Low Carb Eating & Day 8 of the Beck Diet

Saturday

I am on day 5 of eating the low carb way, and today I am not hungry at all. That is great - but the one problem I see is that I am not eating enough.  I have a pork roast in the oven and it is smelling great, so I know I will enjoy eating that tonight, with veggies and maybe a little cheese.



I am down 5 lbs and am getting my energy back.  I did my exercise on the gazelle because it is a great low impact exercise and fits in well with the low carb, high protein eating plan.  It is actually an exercise that I have been able to continue to do.  I plan on working with my hand weights later as I watch tv. 
I watched the biggest loser last night and I sure can relate better to what they are going through.


The Beck diet Day 8: – Create time and energy

In order to be successful at dieting, you must make the time to devote to shopping, planning and preparing meals, exercising, and the other aspects of improving your life.

 I have been doing this by cooking, stocking the cabinets with protein and other low carb foods, exercising moderately for the first few days at least, and reading tons of blogs and articles online about the low carb lifestyle.

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Weight Loss Success Story - The Perfect Diet

The Perfect Diet is a Change of Lifestyle

by Guest Author: trialabevonnwj
The perfect diet is in weight loss, what in physics is the perpetuum mobile  - the holy grail millions of overweight people rsp. generations of  relentless physicists are (were)looking for. Unfortunately there is so far  no such thing in both worlds, so that at least in the field of weight loss,  we are forced to find a pragmatic approach, which is in line with our  target, lifestyle and persistence. 


I am glad to be able to tell my own diet success story:  how I reached my  target weight (minus 30 pounds),  improved significantly my fitness level by  doing so and all this in under four months time.  Yet, this story is  preceded with a warning for all couch potatoes: my success story did not  come to life as a sweatless miracle but rather through intensive diet  research, a bit of luck, strict adherence to my self imposed formula and  last but not least, by adding exercising effort and persistency to reach my  ambitious goal.


My quest to find my most suitable diet on the market was based on my  following requirements, which narrowed the options significantly:


    * The diet should support colon cleansing (flush toxins, gain energy)

    * Must contain anti-oxidants to fight free radicals  (health issue)

    * Must increase metabolism  (better calorie usage)

    * Must enhance the immune system  (key health issue)

    * I must be convinced of and familiar with most of the ingredients from

      my normal lifestyle    (for easy adaptation)



The latter seemed relevant to me in view of my intention to combine dieting  with systematic exercising, so that my body did not have to go through any  major nutritional adjustment period, which would not be helpful to my  training program. As weight loss is all about burning more calories than  taking in, I believe exercising is and should be a vital part of each weight  loss program! This combination (diet & exercise) opens the door to a  lifestyle change, which is crucial in making the weight loss permanent, in  other words: no more yo-yo dieting!


To achieve this, the formula to take seriously is simple

Calorie output – Calorie input = Calorie  deficit

where : Calorie output = Metabolic Resting Rate + Exercising calories



With my 3 times two hour cycling (on average per week) I burned 1800 extra  calories and my metabolic resting/light activity use of 2500 calories and an  estimated average calorie intake limited to 2000 calories per day (yes,  calorie counting makes sense!), my weekly calorie equation looks as follows:


7 x 2500 + 3 x 1800 – 7 x 2000 = 8900 = weekly calorie deficit


If I would have chosen to be a couch potatoe, my weekly deficit would have  been only 3500 calories. This would have not only required a much longer  dieting period than the 4 months, but I would have missed out at the same  time the health and fitness benefits, in addition to much higher diet costs.  How smart is that?


One word of warning: especially, when starting into a new exercising routine  we must ensure to pay attention to your body’s inborn intelligence.  If this  intelligence tells us to take it easy or skip exercising for a day or two (=   when we don’t feel so well!), then it is wise to follow this body talk.  If  the ego rules, overriding the body signals with uncensored ambition, we can  pay quickly the price by collapse or even worse. I experienced it and  learned my lesson!


So now look for the diet, which fulfills your own requirements, set up an  exercising routine you can hold on to and you will never look back and never  will need a crash diet again. Why? Because you then not only have lost  weight but changed your lifestyle at the same time. You finally might have  found the recipe, which will work for you too as it did for me. And there is  quite a good chance that this time your weight loss success will be for  life!



       

   


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The Beck Diet Solution - Day 7

Friday

 The Beck Diet - day 7

The set-up of the book is a six-week plan. Week 1 is laying the groundwork, where you pick 2 diets. Week 2 is getting prepared to diet, Week 3 is starting the diet, Week 4 looks into responding to sabotaging thoughts, Week 5 is about overcoming challenges, such as staying in control when you go out to eat, and Week 6 is fine tuning things.

All-in-all, I'd have to say that its a great resource to address the psycholgical side of eating. There's no magic to it, just a little looking inside yourself and addressing any barriers you have that may be holding you back.


Day 7 – Arrange Your Environment

For the final day of the week, you have to arrange your environment so it’s optimal for weight loss.  This means getting rid of left over "junk" that is not good for you to eat and won't be a temptation.   So eliminate trigger foods from your home and work environments. 

This would also be a good time to make sure your workout clothes and equipment, exercise videos, etc are within reach.


Preparation is the key!

The Complete Beck Diet for Life: The Five-Stage Program for Permanent Weight Loss 

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6 Quick and Easy Exercise and Health Tips

Want to get outdoors, improve your health and socialize with friends? It might be time to put on your walking shoes.


6 Quick and Easy Exercise and Health Tips

Move More, Eat Better, a national initiative of the Weight-control Information Network (WIN): Incorporate walking into your daily exercise and health plan to:
  • Help control weight
  • Lower your risk for certain diseases
  • Build bone density
Get moving with these 6 exercise and health tips: Move More, Eat Better:
1. Make it fun. Find a partner. Your walking partner should be able to match your speed.
2. Find proper footgear. Wear shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel and thick, flexible soles.
3. Wear clothes that will keep you dry and comfortable. Look for synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin.
4. Divide your walk into sections. Warm up by walking slowly for five minutes. Then, increase your speed and do a fast walk. Finally, cool down by walking slowly again for five minutes. Do light stretching after your warm-up and cool-down.
5. Try to walk as often as possible. To avoid stiff or sore muscles and joints, start gradually. Over several weeks, begin walking faster, going farther, and walking for longer periods of time. Aim for 30 minutes of walking a day on most, if not all, days of the week.
6. Set goals and rewards. A goal might be participating in a fun walk or walking continuously for 30 minutes. Reward yourself when you meet a goal, but not with high-calorie foods.
Discover more weight control information and exercise and health tips.

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The Low Carb Lifestyle

Finally after struggling with the counting calories and watching the fat - and not really getting anywhere - I am back on the Atkins Low Carb diet and the scale if starting to move.

It is day four and I am feeling good, but a little weak without the carb energy - The trainer is coming today and this will be a hard workout.  I have not exercised much in the first three days of the diet.  This will be the first time doing the low carb and the exercise at the same time.  I usually go with the low carb, high protein because you can lose great WITHOUT exercise.

I am hoping to see really good results with the exercise and diet this time.

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The Beck Diet Solution - Days 5 and 6

Thursday

 The Beck Diet Solution - a 6 week program to reshape your thought process to help you succeed on a diet plan. You build skills that enable you to cope with cravings, stick to your diet plan, deal with stress, eat out successfully and stop binging or overeating.

Day 5 - Eat Slowly and Mindfully

The Beck Diet Solution reminds us that it takes up to 20 minutes for the brain to get the message from the stomach that it's full. In addition to slowing down, the book recomends concentrating on what you are eating in order to increase satisfaction from smaller portions. In the long run it's unrealistic to eat without distractions  but you can practice without distractions at first to learn how to eat mindfully even if you're distracted.

Day 6 - Get a Diet Support Coach

The Beck Diet Solution recommends getting a coach to increase your chances of being successful at weight loss.  The purpose of the coach is to help with motivation, accountability, keeping perspective, giving yourself credit, etc. 

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The Low Carb Lifestyle

 I have decided to go on the low carb diet - I have been on this one before and have always lost weight - The best part about it - I don't have to limit what I eat - just what kinds of foods.


I read this last night:
 "Some people reading this post will have – at some point, at least – enjoyed the benefits of a low-carb diet.  They will have had more energy, slept better, rid themselves of heartburn and GERD, stabilized blood sugar, reduced blood pressure, normalized lipids and lost weight.  Many will have been able to rid themselves of one or even a handful of drugs.  All will have felt much, much better than before starting the diet.  And, if most are like me, will marvel on what a wonderfully filling and satisfying diet it is and will tell them selves that the low-carb diet is really the only diet worth following."

I am on my third day and feeling a little sluggish - the first 3 days are rough for me, and then, when I get over the transition stage - I feel better than ever.  I will have more energy and the best part is NO sugar cravings.

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The Beck Diet Solution - Day 4

Tuesday

Day 4 – Give Yourself Credit

A lot of dieters have problems with negative self-talk, so on this day you’re supposed to give yourself credit for things you do right.

Learn to recognize all of the positive things that you're doing each day, so that when you make a mis-state you don't blow it out of proportion. 

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The Beck Diet Solution - Day 3

Monday

Day 3 of the  Beck Diet:



EAT SITTING DOWN t's important to eat sitting down and not standing up so that you can see your food laid out in front of you and become more visually satisfied. Unplanned eating is also much more likely to occur if you are standing up.

What will you do to remind yourself to eat sitting down? 

 _____________________________________________

If you are like me you have heard this everytime you looked into any new diet or read anything about losing weight.  So maybe it is something I should pay more attention to. 


Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook: The 6-week Plan to Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

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Diet I have never heard of - the AccuWeight Diet

Sunday

I have never heard of the Accuweight Diet. Accu Weight is a weight loss program in which both Asian and American weight-loss concepts are combined and no medication is used.

It involves accupressure, done every 2 hours with Chi Gong breathing exercises each time. The accupressure blocks feelings of hunger, and tells the hypothalamus gland that you are totally satisfied and you are getting all the basic fat, protein and amino acids you need. The acupressure element of the program is designed to provide appetite control. Pressure applied to tiny beads placed behind the ear is said to trick the body into feeling full.




PHASE 1

Eating is done in rotation of 2 days of veggies and fruits - up to 2 lbs, and then 2 days of dairy - up to 20 oz of milk or plain yogurt. All eating must be done between the hours of 12 noon and 6PM. Zero-Calorie drinks and flavorings are allowed 24x7.

All spices are allowed. No legumes are allowed including soy.
No starchy vegetables like peas, corn or potatoes and of course, absolutely no bread!

No vinegar or oils of any kind are allowed because they will disturb the chemical makeup in your stomach that triggers fat burning.
Using a small amount of PAM cooking spray is OK.

You are also urged to get some exercise each day, although it is not required.

You are also asked to drink at least 8+ glasses of water a day. The more water you drink the more weight you will lose.

Everyone should take a multi-vitamin each day, and women should also take a magnesium & calcium supplement.

Probably on this phase the first week or so

PHASE 2

During Phase 2, you will eat more normally, and will continue losing weight.

During Phase 2 you still NEVER eat before Noon (well, 11:30 if you’re desperate!) You still cannot eat any starch or sugar such as potatoes, rice, pasta, desserts, etc.

• Now you are allowed to eat later than 6pm, but you DON’T EAT ANYTHING WITHIN 2 HOURS OF GOING TO BED!!!!!! However, prior to bedtime, you can still have water, black coffee, tea, diet soda, just as before Noon. During Phase 2 you can actually eat out at night – just be careful what you order.

• You are now allowed a modest portion of either fish or chicken breast at dinnertime. NO red meat or veal yet.

• You can now have vinegar on your salads, but ONLY balsamic vinegar (not regular) and still NO OIL!!!!! Only the spray olive oil or Pam for cooking.

• You can have a glass of wine with dinner several nights per week

• 2 days a week (they don’t have to be consecutive) you go back to a Milk/Yogurt day as you did in the Induction Phase – (eating only between Noon and 6pm).

• No starchy veggies such as peas, corn or beans.

• During this phase fruit is limited to 1 per day, as a snack in between lunch & dinner….not nearly as much fruit as you were allowed in the induction phase.

• You can now have eggs and a small amount of cheese, so if you wanted to have a cheese omelette for lunch or dinner – it’s ok


Continue with Phase 2 until you have lost the weight/size that you want.

Interesting? Has anyone tried this one? Sounds pretty low calorie.

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The Beck Diet Solution - Day 2

On Day 2 you pick two reasonable diets to follow - one as a primary and one as a back up.

I am planning on sticking with my current plan - watching calorie intake and keeping  the fat grams down to a reasonable amount.  I am not sure of the back up - I have lots of nutrisytem food I bought off of craigslist, and I do eat some of them in a day, but I am not following it strictly.

My old standby that I can really lose weight with is the Atkins, low carb - I am really tempted to go back to that one - I have done that 3 separate times and each time I lose 45 pounds in 4 months - go off and slowly gain it back - this time with the exercise program, maybe I could keep it going.


I am going to really consider going back on the Atkins - any input would be greatly appreciated :)  Just by blogging about it  - makes me really tempted.

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The Beck Diet Solution

Saturday

I am so excited about this program!  The Beck Diet Solution is a six-week program of cognitive therapy which aims to make you change the way you think, which in turn helps you change your behavior.

I will be following the Beck Diet Solution for the next six weeks and blogging about it a little every  day.
The book assigns you one task a day, letting you gradually change your behaviors little by little until you’ve changed the way you think about food and exercise.

Each week has a theme, and the first week’s theme is “Get Ready: Lay the Groundwork”
The book teaches  you to keep a journal and sometimes write on note cards as part of the program.  This is easy for me because I love to document my life :)

So here we go:

Day 1 – Record the Advantages of Losing Weight

Right a list of the reasons you want to lose weight, put them on a response card and read twice a day - here are some of mine:   

1. feel better            2. move easier               3. live longer                 4. look better

Get this book - it is fantastic!  

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person


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Strength Training - it's a beginning

  I have just begun to study up on strength training - here is some interesting things I have found - I am going to try the lose body fat one.:


To lose body fat, build muscle: Use enough weight that you can ONLY complete 10-12 repetitions and 1 set -   at least one day between workout sessions 

For muscle gain:Use enough weight that you can ONLY complete 4-8 repetitions and 3 or more sets, resting for 1-2 minutes between sets and 2-3 days between sessions.

For health and muscular endurance: Use enough weight that you can ONLY complete 12-16 repetitions, 1-3 sets, resting 20-30 seconds between sets and at least one day between workout sessions. To determine how much weight you should use, start with a light weight and perform one set. Continue adding weight until you can ONLY do the desired number of repetitions. The last rep should be difficult, but not impossible and you should be able to keep good form.

---- I have been using 3 pound weights and have just graduated to 5 lb - and it is a world of difference - it doesn't seem like that much, but it sure makes a difference!

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Do fat free products help you to lose weight?

Friday

My quick answer is yes.  About 2 years ago I was in what I can my "fat study" at Washington University - it was a 12 week study and the basic premise was you could eat anything you wanted as long as you kept the fat content under 50 grams a day.

I tried most days to keep mine under 25 grams and in the 12 weeks I actually lost 25 pounds.  It is interesting to note that the study started out with 16 people, 2nd week 12, 3rd week, 6 and after that it was a steady 3-4 people, until the last 3 or 4 weeks - I was the only one there. It was a great study with tons of great info - they talked about portion size, exercise, etc - but when it came down to it, you could eat as much as you wanted as long as you monitored the fat.


There are some great fat free things - and my greatest find was Breyers Fat Free Double Churned ice cream - even today, I still keep this in my freezer (the personal trainer says NO ice cream - but I do it anyway).....
in fact I have one friend and our main conversation each week is who has it on sale :)

Other great finds are some ranch dressings with 1 gram of fat, some candies

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Weight loss Plateau

Thursday

I seem to have hit a plateau - which can be good or bad - bad because I am not seeing the scale move - good because it means I am not gaining, and when I do lose it will, hopefully, be substantial.

So here is what I am doing:


- trying not to eat too much - I need to look more at the calories and nutrient value

- exercising on the Tony Little Gazelle - I feel like I am getting a good workout -    generally for 30 minutes a day - wondering if it is a good enough workout

- strength exercises - right no with 3 lb weights - arms mainly - and then squats, leg lifts, arm circles

In a month, the scales are done 7 pounds - which is not bad - I have been used to losing more, but that was because I was really strick on a diet - the diet of choice was usually the Atkins, low carb diet - I have lost 45 lbs 3 different times.... and of course have gained it all back.

So this time I am trying the slow and steady, lifestyle change.

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Does the Acai Berry Help you lose weight?

Wednesday



I don't know if the Acai Berry will help you lose weight, but I did buy some juice last night. It is a blend and it tastes good.

If nothing else, it has tons of vitamins! I've discovered that Acai Berry is filled with vitamins and minerals is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids, fiber and other plant compounds.

I am doubtful that is promotes weight loss because the research evidence for such a connection is lacking. I even heard Oprah Winfrey has posted comments on her web site disassociating herself with acai products that claim to promote weight loss.

Acai (pronounced a-sigh-EE) comes in a number of forms including juice, pulp, powder and capsule. The berry has been touted as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and an antibacterial. The fruit is said to contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential. ALL berries do this -but this one may be more concentrated. I have read notes from people saying it gives your energy :)

The fruit is about the size of a large blueberry yet only the outermost layers of the fruit, the pulp surrounding a large internal seed, are edible. It comes from South America.

Here is some facts I found when researching the nutrient value:

1. the caloric value of a single serving (approximately 600 calories per standard 100 g) is exceptional among comparative berry fruit apparently due to its remarkably high fat content

2. the total fat content for açaí berry is highly unusual for fruit, some 40% of dry weight

3. it has a very high fiber content, approximately 35%

4. relative to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and the micronutrient-dense goji berry, açaí has remarkable contents of several essential minerals – calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc

5. lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamins A and E are rich in concentration, 1000 IU and 45 mg per 100 g, respectively. 67% of the total tocopherols in açaí pulp are alpha-tocopherol

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Should You Weight Yourself Everyday?

Tuesday


The debate continues - Should You Weight Yourself Everyday?

Some consider it unhealthy, because those who have anorexia or other eating disorders will have a tendency to be obsessive about their weight. Others, however, think that it provides feedback and motivation for them to eat better and get their exercise routine in.

Well, I am so glad that the scale was my friend today - the 2 pound overnight weight gain is gone - makes me glad I did not just weight once a week and see that gain. One benefit to weighing everyday is that you see the ups and downs - then if you concentrate on the trends, the pattern is plan.

Several well-controlled studies found that daily weighing helps with both weight loss and the prevention of weight gain. A study from the University of Minnesota looked at the influence of the frequency of self-weighing on weight change in more than 3,000 adults enrolled in either a weight-loss trial or a weight-gain prevention trial. Higher frequency of weighing was found to be associated with greater weight loss or less weight gain over the two years of the trials.

In the recent best-selling book “You: On a Diet,” authors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz urge readers to “ditch the scale.” Instead we should pay attention to our waist size, they say.

Both sides make valid points, but when you get right down to it, I suppose it's really more of a personal choice. Whichever way encourages you the most, that is the right one for you.

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My diet tips that really work

Monday


My diet tips that really work - so far this is what is working for me:

1. Eat less, but more frequently - everyone says this and it has really been helping

2. When I get a really strong craving - I eat just a little - just one bite - it seems that when I have held out and held out and suffered, I end up binging later.

3. Mouthwash - at night when I am done with supper, I rinse with mouthwash and it makes me not want to eat

4. tons of veggies - my favorite right now is raw spinach salads

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2 pounds gained overnight!


2 pounds gained overnight! doubtful - proves some people's theory of not weighing yourself everyday - I ate at a buffet last night. I did not eat as much as I usually do, and exercised when I came home, so I am sure that the big gain is just temporary. For now I will continue to weigh everyday..... but that is subject to change.

The trainer is coming today - she called and said that she is running a little late - I asked if another day would be better -she said "no, today is fine". That is my way of trying to postpone it - shows a little insite into why I am fat!

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Great Workout

Saturday

Even tho I was feeling down and didn't want to exercise yesterday - my personal trainer was right - that is when you have the best workouts most of the time - and I felt great afterwards.

Today feeling a little sluggish - but gonna pep up here soon :)

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Working Out

Friday


I haven't worked out for the last couple of days - I had some disappointing news that was NOT related to exercise, diet or weight - but none the less, it still put a damper on my working out routine.

It is a good thing that the trainer is coming today - otherwise it might be harder to get back on track - I wonder if the workout will seem harder today......

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Middle of the month weightloss blues

Thursday


I am having the Middle of the month weightloss blues! My momentum is lagging.
Exercise is seeming like work! and sweat!

On a good note - I have lost 7 pounds......... a combination of watching the food I put in my mouth, having the personal trainer twice a week, working out on Tony Little's Gazelle and doing a little of the workouts on TV.

So all in all I shouldn't be feeling too bad ---- tomorrow is another day - the trainer comes to kick me back into shape (she called and wanted to come today to and I said NO WAY)

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2010 - a new beginning - a path to wellness


Ok so not much had happened to reach my goals in 2009 - but 2010 is the new beginning

1. - I hired a personal trainer to come 2 hours a week - wow it is a hard workout

2. - the trainer says that i will not lose weight unless i diet too - struggling with that part and part of me is testing that theory - not a wise choice i know

3. - joined sparkpeople.com an online community where you can track your progress, share with others, join groups, etc - i log my exercise, but i hate logging the food

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About This Blog

This is my personal journey to lose weight with diet and exercise - share with me the struggles and successes along the way - I look forward to your comments, suggestions and encouragements.

I would love to exchange links with other websites in the health and diet categories.

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