Weight Loss Max

Just read the People article on Kirsty Alley and Valerie Bertinelli, two of my all time favorite actresses.  As I too was a victim of a “noticeable weight gain” I empathized with their plight.  People in general can be so critical of others.  Which in turn causes us to be so critical of ourselves.  I see my young beautiful daughter looking for flaws on her perfect self constantly and it breaks my heart.

A healthy weight is important.  You feel better and yes to societies standards you look better. Since I have been on both sides I can tell you that getting dressed in the morning takes much less time when your clothes fit.  But…  there is always a but….  Getting to this healthy state can be a major struggle for some more then others.  While I am happy for Kirsty and Valerie most people do not have the amount of time to dedicate the diet life as they have been fortunate enough to do. I wish them the best of luck keeping it up because take it from me and Oprah the motivation fades and the battle never ends.

Just as some people are addicted to cigarettes and alcohol, some people are addicted to food.  As with other addictions it can be manageable but it takes a daily effort to stay the course of healthy eating.  Food is one of the most difficult addictions to live with because it will be exposed to the addict daily and there is basically no complete way of avoidance.  We do need food to exist.

I have observed in some cases that a food addict will replace their over eating habits with other new obsessions that can turn into new addictions.  Addictions represent an actual physical dependence on a substance or behaviour.  Regardless they can both interrupt your daily life functioning due to your thoughts constantly being preoccupied with what ever your body is craving.  Unfortunately, many of these new behaviors or substance abuses that the brain will allow you to replace an addiction with tend to be as bad for you if not worse then the initial food addiction.

My conclusions at this point is an addict will always be an addict.  Finding the best way for the person to manage their addiction is key.  Trying to channel the addiction into a healthier one might help. But it is a daily (evenly hourly) struggle for many people.

When I was a teenager dexatrim had come out with over the counter diet pills.  I think they were composed of mostly caffeine.  I tried them and I remember feeling nauseous.  I guess that is what stopped you from eating.  The side effects were similar to drinking to much coffee.  Today the FDA is approving many new types of weight-loss pills with much stronger ingredients than caffeine.  From what I have read there are three major types that are just being introduced, two containing separate types of new drugs that target weight-loss and one that is a combination of the two. They really don’t sugar coat it when it comes to describing their potential side effects.  They range from stomach cramps to severe diarrhea.  One commercial described the leakage that can occur and till your body gets used to it they suggested staying close to home for the beginning of the treatment.

I guess each individual needs to weigh the pros and cons of starting a drug therapy such as these to manage their weight-loss.  I personally haven’t seen anything offered as of yet that seems worth it for me to try.  I also get concerned about what might pop up later as in what happened with the once it drug phen-phen.                                                                    

Many weight-loss programs offer meal and snack replacement options such as bars and shakes.  Some are fortified with protein and/or fiber.  Some taste like candy bars.  You must look at the ingredients when supplementing with these as some are filled with as much sugar and calories as a candy bar. 

I stopped at a convenience store because I hadn’t had lunch and I was starving so I was trying to find something there that would hold me over.  I bought a power bar that had 28 grams of protein and 320 calories.  Mostly I picked it because it said it tasted like cookie dough.  While it definitely wasn’t a log of Toll House it had the same consistency and after half of it I felt full.  Not all of the replacement options I have tried have had the same effect.  For the most part I am finding that eating real food is keeping my hunger satisfied longer but the bars are good for emergencies.

The end of another school year is upon us and its party time. All our little little leaguers have their end of the year shin digs and boy can these moms put out a spread. At my daughter’s girl scout end of the year party the leader made a taco bar plus some moms made their specialties and added that to the mix. I can still visualise that bread bowl with the cream of spinach, cheddar and bacon dip that if left alone I could probably devour in a sitting.

Will power!! It almost sounds super natural like something that “super man” could have possessed. The anonymous groups pray their serenity prayer in situations such as these, be it food or the cute little margaritas that the leader offered to us moms. I didn’t blow my diet completely at that party but I did sip on 1/2 a frozen margarita, it was hot out. I didn’t even taste the spinach dip.  I know me and one little taste would have never did it for me.  I always admire the people that can do that.  Most of who are usually thin because they can do that.  I have an aunt that can take a bite of a muffin and that does it for her and she will save the rest for the next day and take another bite.  To me that is a super power.

I can definitely see a difference in my ability to stay on my food program on the days I take the time to plan out my meals. When I know what time my snack is coming it gives me a means to control my binge monster mode. The week-ends are rough because it is hard to schedule anything with my daughter’s active social life.

I packed and brought a bag of snacks for the movies.  It definitely made it easier to stay on track.  Clementine orange are only 25 calories a piece.  On my program I get 100 fruit calories as a snack so I brought 4 of them.  They take a while to eat so they worked out good.  I also have a list of veggies that I can eat as much as I want of so I brought what ever I had in the fridge. No, it was not buttered popcorn and sour patch but it worked.

Water is the secret to dieting. It doesn’t have to come from a fancy bottle or with anything added just plain h2o does the trick.  I have been told that if you drink 8 eight ounce glasses a day you will lose weight no matter what you eat.  Personally, I don’t think that is the best way to approach it because if you are trying to lose, then calorie intake still must come in to play.  However, if you space it out and drink more water during the day you will not feel as hungry.

As I have mentioned in earlier I have never been much of a water fan.  A good cup of coffee or a fancy diet iced tea are usually my day beverages and nothing is better then a cold glass of chardonnay while cooking dinner.  However, I have been trying to incorporate this water trick and I tell you this does work.

Today is my first official weigh in. I should have had this done two weeks ago but as with all of us personal circumstances stood in my way and I had to cancel two appointments. My husband has his first weigh in today too. I don’t expect any major scale surprises for me.  My first week I was in the zone, I followed my food plan to the letter and was really feeling good.  The second week I ate everything that I didn’t eat on my first week.  It was the good old pms week, but I am going to have to trouble shoot that issue in itself.  This is my third week with this food plan. My husband had to travel for work so his first few weeks have been difficult to get on a program but we got it together this past few days and we stayed strong together.  Of course this weigh in isn’t going to truly establish what either one of us could accomplish number wise after a full week on the diet.  However, we both are feeling better and to me that is what it is all about.

Day 5 on my diet and I must say it is getting easier

My Wife (the authour of this blog) Has been a great help she packs me my meals and snacks everyday

And it really helps

Thanks Amy

LOve David

As my husband and I are attempting to stay the course on this weight-loss journey we are hitting obstacles all the time. It kind of reminds me of the game Pac-Man but on this mode you are trying not to eat. There are temptations all the time. Holidays, parties, bake-sales at the school are around every corner and unlike our little chomping friend Mr. Pacman we have to keep our mouths shut. When we do hit a weakness block we go into binge mode and then swallow everything in sight.

The way to win is to keep motivated.  I think you have to look at it as a competition.  Not you against your spouse but your entire family against the world.