FATspiration Tip #5

I haven't written a FATspiration tip in a while, so here goes...

FATspiration Tip #5:  Eat every 3 hours and keep a daily food/drink journal.

I've seen this done on all of the FAT shows recently, but when it was recommended by my beautiful, skinny cousin, I knew it had to be true.  :-)  She's one of those people who makes a fat girl want to spit out the candy she just stuffed in her mouth.  This woman has an amazing body, gorgeous hair, and a very pretty face.  The worst part?  She's so ridiculously nice that you can't hate her.  :-)  Seriously though, she works really hard to keep her body looking as awesome as it does, AND she's really into the fitness world.  She knows her stuff.

According to this wonderful lady, eating every 3 hours keeps your metabolism going.  Obviously, sitting on your couch with a box of Twinkies ready to fill your "every 3 hour" requirement is not what we're shooting for.  Personally, I like to keep a bag of fresh almonds in my kitchen (no salt or sugar added).  If it's been a few hours and I'm not ready for a meal, I just grab a few almonds.  If I remember correctly, I can have about 23 for 4 Points.  I don't even come close to eating 23, so it is a healthy, filling, super low-Point food.

I can also speak from experience regarding the food journal.  Tracking your food is a component of WW, and it has really helped me.  Those of us who are addicted to food go through bouts of denial.  When I first started keeping a journal, I could not believe how much I had been eating before WW.  It was disgusting and kind of scary.  Even now, when I don't lose during a week, I know it's because I didn't keep detailed track of my food on a particular day.  I think I'll remember it later, but it's really easy to forget.

In addition to keeping a journal, even if you're not doing WW, you should set goals for how many glasses of water you want to drink each day.  I love having the little water tracker on my WW tool.  During the weeks I lose the most, I meet my daily water goals.  Tracking it keeps me aware and motivates me to make sure I'm drinking enough.  On Saturday, I looked back through my previous WW weeks.  The water is a huge factor.

If you're trying to shed some pounds, add the food journal to your plan and make sure you eat healthy snacks throughout the day.  :-)  Good luck!

Click here to visit my cousin's new blog!  She has a lot of great ideas about saving money.  :-)

FATspiration Tip #4

Another week is coming to a close for me, and I must face the scale tomorrow morning.  This has been a rough week... which brings me to this post.

FATspiration Tip #4:  There will be rough patches.

If you've read any of my earlier FAT related posts, you know this is my 3rd week on Weight Watchers.  I really do love the program and think it's a great fit for me.  If you're not familiar with the program, you have a daily Points allowance based on your height and weight.  However, you also have a weekly allowance for days you inevitably splurge.  AND... in addition to the weekly Points, you can even swap your activity Points if you still need that extra wiggle room.

Thank God.

For whatever reason, this week got off to a rough start.  I have a lot going on right now, and I'm assuming I reverted back to my terrible habit of compulsive overeating.  I literally wanted to eat everything in my house.  I definitely needed those extra points this week.  I didn't totally ruin my diet, but I did use about half of my extra (weekly) Points.  The fact that I didn't completely throw the diet out the window because of a few bad days is a big deal for me.  In the past, I would have given up.  Now, I have to just face the fact that there are going to be days or even weeks when I'm going to struggle.  The important thing is to keep pushing myself.  In an effort to combat the extra eating this week, I did exercise more.  I increased my elliptical workout to twice a day and continued with the vigorous walks when the weather was decent.  Hopefully, the exercise has been enough to keep me from gaining any weight back.  We'll see tomorrow morning.

Click the links below to read the first FATspiration Tips.
FATspiration Tips 1, 2, & 3

FATspiration Tip #2

Keep pushing yourself!

This is my second week of eating healthier and exercising regularly.  I must be perfectly honest.  It's different this time.  I've started thousands of diets, and I usually don't make it through the first week.  I don't know why I've suddenly developed will power, but I have.

There are tough days, but I think that's what makes WW a good program for me.  If I need to indulge in a sweet treat, I can.  I'm training myself to think about it first though.  Sure, I would rather eat chocolate all day than fruit and veggies, but are the points worth it?  For me?  Right now?  No.

This brings me (again) to my second FATspiration tip.

KEEP PUSHING YOURSELF!  Don't give up.  Make yourself get up off your rear end and exercise.  Make yourself experiment with food until you find healthier options you can actually enjoy.  Yes, it's hard, but it gets easier.  If you get past the 3rd day, you can keep going.  You may not want to, but you can.  :-)

FATspiration Tip #1

Fatspiration Tip #1

I have tons of mommy topics in my mind that I would like to write about, but at the moment, I'm consumed with my newest attempt at losing weight, getting healthy, and feeling better about myself.  It is Day 4, and I'm doing pretty well.  I already feel so much better and have more energy.  I'm sticking to my points (WW) and have been spending time on my elliptical every day.  Again, this is only Day 4, but I feel good about this. 

I do have moments of weakness, and I really do think about food most of the day.  However, when I feel I might give in, I stare at my FAT picture. 

Fatspiration Tip #1:

Take a FAT picture!  FAT = Finally Acknowledging the Truth.  

If anyone else out there is trying to shed some pounds and is actually serious about it, I strongly suggest taking a FAT picture.

1. Change into an outfit that fits your body.  Don't try to cover your flab with baggy clothing.  Find a pair of leggings or shorts and top it with a tank top or sports bra. 
2. Set up a camera with a self timer or have someone prepare to take your picture.  Make sure the camera catches your entire body.  Don't try to crop out the spare tire or thunder thighs.  :-)
3. Pose!
4. Display the picture on your refrigerator, cabinet, or wherever it will give you the most inspiration. 

Not only will this keep you motivated but you'll have a "before" picture as a reminder of all of your hard work once you lose the weight.  :-)