Posted by april on March 26, 2009
How many of us have had little or no motivation recently? Come on, raise your hands. Hey, you back there! Go ahead, raise your hand! It’s okay, we can all be honest here. That is just one of the things that I absolutely love about the Sisterhood. We can all be completely honest with each other, and we get nothing but support back! It’s so awesome!
So, I’m going to be honest…one thing I love about working out is how I feel after I’m done. But here lately, I have had trouble motivating myself to get my work outs in. I’m really good at knowing how many calories I eat each day (which is just as important, by the way), but when it comes to work outs, I have a routine. If that routine gets off even the slightest, I have trouble motivating myself to just get the work out done.
This is what I think happens when we lose motivation. We lose it, we fall off of the wagon, then we’re disappointed in ourselves, which makes us feel like we’re disappointing others, so we start to ask ourselves, “why bother?” And all of this can happen in a matter of minutes. Or maybe that’s just what happens to me.
Many of you know that I’m a huge fan of The Biggest Loser’s trainer, Jillian Michaels. She does a radio show every week for KFI radio. I had missed a few episodes, so I spent some time this week catching up. I don’t always agree with what she says, but there was one thing she said that really made me take notice.
She said to ask yourself, “why do you want to lose weight?” (I may or may not have answered this out loud. At my desk. At work.) Once you have your answer, then that’s your motivation for when you‘re having a weak moment. She said to post it everywhere if you have to, and it’ll help keep you on track.
I know why I want to lose weight. I want to weigh 130 for the first time in my adult life. It has nothing to do with wearing smaller, cuter clothes and nothing to do with being in the best shape of my life. These are really nice bonuses, but I when I really think about it, I just want to weigh 130. And you know what? I’m going to do it.
So, starting this week, on my fridge, on my entertainment center, on the back of my front door, and on my desk at work, I have a sticky notes. They read, “I want to weigh 130.” Yes, I know they’re tacky, but when I know I’m really not feeling my work out, then I’ll look at these and get my ass in gear, even if I‘m a few minutes past my “scheduled work out time“. Because I want to weigh 130. And I will weigh 130.
Now, I ask you the same thing Jillian asked her listeners. (You can answer out loud if you like. I won’t tell.) Why do YOU want to lose weight? Answer it and then use it. And we’ll all get there. Together.
Posted by thea on March 19, 2009
One of the biggest traps that you can fall into when you are on a weight loss journey is to worry too much about how far you have to go.
What about focusing on how far you’ve come?
Brian touched on this a little on Monday when he shared his Wii Fit weight chart. I’ve been keeping a weight graph since 2003. Every week (or, at times, once a month), I log my weight into an Excel spreadsheet and I can see exactly how far I’ve come.
The steep incline was when I was pregnant with Emma. The little, steady incline around Week 209 was when I decided I could do it on my own. I couldn’t, LOL!
Look at that decline! I did that. Noone made me. It was just something that I decided within myself that I needed to do. Some may think “Gee, that took her a long time…” but who cares? I did that. That’s what matters.
The next time you feel discouraged and want to quit because you have “so far to go”, take a moment to remind yourself of what you’ve done.
So tell me…how far have YOU come? What have you accomplished so far?
Posted by christy on February 28, 2009
Seasonings and Condiments with a Points value of 0 per serving:
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Capers
- Extracts
- Flavorings
- Herbs
- Horseradish
- Hot sauce ( pepper sauce )
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice ( no sugar added)
- Mustard
- Non stick cooking or baking spray
- Relish
- Salsa (fat free)
- Soy Sauce ( shoyu )
- Spices
- Steak Sauce
- Sugar Substitutes
- Taco Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
Snacks with a Points value of 0 ( Foods with * next to them are classified as filling foods)
- 10 baby carrots*
- 1 side salad(veggies only) w/ 2T fat free Italian Dressing*
- 1/2 cup sugar free gelatin
- 1 hard-boiled egg (white only)*
- 1 small peach or orange*
- 1 cup Jicama*
- 1 cup garden vegatable soup*
- 2 tbsp fat free black bean dip
Snacks with a Points value of 1 ( Foods with * next to them are classified as filling foods)
- 1 slice Canadian style bacon*
- 5 cups 94% fat free popcorn*
- 1 slice fat free cheese*
- 1 small whole wheat pita
- 2 squares graham crackers
- 1/2 cup cooked shrimp*
- 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal*
- 1/2 cup light yogurt
- 1 4-inch pancake, made from mix
- medium orange, apple, or pear*
Thanks to fellow Sister Michelle, for sending us this list!!
Posted by christy on February 17, 2009
I found this list on the Weight Watchers site. I think it’s good information for those just starting out, or those of us who need a little refresher!
Milk
- Drinking whole milk cappuccinos and lattes will use your daily POINTS® Allowance up quickly. Use fat-free or low-fat milk instead, and look for flavored coffees or sugar-free syrups to improve that cup of java.
- Make smoothies by blending fat-free milk with low-fat or fat-free yogurt, a banana, frozen strawberries and honey to taste.
- Use low-fat milk when making mashed potatoes.
- Rice pudding is just as nice made with low-fat milk. Add flavor with cinnamon, and sprinkle the top with nutmeg.
Bread
- Instead of serving bread with soup, add a tablespoon of bulgar wheat or a 1/2 cup of brown rice to your homemade recipe.
- As a change-up from bread sandwiches, generously fill whole-wheat tortilla wraps with chunks of fresh-cooked chicken, coriander, lettuce and red pepper, adding a teaspoon of low-fat mayonnaise.
Potatoes
- Switch to sweet potatoes or yams. Cut up the sweet potatoes and roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes, sprinkled with sea salt and a little olive oil, or lightly boil and mash with a small amount of butter.
- Boil some couscous to fluff up and serve with grilled fish or meat.
Filling Fruits
- Dried fruits come into their own in the winter months and make excellent after-dinner desserts. Put dried apricots, prunes and pineapple chunks in a pan and cover with a little orange juice. Bring to a boil, then let stand for 20 minutes so the fruit can absorb the juices. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and serve with spoonful of low-fat yogurt.
- Poach peeled pears in a low-calorie fruity cordial with one cinnamon stick until tender. Serve with low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
Cheese
- Get into the habit of buying low-fat varieties. Keep a tub of low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese on hand to mix in with fresh fruit or sprinkle with Splenda and cinnamon for a sweet treat.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of freshly grated Parmesan over your pasta, a little of its big-hitting flavor goes a long way.
Poultry and Meat
- Trim off fat before cooking.
- Always roast chicken on a rack in a roasting tin, so the saturated fat drains off.
- If you plan to marinate the meat, use lean strips of pork or beef.
- When making casseroles,cook them the day before, so as it cools you can skim any fat off the top before reheating.