From Fat to Fit

Grapefruit

2009-10-15T11:26:00.001-07:00

I will be adding 1/2 a grapefruit at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I will then have to buy 11 Grapefruits a week.

Plan for the next month

2009-10-15T11:15:00.001-07:00

Menu
Breakfast - 2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites, 1/2 banana, 1/2 Grapefruit, water
Snack -- Yogurt, water (alternative: fruit)
Lunch - Chicken Breast, salad, cheese stick, water
Snack - Yogurt, water (alternative: fruit)
Dinner - Shrimp/ chicken, veggies-steamed, salad, water
Snack - Yogurt, water (alternative: fruit)

Grocery List

5 dozen eggs - monthly
5 dozen eggwhites - monthly
10 bananas - weekly
21 Yogurts - weekly
28 chicken breasts (that can be cut in half - the size of my palm: totally 56)- monthly
Bar B Q Sauce
2 heads of lettuce - weekly
Fat Free Dressing
Low Fat Cheese Sticks - 30 - Monthly
Shrimp - 4 bags - Monthly
Fresh Veggies - Weekly
Canned Veggies - Monthly
Frozen Veggies - Monthly
WATER
Diet Dr. Pepper
4 Grapefruit - Weekly
4 Avacado - Weekly

Fall Family Campout

2009-10-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

I started the Diet that Aaron suggested to me this past Monday. I love it! It is the best plan for me! I am so glad to have it. I am interested in seeing what it will do for me. I have not been able to do it exactly like he sent it to me because I had a bit of a crazy schedule while on the campout but I gave it a try. I did miss my cereal but I think I will be ok with that.

I have to say that being on this campout has definitely given me the opportunity to excercise my new found self control. Just imagine - the smell of hot dogs, doritos, popcorn, bacon, sausage, s'mores. I have fasted and prayed for self control and I have been given self control. The first day I did great. My resolve weaken the second day as I ate a few pistachos and three miniature candy bars. The third day my resolve weaken further and I ate some fudge - CANDY KITCHEN FUDGE - how could I resist? Under normal circumstances, I am sure I will be fine. I have been in and out of grocery stores and not even felt the urge to buy a candy bar. I paid for my gas with cash and walked right by those chips. How did I do it? I believe I have asked and I have recieved. I believe if I continue to ask I will continue to recieve. It is as simiple as that - he knows the desires of my heart and he wants to help me.

I also have a vision - I have a vision of what I will be - I have a vision of how I will feel. I am not going to quit. Even if I mess up I am not going to quit. I have done hard things in my life and this will simply be added to the list of hard things I have accomplished.

I also know I can not do it alone AND I DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALONE! I will ask for help and support from anyone who will give it to me (within reason of course). Moral support is so important with any major sustaining change.

I go grocery shopping tonight for the first time with my new Diet. Today is 10/15 and if I am successful I will loose 20 pounds in this one month. Aaron said that he lost between 5 - 7 pounds a week. I expect the same results. I will excercise everyday except Sunday. I have the time and the energy. That means that buy November 16th I will weigh 170 pounds because I weigh 190 pounds right now. I will be satisfied with 175 pounds. If I reach 175 pounds I will purchase the Crest Whitening Strips. I did not buy them for myself yet because I didnt meet my goals last month. I lost 6 pounds in the last month and I am glad to see some weight off but thats just not good enough.

Aaron's Diet Plan

2009-10-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Diet Plan

Breakfast choices

2 whole eggs with 2 –3 additional egg whites (to your liking - fried in cooking spray, boiled, scrambled, or omelet style with veggies or salsa) ½ banana, and water

1 light yogurt (6 oz), whole piece of fresh fruit, and water

1 slim fast shake, ½ piece of fresh fruit, and water

Snack
See below, & water

Lunch choices
Sandwich – 2 pieces low calorie bread (45 calories per slice), chicken breast, 1 slice diet cheese, add any veggies you want and mustard, pickle if desired & water

1 cup of cooked angel hair pasta (preferably whole wheat) mixed with ½ apple diced, ½ cup of cooked broccoli diced, and 2 Tsp of low fat peanut butter & water (this is actually pretty good)

Chicken salad – one chicken breast, lettuce/spinach and veggies of choice with fat free dressing, and low fat cheese stick & water

Slim fast shake, cheese stick, ½ piece of fruit & water

Snack
See below, & water

Dinner choices
Piece of meat (beef, chicken, fish, pork, shrimp, crab, etc.) about the size of the palm of your hand (if its seafood or chicken can be somewhat larger portion) baked, broiled or fried in small amt of olive oil, or salsa, & seasoned to taste, steamed veggies (stay away from corn), and if desired - side salad with fat free dressing. & water. (If you are still hungry, eat more veggies)

Omelet – 2 whole eggs with 2 –3 additional egg whites, ½ cup of cubed ham if desired, ¼ cup of lower fat cheese if desired, and any diced veggies that you want & water

Large green salad with chicken breast and cheese stick, any additional salad veggies with fat free dressing & water

Snack
See below, & water

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Snack choices include: 1 piece of fresh fruit (apple, orange, banana, grapefruit, etc.), or 4 - 6 oz of light yogurt (flavor of choice), or 12 whole almonds with a reduced fat cheese stick.

The water is super important, don’t skip it. You should drink at least 12 oz of water with each meal and each snack. If it can be ice cold water than that’s even better. You can add crystal light or other low calorie diet powder drink mix to the water if you wish. You can also have a diet soda or two in addition to the water if you want.

Because you will be drinking so much water and will be noticeably peeing more, especially the first week, you should buy some potassium supplements and take daily.

Don’t skip snacks, they keep your metabolism going.

Cardiovascular exercise most days of the week.

Watch the pounds fall off you body, good luck Dawn – I love you!!

New Habits for October

2009-10-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

I want to incorporate the following new habits in October:

1. Eat a Grapefruit everyday

2. Eat a 1/4 of an avacado several times a week.

3. Excercise - burn at least 500 calories each session

4. Do a Ab Video - 3 times a week - to strengthen my core - my tummy is so bulging

5. Follow Aaron's Diet

6. Maintain my other good habits.

NEW HABITS.....old habits dieing fast!!!

2009-10-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

New Habits:

1. Chewing Gum - Big Red is my favorite. It is also so spicy that it practically burns my taste buds off so I dont want to eat anything because I cant taste it - SMILE! That tip came from Jen and Jeff! Thanks!

2. Diet Soda (with caffiene) - Dr. Pepper is my favorite but I will also go with Pepsi if I cant have Dr. Pepper. I have one a day - in the middle of the day, to keep me going. That tip came from Jeff! Thanks!

3. Drinking LOADS of Water - Aaron told me that if I drink ice cold water I can burn 160 calories because the body works harder to heat it up to burn it off - or something like that. So I try to drink it as cold as I can get it. I drink at least 64 oz a day. Thanks for the tip Aaron!

4. TACO BELL - I really am looking forward to my lunches now. I eat two soft tacos from their new low fat menu - Fresco Ranchero - I will eat either the chicken soft taco or the steak soft taco. Either way I eat two and that adds up to 340 calories and 4 grams of fat. I discovered this one on my very own!

5. EARLY TO BED - I find that I dont eat snack at night anymore. I go to bed between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. I feel great when I wake up. I learned that if people have 5 hours of sleep a night they will snack more during the day in order to get more engery. More sleep = less snacking = more weight loss. THis one was divine intervention!

6. Working out - I love to work out now. Amber invited me to og to tjhe Y with her yesterday and I burned over 500 calories. Today we went again and I burned over 500 calories again! I dont think I made this connection before - I llove how I can see the calories that I burn. I keep a log at the Y now and signed up fo ra free give away - a lunch box - if I go to the Y 5 times in the month of October. Well I already have 2 stickers. I think I am going to be a proud owner of a lunch box next week. Cool, huh! Thanks Amber for getting me going!

7. A WORK OUT BUDDY - Amber is a very good work out buddy. she is encouraging and very positive and I love to work out with her. I have learned very quickly how much easier it is to work out when you have a work out buddy holding you accountable to your work out.

8. Low Carb/ High Protein diet - Aaron is going to send me this diet - he said that he lost 5 - 7 pounds a week on this one. I have only lost 3 pouonds so far and this coming up Monday will be a month. I have only excercised 3 times in those three weeks though because of my surgery and recovery from surgery. I also was floundering around alot during those first few weeks and now I feel like I have direction. I certainly will after I get that diet from Aaron. Until then I have been incorporating some of the concepts he told me about on the phone.

9. Maintaining a schedule of food that I really enjoy -
BREAKFAST - 2 packets of Oatmeal - 220 calories 4 grams of fat
WATER
LUNCH - 2 Soft tacos - FRENSCO RANCHERO - at Taco Bell - 370 calories
DIET SODA
GUM
DINNER - MEAT (serving size the size of the palm of my hand), loads of veggies -NO CORN, fruits
SNACK - Oil popped popcorn
fruit

Looking ahead - I go grocery shopping on the 15th and I will incorporate the avacado and grapefruit that I have wanted to incorporate for the last few weeks. I will also make a grocery list according to the new diet Aaron will send me. I will purchase Diet soda to have in the house. I will buy tons of fresh fruit and veggies and plan to visit the grocery store weekly now to replenish the fresh fruits and veggies.

I feel so much healthier. I go to bed earlier. I dont eat at night. I dont eat choclate or high fat desserts of any kinds. I dont snack ongoingly during the day. I dont sit on the couch for long periods of time.

I do look forward to loosing more than 1 pound a week. I will weigh myself again next Thursday at the Y. I started weighing my self there and it said that I weighed more than at the Doctors. I weigh myself in the middle of the day with my sneakers on. I weighed myself yesterday and it said 194 1bs. I am going to go with that - I know I weigh a bit less but I dont want to take my shoes off and on and sometimes I dont have the time to do that so I am just going to weigh myself with them on. I want to weigh 192 pounds with my shoes on in the middle of the da If I weigh 192 pounds or less I will reward myself with Crest Teeth whitening strips. They are expensive but this has been A VERY VERY HARD MONTH! So many changes - but good changes!

At this rate of 2 pounds a week. I will weigh 180 pounds by Thanksgiving. That is more than I wanted to weigh by Thanksgiving but I am moving in the right direction in a healthy more permanent way.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR GREAT ADVICE BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ENCOURAGING WORDS THAT HAVE COME FROM EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY!!!!!!! YOU EMAILS AND WORDS HAVE BEEN SOOOOOOOO IMPORTANT TO MY STICKING WITH IT! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I sound like I am in 2nd grade but it is soooooooooooo true!)

Boston Market Menu - 550 calories or less

2009-09-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

Meals Under 550 Calories Individual Meals

3-piece Dark Rotisserie Chicken
(thigh & 2 drumsticks, no skin) 290 11 3.5 0 0 45 240 1010 0 1
Garlic Dill New Potatoes 140 3 1 0 24 3 0 120 3 2
Fresh Steamed Vegetables 60 2 0 0 8 2 0 40 3 3
TOTAL 490 16 4.5 0 32 50 240 1170 6 6
Roasted Turkey Breast (4 oz.) 150 2.5 1 0 0 31 55 500 0 0
Mashed Potatoes (no gravy) 270 11 5 0 36 5 25 820 4 2
Green Beans 60 3.5 1.5 0 7 2 0 180 3 1
TOTAL 480 17 7.5 0 43 38 80 1500 7 3
Market Chopped Salad (no dressing) 190 9 3 0 23 8 10 270 6 12
Light Ranch Dressing (request) 70 4 5 0 8 1 0 310 0 3
Cornbread 180 5 1.5 1.5 31 2 10 320 0 12
TOTAL 440 18 9.5 1.5 62 11 20 900 6 27
1/4 White Rotisserie Chicken (no skin) 240 4 1 0 1 50 180 890 0 0
Garlic Dill New Potatoes 140 3 1 0 24 3 0 120 3 2
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Salad 60 0 0 0 15 1 0 20 1 13
TOTAL 440 7 2 0 40 54 180 1030 4 15
1/4 White Rotisserie Chicken (no skin) 240 4 1 0 1 50 180 890 0 0
Green Beans 60 4 1.5 0 7 2 0 180 3 1
Cinnamon Apples 210 3 0 0 47 0 0 15 3 42
TOTAL 510 11 2.5 0 55 52 180 1085 6 43
Beef Brisket (4 oz.) 280 20 1.5 0 1 26 40 260 0 0
Green Beans 60 4 1.5 0 7 2 0 180 3 1
Cornbread 180 5 1.5 1.5 31 2 10 320 0 12
TOTAL 520 29 4.5 1.5 39 30 50 760 3 13
Roasted Turkey Breast (4 oz.) 150 2.5 1 0 0 31 55 500 0 0
Fresh Vegetable Stuffing 190 8 1 0 25 3 0 580 2 4
Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup (6 oz. side) 170 5 1.5 0 17 13 60 210 1 1
TOTAL 510 15.5 3.5 0 42 47 115 1290 3 5

Lunch Combos

Half Turkey Boston Carver® 370 14 4 0 32 29 55 920 2 2
Seasonal Fresh Fruit 60 0 0 0 15 1 0 20 1 13
Poultry Au Jus (4 oz.) 15 0.5 0 0 4 1 0 570 0 1
TOTAL 445 15 4 0 51 31 55 1510 3 16
Half Chicken Boston Carver® 370 14.5 4 0 32 28 80 980 1 2
Caesar Side Salad (without dressing) 40 2 1.5 0 3 3 5 75 1 1
Light Ranch Dressing (request) 70 4 5 0 8 1 0 310 0 3
TOTAL 485 20.5 10.5 0 43 32 85 1365 2 6
Half Turkey Boston Carver® 350 13 4 0 32 25 45 850 2 2
Garlic Dill New Potatoes 140 3 1 0 24 3 0 120 3 2
TOTAL 490 16 5 0 56 28 45 970 5 4

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Thursday Plan

2009-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
Cereal
Milk

Snack:
Banana

Lunch:
Slim Fast Shake
Chicken Soft Taco - Fresno Menu

Snack:
Apple

Dinner:
Chicken
Broccli
Rice

Snack:
Carrots

That is mostly what the Slim Fast Menu had on it. Maybe I could have my other Slimfast shake at dinner. I am really enjoying them because I it tastes like chocolate.

I have all of these things so thats good and that is about 1,300 calories

Wednesday Dinner

2009-09-30T13:45:00.001-07:00

I got very lazy and went to KFC and Taco Bell. I took orders and left. I ate 3 (1 of which was a wing) pieces of grilled chicken, 2 small bites of biscuit, 2 small forks full of mashed potatoes and 1 chicken soft taco.

I didnt make one good discovery - Taco Bell has a low calorie/ low fat menu now. It is called their Fresco menu.

The Chicken Soft Taco is 170 calories and 4 grams of fat.

That means I can eat this with a Slim Fast Shake for lunch in the futre. It was very tasty. It was probably the best thing I have eaten in a week.

I miss my old food tonight ALOT!

Acai Berry Research - Info - Just delete if you are not interested in reading

2009-09-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

Most Acai Products Don't Work Because ...
They have very little actual Acai in them

...Acai is an expensive ingredient
that has to be imported from Brazil

Me — before Acai

In other words ... manufacturers can't make a high dosage product for $30/bottle OR give it away in free trials.

Therefore, they mix in all kinds of other cheap ingredients like green tea, cleansing agents, etc. so they can sell it cheaper, offer free trials or [even more dishonest] sell us a 15-day supply.

Me — after Acai
...38lbs later
—I'm not embarrassed to have my picture taken anymore

They have all sorts of fancy names for it like a proprietary blend — in which case they won't even tell you how much acai is in it. And legally they can still advertise 500mg or 1000mg because that's the size of the whole pill with all the other cheap ingredients mixed in.

So ... How can you be sure the acai berry you are taking is worth your time and money?

3 Things To Look For When Buying Acai...
1. Stay away from most "free trials." They can be hard to cancel and typically have very little actual acai berry in them.

2. Look at the label. You want to see “berry skin & pulp” (ideally freeze dried to preserve the nutrients) no seeds or roots. And you want to see at least 1000mg dosage (most accomplish this with two 500mg capsules because the smaller capsule is easier to swallow)
*if the web site won't show you the label ... run the other way.

3. How many pills are in the bottle. Some very well known general nutrition chains are selling 30 capsule bottles at 500mg and 60 capsule bottles at 250mg, both of which will only last 15 days. They do this because it makes the price “appear” to be half as much as other places.

3 Things To Stay Away From When Buying Acai...
1. Stay away from pictures of Dr. Oz, Oprah or Rachael Ray. Yes, they like acai for the same reasons we do ... however, as far as we know, they have never endorsed any particular brand. So if you see their picture on a web site, then that company is being dishonest.

2. Stay away from extracts and blends (4:1, 5:1 or any other ratio). Some companies blend acai with green tea, cleansing agents, etc. They do this because acai is expensive and imported from Brazil. So by blending it with cheap ingredients they hold down the cost. They may say we have a 1000mg capsule, but how much of that is actual acai berry?

3. Stay away from roots. Who eats the roots? The roots have never been tested for anything. Just goes to show you how creative these companies can get when the supply of acai can’t keep up with demand.

So What Should You Do Now?
First, go get aProven Acai product.
(the 3-pack is best)

Second, expect to take at least 1000mg/day. Many take 1000mg/dose twice a day (myself included) ... and as far as we know this is the only product on the market that is a full month supply at 2 doses per day (120 capsules) ... aProven Acai.

Anything you believe should be added here?

Please let us know,

Customer Reviews

No More Joint Pain
submitted by alice
"I just wanted to share that I've been using Acai since beginning of the year and I've lost 18lbs. and my knees have stopped creaking and hurting.

It's even got my doctor stumped ... I really don't care as long as it keeps working."

Recently Diagnosed Diabetic
submitted by Alex L.
"I've been using this for a few days and have noticed a gradual, yet dramatic change in my sugar levels.
I've gone from 160-148 over just 2 weeks. Woohoo!

Also lost 6½ lbs. I'll report back in a month or so..."

Clinically Depressed
submitted by litah
"I've been taking aProven Acai for 4 days now and have noticed a substatial difference in my depression. I was diagnosed 8 years ago and have been on all kinds of meds.

It has helped with energy, sadness, anger and helped clear my mind.

Please submit your review by clicking here…

ACAI Berry Blast?????????????????????

2009-09-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know about this???? I cant find any side effects from this one. Aaron, any thoughts?

Wednesday - Activity Log

2009-09-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

I walked 20 minutes yesterday.

I cleaned a house for 4 hours today. I need to walk or something but Activity Girls is tonight and I am not sure how I will fit it in.

Tomorrow I will be cleaning house for 5 hours. Does that count for anything?????

I need to re-think my activity.

I wish change wasnt so hard. It takes a lot longer than I want for it to take. I sound like my kids - but honestly - I just wish that one day I could decide to make a change and the next day it was changed. It just doesnt work that way though does it - nope. It is slow process of figuring out tons and tons of stuff that you thought you knew but you dont. Okay now I am pouting so I am going to stop.

Wednesday - Food Log

2009-09-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST

Corn Pops
Fat Free Milk

JEN SAID I SHOULD STICK WITH MULT-GRAIN SO I WILL PURCHASING SOME OF THAT.

LUNCH

Banana
Apple
Slim Fast Shake

DINNER

I am going to look at the Slim Fast suggestion.
I feel like going out to eat. I am tired of trying to figure everything out. It is exhausting - ya know!

Last night I ate part of what was recommended because that is what I had in my kitchen. They recommended a Cheeseburger with coleslaw. Sounded yummy but I didnt have wheat buns - do they make wheat buns? and I didnt have low-fat cheese - who buys low-fat cheese??? I didnt have anything to make coleslaw. Nobody in my family likes coleslaw.

So this is what I did....I made a hamburger on the grittle on top of large slap of onion. I seasoned it and ate it with ketchup and spicy mustard on a huge bed of lettuce. I peeled a large carrot. Thats all. I was full but my stomach was very upset from those dump diet pills. That just burns me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so disappointed about that. I really am.

My food assistance comes in on October 12th - until then I am going to make do with what I have in my kitchen and use Slim Fast as my guide. On October 12th I will be on a campout with the kids but when I come back I will go grocery shopping with the list from the Slim Fast Grocery List on the website and work from that. I am sure I will loose weight just fine with that. I will have to incorporate my cereal in there somewhere because I like my cereal for breakfast.

Diet Supplements - Bad Move

2009-09-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I had high hopes for the Diet Pills that I purchased for $99.99. The first day I thought - wow - I have engergy to spare. Then I took the second dose and thought my heart would pound right out of my chest. I was breathing like I was taking a very very brisk walk/ run! It was very uncomfortable and very unnatural for me. At about 3:00 p.m. I was ready to go to bed for the night and did go to bed at 8:30 p.m. when I brought Chandler home from Football. I was very very tired. At dinner I started to have stomach pain that was very real and very uncomfortable. I thought maybe it was the Detox pills that I took so I resolved to not take them again. I took 6 Detox pills - which was the recommended amount - and I pee'ed all day long - about every 20 minutes. I also felt like my tongue had dried up. It really was awful.

When I woke up this morning I googled "side effects" and OH MY GOSH! Wow - there were a million websites with people who had entered their experiences with Apidexin and it wasnt good. WHY DIDNT I DO THIS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT???? I dont know..... but I didnt - I guess I was feeling hasty - boy, that has never gotten me into trouble before - RIGHT!?!. Aaron did not recommend I purchase it - after I purchased it. I should have waited to hear from him but I didnt.

OKAY MOVING ON....As I read on I noticed that all the side effects these other people were experiencing I was experiencing. I guess these people were as desperate as I am and they decided to keep on with it and some said - forget it and returned it. Thankfully, there were people who actually got their money back. Well, I decided to be one of the dumb people and try on more day......at first I was okay - loads of energy and feeling great and then I came down off that high and felt bad - not as bad as yesterday. I thought maybe I should keep doing it but then a few hours later the stomach pain came again. Then these weird burps and froggy feeling in my throat started to appear. When I came home from cleaning I decided to research it further and guess what - yup you guessed it....tons of other people had those same burpy froggy side effects along with stomach pain and stomach bloating and lots of other stuff I was not happy to hear about.

Sadly, I am stopping the pills. Two days is enough for me. I am going to send them back. Thankfully, I found a person who had the correct return address with refund information. I sent an email to the company to confirm that is the correct place and I have my reciept so I should be good. I probably wont get all my money back but I should get most of it back.

I looked into other weight management pills and they all had terrible side effects - like ALLI the popular one right now that is FDA approved makes people poop out everything spontaneously.

I guess I am back to good ol fashion excercise and meal management. I will have to follow the Slim Fast plan. That is probably my best bet right now. I really need something to suppress my hunger. I guess I will use the diet soda and chewing gum trick to keep me movin' and grovin'.

I am very disappointed. I hate to feel like a fool.

WEIGHT LOSS! HORRAY!

2009-09-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

I had to take Paigey to the Doctor today and I asked them if I could use their scale. I lost 4 pounds. So I guess I lost weight before the supplements came. I didnt think I would really loose anything but I did. I am interested to see if I weigh less than 192 on Friday when I weigh again at the Y. At that point I would be using the supplements for 4 days. I wonder how much I can loose in 4 days. I guess we will see.

I logged it in at Slimfast.com. I am going to follow their diet plan and not the 1200 calorie diet plan. Their diet plan is 1300 calories and gives very good suggestions.

Tuesday Food Log/ Start of Supplements

2009-09-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

Today I started the "supplements" as they are called in the package. I guess I will referr to them as "supplements" from now on. I took 1, 30 minutes before breakfast and 3 Detox pills. So far I have had no headaches - but I think the headache thing was gone with the 1500 - 1700 calorie diet. I think they might have come back with the 1200- 1300 calorie diet that I am now on. For now I dont have any headaches. I am not take the aleve in the morning either. I do not have any hunger pains and this is usually when they come about 10 AM. I have a ton of ENERGY! Oh my gosh, I feel like I could jump out of my skin. So after I talked to Amber this morning I walked for 20 minutes. I dont feel tired at all. I do have cotton mouth though. I wonder if this is one of the side affects of the "supplements". I drank 3 - 16 oz glasses of water and its only 9:48 a.m. I am still thirsty so I will do drink more. I will have to buy some sugar-free candies to suck on because I cant have this dry mouth thing all day long. I hope I keep having this kind of energy throughout the next three months. It will be so much easier to excercise with this much energy. I feel alive. I am a bit worried about how I will feel in January when I am done taking the supplements. I hope I dont have headaches again - as a physical withdraw. It wouldnt be good to have withdraw right at the start of Student Teaching. I will have to think about how I will handle that. I will weigh myself at Ben's Party when we go to the Y to swim. This morning I could tell one difference with my body. I could suck in my stomach and comfortably keep it sucked in. I looked at my body in the mirror while I was sucking in and thought - wow - soon I will look like that without sucking in. I am so excited to be ME again! I really am. I am so motivated. I have never stayed on a program for more than a month and I am already in my third week. I feel a sense of success - not because I have lost any weight (because I havent gotten on a scale since I started) but because I have excercised control over my physical body. I feel a sense of success because I am really making a change for the right reasons - to be healthier - to live a better life. I feel a change of mind more than a change of body but I believe with that change of mind my change of body will be more permanent and I wont experience the yo-yo effect of weight loss.

I am so grateful to my family for their encouraging words. It means so much to me - you just dont know!!!!!!! Boy, those first two weeks were hard. I am not giving up! I am not giving up! I am not giving up! I have only had chocolate (I spelled it right, Mom) once in two and 1/2 weeks. That is a record!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to go buy Slim Fast - I am going to do that for my lunches because I dont like to pack my lunch and I have to work every day for the next two 1/2 weeks. I think I will like it because it is chocolate. In the past I didnt like it because it tasted like fake bad chocolate but I think I will find it will be a sweet treat. This will also help me control my calorie intake in the middle of the day which is always my challenging time of the day.

I am going to bed between 10 - 10:30 on weeknights and I think part of my energy level is because I am getting a consistent 8-9 hours of sleep a night. Its not totally restful sleep because of my neck but I am in the bed for that time period. The best part of that is that I am not eating at night. I have not done that in years. I havent eaten at night since I started going to bed at 10 PM - my resolve weakens at night. I am grateful for the divine inspiration to make that change - it has made a big difference. I am excited to see how much I have lost on Friday. On Friday it will be almost 3 weeks. I hope I lost something.

But, honestly, if I havent lost a one pound I will know that it will be coming off very soon. I have created good habits - I am on the road to making many of my weaknesses into strengths - with the Lords help I know I can do this because I have done it with many many many other things in my life. I KNOW HE CAN TAKE MY WEAKNESSES AND AND MAKE THEm STRENGTHS. I feel like I have been givine the ability to have perspective about my lifestyle change and my weight loss. It doesnt have to happen right away - super fast - it just has to happen. I am glad I got the supplements to help me stick with it.

BREAKFAST

1/2 BOWL of Life Cereal - THATS RIGHT, FOLKS - A 1/2 A BOWL - NOT A WHOLE BOWL!!!!
SKIM MILK

MORNING SNACK
BANANA

LUNCH:
SLIM FAST

AFTERNOON SNACK
Apple

DINNER:
???
APPLE

That is the least amount of food I have eaten in the past two weeks. I am going to add grapefruit and avacado to that also. For overall good health I want to eat at least 1 banana a day, 2 apples, some avacado, and grapefruit. Lots of water, too, of course. I will post tomorrow about dinner. This is going to work!

Monday Food Log

2009-09-29T06:42:00.001-07:00

BREAKFAST

Bowl of Life Cereal

LUNCH

1 Bean Burrito
Salsa
1 tablespoon of shredded cheese
onions

SNACK

Banana

DINNER

4 Pepperoni Sticks - I should not have had this.

SNACK

Apple

I had not hunger headaches and some hunger pains.

Apidexin - Weight Management Pills Info

2009-09-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Is Apidexin the Best Fat Burner?
Apidexin is a powerful fat burner that uses 8 cutting edge diet and weight loss ingredients. As consumers are demanding more from their fat burners - in terms of safety and effectiveness - we are seeing more companies use these high quality, scientifically tested ingredients. Apidexin is a fat burner that is ideal for someone who wants some of the best ingredients available and that is backed by a money back satisfaction guarantee.

Apidexin is full of really good ingredients, but will they really help you burn fat and keep it off?

Apidexin Ingredients
Di-Caffeine Malate is a buffered caffeine salt that is not only more gentle on the stomach but is also more effective due to the shuttling effect of the malate ion as well as its positive effects on energy replenishment.

Guggul EZ-100 - Guggulsterones have been shown to effectively lower blood cholesterol levels. This is good news for the obese population, as well as the entire American population in general, we all have high blood cholesterol levels (but take our double cheese burgers away!). Guggulsterones inhibits the creation of unhealthy cholesterol (we need some forms of cholesterol or we will die).

Lipolide-SC - Lipolide-SC supports an increase in the rate of lipolysis (fat burning) activity through cAMP. Cyclic AMP is an integral part of energy metabolism and can help the body produce more energy through the breakdown of fat stores and thermogenesis. Because of this Lipolide SC does not directly affect the beta adreno-receptors, therefore, not stimulating the central nervous system or raising blood pressure levels like many other weight management ingredients.

Razberi-K - Razberi-K is a powerful fat loss compound. Razberi-K has a chemical structure similar to capsaicin and appears to have a beneficial fat-loss effect: increasing norepinephrine-induced lipolysis. Razberi-K causes HSL (hormone-sensitive lipase) translocation to within the fat cell - an essential step in fat metabolism. Once inside the cell, HSL disassembles fat molecules into fatty acids so that they may be burned. Further research has suggested that the effect of Razberi-K is greater when catecholamines are released, whether through exercise or through the use of thermogenics.

Thermodiamine (98% evodiamine) - Evodiamine works by stimulating the vanilloids to reduce the uptake of fat and increase the natural rate of burning fat. Recent scientific studies have backed up this traditional knowledge. Mammals fed a high-fat diet plus evodiamine actually lose, rather than gain weight. Evodiamine could be one of the greatest thermogenic breakthroughs.

ForsLean ™-ForsLean (coleus forskholii) is also known as a 'power herb'. Forskolin has been shown to not only enhance lipolysis but it may also inhibit fat storage from occurring. This is very good news for individuals trying to lose bodyfat and get lean.

Another way that forskolin may allow for fat loss to occur is by stimulating thyroid hormone production and release. Thyroid hormone controls metabolism and can enhance metabolic rate, which may translate into more fat loss.

Fucoxanthin - Fucoxanthin is an all-natural carotenoid that has been shown in clinical studies to increase thermogenic activity in fatty cells concentrated in the abdominal area.

Bioperine © - Bioperine is a standardized extract from the fruit of Piper nigrum L (black pepper) or Piper longum L (long pepper). It contains 95 percent of piperine. Piperine, in the patented form of Bioperine® enhances the body's natural thermogenic activity. It also increases the absorbtion of the nutrients found in dietary supplements. This makes all of the patented ingredients in Anoretix more effective.

So what does all of this really mean? From the studies that have been done on these ingredients, Apidexin contains some of the best diet and fat burning ingredients. These ingredients are found in very few diet pills. If you do find them you will be paying up to 3X the price you would be paying for Apidexin.

Apidexin Pros
* Contains 8 powerful fat burning ingredients * Terrific customer support * Money-back satisfaction guarantee
Apidexin Cons
* Bottle only conains a one month supply
Apidexin Conclusion
Apidexin is what I like to refer to as a 'cutting edge' fat burner. It contains some pretty scientifically proven compounds that are at the forefront of the fat burner and diet pill industry. There are not too many diet pills that contain these ingredients at all let alone in such effective doses that we see in Apidexin.

With 8 of the best diet pill ingredients and a money back guarantee, I can see why many people are giving Apidexin a try. Will you lose 20 pounds in one week? Let's get real - but you could maintain a healthy weight loss of 5 pounds per week with a proper diet and exercise.

The Diet Pills have arrived

2009-09-28T18:39:00.001-07:00

I recieved the pills in the mail. They came from Lindon, UT interestingly enough. I called Aaron and told him the address. I will start taking them tomorrow and I will Detox this weekend. I will Detox once a week for three days. I am a little nervous because I have never done anything like this but I am going to try it. I would like to weigh myself as I have been on the diet for 2 weeks now. I should have lost something, right? I am not sure since I was trouble shooting during these past two weeks and I have not excercised. I definitely have not eaten less than 1500 calories a day so I would be surprised if I lost much. These past two weeks have not been about loosing weight so much as getting set up so that I can be success at a lifestyle change. I still am not firm on my diet. I think I will go with that 1200 calorie diet now that I have the weight management pills that will curb my hunger. I am going to review that again.

Doctor's Advice for Caloric Intake

2009-09-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

Doctor Robinson called tonight and set me straight about how much I should eat if I am somewhat in active.

1,330 calories

If I am active I can eat more. The following are activity I can do and the amount of calories I will burn if I do them

Burn 148 calories - walk 1/2 hour

Burn 279 Calories - walk 45 minutes

Burn 488 calories - bike 45 minutes at 12 miles per hour

Burn 350 calories - bike 45 minutes at 10 miles per hour

Burn 209 calories - water areobics 45 minutes

Burn 100 calories - Weight lifting

He will be forwarding me a diet that utilizes my calories more efficiently.

He suggested I research different fats and what are good fats and what are bad fats.

I still need to buy grapefruit and avacado. I will do that this week.

Monday - WoW I feel great

2009-09-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

I noticed a change in my body this weekend - particularly on Sunday. My cravings were less and I didnt have a headache. I wasnt starving when I got out of church. That was weird - I am always starving when I get home from church. Today I dont have a headache - yet - and it is 10 AM and I am ready for my snack. I looked at my calendar to see how long it has been and I started this on September 12th - Jen's baby shower - it has been 2 weeks and 2 days. I dont know how long it takes for your body to get into a new groove but my body does seem to be adjusting a bit. I am sooooooooooo glad! I certainly cant discount my pleas to the Lord for help - I believe that he wants me to be healthy and I know he has heard my prayers. I am grateful that I can turn to him in time of need. In sharing time in Primary the Sister who was in charge talked about how great miracles can come from prayer. I believe that. I needed to hear that.

Sunday Food Log

2009-09-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST

Rice Krispies
fat free milk
no fruit
I was in a rush!

SNACK

Mini Rice Krispie treat

LUNCH

Pork Tenderloin
AI Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
1 c of chunky applesauce
1 homemade sugar cookie

DINNER

No dinner

SNACK
1 homemade sugar cookie
1 glass of fat free milk

It was a busy day and we ate a late lunch. I wasnt hungry for dinner so I didnt eat one. NOW THAT IS A FIRST!

Saturday Food Log

2009-09-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST
Same as yesterday expect I put the banana in my cereal. It was very good and I did not have any other fruit

SNACK

Banana
Celery and Peanut butter
I dont know how many calories are in celery but I used 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and that was 8 grams of fat and 80 calories

LUNCH

Subway Sub
Baked Lays Bar BQ Chips
Diet Soda

No Afternoon Snack

DINNER
I ate at church before the RS Broadcast:
Bread Bowl - ate 1/2 of it
Soup
Apple Crisp

I went to Jen's yesterday for the Heritage Party and I ate several pieces of fruit and some veggies - very yummy. I also ate 1 triscuit with some cheese on it and 2 starburst. I think I was okay on calories and fat.

I dont have a headache again today. I took another vitamin B. My ureine is bright yellow. Weird! I am taking Aleve right when I wake up now to make sure I dont have those headaches again.

My grocery list for today consists of the following:
yogurt
diet soda
avacado
Kellogs special K bars - for quick snacks while I am working next week.

Lunch/ Snack Report - dinner plans

2009-09-25T11:04:00.001-07:00

I ate lunch and was satisfied. I think I would add onions to the burrito and I need more fruit for lunch. I am really craving sugar. I just ate my snack. That was very yummy. I will have that snack often.

So far no headaches today. The withdraw has been more real than I had anticipated. I have my Aleve ready - I am not having another one of those headaches.

I will not eat again until dinner which I am planning for 5:00 p.m. - that is three hours from now. I will drink two 16 oz cups of water between now and then. Hopefully that will hold me over.

DINNER
Cantelope
Grapes
Pears
Banana
Carrots
Chicken
Mashed Potatoes

That should help with the sugar cravings. Lets see how many calories that is

Chicken 211 calories - 1 cup 4.2 grams of fat
Cantelope 63 calories
Pears 22 calories
Grapes 63 calories
Banana 93 calories
carrots 52 calories
mashed potatoes 123 calories

Total 627 - that is to many calories. I dont get it! I cant even eat all the fruits and veggies I want to - okay - this is frustrating! The banana is out - now I am at 523 calories. I guess that is what I am having for dinner. Are there any foods that have no calories??????????????????????????????????????????????? or are super low in calories?????????????????????????????????????? Strawberries were 2 calories per berry. I guess I better buy them.

Vitamins

2009-09-25T09:14:00.001-07:00

I started taking Vitamin B-100 that Mom left behind before her mission. It says its for energy. I like the sound of that. Does anyone have any good information about Vitamins - specifically for energy and muscle soreness or something like that??????

Calorie Counting

2009-09-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Breakfast 420 calories

Lunch 450 calories

Afternoon Snack 200 calories

So far today = 1,070 calories and 20.75 grams of fat

I will have dinner - I dont know what yet but it will be approximately 450 calories
and an evening snack 200 calories

Approximate for the day 1,720 calories for the day and approx 30.75 grams of fat.

I dont think I can do any better than that for now.

Lunch and Afternoon Snack

2009-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am definitely having hunger pains. It is 11:41 so it looks like I have this need to eat about every two hours. I will see how I feel between lunch and the afternoon snack I have. I am going to prepare my lunch but before I do I am going to choose my afternoon snack.

Maybe this is when I could drink my diet soda and I would comfortably be able to get to lunch without the headaches starting.

AFTERNOON SNACK

Pumpernickle and onion pretzels
cheesestick

Lets see how many calories that is:.....

7 sticks are 120 calories and 2 grams of fat
1 cheese stick is 80 calories and 6 grams of fat

I think I will go with that for a snack today

Breakfast

2009-09-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

I dont have Grapefruit yet so I ate grapes instead.

There are 62 calories in a cup of grapes. I didnt eat a cup.

After breakfast I felt very satisfied. I am not stuffed but I am definitely not hungry either. That was a good breakfast. I wonder how long it will be before I am hungry again. It is 9:42 right now and I am eating my last grape. Its alread almost mid-morning so I think I am going to skip my mid-morning snack and start preparing for lunch. I will eat lunch at noon. I dont really like what I ate yesterday - it was very bland and left me wanting more. So today I will try something different.

I am going to list what I want and see if it is within a 450 caloric intake. Here we go. This is what I want to eat.

Bean Burrito
Sour Cream
Salsa and Chips
Strawberry and Kiwi Tarletts (leftover ingredients from Jen's Shower)

Bean -
calories = 90 1/2 cup
fat = .5

Tortilla - I chose a Spinach Wrap
calories = 160 1 wrap
fat = 3

Sour Cream - Reduced Fat
calories = 40 2 tablespoons
fat = 3

Strawberries - its fresh strawberries added to a little strawberry preserve.
calories = 2 per strawberry - I am guessing I would eat about 4 or 5
calories = 10
fat = 0

Kiwi - its a drizzle that is made with kiwi and heavy whipping cream and stuff like that - so I dont know how many calories or fat grams that would be but it is a bit fatting because of the heavy whipping cream. I will on drizzle a bit on top.

Tartletts -
calories = 30 for two - I will eat 4
calories = 60
fat = 4 in total

Salsa-
calories = 10 per 2 Tablespoons - I will eat 4 tablespoons for that.
calories = 20
fat = 0

Chips -
calories = 70 - 6 chips
fat = 2.25

Total caloric intake = 450 calories and 12.75 fat grams

I had to adjust my orginal total because it came to 520 and I wanted to stay at 450. So, I cut the amount of chips I orginally put on here from 13 to 6 and that sliced 70 calories off my total. I am happy with this meal plan. I will post after I eat to tell you how I felt about it. This one might be a keeper.

For me, this is all about a lifestyle change and that means I have to re-visit all of my habits and re-understand all of my intake again. Its kind of a pian in the butt. I know it will pay off down the road. I have to keep thinking forward. I need to work until I am 66 in the public school system and that means I need to be healthy. After 65 I can work at Universities and College which will take less out of me but I will still need to do it until I am 75. I wont get into a house until after I am 40 which means I will have a 30 year mortgage after I am 40 - that means I have to work until I am 75. Good health is a crucial part of that plan. I wont be dependant on my children like I have been on my parents. Now is the time to make it happen so the future doesnt hold as much anxiety and strees as teh past and present have held and do hold.

CEREAL

2009-09-25T06:04:00.000-07:00

I checked out my cereal today. I think Rice Krispies is going to be my cereal of choice for a little while. It is low in calories and has 0 fat and is full of vitamins and minerals which hopefully means it will sustain me longer.

Rice Krispies
110 calories 1 1/4 cups
0 grams of fat

Fat Free Milk - 90 calories
0 fat

I measured my cereal this morning and to fill my normal bowl it takes 2 cups of cereal. So that means that I will be consuming approximately 200 calories in cereal a morning. I am good with that.

I will also be eating a 1/2 grapefruit and a banana. I am not sure how many calories that is so I will have to research that.

Ok - did that - Grapefruit: 35 calories for a 1/2 grapefruit
banana: 95 calories - CAN THAT BE RIGHT?

Calories in Grapefruit

Amount Per Serving
Calories 74Calories

So breakfast would be a total of 420 calories
0 fat grams

I am going to stick with that for my breakfast. That is more calories than the 1200 calorie diet but less than 2000 calories which is what it would take for me to loose weight.

WATCH THE BIGGEST LOSER

2009-09-25T05:59:00.001-07:00

I watched the BIGGEST LOSER for the first time last week! So SAD! I cant imagine. I feel so bad for those people. Jen says she cries everytime she watches it - I'm not surprised. Jen emailed me and told me the show is one every:

TUESDAY 8-10P.M.

I will be watching it every week as a motivator! I never want to live like that. I cant imagine!

The Time Posted on the Blog

2009-09-25T05:54:00.001-07:00

FYI - The time on my blog postings is wrong. I just wanted to make sure Dad didnt worry about my sleeping habits - SMILE! I dont know how to fix it so it will stay inaccurate until I figure that out.

Daily Log - Yesterday

2009-09-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another tough day.

I planned my dinner but I didnt eat it. I ate 6 scoops of rocky road ice cream. YUP THAT HAS CHOCLATE IN IT - A LOT OF CHOCLATE. So, I've broken my 10 day streak. I will start my new streak today.

Well my education didnt exactly help with prevention - yesterday - at least. I would say it was about 1 1/2 c of ice cream which adds up to alot of fat but about the same amount of calories as my dinner would have been. Interestingly enough, I wasnt hungry for dinner nor was I hungry for an evening snack. I think that the sugar content has something to do with it but I am not sure.

Jeff suggested I drink diet soda with caffinee to help with the headaches and the fatigue/ hunger pains. I think I will do that.

I wasnt starved when I woke up this morning. In fact, I havent eaten yet. I am starting to feel a bit hungry but not starved so maybe my body is starting to get a little used to my new food regime. I will have to see how I feel in the afternoon.

Jen suggested I get out of the house because I have been in the house all week because of my stitches. I dont know though-it makes me a little nervous because all the fast food places along the way and all the choclate in sight. I will be working everyday next week so I will have to deal with that then I guess. I am a bit worried about how I will do.

Jeff also said that I should be consuming 2000 calories not 1200. I wish I had a nutrionist to ask all these questions??????? So many questions. Maybe I will just have to spend the money and go to a nutritionist - any thoughts about that??????
Help Aaron!

Jen suggested I go on the Slim Fast website for snack ideas - I will do that today.

I dont feel like I have lost anything but I have to have lost something. I have eaten a lot differently this week.

I did go to bed on time - about 10:15 p.m. I am feeling better this morning - my body doesnt hurt as much. I think the extra sleep is helping me with my muscle aches.

I do feel like crying a lot. I am a bit worried about my state of mind. I started to feel very depressed last night. I had difficulty being around my children and feeling happy on any level. I was just very sad - like a huge weight was laying on me that kept getting heavier and heavier. I was determined not to feel this way today so I made myself wake up with a smile. I stayed chipper until the kids left and now I am crying again.

Hopefully those diet pills will come soon.

Daily Log - Food Consumption

2009-09-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

I did better today. I feel like I made better choices
BREAKFAST
1 bowl of Corn Pops 2c 440 calories 0 fat grams
Skim milk 1 c 180 calories 0 fat grams
620 calories 0 fat grams
(I chose this Breakfast before my research) WOW - I DIDNT REALIZE HOW MANY CALORIES I WAS COSUMING EVERY MORNING!

SNACK
Apple
Banana

LUNCH
1 Bagel 290 calories 1.5 grams fat
1/2 c Tuna 70 calories 1.0 gram fat
1Tbsp Light Mircale Whip 20 calories 1.5 grams fat
Lettuce ?
Carrots 35 calories
415 calories for lunch
4 grams of fat for lunch

SNACK
Salsa 2 Tbsp 10 calories 0 gram fat
Refried Beans 1/2c 90 calories .5 gram fat
Tortilla Chips 14 chips 140 carlories 4.5 grams fat
240 calories for snack
5 grams of fat for snack

DINNER
Pasta 1 c 280 calories 1 gram of fat
Sauce 1/2 c 60 calories 1 gram of fat
Salad:
Lettuce
Carrots 35 calories 0
Chick Peas 1/4 c 55 calories 1 gram of fat
1 egg 70 calories 4.5 grams of fat
Pears 1/2 c 100 calories 0
500 calories for dinner
5.5 grams of fat for dinner
NO AFTER DINNER SNACK TONIGHT

Total: 1775 calories 14.5 grams of fat

Over by 575 calories

CHANGES:
Breakfast - I cant eat ceral like that any more.
I think I can shave off calories at breakfast for sure
Afternoon snack can use some work as well
Stick to the 1200 calorie diet

GROCERY LIST

2009-09-24T09:43:00.001-07:00

I will purchase these items on a weekly/ monthly basis:

bananas - 1 a day
apples - 2 a day
Avacado - 1/4 a day
Grapefruit 1 1/2 a day
oranges - 1 a day
berries - 1/2 c a day
grapes
onions
lettuce
carrots
spinach
broccli
califlower
fat-free dressing
frozen broccli
frozen green beans
yogurt 1 a day
cottage cheese (we'll have to see about that one??)
fat-free milk
eggs
fig cookies
chicken breast
turkey - whole
turkey lunch meat
ground turkey
salmon
fish
shrimp
baked beans
brown rice
low-calorie wheat bread
french bread pizza (300 calories)
jello
Almonds
Whole wheat English Muffins

What am I going to do about the HOLIDAYS???

2009-09-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN IS COMING - CHOCLATE - CAN I DO IT??? Yes I can! THEN IT DOESNT STOP THERE ......THANKSGIVING THEN CHRISTMAS. I found these great suggestions and I am going to follow them - DONT FORGET TO RE-READ THIS BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS!!!!

Your Diet and the Holidays
How to maintain your weight and still enjoy the extra turkey and special Christmas cookies.
Many people grow more and more concerned about their diet as it comes closer to the holiday season. Thanksgiving is around the corner, and soon after that will be Christmas. All of the tempting holiday meals with turkey, ham, pies, cakes, and special cookies, it can be the nightmare of anyone trying to keep their weight down. Don’t despair. There is a way to have your cake and eat it, too.

Tips for dieting on Thanksgiving

Eat breakfast. Starving yourself in the morning before the big Thanksgiving meal will only tempt you to pig out. Have a small breakfast to start up your metabolism. This way your body will burn calories faster than if you had fasted. Not eating in the morning will only slow your body down, and cause it to store calories when you do start to eat again.

Moderation is key. Take a little taste of all your favorite things. You don’t have to deny yourself of the foods that you love the most if you cut back on your less favorite dishes. Don’t stuff yourself at dinner. Save room for that pumpkin pie! When it comes to dessert, have a small taste. Remember, you can probably get a hold of leftovers and spread the calorie intake throughout the weekend, instead of stuffing down in one afternoon.

Eat slowly. It takes up to 20 minutes for your body to realize that you are full. Savor each bite and chew thoroughly. When you begin to feel full, take a break. If you really want a second helping, wait at least 15 minutes. If you still don’t feel full, than grab about half the amount you got the first time. You might decide that you don’t really want the second plate of food, and choose to pack some leftovers to enjoy over the weekend.

Tips for dieting on Christmas

You still have time to drop a pound or two before the end of December. If you have already reached your goal weight, losing an extra pound can help you maintain your goal through the end of the year. Don’t overindulge, because it is easier to gain a pound than it is to lose one. You don’t want to miscalculate and gain three pounds after only losing one.

When it comes to the Christmas dinner, the same rules from Thanksgiving apply. Have breakfast, use moderation, and eat slowly. Don’t forget the possibility of leftovers!

Many families traditionally have special cookies, pies, cakes, and candy every year. Instead of indulging in every last one, choose the one or two that you might enjoy the most. Have only a small serving (one cookie, one slice). You can enjoy yourself without the guilt after enjoying a special treat.

Tips for the New Year

Many people plan to start that new diet January 1st. If you are like most people, the diet did not last you the whole year. The best thing to do during the holiday season is to prepare yourself for a lifestyle change. Losing a few pounds on a crash diet is the least effective way to staying trim. Don’t wait for the special New Year’s Day to change your habits. Start right away. By the time the New Year comes around, you will be mentally prepared to continue to commit to a healthier lifestyle, and you will have already had some practice in disciplining yourself.

Dieting is overrated. Lifestyle change is how people become successful at maintaining a healthy weight. Becoming more active, eating more fruit and vegetables, and reducing stress are all ways that weight loss can happen and be maintained long-term. With moderation and balance with the types of food you eat, and plenty of exercise, you don’t have to ‘be on a diet.’ You can just be a healthy individual who makes healthy choices.

By Chesley Maldonado
Published: 11/16/2007

Another 7 Day Meal Plan

2009-09-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

If I get tired of the other Meal Plan or need new ideas I will use this meal plan:

7 Day Diet Meal Plan
According to experts, how much a person eats matters more than what a person eats. So, the first thing one has to do is to restrict the quantity of the food one consumes. Ideas for weekly meal planning can help you to plan these 7 day meal plans with greater efficiency. Here is a sample of a 7 day healthy meal plan that would give you an idea of how a 7 day diet meal plan should be structured. One important thing to be remembered is that your diet plan should be flexible, which means that you can shuffle a day's food plan with another.

Day 1
Breakfast: 8 ounces corn flakes with 8 ounces low fat milk and 1 cup of fruits like banana, strawberries, etc.
Lunch: Turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, mustard and mayonnaise and 1 cup grapes
Dinner: Tofu and spinach pasta and 1 small piece of fruit of your choice

Day 2:
Breakfast: 8 ounces of oatmeal along with 8 ounces of berries
Lunch: Baked potato with fried onions, 18 ounces mixed veggies and salad
Dinner: Chicken veggie kabobs and 8 ounces steamed broccoli

Day 3:
Breakfast: Peanut sandwich, 1 cup of low fat milk or yogurt
Lunch: 1 cup of steamed vegetables, ¾ cup of chicken salad, 8 ounces fruits
Dinner: Steak and potatoes and low fat pudding

Day 4:
Breakfast: 1 Egg omelet, 1/3 cup of baked potatoes, 2 tablespoons of dried fruit
Lunch: 1 cup vegetable soup, 2 cups steamed spinach and ½ cup grapes
Dinner: ¾ cup brown rice, 3 ounces poached salmon and salad

Day 5:
Breakfast: ½ English muffin toasted with 1 ounce low fat cheese and poached egg, nuts and a cup of diced melon
Lunch: Chicken salad and tomato soup
Dinner: Homemade pizza containing mixed green vegetables, spinach, tomato sauce and little cheese.

Day 6:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with ½ sliced apple and shredded cheese on top, ½ cup yogurt topped with silvered almonds
Lunch: Tofu sandwich and ½ banana with low fat yogurt
Dinner>: Black bean salad and 1 medium sized apple

Day 7:
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with whole wheat pita bread and any fruit juice
Lunch: 1/2 cup turkey meatballs, 5 medium sized carrots and fresh fruit salad
Dinner: BBQ chicken, vegetarian baked beans and a banana

Along with the three meals, you also need to plan for snacks you would have in between meals. For snacks you can have cheese, chocolate fondue, fruits, dry fruits, nuts, etc. You can also plan your 7 day meal according to your personal requirements. For instance, if you are a diabetic person or a pure vegetarian, you can go for a diabetic 7 day meal plan and vegetarian 7 day meal plan respectively. 7 day meal plan for pregnant women and 7 day weight loss meal plan can also be maintained.

Jesus Christ can help me!

2009-09-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Part of my weight loss program is going to have to be a healing of my heart as well. As I have researched today it has become very effident to me that I must turn to the Lord my Redeemer for help. He has helped me heal in the past and he can help me again. Believe it or not, as I was reading I found this passage in the section about EMOTIONAL EATING....read on....

You need to go deep, deeper than your stomach because emotional eating hunger has its origins in the brain, if not even deeper than that, in your soul. Yes, I mean your heart and soul because it is there where you feel the pain of rejection, you might have felt it since the day you were born and I think we all are familiar with that to a certain degree.

The thing is to start searching your soul, your heart. What are you really trying to cover with that food? Is it frustration, is it anxiety and fear of different things situations or people, is it rejection? No amount of food will ever sooth the pain in your soul, the fear of being alone tomorrow or the lack of love you crave for. But, there is a Real Help: all your soul needs and will ever need within One Person, not in a theory or diet or set of rules and regulations. One person understands what’s going on in your life 100%, He knows better than yourself what you’re going trough and has no cheap surrogates for your problem. Yes, you might have guessed, I am talking about God, about Jesus Christ His Son.

Nothing else will work better because Jesus Knows what you’ve been trough, Jesus is willing to help you whenever you ask for His help. If you knew what I just told you was the truth, would you be willing to ask God for help?

You know, it is true, if you don’t believe it is not because it has not been proven, it is simply because you have not known about Him or perhaps you have not yet carefully examined the proof of history, science and experience concerning Jesus Christ.

What God wants you to know is that He knows about your struggle, He knows all your frustration and He loves you so much that even the hairs on your head are numbered! He knows you to the greatest detail and in His love, He sent Jesus Christ to prove His love towards you. Jesus Christ died on the cross for us to have eternal life, not just a struggle here on earth. God has a great plan for your life even if you don’t know it yet!

However, you will know His plan if you come to Him and ask! The first step is to come in His family, as He wants to make you His child, to make you a completely new person in Christ. Once you are His, and you renew your mind believing what God says you are in Christ, you have that inner need for love and acceptance covered, fulfilled and satisfied; thus your heart and soul get the healing they need.

The pasture Jesus promises is the spiritual food we need in order to stop trying to satisfy it with physical food. It is much more than food actually; it is life from abundance! Ask God for this life, don't settle for anything less!

OKAY, WELL, I FEEL LIKE THAT GUY WHO LISTENED TO A RADIO STATION AND THEN DISCOVERED IT WASNT EVEN PLUGGED IN - GOD HAD A MESSAGE FOR HIM AND HE WAS GOING TO HEAR IT. Ya know, he is talking to me. This is what I am suppose to do with my life right now - get healthy. I am grateful that he is in charge of my life and not me at times. I am grateful I am not student teaching but I am learning and re-learning how to live my life in a healthy way - a way that is pleasing to God and my brother Jesus Christ. I look forward to showing them what I can do with this body they gave me. Right now it is riddle with neglect but that will change.

Have you ever eaten for any other reason but hunger?

2009-09-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I have!!!!!!!!! Emotional hunger is apart of my weight problem and I just have to address it. So I went researching information about emotional hunger and this is what I found. Very helpful!

Emotional Eating Hunger
Emotional eating hunger comes as an attempt to solve a hunger of the soul and heart…not the stomach’s hunger. See more about its symptoms and ask help from God. He Alone can satisfy, soothe and heal your heart and soul. See more!
Overweight or not, emotional eating is a common yet often times not realized cause of weight problem. Have you ever eaten because of any other reason but hunger? When your stomach did not ruble, grumble or pang but you still feel that dramatic push as a "must eat NOW!" that is the emotional hunger pushing, not the physical hunger.

When you think about it, with all these diets all around, with all these healthy eating plans, it is alarming that the statistics show more and more people suffering due to their overweight. We should all be getting better and better, not going from bad to worse. Unfortunately the cruel reality shows that we are fighting a powerful enemy…not just a plate of food.

Every time when you felt that urge to eat, that sudden "must" to get a bite of that "forbidden food" comes and hits so strongly that we indulge another and another bite. Even when full, the emotional eating will not stop, forcing in another bite and then another until feeling guilty.

Let’s see more characteristics of the emotional eating.

It comes all of a sudden, installing itself regardless of the fact that you might have just eaten, demanding immediate satisfaction. Emotional eating hunger is unaware of how much food is being eaten and also it doesn’t really matter what is being eaten what’s more…the eagerness to eat more doesn’t stop even after you’re full. Oftentimes it only is satisfied with certain cravings, usually your favorite indulgence. The guilt that follows makes the person cover it in promises of doing better the next time.

However, facing it, it is obvious that emotional food hunger is generated by an emotional and not a physical issue. The real "generators", or factors that lead to this condition are such as: a relation break up, a partner cheating, losing one’s job, someone close getting sick etc.

Many times it is the response to rejection. People simply do not feel loved and appreciated for what they are; they are in a continuous competition and battle to achieve best on their profession, looks and relationships, yet the greatest mistake is when they compare themselves to others thus setting goals hard to achieve, unrealistic and severe. The stress levels accumulate leading the person to a response of some sort. Often times, chocolate comes in handy, one more tomorrow as it made me feel good today, and if you feel rejected by your partner, community or at work, you will unconsciously try to make up for it somehow.

A piece of something sweet (or anything to eat really) might seem good for the moment but it becomes something usual, then a habit and afterward, it is installed to stay there in your daily routine as something you couldn’t do without because it gives a good feeling while you eat…as after eating…guilt comes and here we go again to the next time.

Diet Pills

2009-09-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Important information for me to remember.......

Diet pills aim to help overweight people to curb their hunger and therefore lose weight. They are invariably pharmacological substances, though herbal and other natural alternatives exist, too. If diet pills contain pharmacological agents, there is an issue of benefits vs. risks involved. Obviously, grossly obese patients with serious health risks caused by excessive weight do not have many options. However, many of the initially developed diet pills contained amphetamines. Examples of these were Dexedrine and Digoxin. These stimulants can increase heart rates to dangerous levels. Obese persons often have to reduce weight precisely because of existing or developing heart conditions. In this context, diet pills that contain amphetamines or similar stimulants present a definite risk. While they do curb hunger, they also disrupt normal sleep patterns, cause anxiety and are highly addictive. Their uncontrolled use leads to many serious problems. In fact, almost all diet pills work by disrupting some natural physical and even mental functions. This is an important point to remember.

Depending on their mode of action, modern diet pills work by suppressing appetite, accelerating the body's metabolism and interfering with the absorption of certain nutrients in consumed food. Many diet pills prevent the absorption of fat into the body. If the patient habitually consumes foods with excessive fat levels, such diet pills are certainly useful. However, they work by short-circuiting the body's tendency to store fat in its tissues. This is an important metabolic function that can be disrupted safely only for limited periods. Therefore, using diet pills is not a long-term weight loss option. One must also not forget that appetite is a necessary reflex that nature has provided to ensure our survival.

Some active ingredients for diet pills in the recent past were phentermine and fenfluramine. These work by blocking certain metabolic feedback pathways that result in weight gain. Their use in combination apparently yielded considerable success, too. However, medical authorities took fenfluramine and its derivatives off the market when studies revealed that they could lead to heart valve damage. Topiramate and phentermine combinations are currently still in use. So are combinations of bupropion with zonisamide and naltrexone.

Certain pills now under research and development work by overcoming abnormalities like insulin resistance, in which the body's usual output of insulin is not enough to bring about a normal insulin response from fat. Another line of pills currently under development aims to correct conditions in which the body's lipid (fatty molecule) levels are abnormally high. Technically, these pills are not diet pills because they do not reduce appetite. However, they will be extremely effective when used in conjunction with a proper weight loss diet.

People tend to overeat for various reasons, many of which are psychological rather than physical. For this reason, there are pills that reduce excessive appetite because they correct a psychological or even psychiatric disorder. Again, these are not diet pills but do have the desired effect of helping curb appetite in overweight people.

No scientific research exists to support the efficacy of herbal diet pills in curbing appetite and reducing weight by other means. However, they may have a placebo effect. This means that the patient's belief in the medicine's power is sufficient to bring desirable results

Change my Grocery Shopping Habits....

2009-09-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

This is what I read...... Can I really do that?

Hint: When shopping at the supermarket, concentrate the majority of your shopping at the perimeter of the store. That is where most of the whole foods are kept. You may have to cook more often, but your heart will thank you for it. Avoid the middle isles and the food that doesn’t expire until next year (or decade for that matter).

NOT GO TO THE MIDDLE ISLES????? As I look at my new menu I dont see anything from the middle isles so I guess its possible. I will have to let you know how that one goes, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Well this was reassuring.......

2009-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

I read this and thought - REALLY - REALLY - COULD THAT REALLY HAPPEN TO ME - COULD I REALLY NOT ENJOY THE TASTE OF SOME OF MY SWEET COMPANIONS????? Read on.......

Health is a large issue with many different facets. As far as nutrition goes, you have to take advantage of your hunger and look at it as an opportunity to put something beneficial into your body. Believe it or not, there is life after doughnuts. In fact, after you stop eating sugary, fatty food you will become sensitive to it and all of a sudden it will be overly sugary and it won't taste good anymore. Your body gets used to food and drinks without the sugar you no longer seek out the high calorie food. This happened to me. I drank Mountain Dew religiously for years. Then I stopped drinking it, and now if I have one it taste so sweet that I have a hard time finishing it. Healthier food may seem bland at first but try low calorie dips and sauces to get over the hump.

Candy Jar for sale - any takers???

2009-09-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

In my reading I have discovered that I need to make a few changes in my kitchen. My first one is to throw away the candy jar - yup - throw it away. Well, I am not a throw away person soooooooo if anyone would like to take it off my hands you are more than welcome to it. My kitchen has an invisible sign in it that now reads, CANDY - NOT WELCOME. I know its a shock for some of you to hear me say that but I am committed. Jen, I am sorry - you bought me that cool candy jar but I just have to rid myself of it. I know you will understand.

In its place I will be a..... are you ready.... A FRUIT BOWL..yup...I'll say it again.....A FRUIT BOWL. Apprently, if you see it you will eat it and that is definitely the case in this family.

Fruit - Fruit - Fruit

2009-09-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

I guess I forgot how beneficial fruit is in our lives and how much it can heal us and keep up healthy - duh!!!! Isnt that terrible - I am a mom of three children and I forgot about how important fruit was. I mean I feed my children fruit but do they really know why they are eating it our how it is really benefiting their bodies. WELL LET ME TELL YOU - they will now! Armed with my new information I am ready to live a healthier happier life and so will they!

Oranges - Anti-aging

2009-09-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Okay I knew that it contained Vitamin C but it fights the aging process also. Wow! Gotta have one of those everyday, right???!!!! And it gives you younger looking skin. While in the Doctors office today did a quiz to see how old my skin is and well let just say I am 27 on the outside - I LOVE THAT QUIZ!!!!!!

Oranges are among the most valuable food crops in America. These fruits are suitable for everyone and are known as the best fruits to treat diseases. There are many orange nutritional facts that are not known by orange lovers. There is more to orange nutritional facts than just being the best source of Vitamin C. Orange is a major source of calcium, phosphorous, potassium, citrus acid, beta-carotene, aldehyde and compounds of alcohol ENE group. The predominant flavonoids in lemons and oranges, Hesperetin and Narigenin are other essential components in oranges. Narigenin is a bio-active compound that acts as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune system modulator. These antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals and unstable oxygen molecules in the body. This helps in slowing the aging process and gives you a younger looking skin. It also helps curbing diseases by increasing the immunity level of the body. Oranges are also rich in Vitamin A and other flavonoids and antioxidants like alpha and beta carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanhin and lutein. Vitamin A helps in maintaining a healthy mucus membrane and skin. Vitamin A is also one of the most important vitamins to maintain a proper eye sight.

Oranges are a good source of fiber. These little marvels of nature are fat-free, sodium free and cholesterol free. The orange nutritional value further increases due to the presence of thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium and copper. As oranges are acidic, with a pH value between 2.5-3 that depends on the age, size and variety of the fruit, they are excellent detoxifying fruits.

Heres the info I found.... awsome stuff....
Oranges are rich in pectin, that is a bulk laxative. It is very effective for people who are overweight. Pectin protects the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing it's exposure period to toxic substances. It also binds itself to cancer causing chemicals in the intestine, thus reducing the chances of cancer. Cholesterol levels in the blood are also reduced if the pectin level in the body lowers. Pectin decreases the re-absorption process in the intestine by binding to bile acids.

Orange juice helps in absorption of medicines by the body, thus helping in the biochemical and physiological effects of the medicine. The following table will give a fair idea about the orange nutritional value:

Grapes - HORRAY FOR GRAPES

2009-09-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

I found info on Grapes! I just love grapes!!!!! What the heck is Vitamin K??? I never hear anyone talking about Vitamin K but maybe that is because I have been to consumed with Vitamin CH - choclate. Boo! Hoo!

Health Benefits of Grapes

With a great nutritional value, grapes are known for offering a number of health benefits. Grapes can be used to cure various health problems such as asthma, heart diseases, constipation, indigestion, migraine, kidney diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and fatigue. Grapes increase the levels of nitric acid in the blood and prevent the development of blood clots. It minimizes the risk of heart attacks. Grapes play an important role in curing dyspepsia. Grape juice replenishes iron content of the body and prevents fatigue. According to the latest study, purple-colored Concord grape juice is effective in preventing the breast cancer. Grapes also can prevent muscular degeneration and cataract, associated with aging. Grapes consist of a compound namely pterostilbene, which can reduce the levels of cholesterol. Grapes also have anticancer properties and antibacterial activity

Apples

2009-09-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Okay - 2 apples a day, 1 banana a day 1/4 of an avacado, and 1/2 of a Grapefruit at every meal...... and counting..... Maybe I wont be so hungry. I love this info about Apples!!!!!! Its a good thing I really really like fruit. My favorite is Grapes though and so far I dont see them on my list of fruit. Here we go again....

Nutritional Benefits of Apples

Apples must be eaten with their skin on, as the skin is imbibed with loads of nutrients. According to researchers at the Comell University, the extract of a medium-fresh apple (with the skin on) consists of antioxidant activity equal to 1,500 milligrams of Vitamin C. However, do not forget to wash the apple thoroughly before consumption. The various nutritional and health benefits of apples are:

Cancer
Apples are rich in flavonoids, which help prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. Moreover, the phytochemicals present in the skin of an apple prevents the multiplication of colon cancer cells. In a study conducted in Strasbourg, it was found that apple consumption reduced the risk of colon cancer. This is because when the fiber from the apple remains in the colon for a certain period of time, it starts producing chemicals that fight any appearing cancer cells.

When researchers of Comell University tested the apple extract on human liver cancer cells, they found that the growth of those cancer cells stopped. Further, a study in Finland (1997) also revealed that consuming apples daily reduces the risk of getting lung cancer. The diet of 9959 Finns were reviewed in the study program, and it was found that of those people, the ones who were cancer free were the ones who ate flavonoid-rich food. Apple skin is rich in Quercetin, a flavonoid which is the most beneficial to prevent cancer. So remember never to peel an apple before eating it, as the skin is a very important part that needs to be consumed.

Alzheimer's Disease
Since apple skin consists of Quercetin, apples are believed to be beneficial to fight off the nasty Alzheimer's disease. With regards to a study conducted on rats, it was observed that those rats that were treated with Quercetin featured slower cell deterioration. Cell deterioration is the primary cause for Alzheimer's disease.

Hypertension, Cholesterol and Strokes
Adults consuming an apple a day are 37% lesser at risk of getting hypertension than others. Besides this, they are also less prone to strokes and high blood pressure levels are seen to reduce. Apples contain soluble fibers such as pectin which help prevent plaque from being deposited on the artery walls, thus reducing the chances of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Eating two apples a day or drinking 12 ounces of apple juice a day goes a long way in reducing the effects of cholesterol.

Digestion
They improve the bowel function. Pectin and other acids present in apples helps digestion, which is why apples are served after heavy meals. The insoluble fibers in apples hold water in the intestinal tract so as to cleanse and move the food faster through the digestive tract.

Besides the above mentioned health benefits, apples also contain calcium which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Studies also reveal that people who consume 5 apples a week were less prone to be affected by asthma. What is even better is that apples are known to help lose weight. Consuming 3 apples a day will help lose weight quickly. The reason is that apples when consumed make you feel fuller and automatically you eat lesser quantity of food.

There are hundreds of different types of apples that are available in the market today. A large variety is available for you to choose from and the best part is that they are not very expensive. So there is practically no reason why you should not eat this healthy and delicious fruit!

Bananas

2009-09-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am so glad to know what benefits I am recieving from eating one banana a day. I look forward to that banana now - just knowing what I am putting into my body and how it is helping me is very motivating.

Along with the calorie content, another positive aspect of bananas is that they are rich in nutritional value. Bananas are packed with essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, Vitamin A, C, E, B6, fiber as well as iron. Due to its high nutritional value, consumption of bananas help in prevention of many diseases or health problems. The presence of potassium in bananas helps in maintaining normal blood pressure and proper functioning of the heart. As bananas have a high content of fiber, they help in cleansing the digestive system and improving the problem of excretion. It is recommended to people who have constipation problems, and also to those who are suffering from diarrhea. When one has diarrhea, eating a banana would help in restoring the electrolytes and fluids that are lost from the body. Some other health benefits of eating banana everyday include-Eyesight protection•Prevention of anemia
•Prevention of kidney problems
•Help to quit smoking
•Treating heart burn
•Curing ulcers
•Relieves stress
•Reduces the risk of having a stroke
•Reducing depression
•Healthy bones

Avacado

2009-09-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

I will be incorporating Avacado into my menu as well. I was amazed at how beneifical it can be to consume avacado. I want to remember some of these facts so I am including them in my journal.

Avocado Nutrition Facts - Health Benefits
Avocado is popular due to the high contents of Vitamin K and Vitamin A. Vitamin E in the avocados is a good antioxidant and helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Carotenoid lutein in avocado helps in maintaining the health of the eyes. The avocado nutritional information reveals that this fruit contains many essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Avocados contain beta-sitosterol which is a natural plant sterol that helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The fiber content of avocados is beneficial for those who suffer from indigestion and gastric problems. Avocados are also beneficial for those who suffer from acidity problem. Calcium and potassium in avocados are good for strengthening and maintaining the bones in the body. This fruits also helps to cleanse the body in an effective way.

Hair care and skin care are the other major health benefits of avocado. Avocado paste can be applied on the skin rashes or rough skin to make the skin smooth and soft. As avocados are rich in magnesium, they are good for muscle contraction and relaxation. Psoriasis and bad breadth can be well treated by eating avocados. Rubbing avocado fruit on the skin helps to heal sunburn. Potassium in avocados helps to maintain the electrolyte balance in the body. Also, folate present in avocados helps to promote healthy development of muscles and tissues in the body. The traditional health benefit of avocado is that it is used to treat sexual problems. The recommended intake of avocado fruit is half fruit several times a week. Avocados can be included in the diet by mixing them in salads or having a salad sandwich for lunch. Avocados are eaten along with other fruits or in the form of a shake.

All the above facts and statements encompasses the nutritional value of avocado. With abundance of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, avocado fruit helps to prevent diseases and maintains good overall health and fitness.

By Aarti Ramdasi
Published: 8/26/2009

Websites

2009-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Websites I am using:

buzzle.com/articles/balanced-diet

What I am used to eating daily

2009-09-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to spend a minute and relfect about what I am used to eating in a given day so that I can see the changes I am about to make. I also want to journal them so that I can see where I came from.

Breakfast
1 large bowl of cereal - Raisin Nut Bran, Life, Cinnamon toast Crunch, ect...
1 percent or 2 precent milk

Mid-morning Snack
Candy Bar (1 or 2 - sometimes a king size)
White Popcorn or some kind of chip
Bottle of Water or Dr. Pepper

Lunch
6 inch - footlong sub, chips, and soda OR
Chinese Buffet (going up about 4 times) and soda OR
Bowl of Cereal (1 0r 2 bowls) - if I was at home. That is my default meal when I am feeling lazy.

Afternoon Snack
Bagel OR
Toast OR
Somekind of junk food of some kind or snack bar

DINNER
Chicken OR some kind of protein
Fruit
Veggie
Potatoe OR starchy thing (and lots of it)
Roll OR bread of some kind
Dessert - A NICE LARGE HELPING!
OR WE WENT OUT TO EAT AT SOME FAST FOOD RESTURANT

Before I go to bed:
Bowl of Cereal OR
Order a Cheesesteak or Pizza of some kind OR
Toast with lots of butter and jam on it - YUM! OR
Whatever else can fill my tummy so that I go to bed feeling completely full!

DURING THE NIGHT:
Yes, I would wake up during the night for some kind of choclate. I would eat the Hersheys Choclate Chips, Truffles, Fudge, leftover brownies - whatever I could get my hands on. I would eat it almost in my sleep with a large glass of 2 percent milk.

TWICE A MONTH:
We would have a big breakfast that included:
Bacon
Eggs
Sausage
French Toast and/or Pancakes
and Grapes - I would throw those in there so that I wouldnt feel to guilty about eating at least 6 strips of bacon.

Well, I guess that is how I have gone from 115 pounds in 1990 to 195 pounds in 2009. It was a slow process to successfully be able to consume that much food in a day but I did it and now I have to undo it. Its good to reflect. It is motivating. I got my blood work today so I guess I will see what kind of damage I have caused over these past 20 years. Hopefully, its not to bad.

Daily Consumption

2009-09-23T13:22:00.001-07:00

Today was not any easier than yesterday. I didnt eat any choclate but I didnt eat really healthy meals. I will make better choices tomorrow. In fact, I think I should plan tomorrow before it comes. I thought I could decide as I go but I just cant. I am going to have to get more organized. I will research meal management and creat a menu for myself. My pantry is stocked with good nutritious options right now I just have to know what I am going to make before I get really hungry and start grabbing for anything.

Breakfast:
Cinnamon Life Cereal
Fat Free Milk
Banana

I added the banana today and I think I will do that everyday from now on. I am pouring less cereal in my bowl also. I can eat some cereal! I am a cereal fan!!!!!

Lunch:
6" Subway Sub - Turkey on White with Light Mayo and all the fixin's
grapes
banana
Water

I really wanted a soda but I didnt have one. Normally I will eat a foot long sub but I chose to get the 6" - its only $5.00 for a footlong but then its very tempting to eat the whole foot long. I always say I am going to eat it later but I rarely do. I also like to buy the footlong because it is $5.00 and the 6" is $4.00 and change. So I think to myself, "I'm getting a deal when I buy the footlong" But it just goes to my butt. NO thanks!

Snack:
I really was craving something salty or sugary and I had nothing in the house. So went for the peanut butter in a weak moment. 2 tablespoons are 16 grams of fat. I wouldhave been better off buying a candybar but I didnt.

Dinner:
1 slice of pepperoni pizza
1 slice of cheese pizza
16 oz of Root beer
No Dessert

Bad choice. That is probably the most fatting thing I have had in the last week.

So I guess overall I didnt do so well today. I will have to come up with good snack options and incorporate meal management.

I am craving sugar everyday. I am craving fatting things everyday. I wonder how long it takes before the cravings stop - maybe a month. Maybe those pills will help with that. I had a headache most of today also. The combination of the two are a bit discouraging. No choclate and I will not have any food before bed.

Goals for Weight Loss

2009-09-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Goals:

No Choclate
No eating after 8:00 p.m.
Go to bed by 10:00 p.m.
Excercise 3 days a week
Start taking the Weight Management Pills to curb the hunger pains
Maintain my Food Consumption/ Activity Log on my Blog
No going out to Eat until the summer time 2010

By January 1st: 150 pounds
By June 1st: 130 pounds
Maintain at 130 pounds FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

Pant Size: 9/10
Shirt Size: Medium

Rewards:

1st Month of maintaining all goals: Crest Teeth Whitening Strips
2nd Month of maintaining all goals: Pedicure and Work Out Clothes - 2 Outfits
3rd Month of maintaining all goals: New Outfit for my new body
4th Month of maintaining all goals: Rollerskates
5th Month of maintaining all goals: Bike Rack for my Car
6th Month of maintaining all goals: IPod or MP3 player for working out
7th Month of maintaining all goals: New Clothes for my new body!!!!!
8th Month of maintaining all goals: Rollerskating Lesson during the summer

After that ...... Celebrate my good health everyday!!!!!!!!!

I better go to bed its 10:11 p.m.

Daily Log - Food - NO Excercise

2009-09-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:

Bowl of Cinnamon Life
Fat Free Milk

Snack:

Soft Pretzel
Mustard
Water

Lunch:

Bowl of Cinnamn Life
Fat Free Milk
Grapes
Califlower
Water

Dinner:

Potatoe Chip Fish
Rice - RiceAroni Box
Water

After 8:00 p.m.
Bowl of Cinnamon Life
Fat Free Milk

I was sooooo hungry after dinner. We had dinner at about 4:00 p.m. because of Football Practice and I had to clean the office. I was sooooo hungry by 8:00 I was getting a headache. I have to bring a banana with me to the office next time.

Tomorrows Goals:

No Choclate
No eating after dinner
Go to bed by 10:00 p.m.
More fruits and veggies

8 days with no Choclate and counting

2009-09-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Okay - 8 days with no Choclate. I started not eating choclate on September 13th. Choclate is one of the things that I consumed in large quantities. I would eat at least one candy bar a day. On the weekend when the children were not with me I would gorge myself until I lay on the couch until I felt so full I thought I would burst - I came to like the feeling. Choclate came to be the "nice" thing I did for myself. When I finished cleaning a house I would buy some choclate. When I completed anything I would celebrate with choclate. When I was sad I ate choclate for an upper. When I was happy I ate choclate to celebrate. I would think about choclate and talk about choclate and eat choclate. Every dessert my children would eat would have some kind of choclate in it or it just wasnt a dessert. (Now I have to re-program them as well) Every FHE treat had some kind of choclate in it. My nieces and nephews think of me when they eat choclate or see choclate because I have talked to them sooooo much about me and choclate. The love affair of my life that is terrible for me - so whats new, right???!!! I really really really loved choclate. Giving up choclate to me was like an alchololic giving up booze. It is a daily struggle but I realize that I am addicted to choclate and I wont have it. I am taking control and I am kicking the habit. It is sooooooo difficult right now especially with the hunger pains....but...I havent given in. I hope I can keep it up.

The Beginning

2009-09-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling terrible. My back, hips, knees, neck all hurt. I am uncomfortable in sleeping in my bed, sitting for long periods of time, or standing for any period of time. I am uncomfortable in my clothes and shoes. I cant cross my leg comfortably when I sit in a skirt so I have to cross my ankles. I cant even suck in anymore. My belly just protrudes like I am nine months pregant. I cant see my feet anymore and my ankles - well ..... not that they were ever a pretty sight but now they just constantly retain water (or at least look like they are). I have three chins and I am not sure where my breasts start and my belly rolls begin. I feel like I could wear several bras because I need support all over. It is disgusting and out of control. I have been feeling like this for about a year but this year has been the worst. I put on an additional 15 more pounds and am pushing 200 pounds. I weigh exactly 195.4 pounds according to my doctors scale today.

Needlesstosay, I have to do something about my medical condition as I see it. So, in an attempt to hold myself accountable for my daily actions I have started this blog. I have read over and over again how one should log in his or her consumption/ activity - good or bad. I am going to make this blog "From Fat to Fit" my daily log. I will keep all of my family on my automatic email list so that I know that I am not the only one who knows what I am doing or not doing.