Watching what you eat

Watching what you eat

The fact is you have to watch what you eat if you want to lose weight or maintain your weight.  The good news is though that it becomes a lot easier when you get into the habit of eating healthy most of the time.  Your choices become more automatic, what you are used to and actually prefer.

Here are some of the ideas I used to improve my eating habits and lose weight -

• reminding myself daily of my goals and why I wanted to change
• checking the labels on packets and drinks to reduce my fat and sugar intake
• choosing healthier snack alternatives like fruit, yoghurt or rice crackers
• making myself vegetable juices to fill up on in the evenings
• having lean meat and fish
• trying different vegetables for variety
• having a plan and taking alternative snacks with me
• making my own choice of an occasional 'treat' whilst I was out
• putting my health first above pleasing others
• avoiding dependence on pre-packaged diet foods and shakes
• not cutting up whole food groups like some fad diets
• having realistic long term weight loss goals
• using various ways to watch progress like scales, BMI, waist measurement, clothes

So there are some basic ideas for weight loss I used the last few years.

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

You can see more weight loss tips in my first 10 posts this year.

How to Get into the Healthy Habits Mindset

I knew when I wanted to lose weight I had to get back to the Healthy Habits Mindset I had had when I'd lost weight before and kept it off for years.  The key is to not to procrastinate but take action until your new healthy habits become almost automatic.  You won't have to struggle anymore because it will be just a part of you and what you do.

Here are some of the habits I had to change -

• check the labels on the food I was eating more carefully and set limits
• plan basically what I was prepared to eat at home and whilst I'm out
• be prepared with healthy snack alternatives
• make myself vegetable juices at home to get healthier and fill me up
• plan when to exercise for how long and have alternatives
• make my own choices of what I would have, when and how much
• put my health first as much as possible whilst still having fun
• change the way I think and feel about food
• be prepared to make other changes in my life I'd avoided
• set myself reminders about my goals for continued motivation

That's it for now and once again any ideas of your own let me know.

"We are what we repeatedly do;  excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."  Aristotle

Cheers

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

How will you play once you lose the weight?

Dancer at West End Festival playing around

I love dancing and fancy dress myself but I've never gone as far as this girl did.  Looks like she was having the 'time of her life' though flying up in the air with some help trying to recreate a move.

What would you like to be able to try once you lose some weight and get a bit fitter?
Have you been holding yourself back from doing something you once did or would like to try?

Here are a few things that come to mind you might wish you could do or plan to do one day without the weight -

dance

sing

dress up

perform

show off

have fun

fly

travel

play games

play with kids

sport

run

hike

yoga

experiment

change jobs

change roles

study

parachuting

hang gliding

parasailing

Well the possibilities are pretty endless, so see what it brings to mind for you that you may have been putting off.  Let me know if you have one to share.

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

Birthday Fun

Birthday Fun at Valley Fiesta snap with KLP's Chrissy

I've been having quite a good time the last week or two leading up to my birthday on the weekend.
After a few lunches with friends and the West End Festival last weekend, I topped it off by going to the Valley Fiesta again this year on the day.

Some of the highlights for me from the Valley Fiesta included free music -

• The Vines one of my favourite rock bands back with old and new songs
• KLP's dance songs and a photo with Chrissy afterwards
• Jess Hunt a powerful new performer
• Halloween costumes a plenty to photograph
• Coffee and dessert for the birthday girl (21 again)

Anyway because it's been my birthday week, my message today is mainly just to have a good time and celebrate special moments.

Cheers

Barb

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

In the Pink for October

Ready for the Ladies in Pink lunch

Had a fun time this week dressing up for the ladies in pink lunch.  Of course October is breast cancer awareness month, so it's a good excuse to get together, have fun and promote it.

My outfit was rather thrown together using a couple of market bargains and things I already had but it worked out and was a good excuse to dress up a bit.  You couldn't miss me anyway.

We had the lunch at Eden Gardens Centre.  The food, setting and staff were great.  I think I'll tell them so.  The Teriyaki Chicken I had was so tender and the pecan bread I chose for dessert was good too.  Besides the restaurant there are plenty of plants for sale and a large outdoor décor shop.

Are you going to any pink events this month?

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

Laugh at life when you can

Laughter is the best medicine

The above photo shows me laughing at a blue wig fundraising function a couple of years ago and I look a bit different but you get the idea.  It's good to laugh at life and yourself sometimes.

Here are some jokes I've heard about pizzas for example -

• "I ordered a pizza online - those emotions aren't going to eat themselves." -  Felicity Ward
• "A gluten-free vegan pizza - is the carton." - a DJ
• "What's the difference between a musician and a pizza?"  A pizza can feed a family of 4." - Michael Marmot

Let me know if you have any jokes you'd like to share or questions in the comments or by email.

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

See my first 10 posts this year for weight loss tips overview.

Variety is the spice of meals

Dumplings with rice, vegs, chicken and egg mix

Variety is the spice of life and meals.  I have to say the cook of the house made the above and it's one of my current favourites.  The dumplings filling varies too and prawn is one of my favourite fillings.

As I've mentioned I also have sushi about once a week.  After a few weeks of the same fillings though I'm glad to have a change to different ones.

The same goes with breakfast cereals or yoghurt of any foods.  I may choose something that I think is ideal but after a while it's best to have a change so my taste buds don't get bored.

Also as I've said about exercise, varying what you do and where sometimes makes all the difference.

So no need to let getting healthier get boring, just change things up a bit. 

If you have any meals you want to share let me know.

BarbeJeffs@hotmail.com

WL4MBS

See my first 10 posts this year to see how I lost weight.