My Weight Loss Story

When I was gaining weight I never knew how much weight I had gained until I could not fit my clothes. I was constantly tired and did not have a lot of energy. I ate out most of the time. I did not eat in moderation. I ate what I wanted at all times. I began eating things just because I knew it was there. In some cases I knew I had a candy bar so I would eat it just because I knew that I could. Also, I became an emotional eater. I did not come to the final realization that I had gained a huge amount of weight until I was at a doctor's office and stepped on the scale.

Elementary School

I was a child involved in everything. I stayed active in dance class. My mom had me taking ballet, jazz, and tap dancing. So it did not come as a surprise that I was a very skinny little girl up to the age of about eight. My family and I went out to eat to  fast food places such as McDonald's but it was not an everyday thing.

Junior High School

I developed at a young age so I has curves by the age of 11. And I also began to gain weight. I was not getting the proper amount of vegetables so my doctor placed me on a fiber regimen for my digestive system to function properly. The doctor also noticed a darker pigment of skin color below my finger nail and used that to determine that I might be prediabetic.

High School

In high school I was curvaceous as well. I was sometimes picked on or even harassed by people because of my curves, but I embraced them because they made me different. During that time I weighed about 135-140 pounds at a height of 5'2, so I was slightly overweight. My eating habits consisted of eating a lot more junk food and eating out. I absolutely hated vegetables and my favorite fast food restaurant was Captain D's. Their specialty is fried fish.

College (First Two Years)

Okay so my school does  not have the greatest food, so the only thing I ate from the cafeteria was pizza, burgers, and fries. On nights when I had late classes and could not make it to the cafeteria I would order Chinese takeout and from pizza places. My roommate would always convince meet to split cheesy bread with her and I could finish an entire pizza by myself. I was eating out of control and not thing about it. But I suffered the consequences of my actions by gaining 30 pounds in two years. This weight gained placed me at 170 pounds my sophomore year.

College (Now)

I joined Weight Watchers the summer of my sophomore year. I joined because my mother had joined in the past and rejoined to lose weight once again. At first, she was hesitant to allow me join because I was at a young age, and she felt as if I would not take it seriously. But Weight Watchers motivated me to lose the weight and in 6 months I lost 50 pounds. I am 117 pounds and I have maintained for two years. I cook more, exercise more, and I am more conscious of what I eat.

Veggies are Awesome!!

A lot of people do not like vegetables. But there are a lot of fun ways to include vegetables within your diet in a fun way delicious way.

•  Broccoli and Cheese is one of my favorites. Of course I also believe that cheese makes everything taste a tad bit better, but of course in moderation. I will eat broccoli and cheese with a grilled chicken breast and a starch such as corn.

Sodahead.com

• Chicken and Vegetable Soup is another way to enjoy your vegetables. I tend to eat this for lunch when I am at school. I pair the soup with a  grilled cheese sandwich that contains low fat cheese, low calorie bread and sometimes a sprinkle of olive oil and garlic.

tasteofhome.com

• Chicken fajitas is a delicious meal that I love to make. It contains mostly vegetables as well. I enjoy this for dinner. I prefer to pair this with homemade salsa containing cilantro, garlic, salt, tomatoes, green pepper,onions, jalapeno pepper, a red pepper. Sometimes I like to throw in a mango for a sweeter taste.

tasteofhome.com

• A Vegetable omelet is a great way to start the day. I love anything with eggs so this is my ideal breakfast if I had time to cook in the mornings. This can be paired with anything. I probably would add something simple like a piece of toast with a low fat butter spread. And for an omelet I prefer to use egg white.

tasteofhome.com

There are of course many ways to enjoy your vegetables. These are only a few ideas that I hope are helpful. I have found that the trick to enjoying vegetables is to find a way to pair it with something you enjoy eating.

There are Many Ways to Exercise

So there are many ways to exercise. People exercise for different reasons whether tone the body or to lose weight or just to be healthy. Now, I exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle and tone my body. So listed below are different exercises and what they can do for your body.

Planking is a great full body work out. I really enjoy doing this because I am trying to tone my abs and this exercise does just that. Planking consists of holding your body up in the push up position on your elbows making sure that your back remains flat. I tend to do this three times during a workout in one minute intervals.

Picture :www.purefect.org

 Jumping jacks are another great workout. I tend to do jumping jacks as a warm up. It is a great way to tone your body as well. Jumping jacks consist of starting with your legs slightly apart and your arms by your side. You jump with your legs spreading outward and your arms leaving your side and coming up and outward and above your head. You then jump again and return to the starting position. This is repeated. I tend to do about 100 jumping jacks as a warm up.

Picture: http://www.ct.com/

                             

                                                                                       

                                                                    Squats are awesome for toning. For this workout you only need a low surface such as a chair or a slightly raised surface, such as step. Squats can be done with weights to do even more toning for your glutes and thighs. With squats your back is turned towards the chair with your legs slightly apart. If you are using weights your arms or not your arms are at your side in the starting position. Then you bend your knees keeping your back and core straight and pushing your buttocks back towards the chair, slightly tapping the chair with your buttocks. If you do not have weights, place your arms in front of you when bending. With weights, keep your hands at your side. Then raise back up to the starting position. I tend to do this in sets of 25 squats three times in one workout.

Picture from: http://www.infobarrel.com/

                                                         

 So these are only a few of many exercises that I incorporate in my workout. These exercises are simple enough to get started in exercising once again if it has been a while since you have exercised or if you just want to tone up your body or if you just want to live a healthier lifestyle.

                                 

Yes, There are Benefits to Exercising

As I mentioned before, going to the gym is not really my ideal thing to do; however, I have a gym membership so I am in the gym at least once a week. Being active does not mean you have to be in the gym (read my posting on being active outside of the gym). But being active is a necessary part of life if you would like to live a healthier lifestyle.

Benefits of Exercising:

• Keeps Disease Away.Exercising helps lower the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Lowers Risk of Obesity. Exercising gets rid of those unwanted calories and thus lowers the chance of being obese.
• Helps Lower Stress. Exercising can be used as a way to relax. And it can also help you feel better about yourself, and give you more confidence.
• Improves the Mind. There are studies  that show that exercising can help with depression and other psychological disorders.

Exercise At Home
Below is a video of some simple exercises that can be done at home.

 Video from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_HWEoGoxgI

Picture from: therunningshoesguide.com

Move Just A Lil' Bit

Do you like to exercise? Many will say yes, but my response is no. I have avoided the gym like the plague; however I have placed activities in my schedule that keeps me active but out of the gym.

Staying Active and  Out of the Gym

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. This is a great cardiovascular activity and is cheaper than buying an elliptical or stair climbing machine and you can still burn those calories.

• Walk everywhere. I tend to walk a lot. I live in a big city where public transportation can get expensive. Walking is free and can give you a workout. If my destination is in a two mile radius, then I am walking.
• Bike everywhere. My bike has been a great investment. In the city, in most cases, biking is faster than public transportation. I can travel anywhere in the city, free of cost, and also exercise. 
• Clean up the yard. Raking leaves, planting, and mowing the lawn are a few activities I grew up doing. Spending hours outside lifting and moving can be a great way to workout and burn those unwanted calories.
• Exercise while watching television. This is a great idea for people who always find themselves in front of the television. Moving just a little bit from arm circles to lunges is a great way to exercise. Or even challenge yourself during commercials to see how much exercise you can get done before your program resumes.

Exercise can be fun if you make it fun. Experiment with different everyday activities to see what works best for you.

Picture from: http://images.inmagine.com/img/photoalto/paa066/paa066000021.jpg

Blame It On the Food!!

Okay, I admit it. I like to eat. Being a college student, who is constantly busy, I never really have time to prepare food so I tend to eat out quite often; but,there are ways to eat out and still be healthy.

Tips On Eating Out:

• Many menus these days have a lower calorie section on their Menus. For example, Applebees' has a menu specifically for meals under 550 calories.
• Plan your meal beforehand. Many restaurants have their menus online.
• Look at portion sizes. You do not have to finish everything that is on your plate. Or you could always substitute your main dish for an appetizer.
• AVOID THE BUFFET!!

• Source: http://wikiality.wikia.com/All-You-Can-Eat_Buffet
• Also, when choosing your dish avoid meals that are fried or breaded. It is okay to choose the burger over the friend chicken nuggets.
• Do not suffocate your food in condiments such as mayonnaise and heavy dressings. Opt for oil or a vinaigrette dressing.
• As I mentioned in a previous post, water is your friend! Water is the best choice of beverage to have when eating out. Sugary sodas are wasted calories.

• Source: http://przman.com/eat/best-of/more-and-more-reasons-to-cut-back-on-soda/

Facts on Overweight and Obesity

I battled with the bulge starting in junior high school. I never knew that college would push me over the edge into obesity. I gained the freshmen 15 plus 15. Now with campaigns such as Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign, nutrition and exercise can be implemented at an early age.

Obesity Among Young Adults

At my biggest, I weighed 167 pounds. That is a lot for my small 5'2 petite frame. About two thirds of adults, ages and 20 and older, are obese or overweight. Over one third of adults ages 20 and older are obese, according to survey by  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What Does It Mean to be Overweight or Obese?
According to the National Institutes of Health, "overweight specifically refers to an excessive amount of body weight that may come from muscles, bone, adipose (fat) tissue, and water," and obesity "refers to an excessive amount of adipose tissue."

Overweight and Obesity by Age


Source:http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/



Are Diet Pills Safe?

Personally, I have never tried diet pills, but from what I have read they can be effective in a short-term kind of way. Diet pills were made as a supplement to diet and exercise.

How Do Diet Pills Work?

There are several different types of diet pills. These different types include prescription, over the counter, and herbal pills.

•  Prescription pills are prescribed by doctors and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Over the counter pills are made more readily available by being placed in drug stores and supermarkets. They are also regulated by the FDA. In the past most of these pills have contained  phenylpropanolamine, which they are now seeking to remove.
• Herbal pills can be food in the health food or  nutrition section of a store. The ingredients will read "all natural" on the bottle. They are not considered drugs but as health food products and are regulated differently by the FDA. They are regulated by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

What are the Dangers of Diet Pills?
So like any other pill there are side effects.Side effects can include constipation, cramping, insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth. In more serious cases for people who have high blood pressure and heart related diseases, diet pills can increase the rate of a heart attack or cardiac arrest. As with any drug, there is also a risk of dependency.

Friendly Reminder About Taking Pills
As a reminder, there are risks in taking any type of pill. It is recommended to talk to your doctor before taking any type of diet pill. Diet pills are drugs and like any other drugs there can be serious consequences if not taken properly.

Try This Intense P90X Workout

Through a co-worker I recently discovered this intense new workout called the P90X. In only 90 days, there is a guarantee that it will transform your body. They even have a nutrition plan in addition to the work out.

What the P90X Consists Of:

• Twelve Different Types of Workouts
• Chest and Back
• Stretch
• Plyometrics
• Core Synergistics
• Shoulders and Arms
• Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
• Yoga X
• Back and Biceps
• Legs and Back
• Cardio X
• Kenpo X
• Ab Ripper X
• Three Phase Nutrition Plan
• Fitness Guide
• Calendar
• Tracking Sheets
• Online Support

I will blog about this new intense workout and my experience as I start on the P90X.

Jennifer Hudson Did it the Healthy Way!!

http://weheartit.com/entry/8640481

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a very effective program. Even though I did the program before Jennifer Hudson I like to say that I did the J Hud to get healthy.

How Weight Watchers Works

Weight Watchers is a plan based smaller portions and becoming more active. Their mission is to help individuals lose weight in a healthy way and maintain a healthier lifestyle. The plan is simple. Track what you eat, exercise, and weigh in once a month.

How the Points Work

Weight Watchers has a scientific formula that is computed via a points plus calculator. The points plus formula for food is based off of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and fat. Your points for the day is based off of your weight and age.

Maintaining

Weight Watchers is very effective because it encourages short-term, realistic goals that pushes you to reach your long term goal. The guidelines that you learn through Weight Watchers does not end after weight loss. Weight Watchers has a maintenance program for life time members after they lose weight to reinforce the new lifestyle changes that were taught during weight loss.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/

Welcome

This is my first blog post. I am focusing on healthy weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle. From healthy ways of eating to new forms of exercise, individuals can look and feel healthy. Being "healthy" varies from person to person. So look out for new posts on testimonials, weight losss tips, and pictures of people who have successfully lost weight and have maintained healthier lifestyles.