FINDING MY PATH TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE! by Trina

Finding My Path to a Healthier Lifestyle-one that will help me reach my weight loss goals

 where I began

Over the past few years I have done a lot of research trying to find the perfect exercise and eating plan. I've reviewed, read and/or purchased a NUMBER of books including the following:

*Change One                                      *You: On a Diet

*Curves                                              *21 Pounds in 21 Day

*Living Low Carb                              *The Best Life Diet

*The Fat Flush Plan                           *The Biggest Loser

*The Weigh Down Diet                       *Atkins Diet

*Eat This, Not That                            *The All New Atkins Advantage

*Never Say Diet                                  *The South Beach Diet

*The All-New Free to be Thin             *The Calcium Key

              and many others including the what's listed below

Here's what I've discovered...

• I am a perfectionist. So after one mistake or slip up and I throw in the towel for that day or week, waiting for a fresh start.
• I haven't developed effect methods to deal with stress
• I am an emotional eater.
• Most experts have their own ideas concerning what constitutes a healthy diet and MANY DO NOT AGREE what that is; even the research being done is sometimes contradictory. The views on how to develop a healthier lifestyle/diet range from - eat all fruit, eat vegetables and fruit, no protein, yes protein, high protein, low protein, no grains, yes grains, low carb, high carb, no salt, yes salt, raw food, cook food, etc. So how do I, a non experts choose what is right.

By beginning with what I know:

          *I was created by God so it make sense for me to look to Him to help    

          me decipher all this information and choose what would be best for me.    

         

 So I plan to use information from following to help me find my path to a healthier lifestyle and to achieve my weight loss goals:

*The Bible/Prayer

*Bob Greene Total Body Make Over

*A List of Healthy Habits I believe God gave to me

These 4 things along with Weight Watchers help me to lose over 25 pounds

*The Fat Flush Plan                                      *Faithfully Fit

*The New! Abs Diet for Women                     *The Conscious Cleanse

*Jenny Craig's What You Got to Lose?           *The Vice-Busting Diet

*The 7 Principles of Fat Burning                   *Eat To Live

See Part II for what I like about these books and how I will to use what I've learned to implement my plan for a healthier lifestyle.

What I'm reading by Trina

The books I order from Amazon arrived today. Yay!

This is the cleanse I'm doing.

One of my friends has had success losing weight following this plan

so I've decided to read it.

I browsed the book and like some of the idea, but I don't think I would enjoy what I ate if I had to give up meat and salt for 6 weeks.

My philosophy concerning healthy habits and weight loss has always been that I must like the foods that I eat. So because I'm trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet I came up with a rule; I will try a new fruit or vegetable about 3 times. I change how I prepared it if I don't like it the first time - cooked, raw and maybe added into a smoothie. If I don't like it after the third time I remove it from my list. Although sometimes after a number of months or a few years I will try that food again. For example I applied the three try rule to Brussels sprouts two different times over the last few years. My finally try was this year and I've come to the conclusion that I don't like Brussels sprouts no matter how they are prepared. The same is probably true for mangos. I didn't like them as a child and I tried one last month and I still don't like them, so this week I plan to make a smoothie with mango and that will be my final try. I've also tried avocado a few times and I didn't like it, but this week I added some to a homemade salad dressing to thicken it and make it creamy. It was great.

 

My Motto:

"Have fun now while you're on your way

to accomplishing your goals!"

I can't have fun if I don't enjoy the foods I eat.

My Very Good Week - By Patti

I've had the best week I've had in a long time.

I love our weekly get together. I don't like calling us a group or that we have a weekly meeting because that seems so formal. We're just three friends getting together and helping one another.

Last week we went on a field trip of sorts. To the mall - specifically to Victoria's Secret. Lunch out and a day of shopping does wonders. It was the jump start I needed to get back on track. 

At Barnes and Noble I bought two books. 

Walk It Off by Readers Digest

Some really good, practical ideas to get you walking. Plus exercises and recipes. 

The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook

A fun read about Noreen who loses both her job and her boyfriend and finds herself floundering. She dons a pair of sneakers and a pedometer and starts walking. Along the way she meets two new friends and improves her health and her life. 

Like Noreen I pulled out my pedometer and started walking this week.  Tried to get in at least 10,000 steps a day. 

I tracked every bit of food I consumed and stayed within my points.

Ate my five veggies and fruits each day.

Even got in two servings of dairy - on most days.

And it paid off. I lost 2.4 pounds this week! 

Yippie!

I've struggled each week to lose  .2 or .4 so I'm elated!

Since Trina posted about her purchase here I have to share my big Valentine's purchase.

I loved what she had to say on her post...

Have fun now while you're on your way

to accomplishing your goals!

I agree! Why wait?

Don't put things off until you think you achieve that perfect goal.

Have fun NOW!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Patti