That 4 Letter Word That Makes Adults Cry.... DIET

That 4 letter word that makes adults cry.... diet,
GASP! I said it!
  Americans are obsessed with dieting. According to 20/20 in an article called Losing It: The Big Fat Trap there are some outrageous numbers associated with dieting in America. $20 Billion is spent annually on diet books, diet drugs and weightloss surgeries. 108 million people are on a diet usually trying 4 or 5 attempts a year. 85% of those dieters are women. $500,000 to $3,000,000 is spent on celebrity endorsements for diet plans!
  To me that is absolutely ridiculous!  Why are diets so damn expensive, complicated and hard to follow? Our attention spans and self control must be really bad or we are being set up for failure.....hmmmm. The AlterNet.org article Why Diets Make You Fatter And What to Do About It says the "diet industry keeps offering new programs and plans. Low-fat, low-carbohydrate, and low-calorie diets get recycled with new names, claiming that they aren't a diet (since, as we all know by now, diets don't work!), but a way of life. Fitness clubs ready themselves for the onslaught of new members, counting on the fact that these exercise enthusiasts will work out religiously for a month or two and then drop out, fleeing the tedium of Stairmasters and treadmills.The common cultural notion that anyone can successfully lose weight and keep it off with enough hard work and commitment mirrors the values embedded in the American Dream. Yet despite this collective belief -- and the short-term weight loss that occurs with just about any type of weight-reduction plan -- the most frequently cited statistic is that 95 percent of dieters will regain the lost pounds. Given that a few percent will maintain the weight loss, we all know someone who can claim "success," yet the vast majority will regain the weight. Although the blame -- and shame -- for the failure is usually placed at the dieter's doorstep, strong physiological, psychological, social, and even economic forces make dieting a losing battle."
  Frankly, it is overwhelming with the Eat This, WAIT, we changed our minds, now it's now bad for you.... so Eat That instead! It is honestly enough to make me scream! It is overload and most people think they are too busy to spend the time to eat healthy, to eat fresh, work out and put in the effort it requires to be successful. That 20/20 article also says that of those who kept off 30 pounds for at least 5 years were the people who put in a minimum of 1 hour of exercise daily. It honestly is not all about the food. People say they are on a diet all the time but it has to be more than what or how you eat. Put any label you want on it, spin it with a fancy name or have a skinny celeb spout off a bunch of lies but losing weight all comes down to some basics.
"All diets work by restricting calories. Since simply telling people to eat smaller portions doesn't sell books, most commercial diet plans are built around a nutritional trick that makes it easier to restrict dietary intake. Food is made up of four basic components (so-called macronutrients): water, fats, protein and carbohydrates. Therefore, it follows that telling people to avoid fats or cut out carbs will automatically eliminate a lot of food choices. Low-carb diets, for example, are effective, because they remove an enormous number of potential foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc., from a person's diet." According to the PBS article Frequently Asked Questions About Diet & Health by Jon Palfremon.
  Save your dollars!  Use that money for fresh veggies and walk your happy butt the long way around the store! You don't need some fad diet or book telling you to skip fruits because they are high in sugar. That is insane! It's FRUIT! Use your brain! You don't need some celeb with a personal chef telling you to buy a prepackaged diet food because we both know this is NOT what they are putting in their mouths everyday! Or EVER for that matter! i am learning we should really KISS our life! Show your body you love it, Keep It Simple Stupid....KISS.  If it is fresh, if it is a lean protein, if it is something you will eat then go for it! What is the point of an expensive name brand labeled diet type food if it tastes gross and you will never eat it. Or the ones full of fillers to trick your body into thinking you are eating more?
  So, I am sticking to my theory. One I did not have to pay a fee per pound for or choke down a slimy frozen entree to be able to say I'm sticking to a diet. Forget that! I am going to attempt to love my body (which I know is NOT easy). I am going to KISS it and fill it with as little preservatives or artificial crap as I can! It worked for me before surgery then I am going to focus on it again. Can't hurt..... I am going to start by cleaning up my use of those 4 letter words...by no longer saying I am on a DIET, I am just focusing on my new lifestyle instead! so, GOOD LUCK my friend, it's crazy out there!

I HAVE LOST 125lbs! Accountability for your goals.

  I weighed myself twice today because I could not believe what the scale said! So, at work in the gym I timidly stepped up and thought "no way, I have been sick and haven't been giving 110% at the gym" so later while at YMCA I again ventured over and stepped up.... I AM OFFICIALLY DOWN 125 POUNDS SINCE SEPTEMBER 2013! That's a little over 5 1/2 months but feels like a lifetime ago!
  When I decided at the end of August that I wanted to get healthy I knew I was in for a rough ride. I lost that initial 80 pounds so fast (only 3.5 months) but surgery slowed it way down. I lost only 45 pounds in the last 2 months and a few days..... but, I never have given up, got burnt out or wanted to quit. Despite all the not so supportive individuals out there that have said I would. GEE THANKS! It still bugs the crap out of me how I have been accused of taking the easy way out by having surgery. BITE ME! That's me saying it nicely. You watch every single thing you eat or drink the rest of your life and tell me how damn easy it is! The second thing the gets me are the people who actually said to me that they were against me having the surgery because they liked me just the way I was. Fat, miserable and tired? I suppose some thought they were being helpful, but, honestly you fueled my anger and pushed me harder. So, thank you to the self centered individuals that wanted me to stay fat so you could feel better about yourself.  Your part of the reason I will not fail. This is not about being skinny.... I want to be healthy. Try wrapping your head arpund that one. Hmmmm?

  So, part of what has helped me is holding myself accountable.  Not placing blame on others for my poor decisions, not skipping workouts when my children got tired of swimming all the time while I work out....I set my own schedule and keep to it as much as possible.  It is the only way I will achieve my goal of another 75 pounds.
I found on the website fitnessforweightloss.com a really nice article about accountability called "11 ways to hold yourself accountable for your goals"
It was not letting me link it for some reason so I copied it because I think it is a good place to start. As well as a simple way to get over those inevitable slumps where you question your drive and inner strength.  So here is their FABULOUS list.....

11 Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable for Your Goals
By fitnessforweightloss.com

1. Tell someone
Share your goals with your:FriendsFamily membersCo-workersOnline support groupTherapistShare your goal, how you will achieve it, and by when. Sometimes the simple act of telling somebody what you will achieve and knowing they might ask you about it will push you to achieve it.

2. Schedule check-ins
Have someone follow up with you daily, weekly, or monthly via:PhoneEmailTextFacebook message (or other form of social media)You’re more likely to do something when you know someone is going to follow up with you about it.

3. Go public
Use social media to share your goals and progress:Post your goal on Facebook.Share weekly or monthly updates on Twitter.Start a blog about your weight loss journey.Keep a video diary on Youtube.Instead of worrying about people judging you, think about the encouragement you might receive and the people you could inspire.

4. Keep a food journal
A food journal is a good way to hold yourself accountable for what you eat. For additional accountability, commit to showing somebody your food journal at the end of each day or week.If you know you have to record what you eat, you may decide against that big piece of cake or other temptation. A study of 1,685 overweight and obese adults showed the more days a week they kept a food journal, the more weight they lost. 

5. Join an organization
Join an organization such as Weight Watchers and commit to attending weekly meetings and weigh-ins. 

6. Join a team challenge
Join a weight loss challenge. Many gyms, communities, hospitals, and companies offer health and weight-loss related challenges.Joining a team challenge can provide friendly competition, accountability, and also a network of people who are striving to achieve the same or similar goals. These are also people you can keep in touch after the challenge is over.

7. Recruit a workout buddy
Make plans to exercise with somebody. Set a specific day, time, and location for your workout. You’re more likely to stick to your exercise plan when you know somebody is relying on you. 

8. Hire help
Hire a personal trainer, dietitian, or weight loss coach. Knowing you have paid for an appointment with someone (and usually with a cancellation fee) can help you keep your appointment and follow through with any ‘homework’.This can get expensive so be sure you plan other forms of accountability once your sessions are up.

9. Sign a contract
Write up a contract. State your goals, how you will achieve them, and the rewards or consequences of achieving them (or not). Sign your contract to make it official and have a friend, family member, or accountability partner witness it.

10. Put money on the line
Commit to paying a friend, family member, or co-worker a designated amount of money if you don’t achieve a particular goal.Give a friend a certain amount of money and earn it back as you achieve the goals you set. If you don’t achieve your goals, your friend gets to keep the money.You can put anything on the line; it doesn’t have to be money. You can put housework, babysitting, movie tickets, lottery tickets, or anything else on the line. Find something that will motivate you to achieve your goals.

11. Sign up for a race
Sign up for a 5k, 10k or any other race/event.Registering for an event can provide motivation and accountability to start or stick to an exercise plan. If you don’t train for it, you might not be able to complete the race.Signing up with a team provides additional accountability to train so you don’t let your team down.
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  What did you think? I personally have done 8 of these suggestions. Before I even read this article! They really do work! There are a million websites and even more gimmicks out there telling you to take some product and without changing a thing you will drop the pounds. Complete BS! There is no magic pill! Heck, even having my insides cut apart, rearranged then stapled back together has not made my weightloss efforts any easier. In fact, I would go as far as saying it has hindered my progress! Having to battle dehydration, fatigue and my body thinking it is needing to stay in starvation mode 24/7 because I can not keep from throwing up everything I eat, has without a doubt made exercise much more exhausting. But, I am keeping myself accountable for every calorie, every minute of physical activity and my progress to my goal. If I don't no one else is going to!
  I, however, have not had to face this journey completely alone. I have a wonderful group of friends that work out with me, some of my family has been encouraging, and my co-workers have started one-by-one jumping on this wagon as well. We are a force to be recond with when you bring crap food into our area. LOL! So, as I learn more and grow in the knowledge my brain soaks in from everything I read (which is a lot) I share it with those that want to hear it and put it out there in case someone else wants to glance at it later.

♥Another great article on this same website explains the benefits of having a support team to reach your goals. It is listing put 10 reasons to have one..... so, I included the link in case you want to take a peak.
fitnessforweightloss.com/support-team

  Well, it is getting late and I have 3 classes at 2 different YMCA branches in a few hours, meaning I need to wrap this up and get some sleep! Remember, I am here if you need me. I will be your biggest cheerleader and shoulder to cry on when things are seemingly out of reach.
                                                            You have a wonderful night!

Skills for a Healthy Lifestyle

  There is NO quick fix to weight loss. Bariatric surgery is ABSOLUTELY NOT one. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a complete moron! -okay, rant over.
  Gastric bypass is only a tool to lose weight. You don't wake up and have an amazing body! The part you wake up to, well, that is the part that takes a LOT of work to make pay off. You have to change everything about your lifestyle or the weight will never come off. Even if it does, at first, you will gain it back if you do not follow the rules and find the motivation required to maintain the loss.   Changing your lifestyle is changing everything from your behaviors to how you view your choices. It is hard to change. Easy to say, but, not so easy to really committ.  Afterall, if your weight is high enough to qualify for surgery then face the fact that your way does not work! Unlike an alcoholic or other addict, we can't just stop eating. You have to eat to live. So, it can be overwhelming.  There are classes you can take and support groups out there. I know it sounds crazy to sit in a room full of people and the words "Hi, my name is _________, and I am a food addict" sounds funny. But, there are people out there that lie to themselves and their loved ones about what and how much they are consuming. They may not even realize how much themselves.
  One of the first skills I learned was record keeping. You write down every tiny thing you eat. Every drink, every bite, all of it. There is to be no judgement when you finish the day and go "Oh my, did I really eat ALL that!"  Because it gives you a baseline. The very next day, you simply try to improve upon the day before. No harsh punishments. No berating yourself. Just improve. Once you have a goal in mind, you have the records to plan how to get there. By shooting for a goal you have a direction in which to take yourself. If you have gastric bypass it also is an excellent way to make sure you are getting in all your fluids and protein.  Also, if you have a pissy-pouch and are sick all the time it is a great way to know which foods to avoid.
  The next skill is environmental control. The American way of life is extremely unhealthy. We want it fried, we want it sweet, we want it now. We order through a drive through and down 1500 calories and don't even bat an eye. It is a pain to find fresh fruit or something low sugar low cal on the run. You have heard my gripe on that before. Even though gastric bypass limits the quantity you can eat at one time, it still has to be made up of good choices! If your desk drawer is filled with candy and chips, throw them out! You can not just do it at home. Those afternoon munchies come on hard and fast, last thing you need is to reach in your desk and shovel 300+ calories down your throat just to sit another few hours. Bad idea! Instead you control your enviornment. Keep protein bars handy, keep fruits at hand for that sweet-no guilt pick me up. If you know there are foods that you "can't eat just one" then don't eat any! Overeating is just as bad as the junk. When you control your enviornment from the start you don't have to depend on will power alone. Which honestly,  most people's will power sucks!
  Another skill is planning and problem solving. The ability to plan ahead is really important. Having food you can eat available is a must. Even if you haven't had surgery, who below your diet for some crap food? Example?  At work there is going to be pizza,  nachos,  etc. Okay,  those things are a huge NO NO! Bariatric patients get sick from fatty foods and dieters would have to spend hours in the gym undoing this one snack.  No thank you! So,  what do you do?  Bring foods you can eat. Nutritious and filling instead.  You can still join in, only modified. Yet another part of problem solving is involving your physical activity.  I sit at a desk for up to 12 hours a day.  So, planning my workouts ahead of time sets the expectation of what my day will be like.  When I have to work overtime I can rearrange my workout times instead of skipping them all together.
  Our sedentary lifestyles are adding to the numbers of patients suffering from heart disease, diabetes,  obesity,  etc. The magic pill everyone is searching for is EXCERSIZE!  Even light excersize before surgery significantly reduces your risk dor blood clots. It also decreases the risk of osteoporosis which unfortunately goes up when you have this surgery.  Ugh! But, obviously excersize burns calories. You have to burn 3500 more calories than you take in to lose even 1 pound! Plan for a minimum of 1 hour purposeful excersize daily! Purposeful meaning focused on moving your body beyond what you do in your normal work day!  Like taking a walk.... if your time is very limited then work it into your work day.  Example: take the stairs,  walk the long way around the office,  stand at your desk and do leg lifts or squats. Just a suggestion because it all adds up.
  Here are some basic facts about physical activity: In one study, patients who burnt 2000 or more calories in a week as well as kept records to monitor their food intake maintained almost 77% of their weightloss after 1 1/2 years without having to change anything else! Compared to people who only did about 500 calories worth of excersize and did not record their food who only maintained 26% of weightloss. Personally,  if I am going to work my butt off (literally) then I am going to do my hardest to maintain it. Easier to maintain than start all over!  Another fact I read was that Americans now engage in 75% less physical activity than their grandparents!  Oh heck no! I don't want granny lapping me! Sadly, only 2 states in the US have mandatory PE programs in the school curriculum. Meaning our kids need to move more too. Why not make it a family thing? My kids go with me to the YMCA and also we limit their video game and TV time. I can proudly say my boys were the only ones that passed every single Presidential Council on Physical Fitness Tests, and they have passed them all for the last 3 years! The percentage of students who can pass even simple tests has significantly dropped in the last 30 years.  I read more than 85% of children tested failed them all. In one state, less than 1 in 1000 could pass all 6 subsets! And people blame fast food for the huge increase in childhood obesity.  We need to get everyone moving.  There is no way around it!
  Excersize in general lowers mortality rates from heart attacks, stroke and cancer. It also lowers incidence of hypertension,  hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and obesity. Men who lead inactive lives are 3.4 times more likely to die and women 4.6 times. If unhappy thoughts and numbers are not enough to motivate you, how about the fact that increased physical activity slows the aging process. Hmmmm. We are a country obsessed with our appearances. Good looking people are more likely to be successful...if you don't believe me, Google it.
 
  On a happier now, I did find a few links that may be helpful in coming up with your own plan:

Healthy Eating: Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet & Sticking to It
www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

Discovery Health "7 Step Plan for Healthy Living"
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/preventive-care/seven-step-plan-for-healthy-living.htm

4 Ways to Plan a Healthy Lifestyle for Your Family
www.active.com/parenting-and-family/articles/4-ways-to-plan-a-healthy-lifestyle-for-your-family

  I could go on and on with facts and articles I have read, so I will end tonight by saying,  I am already proud of you! You are looking for answers and knowledge is power.  So, learn the skills,  make a plan and ask for help. You don't have to take this rough read alone!  Goodnight!