Logging is the Key to Accountability

I had a client this morning ask why he wasn't losing weight even though he is watching his diet and exercising.

My response was, "How many calories have you been eating?"

He didn't know.  Calories are the basis of our energy balance.  It will be very difficult to know what the answer is to your weight loss question without knowing the details of your consumption and expenditure.  Most mainstream, balanced diet programs use some sort of accountable system.  Whether it is and points system or even the Richard Simmons "Deal-a-Meal", some accounting for your eating will be key to understanding your success or more importantly your failure to loss weight.

There is a time investment, but the information is crucial.  You can do it.  208.0

Get to know Yourself

Are you introspective?  Do you self-analyze?  Or do you not want to consider the negative or sometimes unhealthy choices we each make.

I teach a weight management course.  Last night the question can up about what could have been done better.  I asked for the feedback because I want the class to be better in the future.

From the participants mouths, accountability is the key.  The may be in the form of a group to meet with or even to meet with yourself.  It seems that is the sticking point.  People don't want to mull over things that haven't gone well.  We would rather discard our failures or atleast the non-successes.

When I have eaten poorly or am not in a current frame of mind to want to try, I don't weigh in and I certainly don't count calories.  Maybe you have been there too.  I simply want to make bad choices.  That, of course, can lead to unhealthy consequences.  Weeks or months without knowing what the results of my eating are tend to "accidently" increase my weight, among other health concerns.

Weight loss, unfortunately, doesn't happen by accident.  You have to pay attention, analyze and correct in the future.  You also must learn to do so on your own or face potential failure.

Don't be afraid to spend time with yourself.  Get to know the why's and how's of your eating.  Spend time looking over your diet and see where you could benefit from better portion control or healthier choices.  If you want to learn and grow, you have to study.  Now go sit by yourself and read a chapter!

207.2

Radio Show

Beginning stages of discussions about doing a radio show.  Would you listen?

Please give some feedback, so that I can go to the station with a built in audience.  Thanks

In the mean time, don't let frustration or dispare get to you.  The race is not short.  If a sprint, then Adkins would be the victor.  Instead, he is gone and everyone wants their money back to buy cholestrol lowering mediactions.

You have signed up for the marathon.  Can you imagine that distance?  The idea is to finish healthy, but definitely to finish.  Think longterm - how great will you feel both emotionally and physically when you reach your goal.  Act short-term - you have to do daily things to reach your goal.

How many times have you said "Just one more won't hurt".  Well, it does!  So stop and look for change now.

208.8 - Longterm that is 59.8 pounds down from 3 years ago.  10 pounds down since late February. And I plan on losing today!  Do you have a plan?

School-time Habits that lead to Weight Issues

Recently our supremely altrusistic legislation decided that ketchup is a vegetable.  Well heck, I'm nearly a vegan then!

Lunch Concerns - We are sending our children to school for 5 maybe 10 of their 21 meals for the week and what they are offering is leading to higher obesity levels.  Those who we have voted in to protect us are listening more to food industry lobbyists than to us or common sense.

Activity Concerns - With budgets getting tighter, the Arts and PE tend to be trimmed first.  We feed our children fattening foods are then don't offer to let them move and stay active.

New reasearch - Multiple reports suggest that obesity has tripled in the last couple of decades.  Also, learning is improved when children get activity.  What are we doing to the next generation.

Do you have a Plan?

Having goals, like losing weight is great.  But you need to have a plan of execution.  How are you going to get it done?  That plan should have urgency so that procrastination doesn't creep in.  The real question then is, what are you going to do this week or even tomorrow?

I was explaining weight loss and someone said that I make it sound easy.  It is easy as a conceptual idea.  The main issue is that make it more difficult, mostly with poor execution.

We are ok with more activity, but not giving up food or soda or alcohol.  We don't mind diet management but don't want to sleep better.  I will change everything, but you can't make me log. 

Fine, but what are your results.  Today I'm 209.0  Three years ago I weighed 268.6.  It is easy to ask if the information that I am giving you is correct then why was I at an unhealthy weight.  The answer is easy too.  I was living a balanced life, and I abused my body.  I used time as a resource and food as a reward.  I didn't sleep and told myself that next week, next month, next time I would focus.  The switch cannot be simply switched.  Too many aspects of weight management are habit based. 

The first place to find change is between your ears.  Success will come, but you can't always control the timeline. Students, you know what I am saying?

Careful who is Watching

Whether it is your own kids or others you influence, your actions can betray your words.  Our children are growing up in a Toxic Environment that is partially created by our own laziness and preoccupation with the outside world.

We are tired and order pizza.  We get home late with fast food breath.  Don't teach them (your sphere of influence) to do the things you know is incorrect.  Both of you deserve better. 

I had someone thank me for sharing my story.  I cannot tell you how rewarding that is.  I only want to try harder, because someone is watching.  And I want to be a positive role model, not a shackel to someone else.

Who might be watching you?  Who are you holding back?  Only yourself?   209.0

Something is Going Right

After an initial gain at the beginning of Spring Break, I am now down.  Staying busy, planning my meals and not having any cravings seems to have spelled success.

208.8 today!  I have not weighed this amount is going up when I originally gained weight during college in 1997.  15 years later.  I am not done yet and don't feel that the battle is over.  Everyday will need to be treated with respect.

Spring Break Got Me

I had started out losing, but days of traveling and time with the kids added a pound and a half.  This weekend will be designed to get back to planning, preparing and controling the calories!

It can be done.

211.8

Losing Weight the Correct Way

Ideally, when losing weight, we want to lose body fat and not functional lean tissue.

Therefore, it is important to know your percent body fat.  That is the real number that we should measure.  Measuring only body weight could result in a loss of muscle.  On a scale, a lower number does not always signify a loss in fat.

Extreme diets with low calories or low carbs/high protein actually promote muscle loss.

Research suggests that a balance of health food choices and increased activity is what is the key to healthy and permanate weight loss.  210.4  See you at the bottom!

Awesome Compliment

You want a boost to your efforts?  See someone that you haven't seen in a while.  After losing some weight, people seem to be able to tell a difference.  It is actually a little awkward.  I was taking off my jacket and I had a female co-worker tell me that it "looks like you have lost weight...especially in your belly".

Umm, thanks.. I guess.  Of course all compliments are welcome, but it sucks to understand that everyone knows your an "FA" as well. :)

Yesterday, I picked up my kids for spring break and my sons tells that I look thinner.  He's 11 and struggles with the some of the same issues that I do.  I hope he gets something out of my loss.

Vegetable and Fruit Alternatives

It has been said before that I don't particularly like fruits and vegetables.  It is not that I would rather have a tastier food, but instead, F&V tend to make me gag..."Like Totally!"

My son, who did not live with me after the age of 3, has the same response to those foods.  Interesting!

Regardless, it is even more difficult to balance your weight without the benefit of high fiber F&V to fill the belly.  I also miss out on the benefits of phytochemicals, ligians, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

To "better" balance my diet, I have taken to juices.  V8 Fusion, for instance, is a source of F&V together.  With a juice, you of course get some of the nutrients, but not the same level as if the F&G was fresh, and you cetainly don't ge the fiber.  Furthermore, juice by itself can be a high level of simple sugar and might not even be 100% juice.

Dehydrated or Freezed Dried products are another option.  I just had a product called "Zip Fruit".  It was a package of freeze dried banana and strawberry slices.  I have to say that it was better than tolerable and less than craved.

My next task is to smoothie (can you use that as a verb?).  Fat free yogurt, frozen berries, maybe a mixed in veggie or two.  I am worried about this process.  I have the machine (the Ninja from late night infomercials) and the frozen fruit. 

212.4

Does Your Swimsuit Seem a Little Smaller?

Nothing can be more defeating than to have clothes not fit well anymore.  Being uncomfortable at work or socially, because your 10 pounds of flour isn't fitting in that 5 pound sack.  There is bulging, and you might even be able to hear the faint scream of your zipper.

If your fashion sense begins with elasticity and ends with sucking in...you might be a fat ass! (Read in white, hick voice)

On the other hand, it can be very rewarding when you are able to use the new hole on your belt.  Or even when you shop for new clothes because everything is baggy!  On a 5 hole belt, I am now on the last (smallest circumfernce) hole.  Looking at the history of ware on the belt, it is a reminder that holes 2 - 4 have all been used.  I would love to donate this bigger belt to Goodwill and go buy a smaller one!

Summer is comming, will you be doing in public swimming?  212.4

McDonald's (and others) Pretty Little Dirty Things

The commercials sound great, promising happiness and bliss.  The truth is that fast food is more chemistry than nutrition. 

How is it that they can produce something cheaper than we can at home?  They have to buy product and have the overhead of a store and employees.  It's becuase their product is purchased so cheap because no one else can use it.

Google "Pink Goo Chicken" or "Pink Slime beef".  Ammonia is  not an ingredient but a process so they don't have to label it.  No one but you and your family is on your side.  Oh yeah, and me :)

up to 215.0

Remember, Reintroduce

I work in a recreation center on the weekends doing various chores and duties.  Today, a family stopped in and played ping-pong for a while.  On the way out, I heard the father ask the daughter, "Are you sure that you don't want to play chess?"

Her replied was guarded so as not to actually tell the father no, but said, "It's not that I don't want to play chess.  I just want to go to the park more!"

Spring is here or near, depending on where you live.  Either way, odds are that the weather is nice or getting that way.  Remember what it was like to go outside.  It is what we used to look forward to doing.  We didn't want to be inside.  It's time to reintroduce yourself to the outdoors.  A place that we have forgotten how to enjoy.

A child's bliss in a playground might be to much to ask, but maybe we can find pleasure in nature, a park, time with our children, or even time alone (without electronics) to destress and unwind.  Find out what your new "play" is!  I am going on a 6 mile play tomorrow :)

214.4

New Month

This could be your starting point!  What are you waiting for?  The time can be now!  You know that you want to join the weight loss parade.

215.6