…but you can’t have everything you want.

That has been my food mantra from the past several days. I’m trying to replace old habits with new habits and it’s hard. It’s hard because my old ones are so close. There are many days when I know that my habit to overeat is in a closet just a few steps away ready to be opened to rescue me from whatever uncomfortable situation I’m dealing with. Often that situation is telling myself “no” when so often I’ve said yes.

I know in the back of my mind that I can overeat whenever I want,  that option is always there.  I can throw in the towel and just eat more. When this happens my brain shuts off. There are few rational thoughts that happen when I transfer  food to my mouth. Often while the TV is on and I’m alone. These are habits that I’ve cultivated, rationalized, and made sense of in some way for many years. And now I’m left to immerse myself in other behaviors that are less self-destructive and bring me closer to my goals.

This is the hard part.

I’ve realized that action is not difficult for me. Counting calories isn’t the bear I’ve made it out to be. Making time for exercise everyday is possible, even enjoyable. But it’s often my head and my old habits that get in the way.

Right now, the lengths I have to go to prevent overeating may seem extreme to other people. So much so, that I don’t share. I don’t  starve myself, purge, or punish myself in any way, but I have to become someone I’m naturally not. Someone who plans.

My life  has become a game of chess. I know the next five to ten moves I’m going to make. I know what will trigger me and what I can handle. I can handle baking if I have a plan. Brush teeth, chew gum, clean bowl, put it away or in the freezer. I can handle having trigger foods in the house (which for me, is pretty much all food that is delicious) if I’ve had enough to eat, a plan, and positive actions throughout the day.

I know that if I don’t have a plan for my day, I overeat. I know that if my plan is to eat one cookie, and I eat two instead, I will eventually find myself full from and justifying my tenth cookie.

Interestingly enough my most productive days are easiest for me not to overeat. Overeating is not an isolated event. It’s my default when I don’t know what to do. When I feel lost, I eat. When I feel lost, I am sad. When I am sad, I eat. When I eat too much I become unproductive. When I become unproductive, I become sad and then I eat.

My days are filled, because making things happen distracts me. It gives me direction. It keeps my hands and my mind busy and happy.

There is a part of me that worries that I cannot sustain being so mapped out forever, and I don’t disagree. I’m using busy as a distraction for now. I have my still moments, writing this for example is stillness for me. Creating is stillness. My grand hope is that the more I create and cultivate these habits of not turning to food, the easier it will become. I will have created a new neurological pathway. I don’t need to coddle or protect myself as much as I think I do. I can be uncomfortable. Yes, I need to value and cherish myself. Take time for myself. Figure myself out. But, pushing myself to be better and healthier does not have to be unnatural or punishing. It’s okay for me to tell myself “no”. It’s okay to plan and give myself the best possible outcome everyday.

I’ve always believed, on some level, that not giving in to my every whim or desire was in some way self punishing. In some way against who I am. That I would lose myself if I tried to be different or tried to be better. But I’m realizing that the opposite is true. Who I am, at my core, cannot be found in destructive behaviors. I am not my depression. I am not too much food. I am not someone who doesn’t make things happen for herself.  I am not tomorrow, or next week, or next year. I am not procrastination. I am not my need to be comfortable.

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Thank you guys for the support on yesterday’s blog entry. After deciding to start a “no factory food week” and being introduced to Paleo, I thought it only made sense. Paleo is minimally processed (depending on what you choose to eat) and that is what appeals most to me. It isn’t “low carb” or meat heavy like the name shows it to be.

It’s not that I’m convinced scientifically that this way of eating is better because of our long ago ancestors, it appeals to me for it’s lack of crap. The thing that bothers me the most and something that I will have to deal with in the coming months is criticsm to trying something new. But here is what bothers me the most…

A sample day on Paleo (not unlike what today promises to be):

Breakfast: eggs and fruit

Lunch: some sort of mixed greens salad with roasted vegetables, olive oil and lemon dressing

Dinner: (we’re going to a cookout) grilled steak and vegetables, sweet potatoes

This is how I aim to eat no matter what I call my eating plan: counting calories, paleo, tomato, tomäto

Now if I announced I’M ON WEIGHT WATCHERS AGAIN, and decided to go the processed food route. No one would say anything.

Please help me to understand this mentality?

When I try something new that is different from what you do it’s not my way of saying, you’re doing it wrong. It has nothing to do with you. It’s my way I trying, again, to find something that I can do long-term to lose weight. How I lose weight has nothing to do with anyone else, but me. And when I’m successful, it won’t matter how I got there. When my blood test shows better numbers, when I’m less depressed, when I’m less foggy, when I don’t have to hide food or lie about food, when I’m not trying to stuff my feelings with food, when I can fit into an airplane seat without an extender or shop in any clothing store I like— that is what will matter the most. Not that I chose vegetables, meat and fruit. But, I can’t have all those precious things without making a real decision about how much and what I consume. A decision that is very hard for me to make when staring bread right in the eye when I know I can have it, but not too much. Maybe one day, but not today. I’ve known this for a very long time.

In my day to day life I noticed I was eating way too much processed foods. My sandwich thins, mayonnaise, pickles, meat that isn’t local, cereals, frozen meals, nutrition bars…I could go on. This doesn’t mean I won’t have organic-nitrate-free bacon or pure organic bars if I want it, but I want less ingredients in my life.

Just yesterday we switch our cat food to a more expensive brand. About a week ago I noticed one of our cats was (how shall I say) leaking. It was gross and smelly, so I took him to the vet. She told me that he needed more fiber in his diet. Fiber that he wasn’t getting from his very commercial (and cheap) cat food.

I looked at the ingredients of his new cat food and could pronounce every single ingredient: chicken, oats, sweet potatoes, kale…you get the picture. And then we went to compare it with his old cat food that was half the price and out of a paragraph of ingredients I could pronounce two: corn and soy. I was stunned. We decided it was cheaper in the long run to give them better food with less vet bills, so fancy cat food is where we went. This story is not unlike our own.

What is better for us? Not you. Not the guy down the street. But us. I struggle with my weight. I struggle with overeating. This is why I’m here. I’ve been here way too long to not be somewhere different. The food that consumes my thoughts the most are the same foods I shouldn’t be eating except on very rare occasions.

Allowing refined flours and sugars in my life doesn’t work for me. I want it to work, oh help me, if I could control myself around pizza, hamburgers (with the bun), cereals, bread and anything remotely sweet, I would have done it by now. I just can’t for longer than a few days. And then I’m consumed again.

I’ve been down a similar road before, yes, but this road is one with less meat, more vegetables, more fruits and more planning and creativity. This is not the time for sideways looks, questions, doubt… all I ask is this: if you don’t agree, keep it to yourself. Trust that I will find my way myself. Unsolicited advice does not look good on anyone, it says: you know better. you’re doing better. you make all the right decisions.

But do you know better for me?

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When you’re counting calories or being careful about nutrition, every bite counts including snacks between meals. Unfortunately it’s very easy for these grab-and-go nibbles to be unhealthy and unsatisfying. With a little planning and preparation you can come up with healthy snack recipes to fuel you and your family throughout the day. Sugary and starchy snacks will only give you a sugar rush, leaving you hungry an hour later. Healthy snack recipes, on the other hand, include “real food” that’s more satisfying and nutritious.

Plan Ahead

Healthy, well-balanced meals require planning, and snacks are no different. Potato chips and chocolate bars are convenient but they have no place in a healthy snack, except perhaps as an occasional treat. Stock your fridge with ingredients for quick and healthy snacks. Once a week, prepare healthy snack recipes and store them in attractive containers in the fridge or have them conveniently close to your keyboard. Whenever you feel like munching on something, there will always be a nutritious and delicious snack that you can get your hands on.
Healthy Snack Ingredients

Healthy snack recipes are easier to make if you stock up on healthy ingredients. Make sure you always have fresh fruits around the house. In addition to fruits, here are some favorite snacks to have on hand: nuts and seeds, carrots, celery, tomatoes, yogurt, whole wheat crackers, granola, muesli, hummus, dried fruit, and beef jerky.

Strike a Balance

A healthy snack is as important as a full meal. Try to include some protein, carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables in your snack. A healthy snack is also a great opportunity to encourage your kids to eat nutritious foods. Set a good example. Munch on sliced apples with peanut butter, carrot and celery sticks, or a banana and it won’t be long before your kids will be eating healthier snacks too.

Healthy Snack Recipes: Quick and Simple

Kids (and grownups) love dips. A bag of carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers will disappear like magic if you have a bowl of delicious dip to go with them. Try the low-fat Cottage Cheese Dip recipe below for a healthy snack:
? 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

? 1 tablespoon dried dill

? 1 teaspoon garlic salt

? 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

? 1/3 cup low-fat ranch salad dressing

Blend together all ingredients until smooth. Serve with celery and carrot sticks or whole wheat crackers.

Want a healthy snack recipe that’s really easy? Make a simple trail mix by combining equal amounts of raisins, nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, etc.), dried fruits, and toasted sunflower seeds. Store the trail mix in a large plastic container. For variety, you can toss in some chocolate chips or dried banana chips.

This poem by Mother Teresa has been on my mind lately…

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

I read this a few weeks ago and thought it was profound. It’s not directly related to weight loss, but I think we all worry too much about what other people think. We know people who will dissect every word and every action- do them anyway. I love that. Do it anyway. Take care of yourself regardless of what anyone may think. Find your own path.

Yesterday was another good day of food and exercise. I feel good that I’m building a little army of good days behind me. They will stand behind me on the days when I want to eat my weight in pizza. I will say that I’m glad I started this post PMS. It’s not a particularly unstressful time either, it’s just less of a struggle.

I realized this week that the hardest thing about eating less and counting calories is me. I had to get over my stubbornness, my unwillingness to admit that I needed to do this to lose weight. I had to arrive, yet again, to this conclusion on my own.

I’m eating anywhere from 1,200-1,700 calories a day and I’m not hungry- I thought I would be. I’m not deprived. I’m not unsatisfied. I’m not just eating salads and carrots-I’m eating what I truly want to eat. I’m full on less. And I think it’s important for me to remember this. That I can get by on less and I’ll be better for it.

Last night I really wanted to eat out. Even after having lunch out with a friend. I tried to use the excuse of chicken still being frozen. I kept going back and forth mentally and I knew, deep down, that if I ate out again I would go over my calories for the day. It’s so much easier to eat more quality food at home with less calories. When I’m in a restaurant I often find it too hard to stop eating the giant portions put in front of me.

And now on to yesterday’s food:

Quiche again. I ate about half of what you see here. And 6 oz. or so of orange juice. 363 Calories

Lamb burger from Natasha’s here in Floyd. So good! It felt pretty light to me, and was of course, very flavorful. I ate all of the burger and about half of the crisps. 650 calories

Chicken on mixed greens with cucumber, feta, bacon and vinaigrette dressing. About 400 calories.

Not pictured:

1 serving cashews- 160 calories

Glucosamine chews- 70 calories

Total calories: 1,643

Exercise: 45 minutes of Insanity Workout (400-500 calories)

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I’m slowly getting back in the groove of counting calories and I have to say that showcasing what I eat here is challenging me to make better decisions. You guys have been known to keep me on my toes with comments, so for the “eat more vegetables” reminders, I find myself throwing a salad on my plate where I otherwise would have went without.

I’m also drinking a lot of water. I find that I just don’t drink enough through the day and while water, juice and milk are the only beverages I consume on a regular basis, I’m just not drinking enough. I’ve got water bottles filled and in the refrigerator for easy access.

I’ve been thinking today about what my story will be at the end of this year. What I want it to be. Come January first I want to reflect on 2011 and be proud of the first three months of consistent exercise. That I stuck with it even when the scale was slow to move. How I believed in myself despite people asking “are you sticking with your exercise?” assuming I had stopped. A valid question giving my past history. I will talk about how in April I started to take my eating seriously with calorie counting, and how the hard part was doing it even on days when I really didn’t want to.

I will talk about how the scale started to move and I was seeing my weight go down each week. Every month my clothes were getting looser. By early Fall I had to buy new pants and by winter I was down two sizes. My face is slimmer and people are noticing. They will wonder how I did it- there won’t be a gimmick, no pills, not diet fad of the week and no restrictive plans. Just me believing in myself.

I will talk about how I feared not losing the weight- would I not lose weight even if I tried? I believed in myself and tried anyway. I will talk about how I learned to eat in moderation. How I found other ways to fill myself up.

I don’t know what my weight will be come January 2012, but I truly believe it will be significantly lower than it is today. On top of that I will feel the joys of being able to move a little easier and feel much more comfortable in my body.

What will your story be?

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I’ve written this sort of post before, but I just haven’t had a lot to say this week. So I’m posting to say that I’ve been exercising every day as well as counting calories (staying around 1,600 a day) and things are going well.

I’m in a groove. My food posts wouldn’t be very interesting because I’m eating the same meals over and over again right now. It’s just comforting to eat 1/2 c meusli with 1/2 C of milk and know that it will be good and keep me full for hours with only 255 calories.

For lunch, I am eating a hot sandwich using my panini press. Usually chicken and muenster on whole wheat. Maybe a side of spinach or carrots.

And for dinner you will find us eating rice with either a lentil/onion indian dish or thai red or green curry with shrimp or chicken and vegetables. Coconut milk and basmati rice are in regular rotation around here.

After my workout, I break out the food processor for a frozen fruit smoothie. One banana, one cup strawberries, one cup blue berries, juice of one tangerine and one cup milk. If I have it I’ll add mango, or vanilla almond milk.

Sometimes it varies, but right now, this is good, healthful, comforting food for me. It’s predictable. Something I usually hate. I love variety and I’m sure next week I’ll switch to eating something else every single day. But this week, I know what I’m probably going to eat. And I know that I am most definitely going to exercise and push myself.

I feel good. I feel a vibration of health running through me. I don’t even know what that means, but I was at the grocery story last week, several hours after yoga and I just felt whole and balanced. Standing there in the aisle, I unexpectedly felt whole. Things are happening, and I feel like I’m on my path.

I realized in an almost alarming way that I am content right now. Not settled, not stunted or too comfortable, but content. I don’t want for anything at the moment. I don’t feel a push to be more than who I am being right now. I know it’s because of exercise and eating well. I know it’s because I have 10 bags of stuff to donate to goodwill today. I know it’s because I’ve hit a balance that I am pleased with.

I feel good.

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Let me guess… You’ve tried every diet under the sun; You’ve lost weight and put it all back on; The more you diet, the more you crave food; You have almost given up hope of being and staying slim. Do you want some good news? It’s not your fault. You are not greedy or weak-willed. You’ve just been given totally the wrong advice. This is the first book to explain why traditional diets are the cause of the current obesity epidemic, not the cure. It shows that eating less leads to three extremely common physical conditions, which cause overeating. This book can change your life. The Harcombe Diet will help you lose weight & keep it off. There is absolutely nothing to count and you can have unlimited quant…
Buy Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight: The Harcombe Diet at Amazon

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I have to say that fat loss for idiots is the best thing that happened to the dieting and losing weight world. I have had weight problems over the years and they only got worse when I turned thirty, The logical thing, to me, was to try the most hyped diet plans on TV. Some of them worked to begin with only to stop at one point. I kept looking until I stumbled upon this diet plan. If you are serious about losing weight fast and safely continue reading if not sit back and have another slice of pizza.

You are wondering, just how effective is this fat loss for Idiots? From all the disappointments I’ve had from previous diet programs, it’s only natural to get skeptic about diet programs. But truth be told, I lost about 4 pounds in my first cycle (11 days). This may not seem like much but great things start with small beginnings and the best part is I never went hungry implementing this diet.

This diet plan helps you lose weight and burn fat fast my employing a dieting strategy called calorie shifting. You will have a better understanding of lean proteins, fruits, and veggies in your diet. The fat loss 4 idiot’s diet plan consists of 4 healthy meals that need to be eaten at least two and a half hours apart. No counting calories (thank God).

Life in the 21st century is less physically demanding for most people, unless you are a caveman or a professional athlete. We live and work in air conditioned environments. Life is easy and food plentiful. Unfortunately in this era of processed and fast food we consume too many empty calories that do not match our physical activities and our bodies are forced to store these extra calories as fat.

fat loss for idiots Calorie shifting strategy is a perfect remedy to this 21st century problem. So what is calorie shifting? Calorie Shifting is a way to induce a continued high metabolic rate by alternating the order you consume your designated four meals, thanks to the meal generator offered by fat loss for idiots. Most people think that going on a diet is actually cutting back on calories. When a person goes on a diet that reduces the intake of calories, the body’s metabolism slows down therefore storing more fat because the body thinks you are starving . Most people give up at this stage because they can not understand why they are gaining weight while on a diet. By shifting your calories and maintaining your calorie intake to normal you basically solve this problem. This cranks up your metabolism therefore allowing rapid weight loss. If you sustain this for a couple of weeks you will see amazing results.

fat loss for idiot is called so because it is so easy to follow. You follow the program for eleven days after that, there is a 3 day cheat period where you can cheat a little and then repeat the 11 day plan again. fat loss for idiots is that easy. You also get an informative hand book so you’ll learn the basics of how and what not to eat, and the important aspect of setting your weight loss goals in order to remain motivated.

You will get the best results if you combine good eating habits with an exercise regimen. fat loss 4 idiots recommends that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Though not a requirement it almost guarantees good results. For those who live in cold areas try taking a walk at the local mall.

I truly hope that this has helped you understand what fat loss for idiots can do for you. My goal was to show you how simple this diet plan is. Remember adjusting your lifestyle will ultimately help you live a longer and healthier life. Break the vicious cycle and let weight loss be one of the lesser problems you have to deal with so that you can take care of other important matters.

There are many products on the market today that promise this and guarantee that!  How do you know what will work? How do you know what to choose? This is a universal problem. What I turned to after losing maybe 5 pounds and then gained it back depending on what day it was, I swear to God I would not buy another fat loss pill. I have stayed true to my promise and went in another avenue to address my weight problem. Oh, where did I go you want to know?  fat loss 4 idiots a sure cure because it is natural, it does not involve taking a pill an hour before you eat several times a day. It is not a powdered drink that needs to be mixed at different intervals in a 12 hour period. It is not synthetic with numerous side effects.

Do you think diets work? The fact is you cannot lose weight by counting calories, low carb or low fat intake. Also, the human body cannot be starved to death, all it does is go into survival mode because it needs to retain nourishment for the future. The other fact to starving yourself everything that passes your mouth down to your stomach will turn into fat. Another option is diet organizations that claim to help you lose weight for XXX amount of dollars. How do I know this? Been There! Done That Too!  I openly admit I have probably tried most of the weight loss fads and did not experience any desired results until I discovered the secrete behind losing those nasty inches and literally watched the pounds being shed and they stayed off.

This weight plan is about fixing your diet not starving yourself naturally. You eat small portions several times a day for 11 days  then you take one day and eat anything you want. ( I love that day) This is to fool your body that you are not dieting. Then you are ready to start anaother 11 days on this affordable diet not spending hundreds of dollars on auto shipment for diet pills, or food delivered to your door from a diet organization. I don’t know about you, but my wallet was exhausted from auto shipments!

The mystery is taken out of what foods to eat; it is all set up with instructions. Every 11 days you log into your members account and choose another set of foods and you are on your way again. How easy is that? This weight loss plan is not only easy to follow, it teaches you exactly what to eat to lose weight/fat in the shortest amount of time and acturally keep it off. I know this works. I am now at my desired weight and keeping it off. . . . . It is Heart Healthy to keep your weight gain at a minimum and also health wise because of other issues it can cause.

To Your Health!

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Undoubtedly, the fat loss 4 idiots is a diet plans flourishing in the world that anyone can follow and enjoy and can see the benefits at the same time almost immediately. This is not really difficult to understand why this plan has worked flawlessly for all. Several factors why the fat loss 4 idiots is so successful because of its simple design making it easy to follow.
  Counting calories or carbohydrate content in foods will not be a problem for the dieter because this task is performed by special software called menu generator, there is no huge amount of money to be consumed for the maintenance of food and no need to sign up for memberships.
  The generator fat loss 4 idiots menu "and 11 days of rotation are but a few reasons why this plan works to perfection leaving anyone to lose more weight in just a matter of days. Like any other type of diet, fat loss 4 idiots will require you to make an effort and motivation on the part of the diet for that company to become more efficient. The menu generator allows you to have your list of favorite foods and this software will automatically complete menus 11. 4 meals a day are included on this list, you are expected to follow if you want to get the body you want really fast.
  One of the reasons why the remarkable fat loss 4 idiots is a crowd favorite because it gives the diet three days grace or also known as cheat days during which they can eat anything that they want until they were taken in moderation. After these three days, you can return to the usual diet of rotation 11 days. The reality is that food will not only be the case; exercise will make a huge difference as well. At 30 minutes of brisk walking several times a week is not only proved beneficial to your body but in mind and it also helps reduce the level of stress you encounter every day.
  The combination of these two factors – fat loss 4 idiots and exercise is an excellent tool to achieve the result you want. fat loss 4 Idiots is composed of a bit of everything, basically a compilation of delicious and wholesome foods that make such harmful loss program weight.
  fat loss 4 idiots work because it teaches you how to use your metabolism for maximum eating the right foods at the time of the day and turning the food you want to eat. This technique helps keep your metabolism from getting used to a simple routine. His special software – menu generator – helps you make a list of delicious dishes of your choice you consume throughout the day.
  Paste it was not a difficult job to do because you'll never be hungry at all when you are on this diet since this allows you to eat your favorite foods until you feel your stomach is full. Following the treatment of food will not prevent you from having nutrition is necessary for your body to function normally and be in constant state of perfection.

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