Tracking Magic

I've found that in my diet tracking my intake is huge!  The past two days I didn't and I gained 2lbs.  Baked macaroni and au gratin potatoes will do that...They're so delicious though!

But I'm not going to be down or give up.... It's just a minor set back.  I take my mistakes and use them as fuel for the fire of my willpower.

Hope for the Discouraged Dieter

For those of us who don't enjoy measuring and counting in diets, there's hope!  As you measure and count, you begin to memorize values, for example, I know that one egg is 72 calories and I know that a cup of chili is about 230 depending on the brand.  I know that peanut butter and banana toast is 272.  But the cool thing is you start to be able to say... this meal is approximately this many calories.  Then you can still be on track when you are no where near your pen and paper.

Setting goals...

It's been drilled into my head for as long as I can remember, the tricks to success.  Oft repeated are:

• Make sure your goals are measurable
• Set goals that are bite sized (if you set a big goal set smaller "check points" so you don't get discouraged)
• Get people to work with you
• Have some form of accountability
• Celebrate your successes

The tricks help, but it seems to me that the real key to success is WORK even though none of us want to hear it or do it. The key to success is finding a motivation that makes the work worth it.

Things that have helped me do that.

• Prayer
• Listing all the good reasons for it
• Don't give in an inch when you want to get lazy you will take a mile

I'm excited about my progress too!

Substitute for sugar

I used to pile sugar on everything! Now that I cut back on sugar though... the entire world is sweeter.  The more sugar you have the more your body craves it, but when you don't have sugar fruits and vegetables are so very sweet.

Often in my family for breakfast we will have "rice milk and sugar."

So what did I do to add some zing to that without adding sugar?

I added Vanilla!  Vanilla tastes sweet but you don't get the calories and a little bit goes a long way.

Willpower Diet

I've started the Diabetic Diet.  I've been on diets before, but this is different.  I'm having more success and I'm set up to actually accomplish my goal.  What are the things I did differently?

1. Get a friend who actually cares. 
• They want to hear about your successes and your failures.
• If they will work with you on it that's awesome.
• Physical restraint from sweets may be necessary from time to time.  Like in Costco when there are free samples of cheese cake...
2. Get properly motivated.
• Why am I doing this?  Who is this for?  How much do I want this?  What do I get out of it?
• Again, get friends who will help you. (and want to)
3. Follow the rules.
• Exceptions... often when we think we are on a diet we make exceptions... well your body is losing weight but also making exceptions. Give yourself at least 2 weeks of solid following the "rules" without breaking them.
• The success will drive you to continue.
4. Make your goal measurable.
• My goal I am supposed to eat less than 1400 calories and cut out processed sugar completely for a while.  So I write down all the calories I eat.  I also measured my waist and weighed myself before I started.
5. Embrace change.
• Your eating habits and exercise mentality is going to have to change, have an open mind.
6. Make small good choices and relish little successes.
• If you need to work on your will power, work on it one decision at a time.  Your will power will get stronger as you exercise it.

I am so excited about my progress!  I've also inspired friends to do the same!  I will be sharing my successes and food substitutions in the future as well.

key to success

The key to success in waking up earlier, is your routine the night before.  Last night I exercised and took the time to relax, then I set out all my work out stuff for the morning, so when I woke up, I could just hop into it.  This morning was wonderful!  I woke up at 6:30am and I'm not even tired.  Not only that but I've already jump started my day, getting things done.