WEIGHT LOSS:


Pounds, weight, fat.... These are probably three of the scariest words in the English language. With America getting fatter and fatter, we are constantly bombarded with pressure to lose weight. Well, I can tell you, I have fallen for it. I decided it was finally time to do something that had I had wanted to do for so long. I have just come out of a very stressful time in my life, and I needed to make drastic changes with how I feel about myself. For so long, I have wallowed in my own pity, wondering why I did not have the body I wanted. Before I go any further though, I would like to admit that I was never really fat. I was "chunky" and it got to the point that I would hate going out because I felt so uncomfortable with myself. This was part of the reason I starting seeing a counselor. I had the worst self-esteem. I have tried many times to just be happy and ignore my body, but there came a point about a month ago where I decided to change. I have learned that we are all in charge of our own happiness. It took me a while to grasp that concept, but I think I finally have. I have decided to share my little adventure with you.


I made a plan. I printed out a chart to track my weight loss, and I made a list of restricted foods.
So.... here is my secrets. 




NO SUGAR.
That's right. It was so hard for me because I loved chocolate. I ate some everyday, and if someone made sweets, I lacked the self-control and vision I needed to say "no." So I decided to quit cold turkey and cut out sweets completely. 


NO FRIED FOODS!
America, did you hear me? STOP WITH THE FRENCH FRIES. I am a sucker for french fries, fried chicken, and all that good deep fried goodness. I cut out chips, fries, breaded chicken, etc. Who needs this extra fat? A pound of fat is not worth 10 minutes of enjoying a deep fried snack. Whenever I get a craving for something like this, I try and choose a baked snack. One thing that has helped me has been to just stay completely away from places that deep fry their food. I just get rid of the temptation. 


WHEAT. 
Now, I love white bread. And I still eat it sometimes. But I have tried to replace white bread with whole grains. You get so much more for your buck this way. The problem with most white bread is hidden within the ingredients list. ALWAYS check the ingredients. If it says "bleached" or "enriched" flour, even if it says its wheat flour, it is pretty much telling you they sapped all the nutrients out of the bread to make it nice and fluffy and delicious. You want to aim for a bread that is pure wheat flour and plenty of whole grains. Here's a little nutrition for you. Wheat bread usually uses the entire wheat grain. White bread only uses the small inside portion of the grain, which is called the endosperm. The real nutritional value is in the whole grain! Don't sell yourself short. 
Also, I decided to substitute white rice for brown rice. It is much healthier for you. Remember that starch is fine, but by eating too much of it, it turns to fat. (corn, rice, potatoes, etc). 


NO SODA:
I don't need to explain myself here. Just don't. 


EXERCISE.
5 days a week. It took me a while to work up to this. I started with a couple days a week, and now I am working out for an hour a day, 5 days a week. Make sure that you try and do both strength and endurance. I do at least 30 minutes of cardio. I also like to switch up my routine once in a while. I will sometimes go do my rounds at the gym, sometimes I will go to a yoga class or go on a long walk on days where I was tired. Either way, I got my heart rate up and I am reaping the benefits. 




Now here's the fun part. The before and after. Let it be known that I have not reached my goal weight. I still have a ways to go and my plan is a little slower than a lot of fad diets, but I'm not just changing my weight, I am completely changing my lifestyle. I am not only getting skinnier....I'M GETTIN' HEALTHIER!




Before: 156 pounds

AFTER......... 142 POUNDS!

:D Life is good.