I mean the issue weighed very heavily on me, no pun intended...every picture I looked at I couldn't believe how I had missed it before (including wedding pictures!), I couldn't believe the food I had in the fridge, and the habits that had formed.
So I went to the one place that seems to have some answers these days...the internet. I started researching weight loss tips, products, exercise programs, etc.
The #1 weight loss tip that somehow opened my eyes was: "Make sure your output is more than your input". Making sure that the calories I was consuming was less than what I was burning through exercise. It suprised me, once I got started, how few people knew this one small trick to losing weight!
The #2 weight loss tip that kind of goes hand-in-hand with #1 was "Keep a food journal" Everything you eat is going to have an effect on your body, whether in a positive or negative way. At the beginning I was logging every little thing that entered my stomach...and wow, that really is the best way to make you stop and realize what is actually in the food you are eating AND that it is going into your body!!
You really can learn a lot about food by doing this. Some people just focus on the calories, but trust me there are other things you need to look out for too. How often do you look at a food's nutrition label? If you haven't in a while, I suggest you do it immediately the next time you shop!
My husband and I enjoy doing this...especially looking at sodium content...let me just say "YIKES!!!" The world of food seems to have turned into a salt factory! Let's begin by looking at what may seem as everyone's worst enemy...but alas there is hope for it yet: Fat.
-Low-Fat/Non-Fat: Yes, this sounds wonderful...and it sounds like an easy way out. "Well if it's low-fat or non-fat, it must be pretty darn good and the fat won't even be there in the first place. Hey I may not have to exercise after all!" Correction: Where there is low-fat/no-fat: there is usually high-carb which in turn may mean more sugar and there may also be a high Sodium content! That's right, to make up for the lack of taste in low-fat/non-fat foods, manufacturers will load up the sugar and salt. If you consume a lot of sugar/salt and just let it sit...guess what, it will form into fat. So what I suggest is to be smart when you are buying food & drinks, READ YOUR LABELS and COMPARE the low-fat/non-fat foods with the "norm" of the same product. EXAMPLE: YOGURT. I was on a huge yogurt kick, but noticed I was not losing weight and sometimes gained here or there. Well after looking at the back of my low-fat yogurt, sure I was only consuming 80 calories, but I also noticed that I was consuming over 42 grams of sugar from a 6oz cup...this is not good, I might as well have been eating ice cream for breakfast! So please be careful...read your labels!
Also, I believe people get hung up on the word "fat". When one hears the word "fat" one can just imagine the mental image of lard and tubs of shortening. But here's the thing...not all fat is bad, there is healthy fat...and trust me, your body NEEDS healthy fat! Now, don't start running for the cookies just yet...let's first take a look at Our Fat Family:
*Trans-Fat: This Fat is pretty much Saturated Fats even more evil sibling. Ever read the word hydrogenate on the back of your foods? When you see this word, put the food down and walk away!! Hydrogenate is the process of taking out oragnic (nutritional) compounds from food or liquids in order to achieve a longer shelf life. Through this process, trans-fatty acids are created and will be found in your food...especially commercially packaged foods: French fries from some fast food places, vegetable shortening, stick margarine, microwaved popcorn, peanut butter, low-fat/non-fat ice cream, bread, crackers, protein bars. Trans-Fat is a man-made fat and when it is consumed it may raise the LDL levels in your blood which may lead to deadly diseases.
*Unsaturated: *Sigh*, doesn't the word "unsaturated" just make you feel better!! And it should. This guy is one of our fat heros! Polyunsaturated fats include: Seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as oils made from corn, sunflower, and soy, nuts, leafy greens, whole grain wheat, bananas, etc. These super foods contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids (which our body has difficulty creating on its own!). These acids help ward off heart disease and is thought to help improve our memory...think of it as "brain food"! So be smart...swap some of that red meat for fish...eat a handful of almonds...use virgin and nut based oil dressings for your salads...use liquid vegetable oils made from corn, sunflower, olive, canola, or soybean when cooking!
Look for polyunsaturated and monounsaturated...but stay away from trans-unsaturated! It's for the same reason stated above...factories will take out the nutrition and organic substance from these foods to provide a longer shelf life
Please keep in mind that just because I'm saying there are good fats, does not mean we should binge on them : ) Like I said be smart, and just add some into your lifestyle!
So what did we learn from today's long winded blog?
*First and foremost, realize and admit there is something to be done about our weight gain. Admit a lack of self control, admit the bad habits, admit your downward spiral!!
*IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO TAKE ACTION TOWARDS A HEALTHY LIFE!! You deserve to be healthy & happy!! We all do, so don't short change your life...get up and get motivated.
*Find that motivation...find a mantra/phrase to repeat to yourself when your feeling down (we'll get into that later!), get a role model...and I don't mean one of those super skinny peeps in the magazines that look as though they are looking for care packages from Korea...Find a real woman who is healthy (there is a difference between skinny and healthy)!
*Start looking at your input/output ratio!!
*Begin a food journal!!!
*Be smart about fats...Fat can be your friend...just choose your friends wisely!!
NEXT: Keep track of EVERYTHING!!!!!
