Yesterday I blogged about question you ask about the supplements and products I use on a daily basis. The other questions was about my diet and exercise. Shedding that weight is not just about exercise. If all you had to do to lose weight was go to the gym I would be thin as a rail. Weight loss is also about your eating and the habits of that eating. I have had to find out the hard way that finding a balance of the two is harder than you think. There is no book, chart or video you can watch to tell you just what your balance is you have to find that on your own. Just when you find it surprise your body decides to plato and you gotta find it again. The is great information out there on what to eat that has value and foods that will help your body but it’s up to you to find your balance.
My Diet is the big question here and its was a big mess when I started this journey. What I thought was healthy eating and what really was weren’t even close at all. I sucked at planing out what to eat, eating away from home and really all of my eating habits were broken. I use the word broken because trust me they were broken. When I wanted to diet I would eat salads. WRONG! The salad wasn’t wrong what my salad was made of was wrong. I would pile it high with iceberg lettuce, meat of my choice, LOTS of cheese, more cheese, egg, bacon, avocado, olives and then smoother it all with ranch dressing. When I started trying to learn about food and how to eat the right way I made a pretend salad. I was so shocked my normal salad had…….wait for it…….875 calories! Shocking I know but as I said my knowledge of food and its value was a broken tool. I have learned so much at this point about food. I have learned to look for value instead of just taste. Did you know that iceberg lettuce has no value other that it is made up of mostly water. I use spinach instead of iceberg. It’s has so many good vitamins and it fills you up more than iceberg. It’s small changes in your diet that can take you from bad eating, to good eating and shedding those pounds. Most people ask me what I eat but it is easier for me to tell you what I don’t eat and haven’t since October of 2012.
What I DO NOT eat:
NEVER EAT!!
- rice, bread or pasta of any kind
- any type of soda or drink that has fizz
- coffee, tea or juices
- dairy
EAT RARELY
- pre packaged foods
- processed foods
I try very hard to eat clean. My opinion about clean is fresh as possible. Sometimes I have to eat veggies that are frozen or in a can but that is very rare and I need to if I’m in a hurry. I truly do not eat the foods on my never eat list. I just find it easier to not eat them instead of trying to control eating them. That never comes out good for me I’m a weak person when it comes to those foods. I only drink water nothing else. Most people don’t believe me when I say that but I really do not ever drink coffee. I was never a coffee drinking, but I did drink loads of tea. As for dairy I stopped eating dairy this past January when a NP told me that my inflammation could be caused by all the dairy I was eating. She was spot on and I do not hurt any more. Before, I would get up in the mornings and could hardly walk to my bathroom. My joints were in such pain that I could hardly move. I don’t have this problem anymore. I didn’t start out doing it all right for my body it’s something that has evolved over the past 3 1/2 years. I’ve learned tricks like when you want chips for the crunch and salt eat dill pickles slices. Have very small bowls to put your snacks in so you don’t over eat holding the bag or box. Find substitutes for food cravings. I sometimes want a snack that has chocolate so instead of going for the M&M’s I eat half of a Kind Bar. It’s full of nuts and fruit with chocolate layer on the bottom. That does the trick every time. We still have a form of pasta around our house but in the form of zucchini. I bought one of the spiral cutters for the zucchini and it works great. It is a different texture and you know it’s not real pasta but it’s really good and we enjoy it. There is always a healthy choice that will give you the same effect as the food that is bad and unhealthy. You just have to search out what will take its place on your menu. If you have a bad eating day and trust me I have had many with more to come I’m sure don’t beat yourself up. The next meal is a start over and you can try again. So my meals consist of meat, veggies, fruit and healthy snacks but in low volume. I do eat chips when at a mexican cafe, I love guacamole and eat it often. I do have a cup cake ever so often because life without cup cakes in it would be sad. I only eat a 1/2 because that’s all my tummy will hold. I like chocolate in the winter and I love love love a good cracker with chicken salad. You can have those few things that make you happy just don’t go over board with eating them. Food is a good thing it’s not the enemy.
Exercise, we all hate that word at some point in our lives. Most never like it and never do it. There is all kinds of information out there about exercise and you need to talk to your doctor before you start something other than walking. I’m an over the top person and I take things to the extreme and exercise in my life is no different. I work out at 24 Hour Fitness Monday-Friday. I workout with a group of friends that call themselves the 5am club. I’m pretty sure skinnymeg.com came up with that name. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and most Thursdays I go back to the gym at night to take a few of the classes offered and taught by Leann. I’m working my way back to being able to take all the classes I did before I left for surgery. I lift weights, work the machines, take cycle, body pump, body attack and zumba fit. By Friday I’m so busted tired I can hardly stand up. For me its a great feeling when I work out. I have such a family at my gym all sisters that I love and I feel so loved by them. If you don’t work out and you want to find a gym. Take a class watch who is there often, talked to them and build a friendship. There is nothing better walking into class and so many hello’s come your way it makes you wanna be there.
Well that is me in a nut shell, my new way of life. If you have any question about what was in the blog the past 2 days let me know. I’m not a doctor just a person that needed to figure out what works for me in my life. Every path to a healthier life is different don’t give up and if it’s not working for you turn down another path. You’ll find your way and be healthier for it. Have a Blue Happy Thursday and remember tomorrows blog is very special.
