Tag Archive | weight loss

My Fitness Pal

Apr18

my fitness pal 2So before Thanksgiving, my husband and I went on a meal plan from a local health restaurant. We got 4-5 meals (mine were 4 plus my liquid egg breakfast, see previous post) everything was meticulously calorie counted to ensure weight loss and to stay within your calorie content maximum. The only problem was you have to be very disciplined, and while I thought I was, I just couldn’t take having very little variety. I mean, there is only so many times a day you can eat tilapia. I also felt suppressed by not being able to go out and eat anywhere else, or have lunch with my friends. I needed a better solution.

I recently read an article that showed a guy who was on the Paleo diet and got FAT! Like Fat Fat. The diet just didn’t agree with him, and then he lost tons of weight eating ice cream and Subway. How you may ask? Well weight loss is about creating a deficit between how many calories you eat and how many you burn. You have to have a 500 calorie deficit for 7 days to lose one pound of fat.

So how can you eat what you want, live your life, eat out, and still lose weight? Well I used the My Fitness Pal app. It’s a free app you can get on your smart phone that allows you to add the food you eat each day to lose weight. You put in all your information; height, weight, age, how much you want to lose, etc. It tells you how many calories a day you can eat, and you put in food and exercise. You can even scan the barcode on pre-package foods, and ingredients you cook with.

Even if you go over your calories every single day, and don’t lose any weight you still are becoming aware. You will be amazed at how many calories some of your favorite foods have for the good and the bad. It’s amazing how you can scarf down your total caloric intake in just a few donuts or go well over with a dinner out and a glass of wine. If you are aware, you can at least make a choice. my fitness pal

I personally have had successful weight loss using My Fitness Pal and exercise. Do you want to know the best part about My Fitness Pal? It’s FREE!!!!! That’s right it’s a free app. You have nothing to lose, but your excess weight. However try to avoid using the preprogrammed calories in the app, because anyone can put anything they want it. So, when eating in chain restaurants look up the calories on their website and when cooking at home, scan labels.
Good luck losing weight!!!!

I know this is going to sound gross….

Apr8

eggs2But I assure you it is not! I like most busy moms on the go have little to no time to eat. If I don’t have to get up to go to work or somewhere else (ha ha, that rarely happens anymore) I sleep until my son gets up and we get up and ready for the day together. Well, he gets up and needs to be fed, changed, dressed, etc. and there is no time for me to make myself anything for breakfast. I’m sure, as most new moms, I was trying to get healthy and get back into shape, so I needed an easy and healthy option for breakfast on the go.

Now, I wish I could put this all on being a mom, but the truth is I am notoriously late. It is my plight in life to be constantly running late. I used to make protein shakes and smoothies for breakfast thinking I can drink them while I got ready or driving in my car, but no matter how much prep work I did the night before it took forever to make them in the morning, even with my time saver “the bullet.” Plus I never had time for a morning coffee because I was trying to consume my shake.

So my husband and I worked with a local health restaurant after our son was born to have healthy meals made that would aid in weight loss and ease the stress of meal planning and preparation. I was given a great alternative for breakfast, although I admit it sounded disgusting at first.

Egg Whites International Pasteurized Egg Whites are highly pasteurized liquid egg whites that you can drink. Now you are probably thinking about Rocky swallowing raw liquid eggs right now, but it’s not like that. These eggs are cooked, so there is no risk of salmonella or anything thing else that could make you sick, and they are pure protein. They give all the benefit of eggs without having to cook them and without all the “bad” stuff in eggs. They don’t have a smell, or a taste, they only have a milky like texture. They come in a pump container that you keep in your fridge and each pump is equal to one egg.

I promise you it isn’t as icky as it sounds. I have swallowed them shot style, it wasn’t delicious t but it wasn’t gag worthy either.

So what do I do with these liquid eggs you may ask….I add them to my coffee! That’s right I put them right in my coffee with a little stevia and almond milk or I make myself a latte and add them to that. You don’t taste the eggs. So the best part is, you get your caffeine fix, you get pure protein, and you save time because you are drinking your breakfast. So while I’m feeding the baby, or driving to work I have a delicious and nutritious breakfast without all the fuss. I get the protein I need and my metabolism gets a kick start from the coffee or espresso. You might be wondering if I feel full following drinking the eggs and the answer is yes. It’s not an” I just ate a full big breakfast” full feeling, but it’s the fullness of a protein shake or smoothie.eggs4

It’s been a total lifesaver for me and it’s aided in my weight loss/healthy life style. If you can get pass the idea of drinking eggs you are golden. I get mine from the local health restaurant, but you can order them online, and some health food stores carry them as well.

One word of advice though, don’t re-heat your coffee once you add the eggs, or you end up with little chunks. I learned the hard way! 🙂 YUCK!!!!!

Who wants to be told they look skinny in the hospital after giving birth?

Mar4

I got the trick! Belly Bandits! It totally worked!

I ordered my Belly Bandits about a month before my due date. They give instructions on the website for how to measure in your 8th or 9th month to determine what size you will need.  I had seen the Belly Bandit in various magazines well before ever becoming pregnant and kept the idea in the back of my mind for when the time came. Well when I became pregnant they even sold them in my OB’s office, where someone suggested waiting until I came back for my post-partum appointment to get one. Don’t do that!

Use the tips and if you can remember to measure at 8 months and then measure again at 9 months to see what size to buy  to wear in the hospital immediately after giving birth. I can tell you it makes all the difference. You’re stomach starts to flatten out almost instantly.  It’s totally worth rit.

It kind of stinks that you will have to buy multiple sized Belly Bandits to change out as you shrink down, but you will be happy you did. Additionally, they provide much needed back support and I have heard they are extremely beneficial for mommy’s who have C-sections. Hang on to your Belly Bandit, because I have another post coming soon on my favorite wraps that work even better with your recycled Belly Bandit! 🙂

http://bellybandit.com/

Couture Belly Bandit