Losing Weight At Home

I don't go to a gym, I much prefer to exercise at home. I don't do lots of hard exercise, but I try to do a little.

I switched on the family Wii Fit machine today, to catch up with what my weight is currently, and to do a bit of a workout. The machine told me I hadn't been there for 19 days, which surprised me. It embarrassed me a little bit too - I know how good it is for me to do regular exercise.

This is good for all of us, but particularly good for people like me - I have a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis), and keeping my ability to walk around and keep active depends on actually keeping active. So I was happy that a comment from a friend on Facebook prompted me to get active again.

Having friends who can/will give these little prompts can sometimes be the difference between exercising and just sitting around. So I say a hearty Thank You! to Irma, for tweaking my conscience earlier today.

I usually have no problems with eating relatively well. I know what's good for me nutritionally, and I generally stick to what I know is the best to eat. If I go out for a meal, I make sure I choose low calorie foods, or if I want something higher in calories, I amend my diet for the day, and eat even better at home for the few days around my 'dining out' meal.

I was happy with my weight earlier today - the machine told me I'd lost a little weight. It also reminded me I still had a long way to go to meet the weight loss goal I'd set myself earlier. I'll work at that goal, and hope that I will meet it.

So the points I want to stress to readers are these:

• having a buddy to keep you on track can be a great help with exercise and weight loss
• eating out requires thought if it is not to lead to gaining weight
• keeping track of your exercise and weight are great ways to keep at it

Happy exercising, and Happy Weight Loss

New Years Eve Resolutions

It's Christmas time as I write this post, and New Years Eve will follow. Christmas for most means lots of fun, and lots and lots of lovely food.

New Years Eve often means New Years Eve resolutions about losing the excess weight you have, some of it caused by that lovely food. I'm not here to bring you down and tell you not to eat any of that yummy food. I'll leave it up to you to find a way to get through this time in a way that suits you.

I have written an article about these issues though, and you might like to go here to find out some health reasons to help you to do the right thing for your body.

I'm going out for Christmas lunch tomorrow, and I know I'll eat more food than I actually need. I can deal with that later, and I will deal with it, and not ignore it. I intend continuing my current exercise program tomorrow morning, even though it's Christmas.

I have multiple sclerosis MS and I'm doing my best to keep active. Doing my best currently means I get up in the morning and switch on my Wii Fit Plus, and do 30 minutes of exercise. I try to do some of the more difficult exercises, not just the easy ones. I feel as though this is helping me to keep mobile.

I've also know about healthy diet, and I'm working toward eating healthy food as much as I can. Nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables, some dairy and meat. These are my main sources of food. I'm trying to lose some extra weight, but I'm keeping within my ideal weight range.

I hope my words on this blog and here may be of assistance to you if you're struggling to reach your own ideal weight. I have further help for you here. It may be the thing that kicks off the new and slimmer you!

Maintaining Weight Loss

I live in Australia, where we are heading into winter. This has been a danger time for me in the past.

With winter comes staying inside, the need for comfort food and weight gain. Not anymore though.

I will remain in touch with me body, eat only when I am hungry and try to fit exercise into my daily life. There are many good and healthy things to eat that can be comforting without the calories.

I love making mini muffins for putting in the freezer so there is a snack for me whenever I feel the need for one. And the muffins I make are always low in fat and high in taste.

Fruit in muffins is great, muesli in place of some of the flour adds the the textural interest as well as taste.

Whenever I have bananas that are getting too brown, I pop them in the freezer for my next batch of muffins - Super Yummy, Super Tasty, Super Easy!

These sorts of recipes can help you to say no to the fatty things that tempt you to make bad food choices. Because muffins are so nice, your whole family will learn to pop a muffin in the microwave when they want something to munch.

If you know you have lots of muffins in the freezer for snacking on, it's easy to not buy snacks at the supermarket. Those chip packets may satisfy you snacking urge, but they offer no good things nutritionally.

Your muffins, on the other hand, are yummy and healthy too.

Fat Parent - Fat Child

Fat parent have fat kids, and lazy parents have fat lazy kids. It's a crazy combination of nature and nurture perhaps.

There may be a genetic predisposition toward being fat, but you don't have to be that fat person, if you're clever and eat and exercise, you can beat that predisposition, in spite of your genes.
I think part of the whole problem these days may be unresolved guilt feelings.

A lot of parents are doing too many things, and not giving their children enough time, so they pander to their child's every want, so the child is 'happy'. The thing most children want most from their parents is love and attention.

If you begin as you hope to continue, you should be OK. I have to admit though, that I found it difficult when my son was small, and underweight, I fed him whatever I could get into him because I was terrified he was starving. I was breastfeeding him, visiting the baby nurse, and slowly going mad from post natal depression (without realising it). I’m over it now, and all is well, but it took a while.

Now, sixteen years later, my son is short for his age, compared to a lot of other students in his year level. But I'm short, my husband is not tall, my parents and his are/were all short. I think that, back when he was a baby, if the nurse had really thought about genetics, we could have all realised this baby was never going to be big, and we could have relaxed and enjoyed it all so much more.

I feed my son and my husband and myself good nutritional food, with the occasional yummy treat. We exercise a little (far too little on my part) and we are all working at getting to our healthiest state we can. It won’t happen overnight, but, with focus and work, it will happen.

I’ll get off my hobby horse and go back to the stable. Thanks for your attention.

No Guilt Chocolate

I have just written a short post on one of the sites I'm a member of. If your love of chocolate is a downfall for you, you may find some help from the post which you will find here.

Moderation is the key, and if you follow the instructions in the post, you will be engaging in 'mindful eating'. Chowing down thoughtlessly like a pig at its trough is one of the main reasons for weight gain for many people.

If you practice 'mindful eating' you will slow down on your intake so that you mind and body are more in sync. So have a read and give it a try. Your body will say thank you.

Weight Loss not always a Good Thing!

We are constantly being told that we must be thin if we want to be loved/successful/beautiful. And we believe this, because, hey, if you're told something a hundred times a day, it's hard work to not believe it's true.

But recent studies (click here) have shed new light on the whole issue. A study, based on people's weight at age 40, has shown that slightly overweight people live longer than people of normal weight. The headlines are more impressive that the actual figures. Obese people died earlier than that.

The order of length of life beyond 40 for the various weight level groups, shortest life to longest, was Thin, Obese, Normal Weight, Overweight. So based on those figures, you should be aiming at being overweight at the age of forty, and certainly not thin at that age.

The overweight and obese groups had the highest medical costs, it seems, and it was thought that maybe because the overweight went to the doctor more often, their may pick up health issues more quickly and deal with them.

There is a need to do much more study on this issue, and I feel it is important to take account of how much a person is enjoying their life. If a person is a little overweight, and is OK with that, then they are lucky, they'll enjoy their extra time on this Earth. If they are desperate to be thinner, even though being too thin is bad for your life expectancy, well, they may not want to live longer anyway.

I think the upshot of all of this is, find the weight you feel happiest and healthiest at, and stay there. If it means doing a bit of exercise to keep in the overweight rather than obese range, that's a very good thing. For people who are at their healthy weight range, make sure you don't stray down into the thin range. Too thin is worse that any other thing. The healthy weight range people shouldn't be too smug, and they too will benefit from exercise. It might raise their weight a little, but that will be from increased muscle, and who doesn't want to be stronger?!

One to keep an eye on, I think!

Community Healthy Eating, It's On!

Community Foodies classes are starting next Wednesday, so I'll be getting all trained up in healthy eating and all kinds of other interesting things. I am so looking forward to be able to say, with authority, this is true, this is what you might be able to do to have a better diet.

At the moment, I know what I should eat, even though I know I don't eat enough vegetables, but I'd love to have more knowledge, and to know the best places to look for the most up to date knowledge.

There is just so much information available out there, and I know that a lot of the information is just plain wrong. It is frustrating. And every time I go to the supermarket and look in the shopping trolleys of other people, I can see where they are going wrong.

I'm not saying I am a saint with my own eating, but when I have something higher in calories, I make up for it in other ways. Chocolate is fine for me, as long as I only have a little bit, and I have a little less of something else later on.

And as long as I don't have it too often. I shared a block of chocolate with my husband and son last night, and we have another block of chocolate in the fridge still. I'm OK with that - the chocolate block only weighs 30 grams - 10 grams each is not going to be a major weight problem, unless we started eating that at every meal and on every day, instead of for dessert once a month.

So on Wednesday, I will get to know my fellow Foodies better, and begin a whole new adventure in better health for me, my family and my community!

Wonder of Wonders!

I had the most wonderful experience last week, something that has never happened to me before. I tried on a lovely fancy dress, and the size ten was too big!

The shop assistant brought me a size eight, and wow, it fitted me beautifully well. I couldn't believe it. I only wish I had been able to buy that dress so I could get a photo of me wearing it and then you could see it too.

The dress cost $229.00, and there was no way in the world I could ever afford it, but it was lovely to pretend, and to see myself in such a lovely dress. I don't usually bother trying on dresses like this one, my usual mode of dress is in between daggy, and neat casual, certainly not formal, strapless frocks. But for a few precious minutes I could be a princess.

I strongly recommend you try on clothes once you have made some progress in your weight loss journey. The feeling you get when you can slip into something smaller and still feel comfortable is a fantastic feeling. And being able to tell those who love and care for you about it is a lovely experience too.

I have to admit, I've been shamelessly bragging about my size eight experience. It hasn't made me new friends, but boy, it feels good!

Perhaps the next time I go near an op shop I'll slip in and find myself something gorgeous to take home. Opportunity shops are far more in my price range, and those sort of ritzy dresses tend to get grown out of rather than worn out, so I should be able to find myself something on the off chance I'll have an occasion to wear it too.

Now that's really something to look forward to!

Are you really hungry?

Here's one easy tip to try next time you think you're hungry. Have a glass of water, then wait fifteen minutes and think about it again. Are you still feeling hungry?

You may have been thirsty, rather than hungry. And learning to wait, rather than eating straight away is a good habit to get into if you're trying to lose weight.
It can be as simple as that.

Drinking can be a problem with weight gain too. Try low fat milk with your tea and coffee. And low fat iced coffee is available too, just the thing on a hot day when you need a caffeine lift. Lemonade made at home with real lemons can be a refreshing drink in summer, and lime juice is even better, refreshing, no fat, and so good for you.

Good snacks with satisfying crunch are carrot and celery sticks, with a little salt if you like. They sure beat chips if weight is an issue for you.

It's heading toward cooler weather here in Australia, which can be a danger time for many trying to lose weight. One tip is to use a little water instead of oil to saute food. Try it when making a tomato sauce for spaghetti bolognaise next time. There's still a lot of flavour, with a lot less fat.

Dining out

Dining out, you ask, you mean I can dine out when I'm trying to lose weight?!

Well, sure, why not. I'm not talking about fast food, but sit down dining in a restaurant. It takes a bit of planning to do it at the optimal level, but, with that planning done, you can relax and enjoy yourself.

The first thing is to eat earlier in the day, realising that you will be dining well later on. This means eating lower fat things, and eating less. If you feel like you're being starved, just remind yourself of the good things that are coming later on.

Some good lower fat options might be cereal, with low fat milk for breakfast, or perhaps without the milk for a snack later in the day. Fruit is always a good option, just be aware of the 'All things in moderation' rule. Bananas are harder to go overboard with than fruits like grapes may be - a banana will never be a bad food choice.

Once you arrive at the restaurant, look carefully at the menu. This is what to look for in your meal choice:

• Items grilled rather than fried
• No cream sauces
• Vegetarian over steak
• Chicken over beef
• Fish, if you like it, grilled is a good choice
• Don't get fries, or if your plate does arrive piled up with fries, well, just leave them!
  
• Ask for a children's sized meal if available - it never hurts to ask
• Or go for an entree sized main course if you can, again, never hurts to ask

If you've seen the dessert of your dreams on the menu, radically rethink your main course - if you opt for a salad, with no high fat dressing, and don't eat any bread extras, well, go for the dessert. Just make sure you take your time and savour the yummy sweetness. Luxuriate in it, and it will be there in your memory for a long time to come.

Of course, dining out like this will become boring and might lead to weight gain, not weight loss if you do it too often. Keep it as a special treat, enjoy your food, and think about the best choices. You can dine well and still lose weight, as long as you follow these few rules.

What's for tea?

If you're a wife and mother, you will have heard those words a million times. I know I have.

Now that I'm more conscious of the importance of diet, I'm more restricted in some ways, with what the answer might be. I know sausages and chips will get a positive response, but I'm careful about too much fat in the diet, and the importance of getting enough fibre, so that is not the best thing for tea very often.

I've had more success with mini pizzas, made with English muffins and topped with whatever is in the fridge that seems suitable. Capsicum, mushrooms, onions, cold meats, BBQ sauce, cheese are usual suspects in our mini pizzas, and we all enjoy them. Fibre from the vegetables (extra if you use wholemeal muffins), vitamins, protein. It's all good.

I'm thinking about home made burgers for tea - we have a bit of mince, and lots of carrots - I'll grate the carrots and mix them up with the mince, an egg, some sweet chilli sauce and whatever takes my attention closer to tea time - probably balsamic vinegar.

I'll have to go and get some hamburger rolls from the shop, and I'll grill the burgers and serve with cheese and lettuce, with BBQ sauce.

Yummalicious!

Talk to your body!

If you want to lose weight, it is important to do one thing. You have to talk to your body.

Your body gives you messages all the time. It tells you when you are tired, it tells you when it hurts. One thing most people don't realise is that their body probably does not tell them when it's hungry.

You may think your body is telling you you are hungry when you are bored, or upset, or when the clock is telling you it is dinner time. If you live in relatively good conditions in a Western country, your body is probably not the one telling you you are hungry.

The one who tells you that you are hungry most of the time is your head. Boredom, needing comfort food, being a slave to 'what you're meant to do', are all tools your head uses to convince you about your hunger. Your body doesn't have as loud a voice as your head does, so your head gets in there first and convinces you to eat, when your body knows you are not hungry.

This is the most important factor to accept as truth - Your head tells you lies! Your body is far more truthful than your head. If you can accept this truth, you will be well on the way to achieving your ideal weight.

Try it for a couple of days. Only eat when your body tells you about hunger, ignore that liar head of yours! Stop eating as soon as your body tells you the hunger has stopped. It doesn't matter if there is still food on your plate, stop eating.

If you can do this, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!

More about how I lost weight

I realised where I was going wrong. The answer was not the greatest new whizz-bang diet. The answer was to stop looking at diets and to start looking at lifestyle change. Since I made that realisation, I haven’t ‘gone a diet’ again, and I probably never will. Going on a diet leads to going off a diet, and that’s where the trouble starts – You might have been good as gold with your diet, and lose the weight you wanted to, but the diet ends and old habits fill the spot the diet had filled.

After the birth of my son, I stacked the kilograms on, and couldn’t lose any weight no matter what I tried. I’m only 152 cm tall, and at my maximum weight of 65 kg, I was size 14-16 and very uncomfortable.

Now, my dress size is 10, and I’m the slimmest and healthiest feeling I’ve been since I was twelve years old. It’s taken me a while to get to 50kg, but I know I can stay at that weight by using the knowledge I now have. Don’t go on a diet, change your lifestyle! It worked for me, it can work for you, too.

Changing your lifestyle means learning new and good habits to take you to a healthy weight and keep you there for the rest of your life. You and your family will all reap the rewards.

Tried to Lose Weight but failed?

It happens to most of us at times through our lives. The pressure is on to be thin, thin, thin.

And the pressure is on to buy, buy, buy. We buy the food that's being promoted to us daily, and it makes us fat. Then we buy the most recent weight loss method, maybe lose some weight, then go back to our normal life, and the weight goes straight back on.

It isn’t easy to lose weight, as almost everybody knows. Some people go on and off a new diet almost every week without attaining the ideal weight they hope to achieve. I’ve been on just about every diet since my teenage years myself, but hadn’t ever felt satisfied with the results. I did lose some weight, many times, but I always put the weight back on, and often some extra weight as well.

Then I had one of those epiphanies. I realised the problem with going on a diet was that at the end, you go off the diet.

As soon as you go off the diet, old habits come back, and so does the weight. The answer for me was to Change my Lifestyle, Not my Diet.

That was about a year and a half ago. I was unhappy with my weight, feeling fat and frumpy when I realised what the answer might be, and I decided to change my lifestyle. I have attained my ideal weight, and it doesn't look like I will ever be fat and frumpy ever again.

I didn't have an enormous weight loss, because I didn't have an enormous amount of weight to lose. I just knew that my ideal weight was not the 65 kilos I was back in 2007, it was more like 54 kilos. So that was my aim. I would use my knowledge about losing weight and good nutrition, and focus on getting to my target of 54 kilos.

I got there in 2008, and it feels so good to fit into jeans the size I could fit into when I was a twelve year old, and thought I would never fit into again.

Now, in 2009, I weight 50 kilos, and feel completely in control of my body and my life. Losing weight, in the way I did it, has empowered me, and I want to help others to be and remain the weight they know they should be, and they want to be.