Shiny's Log to a Healthy Start

Is this helping you to get/stay motivated?

Yes! Thank you!	57.1%	[ 4 ]
I'll let you know!	28.6%	[ 2 ]
Not quite...	14.3%	[ 1 ]
Total Votes:			[ 7 ]

[lll Shiny lll]

Hello everyone!
For those of you who know me, I am Shiny, a 23 year old girl who has been on Gaia since Oct. 2005.

I have recently started to think more and more at how to stay motivated to lose weight.
All of the articles and apps are fine in theory, but in practice it is all in my head and not in my hands, so to speak.

exclaim One thing I would like to include is that about 3 years ago I started to lose weight, but in a rather unhealthy way. I exercised 2 times a day but i didn't eat anything and was always tired and sick, but I lost a lot. So a goal is to EAT RIGHT and exercise when I can.

So, my solution is to create a Log of each days meals, small exercises and such.
I am not sure how this is going to help me, but perhaps a log of this on Gaia is a good way to get motivated.
In a way it is also helping me on MY QUEST to get some gold.

Also, I hope that this thread helps others who are seeking answers and motivation. It's always fun to help yourself and others at the same time.

Feel free to post some tips and tricks to help me get started as well!
I don't like to buy substitutes since I am rather poor and like to make things simple. ;}

MOTIVATION LIST

idea Fitting into my bridesmaid dress and looking fabulous!
idea Get that beach bod!
idea Healthy weight!
idea Ability to fit into cute skirts!
idea Looking good for a class reunion in the future!

[lll Shiny lll]

DAY 1

I woke up in hopes to drink the, what 8 glasses of water a day, but ended up drinking coffee half way through.
I boiled and ate some pumpkin, but ended up making a sugary, unhealthy mixture out of it. I want to try eating a meal, probably lunch, of just vegetables of some sort once a day to see if that helps.

When exercising today I went on the bicycle for 11mins. and then did 10lb. weights and about 4min's light jogging around my basement.

Tomorrow's goal: DRINK WATER!!! AND NO COFFEE/NOT-A-LOT OF SUGAR!!!

[lll Shiny lll]

DAY 2

So I started off with a healthy breakfast but due to my grandma needing me to take her to the hospital, I skipped lunch and had a late dinner and had A LOT!!!

Goal for tomorrow/the weekend: Eat healthily and drink lots of water!

[lll Shiny lll]

DAY 3

Forgot to post this yesterday but I didn't really keep up with my goal. Drink some coffee, though not a lot of sugar so that's good. But I ended up eating popcorn and it was the really buttery kind x__x

I need to rethink my motivation and set some goals for myself!!

[angel allure]

lll Shiny lll

DAY 3

Forgot to post this yesterday but I didn't really keep up with my goal. Drink some coffee, though not a lot of sugar so that's good. But I ended up eating popcorn and it was the really buttery kind x__x

I need to rethink my motivation and set some goals for myself!!

It's normal to have a setback and you just have to remember that this was only one time. Keep at it! You will do better next time and remember that the occasional coffee is not a bad thing. As long as you aren't loading it down with milk and sugar, studies have actually shown a medium cup of coffee can do you good. Coffee is an appetite suppressant and the smell of it has been known to cheer people up, even if they don't actually like the taste of it. I would just suggest not to try any exercise for a couple of hours after consumption. When you're raising your heart rate like that, you don't want to be under the heavy influence of caffeine.

This is such a great way to keep yourself motivated. Keep up with it. When you have to hold yourself accountable to others, it's more likely that you will stick with it.

Why not try to make your meal plans in advance? Today I plan to eat x, y & z for my meals and only will allow myself this and this for snacks. Allot yourself a spot in the week where you can be a little bad. If coffee is your number one craving, then why not make that a once a week thing and savor it the way you like it? And remember, it's normal to slip up. Have a friend you can call who can help talk you out of eating whatever and/or put up some motivational pictures of people you admire and your first goal weight that will help you kick the habit.

I don't know your situation, but if you live alone you can throw out the trigger foods (or at least set them out of sight) that would make you want to cheat. I allot myself a small portion of the freezer where I know to look for my foods where my hubby's stash of processed freezer meals aren't in my immediate sight. x3 I also only head for the fruit/veggie drawers in the fridge when I am craving something.

Sorry, that was a lot. Anyway, I hope you keep at this and continue to strive forward with your goal! I'll be joining you soon on your weight loss journey, as I return home next month. n.n

[lll Shiny lll]

angel allure

lll Shiny lll

DAY 3

Forgot to post this yesterday but I didn't really keep up with my goal. Drink some coffee, though not a lot of sugar so that's good. But I ended up eating popcorn and it was the really buttery kind x__x

I need to rethink my motivation and set some goals for myself!!

It's normal to have a setback and you just have to remember that this was only one time. Keep at it! You will do better next time and remember that the occasional coffee is not a bad thing. As long as you aren't loading it down with milk and sugar, studies have actually shown a medium cup of coffee can do you good. Coffee is an appetite suppressant and the smell of it has been known to cheer people up, even if they don't actually like the taste of it. I would just suggest not to try any exercise for a couple of hours after consumption. When you're raising your heart rate like that, you don't want to be under the heavy influence of caffeine.

This is such a great way to keep yourself motivated. Keep up with it. When you have to hold yourself accountable to others, it's more likely that you will stick with it.

Why not try to make your meal plans in advance? Today I plan to eat x, y & z for my meals and only will allow myself this and this for snacks. Allot yourself a spot in the week where you can be a little bad. If coffee is your number one craving, then why not make that a once a week thing and savor it the way you like it? And remember, it's normal to slip up. Have a friend you can call who can help talk you out of eating whatever and/or put up some motivational pictures of people you admire and your first goal weight that will help you kick the habit.

I don't know your situation, but if you live alone you can throw out the trigger foods (or at least set them out of sight) that would make you want to cheat. I allot myself a small portion of the freezer where I know to look for my foods where my hubby's stash of processed freezer meals aren't in my immediate sight. x3 I also only head for the fruit/veggie drawers in the fridge when I am craving something.

Sorry, that was a lot. Anyway, I hope you keep at this and continue to strive forward with your goal! I'll be joining you soon on your weight loss journey, as I return home next month. n.n

Thank you so much for your input!
I realized today that I need to let myself have the things I want, but cut down on the portion sizes so that I am only consuming half of the calories rather than the whole thing with all the calories in the servings. I'll do this for a week or so and then gradually cut out the junk all together.
I think cutting it all out at once and then wanting it even more makes it harder to ween off of.
My problem isn't so much the coffee, but rather the fact that when it hits 9:00pm that I want something and one little thing doesn't satisfy me so I find a bunch of little things to eat which then add up and they are just random greasy or sugary snacks x.x
I want to at least start with cleansing my body by drinking water a lot so that itll be a step rather than a huge altogether change right away.

[angel allure]

lll Shiny lll

Thank you so much for your input!
I realized today that I need to let myself have the things I want, but cut down on the portion sizes so that I am only consuming half of the calories rather than the whole thing with all the calories in the servings. I'll do this for a week or so and then gradually cut out the junk all together.
I think cutting it all out at once and then wanting it even more makes it harder to ween off of.
My problem isn't so much the coffee, but rather the fact that when it hits 9:00pm that I want something and one little thing doesn't satisfy me so I find a bunch of little things to eat which then add up and they are just random greasy or sugary snacks x.x
I want to at least start with cleansing my body by drinking water a lot so that itll be a step rather than a huge altogether change right away.

I think you have the right idea and it's definitely a great idea with the water. Monitoring/cutting portion sizes is definitely important. In the US, we're really accustomed to bigger sizes and it gets a bit harder. Weening yourself off of those trigger foods is definitely a great step. One of the things that helped me cut out soda, about a year ago, was to half my soda intake and drink teas the other half until I was completely off of it. Then I worked on swapping the tea with water. If I have senseless hunger, I will drink a cup of black coffee. I really didn't like my coffees black until the past year, when I began weening myself off of my sugar addiction. It takes time, so don't expect it to all happen in a few weeks.
I have a trick for your late night eating habits. Eat something filling that your body wants instead. My trick is eating something like oatmeal (even if it's the sugary instant oatmeal) instead of a bunch of sugary snacks. It's more filling and you're filling your body with some wonderful fiber instead. It's also a good filling food that will help put you to sleep.