Food is not an emotional pacifer! Food is fuel for my body!

Journaling and Counting Calories the Key to Weight Loss!!

Been busy counting carbs? Eating low-fat foods lately? According to a new study, it doesn’t matter what type of diet you’re on – what matters is that you’re keeping your calories in check . Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, the study followed more than 800 overweight adults who were placed on one of four heart-healthy diets, each of which mixed carbs, fats and proteins in different amounts. What does this mean for you? Calories are what count , no matter how you get them. However, that doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want so long as you stay in your calorie range. You want consume the right amount of calories for weight loss along with eating the right balance of carbohydrates(40-70%), protein(30-40%) and fats( 15%), focusing on including whole foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources and healthy fats. It isn’t healthy to consume the calories you need just from low-calorie, low-nutrient value foods – you want to be sure the foods you consume are loaded with nutritional value. Dieters who received regular counseling and support during the study lost more weight than those who didn’t. A community to support you makes you realize you are not in this alone.  Keep a food journal. One of the largest weight-loss studies conducted found that a food journal can help double your weight-loss results. By keeping track of what you eat – including snacks – you hold yourself more accountable. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to see everything you’ve eaten throughout the day, including that candy bar you might have otherwise forgotten about.

This is how I lost 150 pounds. Journal, Journal, Journal, this is the key to weight loss and maintaining it. Another is by giving yourself time to accomplish your goal. You didn't gain weight overnight; you won't lose it overnight, either. If you're holding onto an unrealistic expectation about how quickly you can lose weight, you'll either be discouraged and frustrated because it's taking longer than you think it "should," or you'll delve into drastic measures to lose the weight faster, such as starving yourself, purging, or overexercising. This is being kind to yourself, allowing time for changes to manifest. It's nature's way - growth and change take time.