Cynthia_1979’s BodyBlog

It’s been about a week since I last weighed in, so I decided to jump on the scale first thing this morning to see how my progress was coming along.  Unbelievable, almost 2 months since I changed up my eating and exercise regimen and I’m down another 5 pounds, so a 12 pound weight loss since switching things up and now a total of 20 pounds since I started back in January.  Honestly, could life get any better with that?  

I have about 20 more pounds to go until I reach my official goal of 40 pounds lost and I’m super pumped about it.   It will take everything I have to get there, but hey, I will get there (Yes I can!!!).

So I’ve been craving Hot Chocolate over the last couple of days and decided to try my hand at experimenting with a hot chocolate alternative to satisfy my craving.  

The recipe calls for:

*2-3 tsp of 100% Natural Cocoa Powder
*2 Tbsp of Evaporated Skim Milk, and
*1tsp of your favorite sweetener(splenda, stevia, etc.)
*Hot Water

I must say, the recipe was pretty good and quite satisfying to the soul.  What’s even better is that it is much healthier than the real thing…

Enjoy!

One habit I’ve gotten into ever since starting my weightloss journey is keeping a running list in my personal journal of nutritional and fitness tips I’ve come across when reading fitness articles, talking to health experts, and of course spending time on forums such as bodybuilding.com.  Doing this helps keep me motivated and more committed then ever in pursuing my goals.  

Below you will find a list I’ve started in my journal with really great tips (please note that I’ll continue updating this list as I come across more tips).

1. The easiest and sure way to lose weight is by changing your mind set and not viewing your diet as a "diet" but a lifestyle change.

2. Be sure to incorporate each of the food groups into your diet, that includes Carbs, Protein, Fats, and Dairy. Omitting any of these will leave you feeling deprived and undernourished.

3. Watch your portions! A little trick that works for me is using what I call the "Pie-square Method" of Eating. What I do is when about to eat is split my place into sections-1/2 the plate only for vegetables; 1/4 of the plate for protein, and the other 1/4 for Carbs.

4. Drink your Water! Water acts as a natural cleanser and is one of the best ways to rid yourself of impurities and waste from your body…and if you didn’t already know-water aids with weight loss as well.

5. Don’t underestimate the power of PATIENCE! Remember it took time for you to pile on the pounds and it will also take time to lose, so hang in there and you will certainly see results!

6.  Eating Clean guarantees results!

7.  Successful weight loss is based on the 80:20 rule; 80% nutrition, 10% genes, and 10% fitness.

8.  Eat 5 or 6 smalls meals everyday!

9.  Eat every 2-3 hours.

10.  Write down and record everything you eat (every morsel of food)!

11.  If you need it, give yourself one cheat meal a week so that you can enjoy foods that you don’t normally eat.

12.  Find healthy alternatives to your favorite meals and treats and incorporate them into your diet.

13.  Consume foods like fruits, whole grain carbs and starches at the beginning of the day when you are more likely to be busiest and have a better chance of burning the calories away.

14.  Say no to sugar!!!

15.  Be consistent with your efforts!!!  Don’t give up so quickly if you aren’t seeing results.  Remember, it takes time for you body to adjust to the changes you’re imposing on it (this can take anywhere from 2-3 months).

16.  Track your progress every 4-8 weeks.  Measuring your progress using these guidelines gives you an accurate measure of how much your hard work is paying off.  

17.  Take your photo every six weeks.  Use each six week date as one of your "mini" goals.

18.  Post a motivational picture or statement, or even your goal somewhere that’s visible to you.

Contingency Plan for Cheating-Joanna Hall

What is it?
An action that is put in place once you feel you have taken a back step on your weight loss journey.

What is its Aim?
To help you get on track and keep on track so that your lapse doesn’t become a collapse. A Contingency Plan for Cheating stops you from feeling like you’re failing. It puts you firmly in control, reinforcing your Template of Success, and stopping the Template of Failure from taking hold.

What are the Guidelines of a Contingency Plan for Cheating?

1. Play the 300 Calorie Game.
Eat 300 fewer calories the day before an event and be sure to fit in a structured exercise session. Then eat 300 calories the day after. This can be done by cutting back on a snack or limiting portions. If you want you can fit in another exercise session.

2. Double Carb Curfew
Introduce a double carb curfew-lunch and supper-but do still have some slow releasing carbs at breakfast.

3. Stay Hydrated
Keep on top of properly hydrating yourself with water through-out the day.

4. Veg-up!
Use liquid foods to help curb your hunger and preserve your energy. Make yourself a vegetable based soup to eat before you go out to your function-this will help curb your appetite and line your stomach.

5. Burn those Calories by: Walking a mile; accumulating 2000 steps on your pedometer; walking up and down your stairs for 5 minutes continuously; dancing enthusiastically to your favorite music for 12 minutes.

One of my frustrations when it comes to weight loss, is seeking advice from those who have struggled with weight problems, then overcame such struggles by taking charge of their health and getting in the best shape of their life.  When asked how they did it, they give some general blanket statement on how they did it through diet and exercise, without shelling out much details on the particular programs they followed.

As a result of the above mentioned scenario, I’ve made a conscious effort to help support those who are either in the same position as I am or struggling to find every bit of motivation to pursue their own weight loss journey.  Nothing is off limits as far as I’m concerned!  So far starters you will find a description of a typical meal in the life of Cynthia.  Please note my diet by all means may not be perfect, however, it’s a work in progress, and I’m continuously fine tuning it as I go along.

Sample Meal Plan:

Meal #1:  Oatbran or Red River Cereal with 2 Tbsp of flaxseed, protein powder and wheat germ; 1/2 cup of water and 1 chopped pear.

Meal #2:  3 celery stalks (cut into sticks) with 1/4 cup of hummus (homemade).

Meal #3: 1/4 of sweet potato with chicken curry

Meal #4:  Scrambled eggs (1 whole & 2 whites) with mozzarella cheese (1/4 cup) and 8-10 cherry tomatoes

Meal #5:  2 cups of Spaghetti Squash with ground turkey and veggie tomato sauce (homemade).

So I’ve been on my weight loss journey since January of this year, working as hard as ever (well maybe not that hard) to drop 40-50 pounds.  I’ve spent countless hours researching sample diets, borrowing nutritional books from my local library, and consulting some of my personal resources all in the name of finding the right nutritional plan for me.  Well after months of experimenting with a few different things and even seeing a nutritionist, I think I’ve finally found a plan that works for me-"the South Beach Diet".

You want to know what’s so ironic about the whole thing, I actually bought the "South Beach Diet" a couple of years back, but was not able to follow the diet to its completion due to wanting a quick fix without really understanding the mechanics behind the plan.  In fact, I didn’t even read the book before starting on the plan.  I simply jumped to the chapter outlining the induction phase and went from there.  Well you know what happened? About two days into the plan I simply gave up, finding every excuse in the world not to stick to the program.

Fast forward to May 2009, I came across a weightless blog (www.blackandi.com) featuring the experiences of a South Beacher who had shared her weight loss experiences with the plan and I swear from that day I was hooked.  I went and sought out my South Beach Diet book and spent two days reading the whole book and decided from that day to give the diet a try.  

I’ve been following the plan for the last 3 weeks and am overly impressed with the results I’ve gotten in such a short amount of time.  I’ve lost a total of 12 pounds and am feeling more motivated than ever to continue shedding those stubborn pounds!   The best thing about the diet is that I’ve been able to learn more about different types of foods and how they react in my system.  Take complex carbs in the form of whole-grains, I’ve finally figured out, after all these years, that I’m carb sensitive and have to watch my whole-grain intake when it comes to my weight.  The same thing with milk, after avoiding the stuff for a the last few weeks, I’ve concluded that I may be lactose intolerant and not able to break-down the prosperities in milk after consuming it.  

All in all, the plan is going really well!  I haven’t had any cravings while following it and have more energy on this plan than any other plan I’ve followed in the past.

Finally a plan that works for me!!!

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