It's Diet Time Again

I lost 50 pounds last year. The problem wasn't losing it. The problem was keeping it off. I started letting myself have some of the things I had taken out of my diet. Sweets, rice, potatoes. A little turned into a lot. Those dreaded chips. Sugar and carbs that turn to sugar are like alcohol, or drugs to my body. A little here and there, turned into a lot all the time. I put back on 27 of the 50 pounds I lost. well it's a new year and I'm back on track. Eating right, cooking and taking my meals to work with me. Drinking water again too. It's been close to 2 weeks and I've taken 5 pounds off.

I'm not for low carb or low fat. I look at the Glycemic Index which shows how fast different foods turn to sugar in your body. I'm not low fat either. There are good fats and bad fats. As a matter of fact my bad cholesterol levels are good, but my good cholesterol levels are low. I need more fat from olive oil, canola oil, omega 3 (fish, etc..). Not enough fat in your diet tells you body to start storing fat. That leads to plateaus where you quit losing weight even though you aren't eating a lot. When I'm losing weight I don't hit plateaus. I just steadily drop the weight off slowly. I don't eat rice, white bread, and white potatoes. When I eat pasta it's Dream Field low carb pasta.

Mind Set

Make up your mind that you are going to do it. I decided before Thanksgiving that I was going back to eating right at the first of the year. I'm not beating myself up about the weight I put back on. I'm happy with myself the way I am right now. I'm proud of myself that I'm eating right and taking the weight off.

So take it easy on yourself. You are great! You really are. God didn't make anyone else like you in the world. I know how special you are to God, so you're special to me too. You're doing a great job. No matter where you are in the process. You're beautiful and God wants you to be healthy. Accept yourself where you are right now. Don't concentrate on the goal, just enjoy the trip. If you need encouragement, let me know. Send me a message and we'll start emailing each other and encouraging each other. You're great and you can do anything you set your mind to. I used to beat myself up all the time. I didn't think I was good looking. That I didn't play the guitar good enough. Thought I was ok at a lot of things but not really good at anything. I had to stop judging myself and stop comparing myself to others. I'm a very good cook and I love to write. I look at myself through God's eyes and am happy with who I am and where I am right now. Focus on the positive.

Water: Drink lots of water. I drink 3 or 4 bottles of water a day.

Meat: I eat more chicken then anything. Fish too. I eat beef or pork 1 or 2 days a week.

Vegetables: Lots of vegetables, the majority of each meal is vegetables. That includes beans too. You might be thinking beans give me gas. They will at first. But if you start eating them regularly your body gets used to them.

Starches: I don't eat rice. Brown rice is ok if it's not over cooked. Potatoes, I don't eat white potatoes, Baby reds and sweet potatoes are ok in small servings. Pasta, I use Dream Fields low carb pasta, only 4 grams of carbs per serving. Small servings on all the carbs.

Fruit: Google the glycemic index to see which ones are good. Avoid melons.

Sweets: Sorry, the awnser's no. Your body processes sugar to fast. That's why you're hungry again so soon. Fat digests slowly and makes you feel full longer.

When to eat: I have dinner anywhere from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. I don't eat after dinner. I'll have water or a occasional diet soda after dinner. I work with a guy who lost weight by not eating anything after 4 or 5 in the afternoon.

Exercise: Exercise is great and I recommend it. But it's not a must do. I should exercise but I don't.

Everyone's body is different. Experiment and find out what works best for you. The glycemix index works best for me and I don't go hungry.

Some picture of my dinner tonight. Vegetable kabobs and beef skewers on a bed of low carb pasta. I love to grill out. After I cut the vegetables I sprayed them with olive oil before seasoning.