I've realized what helps me stay on track, as far as my exercising goals, is to eat in a healthy manner. I've tried eating veggies & fruit with the slogans, "eat 5 a day" or "eat the rainbow", but what really helped me lose my pregnancy weight and keep exercising...was when I controlled the portions of my food.
It's easy and difficult at the same time. I know many people may not have access to this, but you can re-create it for free in your own home...
In the small town I lived in, there was a women-owned store where you could go assemble a month's worth of meals, freeze them, and pop them in the oven after work. The store-owners did all the prep, measuring, clean up and grocery shopping. It saved me time, grocery money, and best of all...I lost weight! For example, if I made a dinner with 3 chicken breasts and rice, with broccoli for a side...then that meal needed to last for a dinner-for-two plus lunch. There were no seconds. The recipes weren't fancy, but they were tasty!
It helped that I didn't have to think about food, I didn't have to wonder "am I hungry" (when usually I was just bored) after dinner. I assume that is some of what's behind Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and NutriSystem and those others advertised on TV. I don't think we have to spend lots of money on these weight-loss programs, when we can do our own portion-control at home: when making dinner, double the recipe, then spend the extra 5-10 minutes wrapping individual portions in foil for the week, to freeze and pop in the oven. Some restaurant-supply stores sell the aluminum pans that are freezable and oven-safe, so there are no extra dishes and it is *so simple* (granted, it is not as environmentally-healthy, but they are recyclable).
So, now that I've "trained" my brain, stomach...or whatever it may be..into what is a "portion", I feel healthier and more able to concentrate on walking and exercising...and I see the benefits of exercising, which is also a motivator.
Another idea: start a "cooking co-op" with neighbors. A few friends of mine made extra batches of food each week, and we traded nights, so one night per week we were "off" from cooking and dishes, plus we got a healthy meal that someone else made (doesn't that always taste better?!). Other families can help cook "correct" portion sizes, and you can even agree to try out new, healthy recipes on each other...make it fun!
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I've realized what helps me stay on track, as far as my exercising goals, is to eat in a healthy manner. I've tried eating veggies & fruit with the slogans, "eat 5 a day" or "eat the rainbow", but what really helped me lose my pregnancy weight and keep exercising...was when I controlled the portions of my food.
It's easy and difficult at the same time. I know many people may not have access to this, but you can re-create it for free in your own home...
In the small town I lived in, there was a women-owned store where you could go assemble a month's worth of meals, freeze them, and pop them in the oven after work. The store-owners did all the prep, measuring, clean up and grocery shopping. It saved me time, grocery money, and best of all...I lost weight! For example, if I made a dinner with 3 chicken breasts and rice, with broccoli for a side...then that meal needed to last for a dinner-for-two plus lunch. There were no seconds. The recipes weren't fancy, but they were tasty!
It helped that I didn't have to think about food, I didn't have to wonder "am I hungry" (when usually I was just bored) after dinner. I assume that is some of what's behind Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and NutriSystem and those others advertised on TV. I don't think we have to spend lots of money on these weight-loss programs, when we can do our own portion-control at home: when making dinner, double the recipe, then spend the extra 5-10 minutes wrapping individual portions in foil for the week, to freeze and pop in the oven. Some restaurant-supply stores sell the aluminum pans that are freezable and oven-safe, so there are no extra dishes and it is *so simple* (granted, it is not as environmentally-healthy, but they are recyclable).
So, now that I've "trained" my brain, stomach...or whatever it may be..into what is a "portion", I feel healthier and more able to concentrate on walking and exercising...and I see the benefits of exercising, which is also a motivator.
Another idea: start a "cooking co-op" with neighbors. A few friends of mine made extra batches of food each week, and we traded nights, so one night per week we were "off" from cooking and dishes, plus we got a healthy meal that someone else made (doesn't that always taste better?!). Other families can help cook "correct" portion sizes, and you can even agree to try out new, healthy recipes on each other...make it fun!
February 16, 2008 - 1:22pmThis Comment
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