Good Morning Readers!

I woke up this morning not feeling very well.  I figured it was probably the withdrawal of sugar and caffeine still fighting me.  As I was doing my morning routine, I decided to weigh myself again and all of a sudden I felt much better.  Last night I was craving really bad foods and again I fought back those cravings and went with a simple salad with grilled shrimp.  I'm not much of a dressing person so I put a splash of olive oil on it.  I gave up red meats and pork entirely and slowly working on limiting myself on chicken.  I'm not becoming a vegan, I couldn't give up meat entirely plus I love seafood.  Some people don't count fish as a meat so that would be my category if there is a word for it?  The other night when I went to the diner, I had honey glazed salmon, it was amazing!  I personally like my own recipe of salmon but that came pretty close!

There are a lot different diet pills out there that I have tried before and honestly all they ever did was make me feel sick or bloated.  They may work for some people but honestly just watching what you eat and exercising is the right way to go.  I'm glad that I am choosing this path because I can say I did it all the right way.  Well the "right way" is subjective I know, so shall I say more along the lines of the healthy way?  I'm not an expert but back in 2013-2014 I lost 60lbs from simply not eating. Those that know me quite well know that I was going through something difficult and was extremely depressed.  That's how I cope with depression, I don't eat.  Problem is, when I got happy again I gained it all back and then some!  I know there are a lot of people who can relate, and then again there are others who do the opposite when they are depressed.  

I want to be happy in all aspects of my life.  Well who doesn't? I think I'll be even happier if I won the powerball! (wishful thinking). Anyway, today I plan to be out and about, run some errands and do some shopping. Basically keep moving! Yesterday I stayed in all day and enjoyed my first day off from work.  I know a lot of people like to use different apps to count their steps, I have done that before but if you aren't getting your heart rate up you really aren't doing much in my opinion.  I work 10 hours a day and work in a decent size building with long hallways.  I could easily make 10k steps a day just wandering around.  Unless you are constantly moving while doing these 10k steps, you really aren't going to see results. Especially if you are eating throughout the day.  But hey, if you think it's working for you then more power to you! Have a great day everyone! 

Feeling The Difference

People say when they don't have their coffee in the morning that they are like some version of Satan and that we should avoid them until they have their coffee.  I'm starting to understand that feeling.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker but I do like my caffeinated beverages.  Even though I have been without soda and any type of energy drink for almost 3 weeks now, I have come to realize that my moods have been changing.  While I no longer crave these types of drinks I feel the difference without them. 

It usually hits me in the late afternoon while sitting at my desk.  I feel myself slowly nodding my head and falling into a daze.  I quickly grab a piece of dark chocolate to give myself a little energy boost.  It actually works, and I can move on with my day.  Resisting can be very difficult, but to me it is all about willpower.  

Reading labels on food has also become a habit and this is actually a great habit to pick up.  It's actually almost an obsessive feeling when I think about it.  I'll glance at something that looks really good and immediately turn it over to see the nutrition info.  I have it in my head that anything over a certain fat content or calorie content, I immediately put back.  The way I see it, if you have to really think about whether or not it's okay for you, most likely it's not!  

It's been 12 days since I started my new journey, and I am happy to report I am down 8lbs.  Just making minor changes in my diet (well some drastic) I am seeing a difference.  Sometimes when I feel I may slip up and eat/drink something I'm not supposed to, I simply think: Is it worth it?  Why fall backwards, when I could be moving forward?  I'm also glad that I have a friend who is joining me on this journey.  Having someone there with you is a big help.  We all might have our own methods on the way we work our goals, but as long as we get the result we want at the end, is all that matters! So until next time, hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  

Day one

As I'm sitting here snacking away on pumpkin seeds, I've come to the realization that I may be addicted to the salty shell.  The flavored seeds without the shell just doesn't do it for me but still taste pretty good.  Anyway it's a new year which means time for new beginnings, new hopes, new dreams, and perhaps new goals as well?   I recall last year of having a goal of finding a new job and I'm happy to report that I did in fact accomplish that goal.  I am no longer a hotel desk clerk, but a field traffic controller in workforce operations at a major cable company.  

Why the drastic change? Well to be blunt I was unhappy. The end. On a serious note I decided that I would have a New Year's resolution for this year too.  Like many others, I would love to get down to a goal weight but I don't want to make that my resolution, because normally it doesn't pan out how I want it.  If I set my goal to high I might set myself up for disappointment for not getting close to it.  So for this year, my resolution is to make a lifestyle change. That is, cut out soda completely (again), cut out sugary and fatty/fried foods (again) and to start eating better.  Losing weight will just be a bonus. I even have a friendly bet going with a friend of mine who is also looking to make a lifestyle change.  The end result of this bet will lead us to having fun no matter the outcome and of course feeling good about ourselves.

I decided to start writing down my thoughts and progress on my journey.  I may not write every single day, but I will try to write at least once a week.  So a few days ago I started this journey (couple days before the new year) and I am happy to report that I am already down 5lbs.  It's amazing what happens when you don't drink soda or eat cupcakes and other junk. To all of those who are joining me in this life style change I want to say good luck to you.  If you are like me, you will probably feel like crap and have a lot of headaches from the sugar withdrawal.  You will get over it trust me! Give it a couple of weeks and your body will be use to it.  Do not give up! Remember it's a new year, a chance for a new start! Until next time, Happy New Year!