No More Number Living

We all want to succeed. We want to lose weight. We want to look and feel good. We all have goals. The problem is that the farther I got along in reaching goals I realize that I might have been focused on the wrong thing. I had the prize all wrong.

The prize is not reaching a number on a scale or a number of days without cheating. The real goal is staying on course. Keeping on with the fight to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If the goal is a number, then there will always be something to disappoint you. If it is a number then what do you do when you hit it? Go on a binge or a feeding frenzy? That leads to guilt and shame. Then you throw in the towel.

The goal is living a balanced life. Life is a long journey with ups and downs on the weight loss front. Don’t shoot for a number shot for balance. It is OK to splurge every once in a while if the goal is a lifestyle and not a number. Tomorrow is another day in the healthy journey.

I have found that if I number hunt, I deprive myself so much for so long, that as soon as I hit it I think I am off the hook and easily fall back into bad habits. I had been longing to splurge so long I go overboard to fulfill the cravings. The key is balance.

Weight loss can be conquered with balance, moderation and remembering that every day is a new day.

The Scale Of Doom

The journey to weight loss is one that can be one surrounded by pitfalls, cliffs, and quicksand. If anyone ever says this journey is easy is lying or trying to sell you something. Keeping a positive attitude is difficult, but necessary. Most of this fight is mental

You need to have the right motivation, and proper expectations. The journey is a long term one. It will not be done in a short period. If you reach your goal, it’s still not over. Maintaining lasts a lifetime.

A key point on your mission is to avoid disappointments. One enemy is the scale. The scale is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can help you track your progress. On the other hand, it can be a mental torture device that will kill your desire to continue. It is in how you use it.

Remember, the scale is not the whole story. It is one measuring tool in your arsenal. I have learned that there is something in the design of scales that mess up the Earth’s gravitational pull. They can’t be trusted 100% of the time. Why? There is a simple answer to that question. The human body fluctuates in a normal cycle. Just because the scale says you have lost no weight, does not mean you are not getting into a better shape.

The best way to track is using measurements. That with the scale and the way your clothes fit is the best barometer for getting into shape. I would rather weight xxx amount of pounds and look good, than weight the same and look flabby. The key is to not rely on the scale. If you look good and feel good, you are making progress. Just keep up the healthy eating and lifestyle.

So, do not let the scale be your enemy. Don’t get sucked into the occasional hiccup in the gravitational pull over it. Keep on keeping on, and you will see results.

Breakfast Blunder

I love breakfast, bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes, french toast, orange juice, and don’t forget the pastries! OK, I don’t eat that all for breakfast, nor do I eat any of that but once in a blue moon. Fact is, many people do eat some of that almost every day. Delicious, yes, but is it giving you what your body needs, no.

I guess, if you wanted to argue semantics, it is giving you calories that you need for survival. Unfortunately, it is also killing you and robbing you of energy. I won’t get into how unhealthy sugary, and carb loaded breakfasts can be. Your body burns through these sugar-filled carbohydrates quickly and leaves you tired within a short period of time.

A great solution is oatmeal. Oh, don’t give me that look. I am not talking about the oatmeal that your grandma gave you that was like wall plaster, nor am I talking about that instant stuff that is processed and takes two seconds to make. No, I am talking about wholesome, steel cut oats that must be cooked.

These oats have not been processed and retain all of their nutrients that are stripped to make the instant oatmeal. These oats take longer and need more energy from your body to digest. That means that your body burns more calories to digest them, and since they take longer to breakdown, they keep you satisfied longer.

There are many great recipes for oatmeal that taste great. I slow cook mine in a crock pot overnight. I’ll include that recipe soon, but for now, I have this tasty sounding one from The Food Network Kitchen. I posted it on the recipe page here.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

No Pain, No Pain

No pain, no pain! I once heard an overweight speaker talk about his motto about exercise. He went on to say that he once had the urge to workout, so, he sat back down on the couch until that urge went away. I remember laughing hysterically at his jokes, and even stole his lines and used them as my own for years.

Let’s be honest. The majority of people on this planet do not enjoy exercising. We like to think about it, and dream of us actually doing it, but we really don’t want to. Yes, there are those 5% of the population who are professional, semi-pro or amateur athletes, but the rest of us only want their bodies without the sweat it takes to get them.

The majority of us exercise because we have to. Our doctors, spouses, or somebody told us we needed to get off our backsides and do it. For many, it is because of being overweight, and the thought of succumbing to the plethora of ailments that an overweight body is susceptible to, is unappealing.

So off to the gym, or to the sporting good store for equipment, or off to the park for a run we go. Here is where the body rewards us. The body has a gift it would like to bestow. The gift is called endorphins. According to WebMD, “When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.”

In other words, when you exercise, your body repays itself with a flood of happy feelings. You feel better mentally. Most people claim that if they work out in the morning that they feel better about the outlook of their day. The odds are that if you have a better outlook, then you might make better choices when it comes to what you eat.

No matter who you are, or what you look like, our body is waiting to reward us if we get our heart pumping. Your body wants to make you feel good. Now, get out there and get your “happy” on!

Kick In The Pants

We all need a little nudge every now and then. We, as humans, need a reason to do something, anything. We don’t just do things by chance. Some people are motivated by money, so they work hard to get some. Others are motivated by love. They will sacrifice it all to win the heart of the one whose caught their eye. For those of use on a mission to lose weight, we have to be motivated.

Now, it does not matter what the motivation is, you just have to have one. If you do not have you, get one. I know for me, I want to be healthy and be able to play with my grandkids one day. I want to enjoy life in a way that being severely overweight would hinder me from. I don’t want to have to live on medication to control the symptoms my unhealthy eating caused.

Your motivations might be similar to mine. Honestly, if you’re not motivated, you won’t do what it takes to lose weight successfully. I’ve been there; we all have. It is time to get sick and tired of being sick and tired. There are so many reasons to get healthy, not just for yourself, but for those who love you.

I know it is not easy. Some people, like myself, have a food addiction. This is a serious condition that makes losing weight more difficult. If that is you, I feel your pain. I plan to spend some time to get more in-depth into articles pertaining to that later. Either way, nothing worth having is ever easy.

Remember, nothing tastes as good as being at a healthy weight feels! Pull a Nike, and just do it! Get motivated!

In The Beginning

Every great story starts with a defined beginning. Every journey starts with the first step. Life is a series of journeys. Starts, stops, beginnings, and ends. The weight loss journey is no different. Everyone’s journey is the same but very different. Most of my life was and still is filled with journeys around trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What does the beginning of a journey to lose weight look like? Simply put, it’s a desire to lose weight and get healthy. It’s a thought, a choice, and a decision. Day one is the starting line.

How we got to this decision to lose weight can be an array of different reasons. Maybe we have been overweight for years due to going through a rough patch in life. Some of us might have a food addiction where food controls our thoughts and feelings. Maybe you had a child and can’t seem to find time to get off those pounds, or maybe your doctor said your life is in jeopardy if you don’t.

Whatever the reason, just make the decision to begin and begin day one. There are tons of ways, theory’s and products out there that might help. The health, weight loss and fitness industry is huge and full of gimmicks. I will do my best to share ideas, opinions, and encouragement to help come along side and partner with you on this journey.

Lastly, remember, no one is perfect. Don’t expect yourself to be, and that’s OK. Every journey has some pot holes, and this trip will be no different. Relax, you can do this. Let’s just watch and see how it goes.