Planning what to eat in advance

Achieving weight loss is just like achieving everything else in life: success requires planning.

Preparing and cooking healthy meals after work can be very challenging. Doing so while being hungry is difficult and may not always lead to weight loss success. When I am hungry I want to eat rather sooner than later. In addition, when I am hungry I am likely to make poor food choices.

Therefore planning meals in advance can be a crucial element of clean eating based weight loss approach. Since I don’t cook I buy ready to eat grilled chicken salads and eat them five times a week. 

If the salad comes with cheese I remove the cheese. To keep salads fresh I pack and seal each salad in a separate plastic bag. Buying ready to eat fresh and unprocessed food in advance works for me very well. When I started weight loss process I used to make salads myself. It was difficult for me and I was very happy to graduate to a better way in planning and preparing food in advance.

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Psychological and social consequences of being obese

Being overweight or obese can have a serious impact on health but it is also associated with many serious physiological, psychological, and social consequences.

Carrying lots of unwanted weight causes difficulties with day-to-day living. Normal tasks become harder when you are obese, as movement is more difficult. You also tend to tire more quickly and you find yourself short of breath often.

There are additional consequences. They are related to psychological and social well-being. Consequences like social isolation or negative self-image can be very painful and damaging. More people lose confidence and are demotivated because of their weight than any other factor out there. 

Not surprising, some obese people prefer not to go out in public because they feel self-conscious or they simply cannot enjoy activities that most people take for granted.

I believe that there is more to life than spending it fretting and being depressed about your physical appearance.

Obese individuals have typically made multiple attempts to lose weight, with little or no success. Their previous attempts result in discouragement, frustration, hopelessness, and lead to helplessness about the prospect of losing weight in the future on their own.

Many people throw in the towel on weight loss because they feel deprived and hungry when they eat less. But there is another way. It is decreasing calorie intake while maintaining an adequate nutrient intake. Eating fewer calories doesn't necessarily mean eating less food.

People get full by the amount of food they eat, not the number of calories they take in. To be able to cut calories without eating less and feeling hungry, you need to replace some higher calorie foods with foods that are lower in calories. The key is to eat foods that will fill you up without eating a large amount of calories.

Being obese has a complex impact upon the individual. While health effects of obesity are real and they are dangerous, it’s the social and emotional issues associated with obesity that cause suffering and influences individuals’ psychological state.

I understand that it is a personal and sensitive issue, but when I see obese or overweight people, I feel empathy and desire to help. I write this blog and described what worked for me on ilostweightyoucantoo.com website in attempt to try to help people for whom losing weight seems to be an impossible task.

There is help available if you are overweight or obese. It is a condition that you CAN do something about. The more you know, the better you will be able to take action and do something about it.

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Why did I eat that way today?

Today I drove several hours (each way) to pick up my daughter from college and bring her home for the Christmas break. Unfortunately I used travelling as an excuse and did not stick to the Eat like Me healthy eating. 

I had pizza on the way there and pizza again while coming back. I even supplemented just eaten pizza with almonds in dark chocolate when buying coffee at Starbucks. Used my usual excuse that almonds and dark chocolate are good for heart.

I prepared myself for the trip and took apples to the car to avoid hunger, but ended up with eating only two of them. I am back home now and trying to find the answer to the WHY question. Why did I eat that way today? I think the honest answer is my arrogance. 

The arrogance that I “can afford” to have one bad day because I know how to lose weight, and the next few days will bring me back to where I should be. Unfortunately I use this rationale more often than I should. 

Just two weeks ago I wrote a post about challenges during travel. What’s wrong with me? I knew I would regret eating poorly later but I did it anyway.

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Making a commitment to yourself

Making the decision to lose weight, change your lifestyle, and become healthier is a big step to take. You can start simply by making a commitment to yourself. 

Many people find it helpful to sign a written contract committing to the process.  If nothing comes to mind you can use this:

Today, I am making a commitment to myself to change the way I eat. I will stay focused and every day I will do something, big or small, to help me achieve my goal. I will continue even when it seems like it won’t happen or others say I can’t. I will not give up.

Writing down the reasons why you want to lose weight can also help. It might be because you are scared of heart disease, or because you want to see your kids get married, or simply because you want to feel better in your clothes, or have better sex.

You really need to accurately state and define what your motivations are for losing weight. Whatever your driving force, write it down and read it daily.

No excuses. Excuses are giving up before you even begin.

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Stick to healthy eating strategies when on the go

Travelling for the holidays can mean plenty of hearty family dinners and brunches where the calories can add up fast.

That’s why it’s important to have a game plan for sticking to your healthy eating plan when on the go. Instead of relying on the nutritionally corrupt offerings at gas stations, convenience stores, vending machines or overpriced airport bakeries to quell a rumbling stomach, pack your own arsenal of healthy snacks. I take apples with me when I travel by car.

Planning ahead can help you eat healthier. If you can't prepare ahead, choose wisely. Rather than the chips, smoothie, or candy bar, pick whole fruit or salad. Instead of reaching for juice or soda drink water.  

It’s important to stick to healthy eating strategies when on the go. Whether you’re driving to the in-laws or boarding a flight to a far-flung sunny location as part of the rising tide of running tourism, travelling can throw a wrench into your diet. 

If you don’t stick to your healthy eating plan when on the go, you risk bringing home a few extra pounds as souvenirs from your holiday.

See also:                                            

Unhealthy food decisions while away from home

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Thanksgiving only comes once a year and so does Christmas

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We all love holidays. A gathering of close friends and family is one of the happiest times of year for all of us. Celebrations like Thanksgiving can easily distract us from our healthy diets. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sea of delicious, but not so healthy dishes at your Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are always challenging for me. I know that if I stare down foods and try to make the best choices, Thanksgiving will be a very stressful holiday. I am realistic. I know that even if I tried I would give in to temptations. I also accepted that it’s unrealistic to expect that Thanksgiving dinner will include healthy food. My solution? I simply take a break from my healthy eating habits for a day.

I justify my behavior by thinking that one day doesn't make that much of a difference. I just hope that I will be strong enough not to indulge all the days after. I have to be careful here, because Thanksgiving only comes once a year - but so does Christmas

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Guest Post: Diet vs. Exercise - What’s Better for Weight Loss?

When it comes to weight loss, the facts are clear: 80% of weight loss comes down to dietary changes.  The food choices you make on a daily basis create the biggest impact on your weight loss goals. Nutrition is absolutely CRITICAL to slimming down;  the quality of you food you put into your system 3 to 4 times a day determines how your digestive system, metabolic system and even reproductive system function, making food an integral part of weight loss as well as overall health and wellness.

Physical activity is great for overall health, vitality and keeping your body fit, but you can’t exercise away a bad diet. If you’re spending hours in the gym but eating anything and everything you want before and after, all that sweat and energy is futile. To burn fat and help your body rid itself of extra storage, you need to eat clean and nourish your body with foods that promote balance and health.

So what are these healthy, weight loss promoting foods?

•Fresh Fruit: Berries and citrus are lowest in sugar, which can be helpful for those focused on losing weight, but even high sugar fruits, such as bananas and pineapple, are an excellent source of essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. Plus, fresh fruit can be an excellent substitute for sugary saboteurs such as cakes, cookies and candy.

•Vegetables: Sneak as many greens into your daily meals as possible. Loaded with nutrients and fiber, they promote internal AND external health while keeping your energy stable and your belly satisfied. And eat a variety of vegetables to keep your taste buds engaged, your meals interesting and your fat-burning potential humming.

•Lean Protein: This can mean lean animal protein from wild caught fish, free range beef, cage free chicken and organic turkey or also lean plant protein from sources such as lentils or spirulina.

•Healthy Fat: Avocado, olive oil, coconut or seeds add flavor and satiety while encouraging the body to burn fat. A little goes a long way, so think moderation when it comes to health fats.

To get the most fat-burning, weight loss results from food changes, avoid the following:

•Processed Food: As Michael Pollan says: ‘If came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.’ Take a peek at the ingredient list of packaged food and you’ll immediately see all the additives, sugar and chemical fillers that sabotage weight loss plus lead to serious, chronic illness and disease.

•Refined Sugar: Ah, sugar; the cause of much distress for so many. And rightfully so; refined sugar spikes blood sugar, leading to energy crashes, sugar cravings, poor metabolic function and hormonal imbalance. Satisfy your energy and ‘sweet’ cravings with fresh fruit, sweet potatoes and coconut shreds.

•Alcohol: While moderate alcohol intake can be part of a balanced life, it’s also one of the biggest hindrance to weight loss. Try reducing or substituting alcohol intake while focusing on weight loss to boost your slimmer body efforts.

In addition to weight loss benefits, you also want to think about the long term effects of your food choices when it comes to diet vs. exercise. Consider the stories you read about people who lose weight by eating McDonald’s once a day. They’ve restricted their caloric intake so much that yes, they’ve lost weight even though they’re eating Big Mac’s. However the negative health effects of such a diet reach far beyond the initial weight loss. For starters, this is not a sustainable diet. And secondly, on a diet such as this, the body is not getting adequate nutrients, vitamins and fiber, leading to malnutrition. And finally, the inflammation and internal distress caused by eating this way can and will lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and even cancer. This is not health. The scale may temporarily report a lower number, but the damage done to the body will reduce your quality of life, prematurely age you and lead to an earlier death.

So eat clean to lose weight, energize your body and accomplish your health goals!

Guest blog post by Jodi Geigle.

Jodi Geigle is a board certified nutrition counselor and founder of Eat Clean Health, a holistic nutrition company that specializes in weight loss, digestive problems, women's health and sports nutrition. Jodi works with clients who are interested in transforming their health through clean eating. The nutrition programs offered by Jodi via Eat Clean Health encourage clients to develop a deeper understanding of food and nutrition, leading them to implement lasting changes that improve energy, digestion, balance, and overall health and wellness. For extra support and information, reach out directly and talk with Jodi about your personal health needs and concerns. eatcleanhealth.com