I know a lot of my overeating has taken place simply because I'm not paying attention. Eating is a great thing....a gift from God. We should take pleasure in eating and be thankful for what we eat. So I think we need to give eating it's own time. In other words....don't combine eating with other things like watching a video or teaching your kids or driving....or blogging! When you've combined eating with another activity, once you've finished eating you barely remember having the meal, snack, or whatever it is. Pick a place in your house to eat (hmmm...how about the kitchen table) and then only eat there. When you're eating, enjoy the flavor of the food, enjoy the activity itself, and enjoy those who are eating with you. Then move on. If you're used to eating while watching tv....you will eat more than you intend. If you eat while blogging, you'll down a pile of food before you've even conciously registered that you're consuming something. Condition yourself to confine eating to your kitchen table or wherever your designated spot is. If you are a homeschooling mom that teaches at your kitchen table, try to have the school stuff off the table when you eat. Eat breakfast there before the books get set up, clear the books to have lunch. Don't make stuffing your face a part of your teaching routine. Been there, done that, gained a lot of weight!
Remember.....I Corinthians 6:12"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.
Showing posts with label diet tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet tips. Show all posts
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Success Tips
Although everyone is different, it is sometimes helpful to know what has helped someone be successful at what they're doing.
Here are some things that help me.
Be Prepared. When I get up in the morning, I have an idea of what I'll be eating that day. If I've got an event that poses a big problem, I plan for it. If it means cutting up a few bags of veggies so that I have some 'munchies' to eat while the kids or my husband are eating chips, then I've got it covered.
Beware of salty snacks. I love these so I had to find a substitute. Baked Lays Chips, Baked Doritos, Baked Scoops are all great. EXPENSIVE, but great. It's worth it if you're the only one eating them. One caution. Don't sit down with the bag next to you. Count out 1 serving and put it in the bowl and put the bag AWAY. Get some salsa that you like or make some fresh stuff and use it generously. By the way, Sam's club is about the cheapest place to get these...about half the price of the grocery stores.
Get rid of stuff that you just can't resist. For me it's Cheetos, donuts, and believe it or not, boxed macaroni and cheese. If you can't handle it don't have it in the house.
Don't eat stuff you don't like. It doesn't satisfy you at all and you're more likely to make bad food choices later.
Don't expect to lose the weight quickly. If you do, you'll get discouraged and quit and gain everything back plus a few more pounds for good measure. Losing at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week is painfully slow but then your eating habits will change and the pounds will stay off for the most part with a little self-control. See how your weight loss works....if you tend to lose a pound per week, see how long it will take you to get to your goal weight and make that a red letter day on your calendar....even if it's two years from now. Look forward to that day. When you're struggling to stay on target, tell yourself, "If I keep on target, I will get to my goal by that date". The time will pass anyway, you might as well have lost some weight in the process.
Us frugal moms HATE to waste food. Unfortunately sometimes we forget that when we finish up what our five-year-old left behind on his/her plate, it is wasting it just as much as if we threw it away. Our bodies don't need it. To feed myself what I don't need is wasting it. Get over it....throw it out. Better to waste it than to 'waist' it.
Portion control. Portion control. Portion control. Those serving sizes mean something. Use a smaller plate! No seconds. You won't wither up and die.
Thou shalt not lie. I think we need to recognize that we are very capable of lying to ourselves about food and how much we eat. This dishonesty is not pleasing to the Lord or the scale. Our bodies are not fooled.
Find a program that works for YOU and stick to it. If you can' afford a program, keep a food journal and write everything down. I use Weight Watchers online. I like it because I'm not a Rah Rah! meeting kind of person (maybe you are and that's great). I also like the simplicity. It calculates everything for me --I just type in what I eat. It has me losing at the right pace. No foods are off limits, I just have to stay within my point allowance. I LOVE this program.
Rely on the Lord. He knows you and your struggle. He knows what we're made of. He knows temptation. He can give you the strength to do the task at hand. Think what a fantastic testimony this can be for someone struggling with other addictions.
Remember that you can discipline yourself to do pretty much anything for just 24 hours, so take this thing ONE day at a time. Control yourself TODAY. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Find some new favorite foods and make sure they're always in your house. I have discovered oat bran and I love it. I also love Brownberry's Double Fiber 100% whole wheat bread. Seedless raspberry jam of the Smuckers variety. Summer fruits! Tomatoes! Fresh salsa with baked chips! Grilled chicken salad with lowfat dressing!
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Here are some things that help me.
Be Prepared. When I get up in the morning, I have an idea of what I'll be eating that day. If I've got an event that poses a big problem, I plan for it. If it means cutting up a few bags of veggies so that I have some 'munchies' to eat while the kids or my husband are eating chips, then I've got it covered.
Beware of salty snacks. I love these so I had to find a substitute. Baked Lays Chips, Baked Doritos, Baked Scoops are all great. EXPENSIVE, but great. It's worth it if you're the only one eating them. One caution. Don't sit down with the bag next to you. Count out 1 serving and put it in the bowl and put the bag AWAY. Get some salsa that you like or make some fresh stuff and use it generously. By the way, Sam's club is about the cheapest place to get these...about half the price of the grocery stores.
Get rid of stuff that you just can't resist. For me it's Cheetos, donuts, and believe it or not, boxed macaroni and cheese. If you can't handle it don't have it in the house.
Don't eat stuff you don't like. It doesn't satisfy you at all and you're more likely to make bad food choices later.
Don't expect to lose the weight quickly. If you do, you'll get discouraged and quit and gain everything back plus a few more pounds for good measure. Losing at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week is painfully slow but then your eating habits will change and the pounds will stay off for the most part with a little self-control. See how your weight loss works....if you tend to lose a pound per week, see how long it will take you to get to your goal weight and make that a red letter day on your calendar....even if it's two years from now. Look forward to that day. When you're struggling to stay on target, tell yourself, "If I keep on target, I will get to my goal by that date". The time will pass anyway, you might as well have lost some weight in the process.
Us frugal moms HATE to waste food. Unfortunately sometimes we forget that when we finish up what our five-year-old left behind on his/her plate, it is wasting it just as much as if we threw it away. Our bodies don't need it. To feed myself what I don't need is wasting it. Get over it....throw it out. Better to waste it than to 'waist' it.
Portion control. Portion control. Portion control. Those serving sizes mean something. Use a smaller plate! No seconds. You won't wither up and die.
Thou shalt not lie. I think we need to recognize that we are very capable of lying to ourselves about food and how much we eat. This dishonesty is not pleasing to the Lord or the scale. Our bodies are not fooled.
Find a program that works for YOU and stick to it. If you can' afford a program, keep a food journal and write everything down. I use Weight Watchers online. I like it because I'm not a Rah Rah! meeting kind of person (maybe you are and that's great). I also like the simplicity. It calculates everything for me --I just type in what I eat. It has me losing at the right pace. No foods are off limits, I just have to stay within my point allowance. I LOVE this program.
Rely on the Lord. He knows you and your struggle. He knows what we're made of. He knows temptation. He can give you the strength to do the task at hand. Think what a fantastic testimony this can be for someone struggling with other addictions.
Remember that you can discipline yourself to do pretty much anything for just 24 hours, so take this thing ONE day at a time. Control yourself TODAY. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Find some new favorite foods and make sure they're always in your house. I have discovered oat bran and I love it. I also love Brownberry's Double Fiber 100% whole wheat bread. Seedless raspberry jam of the Smuckers variety. Summer fruits! Tomatoes! Fresh salsa with baked chips! Grilled chicken salad with lowfat dressing!
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
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