Debate: Weight Loss Deadline — Yes or No?

This week is week four of five on 35 Day Challenge: Drop One Dress Sizes in 5 Weeks. I have a confession to make. The scale has stop moving since April. My diet is quiet a mess during this challenge and I barely exercise. I hope to produce some weight loss result this final 2 weeks.

Do you make sure you get to a weight loss goal by a certain date? .

I want to be at least 54 kg by my next birthday on November. That means I have to shed at least 20 kg in 4 months. That is a lot of weight! But setting a date for a weight loss goal create a sense of urgency. It's a great motivator and gives me reason to get started, and work hard to achieve the goal. Weight loss deadline is also a measure to say how far I have to go toward reaching that goal.

Birthday goal is not my first deadline this year. To be honest, I have setting several specific weight and date goal before.

Chinese New Year is only 8 weeks away!!! I need to lose at least 10 kg before February!

and….

I have friend's wedding coming up! I need to lose 7 kg by 4 weeks!!!

Sound familiar? I had a great idea, got all excited, envisioned the result but when the date is getting closer, I  would start to slip up more and at the end of the day I failed to meet the deadline. I would feel like a complete failure. I would give up and chuck the whole thing. After some time, I move on and try to meet a new deadline again.

Is deadline necessary for weight loss? Or is it 'you will get there, when you get there' and just be patient and make healthier changes that you can keep forever? Let's debate.

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Ways to Develop a Healthy Relationship With Food

This is a guest contribution from Katie.

Hi everyone! I'm Katie and I blog over at KTJ Weighing In. I've been overweight my whole life and now I'm finally taking the steps to live a healthier life. I'm so excited that I was asked to guest post here today and share with you all! So thank you Honeybee!

It takes a long time to change your eating habits. I'm a work in progress and slowly but surely I'm learning how to eat again. It feels like I have to reprogram my brain to know what a healthy portion size is and for what foods to avoid. It is a daily struggle, but I know it will definitely be worth it in the end!


Repeating "it's not worth it" when I'm tempted by foods really helps. And when I have that great feeling of accomplishment after seeing a loss on the scale I am happy with those choices because the bad food really isn't worth it.

So, some of what what I'm doing to have a healthier relationship is to track my food. To be aware of my weak areas, to know what I'm eating daily. Work on changing habits a little at a time. Focus on one change a week, then build on that. Packing healthy snacks and having them with me so when temptation hits I can curb that hunger with a healthy alternative. 

I have a lot of weight to lose. It can be overwhelming thinking about how far I have to go, but a good reminder from one of my favorite weight loss books, "Finally Thin" by Kim Bensen is:

"If you are extremely overweight, remember, there is a real blessing to having a lot of weight to lose. Why? By the time you reach your goal, many of the new healthier habits will be ingrained because you've practiced them for a longer period of time. You'll be one step ahead in your maintenance."

There are plenty of diets that can give you a quick fix. Promise that you will lose x pounds in x amount of time, but to really keep it off, to really change your life, you need to change your habits. You need to learn to create a healthier relationship with food!

I'm still learning! I'm not an expert at all, but this is what I'm trying to do. The key is to not change everything at once. Start little and then build on that. One step at a time!

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How to Get Social while Keeping Your Diet Intact

This is a guest contribution from Elizabeth.

I'm not going to lie, staying on your plan (whatever that might be) when eating out or going to parties and other social events is not easy. This is something I've always struggled with myself. However, over the last three years of losing more than 150 pounds, I've found a few things that help me.

1. Seven ways to Stick to Your Diet When Eating Out

If I know I am going out to eat at a certain restaurant, I look up their nutritional information online before going. This way, I can plan my meal and fit it within my calorie budget for the day. Many restaurants now have that information online. If it's a last minute dinner, you can't pick the restaurant, or you can't find their nutritional information, then there are a few ways I handle this: 

• I order water or unsweetened tea to drink. You can waste hundreds of calories if you get soda and keep getting refills. 
• Skip the appetizer or bread. Or, if you do have bread, limit yourself to one piece of bread or one roll. 
• If you like fish, check out the menu for baked or grilled fish. Avoid things that are fried. 
• Chicken dishes are often a good choice, or you could also get a small steak (6oz). 
• Pasta dishes are usually tons of calories and I've seen some that are 1,200 calories per plate, so avoid those. 
• Order a healthy side, like a steamed vegetable. Avoid loaded baked potatoes or french fries. 
• If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to 1 glass of wine or beer. Don't get one of those drinks big enough to fill a bathtub. ;)

2. Another Tips to Survive Parties and Social without Sacrificing Your Diet

If it's a special occasion and you do splurge, don't fret. One meal out isn't going to make or break you, so if it's your birthday or other special occasion don't worry about it. Don't use every occasion you eat out as a reason to overindulge though. It's always someone's birthday or anniversary or some holiday. I don't eat out a whole lot, but when I do, these are things that have helped me stay on track.

{ source }

When you're attending a party or other function, try to find out what kinds of foods will be there. You can even enter them into your food diary or log (I use Sparkpeople's food tracker) before you go to help you stay on track. If it's an occasion like a wedding, of course let yourself have some cake. Just don't overdo it on drinks. Drink a lot of water to help fill you up.

3. Tips for barbeque season

For occasions like barbeques, you could have a hamburger without the bun to save calories, and just limit your portions of things like macaroni or potato salad. I know it's hard when you're at a picnic and everyone is snarfing down hot dogs like there is no tomorrow, but you can enjoy yourself without overdoing it. What works for me is to make sure I've eaten healthy all day beforehand. If you're starving when you get there, you'll end up eating way more. Sometimes everything looks good, but you know how BBQs are. There is usually SO much food. So, I will let myself have a spoonful of each thing. For instance you could have one tablespoon or so of potato salad, 1 hot dog or hamburger without a bun, a small amount of chips and dip, and a small amount of dessert. Eat a tiny piece of cake and 1 cookie if it's a situation where there are tons of desserts and you'd like to try different ones.

If I am asked to bring something, I try to bring something healthy, like a bowl of fruit salad, or a nice green salad. Then I can have a big bowl of fruit or salad to fill me up so I am not as tempted to eat junk. One thing that also works is not hanging out by the food table. Move away when you're done getting your food.

I know these situations are tough, so have a talk with yourself before you go, and remind yourself of why you want to eat healthy. Will overindulging be something you regret the next day? Think of your goals and your health and remind yourself of how unhealthy certain foods are, and that you really don't need them to be happy. You can have your cake and it eat too, you just can't have the appetizer, huge main course, bread, drinks, AND the cake. :) It's all about balance. I hope these tips are helpful. 

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth with 151 lbs difference: 325 lbs vs 174 pounds

Elizabeth is a former overweight person. She'd been on many diets (even slim fast as a child) and lost and gained weight throughout her life. There was a time she really believed she'd never be able to lose weight and would be obese forever. She kept gaining weight after having kids and felt too overwhelmed to deal with it. In 2010, she started tracking her calories at a free website called Sparkpeople, started walking and lost weight. She prooves that it's possible to change when you just decide you will never give up. She blogs and inspire people on The Singing Bird and From Fat to Fit on Facebook.

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The Why's and What's of Overcoming Food Cravings

This is a guest contribution from Carla Bruns.

I know what you want me to say. You want me to say that everything is going to be so easy and once you just do these little tips or tricks then you won’t want those “bad” foods anymore. And you’ll be totally okay after only a week or so. If this were true, I’d also have a pill for you to take that would give you the body of Jennifer Aniston (or insert whatever person’s physique you admire). The truth is, we’re all human, we all have desires and wants that may or may not be good us, and it takes a lot of mental work and willpower. Now before you go away, let’s chat a little.

I believe that there are why’s and what’s that need to be defined before you can get to the how of overcoming food cravings. This mental work that I’m talking about can’t only be conversations you have with yourself in your mind, they need to be written down. Concrete.

 
So get out your journal and write about WHY you want to change your diet.
Please don’t write “to be healthy” and then think this is over. Healthy is abstract and arbitrary. You must define exactly what healthy means to you. Does it mean walking up and down the stairs comfortably, being able to do CrossFit, getting off of medication? Define your why, concretely, explicitly, thoroughly.

I have a perfectly lovely client who is trying very hard to drop some weight. She often doesn’t complete her food journal. When I asked her why she says because she knows the choices are bad so she doesn’t want to write them down. My question is why are you eating something if you know it’s only going to make you feel “guilty”, “bad” or “regretful”? And this doesn’t just happen when you hire a personal trainer, people have these feelings all the time. I can’t tell you you’re why, you have to figure that out on your own. But once you have that down it’s so much easier to stop eating foods that you know aren’t fueling your body for health, fitness, and success. So what is your why…is it stress, boredom, feeling down?

Now that you know why, WHAT is it?
I’ll use myself as an example. I have been soda free since the beginning of May. It was a hard and tough road. Why? Because I drank soda when I was stressed. On top of that our refrigerator at work is stocked with sodas. And I can help myself. Can you imagine the horror of being a stress eater and having the place that causes you stress opening supplying you with your trigger food? Here’s the amazing thing, now that I’ve not had the soda, I’m actually less stressed! I can’t explain why but certainly not being hyped up on caffeine and sugar has helped. Now what is your trigger food? Just like people with drug problems, eating/drinking that trigger food usually has you moving on to other foods as well. I drank soda. Then ate chips. Stop the soda. Stop the chips.

Now finally, we can get onto what you can do. 
I posed the question on Facebook and here are some great what’s that have helped other people.

• Think about what you want, and how it's going to affect you once the flavor sensation goes away. 
• Occupy yourself instead. 
• Call a friend, go for a jog, read a book, get out of the house & do something meaningful! 
• Don't buy it! If it's not in the house, it's not in my mouth
• I give myself permission to have one serving of whatever it is, but only if I wait 30 minutes or until I am truly physically hungry again to have it. 
• Usually by the time 30 minutes passes I don't want it anymore. 
• I don't cut out the things that make me happy (which is sweets). I allow myself one sweet a day, but it has to be dark chocolate (which I don't love, which means I won't overindulge and I still get a sweet). 
• Phase out slowly! 
• I find that chewing gum helps me avoid temptation. 
• I don't bring the food into my house. I know I can crush a whole pack of Oreos, so I avoid the aisle at the store and they never make it home. 
• Don’t go into convenience stores. Pay at the pump! 

My personal what is just keeping on top of my first why and remembering my goals and objectives.

Are you ready to get rid of those cravings now?

About Carla Bruns

Hi! My name is Carla Bruns. I'm a forty something fitness, food, and healthy living blogger over at Real Into. I hold a BS in Psychology, am aFso Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Spencer Pilates Instructor and Brand Ambassador. Real Into follows all my latest obsessions in food, fitness, health, and all things fun. I hope to see you around soon!
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Should Health Bars Feature In Your Diet Plan?

I'd like to remind all the participant of 35 Days Weight Loss Challenge that this week is a sugar-free week. Hope your Day 3 will go smoothly. I'd be fascinated to know how do you plan your the rest of your week without sugar. Let me know in comments below.  In the meantime, please welcome our guest contributor, Charlotte.

More and more of us who are concerned about our overall health and well being choose to eat so called 'healthy' foods and snacks.

However, while we perceive many of these as being the healthy choice, most of them are no more than cleverly packaged and well advertised and promoted gimmicks with no real benefits in terms of health or nutrition.

The Facts About Your Cereal Bar

One of the most popular 'health' foods is the cereal bar, tracker bar or power bar. Often marketed as the perfect snack to replace a missed meal for those on the go or with hectic lifestyles, cereal bars are a convenient and clever way to get vital nutrients - or so the manufacturers would have us believe. In the past, only athletes ate health bars and this was because these original high protein and high fibre snacks had great benefits in terms of quickly replacing lost energy and aiding the levelling off of lactic acids and blood sugars following extreme exercise. 

However, they were dry and not particularly tasty and while they did a great job, they were only of real interest to serious athletes. The rapid growth of the diet and health food industry over the past few decades meant that health bars were a serious contender for a revamp. It's this reworking of the original health bar formula which causes concern today. Far removed from the original health bars consumed by athletes, today's health bar is far tastier and comes in a variety of flavours and options. It's also much more pleasant to eat, a lot moister and chewier than the originals. What could possibly be the harm in that you may wonder?

Exposed - The Unhealthy Bar 

Manufacturers rightly identified a gap in the market and were fast to capitalise on it. More of us have busy lives and less time to prepare foods and meals, so health bars were touted as the ideal meal replacement and snack bar. Some are even said to aid with weight loss. However, it's highly unlikely that any of the popular makes of health bar available now would have any effect on weight loss considering the ingredients, high calorie count and hidden extras that they contain. You may think that because the label doesn't include sugar that you're choosing a healthy alternative to breakfast. Sugar comes in many forms and glucose and dextrose are just a couple which appear regularly in the list of ingredients on the labels of the major brands of bar. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are just as detrimental when it comes to health and nutrition. These ingredients all add a sweetness that makes us enjoy these so called healthy snacks, but more importantly in the eyes of the manufacturer, it keeps us coming back for more.

More Astonishing Facts 

Sadly, it's the manufacturers and advertisers who are the real winners in the so called healthy foods market. Take one of the popular 'multigrain breakfast bars' for example, the makers describe it as deliciously chewy, yet it's a wholegrain cereal bar. It's also packed with pecans and 'drizzled' in 'sweet' maple syrup. The vast range of flavour combinations, even chocolate chip in some cases, and the new chewy texture makes these 'health bars' so far removed from the original, high protein bar which athletes used to enjoy. The chewiness makes these snack bars easy to eat and the sweet, exciting flavours means that it's easy for our taste buds to succumb to them . However, the nutritional benefits are dubious to say the least.

One needs to be rigorous when checking the ingredients of food whether it's health bars, snacks or readymade meals. SaintsandSlimmers is one such organisation that has applied the science to dieting and aims to provide personalised and structured diet plans and a range of products and bundles that won't compromise your nutritional intake. One example is a meal replacement that can be a good substitute for lunch, with an emphasis on protein and fibre that also fulfils the RDA for vitamins and minerals.

Unfortunately the same is true of many of the foods and drinks which we recognise as being 'healthy' or good for us. Even fruit juices, which many of us think are tamper proof, fall short when you examine the facts. Although a juice may be called pomegranate and raspberry, a look at the label reveals high amounts of apple and grape juice in amongst the healthy pomegranate that most of us chose the product for. These juices are included for two reasons. One, they're cheap to produce and two, they're sweet and they make us crave that taste. Most commercial fruit juices are highly sweetened and made from concentrate, try to choose some of the pure juices with no additives available instead.

In short, don't be fooled by the advertising into thinking that the most popular is the best. Overall, nothing beats a wide variety of good, fresh foods. Simply reducing your portions is a good springboard to start shifting that weight.

About Charlotte

Charlotte is a qualified nutritionist and writes for Monocore Ltd and SaintsandSlimmers on a number of topics related to weight loss and the human behaviour. 

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35 Day Challenge: Living Sugar-Free on Week 1

Today embark the first day of my first 35 Day Challenge: Drop One Dress Size in 5 Weeks Without Cardio All the best to buddies from fatsecret whom join this challenge. Are you in? Let's the game begin. Subscribe to Her Weight Loss Diary. You don't want to miss a thing.

Getting Connected with HEWLD
is a fun way to shed pounds for good!

This week's mini challenge is a one week without sugar. The best alternatives to sugar can be found in natural, whole fruits. For example, banana, berries, and apple. You might consider a little honey if you need something sweet added to tea.

Tips for One Week Sugar-free Challenge:

1. Clean your house

It is important to rid your house of sugary foods and beverages. You can typically put sugary foods in a box hidden so I avoid any temptation.

2. Drink lots of water

Whenever you experience an intense bout of sugar cravings, try drinking a glass of water to curb the urge. People who are addicted to high levels of sugar may have difficulty identifying the difference between a sugar craving and thirst.

3. Be prepared with food

Snacking helps control hunger and rein in portion sizes at meals. Prepare or carry healthy snacks and ensure you eat before you go out anywhere.

4. Avoid hidden sugar

Be careful in what you order when going out to dine. Obviously cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, soft drinks, are crossed off the list as being loaded with sugar. Avoid processed foods altogether, you are probably consuming more refined sugars than you realize. Sugar is added to most packaged foods even if they are not sweet.

5. Get out and exercise

Respond your cravings for sugar by engaging in some type of physical activity.

6. Leave your comment on Her Weight Loss Diary 
Leave your supportive comments here and read what others have to say. Support and accountability are important elements in a weight loss challenge. Don't forget to subscribe by email to be notified of any updates to a discussion.

Don't miss a thing!

I am glad you take up the challenge. We are sugar-free for 7 days. Do you have any handy tips to add here? Share your tips in the comments. Good luck, all.

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35 Day Challenge: Drop One Dress Size in 5 Weeks Without Cardio

I visited some weight loss blog this week, and I read some amazing posts - people are showing off their before and after weight loss picture. That's inspiring me. But on the other hand, I feel so disappointed with myself. Should I have been very consistent and highly discipline within the past 5 month, I must already 10 kg lighter by today. My weight loss progress is very slow. Or actually no progress at all. But I love being positive. My birthday is still 5 months away, so I still have a chance to redeem myself. My ultimate weight loss goal this year.

I want to attain my weight loss goal, hence I challenge myself to drop one dress sizes in 5 weeks. Without cardio. According to Men's Fitness, cardio such as running burns some calories but it lacks the anabolic effect of weight training, so it isn't as efficient for fat loss. I'd like to test this. But I don't want to do this alone. This self-challenge would be fun if I have someone join me. Just for 35 days. Well, hosting something 'big' like this is actually terrifying me. What happens if I stop halfway through the challenge? Isn't it embarrassing? What happens if I'm not making any progress? But I am taking this risk in a hope to help me stay on track and achieve my goals with accountability. Would you care to accompany me?

The plan:
1. This challenge starts June 2 and goes through July 6, 2013. First, take measurements of your waist, arms, neck and hips. Even if you are not losing pounds, you very well may be losing inches all over your body as your figure slims down and tones up with muscles.
2. Complete all exercises (this is called a circuit) for the number of sets listed. Do this circuit  two or three times a week. You may of course need to talk to your doctor first before starting any new diet plan and exercise program.
3. There are four cardio blasts mixed into the workout to keep your heart rate elevated and help you burn more calories. Starting with week three, increase the number of sets; by week five you should be completing three sets of each exercise.
4. YOU CAN'T OUT-RUN A BAD DIET: Eat meals high in protein and fats but low in sugar to avoid storing excess calories as fat. (I'm thinking I'm going to try Intermittent Fasting.)
5. I will post a serial post of "Daily Dose of Motivation" for 35 Days to support my effort and to encourage fellow buddy. Come back and report your status in the comment - your physical side, emotional challenge, etc. The only thing better than losing weight alone, is to find someone to share their journey! You may want to consider to subscribe to Her Weight Loss Diary by email to be notified about new post.

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6. If you are a blogger, you are also welcome to write a blog post explaining how you work towards this weight loss challenge then link up your post. Browse through the other participants' blog posts, to see how everyone else is doing, and be sure to leave comments when you can.
7. Tweet me @HoneybeeGB and use hashtag #HEWLD35day daily. Read what others are saying and join the conversation. This activity can serve as a support system and hold ourselves accountable throughout the challenge.
8. Special post every Saturday 8:00 PM Malaysia Time - Record your progress in the comment, your waist, arms, neck and hips measurement.
9. If you have fatsecret account, we can mingle around there too. Check in here.

The Fat-Blasting Circuit
This circuit routine is excerpted from fitnessmagazine.com, created by Tracey Mallet, the author of Sexy in Six.

You'll need:

1. A set of 3 to 8 pound dumbbells.
2. Yoga mat (optional)

1. Flamingo Balance
(Target: Arms, core, glutes, thighs; improve balance)

• Stand with feet staggered, right foot forward, holding dumbbells.
• Lean forward slightly and lift left foot, toes pointed, bringing leg to hip heightand left hand to hip.
• At the same time, raise right arm to shoulder height, plam down; rotate hand so palm faces up and curl wight toward shoulder.
• Touch toes back down for a moment and repeat.
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

2. Plank Twist to Dog Split
(Target: arms, chest, core, hips, legs)

• (a) Begin in full push-up position, hands on mat under shoulders and legs extended behind you, abs tight.
• Bring right knee toward left elbow without lifting hips; hold for 2 counts.
• (b) Bring right leg back and lift it as high as you can, opening the hip.
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

3. Go to Cardio Move: PENDULUM (1 minutes)

4. Wide-Leg Plank with Jab
(Target: shoulders, arms, back, core)

• Start in full push-up position with leg a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell near right hand.
• Grab dumbbell and punch right hand under body toward left side.
• Return to start and lower weight to floor; repeat
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

5. Oblique Twist with Leg Extension
(Target: arms, abs, obliques, thigh)

• Lie on the right side, knee slightly bent and legs stacked in front of body;
• Hold both dumbbells in front of chest.
• Lift weight across body toward left side while extending left leg.
• crunch up to 2 counts, then retun to start, lowering leg.
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

6. Repeat Cardio Move PENDULUM

7. Front Lunge to Warrior
(Target: Shoulders, arms, core, glutes, thigh)

• (a) Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Lunge forward with right leg; bending knee 90 degrees
• At the same time, lift arms to chest height.
• (b) Hinge forward at the hips and lift leg behind you to hip height; balance for 2 counts.
• Return to start and repeat.
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

8. Single-Leg Lunge Rotation
(Target: Shoulder, obliques, glutes, thighs)

• (a) Stand with feet hip-width apart,  a dumbbell in each hand.
• Raise right arm overhead, with palm facing in while lifting right knee to hip height, left hand by hip.
• (b) Squat with left leg, bringing weight forward outside of left knee, as you lift right leg behind you, bringing heel to hip height.
• Hold for 2 counts.
• Stand up, balancing on left leg, and repeat.
• Do 8 to 12 reps; switch sides.

9. Go to Cardio Move: Repeater Knees ( 30 seconds on each leg)

10. Toe Squat with Overhead Reach
(Target: shoulders, core, hips glutes, thigh, calves)

• Stand with feet together, knees and ankles touching and arms raised overhead, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing foward.
• Lower hips into a half-squat, then lift heels, balancing on balls of feet.
• From here, lift and lower glutes about 4 inches.
• Do 8 to 12 reps.

11. Quad Stretch with Biceps Lift
(Target: biceps, abs, quads)

Kneel on mat with legs hip-width apart, arms extended in front of body at chest height with elbows lightly bent, holding dumbbells with palm facing up.
Keeping upper body still and abs tight, lean back 45 degrees from hips.
From here, slowly lift and lower arms about 4 inches.
Do 8 to 12 reps.

12. Repeat REPEATER KNEES

Come back on June 2 to start this challenge with me. Would you care to accompany me? Let me know in the comment.

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