Weight Loss Moves Asks, Is it O.K. to Eat Starches and Meat At the Same Time?

A few days have passed since my last post and I am proud to say that I am still on target with my weight loss plan. In fact, it's not really a weight loss plan, but more of a serious lifestyle change. I've been following a plan brought into focus by the Diamonds, the Fit For Life plan.

Two of the turning points in this plan are a) the discussion of the proper combining of foods and b) eating just fruit in the morning.

I believe I have the eating just fruit in the morning down pretty good. However, I am still craving combinations of foods that I once thought were right to eat, like a ham and cheese sandwich or steak and potatoes or even cereal and milk. The good thing is that the more consistent I am with this new way of eating, the better I am getting at it and more importantly the more I am seeing results.

I still eat bread and other starches and I still eat meat. I still eat chocolate even. After reading Fit For Life, you'll understand more fully why that is important to mention. People think you have to either stop eating meat or fruit or bread and then you'll start to lose weight. Well, I have lots to learn about what it means to eat the right combinations of foods, but I'm getting there.

Here's an example -- My understanding is that it's o.k. to eat bread (whole grain) and it's o.k. to eat meat, if you must. However, they should not be eaten together since the meat takes much longer to process in your system than bread. The bread and meat then just spoil in your system sending toxins throughout your body which are then protected by the accumulation of the toxins in the fat stores. Thus, you continue to stay fat. The toxins continue to build up and the cycle continues over and over again.

This is what I mean by having the wrong combinations of foods. If you just eat the bread with veggies or just the meat with veggies, then the bread or the meat have time to process correctly, meaning the nutrients have time to work into your cells more properly while avoiding toxifying your system.

O.K. I know...It seems so technical, but it's not like having to do fence installation or anything. All you have to do is get the right food combinations in your head and your good to go. I'm looking forward to seeing the old me again and I know this book will benefit you. However, there must be a commitment to changing up your lifestyle a little bit. It takes work, I'm not going to lie to you. On the other hand, learning a new way of looking at food will certainly change your life.

So, here's to detoxifying and combining foods correctly for a healthier you...and me. :-)

Consistency Pays Off!

I've been sticking to this new lifestyle now for about two or three weeks. Yes, I've regressed at times, but I always come back to the point and I am loving it. Instead of feeling like a failure, I have come to understand that creating a lifestyle of changing bad eating habits is a never ending journey. You don't fail. You might slip, but you get up and try again. This way of thinking brings about such a positive feeling that I just had to share it with you.

To share another favorite new past time of mine, I've been going to the store lately and when I see funny t shirts, or t shirts that have funny sayings on them, I buy them and wear them. I enjoy seeing other people's reactions to what I have to say. Some of the comments are stuff like "save a tree" or "you go girlfriend...and don't come back." It's a good way to start conversations when there's nothing to say.

I've been wearing them mainly when I go and visit an elderly friend of mine who is dying. He always gets a kick out of my crazy shirts and I get a kick out of lifting his spirits. So, when you wake up tomorrow, I want you to go do something positive for someone and for yourself.

Positive Changes - Weight Loss Moves

Keeping with my change in lifestyle to feel more upbeat, more healthy, more energized and more happy, I have decided to wear earrings everyday. I kept losing my gold earrings, could never wear fantasy jewelry and couldn't do clip on earrings. However, more recently I found that I could wear fantasy jewelry. I wonder if it's the change in the material used to make them. It's been so long since I tried that I have been amazed that they don't bother me. Really though, I can only keep them on for the day. If I keep them on longer and don't give my ears a rest, they do still get irritated.

Another change I've made an effort to keep up over the last few weeks is that I'm actually doing something with my hair. I've always just left it in a bun since that's the quickest and easiest thing to do with unruly, curly hair. However, lately I've been styling it. It's not the fanciest style, but it does show that I put some effort into me.

Finally, I cannot say enough about fruits and vegetables. I have noticed an increase in energy, a glow to my skin and an all around good feeling about myself and those around me. I've taken out eating more than one serving of protein and that, only at night. I've basically made it my goal to eat only fruit in the morning since it processes the most quickly in my system and still allows my digestive tract to work uninhibited. For lunch I have a mixture of vegetables, raw nuts, seeds and the like, all kinds.

This is a form of "clean," "high energy" eating.

The one thing I do wish to do more of is exercise. However, considering where I've been, I've come a long way!

So, how are you doing? Focus on the positive. Even one positive change is a move in the right direction.

Losing Weight is Tough Business

Dieting is no joke. Losing Weight is tough business, but it's definitely doable. You may notice that just about every other magazine on the rack at the supermarket checkout counter has a cover page discussing weight loss. People are losing 10s to 100s of pounds on this diet or that diet. I recently came across a lifestyle changing book that I'm trying out first before I recommend it to you. I've mentioned it in a previous post though.

It's hard to stick to merely because it's completely different than anything I've learned about the food groups, what's important to eat and how often one should eat. I find myself battling with the concepts. However, they are awesome concepts and very educational as well. After reading all I have read in this lifestyle book, I've come to understand the way food is processed and how to such a degree that I can actually understand what's happening when my body is digesting whatever I put in it.

I know why I'm feeling bloated and weighted down or light and free feeling. I know WHY! It's like the old concept of giving someone a fish or teaching someone how to fish. Now it's just a matter of "fishing" if you will. Anyway, I wanted to just give you an update on my health and to let you know that I'm still truckin' along. My body is adjusting to all the changes. Now all I have to do is add a consistent routine of exercise and I'll be off! I know in the end that I won't regret all I'm doing to treat myself better. Doing this is improving my entire family's eating habits too. That is an awesome side benefit.

Travel Health Insurance

I'm going on a trip very soon and wondered what you thought about travel health insurance. Thinking about traveling and being away from your local doctors is fine for someone like me who hardly ever has anything wrong with her. However, my husband, has some health issues. His employer covers his health, but lately, I've been wondering if I should get something else, sort of as a back up for just in case. Well, that's what's been on my mind today. I know there are a lot of recommended health plans out there, but rarely someone who will take on a preexisting condition without charging you an arm and a leg.

Weight....I'll discuss it tomorrow when I get back to my awesome lifestyle. I hear the fruits and vegetables calling me now. LOL!

Chocolate is Evil!

I ain't g'on lie to ya. I ain't doing really well this weekend. I think I've been workin it to the bones and my weight loss has tired me out. I know my weaknesses and when I'm being called to eat my eva lovin chocolate, and it's hard. It is! I have to have it. It's worse than a drug habit. Well, maybe not that bad. I've never had one of those. Well, anyway, to get my mind off of this need, I've been surfing the web - not for very long, mind you, but long enough. When you do this, don't you find that you can come up with some very interesting products. I just came across the Stokke Tripp Trapp. I bet you'll never guess what that is.

I sure didn't know what it was until I read the description. It has a catchy name to it. Anyway, it's a baby high chair. Well, tomorrow's Sunday and it's a religious day, so I'm going to focus on prayer and ask to be delivered from the chocolate evils of this world. LOL! No, really, I'm going to get back on the bandwagon again. I've fallen off, but I'm gonna catch up to it and keep moving forward. I hope you're doing well. If not, come on right along and struggle with me. We'll make it.

Dieting, Pills, Meat and Being a Vegetarian

Today is my anniversary. My hubby and I have been married for eight years. I look at my little ones and know the time has flown. They're getting so big. It keeps me going when I think of the fact that I am molding their future by the choices I make. I am influencing the way they might eat when they get older and are on their own. I'd love to believe that they will be healthy and fit because they saw their mom and dad interested in good health and good nutrition.

Thinking about that, I'd like to mention now that I have been thinking about those of you who try the diet pill as a means of losing weight. If it works for you, I'm not knocking you in any way by discussing my successes. I know that we all have to find our own way. Mine is leaning towards being a vegetarian. I've been reading too much lately and just can't get myself wrapped around the idea of certain meat/flesh foods going in my mouth after I know where they've been.

I guess that all I'm trying to say is that I wish you the best, whatever lose weight course you choose. Hopefully my successes will encourage some of you to keep moving forward.

Fit for Life - Thought Provoking!

I recently started reading a book called Fit For Life and, boy, is it an eye opener. On top of being that, it is highly controversial in its ideas on how humans should eat. One of the most thought provoking ideas is that of protein intake. The book purports that protein is already produced in adequate quantities by the body and therefore, instead of eating meat two or three times a day, one does not actually need to consume flesh at all. In fact, apparently, humans were not created to eat meat, especially not the way that it is consumed by the average American. WOW! Can you take that to the bank?

So, all in all, the point is that I am educating myself on how to make the best lifestyle changes so that I lose weight more naturally, instead of forced. Now, I'm not saying it doesn't take any effort. As you know, exercise is essential to any healthy form of weight loss. However, one can lose weight and without requiring any form of starvation.

That brings to mind another though provoking idea, that of food combinations being correct in order for the body to process foods most efficiently. Can you say, "Huh?" Well, I'll get more into that the next time I write.

By the way, does anyone know where I can get some inexpensive luggage? I'm going on a trip soon and need to replace the beat up stuff I have. I heard of Delsey luggage, but I was thinking of shopping somewhere like Target or Walmart. Anyway, I want quality, but I don't want to have to pay an arm and a leg, know what I mean?

So, happy lifestlye changes and happy weight loss!

Losing Weight Isn't All There Is!

While discovering the power within yourself to shred weight, you may encounter other matters in your life that need cleaning up. I'm talking about things like your closets filled with clothes that you haven't worn in over two years, drawers stuffed with clothes that you'll probably never use again, even dust above ceiling fans that has been there since your first had them installed. I'm discovering all of these things as I attempt to organize my life.

One thing I am putting lots of use to is my vacuum cleaner. I don't have one of those Electrolux vacuums, but the vacuum I use does do the trick. I think it even has a Heppa bag in it so that allergens are contained a little better than with the average vacuum cleaner. My vacuum cleaner has recently become my best friend since I found that it is awesome when I want to pick up the seeds my birds scatter all over the floor and table top. The birds have even become accustomed to the noise and are no longer fluttering and flying about in the cage while I clean. If you decide to use this clean-up trick, be careful not to scoop up the bird(s) while you're cleaning.

Anyway, life sure is different than it was 10 years ago. So many things that I use to find important are ridiculously unimportant now. Weight loss wasn't even a thought for my 10 years younger body, mind and spirit. However, I have come to appreciate the fact that even though the inevitability of our lives is ultimately death, we still strive to postpone that inevitability by doing all we can to improve our lives - thus dieting or changes in eating habits and lifestyles.

So, how the heck are you? Are you sticking to your weight loss goals? I'm not really calling what I am doing "dieting" anymore since I have been slowly making lifestyle changes, but I am on track. Deviating just a little bit doesn't mean you are totally off track. Remember to just get back on the bandwagon and keep moving forward.

Do You Need a GPS System to Weight Loss?

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a GPS system for weight loss. You'd say, "Lose 10 pounds" and the system would say, "turn right at the next street" and you would know that this meant to "eat fruit and vegetables," etc. Well, there are many books out there and they all say something different about how to lose weight. It's absolutely annoying, if you ask me! I think we should just focus on eating fruits, vegetables and perhaps protein and drinking plenty of water. I'd also focus on exercising regularly. That's it. I've been reading a book called "Fit for Life." It's good. Read it.

Doing Great! Losing Weight! Feelin Fine!

When you see your lose weight efforts starting to pay off, you feel great, don't you! I know I do. I've decided that I am no longer going to refer to the lifestyle changes I have made as dieting. It's not temporary.

It's like employment. You do it because you have to, because if you don't then you won't survive. Well, maybe you'd survive, but you wouldn't be healthy. Let's face it, we need money to live, so you have to work, right? If you don't work, you'd better be wealthy. Really though, we were created with a will to work. When we don't, we feel bad. We need to work to have a purpose for getting up every morning.

I know this because after I had my children, I decided to stop working outside of the home. It was pretty difficult to just sit and take care of the kids. That's it. I had an urge to do something. I didn't know what I'd do, but I knew I had to do something. And I also knew that I wanted to see a reward for my hard work...MONEY!

Anyway, the point is that eating right is not something you should say is an option. It's a must. Exercising is also not an option. It's good for you, so just do it!

Flat Screen TV

I've decided not to talk about weight today since it's Sunday and I don't feel like discussing weight loss. That being said, I will talk about a luxury I just attained.

I need a lot of things, but a TV wall mount is not one of them. I'm sharing that since we just broke down and bought a 37" flat LCD screen TV with wall mount. We thought we might use the wall mount and it was on sale, but when we got it home, it just wasn't something we needed, so we returned it and happily received a full refund.

The TV, on the other hand, is very nice. It's not something I would have thought to spend money on, but my husband had been wanting it for a while now, so...

Doing Great! Eating Clean!

I would just like to report that I am doing well and keeping up with my goals thus far. I've lost a little weight and am eating clean, that is, eating mostly fruits and vegetables and lean meats and whole grains. Another thing I'm doing is adjusting from eating three meals a day, the last being the biggest, to eating several small meals throughout the day with the largest meal being in the middle of the day. This is a little difficult because I am use to eating more at night, but I'm sure my body will adjust. Finally, I'm exercising. I use to love to exercise. Now it's just a chore, but again as with all changes we make, this one is a work in progress that requires many adjustments to see it through. I will! How about you? How are you doing?

Well, now that I'm back on track physically, I'm also focusing on this bathroom remodeling that I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'm thinking of getting the furniture for the bathroom from IKEA and also noticed some beautiful Kohler faucets that are right up my ally financially and aesthetically. I'll let you know how it goes. This project is slooooowwww going, but as with all things, I'm sure I will see it through.