Friday, May 16, 2014

How I lost 100 lbs. Part 3

Eat Protein at every meal




Calorie for calorie Protein keeps you feeling fuller longer then anything else we can put into our bodies.  If you don't eat meat it's ok cheese, yogurt, beans, tofu are all great substitutes.  When I started dieting I ate oatmeal for breakfast and I found that by simply adding one boiled/fried/scrambled egg I was significantly fuller for a longer period of time then when I just had oatmeal. 

When you're losing weight ideally we all want to imagine it's just pure fat however the truth is you're losing water, fat and muscle.  Even at rest your body is constantly breakdown and building up muscle.  So would you rather be building muscle or building fat?  Every time you eat between 10 to 15 grams of protein your body gets a trigger for protein synthesis which allows it to build muscle. When you're building muscle it's taking place of your fat and in fact it actually takes your body more calories to maintain the muscle as opposed to the fat!

Say for instance you eat 250 calories worth of protein it will take your body 75 calories to burn that 250 calories of protein.  However you eat the SAME exact 250 calories in carbohydrates it only takes your body 15 calories to burn!!  While I adamantly believe at the end of the day to lose weight all it really boils down to is less calories in and more calories out but eating more protein DOES in fact make you burn quicker vs. ingesting the same amount of calories in carbohydrates.

Now I try to substitute the afternoon chips/cookies/crackers that are 100 cals for something like string cheese/yogurt/nuts same calories but I'm fueling my body better.  Helping me to stay satiated longer but also promoting more calories burned. 

Drinking (Empty) Calories

Seems like a no brainer but it's really amazing how many completely empty calories we "consume" by drinking them.  Soda, Juice, Alcohol, Coffee Beverages.  One can of Soda has 150 cals.  doesn't seem all that bad right?

Well if you drink 1 can a day for an entire year that's 54,750 calories = 15.6lbs a year!  


We absolutely cannot talk beverages without discussing my absolute favorite seasonal Starbucks item the Pumpkin Spice Latte which comes at nearly 500 calories equivalent to a McDonald's Big Mac! Yes I do occasionally indulge when fall rolls around but I try and limit my PSL's to once a week! This article details some of Starbucks seasonal drinks and makes the correlation on how one of their drinks is essentially the same as consuming 5 Twinkies in one sitting!!  Crazy! 


There's so much misconception about juice.  People think it's ok, GOOD for you even.  I mean you drink it at breakfast right?  How bad could it be.  Well I'm sorry to break it to you but it's just as bad as soda.  Juice has roughly the same calorie and sugar content as soda.  Ok but you get Vitamin C & D from it so it has that right?
                                                 OR you could also just as easily EAT fruit.

The purpose of the juice IN fruit is to aid in consuming the FIBER that goes along with eating fruit. When you drink juice you're really taking out the most nutritious part of eating fruit the Fiber.

And I admit it I totally love juice so if you insist on drinking it do what I do when I drink it (once or twice a month) add equal parts water to it. Once you start watering it down you'll find that you'll find juice entirely too sweet for you.   


I drink about 8 cups of water a day sometimes even more.  And it's really not that hard once you get into the habit of it.  Go out and buy the largest water jug/cup/container/whatever you can find and fill that baby up. And start bringing it with you everywhere.  I promise if you have it near you you'll find yourself mindlessly reaching for it and before you know it you're re-filling it up again.  Your body often times cannot differentiate between thirst and hunger.  And our minds often mistakenly tell us we're hungry when we're really thirsty.

Before I sit down to eat ANYTHING I start off by drinking one large glass of water and then I eat.  I find often times I'm not even hungry or if I am that I'll end up eating significantly less.  If I'm still hungry I'll proceed to eat my meal/snack/fruit/whatever but it doesn't matter what I'm eating I'll drink a SECOND glass of water while I'm eating.  So if you're keeping score that's one glass before I eat anything and a 2nd glass while I'm eating. 3 meals + 1 snack x 2 cups per meal/snack = 8 glasses!



When I'm looking to switch things up a bit I drink unsweetened green tea.  Green tea has been shown to improve skin quality, help promote weight loss, reduce bloating, fight cancer the list goes on.  One thing is for sure since I've switched over to drinking predominately water and tea it's made my skin AMAZING!!!  I use to break out so much more (never EVER left the house without foundation) but since switching to water my skin has never been clearer.  


Some of my weakness are a good fruity frozen slushy drink especially in the hot summer months.  I indulge once in awhile but I always ask for a glass of water and water it down.  If I'm home I'll make it with crystal light & ice!


I also loveeeeeee Boba!

But now I actually opt out on the Boba part of it.  I know seems like it defeats the purpose but I promise you a milk tea is just as delicious without the Boba and you'll be saving yourself between 200 to 500 calories just from omitting the Boba balls alone :)!

                                                                       Write It Down

I logged everything I ate (and still do!).  I kept a notepad on the kitchen counter. There are calorie logs online like Calorie King is really popular and I know they have a smartphone app too!  However I found for myself personally that I really needed to write it down with pen and paper.  It just seemed so much more permanent.   

When I first made the commitment to lose weight I started by eating everything pre-packaged.  My own version of Weight Watchers or Nutri-System because I needed to learn portion sizes.  Because of that I would prepare the Hubs dinner separately and then heat up my own food in the microwave.  If I even TASTED The Hubs food while cooking it I would add that to my daily log.  Sure sounds crazy/neurotic ect. but "tasting" food still turns into calories in your body.  A lot of people taste test/nosh/have a glass of wine while they're cooking and they don't even realize but they've consumed a TON of calories even before they've sat down for their meal. 

Don't mindlessly eat or graze.  If you want that cookie eat it but log it down.  If I did have a brownie as a mid afternoon snack SEEING it written down on my daily log would help me make a more mindful lighter calorie choice for dinner that evening because I knew I was "running" out of calories for that day. 

                                                            Don't Deprive Yourself



   If you want that cupcake eat it.  

But just be mindful about the rest of your day.  Don't eat that cupcake and then follow it up with another one. It's a spiral effect that just leads to bad food choices for the rest of that day and sometimes that week and even month! So yes indulge every once an awhile because you deserve it just be mindful! 

It's what really allowed me to watch my calories and lose weight over time.  I think if I didn't allow myself a "treat" every now and again I wouldn't have been able to stick with it for so long.

                                                               I love food and I love to eat.

                                                                 This will never change.  

                                               The key is how to make it work with your life.  

If you have the opportunity there's a documentary series that HBO put out a few years ago called "The Weight Of The Nation" it's AMAZING.  You can find it on I-tunes for free and I promise you it was life changing for me. #MINDBLOWN after I watched it.  I highly recommend it it will change how you look at food and people too! 

For me my struggle with food is a life long battle.  I was overweight as early as high school (180lbs.) And I gain weight EXTREMELY easily I can literally go on a weekend trip and come back 5-8lbs. heavier. And whenever I'm stressed my eating just gets completely out of control. Anybody that's ever been overweight knows that food can be an addiction  For me it definitely is.  In my lifetime I've probably lost upwards of some 300+ pounds.  I'll lose 10lb.... gain 20lb... then I'll lose 20lbs. and then gain 50lbs.  It's a vicious cycle. So I know that for me this is something I'll have to constantly work on.  

                                     On that note I'm wrapping up my mini weight loss series!! 

I really really hope this was helpful.  For the last 6 months or so I've received tons of comments and e-mail after e-mail asking me how I lost weight so I wanted to really lay it out for you dolls :)  Please let me know if you have any comments/questions ect!! 

Btw's I've seriously been loving all the comments/e-mails/tweets about you guys stockpiling broccoli LOL!! #soawesome #broccolishortage2014

                                                  If you missed it visit Part 1 & Part 2!

                                   And finally if you didn't see my BEFORE pictures go HERE!

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30 comments:

  1. Another great post!! Thank you :)

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  2. Congrats girl! That is amazing and we are all so proud and inspired!

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  3. Very amazing accomplishment Lisa! Love how honest and open you've been about it and your struggles. I have to admit the juice + water thing is so true. I started doing that in college and quickly could never drink whole juice anymore. It's much too sweet! And I replaced my Coca-Cola addiction with Iced Tea (0 calories!), but I probably honestly still drink waaay too much black tea. I've been trying to replace that with Green Tea, but it's not as easily and readily available everywhere.

    xx Viv at JoieDeViv

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  4. Oh many thanks for share your tips!
    xx

    www.sakuranko.com

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  5. Lisa thank you so much for your weight loss mini series..I've already started incorporating some of your tips! You look stunning :)

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  6. Hi Lisa,

    Your weight loss mini series has FINALLY motivated me to eat better. After the 2nd baby (3 years ago), I still have some of my pregnancy weight. Reading all three weight loss posts has really inspired me to portion out my food. Been wanting to be more health conscious for a long time, but never had the inspiration. I've been incorporating what you've said for the past two weeks now. I eat broccoli at every meal and started writing down what I ate. I lost 2 pounds since I started. Thank you for motivating me to be healthier. I have a sweet tooth and since writing down what I've eaten, I eat 75% less sweets now. My tummy looks a *touch" slimmer and I feel better! I really do!

    Also, I really admire your journey and honesty in writing these posts It's never easy to start a big and important change in life, but you are an example of what it means to have conviction on what you want to change. You're not only healthier but you have many more years ahead of you with HUBS!

    Thank you, thank you, thank you! Lead by example. Please post more on your weight loss journey. I really like the fact that you are very realistic about food. Thank you again!

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  7. very informative post. so useful for weight loss <3
    http://theknotstory.com/

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  8. Interesting Post ,some great Infos!

    Happy Friday :)

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  9. You are a rock star lady! My husband always insists on proteins and it really is a great way to eat healthier and stay full. It's a good thing he LOVES tofu. Luckily I haven't ever developed a taste for soda though I have the occasional juice. It is such a sneaky form of calories!
    I'd love to have you on the blog some time talking about style, travel or food too! I'll have to email you soon!

    xoxo,
    little luxury list formerly Chic 'n Cheap Living

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  10. Thanks again, Honey! You are the best!

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  11. Fantastic advice, and love how your tips are so doable and realistic to incorporate into one's lifestyle! I think your blog has inspired and even changed people's lives through this series- not exaggerating.

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  12. Great post Lisa!! Very helpful and informative. You really are an inspiration!!

    Best, Mree

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  13. Hi Lisa, once again, this is an amazingly interesting and informative post. Geez, I had no idea about those coffee and hot drink calories! I love an iced coffee every now and then, I never thought about how much sugar and fats go into it. I dont like sweets or chocolates so thats easy for me to avoid as snacks. Im also trying to have breakfast now and more water. Thanks for these tips and your veg suggestions. Happy Weekend hun!

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  14. Yes I now keep broccoli stocked at all times now because of you. I loved your mini series and it was so brave of you to talk about your past in the first place. Congrats Lisa! You are an inspiration!! I'd love to keep seeing your recipes.

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  15. Thanks Lisa! Your recent blog posts are so helpful and inspiring. They also gave me some tips to hopefully shave an inch or two from my waist by September. Every year I get older I seem to gain yet another inch around my waistline even though I don't weigh significantly more. I spent the last two years or so buying a lot of new clothes to make myself feel better since all my 'cute' stuff wouldn't fit. Luckily, budgeting and planning for our wedding have helped to curb my bad habits and eating better/at home has made a huge difference as well. I just need to exercise regularly and jump roping seems easy enough. By the way, I was a huge bubble tea lover (one week last summer I had it almost every day of the week) and that was the first thing I cut off in January. It's made a huge difference for my skin not taking in all that refined sugar. I still eat way too many carbs so I'll try your advice and substitute it with broccoli. ;)

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  16. Thank you so much for all of your tips! I actually just ordered a skipping rope :)
    And J. and I decided to no longer eat potatoes for a while and broccoli has helped a lot!! LOL #broccolishortage2014
    xoxo
    Suzanne from written by suzanne

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  17. Go Lisa go! I can't believe there were 500 calories in that
    Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks :c I'm kind of sad to
    hear that :') Xx

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  18. Lisa, your weightloss series has been so inspirational! I get suckered into a lot of programs and diets and try things every now and then, but I really like that you have made it work for you (and not make it seem easier than it is). I especially like your real-life examples - my favorite was taking 1/2 package of ramen and adding broccoli (and i would add an egg too!). genius! You look amazing - and not just your weightloss but you look happy(ier) and it shows in your pics! Thanks for this series - love you!

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  19. I haven't been here for a while and by God, you look fantastic! (i took about half an hour if not more to go through and check what I've missed) and your story/journey of shedding the weight is simply amazing. Well, it definitely pays and again, you look amazing!

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  20. Thats a great tip about an indulgence just once a week.Thanks for your kind visit, hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

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  21. Lisa! This is so inspiring and I read part 1 & 2 and you offer so many tips. I'm seriously about to start drinking so much water and eating broccoli because I want your perfect skin. :) IN my dreams. I really love though how you talk about the realities of portions though because it's so true how restaurant portions have totally skewed what we all think is normal. Congrats again and you look so amazing and you've been so honest and helpful sharing your tips!

    xoDale

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  22. awesome n inspiring post...very nicely written
    my recent one :http://www.indianbeautyforever.com/2014/05/bourjois-kohl-and-contour-noir-expert.html

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  23. I agree with everything you wrote on this post!! This is really helpful and yes because of you yesterday morning, i wrote my groceries list to a bag of frozen broccoli before i head to work and my husband got me seriously a huge bag of broccolli that has 6 mini bags of broccolis lol! I started yesterday putting back my broccoli to my plate that way i feel alot fuller and dont need to add much more unnecessary fats into my plate haha. Im excited for your next post of this series :)

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  24. Huhhh.. a lot informative.. but to strictly follow a healthy diet I need to put a full stop even on some of my fav drinks :(

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  25. Hello Lisa, I've been away from blogosphere for a while coz I was in Taiwan and before and after that, work and health were my stumbling block. So glad to be back. I saw your post on my FB newsfeed and knew I had to come here.

    Firstly congrats on slimming down! You've been looking not only more pretty but also healthier recently. What with the contacts, nice hair and slimmer you overall.

    Secondly, it does sound like you really put in lots of effort. I know all these facts but I just can't follow them. Not just for weight but for health reasons that people should try to adopt this. Now you make me curious about reading the other parts! Shall do so now!

    Jo
    Jo's Jumbled Jardinière

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  26. yep, people don't realize that they are actually DRINKING a lot of their calories/sugars, etc. even now that i'm juicing, i have to be careful not to use too much fruit (vs. veggies). i've always lived by, "everything in moderation."

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  27. 100 lbs! Wow that's incredible! Congrats to you. I agree about drinking empty calories - totally catches up. Also, the well-known "8 ounces of water a day" is absolutely ludicrous. Most people need way more than that, especially if they workout. I was recommended 3 liters per day. I have to use the restroom all the time, but it's worth it.
    Beauty Fashion Skin Care Blog -Girlie Blog Seattle | Casual Chic Style

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  28. Your advices are very good dear Lisa, I must follow them :)

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