions.
My name is Rachel, I'm 23 years old, and I used to be fat. I am a family nanny for 3 great kids who live about 10 minutes from my house. I am not currently in school, but will be returning in January (I can't wait!!! No really!)
I started this whole journey at 216 lbs. which was definitely the heaviest I ever was. I will never, never, never go back there! I currently weigh 160 lbs. which makes the grand total loss 56 lbs. I had gotten up to a size 16 in jeans and am now down to 8/10. My goal weight is about 135 and a size 6 jean, so I've still got a way to go, but I have confidence in myself to achieve this goal!
When I was fat(ter), I was sedentary. Literally. I never exercised, I never did anything active, I could sit and watch t.v. for hours, all day sometimes. I was very unhappy at this size. I had been unhappy with my appearance for as long as I could remember. It made me feel depressed, I would go through long bouts of depression where I would literally not go anywhere, never see people, and just eat. I can't explain to you how much happier I am now. I feel good, I sleep better, my skin is great, I have soooo much more confidence, EVERYTHING is better. I don't know how I could possibly explain to you what finally "clicked" in my brain that made me do this, but I'm eternally grateful to God that he gave me the strength, determination, and motivation to make this change. It even had an effect on going back to school, as if my new-found confidence spilled over into my life goals.
In this first post, I would like to share with you the details of how I've gotten this far. Brace yourself for a long post, but if you truly would like to change your life, it might be worth your time.
First, I chose a goal weight. Next, I researched the amount of calories I was eating on a daily basis. I looked around on the internet and what I found shocked me! I was taking in at least 4,000 calories a day! Gross!! So, after that jarring realization, I decided that I was going to take it down to about 850 calories a day. I know, that seems like too little, but I promise it wasn't. But I did not just suddenly stop eating all of that, I gradually lowered my intake over the course of about a week (taking it down about 100 calories every couple of days). If you suddenly drop that low, your body will go into survival mode and hoard fat. Not good. I downloaded an app onto my iPhone called CalorieCounter. This app is my best friend. Seriously. All I do is search for the food I'm going to eat, select the portion size, and enter it in. The app adds it all up for you, including the nutrion specifics like protein, fat, and carbs. Awesome, I know. Speaking of protein, when I'm choosing what to eat, I try to make sure that my protein to carb ratio is good. Eating lots of protein helps me to not feel hungry all the time (well hungry for me).
Speaking of this app, I use it to plan each and every day in advance. Choosing your food at least one day ahead of time helps you to not over-eat. If you just add as you go, its easier to just eat and eat and eat without really thinking about. I enter in the food and stick to it. If I'm going to be out all day, I pack a lunchbox. I look like a kid going to school, but its worth it to not run into trouble. Stick to your plan!
The biggest tip I can possibly give you is to LEARN FOOD!!!!!!! I researched and researched food and the calories it contains. I know food's calories and portions like its my job. Just ask my mom, I probably drive her nuts with it. It may seem over-kill, but because of my knowledge of food, it is so easy for me when I run into spontaneous restaurant outings! Its easier for me to plan my days, its just easier. The counter app makes it easy to learn these things because you can just look something up and it just tells you!
I incorporate super foods/metabolism boosters into my daily foods as much as humanly possible:
Cocoa powder- use in coffee, smoothies
oatmeal
bluberries
spinach
egg beaters
yogurt
fruits
cinnamon, lots and lots of cinnamon
tomato
garlic
beans
apples
sweet potato
fish
cottage cheese
WATER! Drink lots of water!
Exercise: ugh.
Like I said, I used to lead a very sedentary lifestyle, so incorporating exercise into my life was quite a challenge. However, once I really dove in, it became much easier. I started out on a stationary bike (which I now avoid like the plague) and would "ride" for at least 30 minutes every day. While it did help jumpstart the whole process, I think I would rather eat my own foot than sit back down on that wooden excuse for bike seat. Anyway, as I kept going, I incorporated walking into my daily routine and eventually jogging. I added jogging very little at a time. I was carrying around quite a bit of extra weigth so it was not easy for me to do this. Once I got in the swing of it, however, I even started enjoying the jog. I know, right? Me? Yes. Me. I get a certain kind of high from jogging that can't be beat. Its the feeling of success, the feeling of kicking FatRachel's ass. I can't believe how lazy I used to be. Seriously. I've worked my way up to jogging one full mile without stopping. While that may not seem like much to some of you, it is a VERY big deal for me. I used to hate running with a fiery-burning passion (just ask anyone I used to march guard with at JSU...) Now, I actually get kinda disappointed when I don't get the chance..weird. Next step, adding more distance to the non-stop jog. I've been doing one full mile for about 2 weeks now, just making sure I can truly keep that up. So now I'll start adding distance to it!
Throughout the process, of course I've hit plateaus...While they do suck, it sure does feel good to get past them! I'm currently stuck on one right now, but I've made slight changes to try to get back to losing. I've had to change my caloric intake several times to accomodate what I'm doing. When I started jogging more and more, I had to add calories because of how much I was burning. Right now, I've had to take it down a bit to change things up and to kind of keep my body guessing. You have to learn how to trick it into losing..lol.
Of course I've had weak points. On vacation a few weeks ago, I went crazy (it was the first time I'd really let myself go like that..) and had to spend the next week and a half getting back down to where I was before we left....loved it while I was gone, hated it when I got back...Worth it? Maybe. haha. I do splurge from time to time. I'll have something sweet sometimes, usually some sort of healthy(ish) dessert I've adapted from pinterest...I'll have pizza or something, but I watch my portions. Always, always watch your portions! One way to avoid plateaus is to balance out your exercise to caloric intake. If your not going to exercise as much one day, don't eat as many calories. Simple as that. Another way is, of course, change up what you're doing! Add a different type of exercise, change what you're eating, change when you're eating, something! I've recently added in double the amount of crunches I was doing. I've been doing them all throughout this process to avoid flab, but only about 1-200 a day. Now I'm doing about 4-500 a day. I feel great after doing them and they burn calories as well! I also do some easy arm workouts. I only do this about 3 times a week. Trainers will tell you that for lean arms, go low and slow. Only do it a few times a week and work at a slow speed as to not get all Madonna-like...her arm muscles are gross...
I've recently added a lot of smoothies and shakes to my daily eating. They make me feel so light and energized! Most of the time, I freeze them, thaw them a little when I'm ready to eat it, and pig out! haha, It gives me the sensation of eating ice cream like a normal person. They're delicious, too! If you want some recipes, just ask!
I basically never eat fast food. Before going through that drive through, ask yourself this question: "Is this tiny little plain hamburger really worth giving up 250 calories for?" Yeah, you read that right. A plain hamburger from McDonald's and Burger King is 250 CALORIES!!!!! Ridiculous. Don't waste your calories on a tiny portion. Dumb. When I do eat fast food, I WILL find any wrap that may be on the menu. Always order light dressing or only eat about half of it. Dressing has a lot of calories...
Everything I've done has been trial and error. I've learned my body thoroughly. I know when to change things up, when to slow down, when to kick it up a notch. I've learned what I have to do to keep this up. If you change your lifestyle, you'll learn as well! It feels good knowing my body so well, like I've gotten to know myself on a whole new level!
I've never felt so good about myself and this new-found confidence has been worth the whole struggle! I know this was a really long post, and I'm not sorry. :)
More to come soon!
But first, a quick before and after. I wish I had one of my body before (I always cropped anything showing below my chest, basically..)but you can clearly see in my face that I was disgusting. Haha.
First thing's first: Introductions.
My name is Rachel, I'm 23 years old, and I used to be fat. I am a family nanny for 3 great kids who live about 10 minutes from my house. I am not currently in school, but will be returning in January (I can't wait!!! No really!)
I started this whole journey at 216 lbs. which was definitely the heaviest I ever was. I will never, never, never go back there! I currently weigh 160 lbs. which makes the grand total loss 56 lbs. I had gotten up to a size 16 in jeans and am now down to 8/10. My goal weight is about 135 and a size 6 jean, so I've still got a way to go, but I have confidence in myself to achieve this goal!
When I was fat(ter), I was sedentary. Literally. I never exercised, I never did anything active, I could sit and watch t.v. for hours, all day sometimes. I was very unhappy at this size. I had been unhappy with my appearance for as long as I could remember. It made me feel depressed, I would go through long bouts of depression where I would literally not go anywhere, never see people, and just eat. I can't explain to you how much happier I am now. I feel good, I sleep better, my skin is great, I have soooo much more confidence, EVERYTHING is better. I don't know how I could possibly explain to you what finally "clicked" in my brain that made me do this, but I'm eternally grateful to God that he gave me the strength, determination, and motivation to make this change. It even had an effect on going back to school, as if my new-found confidence spilled over into my life goals.
In this first post, I would like to share with you the details of how I've gotten this far. Brace yourself for a long post, but if you truly would like to change your life, it might be worth your time.
First, I chose a goal weight. Next, I researched the amount of calories I was eating on a daily basis. I looked around on the internet and what I found shocked me! I was taking in at least 4,000 calories a day! Gross!! So, after that jarring realization, I decided that I was going to take it down to about 850 calories a day. I know, that seems like too little, but I promise it wasn't. But I did not just suddenly stop eating all of that, I gradually lowered my intake over the course of about a week (taking it down about 100 calories every couple of days). If you suddenly drop that low, your body will go into survival mode and hoard fat. Not good. I downloaded an app onto my iPhone called CalorieCounter. This app is my best friend. Seriously. All I do is search for the food I'm going to eat, select the portion size, and enter it in. The app adds it all up for you, including the nutrion specifics like protein, fat, and carbs. Awesome, I know. Speaking of protein, when I'm choosing what to eat, I try to make sure that my protein to carb ratio is good. Eating lots of protein helps me to not feel hungry all the time (well hungry for me).
Speaking of this app, I use it to plan each and every day in advance. Choosing your food at least one day ahead of time helps you to not over-eat. If you just add as you go, its easier to just eat and eat and eat without really thinking about. I enter in the food and stick to it. If I'm going to be out all day, I pack a lunchbox. I look like a kid going to school, but its worth it to not run into trouble. Stick to your plan!
The biggest tip I can possibly give you is to LEARN FOOD!!!!!!! I researched and researched food and the calories it contains. I know food's calories and portions like its my job. Just ask my mom, I probably drive her nuts with it. It may seem over-kill, but because of my knowledge of food, it is so easy for me when I run into spontaneous restaurant outings! Its easier for me to plan my days, its just easier. The counter app makes it easy to learn these things because you can just look something up and it just tells you!
I incorporate super foods/metabolism boosters into my daily foods as much as humanly possible:
Cocoa powder- use in coffee, smoothies
oatmeal
bluberries
spinach
egg beaters
yogurt
fruits
cinnamon, lots and lots of cinnamon
tomato
garlic
beans
apples
sweet potato
fish
cottage cheese
WATER! Drink lots of water!
Exercise: ugh.
Like I said, I used to lead a very sedentary lifestyle, so incorporating exercise into my life was quite a challenge. However, once I really dove in, it became much easier. I started out on a stationary bike (which I now avoid like the plague) and would "ride" for at least 30 minutes every day. While it did help jumpstart the whole process, I think I would rather eat my own foot than sit back down on that wooden excuse for bike seat. Anyway, as I kept going, I incorporated walking into my daily routine and eventually jogging. I added jogging very little at a time. I was carrying around quite a bit of extra weigth so it was not easy for me to do this. Once I got in the swing of it, however, I even started enjoying the jog. I know, right? Me? Yes. Me. I get a certain kind of high from jogging that can't be beat. Its the feeling of success, the feeling of kicking FatRachel's ass. I can't believe how lazy I used to be. Seriously. I've worked my way up to jogging one full mile without stopping. While that may not seem like much to some of you, it is a VERY big deal for me. I used to hate running with a fiery-burning passion (just ask anyone I used to march guard with at JSU...) Now, I actually get kinda disappointed when I don't get the chance..weird. Next step, adding more distance to the non-stop jog. I've been doing one full mile for about 2 weeks now, just making sure I can truly keep that up. So now I'll start adding distance to it!
Throughout the process, of course I've hit plateaus...While they do suck, it sure does feel good to get past them! I'm currently stuck on one right now, but I've made slight changes to try to get back to losing. I've had to change my caloric intake several times to accomodate what I'm doing. When I started jogging more and more, I had to add calories because of how much I was burning. Right now, I've had to take it down a bit to change things up and to kind of keep my body guessing. You have to learn how to trick it into losing..lol.
Of course I've had weak points. On vacation a few weeks ago, I went crazy (it was the first time I'd really let myself go like that..) and had to spend the next week and a half getting back down to where I was before we left....loved it while I was gone, hated it when I got back...Worth it? Maybe. haha. I do splurge from time to time. I'll have something sweet sometimes, usually some sort of healthy(ish) dessert I've adapted from pinterest...I'll have pizza or something, but I watch my portions. Always, always watch your portions! One way to avoid plateaus is to balance out your exercise to caloric intake. If your not going to exercise as much one day, don't eat as many calories. Simple as that. Another way is, of course, change up what you're doing! Add a different type of exercise, change what you're eating, change when you're eating, something! I've recently added in double the amount of crunches I was doing. I've been doing them all throughout this process to avoid flab, but only about 1-200 a day. Now I'm doing about 4-500 a day. I feel great after doing them and they burn calories as well! I also do some easy arm workouts. I only do this about 3 times a week. Trainers will tell you that for lean arms, go low and slow. Only do it a few times a week and work at a slow speed as to not get all Madonna-like...her arm muscles are gross...
I've recently added a lot of smoothies and shakes to my daily eating. They make me feel so light and energized! Most of the time, I freeze them, thaw them a little when I'm ready to eat it, and pig out! haha, It gives me the sensation of eating ice cream like a normal person. They're delicious, too! If you want some recipes, just ask!
I basically never eat fast food. Before going through that drive through, ask yourself this question: "Is this tiny little plain hamburger really worth giving up 250 calories for?" Yeah, you read that right. A plain hamburger from McDonald's and Burger King is 250 CALORIES!!!!! Ridiculous. Don't waste your calories on a tiny portion. Dumb. When I do eat fast food, I WILL find any wrap that may be on the menu. Always order light dressing or only eat about half of it. Dressing has a lot of calories...
Everything I've done has been trial and error. I've learned my body thoroughly. I know when to change things up, when to slow down, when to kick it up a notch. I've learned what I have to do to keep this up. If you change your lifestyle, you'll learn as well! It feels good knowing my body so well, like I've gotten to know myself on a whole new level!
I've never felt so good about myself and this new-found confidence has been worth the whole struggle! I know this was a really long post, and I'm not sorry. :)
More to come soon!
But first, a quick before and after. I wish I had one of my body before (I always cropped anything showing below my chest, basically..)but you can clearly see in my face that I was disgusting. Haha.
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