How to lose 15kg in 2009.
How I did it: I've been thrilled and excited by my success! I’ve lost nearly 30lbs (15kg) in 2009 thanks to the free website "sparkpeople dot com"
check it out! it’s not about another fad diet, it’s about healthy living!
First and foremost, it is completely FREE.
it helps you track your nutrition (what you eat daily) and automatically counts your calories, track your fitness (how much you've worked out - walking counts! - daily) and again automatically counts the calories burned, etc... There are many tools to help you track your progress.
this site gives a lot of motivational articles about healthy living and exercising. It features scientifical articles, motivational ones and work-out videos, among other information.
Each month, you can download a motivational calendar on a weight-loss realted theme, with a little advice for every day of the said month!
You can keep a blog in there and have access to discussion groups that help you stay motivated along the way.
And all for free!
What i have done personnally:
-i walked at least 30 minutes a day
-i drank 8 glasses of water per day
-my dinner consisted only of glilled vegetables with yummy spices and a little olive oil. Healthy!
-I stopped eating in front of computer and started eating mindfully and chewing.
-I kept a weight journal to keep me motivated!
-i've made a motivational collage that I can look at often!
It's as simple as that!
here is an example of a motivational post found on one of the best discussion group, called "the Goonies" :
28 days: 28 diet tips to living a fully baked life!
1. Fruit
and Veggies Rule: They are 'real food' (as in not processed or filled
with white sugar or white flour ... duh!), they are loaded with fiber;
they are ohhhh so satisfying. Add two servings to every meal and
consider them for your snacks. The dietary guidelines say 5 to 9.
Half Baked: 5 servings or less
Fully Baked: 9 servings or more
2.
Small Plates are Adorable: And you will be too, if you stop with the
super-sizing nonsense. Go on a shopping spree (in person; not on-line -
burns more calories!) and buy yourself some fabulous small plates.
Statistics show that we are just as satisfied, as long as the plate is
full!
Half Baked: Super-Sizing our 9 inch plates.
Fully Baked: Enjoying a full meal on a 5 incher!
3.
Stay Conscious: I can't say enough about practicing mindfulness when
eating. Seriously, what is the point of eating if you are not even
tasting it. One bite at a time! Roll it around on your tongue, chew it
masterfully. Engage all your sense in the true pleasure of nourishing
your body.
Half Baked: Globbing down your meal in a millisecond (diet or otherwise).
Fully Baked: Eating it with full conviction, fully present, fully enjoying each and every morsel.
4.
Restaurant Sanity: Order a salad and an appetizer for your main meal.
In 99.9% of restaurants in the U.S. of Obesity, restaurants are
overloading your large size plates in order to dupe you into thinking
you are getting value and returning. What is the value of stuffing
yourself on high-calorie, fatty-foods and gaining weight? Huh!!! Tell
me!
Half Baked: Ordering a salad, appetizer, main dish, side dish, dessert and drinks galore.
Fully Baked: Ordering small amounts, and hey - if you are seriously still hungry, you can always order more!
5.
No Seat/No Eat: STOP eating over counters, on the go, on the street, in
the car (although technically that's a seat). Sit down at your kitchen
or dining room table and eat with dignity, for goodness sake!
Half Baked: Eating on the go, sloppy, staining your clothes!
Fully Baked: Eating with class, style and dignity.
6.
Give Up the Soda and Other Sugary Drinks: How many studies do you have
to read before you realize the full impact of sugary drinks? You are
adding a ridiculous amount of empty to calories to you day!
Half Baked: Eating healthfully for 90% of the day and then guzzling soda.
Fully Baked: Give it up! Again, is it really worth it?
7.
Hidden Calories in Salad Dressing: Do you have any idea how many people
think that eating a salad - with the dressing - is a low-cal, healthy
meal? It's NOT! Salad dressing can add hundreds of calories to your
day.
Half Baked: Using copious amount of dressing on salad and duping yourself into thinking it's healthy.
Fully Baked: Ordering salad dressing on the side and practicing the 'fork trick.'
BONUS!!!!
Fork Trick: Dip your fork into the dressing and then load it with
greens (not the reserve! Do not load up fork with greens and then dip
in salad.)
8. Sweet Potatoes Rock: The sweet potato (not
related to the white potato -shocker!) is one of the healthiest foods
ever, and simply baked with nothing on it, provides you with
approximately 180 power-packed calories. Enjoy!
Half Baked: Making a healthy sweet potato and melting a stick of butter on it.
Fully
Baked: Adding sweet potatoes to your healthy food plan (and letting go
of that ridiculous idea that a real food such as this is a carb and can
harm you).
9. Hate Veggies? FYI - a secret known by few. The
big difference between a fruit and veggie is the calorie count. They
are both loaded with vitamins and minerals and water! So, if veggies
are something that you just cannot deal with, eat more fruit!
Half Baked: Saying "I hate veggies," and then giving up.
Fully Baked: Seeking the fruit solution!
10.
Keeping a Food Journal: Statistics show that those who keep food
journals are way more successful at weighing less! If writing it down
is a chore, make it fun. Be a foto-food journalist. Instructions in the
fabulous book (Oprah approved!): Our Lady of Weight Loss!
Half Baked: Thinking that you can and will remember every morsel you've eaten through out the day.
Fully Baked: Tracking what you eat in a tangible way.
11.
Read the Labels: At first glance. You might see that the label says "50
calories per serving," but at second glance, you realize that a serving
is one teaspoon and you've just added 3 tablespoons to your cereal.
Take the time to do the math!
Half Baked: Glancing at the nutrition labels on your food and thinking you've done the job!
Fully Baked: Taking the time to really ingest all the info on said labels.
12.
Smoothie My Eye: Are you drowning in smoothie calories? Once again,
just because you ordered a strawberry and banana smoothie, don't dupe
yourself into thinking, great ... healthy and low-cal. Did they add
honey? Full fat milk? Sugar? What else!!!
Half Baked: Drinking smoothies morning, noon and night and thinking that it's a smooth move!
Fully Baked: Realizing that smoothies can be a trap; another bump on the road to Sveltesville.
13.
Do NOT Skip Breakfast: If you think that skipping breakfast means that
you are eliminating 300 or even 400 calories from your day, think
again! Studies show that those who skip breakfast more than make up for
it later in the day. And breakfast kick starts your metabolism.
Half Baked: Skipping breakfast and moving through your day like sludge.
Fully Baked: Starting the day with a healthful meal that gets you burning on all cylinders.
14.
Put It on a Plate: Do NOT eat out of jars, bags or containers. It's
rather distasteful and a sure way to pack on the pounds.
Half Baked: Grabbing the bag and chomping your way through it.
Fully Baked: Measuring a portion, putting it on a plate and eating, once again, with a modicum of dignity and awareness.
15. Eat Until Sated: You know, until you are 'not hungry,' vs. 'full' or 'past full.'
Half Baked: Eating until you are so stuffed that you cannot breathe.
Fully
Baked: Eating until you are comfortable (about 3/4 full or less),
knowing that if you are hungry later, you can return. This isn't your
last supper, you know!
16. Gone Nuts? Nuts, although deemed a
healthy food, are loaded with calories and sometimes dripping in extra
fat, sugar and salt! If you are going to eat nuts, then measure them
out and buy raw nuts.
Half Baked: Eating processed nuts.
Fully Baked: Eating raw nuts (nothing better than a raw cashew) in moderation!
17.
Share a Dessert: Order one or two for the table, or serve one slice of
something for all at home. It's perfect because you are allowing
yourself something sweet, but in moderation.
Half Baked: Ordering steamed vegetables and cheese cake!
Fully Baked: Sharing! Not only will you save calories, but you'll enjoy the bonding over the share.
18.
Remember the 4 Bite Rule: It has been written that you taste 100% of
the first bite; 50% the second bite; 25% the third bite; and 0% the
fourth bite. Therefore, there's no point in going past 4 bites (really
3), particularly when eating chips, cookies, creamy substances.
Half Baked: Eating for the sake of eating.
Fully Baked: Indulging with awareness; setting limits and truly tasting your food.
19.
Make Substitutions: Low fat milk vs. full fat milk; reduced mayo vs.
full fat mayo; mustard vs. mayo; one slice of sprouted bread vs. two
slices of processed bread.
Half Baked: Ordering a chicken salad with globs of mayo.
Fully Baked: Ordering grilled chicken and lightly spreading reduced mayo on the sprouted, healthy bread.
20.
Make Healthy Snacks a Habit: I don't know about you, but I always check
my bag before I leave home. Do I have my keys, cell phone, money? AND
... a piece of fruit, some melba toast, a health bar? Something to tide
me over if I am out on the road for longer than expected.
Half Baked: Being unprepared.
Fully Baked: Being prepared!
21.
Non-Stick Skillets Are a Must: By using a non-stick skillet vs. a
regular skillet that is greased with oil and/or butter, you are saving
hundreds of calories.
Half Baked: Greasing it up!
Fully Baked: Finding ways to limit the excess, thereby saving calories galore!
22.
Chew Eat Bite 25 Times: Back in the day, before the food industry
engineered the foods we eat, we naturally chewed each bite 25 times. We
now, on average, chew 11 times per bite; thus eating twice the amount
of food! Eat natural, masticate your food!
Half Baked: Three chews and swallowing.
Fully Baked: Taking the time to masticate your food well! Eating half the amount!
23.
There Is No End in Site: Seriously, there is no end. Well, not until
the living end. We are a work in progress, always. There is no getting
there.
Half Baked: Thinking that you are going somewhere and then it will all be fine.
Fully Baked: Fully accepting and embracing the fact that you are changing and evolving and there is no 'once I get there.'
24.
Limit Your Alcohol: Alcohol is a gateway to eating drug. If you open
the gate to food, you may find it nearly impossible to stay on the road
to Sveltesville. Either say 'no' or limit it!
Half Baked: Drinking and opening up the gateway to excessive eating.
Fully Baked: Knowing your limits!
25. Do NOT Wear Sweats! Elastic waistbands are trouble. Never ever leave room for expansion.
Half Baked: Thinking that you'll wait to buy clothes that fit. You'll be waiting forever and a day!
Fully
Baked: Looking great NOW. Dress up, buy a belt (and wear it)! It will
energize you and help you to keep on moving forward.
26. The
Buffet: When at a party, peruse the buffet table first, select a few
appropriate choices. Hold tight to a glass of sparkling water in one
hand. And then ... move to the other side of the room.
Half Baked: Tell yourself that you lose control at parties and buffet tables trigger you into oblivion. A sure way to fail!
Fully Baked: Plan ahead of time, gain control, gain self-respect!
27.
Making the Best Choice in the Moment: Let's face it. Life is
unpredictable and we're not100% perfect 100% of the time ... and who
wants to be??? Not me. Sometimes we just have to make the best choice
in the moment.
Half Baked: Life happens and it throws you off course with a thud!
Fully Baked: You make the best choice in the moment and that's okay!
28.
It's Bigger than Losing Weight: What will losing weight give you that
you wouldn't otherwise have? More than likely you want to feel good
about yourself. What else?
Half Baked: Losing weight for the sake of losing weight.
Fully Baked: Letting the real you out!
from the SparkMember "Nomorestalling";
Beautymist.
Lessons & tips: Consistency is key.
But you'd be amazed by how simple losing weight can be!
Here are 28 tips:
28 days: 28 diet tips to living a fully baked life!
1. Fruit
and Veggies Rule: They are 'real food' (as in not processed or filled
with white sugar or white flour ... duh!), they are loaded with fiber;
they are ohhhh so satisfying. Add two servings to every meal and
consider them for your snacks. The dietary guidelines say 5 to 9.
Half Baked: 5 servings or less
Fully Baked: 9 servings or more
2.
Small Plates are Adorable: And you will be too, if you stop with the
super-sizing nonsense. Go on a shopping spree (in person; not on-line -
burns more calories!) and buy yourself some fabulous small plates.
Statistics show that we are just as satisfied, as long as the plate is
full!
Half Baked: Super-Sizing our 9 inch plates.
Fully Baked: Enjoying a full meal on a 5 incher!
3.
Stay Conscious: I can't say enough about practicing mindfulness when
eating. Seriously, what is the point of eating if you are not even
tasting it. One bite at a time! Roll it around on your tongue, chew it
masterfully. Engage all your sense in the true pleasure of nourishing
your body.
Half Baked: Globbing down your meal in a millisecond (diet or otherwise).
Fully Baked: Eating it with full conviction, fully present, fully enjoying each and every morsel.
4.
Restaurant Sanity: Order a salad and an appetizer for your main meal.
In 99.9% of restaurants in the U.S. of Obesity, restaurants are
overloading your large size plates in order to dupe you into thinking
you are getting value and returning. What is the value of stuffing
yourself on high-calorie, fatty-foods and gaining weight? Huh!!! Tell
me!
Half Baked: Ordering a salad, appetizer, main dish, side dish, dessert and drinks galore.
Fully Baked: Ordering small amounts, and hey - if you are seriously still hungry, you can always order more!
5.
No Seat/No Eat: STOP eating over counters, on the go, on the street, in
the car (although technically that's a seat). Sit down at your kitchen
or dining room table and eat with dignity, for goodness sake!
Half Baked: Eating on the go, sloppy, staining your clothes!
Fully Baked: Eating with class, style and dignity.
6.
Give Up the Soda and Other Sugary Drinks: How many studies do you have
to read before you realize the full impact of sugary drinks? You are
adding a ridiculous amount of empty to calories to you day!
Half Baked: Eating healthfully for 90% of the day and then guzzling soda.
Fully Baked: Give it up! Again, is it really worth it?
7.
Hidden Calories in Salad Dressing: Do you have any idea how many people
think that eating a salad - with the dressing - is a low-cal, healthy
meal? It's NOT! Salad dressing can add hundreds of calories to your
day.
Half Baked: Using copious amount of dressing on salad and duping yourself into thinking it's healthy.
Fully Baked: Ordering salad dressing on the side and practicing the 'fork trick.'
BONUS!!!!
Fork Trick: Dip your fork into the dressing and then load it with
greens (not the reserve! Do not load up fork with greens and then dip
in salad.)
8. Sweet Potatoes Rock: The sweet potato (not
related to the white potato -shocker!) is one of the healthiest foods
ever, and simply baked with nothing on it, provides you with
approximately 180 power-packed calories. Enjoy!
Half Baked: Making a healthy sweet potato and melting a stick of butter on it.
Fully
Baked: Adding sweet potatoes to your healthy food plan (and letting go
of that ridiculous idea that a real food such as this is a carb and can
harm you).
9. Hate Veggies? FYI - a secret known by few. The
big difference between a fruit and veggie is the calorie count. They
are both loaded with vitamins and minerals and water! So, if veggies
are something that you just cannot deal with, eat more fruit!
Half Baked: Saying "I hate veggies," and then giving up.
Fully Baked: Seeking the fruit solution!
10.
Keeping a Food Journal: Statistics show that those who keep food
journals are way more successful at weighing less! If writing it down
is a chore, make it fun. Be a foto-food journalist. Instructions in the
fabulous book (Oprah approved!): Our Lady of Weight Loss!
Half Baked: Thinking that you can and will remember every morsel you've eaten through out the day.
Fully Baked: Tracking what you eat in a tangible way.
11.
Read the Labels: At first glance. You might see that the label says "50
calories per serving," but at second glance, you realize that a serving
is one teaspoon and you've just added 3 tablespoons to your cereal.
Take the time to do the math!
Half Baked: Glancing at the nutrition labels on your food and thinking you've done the job!
Fully Baked: Taking the time to really ingest all the info on said labels.
12.
Smoothie My Eye: Are you drowning in smoothie calories? Once again,
just because you ordered a strawberry and banana smoothie, don't dupe
yourself into thinking, great ... healthy and low-cal. Did they add
honey? Full fat milk? Sugar? What else!!!
Half Baked: Drinking smoothies morning, noon and night and thinking that it's a smooth move!
Fully Baked: Realizing that smoothies can be a trap; another bump on the road to Sveltesville.
13.
Do NOT Skip Breakfast: If you think that skipping breakfast means that
you are eliminating 300 or even 400 calories from your day, think
again! Studies show that those who skip breakfast more than make up for
it later in the day. And breakfast kick starts your metabolism.
Half Baked: Skipping breakfast and moving through your day like sludge.
Fully Baked: Starting the day with a healthful meal that gets you burning on all cylinders.
14.
Put It on a Plate: Do NOT eat out of jars, bags or containers. It's
rather distasteful and a sure way to pack on the pounds.
Half Baked: Grabbing the bag and chomping your way through it.
Fully Baked: Measuring a portion, putting it on a plate and eating, once again, with a modicum of dignity and awareness.
15. Eat Until Sated: You know, until you are 'not hungry,' vs. 'full' or 'past full.'
Half Baked: Eating until you are so stuffed that you cannot breathe.
Fully
Baked: Eating until you are comfortable (about 3/4 full or less),
knowing that if you are hungry later, you can return. This isn't your
last supper, you know!
16. Gone Nuts? Nuts, although deemed a
healthy food, are loaded with calories and sometimes dripping in extra
fat, sugar and salt! If you are going to eat nuts, then measure them
out and buy raw nuts.
Half Baked: Eating processed nuts.
Fully Baked: Eating raw nuts (nothing better than a raw cashew) in moderation!
17.
Share a Dessert: Order one or two for the table, or serve one slice of
something for all at home. It's perfect because you are allowing
yourself something sweet, but in moderation.
Half Baked: Ordering steamed vegetables and cheese cake!
Fully Baked: Sharing! Not only will you save calories, but you'll enjoy the bonding over the share.
18.
Remember the 4 Bite Rule: It has been written that you taste 100% of
the first bite; 50% the second bite; 25% the third bite; and 0% the
fourth bite. Therefore, there's no point in going past 4 bites (really
3), particularly when eating chips, cookies, creamy substances.
Half Baked: Eating for the sake of eating.
Fully Baked: Indulging with awareness; setting limits and truly tasting your food.
19.
Make Substitutions: Low fat milk vs. full fat milk; reduced mayo vs.
full fat mayo; mustard vs. mayo; one slice of sprouted bread vs. two
slices of processed bread.
Half Baked: Ordering a chicken salad with globs of mayo.
Fully Baked: Ordering grilled chicken and lightly spreading reduced mayo on the sprouted, healthy bread.
20.
Make Healthy Snacks a Habit: I don't know about you, but I always check
my bag before I leave home. Do I have my keys, cell phone, money? AND
... a piece of fruit, some melba toast, a health bar? Something to tide
me over if I am out on the road for longer than expected.
Half Baked: Being unprepared.
Fully Baked: Being prepared!
21.
Non-Stick Skillets Are a Must: By using a non-stick skillet vs. a
regular skillet that is greased with oil and/or butter, you are saving
hundreds of calories.
Half Baked: Greasing it up!
Fully Baked: Finding ways to limit the excess, thereby saving calories galore!
22.
Chew Eat Bite 25 Times: Back in the day, before the food industry
engineered the foods we eat, we naturally chewed each bite 25 times. We
now, on average, chew 11 times per bite; thus eating twice the amount
of food! Eat natural, masticate your food!
Half Baked: Three chews and swallowing.
Fully Baked: Taking the time to masticate your food well! Eating half the amount!
23.
There Is No End in Site: Seriously, there is no end. Well, not until
the living end. We are a work in progress, always. There is no getting
there.
Half Baked: Thinking that you are going somewhere and then it will all be fine.
Fully Baked: Fully accepting and embracing the fact that you are changing and evolving and there is no 'once I get there.'
24.
Limit Your Alcohol: Alcohol is a gateway to eating drug. If you open
the gate to food, you may find it nearly impossible to stay on the road
to Sveltesville. Either say 'no' or limit it!
Half Baked: Drinking and opening up the gateway to excessive eating.
Fully Baked: Knowing your limits!
25. Do NOT Wear Sweats! Elastic waistbands are trouble. Never ever leave room for expansion.
Half Baked: Thinking that you'll wait to buy clothes that fit. You'll be waiting forever and a day!
Fully
Baked: Looking great NOW. Dress up, buy a belt (and wear it)! It will
energize you and help you to keep on moving forward.
26. The
Buffet: When at a party, peruse the buffet table first, select a few
appropriate choices. Hold tight to a glass of sparkling water in one
hand. And then ... move to the other side of the room.
Half Baked: Tell yourself that you lose control at parties and buffet tables trigger you into oblivion. A sure way to fail!
Fully Baked: Plan ahead of time, gain control, gain self-respect!
27.
Making the Best Choice in the Moment: Let's face it. Life is
unpredictable and we're not100% perfect 100% of the time ... and who
wants to be??? Not me. Sometimes we just have to make the best choice
in the moment.
Half Baked: Life happens and it throws you off course with a thud!
Fully Baked: You make the best choice in the moment and that's okay!
28.
It's Bigger than Losing Weight: What will losing weight give you that
you wouldn't otherwise have? More than likely you want to feel good
about yourself. What else?
Half Baked: Losing weight for the sake of losing weight.
Fully Baked: Letting the real you out!
Resources: http://www.sparkpeople.com
