Checkin' In

Christina 2009
do0rdiet.blogspot.com

Just checkin' in. I would really like to start posting on a regular basis again, but there are some new developments in our lives.

I recieved a new comment, though I'm not sure I understand its intent. It's good to know someone out there is reading... I think. I have not been keeping up with my diet or with this blog as I should. New updates for our family include a lay-off due to lack of state funding to Clemson University. My husband is in school, though his program has just been cut. He will be able to graduate but it's a tough time for him none the less. I went back to school this fall and am pursuing a degree an associates degree in Environmental Engineering Technology through Central Carolina. The program is online so perhaps I will be able to get in more posts. Here's to hoping. I have not given up on my weight loss goals, but I have not been moving towards them either. I will not give up! I will be successful, it just seems to be taking me longer than I had hoped. Do Or Diet!
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Maximize Metabolism

Christina2009
do0rdiet.blogspot.com

I reset my metabolism and my baby boy is not a baby anymore. He turned two on Friday. Click through to read about the metabolic reset.

Last Monday I had a bad weigh-in. It was unexplained. I followed my plan to a "T". I had only one day of actual cheating and even on that day I did not consume more calories than I burn in a day with a resting metabolic rate. By all rights, I should have lost another pound. I was stressed about my sons upcoming birthday and the weigh in led to depression. I made the conscious decision to take a week off from my plan.
Of course the first thing I did was go out to eat. I ate French bread with butter, a vegetable and cheese calzone, and real ranch dressing on a salad. I followed that up with 2 candy bars. The rest of the week I stopped by Burger King every morning and got a Chicken Biscuit meal with a large hash rounds and a large coke. Because I was getting ready for my son's party, I skipped lunch except for a piece of fruit on a couple of days.
The birthday meal was fried chicken, mac-n-cheese, chicken livers, chips, coke, and a cup cake. I of course ate left-overs all weekend. I finished my time off with a pint and half of Ben & Jerry's I fully expected to have another bad weigh-in this week. To my surprise I was wrong. I've actually lost .6 pounds, that's point six for you guys who aren't wearing your reading glasses. How is this possible?
The best answer I can come up with is two fold. For one, I was eating a huge breakfast, albeit an incredibly unhealthy one. I've always heard this old saying, "Eat like a King for breakfast, a Prince for lunch, and a Pauper for dinner." Well, I didn't exactly eat like a Pauper for dinner, or a Prince for lunch for that matter, but I had the breakfast part right. It's possible that I raised my metabolic rate for the day by having such big breakfast.
The second part of the answer has to do with the dreaded "starvation mode." I have always heard about this as a warning for not staving yourself. I have not been starving myself. Based on my plan, I have been eating 3 to 4 times a day. But, I think over the course of 3 weeks, my metabolism gradually shut off.
So, what to do? Watch my weigh-ins. If I see another increase where there really shouldn't be one, then it will be time to reset again. I could definitely skip the candy bars and the Ben & Jerry's, but I think all-in-all taking a week off was the right thing to do. Perhaps I don't need a full week to reset. That's something I will experiment with should this situation arise again.
One other note, my husband believes that the weight gain was due to water retention. I mention it as a real possibility though I think it is unlikely because it wasn't "time" for me to retain water. As always, here's to us. I will not quit! We can do this!

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Happy Father's Day!

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
by Christina 2009
Just want to say that I have the most wonderful husband who is also the best Dad! I also want to wish my father a great Father's Day. And this post would not be complete without wishing my Father-In-Law a great Father's Day too. To all the Dad's out there, have a happy, happy, happy, happy Father's Day!


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Food As A Motivator

Christina2009
do0rdiet.blogspot.com

I will be the first to admit that I have used food as a reward in the past. For people in my condition (obese), food should not be used as a reward. That doesn't mean that food can't be used a motivator.

If food should not be used as a reward, then how can it be a motivator? That depends on how you define motivation and how you apply it. To me, when food is used as reward, there is usually some internal conversation that sounds like, "Since I did such a good job cleaning the house, it's OK for me to eat this huge serving of ice cream." Another internal conversation about food as the reward might sound like, "I've done so well on my diet this week. I deserve to eat whatever I want right now."

The problem with this type of thinking is that it involves justifying your actions, making excuses for the behavior, and becoming comfortable with the idea of not sticking to a plan. Changing your lifestyle is tough. Everyone who attemps deserves a reward for trying. But if food is used as the reward for trying to loose weight it is just like telling an alcoholic that it's OK to have a drink since they established their sobriety. That type of system reinforces the bad behavior instead of attempting to find alternatives to it.

If food is used as a motivator instead, then thinking about food and choosing behaviors based upon the available food choices becomes a healthier process. For example, I believe that eating is good for me. I am learning that eating the correct portions and the right kinds of food is also good for me. I am motivated by the food I eat throughout the day to continue to make healthy choices. Simply put, I am leaning that good food is food that is good for you.

Another way I use food as a motivator is when I correctly plan my meals and eating. Let's say my husband bought ice cream and what he didn't eat is sitting in the freezer. I am able to resist the temptation of eating the ice cream at first. But the temptation grows stronger. I know that a proper serving of ice cream has healthy nutrients in it, like calcium, sugar and fat (yes, fat.. that article is in the research phase). If I use food as a motivator, then I will be able to plan my menu the next day, or for the next few days to include the ice cream. By using ice cream as a motivator I have practiced my healthy lifestyle change. I have remained committed to my plan and I will still be allowed to eat the ice cream. The key to using food as a motivator is to eat in such a way that feelings of deprivation are eliminated. By planning to eat the ice cream I do not feel deprived. I still have to practice restraint but that's not the same thing as depriving myself.

So, cheers! Plan to eat a proper serving (1/2 cup) of ice cream. We can do this! I will not quit!

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Still Here

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
Christina 2009

In October of '07 I took a new, full time job। Since then I have left that job in exchange for a better, full time job with the local university. What does this mean for my weightloss. It means that I put back on most of the weight I lost (20 out of 25 pounds). I have been changing my eating habits for the past 3 weeks. I hope that I will be successful "for keeps" this time. I have many new inspirations and I can honestly say that I've learned alot.


New Inspirations:
Kung Fu Panda and Queen Latifa are two of my favorite inspirations right now. Po the Panda (voiced by Jack Black) shows that food can be a good motivator (not a reward... but I'll get to that in the future). It also shows that sometimes when you get that food that you so badly wanted, you may be surprised and find that you are truly not hungry. Queen Latifa is great in her Jenny Craig ads. She never talks about what size she is, she simply, but confidently states that she is a size healthier. Her modesty and honesty about her own personal struggle are very inspiring. One other inspiration is People Magazine's list of folks who lost 100 or more by diest and exercise alone. It is very, very uplifting to see women who have succeeded. It gives me a sense of long term direction to know that it took most of these women 2-3 years to achieve their goals. And it's relieving to know that most of them have kids. It really helps me to see that this can be done. (I will not quit, I will not give up)... see previous posts.

What I've Learned:
One thing that has changed is my attitude about being healthy. Last year, when I would go over my daily calorie goal, I would freak out. I think this ultimately lead to the cessation of the healthy lifestyle. If I couldn't be perfect then there was no reason to try.

Now, my food log reflects positive weight loss days (or is that negative?) with the color green. Any daily calorie count less than the number of calories my body normally burns in one day is green. Any daily count within 200 calories of my sustaining point are yellow. And any daily count that goes over my sustaining point is red. I was much harder on myself before, too hard I think. I've even reconsidered the name of this blog, but the resolve behind the idea still stands.

I have learned that it is OK to fall off the horse, as long as you get back on. One bad day, two bad days, even three or four or a week. Just get going again, as soon as you can. I also allow myself a cheat day once a week. More on that in a future post.

I am happy to say that during the first 2 weeks of healthier eating, I lost 6 pounds! That's a little faster than I want the weight to come off, but after this weekend, I think things will average out.

So, here's to a starting the summer on the right track. Here's to staying on the track. Here's to me! And here's to not quitting. We can do this!


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Refresh

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
Christina 2009

After taking a 12 day hiatus, I thought this poem would be a good way to get started again.

Also, free and personalized diet plans still available. This is not a trick or gimmick. I earnestly want to help anyone who is having a difficult time, is just getting started, or wants to try a different tactic.

Refresh
To start again,
Refreshed and new,
To recommit,
With brand new shoes.
For the cleared path,
That lies ahead,
A brand new day,
Of breaking bread.
One meal at a time,
I will not give up,
Permanently shaping,
Lean from lump.

Christina 2009





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Twin Speaks

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
by Christina2009

Such an inspirational phrase I just had to do an article on it right away...

"The most important pound to lose is the next one," says one of the twins on The Biggest Loser. His words just keep ringing in my ear. I've established a bad habit of taking a break on the weekends. Overall my eating habits are better. I'm not buying junk food so the foods I eat over the weekend are generally good, but I still eat too much. Basically I am working hard 4 nights out of the week and slacking off 3. It is no wonder that I feel like I take 2 steps forward and one step back. That is essentially what I'm doing. I need to not reward myself for 4 good days by allowing 3 not so good days to happen. I need to remember the twin's phrase and repeat it frequently, especially over the weekends.
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Back In Black

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
by Christina2009

Took another long weekend and admittedly some back sliding, but, I'm back now! According to My Food Log, my daily calories burned/gained are back in the black...

meaning that I'm burning. This weekend does not count for much loss, it was a good deal of gain (nasty red numbers). I did work extra hard on Saturday though. I served 400 cups of individually squeezed and prepared lemonade. It was quite a workout.
I need to also talk about exercise in general here. Lady Rose of The Incredible Shrinking Ladies and The Diet Pulpit has inspired me to exercise more. Her current mission is to be able to do 100 regular push ups. In an effort to reach her goal she is engaged in several types of strength building exercises.
I have not yet braved the strength training exercises but I am incorporating more cardio-vascular exercise... mainly walking. Increasing the level of activity (exercising more) is the only way to keep my body loosing weight. The less you weigh, the slower your metabolism, therefore exercise more to burn more calories.
What kind of exercise are you doing? How often? Have you seen progressive results? Do you feel better about yourself after an exercise session?

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