90 Day Lifestyle Challenge

Good morning everyone. Today is March 1st and the 1st day of our 90 Day Lifestyle Challenge. I am so excited for all of us and for what the future holds for those of us who play full out and commit to this challenge and stay committed for the entire 90 Days. It is my philosophy that we can do anything for just 90 Days.

 

I realize that today is Friday and Friday is not the normal day to start a 90 Day Challenge, but I say let’s do some things a little different this time. As a matter of fact I think that our chances of succeeding will be greater because we are starting off differently than all of the other challenges we have begun. We usually start a challenge or a diet on a Monday, right? Oh yeah, by the way, we will not be using the “D” word at all throughout this challenge. We are finally making some permanent necessary lifestyle changes. Wouldn’t you agree?

So because we are starting on a Friday, I say let’s use the first three days to get clear on our objectives for the next 90 days. Give some serious thought to what it is you would like to accomplish in the next 90 days. Since this is “Girlfriends Losing Weight” Facebook page. I think it’s safe to say that most of us would like to see a smaller number on the scale than the one we are seeing now.  So what is your number? Go easy on yourself. Remember, baby steps. Make it a goal that you can reach, but also one that stretches you a little beyond your comfort zone. For me that number is 15. It may be a little higher for some and a little lower for others. Remember to keep it real….lol….I mean realistic! I don’t want to lose any of you along the way because you set your goal too high and if you don’t see a lot of progress in a little time you may begin to feel like a failure and disappear. We have all done it. NOT THIS TIME. You have to promise me and yourself that if you fall off your horse one day, that you will jump right back on the next day. That is a major key to you success. You can’t fall off today and stay off you MUST get right back into the game. Come on say “I promise”!

Next in our list of objectives, think about your overall wellness. Some of us have issues with cholesterol, high blood pressure, sugar levels and heart disease. Getting these factors under control could also be a very important objective for you over the next 90 Days and very doable.

Understanding “WHY” you are here, what exactly is your motivation for participating is critical to your success, probably more than any other motivating factor. Dig deep on this one, don’t stay shallow and on the surface. Write down your answer and then as yourself “What else?” and then ask yourself “How would my life be different?” and then again “What else?”.

This is a good start on what to ponder for a few days. But in the meantime, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, start each day with:

1. An affirmation and/or a prayer. Ask for courage, wisdom and discipline.

 

2. Be grateful. Make a list of all the things you are grateful for in your life and wake up every morning grateful.

 

3. Drink a tall glass of room temperature water with fresh squeezed lemon juice. And throughout the day drink half your body weight in water.

 

4. Decide to keep yourself at a specific amount of calorie intake per day. 1200, 1500, 1,800 ect.

5.      Limit carbohydrates (pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, flour etc.), sugar, soda (especially Diet) and fried foods. Think sensible meals.



6. Eat lots of  lien protein (Chicken, beef, sea food)

 

7. Exercise! At a minimum do more than you’ve been doing. Take the stairs, go for a walk, ride your bike, go hiking, hula hoop, jump rope, do exercise video at home etc.)

8. Weigh yourself in the morning when you first get up, after you’ve gone to the restroom and but naked.

 

9. Measure your upper chest (under your arms at the top of your cleavage), bust (directly across your nipple), waist (at the bend), hips (largest part), each thigh and each arm.

10. Take a photo! Just for yourself….you don’t have to share if you don’t want to. But make it cute anyway. You don’t want to be like me….wanted to share before and after photo but the before picture was just not a good look overall.

 

Remember Girlfriends you are doing this for YOU, because you love yourself that much. I’m not going to say it will be easy, but I will say “IT WILL BE WORTH IT”! YOU”RE WORTH IT! 

Please share with us your primary objective/s for participating in the 90 Day Lifestyle Challengem. My objectives are overall wellbeing, weight loss, discipline and spiritual connection.

https://www.facebook.com/GirlfriendsLosingWeight?ref=hl

Good Luck, I’m cheering for you.

Your Girlfriend in the Journey

Lose Weight Doing The Activities You Enjoy

The idea of losing weight does not need to be intimidating at all. Incorporating a short brisk walk into your daily routine, or skipping the elevator and taking the stairs can really help you achieve your weight loss goals. This article will give you some ideas of ways you can incorporate a little more exercise to your daily routine.

Taking a walk with your family after dinner is a good habit to get into that can help you lose weight. Not only does it burn some calories, but it lets you spend more time with your loved ones. Strengthening your relationships is important when you are trying to lose weight.

Learn portion control for successful weight loss! Don't overeat! A 3-ounce piece of meat or fish should be the size of a deck of cards or roughly the size of the palm of your hand. A cup of cold cereal, fruit chunks or berries, and popcorn is about the size of a baseball.

One important tip for weight loss is this mantra: "plan, prepare, perform, and practice!" Weight loss doesn't happen by accident, it takes mental effort and deliberate steps in order to achieve the results that you want. Overcoming inertia and stepping out in action is one of the hardest and most rewarding parts. Once you start moving forward, the rest will be easier.

A great weight loss tip that people should incorporate is to use larger utensils. Contrary to what you may think, using a larger fork or spoon can actually reduce the amount you eat. Studies have shown that people tend to take smaller bites when they use larger utensils with their meals.

Consider making weight loss into a fun adventure instead! Break up your workout routine by going out dancing instead. If you stay away from sugar-laden drinks and calorie-ridden chasers, you'll be burning calories all night. Who knows? You might even catch somebody's eye. Either way, you'll have fun with friends and sweat it out at the same time!

Add low fat milk and other low fat dairy products into your diet. Studies suggest that Vitamin D and Calcium are directly related to weight loss success. Skipping out on your dairy intake can mean fewer calories, but it can also have a negative effect on how effectively your body burns fat.

If you have the urge to have a snack and you cannot fight it, have a handful of olives or walnuts or even some salmon. These foods will satisfy your need to snack, and they are really great for you. You will also feel full after eating some of these things.

Losing weight is not only about burning calories. In order to lose weight you need to eat the right kind of food. Be sure that you have vegetables on hand such as broccoli, cucumber or carrot sticks in the refrigerator. These are great snacks, and it helps you edge off your hunger.

As stated at the beginning of this article, the thought of losing weight does not need to be at all intimidating. Getting exercise throughout your day not only helps you lose weight, but also gives you more energy overall. Apply the tips from this article, and you will be on your way to achieving your weight loss goals in no time.

Make Getting Fit Easily

For many people, getting fit seems like an impossible task. It takes time and stamina and doesn't appear to be all that fun. However, with the right workout plan, tailored to what you can do and what you find enjoyable, getting fit and staying fit can be a lifelong hobby. Following are some tips to get into the swing of things.

Try yoga on the day that you are resting after a long workout. This will help you to relax all of the muscles in your body, so that you are prepared for the next time you go to the gym. Yoga and meditation are great things to do on your off day.

Get fit by jumping! If you jump 30 times a day, it will strengthen your bones and improve both health and fitness. Don't try jumping prior to warming up. Warm up until you break a little sweat, and then jump up and down 30 times. You don't need to jump on and off anything as it's the impact that strengthens your bones. Just make sure you are doing it on a soft surface such as a padded exercise mat.

If you are sick, take the time to heal instead of exercising. This is especially true if you are experiencing symptoms below the head. Your body will mostly be putting its resources towards healing itself rather than trying to build the muscle you are training for, so any work you do will more than likely be of little benefit. It's better to rest up.

A really good way to help you get fit is to make a small protein shake whenever you feel the urge to eat junk food. By adding just a scoop of protein powder, some ice, and a little bit of splenda, you'll have a much healthier snack that won't wreck your fitness goals.

Your fitness program should include regular workouts with quality exercises. The length of the workout is not so important as what you do while you are working out. You should start at twenty minutes and gradually work your way up to an hour. You don't want to be exhausted when you work out or you will not get as much benefit from the exercises.

Find a way to sneak in exercise. It's not important where or when you exercise, just that you do exercise. It is easy to sneak in a thirty minute workout in your day. If you take a bus, get off a stop or two before your stop and walk the rest of the way or go for a walk after lunch. Finding small pockets of time to exercise can be beneficial to your health.

Therefore, getting and staying fit does not have to be the unreachable pinnacle in your life. It's just a matter of building up stamina by doing something you enjoy, an activity that will get your heart rate up and that you can do at least a few times a week. A routine like that may not make you into an Olympic star, but it can give you a healthy body, keep your weight down, and make you feel good about yourself.

Get Started Eating Healthier

Healthy eating requires planning and attention to the nutritional content of food. A typical American diet focuses heavily on animal proteins and processed foods, resulting in very real health consequences such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Start a healthy eating routine gradually, incorporating a few simple techniques first and allowing them to develop into habits. An occasional treat is fine, but strive to make healthy choices.

Step 1

Eat plant foods at every meal. Add berries to your morning cereal. Enjoy a side salad with dark greens and fresh tomatoes instead of fries with your lunch. Make two vegetables to go with dinner to increase variety and your overall intake. Eating vegetables provides you with a low-calorie way to obtain vital nutrients and disease-fighting anti-oxidants.

Step 2

Cut back on sugar. Read labels to identify added sugars---look for cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, barley malt syrup, molasses and fructose in the ingredient list. Try cutting out soda and fruit-flavored juices first, as one regular soda typically adds about eight teaspoons of sugar to your diet. Limit consumption of sugary cereals, flavored yogurts and sweet snacks--opting for plain cheerios, cottage cheese and fruit as alternatives. Work towards obtaining no more than 25 added grams of sugar a day if you are a female or 37.5 grams for men---or six and nine added teaspoons respectively---as recommended by the American Heart Association.

Step 3

Replace refined grains with whole grains. Choose cereals, pasta and crackers that list whole grains as the first ingredient. Look for these products to contain at least three grams of fiber per serving, as recommended by nutritionists at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Step 4

Avoid saturated and trans fats. Cut back on red meat and full-fat dairy to reduce your intake of saturated fat. Serve grilled chicken instead of hamburgers at your next barbecue. Choose 1 percent milk instead of whole.

Step 5

Vow to stop purchasing processed foods---particularly snack foods and fast foods---that list "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredient list. Most nutritionists, including those at the American Heart Association, the Harvard School of Public Health and the National Cancer Institute, agree that trans fats contribute to increased health problems.

Do not try to make all of these changes at once. Incorporate one or two over the course of a few months and ease into your new eating routine. Too many changes at once may overwhelm or frustrate you and cause you to give up on your commitment to healthy eating.

Article provided by Livestrong

Some Reasons We Over Eat

1. We are malnourished--we eat nutrient-poor foods and are craving nutrients. *Tune in to your body’s true needs and consume delicious mineral-rich, organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables and, if you like, their juices.* 

2. We harbor the false idea that we will not obtain enough nutrients by having small meals of raw fruits and/or vegetables. *Understand that raw food nutrition is infinitely superior to your old diet of cooked foods--there is far more nutritional, health-promoting value in one apple than in a seven course meal of cooked food.* 

3. We are tired and are trying to stimulate our energy. * Understand that when we are tired, our primary need is for rest, not food, and food cannot digest well when we are tired. Eating when we are tired will only lead to enervation, toxemia and a worsening of fatigue.*
4. We are not mindful or present while we eat. *Eat slowly and practice being aware/mindful/conscious and present in your body while you eat.* 

5. We do not want to feel a particular emotion. *Choose to accept, feel and be with the emotion. Allow it to dissipate, or expand, to flow through your body and beyond. Explore the “somatic (or emotional) inquiry.”* 

6. We want to feel the nurturing “mother love” that is lacking in our lives. * Choose to cease covering up your emotions and to release emotional contractions and you will begin to feel nurtured by the love that is always present within yourself.* 

7. We feel and believe we are hungry when we are not--we are actually eating to fill up an emptiness. *Choose to explore, accept and be with the emptiness. Meditation and the “somatic inquiry” can help.* 

8. We feel bored and we eat recreationally. * Develop enjoyable, purposeful and healthful activities away from the food or kitchen. 

9. We feel socially obligated. *Choose to act healthfully and be in your power--choose to take the best possible care of your self at all times.* 

10. We feel too thin when we are in the detoxification stage. *Accept and love yourself as you are, and understand that by living and eating correctly your detoxification and weightloss period will eventually shift into a rebuilding phase, in which you will add healthy weight with larger muscles and enjoy higher vitality.* 

11. We are not physically fit and are at the mercy of our sympathetic emotions. * Keep physically fit--a strong spine and fit body translates into a strong nervous system, self-esteem, will-power, and keener physical awareness so that you can discern your true needs for nourishment. 

12. We believe we can “get away with it” one more time. *Ask yourself: “How is this food going to make me feel in a few minutes, and in a few hours, and tomorrow?” Think about how you want to feel and make the healthful choice, knowing that as you do, you are raising your level of well-being.* 
Written by David Klein

Depression Can Be A Cause of Over Eating

If you fall into a depression due to a medical condition, did you know you can make that condition worsen by dwelling on it? It is a double edged sword. Learn below how to shake yourself out of depression due to being diagnosed with a medical condition that is horrifying, contagious or even life threatening.

If you are depressed, you should try to work on something productive for at least 30-60 minutes per day. Doing absolutely nothing all day can cause a vicious cycle where you not only have your "base" depression symptoms, but also depression because you are unable to get anything done.

A good way to eliminate some depression is to listen to motivational speakers. Don't try to do it all yourself, listen to others who can help inspire you and show you different ways to think positively. If you can immerse yourself in uplifting thoughts of others or read about their uplifting stories and inspirational activities, this can only help make you feel less depressed.

Get your personal life in order. When you suffer from depression, even ordinary tasks can get overwhelming. Get organized using small, easy to complete goals and you can keep from getting bogged down in the everyday duties that can keep you from working on your depression and can even make your symptoms worse.

Your diet can have a huge affect on how you feel and act. If you are even mildly depressed, you can be tempted to eat so called "comfort foods" that are basically empty carbs and calories. These foods will do nothing to boost your mood or make you feel better about yourself. Eat a proper diet, filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to optimize the benefits that diet can offer to your mood.

Develop a method of reducing and preventing stress. Stress is a huge influence in your mood, causing depression when it gets too thick. If you are able to find a mental health center that can help alleviate your stress, you can find the right methods of alleviating depression as well as discover life to be a more positive experience when you aren't stressed out.

When it comes to depression, it is important to list out all of the things that might be causing your depression. This is important because it will help you to identify the causes and then you will be in great shape to work on fixes to eliminate all that is causing you to feel this way.

Keep a positive attitude. Negative thinking is always present in a person that has depression. Depressed people tend to minimize all of the good in their lives, while happy people keep a positive attitude by accepting sadness as a normal part of life, and fixing what they can. Being positive will also make you more pleasant to be around, and there is a lesser chance you will be lonely.

No matter what you have been diagnosed with, remember that depression can make it seem worse. Use the above advise to help you deal with your depression. How you live your life can affect those who love you and keeping your depression in check may not reverse your condition yet you can live the rest of your days with quality rather than under a cloud of unhappiness.

Keep It Simple When Losing Weight

Losing weight and keeping it off can seem like an unattainable goal. When beginning a new exercise routine, it is easy to find determination, but as the first few workouts end, the motivation often wanes. What can you do to make sure you're a success?

Start by creating a detailed weight loss plan you know you can follow. Decide if you are trying to build muscle or just lose weight. What is your target weight? Or are trying to increase your energy and endurance?

Write everything down to keep track of how you are doing. Don't weigh yourself too often, though. Weighing yourself more often than that can cause stress. Use a food journal to track all of your meals, snacks, beverages and the calories they contain. Make sure you write in all your beverages and snacks as well. Many times, the very act of putting it down on paper can keep you from making poor dietary choices.

If you become too hungry, your ability to make rational food choices will diminish and you may end up on an eating binge that you will later regret. Plan your meals in advance and take them with you if you are busy. Pack your lunch based off of your plan, instead of dining out. When you make your own lunch, you can control fat and calorie content, which is often high in restaurant meals. In addition, you can also save money!

The best way to lose weight is by incorporating a healthy diet along with regular exercise. Exercising at least 3 times a week is great, while exercising every day is not essential. Make sure to avoid letting your workout routine get stale by constantly mixing things up and adding new exercises. For instance, if dancing is your thing, it might be fun to enroll in a dance class.

Throw away any unhealthy food that is found in your cupboards. Remove all unhealthy choices and you will not give into temptation. If you make it difficult to get your hands on the high calorie junk food, it will be far less appealing and you will not eat as much of it.

It is important to have support when you are losing weight. If you have people around to support you, you will stay motivated; even though, no one can lose the weight for you. Don't get so discouraged that you give up in frustration! Instead, call someone that will give you the support you need to keep going.