Going Out

Last weekend my husband and I went out to a restaurant to celebrate my dear friend’s birthday.  She picked an “American Grill”.  They are known for their burgers, steaks and desserts. This could be a real trouble spot for a lot of DIETERS.

When you are on a diet, you deprive yourself of all the things that are “bad”. That is until you reach your goal and then go back to eating everything that got you on the diet in the first.

Changing your lifestyle means not depriving yourself.  You can live in a whole new way, where food is not a thing to avoid; it is now part of your life.  And the life you are living is healthy and bringing you happiness.

I saw that one of their side dishes was fresh, seasonal vegetables.  I drank water, had a cup of French Onion Soup and then asked if I could have a plate of the vegetables.  The server was happy to get me what I requested and even asked if I like Portobello mushrooms!  YES I do!  There was no fuss, no embarrassment.  This is what I eat. Period.

The meal was delicious.  The plate was so full of veggies that I was still eating while the others ate dessert.  Now, could I have had dessert? Yes. I could have.  I’m in control of what I eat, not some arbitrary diet.  I did not to eat dessert because I really didn’t want it.   It’s not part of my lifestyle. Will I add dessert into my lifestyle someday?  Maybe.  But not for everyday. I’m on a path, I’ll see what is around the bend when I get there.

As you go along your wellness journey, make the choices you want to make.  If you decide to eat a dessert, or a piece of bread, of have cheese on something: it’s ok because it’s your choice. Don’t beat yourself up over it, don’t go running off into “I can’t stay on a diet so I might as well eat everything” binge.  It’s a choice. It’s YOUR choice.

Think first. Pick wisely. And move on.

Resources

If you are having a hard time finding the supliments and other healthy products you need, try shopping at “Shop The Care Group” and see if they may have the products at the prices you are looking for.

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What you believe

What You Believe

I am a believer. That’s right, I believe. I may not believe what you do and for me, that’s ok. What is important is that you believe in something/someone that helps you, makes you stronger, more insightful, loving and peaceful.

I grew up in a Protestant home. We went to church every Sunday. My sister and I were in the every choir from little angels to young adult, I was even in the Bell Ringing Choir. We went to youth fellowship every week. We even learned how to swim in our church’s pool!

What was missing was the why. I jokingly say now: salvation (or how to get to heaven) was never taught. Yes, we did talk about a bearded man in a robe who liked children and animals. He would be arrested today!

Joking aside, I had no reason for going other than the friends I had there….and my mother. When I went to a different church and found the reason for going and believing, she was furious! Although we never read the Bible or prayed as a family, other than the rote, memorized pre-dinner blah, blah, blah…or that I was now happy, she was very mad. God was never discussed and neither were any consequences of not believing. I believe for her it was social and for my father, it was about keeping her happy.

Don’t get me wrong, I DID learn things. Nothing about the divine or spiritual.

My point: find your center, your reason. I believe that God is God whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim. Maybe you believe in a Higher Power. I am not your judge, I am your friend. I ask you, if you don’t already believe, find what you DO believe in. This will infuse your life with power and peace. I believe this will help you on your journey to sustained health and happiness. I know for me, this is true.

It is all about you

This journey of health/weight loss is the one time it HAS to be about you.  It’s not about what your husband or wife wants.  It’s not about someone bribing you: money, vacation and even new clothes are not enough to make you get heatlhy.

You have to WANT to.  You have to want to for YOU!  Because in the end, you are the only one in control over what you eat and what you do.

Sit down and think.  That’s right: think.  Turn off the TV, the radio, ask the family to go to a movie.  Reflect on your life.  Where are you and what about it do you need to change? Where do you want to be?  This is where you need to be realistic.  If you’re over 50 and weigh 300 pounds, a swim suite modle maybe not be realistic.  That being said, would weighing less that 200 pounds be realistic?  YES!

Now, how will you get there?  I am not a diet expert, other than I’ve tried almost all of them and I was not ready for any of them to work for me.  There are lots of “systems” out there.  You may have tried one or more in the past.  Now that you are really ready for a change, one of them might be the right path for you.

Chose something YOU can stick to.  Even when the rest of the family or your friends are eating other things.  This is not about being on a diet and how fast can you get off of it.  This is about a lifestyle change.  If you want to get healthy and stay healthy, you may never get “off” this.  So chose carefully: it’s for life.

Yes, you will be able to have a piece of cake one day.  It will be a small piece and you may fiind that you really don’t need or even want it.  That is the power of changing your lifestyle and being dedicated you saving your life.

It is a good idea to talk with your doctor no matter your weight or overall health.  Make sure you’re not thinking about something that may be more harmful.

Be sure the doctor knows that you are serious and you intend to be doing this for the long haul.  If the doctor wants you to eat only vegetables and you can’t do that.  Tell them. It will not do you any good to lie and say you will.

Once you have decided what you are willing to do to reach your goal, tell your family and friends.  Tell them how they can support you.  Do not buy into “oh, you aren’t fat”. You know why you are doing this and if they can’t support you, then stay away from them until you are strong enough to deal with them trying to derail your efforts.  Telling people who care about you is a way of staying accountable.  You may need that at first.

You can do this.  We will do it together!

Spiritual

Exercise

What’s best for you? I am not a doctor and I never played one on TV. So….talk to your doctor and find out what they think you can do. You may or may not agree with them. They may tell you to take it easy and you feel like you can run a race. Or they may tell you that you can do more than you are ready to do. That’s ok. You know your body and you need to hear what your health care professional is saying.

Now, what are YOU willing to try? If you feel like you can run a race and you haven’t run in years: don’t. Take it easy to begin with. “But Dana!! I want to lose weight now!” I get that. I can tell you that if you hit it too hard, too fast…you will pull, strain or hurt yourself and THAT will set you back.

If the most walking you’ve done in the past several years is in the grocery store, you want to consider short walks and add time and distance as you feel better. Walk around the block or to the end of your street. If you can, do it twice a day and walk, don’t stroll. Be on a mission. If you live where the weather is harsh, go to the gym or the YMCA. After 3 or 4 days, add a lap, a block or the next street over. Another 3 or 4 days, add more.

People will look at you. Yep, they will. I want to tell you to get over it….it just isn’t that easy. I will tell you to push through that embarrassment and shame. Walk in with your head up and have confidence. Be realistic and know that your visit will be short to begin with. The better you feel, the more you can do and will WANT to do! The other people will have to move aside!!

One of the things that worked for me is getting a DVD and working out at home. Jane Fonda still does work outs, if that’s your thing. I bought walking DVD’s by Leslie Sansone. There are many levels and distances that you can choose from and they measure your miles by the pace of the music. I started out barely finishing a mile and not using my arms. Pretty soon I was using my arms and going to the second mile. My longest DVD by Leslie is 5 miles and I now “boost” the entire 5 miles, meaning I jog it.

It takes time and dedication. What do you want out of life? You have to move your body to get anything worthwhile. Trust me on this one.

 

 

Eating Right

I say: don’t diet.  Diets are things we want to get off of.  Think about changing your life style.  You can always add something or take something away as you move forward.

I have gone Vegan.  Modified Vegan.  I don’t eat any grains, but I do eat an egg from time to time.

I read an article about Bill Clinton and what he eats and how it has changed his life for the better.  For some reason, it just resonated with me. I am happy and healthy.  My doctor is so happy with what I am doing.

I get my protein from a protein shake made up of a couple different types of protein: soy, whey.  I drink it with Almond Milk.  I also eat beans and nuts.  Also Flaxseed is a good source of fiber and protein.

Find what is right for you.  What YOU can live with and stay with for the long term.