FORGOT TO SIGN MY NAME BELOW - IT'S LINDA!!!

Hitting Stride Finally

We've been in our Getting Healthy mode now for 2 months. It's taken me this long to finally get consistency with everything (food choices, eating habits, exercise routine, etc). I've lost 11 pounds but want to lose another 3-6 pounds. It's really helped to work as a team and we've even named ourselves - TFCP's - The Former Couch Potatoes. I look forward to our two nights at LifeStyle Fitness Center each week. We laugh, tease each other in a light-hearted manner, encourage one another and hold each other accountable when we commit to "one simple change" each week. We've learned to plan snacks ahead of time, eat every 2-3 hours, drink plenty of water, exercise daily, read labels, eat breakfast and so much more. What an opportunity we've had and I'm personally feeling so much better. I miss my chocolate but hope to get to the point where I can enjoy one small piece. GO TFCP's!!

PUSHING FORWARD

I'll admit it. Staying on track all the time is difficult. However, when I've had an "eat everything in sight day", I don't stop now. I simply decide that tomorrow's another day and I push on. The simple choices make a big difference. So far I've added more water to my diet by carrying some with me most of the time. I park at the far end of the parking lot when shopping, divide portions in half, decide AHEAD OF TIME what I'm going to order when we go out to eat and I've replaced that big bowl of ice cream before bedtime, with a frozen fruit bar. Most of my food cravings are gone. I'm enjoying my food choices and food does taste better. I've lost 9 pounds so I have another 6-8 to go. Pushing on!! Linda

READING LABELS

We visited a local grocery store and had a lesson on reading labels. Here are a few tips.

- AVOID: Enriched flour, sugar/high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats, artificial sweeteners

- LOOK FOR: 100% whole grain or wheat in bread, pasta, rice; high fiber 5 gms or more; low sodium; Cereal: less than 6 gms sugar, more than 5 gms fiber

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where the "live" foods are. Avoid processed meats, foods.
If a food item has a label with more than 5-7 ingredients, put it back.

Darker breads are best. Sourdough is an option for white bread.

Yogurt should be the plain kind then add your own honey with fresh fruit.

Artificial sweeteners tend to affect weight loss negatively in the long term.

Make your own fruit water by adding fresh fruit to filtered water or add fresh vegetables like cucumbers.

Keep moving forward!! Linda

Tonight we weigh in. I'll have to admit that even though I've worked my way up to a slow jog now (after my ankle fracture) and I'm getting out almost every day, I'm not losing much weight from looking at my bathroom scales. However, I am paying attention to what and when I eat. Night snacking is a struggle but I have deleted the bowl of ice cream or peanut butter sandwich (my favorites). Ben (from Lifestyle Fitness) keeps encouraging us to plan our eating ahead of time so there's not last minute decisions. Even when we go out to eat, decide ahead of time what to have. I've not changed my meal preparation much since I've always watched that area and stopped frying foods years ago. Working together as a group is very motivating and we are becoming closer friends. That's a benefit for sure. Well, I'll keep pushing ahead! Linda

I've fallen and I ...

It seems like we just started this program and I'll have to admit, there have been at least three times when I've completely failed in my healthy eating committment. Once was a Friday night when both my daughters were home. That's rare. They were craving Japanese food and I sincerely wanted to indulge them and just have a fun night eating and watching a movie. I talked to myself, "I can do this. I'll just eat the vegetables, scrape off the sauce and have 1 serving". The aroma of food filled our house and I couldn't resisr. I ate everything and had a second helping!! I have NO WILL POWER when it's in the house!! But I had a great time with my girls! In spite of these "falls", I've lost 7 pounds. It's been very inconsistent or I should say, I've been very inconsistent. SIGH. Balance! That's what I need!! Linda

Getting Determined!

We are 21 days into January and I still don't feel in the grove of living healthy. I have hit that wall were all you want to do is give up, but that is the exact point where you should push through. Nothing in life worth doing is easy. I have changed the way I grocery shop, removed the junk food from my home and even eat breakfast now. Yet I have realized up until now my heart really has not been in it. I have just been going through the motions without really wanting to be healthy. So today I have made the decision I am going to do this no matter how hard it may be! So here we go...

Colleen

Mid January Blues!

Starting well is not ending well. I don't remember where I first heard that, but it applies to every area of life. Including weight loss! I got off to a rocky start... actually lost a few pounds in the beginning, but as the month progressed, I let stress get to me. Stress demands Little Debbie (really cheap snack cakes). And stress doesn't give up it's Little Debbies easily.

The diet commercials make it sound easy, but some point, old fashioned white knuckle will power has to step in.

So I am hanging on, determined t overcome the siren call of the donuts and 99 cent double cheeseburgers. I can do this. But dear Lord, I need your help!

Well, it's now day #8. I did survive the chocolate crisis and I'm trying to make good eating choses. Because of my ankle surgery, I'm not back into running and probably won't be for some time. So, I'm finding a replacement and will try walking and using a stationary bike. Good news, even without the exercise I've lost 2 pounds. YEAH!! 10-12 pounds to go. BUT, I'm SO impatient!! Linda

Starting the Journey!

Hi! My name is Colleen and I am the youngest member of the Spirit FM team. My life has changed a lot in the last year and so has my diet. I graduated from college in May and started at Spirit FM right after that. I also got married to a wonderful man who can eat whatever he wants and NEVER gain a pound:>) So little by little I have left my healthy lifestyle behind and was shocked when I stepped on the scale at the doctors office the other day! YIKES! So I am now starting the journey again and trying to make better life choices so that I can once again be healthy. I want to lose at least the 15 pounds I have gained recently but mostly I want to be a healthier me:>) Also over Christmas my sister received a really cool book called "Eat This, Not That" it was so eye opening. Did you know that an McDonald Egg McMuffin is less fatten then a blueberry muffin, click here to check it out for yourself!

Colleen