Week 24 Progress

One of the best things for me about having this blog, is when I hear positive results from people.  This week I got a letter from a guy who read my story and it inspired him to start eating healthy and he's lost 20 pounds in the past 2 months.  I think that's awesome and that is the reason why I have this blog and do my videos.  Your success stories inspire me.  So keep up the good work and let me know about your progress.

If you haven't seen my video's, please check out the link at the top of the page. 

Keep coming back and checking in each week with your progress.  You can do it.  Staying on track is sometimes hard work, but nothing in life is easy and you have to reach down inside yourself to find what motivates you and what you need to do to keep going.

See you next week!

Week 23 Progress

I am often asked how do you keep on your diet new eating for life and fitness track?  In 2 words - it's hard!  Yes, I admit it, some days I get tired of eating eggs and chicken and oatmeal.  Apples get boring and carrots get blah, and some days I dream about pizza or my mom's chocolate fudge cake. 

Part of my secret is discipline.  I have an end goal in mind and that is to be healthy and fit.  I pick my goal instead of picking chocolate cake.  Most of the time.  And that's the other secret - moderation.  If mom makes her cake, then I will have a small piece - just enough to satisfy my craving and then I steer clear of it.  I may also do an extra mile on the treadmill as well.  Let's face it - you cannot totally give up the things you love to eat, but you can learn to eat them in moderation.  Keep the big goal in mind and moderation will be easier to maintain.

See you next week!

Week 22 Progress

Summer is about to begin and fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance.  Are you eating several varieties of fruits and vegetable's each day?  What are some of your favorites?  I eat a great deal of both with almost every meal. 

Try to switch it up so you don't get bored.  Now is the time to try new varieties as well.  If you generally don't like fruit or vegetables, find ways to add them to your diet.  Try juicing them for a fresh and nutritious drink.  Add lots of fresh fruit to your smoothies every day.  Cut fruit up onto your cereal or oatmeal in the morning.  Add shredded carrots or zucchini to muffins or pancakes.  Add raisins and orange slices to your salad.  You get the idea.  Make a conscious effort to add one fruit or vegetable to each and every meal.  You'll be glad you did.

How is everyone's progress going?

Week 21 Progress

This week when I was at the gym I happened to run into 2 guys I went to high school with who knew me when I was overweight.  One of the guys was a casual friend and the other one I didn't know very well and he had a tendency to make fun of me.  Anyway, both of them made a point to come up to me at the gym and tell me how awesome I now looked.  I have to tell you - it made me feel good.  And not because I need anyone to validate me or compliment me, but because it's great that people notice and take the time to tell me what I did made a difference. 

So if you have a day where you don't feel like working out, or going to the gym, or running, or staying on your diet, think about how great you will feel when somebody notices a difference in how you look and gives you a compliment on it.

How is everyone doing this week?

Happy Memorial Day and take the time to remember those who have fought for our country.

Week 20 Progress

Last week I was asked about how to handle food cravings.  That's an interesting question.  There are lots of different ways to approach this.  Because let's admit it, we all crave something from time to time, be it chips, candy, a cheeseburger, cake, whatever.  How you handle and control your cravings will have a lot to do with how you tip the scales at the end of the week.

I totally understand lack of control, because I sometimes suffer from this myself.  I often have a difficult time moderating portions, which is part of the reason I gained so much weight in the first place.  Instead of eating a handful of chips, I'd devour the entire bag.  Instead of drinking one can of pop, I'd have 6.  You get the idea. 

My approach, the one that works for me, is to abstain from non healthy foods the majority of the time.  Once a week I allow myself a can or 2 of diet pop.  The diet pop satisfies my craving for a soda, and the diet pop is a lower calorie alternative than a regular pop. 

So here are some different approaches you can try.

• Limit your cheat food to one day a week
• Substitute a healthy alternative whenever possible.  For example, instead of ice cream, have sherbet.  Instead of regular soda, have diet.
• Don't buy a large bag of chips.  Buy the smallest bag possible.  The same goes for candy.  Instead of the large bag, get a tiny bag.
• Don't keep your danger foods in the house.  That makes it more difficult to grab them on the run.
• Sometimes it helps to drink a glass of water first and then see if you still have the craving.
• If you totally eliminate your favorite foods from your diet, you will probably end up craving them at some point.  So if you can exercise control, allow yourself to occasionally have a small portion of your favorite food.  Then applaud yourself for controlling the portion that you had.

So, what are some of your suggestions for handling food cravings?

Week 19 Progress

Reaching your goals should give you a morale boost as well as spur you on to continue with what you're doing.  The best way to do that and not fall off your plan, is to set small goals for yourself.  For example, instead of thinking - Hey, I want to lose 50 pounds this year, set a goal to lose 4 pounds for the month.  At the end of the month you can evaluate yourself and see how you did.  If you lost that 4 pounds, imagine how good it will make you feel?  And if you didn't, well, it's a good time to think about what you were doing wrong and give it another shot the next month.

Another problem that many people seem to have is that they go to the gym all geared up to do 100 reps of everything and end up hurting themselves in the process or being so sore the next day that they can't move.  Start out small.  Use light weights and do maybe three sets of 8 - 10 repetitions each.   Maybe work your legs one day, your arms one day, you stomach one day.  Mix it up a little.  The worst thing you can do is to over do it.

How did everyone do this week?  If you reached one of your goals, let me know what it was.

Week 18 Progress

This weeks weigh in was one day late in order to accommodate a book review that I think will interest many of you.  If you missed my mom's review on Vegetarian Everyday, I suggest you go back and read about it here.

I am often asked how I eat, or what I eat, or how I changed my diet.  At the top of the page under the Quick Links Tab you will find links to a few of my posts on the subject of food.  One of the things that I really liked about Vegetarian Everyday is that not only is it a good cookbook, but it's an excellent book to use as a reference on how and what to eat.  I bet many of you didn't know that you could eat great meals without meat, sugar or flour.  But the best part is that you do not have to become a vegetarian to eat healthy.  Read the book and find out how to put together meals from whole foods.  Then use that knowledge to make side dishes to a meal that includes lean meat, chicken or fish.  Instead of eating a hunk of chocolate cake, learn how to make guilt free desserts.  Have you ever thought about starting your day with a nutritious juice?  Learn how with this book.

I'm not receiving any compensation for suggesting this book to you.  I am only passing on the information because many people want to eat healthy but don't know where to start.  This book can help you learn.

So, how is everyone's progress going this week?