Tips & Tricks Part 1 - General Information

Alright ladies, here we go! Hee, hee. No idea how many parts this will be, but what the heck I'll start with Part 1 and see where that takes us! LOL!

Not so fine print:
*Please note that I am not a health counselor and am only providing this for your information as there are quite a few of you that were interested. These tips & tricks will only pertain to the diet I followed & I will also offer personal tips & tricks I learned along the way that worked for me. Please also keep in mind that a visit to your Doctor before starting any dieting is highly recommended.*

1. For the weight-loss to start coming off you need to follow a rigid food plan (details coming soon). For the first few weeks your body will be adjusting to significant changes in calorie, carbohydrate & fat intake. You will be going from an eat-what-you-want-when-you-want type of attitude to a well-balanced, controlled approach to meal planning.

2. Support - You will require an extreme amount of support, especially the first week if not longer! I would highly suggest having a weight-loss buddy, or a close friend as your support person.

3. Water, water, water! Drink eight 8oz glasses of water daily. Start with a couple of glasses a day if you're not used to drinking water. I fill up a bottle and squeeze a fresh lemon in my water to take along with me during my daily activities. You will be able to drink diet pop, crystal light, mineral water, coffee & tea (or herbal teas), but these cannot replace your required water intake.

4. Special herbal supplements are taken daily as recommended by the weight-loss centre.(Details coming soon)

5. Food Diary - this is very important! It's what keeps you on track. I was so surprised that I kept up my food diary for so long. But, I had every detail of that food diary looked at on my visits to the centre. This is where a buddy will come in handy; this makes you become accountable if you have someone to keep track of your food diary.

6. Weight Loss Chart - I made a graph with the weight going up the left side and the week numbers along the bottom. Each week I would mark the chart and connect the dots. It is important for me to have a visual aid when I can't always see it in the mirror. This really helps on those days when you gain...you can just look at the overall line and it is heading down! :o)

7. It's important to find out the weight range ideal for your body type. Look here for information http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm

8. It's always fun to take a "before" photo. Be sure to note your starting weight & measurements. I was measured across the shoulders, neck, bust, under bust (bra line), bicep, waist (where it bends), hips, thighs, calves & ankles (amazing how much comes off the ankles!! LOL!).

I think that's it for now. Look for Part 2 in the next few weeks!

Thanks!

:o)

No More Huffing & Puffing!!

Wow! Monday night DH & I decided to bundle DD up and go for a walk! It was the first time we've been for a walk in a very, very, very long time!! It felt soooo good and the best part...I wasn't huffing & puffing like I used to! I felt like I was walking on the moon, I'm sure my heart loves me! LOL!

I then realized that I actually no longer huff & puff when doing normal activities (cleaning up, going up & down the stairs, etc.). My heart used to race so fast and I'd be out of breath so easy!! It's nice to be reminded once in a while of how far I've come in such a short period of time. I remember when I was in the walking group last year I'd be huffing & puffing trying to get my breath and wondering if anyone else noticed?! I kind of felt embarrassed as it seemed that no one else was having that problem.

I can't wait to get outside again for a walk! Eventually I would love to start toning up with weights like DH & I used to. We had such a good thing going then I got pregnant and things were just never the same. Well, I hope to change that and I hope that I will be able to continue an exercise program during my next pregnancy. (Whenever that may be!)

Along with sharing my Tips & Tricks, I have decided to include delicious recipes that are tried & true, so look for that soon! I can't wait to share all of this with you!

:o)

My Tips & Tricks for Losing Weight!

After hearing from many of you (thank you!), I decided to share my tips & tricks (if there are any! LOL!) on my blog that I used to help me lose my weight. I am so honored to have inspired many of you and I sincerely hope that you will find it within yourself to start the journey on the road to health. :o)

Look for my Tips & Tricks I will be posting over the next few weeks.

Thank you all for your kind support!

:o)

40LB WHOO, HOO!!

Wow! Today I finally hit my 40lb mark!! Though I am really supposed to be maintaining my weight, but sometimes this happens when food is added over a period of time. Sounds good to me!! :o) I am about half way through the "stabilization" period, then on to pure maintenance! I have been given more and more food to eat over the last few weeks. Some days I have a hard time trying to get it all in!! Shock!! I remember when I first started, it felt like I was eating nothing!!! LOL! I can't imagine eating MORE than this! It's great (as long as I don't start gaining!).

:o)