Thursday, December 31, 2015

Last journal entry for 2015

I don't feel guilty about what I have consumed today.  However, I have no idea how many calories I have consumed.  I had a lunch and that is my only meal.  I tend to eat irregularly during the holidays. Maybe it is time to eat more regularly before and during the holidays.  I have waited until after the holidays to consume foods.  I have made many mistakes along the way.  I already know what the mistakes are, but I have difficulty applying them to my "situation".  The issue is, however, I have made no plans to lose weight.  However, I have planned to make no resolutions.  That would be of help to me so that no pressure will be put on me.  I have broken every resolution to lose weight. Lately, I ended up feeling like a failure.  My attention span is short and I tend to have fears and doubts about losing weight.  I have a mindset that is all or nothing and I tend to not get help from others.  Those are the real issues that I have to face and deal with for I have dealt with and lived out the consequences of those actions.  I don't feel guilty about what I have consumed but learning from the past is something that could help in holding myself accountable.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Journal entry for 12/30/15

Breakfast
none

Lunch
tossed salad

Snack 1
none

Snack 2
cake

Snack 3
cake

Dinner
none

Snack 4
crushed pineapples

Oh boy, where do I begin?  For the past three days, that was mostly all I ate.  My diet is poor.  I can admit that much.  I have been completely honest in this blog.  I am now concerned that I will never change my eating habits, no matter how hard I try.  I would like to be one of those people who can and will lose weight and stick to it.  Losing weight is very hard.  It will be worth it due to the fact that there are advantages to losing weight and keeping it off.  In my appointment tomorrow, I will probably get a stern warning about my weight and possibly my lack of blood sugar readings.  I feel like I deservedly so.  Right now I realize that I have gotten too complacent despite the fact that I don't have amputated limbs or are in danger of having my amputated limbs.  How do I change a diet knowing that it is quite poor, especially on the holidays?  I guess that is a question that I have to answer for myself.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Journal entry for 12/29/15

If there was ever a time when I have to create a food journal, it is now.  I hope to learn how to consume healthier food and drink.  I admit that I have not.  In fact, I admit to eating poorly, very very poorly.  It will be a rather stupid thing to say, but I don't regret it in the least.  Well, I don't regret it at least for now.  How do I create a healthy food menu to follow during the Holidays, which is very hard to do?  It is a challenge but even with me, it can be done.

Breakfast
Cake
Candy

Snack
Cake

Lunch
Stuffing
Cheesecake
Turkey

Snack 2
Cake

Dinner
Macaroni and Cheese

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Food journal creation

Today I made a plan of what I plan to eat and drink tomorrow.  That is partly what a food journal should reflect.  I need to write that more often.  I have often been feeling down for a long time
and creating a food journal.  That could be helpful in losing weight.  My heart is definitely in it now.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Journal entry from 12/26/15

While I love the taste of cake, cake, and more cake, it doesn't hurt to consume more meats, breads, and vegetables.  I love coffee but I also have other things to drink as well.  I will create a better plan. I promise I will.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas!

If only I ate breakfast.  I found myself nauseated and tired before dinner.  I ate around 1:30-2:00 pm today.  Needless to say, the food was quite food.  I especially love the dressing and even the macaroni and cheese.  It was an acquired taste, but it had a nice smoky flavor.  It was overpowering however. Other than that, dinner was quite good.

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Creating a food journal

I have no idea how to write out how else to create a blog that sometimes have entries that often show samples.  It is true I don't know how to write a journal.  It is also true that a traditional journal is even harder.  I have learned, but I already know that my eating habits are poor.  Also, I didn't eat breakfast and lunch consisted of pieces of ham and turkey and also lots of homemade bread.  I have learned about not eating such an "irregular" diet.  I realize now that I should consume three meals, but several smaller snacks per day.  Considering that I am diabetic, this is something I need to do.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

What I ate for today 12/22/15

Breakfast
Devil's food cake with buttercream frosting - 1 slice
Coffee

Lunch
Cabbage with vinegar - 1 cup
Rice - 1/2 cup

Dinner
Cabbage with vinegar - 1 cup
Melted cheese sandwich
Orange Juice

This is all I have eaten for today.  I had no idea what to cook today.  I didn't cook today.  This has probably been the healthiest that I have eaten.  Healthier fare at least doesn't weigh a person down.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Re-post from 12/19/15

Today I tasted chocolate, devil's food cake (4 slices), and other flavors of icing and frosting today.  It was from this morning to this afternoon.  I realize that I am out of shape.  I should not be too tired whenever I clean up within a 20 minute span.  I should also spend some time doing so.  I have felt worse about myself than I have.  However, eating soup, a cheese sandwich, and some fruit doesn't hurt much either.  This would bring to mind that I need to create a more traditional journal about this, though I am not sure if I am ready due to the fact that I am concerned about being so honest.  Sure I have done so before, but it is based on the fact that other people would read this stuff.  That is something else I need to change.  My attitude is definitely something in need of an overall.  I will try to do the right thing because I am not so sure if I can do it..yet.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Reflection on today 12/19/15

Today I tasted chocolate, devil's food cake (4 slices), and other flavors of icing and frosting today.  It was from this morning to this afternoon.  I realize that I am out of shape.  I should not be too tired whenever I clean up within a 20 minute span.  I should also spend some time doing so.  I have felt worse about myself than I have.  However, eating soup, a cheese sandwich, and some fruit doesn't hurt much either.  This would bring to mind that I need to create a more traditional journal about this, though I am not sure if I am ready due to the fact that I am concerned about being so honest.  Sure I have done so before, but it is based on the fact that other people would read this stuff.  That is something else I need to change.  My attitude is definitely something in need of an overall.  I will try to do the right thing because I am not so sure if I can do it..yet.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Today's journal entry 12/18/15

I should feel sick by now.  I mean I should feel physically ill, with all of the cake and cupcakes that I have "sampled" today.  However, I also baked a sample of macaroni and cheese.  It was multi-cheese macaroni and it turned out well.  Having it topped with mozzarella was a nice touch.  This was eaten, all of it, this afternoon.  I plan to not eat anything tonight.  I guess I did consume too much of the devil's food cake sample and the lemon coconut cupcakes.  At least they turned out well.  The problem was I baked the cakes too long therefore drying out the devil's food cake a little dry.  On the other hand, I have no complaints taste-wise.  I did manage to eat some fruit and drank a little bit of coffee this morning.  It was okay that I wrote down coffee because I need to consume more water and also journal it down.  It also doesn't hurt to tell what time I actually consumed the food I ate and the water or coffee that I drank.  I don't feel bad about what I ate or drink.  I know that my diet was not healthy, but at least I am being honest.  That is the most important thing.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

How I truly feel

This was supposed to be a break post.  I have putting things off because of my lack of desire to lose weight.  It is time for me to write down everything and I mean everything.  My "dinner" was rather long.  I considered eating cereal, a banana, a cheese sandwich.  I forgot what else I ate, but I have learned never, ever to skip breakfast.  For lunch I had pizza and ice cream.  Yum, I realize, rather, know that healthy eating should be a requirement for me.  Eating healthier fare is what is best for me, but it has been a struggle.  How to overcome that would require accountability.  The problem isn't just the fact that my heart isn't in it, but that it is the holidays and it will be even harder to lose weight. I tried last year, and it did not work.  I just don't want to live on just hope, but on a common sense plan.  I am just tired of planning to plan, but I don't wish to suffer from a failure to plan.  I just want to have my heart in it.  I would like to have that more than anything which is ironic.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Creating a food journal

It is time that I start creating a food journal.  Today may be a bit too late.  However, I admit that not always eating healthy, so I guess it means that having "said" that, I would have to admit that my eating habits are poor.  I should not care, but the truth is, I do.  I have to know if my heart is truly into losing weight and keeping it off.  Right now, my heart just isn't in it.  That could be why I am having so much difficulty losing weight.  It also goes, and sometimes swing, up and down.  So far, my weight has slowly done down.  How?  That is a good enough reason to start a food journal.  I have questions that I need to answer regardless of what I eat and how I am eating currently.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Questions about creating a food journal

So how do I keep a food journal that would work for me?  What is a food journal anyways?  I need to realize that what I plan and what I journal during the course of a day does not have to be different foods from one another.  I don't journal drinks, which is something I know I need to do. It feels good not writing or pasting articles for a change.  I will have to put my heart and mind into creating a journal.  It may be easier than I think.

Monday, December 14, 2015

The Secrets to Weight Loss: Keep a Food Journal, Don’t Skip Meals, Eat In

The Secrets to Weight Loss: Keep a Food Journal, Don’t Skip Meals, Eat In
By Alexandra Sifferlin @acsifferlinJuly 13, 2012

A new yearlong study of weight loss in overweight or obese women identified three key strategies for taking off unwanted pounds. The No. 1 tip for success? Writing down everything you eat or drink in a food journal.


Also: don’t skip meals and avoid eating out at restaurants too often. Underlying all three strategies is a sense of mindfulness, the authors say — being acutely aware and accountable for every morsel you eat. “It is difficult to make changes to your diet when you are not paying close attention to what you are eating,” said study author Dr. Anne McTiernan, director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in a statement.

The study of 123 sedentary postmenopausal women aged 50 to 75 randomly assigned participants to one of two weight-loss plans: restricted-calorie diet only, or exercise plus diet. The women filled out a series of questionnaires detailing their dietary intake, any eating-related weight-loss strategies they used, meal patterns and other behaviors like eating out or food journaling. They also filled out a 120-item food frequency questionnaire to track dietary changes from the beginning to the end of the one-year study.

On average, women in both groups lost weight, about 11% of their starting weight, or 19 lbs., which met the study’s goals. But McTiernan and her colleagues noticed that certain strategies the women used were associated with more weight loss.

Full article from Time Magazine here.


Sunday, December 13, 2015

How to Keep a Food Journal that works

How to keep a food journal that works
“Where’s your food journal?”

If you’re one of my clients, and you’ve ever complained to me about lower-than-expected results, you’ve heard the above phrase.

The food journal is THE most important physical tool for a person trying to adopt healthier eating habits.

It offers so many benefits:

accountability to anyone you show it to (even if it’s just to yourself)
a track-record of what does or does not work for you
a sure-fire way to think twice about that second piece of cake
…and many more. These are just the obvious benefits.

If you’re taking on The 90% Challenge, I would highly recommend you start one of these bad boys up right now. It’s so helpful when you’re making new habits to record your progress. If for nothing else, do it so that you can look back on this day (literally) and see how far you’ve come!

The first thing I do when I want to get clients back on track after say, holidays, gastro-vacations, or an awesomely unhealthy weekend, is to pull out their Google Docs food journal and start seeing how they do with getting back on track.

Now, just an fyi here: This is not for everyone. If you tend to over-obsess about every morsel you put into your mouth, have a history of disordered eating, or are already insanely busy and just don’t know if you can add something else onto your plate, drop this idea right now. You can still be healthy without being obsessive or stretched to your thinnest point. This just may not be the tool for your particular tool box. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of others that will fit your personality better. :)

If you’re game, however, here’s the updated rundown of how to keep an effective food journal:

Source of full article (tips) here..

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Calorie Control Council's Sample Food Diary


Sample Food Diary
compliments of www.caloriecontrol.org
DAY: Wednesday, May 15, 2001
Breakfast
Calories
Fat (gms)
1 small plain bagel
170
0
1 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine
54
6
3 Tbsp. reduced-calorie jelly
18
0
6 oz. orange juice
83
0
1 whole kiwi fruit
46
0.3
Lunch
2 sl. whole wheat light bread
90
1
2 Tbsp. mustard
22
1.4
3.5 oz. smoked turkey
120
4
3 sl. tomato
12
0
1/2 c. lettuce
5
0
4 sl. pickle
18
0.1
2 oz. Swiss cheese
190
14
1 oz. low-fat potato chips
110
2
1 diet Coke
0
0
1 small apple
81
0.5
Dinner
2 c. spaghetti (cooked)
318
2
3 oz. meatballs
234
18
1/2 c. spaghetti sauce (meat flavor)
100
6
1 c. broccoli in butter sauce
80
4
2 small breadsticks
46
0.4
1 c. low-fat sherbert
270
4
1 c. 1% milk
102
3
Snacks
1 c. fruit low-fat yogurt
225
3
4 pieces melba toast
60
0.8
2 c. light popcorn
50
1
Total
Total
2504 calories
71.5 grams
Water Consumption: document the amount of water consumed throughout the day
Most health professionals recommend between 8 and 12 cups per day!
Check off the boxes as you drink your water.
Notes: Jogged for 60 minutes
You can also place any notes about how you felt thoughout the day (e.g., tired, lots of energy, etc.).
Additional Information
This is the place to compare you caloric goal (the calories you need to maintain or lose weight)
with the calories you actually consumed during the day. Please be aware that the "Weight
Maintenance Calculator" has already accounted for exercise if you chose the correct activity level.
You should also know that this is not an exact science -- your body burns calories
through normal bodily processes, such as breathing, working at your desk, sleeping, etc.
Calories Consumed Today:
2504 calories
(compare this number with your calorie goal -- or the number of calories needed to maintain or
lose weight)
Overall Calorie Goal:



2485 calories


Friday, December 11, 2015

Sample Food Diary

Sample Food Diary
Meal or SnackFoods and Beverages 
Consumed
AmountPreparation MethodFat Used
* Today’s Good Points:
* What I Can Improve:
Breakfast
(7:00 am)
Oatmeal½ cup cookedMicrowaveNone
Skim milk8 ounces
Slivered almonds2 Tbsp
Apple1 medium
Water8 ounces
Snack
(10:00 am)
Banana1 medium
Water24 ounces
Lunch
(12:30 pm)
Spinach salad w/ veggies3 cupsTossed1 tsp olive oil
Tuna canned in water Bean2 ounces
Vegetable soup1 cup
Whole wheat crackers5 crackersBaked
Water12 ounces
Snack
(3:00 pm)
Nonfat cottage cheese4 ounces
Mandarin oranges½ cup
Water16 ounces
Dinner
(6:30 pm)
Chicken breast, boneless, skinless4 ouncesGrilledCooking spray
Broccoli2 cupsSteamed
Brown rice1 cupSteamed2 tsp light margarine
Water8 ounces
Snack
(9:00 pm)
Lowfat yogurt Mango8 ounces
kiwi and strawberry slices1 cup

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Are Your Fitness Goals Realistic?

Are Your Fitness Goals Realistic?
Forget Failure. Set Yourself Up for Success!
By Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor

In life, we're told to dream big. Reach for the stars. Go for the gold. While I think everyone would agree that having big aspirations is admirable not to mention inspiring, you should take a more calculated approach when setting fitness goals. It may seem counterintuitive to start small, but remember that you want to set yourself up for success not burnout or injury.

Think about it. How many times have you or someone you know set a huge goal to lose 50 or more pounds, or exercise for an hour six days a week, only to fall off the wagon a few weeks (or days) later? The truth is that even when people have the best of intentions and the willpower to set out and do something grand, without a plan and a smart goal, they stumble—and are more likely to fail.

When you first set a goal, you're full of energy and completely motivated, but over time those feelings can wane and your overzealousness can push you to do too much too soon. The fix is to define a progressive set of fitness goals that build on one another to help propel you toward that big dream or aspiration. Breaking a big goal into smaller, realistic goals can help you both mentally and physically. This method can also help you improve your fitness level gradually and safely, which helps to build confidence.

The first step to setting realistic goals is to really think about your goal and write it down.

Full fitness article here.



Wednesday, December 9, 2015

How to Keep a Food Diary and Why

How to Keep a Food Diary and Why

By Jim F

how-to-keep-food-diary Many nutritional experts agree that keeping a food diary is critical to weight loss success. A food diary creates a conscious awareness of food intake and eating patterns.

After keeping a diary many people are often surprised at how that “occasional” big dessert turns out to be a regular occurrence.

While some factors such as age or genetics are outside of our control – we can make choices about what foods we eat.

Basic Guidelines for Keeping a Food Diary
Details you record could include:
What you ate or drank: Be specific and include everything.
How much: Size, volume, weight, and number of items.
Time: Time of day you ate this food or drank this beverage.
Where: What location were you in when you ate.
Alone or with whom: Were you by yourself or with others.
Activity: List activities done while eating (watching TV, driving).
Mood: How were you feeling before, during and after eating?
What is your purpose?
What you include in your food diary depends on which area concerns you the most.

If your problem is portions: focus on weighing and measuring everything you eat.
If you want to focus on a nutritious diet: record the nutritional components (fat, sugar, salt, etc).
(NOTE: There are some great on-line resources reviewed here).
If your problem is habitual eating patterns: Focus on recording time of day, where, with whom, and activity.
Emotional eating issues? Log your moods and their connections to eating patterns.

Link to full article

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

How to Keep a Food Journal

How to Keep a Food Journal
Writing down what you eat helps you take a critical look at your food habits and make healthy changes. Here are some tips.

Write down what you eat on three weekdays and one weekend day, using the following guidelines:

Record everything you eat and drink immediately.
Note what you're doing while you're eating―driving, watching TV, etc.
Describe how you felt while you ate: angry, sad, happy, nervous, starving, bored?
Be honest. It's a journal, not a newsletter, and no one has to see it but you.
At the end of each day, examine how your emotions affected your eating.
Every day, try to make sure that you're getting at least:

9 servings of whole-grain cereal, rice, or pasta (1/2 cup) or bread (1 slice).
5 servings of fruits and vegetables (1/2 cup).
3 servings of low-fat milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese (1 cup).
8 ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish or a nonmeat equivalent (1 ounce of meat = 1 egg, 1/2 cup beans, or 2 to 3 ounces of tofu).
Use the Food Journal Worksheet to keep it all organized.

Source

Monday, December 7, 2015

Nutrition: Keeping a Food Diary

Nutrition: Keeping a Food Diary
Instructions
The information you record in your food diary will help you and your family doctor design an eating program just for you. These instructions will help you get the most out of your food diary. Generally, food diaries are meant to be used for a whole week, but studies have shown that keeping track of what you eat for even 1 day can help you make changes in your diet.

How much:
In this space, indicate the amount of the particular food item you ate. Estimate the size (2" x 1" x 1"), the volume (1/2 cup), the weight (2 ounces) and/or the number of items (12) of that type of food.

What kind:
In this column, write down the type of food you ate. Be as specific as you can. Include sauces and gravies. Don't forget to write down "extras," such as soda, salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, sour cream, sugar and ketchup.

Time:
Write the time of day you ate the food.

Where:
Write what room or part of the house you were in when you ate. If you ate in a restaurant, fast-food chain or your car, write that location down.

Alone or with someone:
If you ate by yourself, write "alone." If you were with friends or family members, list them.

Activity:
In this column, list any activities you were doing while you were eating (for example: working, watching TV or ironing).

Mood:
How were you feeling while you were eating (for example, sad, happy or depressed)?

Read full article here.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Reflections on the past few days

I will do a more traditional food journal starting tomorrow.  I know that I have yet to write out anything from this past month.  However, it wasn't for a lack of trying.  I feel foolish in writing this, but I feel like I should quit.  It is as if I want to sabotage myself.  It is as if I am playing games with my health no matter what I do.  I am just frustrated at losing weight period.  I guess that it means I will have to rethink, retrain, and remind.  Losing weight is just as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one.  It has taken one on my psyche but I realize that taking a break from wanting to get healthier makes no sense whatsoever.  Losing weight is the easiest thing in the world says no one.