Getting started . . . . .

Ok who's ready to get started on their new journey? Raise your hand high . . . . . I can't see them! I'm going to get this started BUT I want you to keep looking for key's I'm going to post along the way. Also, please, if you're struggling or have questions, share. We'll see what we can do to help. Or maybe others can help as well. Also, share your progress! There might be a lot to read to this but please do! I really wanted to break this up over a few more days but I'll put a big chunk out there if you'll do your work and read it. :-)

So first and foremost, I was beyond ready! I told God one day, I just can't do this anymore. I also said I can't do any more for Him unless He helps me lose this weight. I already had all the knowledge from work, life, yo-yo fails, etc. and so on.  The very next morning after saying that, my heart was at peace with what to do and so I began:

Protein - remember balance is important, but protein is key in weight loss, weight gain, muscle building, and everyday life. Isn't that amazing? It does it all!

I drink protein at least 2x per day. I prefer to have my protein in a green smoothy. The reason for this is the nutrition is amazing from having green smoothies. PLUS you can fill up on a smoothy if you do it right.  Before you go jumping into just green smoothies though, DO NOT rely on just green smoothies or just protein!

Balance - if you drink your food to lose weight, then when you eat your food again, you'll be sure to put it back on. So remember eat today like you will eat when you are at your goal weight. (I’ll say that for a bit, but we’ll make more light of it as we go).

So a day for me might look something like this:

Breakfast - green smoothy (I'll get into what I put in them in a moment).

snack - boiled egg and a small chunk of cheese

Lunch - green smoothy or protein drink and a salad or small amount of left overs, etc.

Dinner - regular food, but I watch the calories. Try to make your plate protein, some carb, veggies.  Try to avoid as much complex carbs as possible (breads etc. Your body burns pasta but too much weighs in!! Remember I'm' eating today like I will at my goal weight. If I avoid all carbs now the weight will come back if I ever bring them back in) so balance them.

Today I had: Breakfast - Protein shake & a Greek lowfat, light yogurt. Snack - Beef steak stick (only 60 calories!) and a small amount of peanut butter pretzels. Lunch - green smoothy. Dinner - 1 1/2 cups of hamburger helper (no veggies waaa).  My GROSS total of calories for today was 1,431.

Now #1 why did I say GROSS and how do I know my exact calories? I'm so glad you want to know! Another important tool is a free app called Lose It (www.loseit.com) . It is amazing and vital for you. You can have it on your phone, computer, tablet, whatever or all of the above (I do).  You’ll begin lose it by entering basic information including your weight and your goal weight. It will ask you how many pounds you want to lose per week (2# is the most it will give). No worries though we can do more than 2# per week and I do (sometimes I don’t – we’ll get into that more later). Also important to know – doctors don’t recommend losing more than about 2# per week b/c it can go into a yo-yo phase. It can be hard on the body. It can lead to nourishment issues, etc. I am going to go thru nourishment issues, etc. and how to lose more than 2# per week (by what I call safe – remember, I’m no doctor, but I get my labs checked. . . more later).  

Ok – smoothy making. This is important b/c you’ll want to be able to enjoy the smoothy and you’ll want to feel full. The smoothy will give you so much nutrition, your body will thank you! For a smoothy I use: Kale & spinach (1 or the other if I’m out of 1) about 2/3 packed cup each, half a small banana, 1/3 of a large one, 4-5 medium sized strawberries, 1 heaping scoop of protein powder, 1-2 tablespoons of Chia Seeds, water & ice (don’t use milk – the milk has extra calories, sugar, etc.)   Chia seeds help you to feel full. They also have calcium, fiber, and other great nutritional value! So get them Chia seeds – I get mine at Costco – best price by far! If you don’t have a Costco membership, you can get them next best price on line at Amazon. Protein powder – I recommend shopping around! (If you want to buy samples – www.vitalady.com – where I work has full sized samples you can buy to try different flavors.)  Vanilla works out ok (in my book) but I like banana.

How to pick what fruit for your smoothy and how to mix it. . . . pick what fruit works best for you. I have made many a smoothy with various fruits. Though there were flavors I liked, I found the strawberry & banana mix was the best for me, for time, convenience and day to day flavor. So experiment until you say yes, I can do this daily!  You can cut and freeze the bananas and strawberries or whatever fruit you like so they are super cold and you don’t have to worry about it later.

I personally use the Nutri Bullet (DO NOT use or attempt to use the Magic Bullet) it won’t grind your food. The Nutri Bullet is it’s much bigger, stronger brother lol.  IMPORTANT – there is a max line on the cups – don’t go past it. I haven’t and I haven’t had a problem but I read it will leak if you do. You can use a juicer then put it into a blender and mix it all – but that’s a lot of discouraging work and a hot mess. The nutri bullet is 1 cup and that’s it! It does it all. J

What I do – I mash the kale & spinach all the way down as tight as I can. I put the protein powder, chia seeds, then fruit. I put at least a cup of water (some days more if I want it thinner).  Put ice in there also if you want. Now if the water and ice go a tad past the fill its ok I have and that’s never been a problem but don’t fill it to the top with anything.

You’ll need to buy some things to get started, but it’s life. While you start getting things ready, start with lose it! Start logging what you’re eating. See how much it tells you that you can have and see what your day to day is now. DON’T let that discourage you! Be encouraged knowing that you are starting a new life long journey and you’re going to succeed!  I have more to share but this is a big chunk for now.  I didn’t get to GROSS calories and NET calories – I will in the next day or 2. That will tie in with how to lose more than 2# per week.

Post your questions or comments. Dream big . . . and then make it happen! I’m here to share more, to help encourage, and to win this race with you.  God bless and God prepare you for your new life and help you to find peace, joy, and happiness for your journey!