Hi everyone,
As part of my way of sharing my own personal weight loss tips, I will be starting an additional blog featuring the alternative to having a gastric bypass operation. Just to give everyone a heads-up, this blog will feature a diet (or lifestyle change) designed to provide the same results for people as those who have had the gastric bypass surgery.
I am starting this simply, because not everyone can afford or needs this procedure. With a little self-control and motivation, those people, like I was, who are 50-150 pounds overweight can immediately begin this diet.
How it imitates the gastic bypass surgery is that patients who have a smaller stomach created are limited to 800 calories a day. This reduced caloric intake, combined with exercise, will help you too, lose weight; just as it did for me.
I will feature low-calorie/fat recipe ideas, as well, as motivation to continue on this program.
Now, before you begin, I ask that you consult your physician, nutritionist, or Registered Dietician, as I am not qualified or licensed to dispense medical advice. Once you get the go ahead, or if you are just interested in meal ideas, be sure to check out the site. More details will follow.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
10 Questions to see if you may have a food addiction
If you feel that you may be suffering from a food addiction, there are a few questions to ask yourself:
1) Do you always feel hungry even though you know you just ate not too long ago?
2) Do you race through your food with thoughts about the next thing you can eat?
3) Is a good part of your day consumed with thoughts about the day’s meals?
4) Do you eat your groceries (a good part of the time) before you can get them home from the store?
5) If you drive past a fast-food eatery, are you able to have the will power to not pull in, even though the smell is tempting?
6) When there are leftovers, do you put them away for later, or are you always finishing them up?
7) If you do eat fast food, are you tempted to upgrade a combo for a bigger sized fry and drink even though you know you shouldn’t really be eating the fries to begin with?
8) How much sugar do you consume? If you drink sodas or add sugar to your drinks, it may be a good idea to do an experiment and see how much you use.
9) If you just have to have a certain food immediately, do you ever have to borrow or use money you shouldn’t be using just to pay for it?
10) Do you ever hide wrappers, food packaging, receipts or other food-related items so people won’t see it?
1) Do you always feel hungry even though you know you just ate not too long ago?
2) Do you race through your food with thoughts about the next thing you can eat?
3) Is a good part of your day consumed with thoughts about the day’s meals?
4) Do you eat your groceries (a good part of the time) before you can get them home from the store?
5) If you drive past a fast-food eatery, are you able to have the will power to not pull in, even though the smell is tempting?
6) When there are leftovers, do you put them away for later, or are you always finishing them up?
7) If you do eat fast food, are you tempted to upgrade a combo for a bigger sized fry and drink even though you know you shouldn’t really be eating the fries to begin with?
8) How much sugar do you consume? If you drink sodas or add sugar to your drinks, it may be a good idea to do an experiment and see how much you use.
9) If you just have to have a certain food immediately, do you ever have to borrow or use money you shouldn’t be using just to pay for it?
10) Do you ever hide wrappers, food packaging, receipts or other food-related items so people won’t see it?
Foods that Naturally Suppress Your Appetite
Ok, so your mind tells you that you are hungry and you have tried everything to forget about that feeling to eat: you have gone out on a walk, chewed gum, removed yourself from the kitchen, or any other trick you can think of, but you still have that urge to eat. What do you do? This may sound a bit extreme, but for once, you can give in to it.
This time, you are going to eat some food that will give your brain that satisfaction of eating, but will have a lower caloric value, and due to their strong flavoring (should I say sour) will cause such a bitter taste in your mouth your brain will basically tell you "no more."
Here are some great examples of foods that are ok for dieters to eat and will help suppress your appetite:
Sliced kosher dill pickles - the circular chips, the more sour the better ( 5 pcs. approx. 15 cal.)
Squeezed lemon in water (no sugar or sugar substitute) - (calories depending on amt. used)
Cut lime wedges (cut like orange wedges, but very sour to suck on) - (minimal calories)
Black tea - a very strong tea, serve either cold or hot w/ no sugar or sugar substitute
How to Know if You Have a Food Addiction
The first question that should be addressed is to understand what a food addiction is and how to know if you have one. I feel that a food addiction is the compulsion to consume food whether aware or unaware at the time in a means other than for necessity. In other words: either consciously or subconsciously overeating; not for nourishment but for the simple fact to eat.
One day I was made aware of this discovery, which oddly enough occurred last month. I was eating my well-portioned lunch and was racing to finish it. Now, I was not in a hurry to leave, but I was in a hurry to finish it and move on to the next think I could eat. This, my friends, was my food addiction showing its ugly head. Luckily, I was able to slow down and finish my lunch without rushing through it and going for the next item I could grab.
If you experience this behavior, and I am not taking about a once in a blue moon kind of way (or if you have gone a very long time without food), you may have a food addiction. Fear not, there are natural ways to overcome it, and if you must keep eating, ways to naturally suppress your appetite so you will still give your brain the satisfaction of eating while keeping your caloric intake low.
One day I was made aware of this discovery, which oddly enough occurred last month. I was eating my well-portioned lunch and was racing to finish it. Now, I was not in a hurry to leave, but I was in a hurry to finish it and move on to the next think I could eat. This, my friends, was my food addiction showing its ugly head. Luckily, I was able to slow down and finish my lunch without rushing through it and going for the next item I could grab.
If you experience this behavior, and I am not taking about a once in a blue moon kind of way (or if you have gone a very long time without food), you may have a food addiction. Fear not, there are natural ways to overcome it, and if you must keep eating, ways to naturally suppress your appetite so you will still give your brain the satisfaction of eating while keeping your caloric intake low.
Introduction & Blog's Purpose
I admit it, I have a food addiction. In fact, my addiction had gotten so bad that I had reached 256 pounds by the time I was 28 years old. No kids to blame it on, no medical conditions or drugs to take the fall. It was all on me.
So how did I know that it was time to do something about myself and make a change for the better? One day while at our local grocery store in 2007, my husband and I decided to step on a scale and weigh ourselves. His weight was not anything out of the ordinary, as he is in the military and always keeps it in check. Mine, on the other hand had skyrocketed to 256 pounds. I was so embarrassed. Here I was 28 years old, 5 ft. 6 inches and weighing this much. I guess those size 22 pants should have been a clue.
After that day, I decided to change my life for the better. No, I was not taking the easy way out and getting gastric bypass surgery. I believe that is for the deathly obese that are hundreds overweight. For those that want to lose 100 pounds like myself, discipline is the key. I immediately cut out everything that I could think of that was killing me: fast food, sodas, cakes, you name it. This was in March of that year, and by the time August came I was down to 213. Still intending to keep to my 156 pound goal (my actual weight in high school and a size medium I was), I eventually am now down to 196. So, here you are with me and I am on my journey to lose the last 40 pounds and keep it off.
So how did I know that it was time to do something about myself and make a change for the better? One day while at our local grocery store in 2007, my husband and I decided to step on a scale and weigh ourselves. His weight was not anything out of the ordinary, as he is in the military and always keeps it in check. Mine, on the other hand had skyrocketed to 256 pounds. I was so embarrassed. Here I was 28 years old, 5 ft. 6 inches and weighing this much. I guess those size 22 pants should have been a clue.
After that day, I decided to change my life for the better. No, I was not taking the easy way out and getting gastric bypass surgery. I believe that is for the deathly obese that are hundreds overweight. For those that want to lose 100 pounds like myself, discipline is the key. I immediately cut out everything that I could think of that was killing me: fast food, sodas, cakes, you name it. This was in March of that year, and by the time August came I was down to 213. Still intending to keep to my 156 pound goal (my actual weight in high school and a size medium I was), I eventually am now down to 196. So, here you are with me and I am on my journey to lose the last 40 pounds and keep it off.
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