Eating Plan

One thing Weight Watchers taught me was how to eat. Of course, now I'm a snob about it and when I hear overweight people say, "I eat healthy" I tend to NOT believe them! At 204 pounds, I thought I was doing ok with my eating. Friends and relatives would actually remark to me that I didn't eat that much...probably true. But the AMOUNT I ate at one sitting and my sedimentary lifestyle attributed to my weight gain.

So this weeks post is a sample of what I try to eat:

Day 1
Breakfast-whole grain cereal (30g), skimmed milk, blueberries (or other fruit)
Lunch-tortillia wrap sammie with 3 thin slices ham (33g),LF mayo (tbsp),rocket and cherry tomatoes, handful of grapes
Dinner-Extra lean beef mince, homemade tomato & veggie sauce, serving of mixed veggies, white pasta (40g)
Snacks- low-fat yogurt (90g), fruit salad, WW toffee bar, sugar-free jello (125g),piece of fruit

Day 2
Breakfast-oatmeal (30g-no sugar added), skimmed milk, blueberries (or other fruit)
Lunch-egg omlet made with an egg skimmed milk, spinach, onions, peppers and mixed green salad with 1 tsp. low-fat salad dressing, orange (or other fruit)
Dinner- salmon fillet cooked in one tsp sunflower oil, brown rice (60 g), steamed spinach and broccoli, fresh fruit salad
Snacks-fat-free yogurt, carrots or other crunchy veg, banana

Day 3
Breakfast-crumpet or 2 slices calorie controlled bread, low-fat spread (2 tsp), honey or nutella (1 tsp), latte made with skimmed milk
Lunch-tortilla wrap sammie again, apple, low-fat yogurt (150g)
Dinner-WW Chicken Curry meal, steamed spinach & green beans, orange, diet coke
Snacks-pear, melon, pot of sugar-free jello

Day 4
Breakfast-whole grain cereal (30g), skimmed milk, banana (or other fruit)
Lunch-Low-fat crackers with low-fat cheese spread or reduced fat cottage cheese, mixed salad greens with cherry tomatoes and cucumber, WW toffee bar
Dinner- 2 low-fat sausages, 1 Yorkshire pudding, 2 tsp. gravy granules, 1 small potato-cooked and mashed, 2 tsp. peas
Snacks-kiwi, apple, low-fat pudding cup

Day 5
Breakfast-1 slice toast (calorie-contolled bread), 1 tbsp nutella, 1 egg (boiled or poached), banana (or other fruit)
Lunch- Low-fat tomato soup, 2 low-fat crackers, 1 tbsp. low-fat humous, carrot & cucumber sticks
Dinner-portion of grilled,white fish (85g), new potatoes (100g),peas (1 tsp), melon
Snacks-banana,sugar-free jello, low-fat yogurt, skinny latte made with skimmed milk

Day 6
Breakfast-Crumpet or 2 slices WW bread, egg (scrambled or poached), grilled tomato, melon (or other fruit)
Lunch-low-fat soup, low-fat bread roll, 1 small can tuna, salad, chopped cucumber, handful of grapes
Dinner- Veggie burger, brown rice (60g), sweetcorn (2 tbsp) and peas (1 tsp)
Snacks-smoothie with no-fat yogurt and fruit, tinned peaches (juice drained)

Day 7
Breakfast-oatmeal-no sugar, skimmed milk, blueberries (or other fruit)
Lunch-low-fat coleslaw, shrimp (60g), low-fat yogurt, banana (or other fruit)
Dinner-Pasta (60g), low-fat sauce, chicken breast, cauliflower, diet coke, apple
Snacks-low-fat humous with veggie sticks to dip, grapes

Try it for a week, exercise for 30 minutes 3 times this week and see if the weight comes off. If it does, you are on your way!

Till next week....ENJOY!!

My Weight Loss Tale

I can hardly believe that I will be attempting to run a 10k in less than a week. Really, it hardly seems possible since only 23 months ago I weighed over 200 pounds and hadn't done anything really physical in a decade. What made me go down the path of weight loss and fitness? Hmmm, let's see...avoiding having my photo taken, not being able to fit on the rides at Legoland, back pain, leg pain and trouble sleeping just to name a few. As a child I was very active...kickball, bike riding, running, swimming. In school, I was a cheerleader and played basketball with my brother. In high school, more cheerleading, volleyball, and basketball. At university, I ate what I wanted and walked and did aerobics. Never did I dream that I would ever be obese.

Yet there it was...slim little size 10 when I got married. No problems with weight until we decided to start a family. As the years went by, and we still didn't have a baby, I turned to food for comfort...add 10 pounds. Then I finally get pregnant with Emily...add another 20 pounds. Then we get called to the mission field and are on deputation for over 2 years...add another 20 pounds. Finally, landed on the mission field, fat and sad...add another 20 pounds! There I was, big and miserable feeling like I could never go back. I knew how much work it would be to lose weight. What if I couldn't do it? Was I doomed to be large forever?

Finally a friend at church asked me to go to Weight Watchers with her and gave me a Jillian Michaels dvd. I said to myself, If I can lose just SOME weight, maybe I can loose ALL of it and become fit again. I daydreamed of being thin, wearing small clothes and Steve and the kids being proud of how I looked. At my first weigh in 4 pounds came off and I knew I was on my way!

It was NOT an easy journey! Many times I got tired of counting points and working out, but my family and friends encouraged me to keep going, so I did. I started getting active again and went from walking to boxing to aerobic workouts to running to Zumba. It was hard work, but I didn't want to grow old and be sick and unhealthy. I have changed and learned how to eat. It helped Steve lowered his cholesterol and the kids are more active and enjoy healthy food. I am 60 pounds lighter and it feels great! I love being fit and want to encourage others to start their own journey. It won't be easy, but soooo worth it! Don't be afraid...JUST DO IT!