I'm a Loser!

Normally this would not be a good thing, but on a weight management blog, it IS!!! By diet alone I lost 2 lbs this week, but I'm sad to say that I've lacked exercise majorly.

Can't wait for hubby to complete our treadmill laptop table so that I can do all my blogging/networking while walking off some calories too. Haven't seen a treadmill laptop table? Want to? Here's a link. You'll have to scroll down to see Tina Russo's.

When mine is finished I'll post a pic of it too.

Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Vacations aren't good...

at least not for those trying to lose excess weight! I discovered that last week, even though I tried very hard to be GOOD.

Okay, so I have a writer's conference coming up in mid September and I really can't afford to buy bigger clothes that I'll look good in and feel good in too, not to mention that I don't need to feel flabby in the chest area, so here goes some tough love on myself.

6 glasses water daily
2 starches
2 fruits
3 vegetables
2 proteins
1 dairy
& 2 fats (that's a total of 2 tables butter or olive oil a day maximum)
1 100-cal treat

That's it. That NEEDS to be my daily intake in order to feel good in my proper size clothes again. If I drink the water then this is definitely enough food to keep me full all day. I know I can do it. I know I can.

Are up to joining me?

The Key to Success is...

Commitment!

Until you wrap your whole being around a goal and add determination to it, success will be dismal if any at all.

So do some searching, discover the reasons you want to limit the sweets, curb the carbs, leave out the fat, and up the exercise. Then pray on it, make it priority, and SUCCEED!!!


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Summertime is Great for Healthy Living

Out with the carb-laden stews, toasty-warm breads, and hot fat-or-sugar-saturated desserts that winter brings, and in with the fresh fruits and vege's, grilled meats, and ice-cold pure water.

Where I live the temperatures are climbing and the air-conditioners are in full motion, so summer is definitely here. And what better time to reassess your health than now. Actually, everyday is a great time to take stock of where you're at, and where you want to be, but the beginning of summer just seems to offer a little extra boost. With outdoor pools open, welcoming you to swim for exercise when walking in the humidity just won't do, and with all those fresh veges and fruits available for healthy eating, summer is the perfect time to strive for optimal health.

The multitude of summer physical activities to do is mind-boggling. Consider challenging yourself to try something new this season. Perhaps set a goal to swim with your kids three times a week and build the number of laps you all can do. Or plan to play basketball and bounce on your trampoline (or the neighbors if they're generous) with a loved one or two on a regular basis.

While you're building your physical activity, try aligning your meals in the same healthy way. Grill lean meats, substitute fresh salads for the winter breads. Not every hamburger needs to become a sandwich. Try a patty nude. You might discover it has more taste without the covering. For dessert, a chilled bowl of fresh fruit and berries, no need to add sugar, will finish the meal off right, and with a healthy twist that won't get you down.

I hope you'll take this new season as an opportunity to begin afresh and really consider what would be good for your health. Get your family involved so that you can all benefit, both relationship wise and health wise.


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Getting into that needed mindset

For me to diligently stick to eating healthy food and in healthy portions, I really need to meditate some first.

I literally have to run through all the reasons that this is the time to behave, and why I so need to. It helps if a special date is coming up in the near future, like a niece's wedding. I do this for stopping nail biting, too. So I have two things to meditate on now since the wedding is in less than four weeks away.

Once the meditating has sufficiently altered my mindset and boosted my self-control, the next thing is to pull my food log back out. Every single thing that enters my mouth is logged. Water, a single cheerio, a single hershey's Kiss, a slice of bread, ounces of meat, cup of lettuce, 2 tbsp oil and vinegar dressing. EVERYTHING!

And as I turn to prayer when the cravings begin to test my resolve, I'm reminded that this body I'm housed in is not really mine, it is His, my Heavenly Fathers. The least I can do is take care of it for Him, so that He may use it and it's strength to His glory. I'm an instrument through which I hope He works, and I want to be healthy enough to do as He commands.

Let the challenge begin once more!


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

First Day of Lent = Amazing Opportunity

Are you giving up something for the next forty days of Lent?

I put serious thought into this, and with each idea that I came up with I realized that anything I give up that would challenge me that I would also seem to benefit from giving it up in the end. That doesn't seem to be as sacrificial as it ought to be, right?

But, then it dawned me that anything I do for God has got to a benefit for me by the very nature of God. He is our Great Caregiver. Anything He asks of us is ultimately in our best interest for our present state of life, or into the eternal. So I decided that as long whatever I gave up challenged me, and tested me, was worth offering to God during this Lent season.

Actually, I've chosen two things to sacrifice this Lent season, one of which relates to food. For the next 40-days of Lent (remember, Sunday's aren't included, as they are for celebrating) I will refrain from eating any morsels whatsoever of "goodies". This includes: chips, cookies, chocolates, cakes, munchy snacks, etc.

So, what about you. Will you be giving up a certain food during Lent in honour of God holding our lives in His hands. In anticipation of Easter, the greatest Love sacrifice of all time.

Lent offers that extra support we weight-challenged people could use. It is an amazing opportunity to get back on track eating wise. I encourage you all to consider that your body is a temple (1 Cor 6:19) and that we are to take care of our individual temples for God's glory and work to be delivered through us.

Blessings,

Eileen

Back at It.

Okay, the holidays got to me. Too many peanut butter balls and butter cookies, I guess.

So here goes my eating to plan again. I did it yesterday, stuck with it so far today, here's hoping I can do it for the next couple of weeks to get back to my goal weight again.

This is my plan. Try it if you like.

First, just so we're clear, I do measure and weigh my portions to be sure that a portion is truly a single portion. I consistently lost 2 lbs a week following this plan last year, so hopefully it'll do the same for me over the next couple weeks and you, too, if you try it.

6 to 8 glasses water spread out throughout the day (Yes, it's best to have easy access to the porcelain buddy!!)
2 servings protein (ie. a 5 oz serving of fish or chicken or 4 oz's of beef is one serving, 1 cup cottage cheese = 1 serving)
2 servings starch (ie. 2 slices weight watchers bread = one serving, 1/2 cup cereal = one serving)
2 servings fruit (ie. 1 large banana = 2 servings, 1 average apple = 1 serving)
3 servings vegetables (ie. 1 cup broccoli = 1 serving, 1/2 cup carrots = 1 serving, the starchier the vege, the less needed for a serving)
1 serving dairy (ie. 1 cup milk = 1 serving, 3/4 no-fat yogurt = 1 serving, 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese = 1 serving)
2 servings fat (8 raw almonds = 1 fat, 1 tbsp oil = 1 fat)
1 Free exchange (that's any treat or pasta sauce or anything, really, that amounts to around 100 calories)

May we all succeed!!

Blessings,

Eileen