Why I Choose To Use Lose It! As A Weight Loss Tool

Over a month ago I was 14 pounds heavier. I didn't know what to do about my weight. My therapist suggested that I track my meals and eating habits by writing down what I ate. So I decided that I could at least make that small step.

I have a smart phone so logically speaking it made sense to me that if I wanted to remember what I ate it would be easiest for me to enter the information into my phone.  So I started looking for food journaling applications and found Lose It!. It also counted calories for me which was an extra step but it was so easy I thought "what the heck ".

Within a few pokes of my phone I knew how many calories I wanted to consume in a day and how many calories were in any item of food I happened to be eating. Within 24 hours I was journaling all of my food and mindfully staying within a calorie budget. Within a week weight loss began to show and my blood sugar readings greatly improved. But there are other reasons I chose Lose It! as a weight loss tool.

It's free. I don't have to pay a single cent for it.

Lose It! can be used on both smart phones and on the website if you don't have a smart phone. I use both the website and the smart phone application every day, several times a day .

Both the website and the smart phone applications are easy to use. I type or scan in what I ate and make my choice from a list of foods.

You can search for food generically or by name brand. You can also search for any food by restaurant name as well.

You can follow whatever dietary rules you choose (low carb, vegan, low fat, high fiber) just stay within your calorie budget.

You can choose the rate at which you want to lose weight. There's even information on the website to help you choose a reasonable weight loss per week goal. You can also choose the best goal weight for YOU.

There is no list of "forbidden" foods. You can eat what you like, just stay within your calorie budget. That being said, if you blow all of your calories on junk food you will feel awful and be hungry all of the time. But what did you expect would happen?

You can make friends and get support from the website. I talk to all kinds of people on there every day.

The website will show you a pie chart of where you spend your calories each day and percentages and grams of what food items (fats, carbs, proteins) you are eating that day.

To me it boils down to personal choice.  I feel that Lose It! gives me more opportunities to work out an eating plan that works best for my needs.

Why I Take Antidepressants And How It Affects My Health.

I am a depressive. Have been since childhood. For years I tried everything under the sun to treat my depression symptoms; some healthier options and some not so healthy.

I tried vitamin supplements, they worked a little bit but didn't get the whole job done.

I tried over eating to soothe my sad feelings, not only did that not work it made my blood pressure and blood sugar soar.

I tried toughing it out. My husband will be the first one to tell you that really didn't work. I cried and slept of the time.

So many people talk about the dreaded side effects of antidepressants. Let me tell you about my side effects.

I am no longer crying on a daily basis. This was a big deal to my husband who did everything he could comfort me.

I can sleep through the night most nights without negative thoughts intruding on my rest. Before it was like I had no mute button for my thoughts.

My pride in myself has returned. Before, it was a huge challenge just to take a bath.

My tushy is off the couch more frequently. I am getting more things done that need to be done.

I am a more positive, reasonable person. Before if I was in a negative mood my family had a hard time reasoning with me.

I am able to concentrate on myself so I can try to be the healthiest me I can be. I am losing weight because it's easier to watch my diet and exercise when I'm not miserable.

I'm not saying antidepressants are for everyone but they are for the best for me. What gets me are the people who say anyone can do without antidepressants. To them I say, you haven't been depressed enough.

Why I Choose To Lose No More Than A Pound A Week.

I started this journey at 250 lbs. Yes, I've been heavier but that was before I was put on glucopage. Not by much though only by 10 lbs. My heaviest weight was 260 lbs. My point is that I have a lot of weight to lose,  at least 100 lbs. So why would I chose to lose at a rate as slow as a pound a week or less?

Because I get more calories this way which means that I can eat more food and still lose weight. This keeps me from getting frustrated and giving up.

I have more wiggle room to eat my favorite foods in moderation while still losing weight. Again, this keeps me in the game and keeps me from giving up.

People who lose weight slower have a tendency to keep it off. And I don't know about anyone else. but I don't want to be this weight again.

I need to stay above my BMR (basal metabolic rate) or my body will. not function properly enough to let go of the weight I need to lose. Your BMR is the minimum amount of calories you need per day just to exist. If say, I want to lose 2 lbs per week but the calorie requirements are well below my BMR it will not be healthy for me. My body will go into starvation mode and my weight loss goals will be sabotaged.

I Am More Than Just A Number On The Scale.

So many times I have treated my scale as a magic eight ball. "Oh, great scale please tell me am I worthy?! "  And I would always find myself wanting because human beings are not meant to be judged by a number on the scale.

It started for me at weight loss camp. Kids lined up as if they were receiving a holy sacrament. We were praised if we lost weight, counseled if we stayed the same or gained. If it was a really big loss, we would all join together in praising that person at the meeting after the weigh in.

It was almost like a church service. slash Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. We would testify as to the people we were before this great transformation and who we were now.

The problem with that is, we are so much more than what we weigh. We are our thoughts, our dreams, our feelings, our very soul. So why do we judge ourselves on an arbitrary number? 

Why I Considered And Decided Against Having The Lap Band Procedure.

Before I started having success in counting calories I didn't know what to do about my weight problem. I actually considered weight loss surgery and especially the lap band procedure to reduce my weight. It seemed like a simpler, less invasive procedure to me. I was already to call my doctor and ask about it until I did some research and this is why I decided that the lap band was not for me.

It requires a a special liquid diet before and after the procedure. Now, it's not forever but the idea of being on a liquid diet for a month or more didn't leave me feeling too enthused.

You have to take special vitamins to make sure you can get enough nutrition because you won't eat much. I'd much rather get my nutrition from actual food.

There are foods you can't have because they are hard to digest after the procedure. The one thing I've heard that is off limits to some people is some shredded meats. I like shredded meats. In fact, I like a wide variety of foods. Giving them up was a sacrifice I was unwilling to make.

There are other foods you are discouraged from eating because they have no nutritional value and the food you eat is so little that everything has to count nutritionally. I don't want to have to worry about the nutrients of every morsel that goes into my mouth and I certainly don't want to give up any one food
forever.

You may not lose as much weight as you hoped. You can go through the procedure, follow the dietary guidelines and still not lose as quickly or as much as you hoped. What's the point of that? I could get those same results losing weight on my own.

So I decided to lose weight on my. Nothing too strenuous. I just lose a few pounds a week. My goal is to lose 1 pound a week but it's comming off quicker for now. My goal is to have the weight come off slowly so it will stay off. And so far I haven't had to give up a thing. All things in moderation.

Was The Shoofly Pie Worth It And Do I Have To Give Up Everything I Love To Lose Weight?

First things first. The shoofly pie was very good but I think I would have been just as satisfied with half a slice. I probably won't make that again for a long time.

Something has really been bothering me. A good friend gave me the advice that I would probably have to give up all the foods I love if I expect to lose weight: pasta, guacamole, ham, desserts, sugar, potatoes, you get my drift.

I've always had the point of view that if you give up everything you love and just eat twigs and berries eventually you will become frustrated and give up. Now, so far I have good healthy food and some of what I want. I save up my calories and portion control everything. I eat. I even have room for dessert.

So far this has worked for me and I have lost 14 lbs. My friend has been on Great Watcher's and has lost a nice amount of weight too. So really I have no idea who is right.

I'm happy with my blood sugars and weight loss so I will probably keep doing what I'm doing for now. My worst fear is that eventually I will have to give up those things and that's what will cause me to fail. I guess the best thing I can do for now is to keep doing what's working and make small changes as they are needed.

The only way I can really tell you who is right is to maybe weigh in on this topic six months from now.

Good Lord, A Slice Of Shoofly Pie Is Almost 400 Calories!

After a bought of insomnia last night I started reading reading Marcia Adams New Recipes From Quilt Country. It was one of my most favorite cookbooks when I married my husband 11 years ago.

Not surprisingly after which, I had a craving for Amish cuisine. Not thinking I made a shoofly pie without first figuring out the calories. How much could it be, I reasoned? 250 calories. Nope, it was almost 400.

Luckily, I have 400 calories to spend but still I should have put more thought into it.  400 calories is more of a Sunday treat than a weekday thing.  

So, what can I do next time?  FIND OUT HOW MANY CALORIES IT IS BEFORE I MAKE IT!  Plan on a smaller serving size. Make a lighter version of the recipe.  Fiddle with the serving sizes.

I'll let you know tomorrow if it's worth all 400 calories.