Weight Loss 101

[Trying4Thin]

Ok guys...

In the spirit of school resuming I thought we could also return to the classroom as well. Ever since I started to turn my life around; I have become obsessed with fitness, nutrition, weight loss, success stories, and passing on knowledge that works. Each plan is different and may (or may not) work for you. I like to try a little bit of everything because there will be a time one day when something just "clicks." Each and every one of you are a success story in progress. I dont care if you have lost 0.2 pounds or 200+ pounds; you are still a "LOSER" in my book. So I want to hear from you...what works for you? I am hoping to get a very LONG list of tips here for both the newbies just starting out on their journey; as well as the seasoned veterans who are closing in on their weight loss goals. You are never too far along to learn something new.

Some of my weight loss tips:

1) Keep a food/emotions/exercise/water journal
2) You have to exercise to lose weight; it wont just keep falling off
3) Read labels before you buy or eat something
4) Chug water to kiss fat cells and toxins goodbye "drown the suckers"
5) If it is within walking distance; save gas and use your legs
6) Music can really blow up your workout
7) Heart rate monitors are your best friend
8) Try and cut the soda intake as much as possible (diet included)
9) Everything in moderation
10) Keep your kitchen diet friendly; if you dont trust yourself, dont buy it
11) Get enough sleep
12) Try new things (food, exercise etc) it will keep your bod guessing
13) You dont have to have a gym membership to reach your goals
14) Forgive yourself if you do stumble
15) Never forget where you came from
16) Envision the future and how you want to see yourself
17) Wipe out the phrase "I can't"
18) This wont happen overnight; but it will happen overtime
Dont get too used to the reflection in the mirror because one day you wont recognize the face looking back at you
19) Go "skinny clothes" shopping to stave off a binge
20) Ignore your detractors because they are jealous
21) Find your inner athlete and challenge him/her
22) You can do a hell of a lot more than you think
23) Your body wants to be healthy and conditioned
24) A good sweat session is a lot better than any junk food out there
25) If others see your success story, they will be inspired to become one too..be a walking billboard for good health
26) Start out slow and then when that becomes too easy; step it up
27) Portion control!! Yeah size does matter
28) Try and nix processed foods
29) Dont be afraid to bring your own condiments or to order an entree how you want it
30) Ignore the scale (this is the toughest of them all)
31) You can push through a plateau
32) Use smaller plates to fool your brain, eyes and tummy
33) Take a compliment gracefully...dont reply with, "but I am still X pounds overweight." Make the commenter feel good too by breaking out the happy dance...or a simple thank you will do too
34) Pack a snack or two if you are going to junk food heaven
35) Going out is about the people you are in company with, not the food
36) Eat to live, not live to eat
37) You are more than your weight...shed the weight and let the world see the real you. The stuff that is left over is the true essence of a person and not the blanket that was covering it up.
38) It's ok to be scared...but in this case, change is gooooood!
39) Dont reward yourself with food...rent a movie, get a new outfit, or any non food reward that motivates you to keep pushing forwards
40) Set realistic goals so that if you dont quite make them you wont feel like a failure and want to quit.

More to come!

[Missy]

Here's some of mine..I'm sure I'll think of more to add to this list, but here you go!

1. Stop eating at least 2 hours before going to bed
2. Drink 8-12 glasses of water everyday
3. For each glass of caffeine you drink, you need 2 glasses of water to rehydrate
4. Fruit needs to be eaten in moderation because of sugar, something I was unaware of in the past
5. The greener the vegetable is, the better it is for you
6. Blaming others for your lifestyle shouldn’t be an option
7. Body image and self-esteem are 2 completely different things
8. In order to love, you need to love yourself first
9. Allow yourself one cheat day a week so you don’t end up on a binge
10. Eating 6 smaller meals a day boosts your metabolism
11. You don’t start to burn fat until after 20 min of cardio
12. Women WILL NOT bulk from lifting weights, unless taking steroids
13. Ketchup and jam is like eating liquid sugar
14. Eating for taste is what made us this way in the first place
15. Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad, add spices etc. and make it fun
16. Don’t give up on yourself for something you truly desire
17. When you hit a plateau, keep going, your body will catch up eventually
18. Dairy foods are fattening if not eaten in moderation
19. Processed foods are no good
20. Aspartame (sweetener) causes many health problems
21. If you can’t pronounce a name on a label, chances are it contains no nutrition
22. Stick to whole grains, whole grain breads, bagels and pasta
23. Too much protein and not enough carbs can cause jaundice & other health problems
24. You can’t “diet” and expect to keep it off, it has to be a permanent lifestyle change
25. If your urine is not clear when you empty your bladder, you are not getting enough water