" Workin It Out " Diary Entry 6

Hello all!! Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted a Diary Entry, but it's been very hectic around my neck of the woods. Work, holidays, xmas shopping, and all that other adult stuff that can consume your life!!!lol

But I did want to give an update to all those who may be following my work out diary entries because they are wanting to lose weight themselves or for those who just want to see if I fail or not??? ( HI HATERS!!! Yea I kno yall there!!) But as of my last post I was only 4 pounds away from my 10 pound goal.

Well I have checked in and as of today I didn't hit the 4 pound goal.....because I lost 6 pounds instead!!!!lol I have lost a total of 12 pounds so far!!! Now if you have been following my blog, my goal by Jan 1, 2009 was 15 to 20 pounds. Right now I think I really may surpass that 15 mark for sure, but I may even pass the 20 pound mark!!

I must say I am very proud of myself and very happy that even though its been a lot of days where I had to go at it alone, because my cuzzo couldn't make it, I've really put in the work by myself as well as with my trainer. She is very inspirational and she really stays on my butt!! I needed to have someone like her to be my trainer because she works me sooo much that it makes me work myself even harder.

At first everyone was very skeptical about me starting such a diet and workout plan right before all the major holidays, but I've always been the type of person who does the opposite and go against the grain!!lol I just thought to myself, " If I can make through the holidays with this regimen, then I can make it in life with it as well."

Here are also a few tips that were passes along the way to me via emails, Doctors that I work with, and other people who have fought or is fighting the battle of losing weight as well:

1. Never crash diet to lose weight
When you lose weight rapidly your body is typically only losing glycogen (carbohydrate) and water weight, not fat. Your body thinks that it's starving and reduces its metabolic rate, which makes it harder for your body to burn each calorie (they burn at a slower pace than they normally would). Then when you start eating normally again, your body stores as much food as it can into your fat cells in case of another “famine.”

2. Best weight loss plan: substitute foods instead of eliminating them
Although many people feel that “diet” or “reduced fat” foods are not as good as the original, it can be a big help to buy less fatty snack foods. Try out different reduced fat brands and items and who knows, you may find something that you like even better than the original. The key is making sustainable changes - if you can't live without tortilla chips, trying to eliminate them entirely from your diet won't work. Making the change to a lower-calorie reduced fat tortilla chip can make a noticeable change in total calories consumed over time.

3. What drinks for losing weight
Cutting soda out of your diet completely can save the average person 360 calories or more each day. Even diet soda, fruit juices, and whole milk can add unnecessary calories to your daily intake. Instead, drink lots of water and switch from whole to skim or even soy milk; the little things can make a big difference.

4. Weight loss = healthy diet and moving around
Getting up, moving around, and exercising will reduce the amount of food that you will need to cut back on. There are obviously many opportunities to be athletic and active (i.e. sports teams, the gym, going for a jog, etc.) if that interests you, but these aren't the only ways to increase your activity level. You can walk to school, bike to work, walk up and down the stairs a few times before you take a shower, take an extra lap or two around the grocery store.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30-45 minutes of moderate aerobic performed 3-5 times per week in their Guidelines for Healthy Aerobic Activity, but if all you can do is walk around the block twice before you go to bed, that's a good start. Anything is better than nothing, and it's harder to be eating while you're moving around, so it may result in you eating slightly less as well as burning more calories.

The best thing about aerobic exercise is that the benefits are cumulative - you essentially gain the same health benefits from taking three ten-minute walks throughout the day as you do from taking one 30 minute walk. With this in mind, it can be much easier to break your activity goal into manageable pieces that will fit into your day.

5. Gradual changes are best for losing weight
Gradually ease into your diet if possible. Many diet programs allow you to do this. Remember that small changes are easier to stick with than drastic ones. Start by always leaving a little extra on your plate, or drinking water instead of soda. Smaller changes are also more likely to remain with you when the duration of your diet is complete. Aim for behavior-change goals that you know you will be able to maintain over years, not just weeks.



6. Don't overeat
If you're full, or even simply satisfied, stop eating. There's no need to eat until your stomach feels like it's going to explode. Also, keep in mind that it takes a while for the nutrients in your food to enter your bloodstream, and circulate to the nerve centers in your brain that regulate appetite. Eating slowly is helpful in this regard--you give your body a chance to recognize that you've had enough to eat.



7. Try not to banish certain foods when dieting
Don't tell yourself that you can NEVER have something again because you will immediately crave it. People need to eat fats to be healthy as well, just make sure that you're eating them in moderation, and maybe try to balance out a fatty food you ate earlier in the day by choosing celery sticks over chips for your snack. Try to get yourself to think, “I know I CAN have it, but should I have it?”

8. Successful weight loss: be in it for the long term
Crash diets and unsustainable exercise routines will not keep you at your desired weight for the long term. You need to focus on realistic, achievable goals - behavior modification that you can live with for years, instead of just weeks. For an example, let's say that a hypothetical person is ten pounds overweight, but at perfect energy balance - they eat exactly as many calories as they burn every day, so their weight remains constant. If that person sacrifices one small snack that they have every day, let's say a handful of chips equaling 100 calories, over the course of a year that person will lose over ten pounds! A pound of fat on your body represents 3500 stored calories. 100 calories X 365 days in a year = 36,500 calories, or over ten pounds of fat. Small changes can make a big difference in your health.


And for those who have a good start going and then began to plateau and stop losing the weight? Here are a few tips for you as well.

Remember: when dieting plateaus, numbers matter
Fatiguing dieters often get complacent about numbers. If the number on the scale hasn’t moved in awhile, think back to what worked with your initial weight loss:

Record your daily meals. Sometimes seeing your food intake on paper can help you identify problem areas.
Don’t be afraid of the scale. When you weigh yourself frequently you are sure to notice when your weight is slowly creeping up back up.

Talk to a specialist. In some cases, the best way to get your diet plan straight is to talk to a dietitian who can help you with charting calorie levels and meals. Remember: Your nutrition needs change as your weight changes.

Re-evaluate and redistribute your calories and eating patterns
A plateau can be maddening, especially if you feel like you are already depriving yourself of food. Don’t starve your way to that additional weight loss. Instead, reevaluate how you disperse your calories throughout the day:

Eat something every three to four hours. Distribute your calorie allotment over five or six small daily meals; it’s good for your metabolism and your piece of mind!

Keep your meals balanced. Try to eat a small amount of fat, protein and carbohydrate in each meal or snack; balanced meals ensure you avoid rebound hunger.

Add lots of fiber to your diet. Include at least 5 grams of fiber at each snack or meal. This way, you’ll easily get your 25 grams of fiber per day (which is recommended for women), and you’ll actually feel fuller for longer.

Jump-start your workout to kick-start that dieting plateau
There are only so many ways to limit your food intake. But you can always alter your energy output levels by revamping your workout. Increase these aspects of your workout:

Frequency. Exercise on more days per week than you do now.

Intensity. Add miles or extra steps per hour to your cardio machine.

Duration. Add extra time—like 10-20 minutes—onto your daily run or walk.
Plateau? Revisit your weight loss goals

When you hit a plateau, go back to the basics. Don’t forget: How much you eat and how much you exercise ultimately determines how much you weigh. Analyze small components of your routine and look for areas to improve:

Have your portion sizes crept up because you stopped measuring your starchy food serving sizes?

Are you grazing on candy at work because you don’t have any fresh fruits or vegetables at your desk?

Do you regularly skip an opportunity to walk instead of drive or take the bus?

Are you prioritizing new areas of your life ahead of your workout?

Are you rewarding small victories with food when there are better alternatives?

Write down three small, manageable goals for this week that may help you get back on track . By developing ways to improve small parts of your diet and exercise routine, you will indirectly improve the entirety of your lifestyle.


Get back on track!

Reevaluating your actual needs, redistributing your caloric intake and revamping your workout are all ways to target individual parts of your weight loss journey. Finding a number of small areas for improvement is often more important than looking for one big impediment to continued weight loss.

And regardless of those last few pounds or a scale that seems to be stuck, don’t forget to congratulate yourself on how far you have already come. A positive attitude can sometimes be the greatest motivator for ultimate success.

I hope this helps someone out there and inspires them to go for their goal like I did mine! It's very hard I'm not even gonna lie. There are times when I don't wanna go workout or I just want to pig out with the girls at work, but I think about all the hard work I put into losing the weight and it makes me not want to turn back! The best advice I can give to those who are trying to loose the weight its do it the healthy way. All the quick fixes like the 3 day diets or diet pills are not the answer. I mean yea they may be a good jump start, but once you stop them all the weight you lost comes back plus more!!!!

If this is something you really want to do then go for it, if you need support then find family members, friends, co-workers, who ever may be in the same mind frame as you and do it together. Heck if ya need some encouragement drop me and line!!! Our generation is one of the most unhealthiest in a long time and we need to get ourselves together so that we can get our children ready to be the next healthy generation. Shoot some people may not even be here if they don't start getting their health in order. I know that may be harsh to say, but in all honesty its the truth.

My main goal wasn't just to look good by loosing weight. It was too feel good and to be healthy so that when I do have kids and hopefully grand kids I would still be around to play with them. To run up and down a court practicing basketball with my son or daughter. To be able to toss a football or a baseball to my grandchildren. Hell to be able to keep up with my future husband because I know he will be a sports freak and very competitive!!!lolol

If you want then go get it!! But you have to be willing to work hard, let go, and be willing to do whatever it takes to get the way you want to be!! Hugs & Kisses!!!