Weigh In Wednesday

Every Wednesday, I plan on sharing my experiences in losing weight, becoming healthier, and more fit. I'm not only going to brag about myself,(sorry, I'm just so proud of myself) but I will also share some tips with you, just in case if you'd like to join me in my journey!
A little bit about me....
I started my makeover on May 1, 2008. Did you notice that I called it a makeover, and not a diet? That's because I'm not on a diet! This is a makeover because it is a lifestyle change, I want my results to stay!

**This week I lost 3 lbs.**
**That brings my total amt. of weight lost to 27 lbs. lost!!!!**
**So far, I have lost 6.5" off of my waist, 4" off my Hips, 3" off my thigh, 4.5" off my bust, and 1.5" off my calf!**

So, you're probably asking, "How did you do it?" And I have to admit it, it has been a long, and hard road! Every week I will give you tips, about how I did it.

Tip #1
You've really got to want it! I have tried dieting many times in my life. And every time I'd start a diet, I'd do really well for a couple weeks, or maybe a month or two, then I'd get frustrated, and quit. Then, a couple months later, I'd gain the weight back, plus some! This time, it is different. This time I really wanted to lose the weight - body, mind, and soul. I told myself repeatedly, that, " I can do this!" And guess what, I did! Now I have the will-power, and " I can do anything, that I set my mind to do!" Even when I get frustrated, when the scales don't move, I still stay focused, keep on going, and stay focused on my goal! I tell myself, "I'm not going to quit, I can do this!" I also would try closing my eyes, and visualizing myself the way I wanted to look. Giving myself a talking to, and repeating these mantras to myself, helped me to stay focused, and definately altered my outlook. I tried my best to not ever bad-mouth myself, and I tried focusing on the positive, and not the negative. All in all, you have to literally RETRAIN YOUR BRAIN!
So my advice to you right now is to start motivating yourself now! Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!

Tip #2
My biggest piece of advice is to start small, give yourself small goals, and take baby steps! Some examples: Day 1 - Try to not get seconds at mealtime. After you achieve that goal, set a new goal like, I'm going to park at the furthest parking spot in the parking lot. Or try drinking more water, everyday replace 1 soda with one bottled water, until your drinking atleast 3 bottles of water a day. Ect. Ect.
Don't: Say I'm going to start my diet tomorrow, and then starve yourself! It won't last, and it won't work, you'll be right back where you started.

Tip #3
Start eating a healthy breakfast!
I was always told that " Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but still, I used to always skip breakfast. I thought, " Oh, it's less calories by not eating breakfast, so I'll lose more weight." But, that is not true! Whenever I'd skip breakfast, I'd end up eating more at lunch, and dinner, then I'd end up snacking at night while watching tv, and the pounds packed on! Eating breakfast not only revs up your metabolism, but also keeps me more balanced, so that I don't over eat for the whole day!

Tip #4
Start writing down everything that you eat, or drink! You could also write what time it was, what you were doing while you were eating, where you were at. what kind of mood you were in, and how you felt after you ate.
This will help you see what your eating patterns are, so that you can identify the problems, and fix them. I journaled what I ate in a small purse sized notebook, that I purchased for just over $1 at wal-mart. I carried it with me, wherever I went for about a month. Whenever I wasn't at home, and didn't have time to journal, I'd just take a few minutes to quickly jot down what I ate. I would highly recommend doing this if you are serious about losing weight!

That's all for today, but stay tuned, because next week, I'll give you more tips!