What Color is Your Kitchen?

Did you know that the colors RED and YELLOW have been shown to INCREASE appetite while the color BLUE has been shown to DECREASE appetite? So maybe I can blame my weight struggles on the fact that I've either had a yellow or red kitchen for the past 8 years! Because surely it was the color of my kitchen walls that led me straight into the arms of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice cream, right?

I've been reading this book:


It has all sorts of interesting facts on weight loss, weight maintenance, and achieving optimal health. Here are a few:

-30% of the time that we feel hungry, our bodies are actually signaling for water.

-Better (healthy) food costs more, but your body needs less of it to work well. And in the end, a healthy body requires much less medical attention, thus saving more money in the long run, too.

-Small amounts of nourishment at regular intervals (about every 3 hours) is better than the same amount of food concentrated in three big meals. Feeding the body at regular intervals sends a signal to the body that it doesn't have to store calories, thus having a positive impact on our metabolism.

-Restaurant portions are now as much as 8 times the standard serving size in the FDA's dietary guidelines!

-Americans consume an average of 135 pounds of sugar each year...an increase of 26 pounds per person in just the past 20 years.

-Surveys indicate that at least 66% of American adults are now overweight or obese, and that obesity is increasing at an even faster pace among children. As a result, the coming generation may actually have a SHORTER life span than their parents for the first time in American history.

-Over 90% of us will be overweight or worse by 2032 unless we significantly change our behaviors.

I lost weight by following low-glycemic, low fat, and lean-protein guidelines. Eating this way every 3 hours (during your wakeful hours) provides your body with a consistent supply of nutrients, which keeps it from using muscle as a fuel source, but rather uses your fat as a fuel source. That is why the pounds literally melt off because your body is turned into an efficient fat burning machine. And who doesn't want THAT???

When I first started losing weight, it was all about LOOKING good! But, the more I learn and incorporate healthy habits, the more I want to FEEL good, LIVE longer, and LIVE healthier. I know I am on that path to longevity and optimal health. And it feels GOOD!

Oh, and I might as well head on over to Home Depot to browse the BLUE paint section. Anything that helps, right?

Motivation

This is a light and frothy pool-side type book that I enjoyed this summer. It is full of all kinds of insider jokes that the chronic dieter can appreciate. In a nut shell, it is about 3 overweight 30-something year old best friends who make a "Cinderella Pact" to transform themselves from frumpy, plump women into happy, thin beings. They've already been on every diet there is but this is their one last try to make a change pact.

I know that when I have been most successful at achieving my goals, it is usually when I have lots of support surrounding me. For example, while getting my college degree, I was surrounded by other people pursuing their degrees. It was hard for all of us to study, go to class (especially after some late nights) and pass our exams but we were all doing the same thing and so we understood each other and that made it a little easier. This past year as I was losing weight, many of my friends also had weight loss as their goal. We checked in with each other, supported each other, and talked each other off of the 450-calorie-cookie-ledge many a time. And when we "had a bad day" (or a bad week), we helped each other get back on track and re-focus. I created my own Cinderella Pact with out even realizing it.

So, what can you do to keep your motivation going while changing habits and trying a new way of eating, thinking, and behaving? Surround yourself with positive people who support your weight loss efforts. Stay positive yourself and realize that every meal is an opportunity to get back on track if you've been derailed.

All good things come at a cost. It wasn't easy to work towards my college degrees, but graduation (and employment) made all of that hard work worth it. Changing your eating and exercising habits isn't easy either. But remember why you are doing it...(to be healthier, to look better, to feel good) and when you get there, you will be so happy you were persistent through the hard times. When things get hard, I like to tell myself, "This is hard. But you can do hard things."

You DESERVE to be the best you there is. Go for it! You CAN do it! You have nothing to lose (except for the weight) and everything to gain (like a smoking hot new wardrobe, self-confidence, and better health). Call or email me if I can be a part of your "Cinderella Pact".

The Thin Within

Inside me is a skinny person crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with a few cookies.

My friend has that quote in her kitchen. I laugh every time I read it. But now that I've become a health coach and have taken my own weight loss and maintenance more seriously, I can see how that funny quote isn't just funny...it is true! Many of us believe that we are younger or thinner than we actually are. Then we see a picture of ourselves and wonder, "Who is that fat person wearing my clothes?" After realizing it is you and feeling overwhelmed at starting another diet that won't work, you seek comfort and find it in the cookies (or the potatoes, or cake, or_____________ (pick your personal poison).

Well, it doesn't have to be that way anymore! After seeing my good friend's success on her weight loss program (she lost 80 pounds in about 6 months) and after tiring of running, and running, and still not achieving my desired weight, I signed up for her program and like magic (and persistent hard work) I found my skinny person within. I am so happy with my success that I have decided to become a health coach and help other people find their thin within. So if you or someone you know is ready to unleash that thinner, healthier person, call me. I'd love to help! 720-280-2661