What you can do now

There are many things that you can do to lose weight. What worked for me was changing “everything” overnight, but everybody is different, and different things work best for different people.

While every day is best to start losing weight, starting weight loss in the middle of holiday season is probably more challenging.

Since you are reading this, it means that you are thinking about weight loss. I propose that you use the motivation or concern that brought you here and start doing something now.

What you can do is to stop drinking sugary drinks and drinking more water instead. Yes, it means no soda from now on.

While it will not cause you to lose weight, it will be a big change for start and it will prove to you that change is possible. It will prove to you that change can be done and that you are doing it.

You will experience the satisfaction and empowerment that come from targeting an action, following through, and building a positive new habit. 

Since this change is easy, you will be successful. It will also set your mind that you are already doing something.

Experiencing success builds confidence and motivation. Feeling successful will serve as a constant reminder that change is possible and will help you, when you decide to take action to lose weight.

Do not make terrible mistake by switching to diet soda.  Stop drinking sugary drinks now.

Learning how to eat well

My experience demonstrated that rapid weight loss is possible and sustainable. The best part about the approach that works for me is that I do not have to weight my food, measure portions or count/record calories.

Contrary to conventional thinking, it is not how much you eat that determines you weight; it is what you eat.

Learning how to eat well, what to eat to fill your stomach with foods that have a high nutrient density and are low in calories is worthy. It will allow you to eat however much you want whole losing weight. You will gain a simple and effective strategy to achieve and maintain weight loss without feeling hungry for the rest of your life.

I learned how to enjoy my eating approach and it helped me create healthy behaviors that eventually became effortless. It changed me in a natural fashion and became my proffered way of eating. The change was successful and shows every sign of being permanent.

How mantra worked for me

What is a mantra? Mantra is a simple word or a phrase to repeat. It is a phrase that, when regularly repeated, becomes a genuinely held belief.

For me, using mantra was very effective, especially when I was about to deviate from my eating plan or engage in emotional eating. I used my mantra and it worked 100% every single day. When I was tempted to eat something that would not support my weight loss goals, I would say to myself “Do you want to have an open-heart surgery?” Asking that question set me straight right away. It refocused my thinking on why I was trying to lose weight.

That mantra was very effective for me. It always worked during the first few months of my weight loss efforts. When facing a challenging situation, it helped me stick to my eating plan and make right choice related to food selection.

Using mantra shifted my mindset when needed. It strengthened my motivation. It was like a life-line for me.

Find a phrase or quote that works for you, then repeat as needed. The act of repeating those words can energize you and positively influence your thinking.  It may give you that extra momentum you need by increasing your motivation, or/and prevent you from making a poor choice when deciding what to eat.

Pattern of weight loss

The pattern of weight loss - how much you lose and when - is not a significant factor for weight regain.

It’s a simple fact that when you stop whatever you are doing to lose/maintain weight, you will start gaining weight back.

Many people lost weight, only to regain it again because they went back to eating foods that made them overweight or obese before. That is the main reason for weight loss/regain cycle.

The pattern of weight loss is very important during weight loss attempts.  When you see the results early in the process, you gain more confidence that what you are doing is working and it will motivate you to continue.

Who do you believe

What we hear today about diet and nutrition is confusing. So-called "experts" offer contradicting, sometimes questionable advice about food and nutrition to promote their agendas. Some formally overweight or obese individuals try to monetize their  tips or advice by selling products or services that offer the highest commission.

The majority of us struggle to accept the fact that a diet composed of real foods is the healthiest. For a diet to be truly healthful, it must contain a large amount of vegetables. When you eat lots of vegetables, especially green vegetables, you meet your body's need for fiber and micronutrients without having to consume too many calories.

Gaining knowledge is important step toward effective weight loss. But knowledge is not enough. You need a conscious effort to change what you eat. Incorporating information about a simple and effective strategy into your life you will help you achieve weight loss and have a positive effect on your health.

What you choose to eat will determine how successful you will be.

Eating healthy while away from home

Eating healthy while away from home can be hard. 

I am in Norfolk, Virginia for a week attending job related training. I like it so far. People in my class are authentic leaders. They are committed to improving everyone around them, just as much as they are committed to improving themselves. They are authentic, they project enthusiasm, and most importantly, they care. 

In the morning my only option is eggs, sausage, toast, and some blueberries in the hotel restaurant. Monday lunch was pizza, but today I found a more healthy option. See the picture above. Chicken breast, green beans, mixed vegetables, and spinach on the side. I had water as it contains no sugar or calories. 

Dinners should be less challenging, as I will not be limited to the area where the training is. 

Figuring out how to eat right while away from your routine can be hard, but it is not impossible.

Found healthy and delicious food yesterday

Eating out, especially when not planned in advance, can create a challenge for those of us who eat healthy.  

I try to eat healthy foods when eating out, or at least not to deviate significantly from the Eat Like Me approach. And, when possible, I also use week-ends to add variety to the foods that I regularly eat.

Yesterday, I had lunch at the restaurant that advertises home-style cooking and genuine, Southern hospitality. The restaurant was relatively new to me.

The waitress opened her eyes a bit wider when I finished ordering. She did not offer any comments, she just went over what I ordered to “make sure that I got it right”. 

I was glad that it was possible to customize what was on their menu, and I ended up having lunch that was consistent with my eating style.

See for yourself.  Grilled chicken tenderloins, brussels sprouts and kale salad, steamed broccoli, cole slaw and turnip greens.

I found healthy food and had delicious lunch yesterday.