Well, I guess I should let you in on a little secret. It's not morning for me, it's really nighttime because I work from 10PM to 8AM. So, I shall post and yawn at the same time flexing those multitasking skills!
Today I wanted to reflect on starting my journey just recently to lose 60 lbs. My husband and I tried Jenny Craig about 2 years ago. It worked wonders, and then it didn't work anymore once we were not eating their food. I swear the food is like magic. No joke. You eat it and you lose weight. Here is the most magical part about it....the way the money disappears from your wallet while you're eating it. I lost about 30lbs in 6 months. We had to quit for financial reasons obviously, and I kept not a single pound of it off for not even half of that time. This year I tried Weight Watchers, lost about 12lbs and decided that I could do it on my own without the meetings because after you learn how to count points, I started to feel like it was getting expensive to just go and weight in. I lost 12lbs in about 6 weeks. I have kept that off, but got tired of counting points. So....we arrive at my conclusion. The thing that they both have in common is calories and portion control. I decided that I should just count calories, basically because it is free. It is going ok, yet it is pretty time consuming and kinda hard to do combined in an attempt to eat whole foods. I know this is going to sound silly, but fruits and veggies have no label! I am always sitting at the kitchen table with my head buried in a calorie counting book trying to add it all up. I know it'll be worth it someday soon, and it's kinda fun and educational in a way! :-)
The other thing that has changed besides me trying diet plan after diet plan is my eating habits. When I found food blogs, I immediately began to try new foods! It is super fun to me, and my husband has jumped on the band wagon. I am pretty excited about that, as it is a huge step for him to give up certain things. We no longer have to buy Baked Lays and Coke Zero. My Sweetie is just fine now with carrots and hummus. Thank God that changed, cuz the prior habits get pretty expensive!
One of the first new health food things that I tried was a Green Monster recipe from Caitlin that I modified just a little because of what I had.
Here is the finished product...not very green, too banana-y...must've done something wrong. there's always next time!
Something else that has changed is my lunch. I am gone from my house for almost 12 hours a day, so I need proper fuel for the entire time. Obviously the bulk of my calories must come from my lunches.
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I also tried out shopping at Trader Joe's. Have you ever been there? I immediately loved it, because they have an enormous amount of things that I have never tried. And around here, it's much cheaper at Trader Joe's to try and buy organic than anywhere else. So I have been on a weekly crusade to try one thing new every trip!
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| Verdict: pretty good, not super buttery or greasy. |
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| Verdict: Not quite so sure trying eggplant for the first time frozen was the best choice. Need recipes. |
My Question For You: What diet plans have you tried, if any? What did you change first in the beginning of your journey?
Have an amazing day!
~Monique
I try to stay away from calorie counting, because it makes me crazy, but rather listen to my body when it's hungry or full, and try to mostly make healthy choices. And I LOVE green monsters - but you've to put a cup or two of spinach in there to make them green! Trust me, you can't taste it at all. Amazing but true. I can go through a huge tub of baby spinach in five days or so. Give it a try!
ReplyDeletesince i have a past with disordered eating, i can't say that i've tried any specific diet plan...but i would say the thing that i really needed to know was that I DESERVE to be happy with the way that i look and feel! and now, because i know that, i eat according to what i know will give me energy, make me full, and benefit my body.
ReplyDeletegood luck girl! it's a journey, but it's 100% worth it!
I haven't tried a specific diet plan, but I try to eat as many whole foods as possible. I think if I eat as many fruits and veggies as fill me up I don't need to count calories. They're generally so low in calories per amount that I'd have to eat a ton to overdo it. I do know that Calorie King is a good calorie count website if you need an easier way to count them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, next time you go to Trader Joe's you have got to try the horseradish hummus. It's so so good. Disclaimer: It's also addicting.
I'm so glad you commented on my blog so I could find yours!
ReplyDeleteThe only diet plan I ever tried was Weight Watchers and although it allowed me to lose 30lbs, the moment I couldn't afford to go to meetings anymore was the moment I started gaining it all back. You've got it right, just keep your eye on calories and portion control. I truly believe that we do not have to pay to lose weight. The support these communities offer is fantastic but you can also find FREE communities that do the same thing! I use SparkPeople for that very reason and it's helped me tremendously with my weight loss!
Trader Joe's has so many great finds!! I've heard their frozen bell peppers are the best around, but I've yet to try them. I'll bet it would be perfect with Al Fresco chicken sausages in a stirfry. :)
ReplyDeleteA book that pretty much changed the way I view eating and food is "Intuitive Eating." It's one of my favorites. :)