Weight loss Challenge

[Amy :-)]

Hopefully you surprise yourself CGL

[obbie]

well done if your still on this challenge.

to keep it off, go slow, and smaller weight loss each week.
Its about a new lifestyle, not a diet..

Good luck to all.

[cookie1]

CGL even if there is no loss don't worry. Pick up and carry on.

[Amy :-)]

Can I ask how many of us doing the challenge are keeping a food diary? Its been proven that keeping a food diary helps with weight loss. It certainly helps me

[dede]

Yep I am. Mainly to keep a track of calories. I use an app on my iPhone, it even growls at me if I don't have breakfast or don't have enough fibre or too much fat etc etc.

[Tasty]

No I don't keep a food diary but I like the sound of the app you use Dede.

I'm finding I'm losing motivation the last couple of days and just feel like indulging (no guilt here). I have had a few of the 'favourites' chocolates and snacks out of boredom .

When things don't go as planned during the day or take forever, I just need comfort food.

Each day is a new day though and I start fresh.

Amy - any more snippets - I don't want to seem pushy but I like them 

[Delightful Den]

I also use an app on the Iphone to track what I eat. However I have to admit I have really fallen off the wagon for the last few days and have stopped tracking.  Now that I have finished work for a couple of weeks I hope to get back on task as my stress levels drop. 

TH only problem will be my sister and brother-in-law arrive tomorrow for 2 weeks.  I went shopping today and shopped like an American. Lots of prepared food and nothing much fresh. 

[dede]

The other day I went over my daily allowance for weight loss but I still put everything in the calorie app because if I stop writing every little thing down I'm scared I will start slipping backwards into bad habits.
I think even when we have a bad day and over eat its important not to give up because of one set back. Yesterday I was naughty and didn't have breakfast, and lunch wasn't till after 2 as I was out and about and rushing around. But I grabbed a banana and a yogurt, then made myself a sandwich to keep me going till dinner without eating lots of unhealthy things (which is what I would of done before) I'm really trying to stay on track as much as possible and enjoying the results. I just have to retrain my mind and body to choose healthy first over unhealthy options.

[Amy :-)]

Amy - any more snippets - I don't want to seem pushy but I like them 

Oh yeah, sure thing Tasty! I wasn't sure if anyone was reading them I'll put one or two together right now!

I think even when we have a bad day and over eat its important not to give up because of one set back.

Absolutely Mandi. I've had lots of setbacks, but you can only remember that you're only human and not perfect. It's just like when kids fall over in the playground - the only thing they can do is pick themselves up again. They could lie there are have a tantrum but its not going to get them anywhere

[Amy :-)]

HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE SNIPPET #6

The following weight loss tips were taken from the October 2010 issue. They were submitted to the magazine by people who had successfully lost weight and wanted to share strategies which had worked for them.

"I made a rule that when I entered the house I had to do 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups straight away before doing anything else."

"I made a chart with lots of picture of what I wanted to look like and do in my life. I put it where I could see it every morning, to remind me why I was trying to lose weight."

"Don't fall apart if you have a bad day - you're only human. Pick yourself up and make your next choice a better one."

"I have a little 'treat' occasionally so I don't feel as though I'm on a diet. I like Peters no-added sugar ice cream, and Tamar Valley's Greek style no-added-sugar yoghurt; both are yummy!"

"I signed up for events like 10km runs and mini triathlons. Now, I'm training for my first Ironman in December! By signing up for events, I have to keep exercising, which means a healthy diet naturally follows. Plus, it means the occasional 'blow-out' has no effect on my weight."

"Sugarless chewing gum helped keep my sweet tooth in check after meals."

"Go for a dance rather than a drink on a Friday night."

"The key to my success was not to rush it. It took 12 months to lose 32kg, but I've kept it off. A slow, steady weight loss, with minor changes to your lifestyle, works. I also did not call it a diet, it was a lifestyle change. That little difference in wording changes the way you think about it."

"I carried a calorie counter around with me for a month and recorded every single thing that passed my lips. This gave me a better understanding of food, especially snacks I thought were healthy (but turned out not to be healthy after all)."

"I altered my eating times. By having a later lunch, I didn't feel the need for a snack at 3:30pm."

"I cut out refined suagr, so you can imagine the cravings I was having after just 2 or 3 days. It seemed every TV ad was for some sort of chocolate, muffin or kids 'fruit' snack! My husband knew how I was feeling, so he would quickly switch channels so I could avoid the temptation and stay focused."

"If you eat 80% right and 20% not-so-right, it'll still work towards what I call a new 'normal'."

"I made a rule that I had to cook all my own 'treats' so I was in control of what I consumed."

"I told people about my goals."

"Snack on healthier snack foods like dried fruits and nuts instead of chocolate and chips. This way, you're eating healthier fats."

"I chopped and changed my exercise routine."

"My friend lost 40kg and I figured, if she could do that, then I could lose 10! I shared my success with her along the way. She was so supportive."

"I made sure I had a satisfying breakfast. My favourite filling breakfast is porridge, but I also like baked beans on toast and omelettes. Eating well at breakfast eliminated my mid-morning hunger."

"I didn't focus on the scales or weight loss itself - just on how I felt and looked, and how my dress size changed. Making health the most important thing was what worked for me."

"The key to losing weight for me was being prepared. I wrote up a weekly menu board for the whole family - that way I always knew what was for dinner, and I didn't have to spend every waking minute thinking about what I was eating next. The menu board simplifies food shopping, saves money and you don't waste kilojoules and money on takeaway as a last resort. You can also avoid boredom by having a 'try a new recipe' day each week, instead of making the same old recipes. I also encouraged the kids to cook a meal when they were interested in a particular dish. Eventually, they began to look forward to 'their' night!"

"I got help. I enlisted a personal trainer and a food coach. It cost a lot, but no more than replacing my wardrobe with larger sizes."

"Buy a special piece of clothing in your ideal size. Then try it on every week or so. Measure yourself every fortnight ; muscle weighs more than fat and if you are exercising (which I think is fundamental to a healthy weight loss) the scales won't be a true indication of your changing shape."

"Know your downfalls and have strategies in place for when they happen. Find ways to relax without food - have a massage, read a book or go for a walk. Have something sweet after dinner that is low in kilojoules but still satisfies the sweet tooth."

"Take each day one day at a time - don't worry about tomorrow. Get your friends and family to support you; its so much easier when you don't have to do it alone."

"I joined an online weight loss community. Sharing recipes, ideas and failures helped so much. I've made real friends in this group."

"I learnt that I had to be selfish. This was for me only; not my family or a reward, but because I wanted it, and because I had to do what I needed to succeed. After losing 25kg, I understand that I am not, and never was, on a diet; I had a lifestyle change."

"For me, it was eating breakfast every day. Sounds a bit obvious, but this was something I really struggled with. I'd never done it before because I didn't want to know about food before 10am. I started small, with fruit, and then had fruit and yoghurt; eventually trying other breakfast foods. Now I make a point of having something different every morning."

"Kilojoule counting is not a fad as far as I'm concerned. Energy in needs to be less than energy out, and how else can we know how much energy goes in without counting?"

"Base all your meals heavily around vegetables and then add meat, legumes and carbohydrate. At least half your meal should be vegetables."

"Have inspirational and motivational quotes around the house where you will constantly see them."

"A psychologist can help with long-term eating problems, as there is usually an underlying reason for these. I sought professional help to deal with the reasons and behaviours surrounding my emotional eating."

"I used positive self-talk while exercising."

"Getting someone else as a weight loss buddy really helped. I got my husband involved so we could plan together."

"I worked out what my healthiest take-away options were in my area, so I would always have something healthy to order when I was too tired or busy to cook."

"For me, the first step was recognising that you don't have to be perfect all the time. You can go out for dinner; you can have a few drinks now and then. The next thing I did was find an exercise that I loved and could do all the time, which was cycling. Last, but not least, I let go of the idea of a diet. I don't plan to go back to my old patterns once I have finished losing weight."

"If you are a person who enjoys eating, try making meals smaller and don't skip any. Feeling hungry is not going to help your resolve to lose weight and exercise - ultimately a binge will occur and your body will be confused. Treat yourself kindly with good food in smaller, regular amounts. And remember to drink water!"

"I learnt how to read product labels correctly."

"I had a goal to climb a mountain in Japan. I lost 18kg, and then did just that! You need to do it for yourself and nobody else."

[Amy :-)]

Oh boy, that was a long one

[Bambi]

I'm in too.
I stocked the pantry last night so I'm ready.
Mandi what is the app you use?

[dede]

Oh boy, that was a long one

Don't you wish you could cut and paste from the magazine to the forum

[dede]

I'm in too.
I stocked the pantry last night so I'm ready.
Mandi what is the app you use?

Excellent Bambi, I will add you to the list.
I use an app called 'My Net Diary', I find it really good and it's easy to add your usual foods as it is kept in favorites.

[gertbysea]

Oh boy, that was a long one

Don't you wish you could cut and paste from the magazine to the forum

Dede could you take a Photo with your iPad then add the photo here by tapatatalk.

Gert