here's something i learned ---
just decide you're going to do something, and do it.
don't think about it, don't get bogged down in the emotions of it.
just shut everything else out and do it.
no excuses.
discipline and how to get it
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Posted by Patricia at 11:09 AM 2 comments
Labels: discipline, health, slimming, weight loss
16 lbs lost, 34 lbs to go
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
sometimes it seems to me that my goal is so hard to achieve.
i have to remind myself all the time to focus on short term goals instead of the seemingly insurmountable end goal that i have set for myself. will i ever lose 50 lbs by december? the days are flying too fast. i can't imagine september is almost over.
two months.
34 lbs.
i wonder if i can make it.
Posted by Patricia at 3:44 PM 3 comments
Labels: goal, health, slimming, south beach diet, weight loss
the evils of pizza
Monday, September 22, 2008
my sister in law and her husband moved into a new flat last saturday. naturally we helped them set it up. it was fun arranging furniture and setting up a new home. my little boy was happily playing with all the packaging materials, and basically creating more mess than we would have ordinarily dealt with.
we were tired, but happy. and extremely hungry when supper time came. unfortunately, i didn't anticipate that we would be ordering in.
they ordered pizza.
there was nothing else to eat, and so i guiltily wolfed down two slices.
boy would i regret it later!
when we got home two hours later, my tummy was having major cramps. i haven't been eating starch for a month now and my digestive system isn't used to it anymore. the pains stayed with me all night and didn't stop until noon of the next day.
i will never ever eat bad carbs ever again!
Posted by Patricia at 9:15 PM 3 comments
Labels: bad carbs, health, pizza, slimming, tummy ache
quick south beach diet shopping list
Thursday, September 18, 2008
- A lot of eggs! (at least two dozen. I ate 3 a day)
- Turkey and Canadian bacon
- Sugar free Jell-O
- Lettuce & whatever else you want in your salads (buy enough for the week)
- Salad dressing (balsamic vinaigrette is good)
- Veggies (no carrots) (broccoli & zucchini are good)
- Chicken breasts and whatever other meat you like (spam doesn't count as meat, not even low-sodium spam)
- Nuts (for snacks)
- Low fat string cheese & shredded cheese (I use it on my salads)
- Part-skim ricotta cheese
- Splenda or other sugar substitute
give them all away so you can start with a clean slate and you won't be tempted to cheat.
the best way to modify your behavior is to change your environment first.
in fact whatever diet you want to follow, be sure that none of the bad foods in the list are inside your home.
Posted by Patricia at 11:37 PM 6 comments
Labels: health, shopping, slimming, south beach diet, weight loss
bloating
i feel so bloated today. i started introducing one good carb a day to my diet - a piece of wholegrain toast. i totally stopped eating fruits because they made me crave sweets.
but with starches, i feel so bloated!
if one piece of toasted wholegrain bread can do that to me, just imagine what my former diet did to my body? all that rice! all those cakes and biscuits! gawd, no wonder!
i totally want to go back to phase 1 again, but they don't recommend it. the south beach diet is supposed to train you for a lifetime of healthy eating. and not having any carbs at all is not healthy.
maybe i just need to add to my exercise regimen.
or maybe i need to take diuretics?
how do you get rid of bloating?
Posted by Patricia at 11:37 PM 5 comments
Labels: bloating, health, slimming, south beach diet
i could snack on these forever
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
green tea flavoured pumpkin seeds! the yummiest healthy snack ever made on this side of the planet! =) high fibre, low carb, high protein, healthy fat. =)
Posted by Patricia at 10:06 AM 2 comments
belting up
i never thought buying a new belt could hold so much significance. all my jeans are loose now, and i needed a belt to keep them in place. isn't it great? =)
it would be so much easier to just buy a new wardrobe, but i promised myself that i'd only do that when i reach my goal weight. so it's just belts for now.
Posted by Patricia at 10:02 AM 0 comments
Labels: belts, health, progress, slimming, weight loss updates
can you go from hating exercise to loving it?
Friday, September 12, 2008
I am one of "those people" who went from hating exercise to loving it -- but I still have PLENTY of days where I have to talk myself into it. My lightbulb moment was when I realized that it wasn't the actual exercise I loved, but how I felt when I was DONE exercising -- healthy, fit, powerful, emotionally & physically strong, confident, happy, beautiful... Amazing thing, those endorphines! I used to have to talk myself into climbing a flight of stairs -- that's how out of shape and disinterested and unenchanted I was... but the more in shape I got, the easier it got, and the greater my enjoyment.
Now that was years ago. I actually wished the gym was open 7 days a week so I could exercise every single day. And I'm talking 3 hours of workout here.
My form of exercise now is walking. I love to walk every where! I'm lucky that Singapore is a very safe place, and the sidewalks are usually lined with shady trees and pretty shrubs; so walking is a very pleasant experience. Unless it rains, or if the tropical climate turns on the heat full blast. But I do love the flush on my face after a good workout! Who needs blush when you have post-workout flush? =)
The moral of the story is, keep with it... you'll find SOMETHING in it, whether it's increased fitness level / health, happiness, or simply the pride of accomplishing something so amazing!
Posted by Patricia at 12:47 PM 4 comments
Labels: exercise, health, slimming, weight loss
ode to the eggplant
Thursday, September 11, 2008
seriously, how can you not love this vegetable? it's full of flavor, full of nutrients, and so easy to cook! these baked eggplant bites are the best snack food i've ever tasted. it's like eating pizza without the crust. and the smell! the smell of it when it's almost cooked -- the aroma wafting from the oven --- mouth-watering!
Posted by Patricia at 9:15 PM 0 comments
one small step for man, one giant leap for my blood sugar
so i started on phase two this week. and i've been reintroducing fruits into my diet. only, silly me, i didn't read that part about WHEN to eat fruits. i thought it was ok to eat it in the morning.
it's not. apparently.
it raises your blood sugar right away and then makes it fall as abruptly. so two hours later you are ravenous. i wasn't prepared for it and i didn't bring any snacks with me as i did my regular walking thing. can you spell hypoglycemia?
aaargh. obviously it's not good to speed read instructional books. =)
Posted by Patricia at 9:07 PM 0 comments
tummy tuck
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
the south beach diet really works wonders on one's belly. i can't believe i can actually look down and not see my tummy anymore. hehehe. and when i lie down, it actually turns flat.
i know, i know, i'm still big, but hey, i used to look 7 months pregnant all the time, so this is a big achievement for me! =)
Posted by Patricia at 9:33 AM 6 comments
Labels: health, slimming, south beach diet, weight loss updates
weights
i'm adding weight training to my exercise regimen this week.
since i'll be adding fruits to my diet, i need to make sure i don't stop losing weight. the best way to increase my metabolism is to do weight training, so i'm taking out my dumbells from their storage.
i still wish i had a gym to go to, with a personal trainer. but who needs that when you have willpower and resolve, right? =)
zara.... zara.... zara.....
Posted by Patricia at 12:11 AM 5 comments
Labels: exercise, slimming, weight loss, weight training
hello fruits!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
i'm on phase 2! and i'm allowed to eat one serving of fruit a day. hallelujah! finally, i can have something sweet for breakfast.
i had a small slice of ripe papaya this morning. and it was so yummy!
i'm not allowed to gorge on fruits yet, i still have to limit my intake of anything with sugar (fruits have fructose, remember.) but one slice a day is enough of a treat to keep me going. maybe next week i can start adding another serving. if i stop losing weight, then i have to cut back again.
Posted by Patricia at 11:55 PM 0 comments
Labels: south beach diet
why it's working
Friday, September 5, 2008
i know why the south beach diet works for me. it makes me conscious of what i eat, and yet i don't have to count calories, or keep a food journal. all i need to do is make sure i eat what i'm allowed to eat, in the proper amounts. and i don't starve or skip meals or drink meal substitutes that make me feel like i'm drinking a chemistry experiment.
it teaches me how to make proper food choices (high fibre, good unsaturated fats, low-fat dairy, high phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables, lean protein). and unlike most fad diets, this is really something that i feel i can do for the rest of my life.
i think i'm going to be shopping at zara in december. =D
Posted by Patricia at 2:14 PM 1 comments
Labels: health, slimming, south beach diet, weight loss
goodbye 10 lbs
Thursday, September 4, 2008
10 days into the south beach diet and i've already lost 10 lbs. yep. you heard it right. although if you look at me you wouldn't be able to tell. i suppose if you're incredibly overweight, 10 lbs is really negligible. i forgot how to compute for the differential threshold but i have a feeling whatever the formula is, the 10 lbs wouldn't reach the limit.
my clothes are starting to fit better though, particularly around the waist. and i can suck in my stomach now! laugh all you want, but i was never able to do that with any visible results before.
so today, i'm feeling very good about myself. i'm starting to believe that this might actually work. and that goal isn't so impossible after all.
Posted by Patricia at 12:45 PM 3 comments
Labels: health, slimming, south beach diet, weight loss
the missing ingredient
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
if there's anything i miss the most, it's RICE.
i can't believe i have to give it up entirely until i reach my goal weight. and even then, i can only enjoy it on special occasions.
Posted by Patricia at 6:32 PM 2 comments
Labels: weight loss woes
feeling good
Monday, September 1, 2008
after one week on the south beach diet, i'm starting to feel really good. and i mean, lighter, more energetic. i'm not as hungry as on the first two days, and i've slowly gotten rid of my cravings for sweets and starchy food.
yesterday i made pancakes for my boys, and i didn't once stare at them with longing. hahahaha! i must be improving! i had my eggs florentine and i was happy with my breakfast.
i've also been very active, and i've tried to get my whole family to join me. my husband is very supportive. he hates walking anywhere, but for me, he'll walk all the way to the mall just so i can have my exercise. (it's a good 20-minute walk)
yesterday, instead of lazing around the house, we went to the park and rode bikes! that was fun! there's a park right across our apartment complex that sits right on the beach. there are bikes and skates for rent. i got a bike with a toddler seat at the back so vito can ride with me. it was fun! oh of course i had to practice a bit as i hadn't ridden a bike in like 20 years, but after that it was smooth sailing.
ahhh, the wind on my face! the joy of going through avenues of trees and hearing the waves from the sea! i want it to be a regular thing from now on.
Posted by Patricia at 8:45 AM 1 comments
Labels: exercise, south beach diet