JULY 11. I hate accidents. Like falling off of my skateboard, or spilling hot chocolate on my white blouse. But some accidents can be beautiful, say, ending up at a really cool organic coffee cafe because my favorite shut down unexpectedly, running into a friend because I walked a different street home. Losing weight shouldn’t be a beautiful accident though. Because unfortunately, such accidents lead to not so beautiful: disappointment. If it’s by accident, there is nothing definable to trace the source of the success. What did I eat that made me feel so good? How did I lose the weight in a week, that I’ve been trying all month to lose? Why are my jeans loser? Why are my jeans tighter? Why do I have so much more energy today? These should have traceable! definitive! answers. Collecting scientific like “data” on ourselves can be both educational and!!! remarkably life / game changing. We become experts on our bodies and what makes us tick! How cool is that! How cool is that? Sounds boring right? Let me start by singing the praises of an App that has helped me see my calories and eating in a beautifully new way ( And Nope, I’m not getting paid a dime for the accolades sung here about this amazing app!).
Pure Purposeful Weight loss comes from knowing the facts! and shoot…it’s even FUN!
If someone had asked me years ago: How tall are you? I’d say 5’6. If they asked: How many showers did you take so far today”: “1”.What did you eat for breakfast? They ask. I might’ve answered “Bowl of oatmeal and 2 eggs” But if they asked me: “About how much oatmeal did you eat, was it a cup?… a half cup?”.. My answer would’ve been “I dunno” “How much protein in those eggs?” Silence. How much do you weigh?
:Dead Silence.
But If they asked me how much weight do you WANT to lose: I would’ve said without hesitating “Oh about 40 or 50 lbs”( I was actually closer to 75 lbs overweight).
How is it that there is a great disconnect between what we WANT and what we need to do to get there? Well, cease and desist. Disconnect no more. How much do I weight? Check! How much do I want to weigh? Check.Check. How many calories, protein, carbs-and the beloved- fat! do I need daily to get to my goal weight and (once you reset your current weight it will tell you how to) STAY there? Triple Check! = My Fitness Pal.
Please try this app. It’s as simple as typing what I eat and it does the rest, including surprising cheerleading notifications when I have hit a calorie or fitness goal I didn’t even realize I hit! How’s THAT for real motivation! The other bonus, it doesn’t praise you for eating UNDER your calorie goal. So there is no way of becoming obsessed with eating so little you “starve” yourself. It’s losing weight the healthy way, that yes, can even include: Eating! :O
Tips for Using Myfitnesspal.com (or honestly any calorie counter equivalent we fall or have fallen in love with):
Even when tired,log. I may have to do it later but then it’s harder to remember what I ate. I am always happier when I log right away. After awhile, I began to use my obssessive qualities to turn it into a game!Yes, crazy but it became fun. ‘Let’s see how close I get to my weight loss goal today!! Did I beat yesterday? YAAAY!….’
Use what’s already there. There are THOUSANDS of entries already in the app. Usually what I think is an obscure food brand. or “never visited by anyone else but me and my spouse” restaurant, is surprisingly, already in the app, along with the strange menu item I thought only I would think to order – “Chipotle restaurant salad bowl- no rice, beans, cheese,sour cream or guac- ” What? it’s already in the app!! really?! -So obviously, it’s a fitness app and I’m not the only”weird” one skipping the the heavier options! LOVE IT).
3. Use and overuse the Blog. There is a blog in the app called “HELLO HEALTHY” that has Years worth of REAL helpful tips. And by REAL I meant not cliché, “lose 5 lbs fast” tips. But even information that makes good common sense but opposite of what I’ve heard from many nutritionist in the years of health magazines and books I’ve read. Ironically? I have often read in the “Hello Healthy” blog comments about certain food combinations and effects that I had already experienced were true for me! crazy how that works sometimes?
Lastly, it has a long wonderful list of practical easy go to recipes, if you are learning how to cook healthy for the first time and you are short on time. I can’t praise it enough.
4.TRUST. If it works for 3 days, try it for a week…then two…then longer…If you are afraid of commitment the beauty of it is -there is none. But it WILL work and it HAS worked for me, even when I use it for a few days, got lazy, dropped it, gained weight, used it, lost the weight, dropped it, repeat, repeat. My point is, when I use it, it works whether it’s for 3 days or 3 years. It WORKS!!! Of course, the key is: with use. And Of course! respect of the calories!
ROXPIRATION365.COM 