it's not a diet...it's a lifestyle...blah, blah, blah

Sooooo...another post about the never-ending battle to lose weight. I hope none of you think I am obsessed with this. And if you do, well, you're wrong. You can quit reading.

Oh, I kid, continue reading...I'm happy for you to read also.

A few years ago some of my family members joined Weight Watchers. After joining several phrases were constantly heard around the house. "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle", "If you fail to plan then you plan to fail", ""Set small goals, they are attainable".

I heard these phrases so often that they are now part of my occasional conversations.

When I signed up with Calorie Counters back in the spring I remembered these mantras and stuck with them.

I have had slooooooooooooooow progress, but progress. I have lost about 7 pounds and have 3 more to go before I reach my first goal. (And if I quit going on vacation and out of town so much then I might actually reach my first goal...sigh.)

The main thing I realized when I started making an effort to watch what I eat was that I was taking in more calories than I should have been...way more. Apparently I was trying to out eat linebackers and defensive ends.

Again, I kid.

Another thing that I learned (well, okay, that's a lie, I already knew this about myself) was that I HAD to eat 3 meals a day PLUS snacks. I'm not one of those people who can skip breakfast and eat again at dinner. I CANNOT skip meals. Doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that "thou shalt eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner"? I'm just trying to follow commands. I tend to not be in a jolly mood if I miss a meal (ask Matthew) and my head hurts. So, I try not to miss mealtimes.

Because of this "quirk" I have, it was f(and is) necessary for me to write down what I was eating. It helped (and helps) me keep track of how many calories I have used during the day.

And here are some of the foods that have helped me lose the 7 pounds.

Eggs:
I eat a hard boiled egg EVERY SINGLE MORNING. The egg (along with two pieces of wheat toast) keep me full all the way until lunch time. I look forward to my morning egg when I get out of bed every day.

Grapes:
One cup of grapes is 62 calories. Yummy refreshing snack!

Apple and caramel sauce:

EVERY SINGLE NIGHT I have an apple, sliced, with a tablespoon of caramel sauce. It takes the edge off my desire for a huge piece of cake or a big ole bowl of ice cream. Really, it does. I'm not lying to you.

Almonds:

These almonds are DELICIOUS! Just typing this is making me crave some. AND, almonds are very filling.

Laughing cow cheese:

One wedge is 35 calories and is really nice on my morning toast or it often acts as the mayo on turkey sandwiches.

Turkey:

Speaking of turkey sandwiches, I usually eat one at lunch. I have been buying this sub kit and a piece of turkey and a piece of ham, together, is 60 calories. It makes a nice sandwich.

Popcorn:

Can I get a show of hands on how many of you LOVE this white cheddar popcorn? Oh my goodness...I love, love, love it! AND you can buy it in 100 calorie packs.

String cheese:

Yummy. This is a great afternoon snack and only 50 calories. It's perfect for on the go eating.

Diet coke:

Really, I don't need to elaborate. My love for this beverage is hard to describe. I would drink it even if I was trying to GAIN weight, so really, it's not fair for me to put it on my "weight-loss list".

Gum:

This has been my "secret-weapon". Whenever I feel the urge to eat something sweet I immediately reach for my gum. And, for me, it has to be cinnamon flavored!

Scale:

Not the most exciting weight-loss tool, but important. I try to only use it once a week (because if I used it everyday I would be a crazy woman and stress if I gained weight every day). It keeps me accountable and makes the dances of joy possible when I have lost pounds (or ounces).

I have also found these websites helpful in my planning dinners. They offer nutritional information with the recipes which makes it easier for me to stay within my calorie target for each day: Cookinglight.com, realsimple.com and weightwatchers.com.

And finally, it's important to have "cheat" days. How boring would it be to never eat the piece of cake or the big bowl of ice cream? When Matthew and I were in San Antonio, I ate a ton of Mexican food (and gained a few pounds-but lost it the following week) and focused on having a good time instead of focusing on the calories.

Maybe, for some of you, this will be helpful information. I hope so. And really, it's not a diet...it is a lifestyle.