Zero In On Portion Control

Sure..easier said than done… but possible!

If your parents always praised you for being a member of the ‘clean-plate club’, you still might be havving issues leaving food behind, especially when you’ve paid out hard earned money at a restaurant. Today, the portions on restaurants are HUGE – each site competing with the next on price and portion. Dining out is a major challenge for me.

Don’t let the size of the serving placed in front of you determine how much you eat. Keep in mind portion size – - like a baseball, or a deck of cards, for example – to remind yourself what reasonable servings of food should look like.

Ask the waiter to take away what you don’t want and pack it for later. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, and eat s-l-o-w-l-y.

Surf n’ Turf, anyone?

At least, for me, its easy to lose confidence if I’m not reaching my weight loss goals the way I’d hoped. There’s always the temptation to blame myself. You know how it goes: you tell yourself that you just don’t have the staying power or will power to lose the weight.

Here’s a trick – you’ve managed to lose 5 pounds so far, which may not sound like a lot when you compare it to your overall goal. The next time you’re at the grocery store – grab a 5lb back of flour, sugar or potatoes. Carry it around with you as you shop.

It’s getting heavy, hey??

That’s the amount of excess weight you used to carry all the time. Five pounds on the scale may not seem like much, but when you tote it around in your arms and think of it as the fat you’ve lost – - you realize what a big accomplishment it really is!

Also, remember – pounds aren’t the only measure of success. Make a list of other benefits you’ve gained by following your diet and exercise program:

• Maybe your clothes aren’t as tight anymore?
• Maybe you’re more flexible?
• Maybe your energy and stamina have improved?
• Maybe you’re eating a healthier diet?
• Maybe you’re losing inches and toning muscle?

If you can make one change.. you can make two. If you can make two changes.. you can make three. Get the idea?

My motivator for the week? I’ve lost 10lbs total so far (I’ve been at this roughly a month). With those 10 pounds I have also lost 12 inches! The inch loss is appearing (or I should say dissapearing) from my waist and hip area, mostly (right where I need it!). I was de-railed on my program .. right in the middle of it because I had a gallbladder attack and had to have my gallbladder removed. Using my usual and old habits.. I *almost* let that completely de-motivate me.. because once I step off my diet and workout program, for some reason.. it’s really hard for me to get back on it. Trust me, I will use anything as an excuse! And surgery felt like a pretty damn good excuse! Although, the gallbladder surgery was a pretty minor procedure (done via laproscope) – and my recovery was quick… hardly any pain after two days and the very small incisions are healing very nicely.

Luanne, my personal trainer, kept encouraging me and gave me about a week before she called and said “Come on down to the gym – - don’t be worried.. we’ll keep it light and simple, ok?” – - so I dragged myself in and I am really glad that I did. I felt so much better afterwards…and have kept up my regular visits..and feel really motivated to keep moving!

Good luck!

People ususally feel much better when losing weight, it’s true! Some experience periods of fatigue, as well, however. When you take in fewer calories than you burn, you force your body to turn to the energy it has stored as fat. This is a good thing! However, falling short on calories can make you feel tired and rundown.. and yes, even grumpy (ask me, I know!). As a result – some people get tired of dieting, but you don’t have to let an energy drain get in the way of your weight loss goals.

If you’re feeling fatigue every day, talk to your doctor. But if you simply have occasional slumps and less energy than yo uused to, try eating smaller meals adn then snack more frequentyly during the day. Save the piece of fruit from breakfast to eat in the middle of the morning, or hold off on the sliced veggies you brought for lunch and have them later in the afternoon. Eating more frequently can steady your blood sugar levels so you won’t feel a slump when your energy supplies run low.

Another good way to combat fatigue is to fit extra physical activity into your day. It seems irnoic to be more active when you’re feeling an energy low, but research shows that physical activity can actually make people feel more energetic, rather than less. It provides a psychological boost that can banish the blues. Getting up and moving also increases your self-confidence. AND regular exercise increases stamina, so you’ll build reserves of energy for more activity!

Experts say a healthy weight loss plan should average 1 to 3 pounds a week. If you’ve lost 5-8 pounds after 8 weeks.. don’t be dissapointed! Within 8 weeks, you can expect to have lost anywhere from 8-24 pounds. Losing weight more quickly than that means losing muscle tissue along with fat, which could slow your metabolism adn make it harder to maintain your weight loss further on down the road.

The most important thing now is not to get discouraged! Make a pact with yourself to use a little extra time and effort in the coming month to reach your goal and make sure the number is realistic!