K@rev

Well, I finally kept it up….walking at least 45 minutes a day last week.  So this week, I have to keep it going.  *sigh*  It’s raining, and I haven’t lost weight in 2 weeks.  So the monumental effort it took to get out there, despite the yobs making comments directed at me, felt like a waste.  My health trainer (not to be confused with a personal trainer) said for me to focus on how positive I feel after exercising.  I admit I walk with my head lifted high, and bob to the beat of my Ipod.  So my fragile self-esteem is slowly getting stronger.  I weigh-in every week, so I have someone to document my progress.  It’s good to have help when you can get it.  It’s free for me.   As I’m not rich, it helps quite a bit.  Here’s hoping I can keep it up. 

This week I’ve eaten low GI carbs, no gluten, low fat dairy, lean protein, fruit, nuts and plenty of vegetables.  A big thing for me was trying spinach…hated it as a kid.  It’s now my favorite green leafy vegetable.  I’m surprised that my taste buds have resigned themselves to actually enjoying eating more responsibly!  I never really knew what was healthy (and tasted good) to eat especially for breakfast.  But now I have it under control: buy food for the week and stick to it. *Fingers crossed*

The balance is skewed as I’m yet to do any exercise apart from walking to run errands.  I know what I have to do to shift these pounds…I’m just not doing it.  This past week I’ve been feeling a bit weak but I know exercise will help that.  My plan is to start up walking/jogging this next week…Yay progress!

Right, so a few days ago, I got quite a scare.  A sharp pain in my head and chest that happened one after the other in close succession.  Am I dying?  *shakes head*

Last weekend, I went to the grocery store and picked up heart healthy food and got rid of the comfort food.  So this week has started out alright foodwise.  The trick for me is keeping only healthy food at home.  It’ll be tough skipping the desert aisle next time I go grocery shopping.  But as they say, one day at a time.

Next step: start working out again.

I’m sitting here listening to the radio and watching the New York Ballet Workout on TV (muted).  That sounds like a status message.  Anyhow, I was wondering where my spark for life has gone.  I believe my lack of motivation is something I can snap out of.  Am I wrong? 

Meh.  I have always been able to do something about my weight, but now I’m the queen of excuses.  I guess I’m disappointed with myself.  I’m embarrassed with how far I’ve let myself go.  I’m still punishing myself for that by STILL overeating!

Jeez.  If you want to be skinny, stop eating!  Why isn’t life that simple?  Perhaps it is.  One’s actions mould one’s body.  It gives me a headache to try to dissect my thoughts and feelings.  So I suppress them.  That hasn’t been working very well.  And it’s making me angry and resentful.

I think my spark is under my rolls of fat.  I used to be pretty hot, if I do say so myself.  Yeah, this weight loss will be harder at 28 than it was at 18, but it’s possible.  There is light at the end of this rotund tunnel.  I’m just keeping the faith that I won’t allow myself to keep this unhealthy behaviour up.  Investing in myself takes practice…just how to tap into that is my issue.

Is there a recluse weight-loss system?

I should probably take the hint.  Tons of TV shows are giving the British public tips and tricks to weight loss.  Summer is coming.  In fact, it seems like its already here.  I feel so fat.

Here I am again in the weight gain - weight loss cycle.  It just seems so daunting, like I have to punish myself to lose weight.  It’s quite tiring to think this way day in and day out.  But I refuse to give up hope.  If you tuned in for the tips, here they are:

1. Don’t skip meals - this makes high sugar snacks more appealing.
2. Use smaller plates - you’ll eat 22% less.
3. Count your calories - you’ll halve them.
4. Don’t blame your metabolism - you’re fat because you eat more calories required for your body.
5. Protein staves off hunger pangs.
6. Soup makes you feel fuller longer.
7. The wider the choice, the more you eat.
8. Low fat dairy helps you excrete more fat.
9. Exercise keeps on burning fat, even while you sleep.
10. Keep moving and lose weight.

Keep up the fight against fat!

I’m in Hereford, in the West Midlands of England and wondering if anyone would like to exercise with me.  There are several options: gym, workout DVDs or outdoors.  It’s tough doing this by myself again.  A workout buddy should help me with motivation.  I’ve been battling my weight for a long time…and hope this time it sticks! *Fingers crossed*

This is the last installment of the Paul McKenna method.  I feel hopeful and a little sore! *cheeky grin* :D  I did some exercise…15 minutes of advanced Tae-Bo.  I forgot how good my muscles feel when they are activated.  I resolve to be kinder to myself when thoughts in my ear try to convince me that I’m unworthy of love.  I will stop saying, “I’m a fat slob” and start saying, “I’m not at my ideal weight”.  The latter option can change.  This weekend, I’m going to fix my hair.  I’m worth it!

Here’s what the method dictates:

Before you look in the mirror, close your eyes.  Think of what you’d usually say to your mirror reflection. Then do it in a silly voice.  This should make these negative thoughts feel far away and alien to you.  Look at yourself through the eyes of someone that loves and respects you.  Borrow the confidence from someone you think is beautiful then transplant it into yourself.  Stand like you think they would.  Then remember a compliment that someone has paid you.  Take all those good feelings and look in the mirror.  You are beautiful. 

Bonne chance!!

Metabolism is not fixed.  We should stop starving ourselves because this slows down the metabolism.  To supercharge your metabolism and burn more fat:

EXERCISE!

Exercise is any movement of the body that increases the heart rate and causes you to breathe more deeply.  Instead of “no pain, no gain” think “no effort, no gain”.  I have associated negative feelings with exercise and so have a lot of other overweight people.  Remembering that what gets measured gets done, use a pedometer and add on 2000 extra steps than you usually do.  It’s a 15 minute walk.  You don’t have to kill yourself to restart exercising.

Now it’s time to associate good feelings and motivation with exercise.  Using the “finger squeeze” method with your right hand and middle finger, think of positive experiences that motivate you.  Use that feeling every time you want to get moving!

Find more ways and places to move your body more.  Extra steps at the mall, grocery store and in parking lots add up.  Keep the 4 golden rules!! :p

The power of imagination is always stronger than will.  Using something in your mind’s eye can change cravings to motivation.  This next bit is about associating good feelings with one action and fighting cravings with another. Use the feeling of repulsion to counteract feelings of compulsion.

Squeeze your thumb and middle finger on left hand while thinking of gross things to eat, then stop when you feel revulsed by it.  Think of a time you were happy and squeeze the thumb and middle finger on your right hand.

 Doing a tandem between the two should curb cravings and being out of control when thinking about foods you must have.

PS. I found some of Paul McKenna’s videos on YouTube, so if you’re interested, you can check out the method yourselves…

I’m officially sceptical about this method, but I need to keep track of it to keep myself accountable. Here’s the second dose of what Paul McKenna has to say.  Emotional hunger comes on really quickly while physical hunger comes on slowly.  It’s important to figure out the difference in order to lose weight.  Eating when grief-stricken, stressed, lonely, unloved, bored, upset, angry or sad is obviously emotional eating - just done in order to change the way one is feeling.  This then makes you feel worse and the cycle continues.

How to break free from emotional overwhelm and stabilize these emotions:

Think of a situation that makes you want to emotionally then utilize the “simple” tapping technique as follows:

Tap repeatedly: under the eye, collarbone, side of the hand, back of the hand…

While still tapping the back of your hand: close your eyes, open your eyes, look down to the right, look down to the left, rotate your eyes 360 degrees in one direction, then 360 degrees in the other direction while keeping your head still, hum a tune, count aloud 1,2,3,4,5…

I tried to follow it exactly, but he says you don’t have to…just focus on the acupuncture pressure points and tap them.  Honestly, it worked for me today…was it just a distraction?  He says that there’s psychological research behind it with trauma victims in Kosovo and Rwanda and elsewhere…

I promised myself I’d take it on-board, so here goes!