First I would like to say thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read my blog and especially to those who have left comments. Being that most comments were left in regards to the “Im so tired..” blog, it makes me feel uplifted that there are other people (even complete strangers) out there that can understand, sympathize, support, and offer helpful advice. One particular gentleman could not get his comment to post and so I am posting it in my blog because he took the time to write it and I found it particularly helpful.
He wrote:
nice blog btw. saw that you are having problems with diets. i ran an organic cafe and health food store for several years and would suggest staying away from anything that has “Diet” in the name. they are all scams are don’t give you any long term benefits. A lot of the diet products have chemicals (aspartame, msg, etc.) that actually make you hungrier so you buy more products. they also make you addicted and sick. without getting into a long winded discussion about drugs and surgery and the pitfalls, i would suggest the following ten steps to get you rolling. there are many more but these should help.
1) Drink 6 – 8 filtered glasses of water each day including one when you first wake up in the morning. 2) Eat organic and as much raw fruits and vegetables as possible. 3) Stay away from fast-food and chain restaurants – their food is full of chemicals. bring or make your own food! 4) Take a whole food supplement (i.e. garden of life). Stay away from most vitamins – they are made in laboratories.
5) Take digestive enzymes at each meal, especially if you are not eating any raw foods. (enzymatic is good). Also detoxing your body may be great! Doing a master cleanse or such may be a great way to start.
6) Don’t eat after 7 pm (or as close as possible)
7) Eat a large breakfast and small dinner and eat when you are hungry and don’t eat if you are not! 8) Make sure you have Omega fats in your diet (wild salmon, flax oil, flax seeds are good sources)
9) Keep your PH of your body balanced. Eat foods that will help to balance your PH of your body. Disease cannot exist in a perfectly balanced body. You can buy PH balance by enzymatic that will help you or get a chart that lists the foods that are akalaine vs. acidic and try to balance it that way. This might be the most important step!
10) Sleep 7.5 hours a day (5 sleep cycles), walk 45 – 60 minutes a day and focus on your breathe when you are stressed. There are many more things you can do but this is a start. You will probably lose 10 pounds in your first month doing these simple things, even if you only do 3 or 4 of them. Check with your physician before doing any of this, though, just in case you have medical condidtions that might interfere. Peace, Joy & Love,
Madzen
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First of all, thank you! So many things there I didn’t know! I completely agree that “diets” of any form are scams. I just think that it’s a shame that people like me get so frustrated and tired of being overweight that they feel they have no where else to go but to waste money on “diets”. I am happy to report though, that since I posted that blog I am 35lbs and many sizes less of a person and I am still losing. There are a couple of things that I will credit my weight loss to. One of them may be surprising, based on what I just said about diets.
First, I got it out of my head that a “diet” was going to help me lose weight. I stopped counting calories and I stopped depriving myself of foods that I enjoyed the most. One night while watching TV, I happened upon a fellow from Europe name Paul McKenna that was talking about things that people could do to lose weight. I did not think that this was the ultimate answer to losing weight, but I watched his program and really thought about what he said. One of the things that stuck with me was “eat only when your hungry and when you think you might be getting full – stop”. This might be normal for people that don’t have a problem with their weight, but for the rest of us who enjoy food or eat for reasons other than hunger – it’s alot harder than it sounds. He also pointed out that watching tv or reading while eating a meal distracts us from the flavor of the food and results in a “shoveling” eating manner. He advised putting the fork and knife down in between bites and actually taking the time to taste the food. So, I took to heart the things that made the most sense to me and seemed easy enough to do. The best part of that was whether or not it worked or failed – it didn’t cost me any money. Doing these small things actually changed my mindset about food. I stopped thinking about food all of the time. I stopped thinking that I had to eat everything that was in front of me or that if I didn’t eat everything that was offered, the world would change tomorrow and there would be a huge food shortage and I would regret it (yes, this thought actually crossed my mind).
The rest I will attribute to good ol fashioned diet and exercise. I joined a gym – Curves to be specific. Doesn’t take alot of time out of my day, it’s all women that are pretty much in the same boat as me, the hours work and I can go when I want. Getting to the gym is the hardest step, but once you get there and start exercising consistently, it gets easier and you find that you are more willing to participate in other activities. After a couple months at the gym, I took up kayaking and frisbee. I take my dog for regular walks and actually enjoy it. The best part is that I am more willing to do outdoor activities with my 7yr old nephew. The diet part is not so much a “diet” but more like eating healthier. While I would love to eat more organic, the truth is that for me it is just too expensive. But, I did start eating “fresher”. I started cooking alot more and with fresher ingredients. I included alot more fruits and vegetables in my meals so that when I do get hungry – I am eating foods that are better for me. I found that after awhile I did not want to eat out or eat junk. I stopped eating chips and sweets and the majority of packaged foods because I just didn’t have a taste for them anymore. Fortunately for me, I happen to love water and have always been able to drink alot in one day. Thank goodness I don’t care for soda and I only drink one cup of coffee in the mornings, 5 days a week. I will say that if I start to feel hungry again shortly after I have already eaten, I will drink water and the hunger goes away.
I know that not everyone can do this, but I did change my life which is what prompted most of this. I was in a very stressful relationship. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the overwhelming stress and general unhappiness led to alot of my weight problems. Not only have I lost weight, but my self esteem and general well being has improved too.
So thank you everyone for your support and advice, it is certainly most appreciated!!
