The Fun of Weight Loss!

Just think when all the weight is lost how much fun it will be buying new clothes that look really good on us and are cheaper than the larger clothes.  Imagine what it will be like going to the smaller sizes and being able to wear prettier clothes.  The large sizes have some beautiful outfits, but smaller clothes are usually prettier.

We won't have to look around to find a chair that we can fit into.  We will be able to sit anywhere comfortably.  That in itself is something to look forward to.

Think also about how good it feels knowing we have been successful and have reached our goal.  If you still have a way to go in weight loss, remember something better is down the road, keep going until you get there now is not the time to give up.

Calculating Weight Loss

I don't like to count calories in order to lose weight, but some people do. Just in case you want to know how many calories you can eat in a day in order to lose the amount of weight you want to in a given time frame visit the website below:

http://calendarscripts.info/weight-loss-calculator.html

NOTE: If you do visit this website, please know that after you get your results they will want you to continue further and try to entice you into buying their plan so beware. You can get your results without going any further. I like this site the best because you don't have to put in your name or your email just your age, sex, weight, height, the amount you want to lose and how many days to lose it. They also give you the amount of calories you eat to maintain your weight.

If you like counting calories and keeping track, then that is the way you should lose weight. Knowing exactly how many calories to eat in a day in order to lose your weight will help tremendously. Remember to make it fun, we probably enjoyed gaining weight so we must enjoy losing it too. Focus on how great it will be when the weight is lost.

Healthy Weight Loss!

Whenever embarking on a diet of any kind, the goal is to eat meals that contribute to health and well-being.  That should always be our goal, but we do get side-tracked from time to time.  Below is a copy of the food pyramid, giving us a guideline for healthful eating.

This is an extremely healthful way of eating.  As for serving sizes, check the packages and see how much each serving should be.  For dieting, it may be necessary to cut back to smaller portions than is called for on the package.  Some diets state that if we continue eating a healthy diet, weight loss will happen naturally!!! Find out what is right for you and your body.

I do not drink 8 servings of water a day, you do what you feel is right for you, but I personally hold it to 8 servings of liquid daily whether, tea, coffee, a soda or water.  I do try to drink as much water as possible, but I don't want to spend the day in the bathroom either. I do keep a glass of water by the bed to drink at night just in case I need it.

Keep at it, weight loss may come slowly, but it will come if we do not give up.  Have confidence in yourself and keep trying.  Weight loss will happen.

Potassium And Weight Loss

When dieting I have to be careful that my potassium level doesn't get too low.  I have trouble in that area plus a friend at work had the same problem.  She was dieting with one of the national dieting systems and started feeling really bad.   In fact she had to take off work for a day or two.  She talked with her consultant and they found she was low in potassium, so they gave her some supplements and helped her to get back on track.  Just know that it is a problem with some people and when our potassium levels get too low it can cause serious problems with our health. 

When I get to feeling tired and lethargic, I eat an orange, apple, or banana or some other food that is high in potassium and it helps.

Below is a list of foods that are high in potassium:

Bananas                                           
Oranges                                               
Apricots
Avocado
Strawberries
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chard
Bell pepper
Eggplant
Squash
Crimini mushrooms
Brussels sprouts
Turmeric
Parsley
Spinach
Broccoli
Tuna
Halibut

or a list of potassium rich foods and their potassium content

Potassium Rich Foods	Weight	Measure	Potassium Content
Raw, baby carrots	10	1 medium	24 mg
Raw Lettuce	10	1 leaf	19 mg
Raw Onions	14	1 slice	20 mg
Fresh Strawberries	12	1 strawberry	18 mg
Raw Garlic	3	1 clove	12 mg
Honey	21	1 tablespoon	11 mg
Raw Radishes	4.5	1 radish	10 mg
Raw Peppers	10	1 ring	18 mg
White Bread	23	1 slice	17 mg
Papayas	304	1 papaya	781 mg
Lima Beans	188	1 cup	955 mg
Plantains	179	1 medium	893 mg
Jerusalem Artichokes	150	1 cup	644 mg
Bananas	118	1 banana	422 mg
Oat Bran	94	1 cup	532 mg
Tomatoes	255	1 cup	528 mg
Cucumber	301	1 large	442 mg
Cantaloupe	160	1 cup	427 mg
Pears	275	1 pear	333 mg
Mangoes	207	1 mango	323 mg

You can read all about potassium on Buzzle.com or follow this link:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/potassium-rich-foods-list-of-foods-high-in-potassium.html

Some people take a vitamin supplement when losing weight.  This is the reason it is best to consult a doctor, usually one's family physician when dieting or cutting back on food intake.  I keep a check on how I feel.  Weight loss is possible, it can be done and done successfully.

Chocolate And Weight Loss!

One big problem I have with weight loss and/or dieting is the fact that many diets exclude chocolate and sweets except on certain days. I love sweets and if I deprive myself of them, when I do get something sweet, I tend to go overboard and cannot stop. That is one main reason I have adopted my own way of eating to lose weight.

In my eating plan, I still enjoy chocolate, cookies, ice cream and cake. If I feel that I just have to have something sweet what I do is get a small piece of candy--a fun-size Snicker bar or a cookie or a small piece of cake--whatever sweet I am hungry for at the time; I sit in my easy chair and savor the flavor of what I am eating. I don't eat it fast, I take very small bites and really enjoy it--that way I know that I have had something sweet and don't feel deprived. One trick that I have added is that when I am finished, I drink some water. The water takes the sweet taste out of my mouth. If I don't drink the water, I will keep tasting the sweet and just want more.

Another thing that helps when I am hungry for sweets is that if I eat a piece of fruit in place of the sweet and wait awhile before getting something sweet letting my body know I have had the fruit that tends to help too--not always, but many times it does.

I am losing weight slowly, but I am finally doing it. I now know that I can accomplish my goal and I know that you can too. If I know that I can have sweets, I don't crave them nearly as much as if I cut them out altogether or only allow them on certain days. Plan ahead for weight loss, you can do it. Keep trying! Don't give up until you succeed in reaching your goal!

Weakened By Weight Loss!

A few years ago, one of the men in our office challenged me to a weight loss contest.  At that time, I didn't know that men tend to lose weight faster than women, so I accepted his challenge.  He started on a very strict diet, small breakfast, soup for lunch and a light evening meal. 

I told him to be careful because if we go on too strenuous a diet, our bodies get into a weakened condition and we could get really sick.  He didn't listen.  Sure enough, he got sick and the challenge was off.  He was really sick for 2 weeks and had to take off work.  He later told me he had never been so sick in his life.

I don't know if that would happen to everyone, but it did happen to him and it has happened to me.  Be sensible about weight loss and cutting back on eating.  I try not to be too drastic with cutting back on food intake and also the type of foods I eat.  It is best to eat a healthy amount and lose weight slowly.  It pays in the long run.  It took a short while to gain the weight, but it takes a lot longer to take it off.

Remember, it can be done, weight loss is possible, be sensible about it and eat healthy. 

Planning Ahead For Weight Loss

One of the best ways to help with weight loss is to have meals or at least partial meals ready ahead of time so when I am hungry I don't have to wait too long to eat. Having to wait can cause nibbling and that causes me to eat too much.

A little planning ahead can alleviate this problem for me. Whenever I bake a chicken, cook a roast or broil a chicken breast, etc., I cook more than I need for the one meal.  That way I have the meat ready to heat up and just add a vegetable, some fruit and a salad then I am ready to eat quickly.  Buying prepackaged salad greens or fruit that is already cut up helps also. This may be more expensive for some, but when needing to lose weight, every little bit helps to reach the goal.

Anything that I can do to help with my weight loss is a good thing. I can lose more weight, I know I can and I know each of you can too!