Protein for Weight Loss

Here are 5 reasons that protein can help you with weight loss.

1. Protein Satisfies & Saves Calories: Protein is important at the start of weight loss because it helps you to feel fuller longer. Protein slows down digestion helping you to be more satisfied and less likely to go back for more.
2. It Curbs Carb Highs and Lows: Coming off a sugar high onto a sugar low can make food decisions regretful. Combining protein with carbohydrate-rich foods slows down the absorption of sugar from your stomach into your bloodstream, which may help keep your blood sugar from going up and stave off future cravings.
3. Protein Requires More Energy: The "thermic effect of food" (TEF) is the energy we use to digest food into small, absorbable components. The TEF in protein is higher as compared to carbs and fat so you're actually burning more calories to process protein.
4. It Fuels Fat Burning: It is a scientific fact that your body cannot effectively burn and use fat as energy if it doesn't have help from either carbohydrate or protein. While you are losing weight, your body loses both muscle and fat. It is important that you continue to eat enough protein in your diet during the process. Eating adequate protein fuels fat burning while preserving calorie-burning lean muscle.
5. Protein Promotes Muscle Repair & Growth: Protein needs increase after bouts of intense exercise so increasing your protein intake on days that you exercise is beneficial.  If you strength train consider a high protein snack right after a training session when muscle is sensitive to nutrients that it can use to repair and grow.

Eating more protein alone won't necessarily help you shed excess weight in a healthy way. When consumed in excessive amounts it can still lead to weight gain. Protein should be set to 20% of your total calories, which should be enough for the average person. 

Starting Over Again

I'm starting over, simple as that. For anyone who has been on a similar journey, there's no need for explanations.

I hate admitting failure of any kind, but I have allowed myself to get off track in the past few months and I have caused quite a bit of damage to my progress. I have gained a lot of my weight back and I am basically at the point of starting over.

I've started using My Fitness Pal again to track what I eat. Eating 1200 calories a day and walking a mile a day. I've managed to lose two pounds in less than a week.

My problem is making it stick in my head again. Once I get it made up in my mind that I want to be healthy and smart about my decisions, then I can do it. Until then, I'm entirely ruled by my emotions and cravings; eating when I'm not hungry and not controlling my portions.

If you've been following me so far on my journey I'm sorry for the temporary departure. I hope that sharing, not only my success but also my failure, has made me more human. I will do my best to make regular and more timely updates on my progress in the future.

Until next time, God bless!

Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight

Hallelujah!  There are foods that actually aid your weight loss efforts.  Better yet, in my research I have found some that I like.  Now I'm sharing them with you!  

Sunflower Seeds are full of mono and polyunsaturated fats, which help your body burn 23% more calories than saturated fat.  They're also loaded with protein and fiber which helps to keep you fuller longer.

Almonds contain mono-saturated fat which helps keep you fuller longer.  Additionally, foods that require a lot of chewing give you greater satisfaction.

Pears with their combination of water and fiber will fill you up and satisfy a sweet tooth.  In one study participants eating three pears a day lost almost 2 pounds in 10 weeks.

Watermelon with its high content of water keeps you full longer with few calories.

Spaghetti Squash is high in potassium and fiber and contains few calories.  It is a great swap for pasta.  I have actually used spaghetti squash in place of noodles and it is really good.  My guys like it too, which is a plus.

White Beans are low in fat and contain 4 grams of fiber per half cup serving.  Pureed, they can be a substitution for cream in soups.

Eggs eaten for breakfast in one study showed that dieters felt fuller longer and lost twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel.  Eggs aren't just for breakfast, try adding them to a salad to give it staying power.

I will continue to search and share new and delicious finds with you.  I hope you are as excited as I am to try new and healthier options.  As always your comments, suggestions and questions are welcome!

God bless!

Finding My Power

Someone shared the following quote on Facebook today and I have made it my new motto:

"You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself."

Glinda in The Wizard of Oz

When I read the above quote today something clicked inside my head.  I have always had the power inside of me to change my health for the better.  I just had to believe it.  And nothing is more empowering than progress.  As of today, I can report that I have lost two more pounds bringing my total loss to six pounds since returning home from vacation.  

This new journey is not easy; but what is that old saying?  "Nothing worth having ever came easy."

Getting a handle on my eating habits has been easier than increasing my activity levels.  My biggest problem is lack of energy.  At the moment I am really battling my insomnia.  No sleep equals one very sluggish woman.  However, I am aware that regular exercise will produce more energy and boost positive emotions; so I'm going to start putting one foot in front of the other and pushing through.  Hopefully my sleeping will improve as well.

Speaking of exercise, I promised that I would keep you all apprised of my Zumba experience.  I was very optimistic and excited about trying it.  But I really should have considered how terribly uncoordinated I am before I ordered the DVD.  I suffered a temporary lapse in judgement; I forgot that I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.  That being said, I'm not giving up.  I'm just going to move and try to have fun at the same time.  Like I've said before, if I don't like it, I won't do it.

Before I go, I want to share a few tips/tricks that I am finding helpful.  Maybe they will work for you too.

• Munch on Crushed Ice:  This keeps me from looking for something to eat between meals.  Added benefit; I'm upping my water intake.
• Brush Your Teeth or Chew Minty Sugar Free Gum:  Brushing my teeth or chewing minty sugar free gum will temporarily cause foods/treats to taste bad.  
• My Fitness Pal:  As I mentioned in my earlier post, at http://www.myfitnesspal.com you can sign-up for a free account and journal your meals, exercise, and progress.  I can't recommend this tool enough.  It is essential for me to keep track of my calories so that I don't get off course.

It is my hope that sharing my journey will encourage others who are struggling.  I am by no means a professional. There are going to be ups and downs and I am going to make mistakes along the way.  But I feel like I have finally found my power.  I encourage you to search within yourself and find yours too.  It's there, you just have to believe it!

Until next time, God bless!!!  :)

Little Victories

I lost four pounds this week - whoop, whoop!!!  Everybody do the happy dance.  I know I did when I saw the numbers on the scale.

I have finally found my groove again.  I started swimming laps this week.  I have only been able to do ten and that has been a great challenge.  This old girl isn't used to that much exertion yet.  I had to take more than a few breathing breaks during those ten laps.  It feels good though to be making an effort and a change.

Today, when I did those laps I was able to take fewer breathing breaks.  I took that as a sign that I'm building my endurance and soon I will have to add some laps.

I also made some adjustments to my eating.  I am trying to eat less.  I haven't put myself on a real restrictive diet.  I don't do well with eliminating foods.  My main goal at this point in time is to eat less and move more.

I think the fact that the scale showed a four pound loss this week indicates that this plan is working for me.  I am really encouraged by this small victory, which to me seems bigger than it probably does to those of you reading this.  I have been struggling for so long to get my mind back in this place.  The place where I feel I am in control.

I also ordered a Zumba DVD.  I just received it in the mail yesterday and I am looking forward to checking it out.  My hope is that it will be a fun form of exercise that I can switch up with my swimming workouts.  It's important for me to find exercise that I will enjoy.  If I don't like it, I won't do it.  It's just that simple.

I'm really excited and I want to encourage anyone out there who is struggling to just hang in there.  Try something new and don't beat yourself up.

I'll let ya'll know how the Zumba goes!

God bless...

Still Don't Have My Groove Back

Sunday was Mother's Day.  You know what that means - treats I shouldn't eat right under my nose.  Of course I resisted - NOT!  I ate everything  that wasn't nailed to the kitchen counter.  It's very frustrating to have no self control.  

I'm very tired.  I feel like I have cement in my extremities.  It's an effort just to breathe.  I don't want to feel this way anymore.  I want to feel light and energetic.  I don't want to be trapped in this over sized body the rest of my life.  Scarier still is the thought of how short my life will be if I don't shed this over sized body.

So, why can't I get this right?  Why am I stuck on this roller coaster of overeating and eating the wrong things?  Why can't I get motivated to do the right things?

It's not like I don't know what to do.  I'm not stupid.  I know the right things to eat, I know I should exercise.  I have known most of my life the right things to do.  Worse, I know what could happen to me if I don't do something about it.  I have heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol chasing me down.  My father has had open heart surgery twice, he has type two diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure and he isn't really overweight.  The doctors have told him these things are in his genes.  So my being overweight only makes these things more likely for me.  

You would think knowing these things would somehow "scare me straight."  Still, all I want to do is drive to the nearest fast food joint and fill my face with fried food.  Why?  I really don't know.  I truly don't want to be this person anymore.  

So, today, I start over again.  

Craving

So, I've started reading the book, "Made to Crave," by Lysa Terkeurst. Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food  So far, it's making a lot of sense to me.  The gist I'm getting so far is that I need to transfer my cravings for unhealthy food to a craving for God.

There is a helpful review at the end of the chapters that helps you answer questions about yourself.  I'm finding it very insightful.  I will let you know as I progress through the book how it goes.

I've prayed, actually pleaded, in the past that God would take away my desires to eat unhealthy food, eat when I'm not hungry, eat just because everyone else is eating, eat when I'm happy, eat when I'm sad, eat because I'm nervous, eat when I'm angry, eat just because it's there, and on and on and on.  I think you get the idea, this list could go on for days.  What I haven't tried is praying in the midst of the temptation.  It's usually after a full blown binge or late at night after a day of feeling really bad about myself for having no self-control or just after trying on 10 different items from my closet that are too tight.

So, I'm going to try it.  I'm going to start praying in the midst of the storm.  When I feel the cravings for that candy bar that's screaming at me while I'm in the check-out line at the store, I"m going to pray.  Before meal prayers are now going to include, "help me to know when I'm full and I need to stop eating."  I'm even going to pray when I grocery shop that God will help me to resist buying unhealthy food.

I'll let you know how it goes.  As always, pray for me, I'm going to need it.