Gain control, know your tools

Happy Sunday, everyone! Do you have any big plans for today? We are just going to be staying inside, watching football. YAY! It’s cloudy and wet outside, too. Yuck. Good ole Seattle for you. 🙂

I wanted to share an article that I wrote a while ago when I was asked about my weight loss and the tools I used. Weight loss is one of the hardest things people go through. Why? Because it’s a constant struggle to look and feel your best and it takes time. Being constantly reminded that so called “beauty” comes in small, size 0 super models or Hollywood stars.

This coincides with my previous post, My Clean Eating Philosophy. Together they are the formula that transformed my way of thinking and to help me gain my body back after having a baby.

And before you start thinking that I am 100% happy or satisfied; I’m not. While the weight has dropped and my eating style has changed for the good, I need to tone up. I still have excess skin around my mid section from housing a baby for 9 months. And there are times that I wish I was smaller – when this happens I have to remind myself of my achievements and what my body did – created a little boy! It still amazes me that I created life! ESPECIALLY when my little boy comes up to me with all hugs and smiles. 🙂 In my About the Mama section, I go into detail of why getting pregnant and giving birth was an eye opener for me and my mental state.

So I hope you enjoy my post and please leave your feedback and thoughts! The one thing that I learned about weight loss is that not every tool works for each person. The tools that works for you should be used and hopefully brings you to success!

xoxo

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Gaining control of your weight loss- conquering the obstacles that can sabotage your goals

When we start a new adventure or journey, the level of excitement can often fade. They can be replaced by feelings of stress, shock, loneliness or simply just being overwhelmed. It’s up to you to gain that control back and help yourself back on your feet.

Don’t ever feel like you are alone – Because you’re not! Often times we don’t succeed on our weight loss journey because there is not enough support to help get us through the tough and difficult times. Join support groups in your area, get involved on online weight loss forums and participate in beginner classes at your local gym or recreation center. Take the initiative to approach someone that you have been eyeing, seeing if they would like a work out partner. Chances are they have been thinking the same thing but too shy to approach anyone!

Keep a food and mood journal – Track your way to better health, one piece of food at a time. This is important for two reasons – One is to channel weak spots in your diet. Do you notice that you HAVE to have something sweet during stressful times or during the last 2 hours before you go home for the day? Learn to avoid these weak spots before they even start and plan more effectively. Instead of a candy bar have a few pieces of dark chocolate and a juicy piece of fruit.
The second reason is for you to be able to listen to your inner voice. Feel guilty about writing down those cookies you ate? Write it down! Journaling your mood is just as important. Looking back and reviewing how you felt before and after you ate something can be a wonderful learning lesson and help you look at the positive rather than the negative.
Tip – Don’t feel like you can “write” a journal? Use blogs instead! Carry your camera around and quickly snap pictures of your food. Free online blogging sites make it easy for you to upload photos and quickly write some text. You can share your blog site with friends and family, too. Gain instant support and connect with other like minded individuals!

Learn to cook all over again – See a recipe in a magazine but not sure if you can re-create it? Or worse yet, will it even taste good? We all get comfortable in the kitchen cooking the same meals over and over. This is failure waiting to happen because our taste buds quickly become bored. Cooking with others is a wonderful way to learn new techniques and ingredients. Get a group of friends together and take cooking lessons from each other, featuring healthy meals. If you want to splurge a bit you can also look for event centers offering cooking nights for a fee. Learn from skilled chefs, take notes, ask questions and have fun!

Eat seasonally and locally – Nothing is worse than sitting down to a healthy salad and not being able to taste it. Or looking forward to a juicy apple for it to be mealy. It really can dampen an appetite in a hurry. Store bought produce has been sitting in a cold storage, for who know how long, before it reaches your kitchen. Buying local produce from a stand or farmers market helps eliminate the middle man, leaving you with delicious and edible fruits and vegetables that you can actually look forward to enjoying! Straight from the fields to you is a healthy way to embrace Mother Earth and it’s offerings. It’s also one of the greenest ways to shop as there is less of an impact on our environment.

Take control of your dreams today. You have the tools to help get over the slumps and humps, bringing you right back to your feet. Keep walking forward and don’t ever look back!