Hey Christina, I went ahead and copied and pasted some tips I wrote out for 4me when she first joined. I'm definitely going to be repeating some of the stuff the other girls said, but it's all tried and true advice.
Your body needs food, just like it needs air. Look at it this way: an animal would never just give up eating (unless it was very sick.) We need to eat to survive. The difference between eating healthy and eating unhealthily is what will make a difference in our weight. Using healthy foods will give your body the fuel it needs to look and perform at it's best. If you use unhealthy foods, your body won't run as well. It's kind of like the difference between putting premium gas or cheap regular gas in your car. The car runs better when you use the premium. So here are some tips:
1. ALWAYS have breakfast. A bowl of heart healthy cereal (like Raisin Bran or Cheerios) with some skim milk will do. You can add a sliced banana or some berries. Or if you don't like cereal, scramble yourself an egg and have it with a peice of fruit, or have some whole wheat toast with low sugar jam. Just get some food in you first thing! Breakfast gets your metabolism moving.
2. Drink lots and lots of water! You need it to stay hydrated and it will fill you up and cleanse your system.
3. Have small healthy snacks in between your breakfast, lunch and dinner. A cup or peice of fruit. A low fat yogurt. A handful of almonds. A cup of carrots. Celery with low fat peanut butter. Small snacks will keep that metabolism moving and will stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day.
4. Exercise! I know it's tough, but once you get into a routine it will make you feel great. Cardio and strength training are best for weight loss, but do anything that makes you feel good, whether it's yoga, pilates, swimming, or dancing to music. Get your heart pumping and your muscles working and you'll see a difference.
5. Have realistic expectations. I will never ever look like Gwenyth Paltrow. I just don't have that kind of body. But I know with the right diet, exercise, and attitude I may someday be able to look like say, Kate Winslet or Jennifer Lopez. Everyone's body is different. Remember, your goal shouldn't be to be super skinny-it should be to be super healthy.
6. Give yourself small rewards. If you have two weeks where you do your new healthy diet perfectly, go ahead and get yourself a manicure or a new lipstick. Anything that makes you feel good that isn't food. Just don't get addicted to spending money! Use this technique sparingly, just like everything else.
7. Remember, once in awhile it's okay to have a food treat. Just make sure you're controlling your portions. If you want ice cream, don't buy a whole tub and then have it sitting there in the freezer waiting for you. Go out to an ice cream place, get a small cone and enjoy it. Just don't make it an everyday treat and don't overdo it.
8. Take animals and small children as an example. Older kids and adults are swayed by advertising. Little kids only eat what they need and they eat what their parents give them, which should only be healthy good for you food, with a treat now and then. They stop when they're full and have no knowledge of all the crazy packaged processed goodies that older people eat. Animals also only eat what they need to survive (except Jennylee's cats!) My cat eats when he's hungry and walks away. He hardly ever finishes a full bowl of food in one sitting.
9. My favorite rule of thumb is to stick to the foods the earth provides us. Fruits, veggies, legumes, whole wheat. Unprocessed foods are a key to good health. The more color the better. Bright red strawberries, juicy oranges, sparkling blackberries, shiny carrots, rich leafy greens-they are all so bright in color because of the incredible amounts of nutrients and vitamins that occur naturally in them. Anything white should be avoided, like white bread, pasta, rice, but browns are okay. Whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal-all of these things are heart healthy. Just make sure you're controlling your portions. Too much of anything is not good.
10. Finally, make sure you keep your food diary! It helps so much. You'll get support and you'll constantly have a reminder of what you're eating. Make sure you log everything, drinks and random bites off of other people's plates included. Before long you'll start to realize when you eat because you're hungry and when you eat because you're bored, sad, happy, ect. Keep your hands busy when watching tv. I think Jennylee got herself some word puzzles to do, which is a great idea. I play with my cat or I keep a book or magazine around and sip water. Knit. Whatever, just don't let yourself eat out of boredom.
After a few weeks it will get easier and easier and eventually when you try to eat bad food it will make you feel so crappy you'll think twice about doing it again. Look around the forum and read people's diaries to get ideas about what you should be eating to lose and you'll get fun and tasty ideas for foods to try! Good luck Christina and remember, if you need any help or have any questions we're all here for you!
