Diet Mommy Blog

90% Fluff

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:03:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Yummy Vegetarian Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0000

In my recent quest to go low fat and low cholesterol I have tried all sorts of various vegetarian cookbooks. I have found one I'm rather fond of. It's this one:

It has a nutritional breakdown of each recipe as well, which is really handy.

Basement Cat

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:51:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Diet Funny Cat

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:30:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

When Losing Weight is Not Enough

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:20:00 +0000

Ok, so getting older really sucks. Now we have to watch out for cholesterol. Ugh! So now I get to adjust our diet yet again, which is pretty much sending my family into a full on revolt.

After going mostly vegetarian for a couple of weeks now my kid has put the brakes on that whole idea and is demanding real food. Sigh. The man is soon to follow, I'm sure.

Vegan Diet Funny

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:21:00 +0000

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Your own personal gravity field

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:13:00 +0000

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This is the longest plateau ever!

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Ok, I'm stuck. It seems I can't get any lower. This is the longest plateau yet. How very depressing. I will keep trying, hoping, and all. Oh, well. Even if this is it, it's better than where I was.

Just to recap:

I'm eating whatever I darn well like, just counting calories and exercising. I have taken up yoga and dance.

Hopefully this to will pass.

One Year and Seventeen Pounds Later...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Ok, so I've been at this for a year. Lost seventeen pounds. I feel so much better, just have a few more pounds to go. Staying on track these past few months has been challenging. It's those darn chocolate cookies....

Hope that's normal.

I hope you are doing well, whether you are thinking about starting a diet, watching your calories, exercising, trying to live healthier, or all of the above.

Fat Cat... LOL :)

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:57:00 +0000

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Lost 2 More Pounds!

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:24:00 +0000

Whoohoo!!! I broke through my plateau and weighed in at 143. Only four more pounds to my goal!!!

:)

On Willpower... LOL Cat

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:39:00 +0000

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Acai Berry Complaints

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Have you been tempted by all the Acai Berry diet promises? You might want to check out what people are saying on the Complaints Board.

Mindful Eating

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Hm. I've just found a site called Am I Hungry? that seems to have some decent motivational articles on it, from recognizing your own weaknesses, to coping with guilt, to visualizing your success. Give it a look.

Some of her points I have already stumbled upon. One of my big breakthroughs was to actually stop and consider the food I was eating, rather than just stuffing it in my mouth. And I mean consider it further than "Oh, hey, that muffin looks yummy." LOL. And I am enjoying eating more now, mostly because I feel like I know what I'm doing with the whole calorie counting thing. Interesting.

Here's what she says about mindful eating strategies (posted with permission):

Mindful Eating: Get Out of Autopilot

By Michelle May, M.D.
http://www.AmIHungry.com

Have you ever finished a candy bar and wished you had just one more bite? Are you surprised when your hand hits the bottom of the popcorn bucket at the movies? Do you ever feel completely stuffed and miserable after you eat?

These are all symptoms of unconscious or mindless eating.

Many people eat while they watch TV, drive, work-even while talking on the telephone. And many people eat too fast, so busy filling the next forkful that they don't notice the bite in their mouth. Since your brain can only really focus on one thing at a time, you'll miss the subtle signs of fullness so you won't stop until you feel uncomfortable or until you run out of food. Most importantly, you won't enjoy your food as much so you have to eat more to feel satisfied.
Mindful Eating is Eating with Intention and Attention

Eating is a natural, healthy, and pleasurable activity when it's done to satisfy hunger. The bottom line is that weight management is not just about what you eat. How you eat matters just as much.

Choosing to eat "mindfully," in other words, giving food and eating your full attention, will allow you to have optimal satisfaction and enjoyment without eating to excess.

Mindful eating makes it possible for you to experience the difference between physical satisfaction and fullness. Mindful eating also allows you to feel more satisfied with smaller quantities of food. Learning to savor your food simply makes eating more pleasurable. Knowing what satisfies you and getting the most pleasure from your eating experiences are key factors for a lifetime of weight control.
Simple Steps for Mindful Eating

Try the following strategies for Mindful Eating to help you identify your body's signals and truly enjoy your food:

* Start by recognizing whether you're hungry before you begin eating. If you aren't hungry, you won't be as interested so it will be harder to stay focused. Besides, if a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it.
* Don't wait until you're famished. One of the keys to conscious eating is to keep your body adequately fed to avoid becoming overly hungry which increases the chance that you'll overeat.
* Next, decide how full you want to be when you're finished eating. When you eat with the intention of feeling better when you're done eating, you're less likely to keep eating until the food is gone.
* Choose food that will satisfy both your body and your mind. Our society is so obsessed with eating right that we sometimes eat things we don't even like. However, satisfaction comes not just from fullness but from enjoying the taste of your food--without guilt. Feeling guilty about eating certain foods actually causes more overeating, not less.
* Set the table in a pleasant manner. Creating a pleasant ambience adds to the enjoyment of eating and to your level of satisfaction. Besides, you deserve it.
* Eat without distractions. If you eat while you're distracted by watching television, driving, or talking on the telephone, you won't be giving your food or your body's signals your full attention. As a result, you may feel full but not satisfied.
* Eat when you're sitting down. Choose one or two particular areas at home and at work that are only used for eating and eat only there. For example, do not eat while standing over the sink, peering into the refrigerator or sitting in bed.
* Appreciate the occasion. Appreciate the atmosphere, the company, or simply the fact that you're giving yourself the opportunity to sit down and enjoy your meal.
* Take a few breaths and center yourself before you begin eating. This will help you slow down and give eating your full attention.
* Appreciate the aroma and the appearance of your food. Notice the colors, textures, and smells of the food and imagine what it will taste like.
* Decide which food looks the most appetizing and start eating that food first. If you save the best until last, you may want to eat it even if you are full.
* Savor the aromas and tastes of your food as you eat it. Put your fork down between bites and be conscious of all the different sensations you are experiencing.
* If you notice that you're not enjoying what you chose, choose something else if possible. Eating food you don't enjoy will leave you feeling dissatisfied.
* Pause in the middle of eating for at least two full minutes. Estimate how much more food it will take to fill you to comfortable satiety.
* Push your plate forward or get up from the table as soon as you feel satisfied. The desire to keep eating will pass quickly. Keep in mind that you'll eat again when you're hungry.
* Notice how you feel when you're finished eating. If you overate, don't punish yourself. Instead, be aware of the physical and/or emotional discomfort that often accompanies being overly full and create a plan to decrease the likelihood that you'll overeat next time.

Once you've experienced the increased pleasure from mindful eating, you may be motivated to become more mindful during other activities too. Living "in the moment" and becoming more aware can increase your enjoyment and effectiveness in everything you do.

Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo dieter and the award-winning author of Am I Hungry? Discover more resources for learning to eat mindfully at http://www.amihungry.com/

Weird Breakfast Combination

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Do you have these friends who suggest the weirdest things for dieting and you kind of start to think that maybe they're pulling your leg? I do.

This morning I'm sitting here munching on my breakfast. It was suggested by a friend of mine and frankly I think I'm going to smack her. It is fat free cottage cheese and cranberries. Separately, I like both of these things. Together... BLECK!

Gag.

Shudder.

What. Was. She. Thinking!

Funny Diet Picture - LOL Cats

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:06:00 +0000

more animals

New Year's Resolution - Keep On Losing Weight

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Ok, so this is cool. This is the first holiday season that I didn't gain a few pounds. I didn't lose any either, but I'm going to consider that a victory!

Diet Pill Warning!

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:40:00 +0000

Scary.

FDA Warns of Risky Weight Loss Pills

I Got the Plateau Blues

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:37:00 +0000

Stuck on another plateau. Again. Sigh.

Balanced Diet - Funny Dog

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Funny Diet Picture

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:59:00 +0000

I Lost Another Pound!

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:08:00 +0000

Whoohoo. Weighed in at 145 this morning! And that's even with me being rather naughty with all that Halloween candy that was hanging around. I am a such a pathetic, hopeless chocoholic!

Not Really Dieting Anymore, Still Dropping the Pounds

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:35:00 +0000

I've been thinking about this. I don't really feel like I'm on a diet anymore. I guess that's because I'm not following some horrible fad diet or something. Basically, I just changed a few of my habits and now the pounds slide off slowly. I've lost 14 pounds so far (I started this in May) and my dear hubby has lost 20 pounds by following this obvious, but not quick, method. Nothing in life is easy. The sooner you can get rid of the idea that there's a pill or a drink or an easy/fast solution for weight loss, the better off you'll be.

Let me explain step by step what we did.

1. Decide to act. Now. Not tomorrow or next week. Start this very minute. It's okay. Really. You don't have to give up your cake or cookies or ice cream so there's no reason to put it off.

2. Register at CalorieCountPlus or a similar free calorie counting service.

3. Calculate your BMI (if the number seems absurd try the Better Ideal Weight Calculator). This will help you get an idea of where you should be weight-wise. Don't act like it's the ultimate number or something though, these things are just a guide.

4. Be willing to embrace the idea that the things you think you are doing right are probably part of the problem. We all carry around ideas of what we should or shouldn't be eating to lose weight. Guess what? They are probably wrong. Be open to new suggestions. If you can't let go of your old dieting myths the odds are very much against you.

5. Take a few days and eat normally while entering everything you eat into the calorie counter. Don't worry about dieting at this moment. What you want to do is see where your problem areas are.

6. Use their tools to calculate what your calorie intake should be to lose the weight you want in the time you want. Be careful not to be overly ambitious. Anything more than one or two pounds a week (depending on your size) is not only unrealistic, it's not good for you. Tone down your expectations and you will be more likely to succeed.

7. Once you have a few days of calorie data look at what you've been eating. Their charts and data tables make this easy. Identify your weak spots. Are you doing okay overall, but your cheese intake is sending you over your target? Or was it those bagels with cream cheese each morning? Or maybe that fast-food lunch? Whatever it is will soon become obvious. And the cool thing about this site is that it's specific to you, not someone else.

8. Armed with this new knowledge, adjust your eating/cooking habits. This doesn't have to be a major change and you can do it slowly. Perhaps it's enough to leave cheese off that turkey sandwich, or switch from bagels to a lighter calorie cereal with skim milk, or select something not so calorie heavy at lunch. This is the cool thing. Doing it this way is flexible and you don't have to embark on a complete re-design of what you eat/cook. Becoming aware of the calories in food will help you make the smarter choices. And if you have that cake, cookie, or ice cream it's not a big deal, you just have to make up for it somewhere else. Keep entering your food intake into the log each day until you have it dialed in.

9. Don't give up. The first few weeks are brutal. Not only is your body rebelling, but you're having to adjust the way you see your world, the way you shop, the selections you make at a restaurant. Although these are small changes, it can seem overwhelming. That's okay. Join in the forums and support groups online. There are lots of support options available to you. You don't have to do it alone!

10. Relax. Don't obsess over your weight. Plateaus happen. Keep believing in yourself and they will pass.

11. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Good luck!

It's Working! The Diet is Working!

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Ooohhh.. 146 lbs this morning. I bounced around a bit lately. After seeing 146 on the scale earlier I went back up again and then down and then up, but it has finally settled at 146. I love this. I love being smaller. I have so much energy! I also have a better self-image. Do you think that's shallow? Really, though, it's hard to stay positive about yourself when you don't like the way you look.

I love that my clothes fit. I love that I may need to go buy smaller size clothes soon. Shopping excuse! Whoohoo.

And suddenly men notice me again. I didn't think that mattered... I'm happily married. But I tell you, it's nice to be flirted with once in a while. :)

A Dieting Pep Talk

noreply@blogger.com (AJ) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:41:00 +0000

While I was tossing and turning last night a thought occurred to me. I know, scary. LOL.

Here's my observation, and my two cents on the subject.

Our society is getting fatter, at least that's what the newspeople report. And there are plenty of culprits out there:

1. Fast food
2. Carbs
3. Fat
4. Sedentary lifestyles
5. The food industry in general
6. Advertising
7. Genetics
8. The government
9. Sitting in an outside cafe with a monkey on your head

Ok, so I made that last one up. ;)

What's wrong with this picture? Blame. Sure, it's nice to blame something or someone else for your problems. But you know what? When you do that it makes it easy to avoid doing something about it because it's not you're fault.

Now, aside from those individuals who really do have a medical problem, the only one to blame for your chubby situation is you. Really.

Oh, wait! No! That can't be right! Because all of those things you listed above are true causes of our weight problems (except the monkey thing of course).

You think so? They may contribute to your weight problem, but they are not responsible for it. You are. And until you are willing to look yourself in the eye and admit you have a problem, you will not get anywhere. I know. I lived in delusion for years. The weight sneaked up on me. I didn't think I was heavy. But I was/am. Until I decided to become proactive, nothing I did casually worked, because I really wasn't serious. I mean it was silly. I even spent some time arguing with my doctor that I had to have a thyroid problem or something because I was eating healthy and so it couldn't be me. Turns out none of this was true. I needed to educate myself better about what I was eating and how much. And there are lots of resources available out there. Even if you are stuck in the fast food lane there are things you can do. It all comes down to the choices you make.

Here's to hoping you can get serious and accept responsibility for your body.

And here are my big diet secrets:

Nutrition in the Fast Lane: A Guide to Nutrition for Fast-food and Casual Dining

Calorie Count Plus - A Free Online Dieting Resource