Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 26

At the end of this week we are at the half way point of this year!!! Can you believe it? Only 26 more weeks until Happy New Year 2013.

At this midway point are you midway to your goal? What things are you doing well and which things are sliding? Did you rise to my challenge last week and inspire yourself to try something new for a short term challenge?

As I'm writing I'm enjoying a bowl of plain yogurt with homemade granola, protein powder, ground flax seed and raspberries. This is my mid-morning meal used to curb spikes in blood sugar and prevent major food cravings and eatanythingIcangetmyhandson binges.

I'd like to encourage you to break your day up into 3 hour sections and make sure that you eat in each of those times. A little protein with some light carbs (think fruit or veg) at every meal will help to curb cravings and let you feel pleasantly full. You can always add other things to it but it's important to have the protein at each meal. Some meals may be smaller than others or you might have them all the same size. We really should start out with a decent meal in the morning and lighten up as the day goes on, but I'm more concerned that you regularly space your food so that you can help yourself along on this journey.

Give it a try over the next week and let me know if you find a difference not only in what and how often you feel a desire to eat but how your mood changes with it.

Have a great week!

Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 25

So I've been feeling the need to kick things up a notch personally. There are just times where the big goal seems too remote and so creating shorter goals within the big goal is often what makes the end goal attainable. My area of struggle is food. I love to eat! I love to cook! Those 2 things often are my downfall since I can get on a cycle of eating either too much food or making unhealthy food choices or both. I have decided in order to kick start my summer I will challenge myself to a bit of an extreme healthy food and portion size eating regime for 1 week. Based on how it's going I may add a second week and then back things off a bit. I have a very specific food menu set out for this week as well as what time I'll be eating each item in order to maintain blood sugar levels and stave off hunger and cravings. My challenge to you this week is to find youself a challenge within this challenge to motivate you onward toward your end goal. Perhaps you'll choose to exercise daily or do ab exercises daily or cut out all sugar or have a vegetarian week. Whatever it is try to make it tough but achievable. Maybe a week seems too long but 3 days would still be tough. Pick something, tell your support person so they'll check up on you and go to it! Have a great week! Maybe you could post what challenge you're taking on.

Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 24

Well I'm finally moved and mostly unpacked or at least enough to find my. Imputed and attempt to get. A k on tra k with the weekly blogging. I hope you are on track with the challenge. Are you finding it easier or harder in this warmer weather to get exercise in. I know this tends to be a busy time of year and it's so easy to jump off the good habits you've started and on to bad ones if you aren't vigilant. I am trying to get back on a better schedule too now that we have moved. It's far too easy to make excuses about things you need to get done and push exercise to the bottom of the list when really we would find more energy and clarity of mind to get the necessary things done well and efficiently if we only exercised first. You may also find at this time of year your body starts to look for lighter fresher foods to get more water in with the heat outside. Take advantage of the fresh fruit and produce out there and eat lighter meals more frequently. Remember to include protein such as nuts, seeds, eggs, legumes or lean meats to help fill you up and repair muscle. Also, water intake is especially important if you are exercising in hot weather. Don't replace your water with sugary drinks like ice tea and lemonade unless you are making them yourself and keeping the sugar low or non-existent. Continue to up your exercise and try a new exercise this week. See if you can entice a friend or neighbor to join you in this warm weather. Have a great week!