Overcoming 5 Common Weight Loss Obstacles

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Here is the Meeting Summary from Saturday 17th, 2011.

There are certain obstacles that everyone seems to encounter sooner or later in the weight-loss journey. Here's how to prepare yourself for hurdles and learn how to lose weight for life.

If you're new to dieting (and maybe even if you aren't), you may think that a successful weight-loss journey is one that's struggle-free. It starts the day you snap out of your old habits and start eating and exercising the right way, and ends the day you are at the weight of your dreams. And there isn't a single hitch along the way.

Well, here's something you ought to know. Samantha Heller, MS, RD, senior clinical nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center in New York City, says, "In the course of a weight-loss journey, everybody encounters obstacles."

"We can't be perfect," says Heller. But getting thrown off track occasionally does not mean you've messed up for good. Don't set yourself up for failure by believing that. In any process that requires changing lifestyle habits, there are going to be ups and downs. Understand that, and you're on your way to lifelong success.

Obstacle advice
That said, expecting ups and downs is the perfect way to make them work for you, rather than against you. We asked several dieters what they think are the most common weight-loss obstacles. Here's what they said, and what you should do when you come across these challenges on your weight-loss journey.

Common obstacle #1: Shame
One dieter said: "My biggest mistake? Skipping my weekly weight-loss meeting if I think I gained some weight. That's when I need help the most!"

How to jump the hurdle: Knowing you overindulged can be upsetting, says Heller, but instead of punishing yourself, learn from the lesson. Out of shame, you may feel tempted to stop keeping track of what you eat, or to stop stepping on the scale. Don't! "Keeping a good food diary keeps you conscious and aware of what you're doing," she says. You can use it — together with your scale — to find out how well you're doing, and most important, why you're getting the results that you are.

Common obstacle #2: Unrealistic deadlines
One dieter said: "Every time I say I want to lose weight by a certain date or event, I wind up not losing anything and sometimes gaining. That has been my biggest downfall."

How to jump the hurdle: The temptation to try to get to a certain weight in time for an event such as a wedding or reunion is strong. But doing so, says Heller, could set you up for failure. Not making your deadline could turn you off to weight loss altogether. "Be patient with your body," she says. "Set realistic goals, then work hard to get to them." Remember, reaching your weight loss goal will feel just as great if it takes you longer to get there, and taking the time to establish healthy habits will help you stay at your weight goal for life.

Common obstacle #3: Temptation
One dieter said: "I used to say, before starting a diet, 'I'll never eat X again' in order to lose weight. 'Never' is a long time, and restricting foods from my diet just made me want to eat that restricted food even more!"

How to jump the hurdle: If you have favorite foods that are very high in calories, and you really love them, deciding you'll never eat them again is a recipe for disaster. Because then, when the temptation wins (and it probably will), you'll feel as though you've failed. The trick is to find ways to fit the food in without going off track. Look for low-fat versions, for example. Or allow yourself an occasional splurge. "Just always understand the pros and cons of eating whatever the food is," says Heller, and plan accordingly.

Common obstacle #4: The "diet" mentality
One dieter said: "When I think of weight loss as 'this is how I'm living my life now,' instead of calling it a 'diet,' it is less overwhelming. Just 'something I do.' Otherwise, I get hung up on 'I can't wait until I can eat X again.'"

How to jump the hurdle: "Something you do for a couple weeks to a month is not going to change your life," says Heller. Create habits that you know you'll be able to keep up every day for the rest of your life, and, even if it's one habit at a time, dedicate yourself to making the changes for good. This way, your weight loss will be for good, too!

Common obstacle #5: Plateaus
One dieter said: "When I read the stories of people who have been really successful at this, they have hung on despite plateaus and gains. Being impatient is probably my biggest mistake."

How to jump the hurdle: "Understand that it's totally okay to reach a plateau in your weight loss," says Heller. The reasons could be your body's natural reaction, or it could mean you've loosened up on the good habits you've developed. Either way, break through by keeping at it and increasing your exercise. Just be patient, and you will make your goal!

Help!

Good Morning Blog Friends! How are you? How are your weight loss journeys going?

I'm sorry for being a blog slacker last week. I've been really stressed which makes it hard to blog. When I am stressed I often end up cutting things out of my life that I enjoy the most. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what I have been doing the last few weeks. I have put myself on the back burner and made others a priority over myself. I cannot do this any longer! I have to get my priorities back in order and put myself closer to the top!!

Another reason that it has been hard for me to blog is because I feel like I am running out of things to say. Did I just say that!? It's probably not good to admit to your readers that you are suffering from writer's block, but it is true. Please do not misunderstand me, I love writing for this blog! I love being honest and open with you about Weight Watchers, healthy eating, struggles, spiritual things and more. However, I would really appreciate having some reader questions or topic suggestions to go off of.

Will you help me?

Thanks for letting me be honest with you!

Weight Watchers Caramel Spice Cake Yogurt

Weight Watchers Caramel Spice Cake Yogurt = 2 PointsPlus

Have you tried the new flavors of Weight Watchers yogurt yet? I had not until this week. 

Let me just tell you that this yogurt in really good!

I had seen a Weight Watchers coupon which showed some new flavors of Weight Watchers yogurt. However, I had not been able to find it at any of the stores in town. This past Saturday while Jon and I were shopping, I went to get some yogurt. I was so excited to find a new flavor of Weight Watchers yogurt! 

Wal-Mart had finally received Weight Watchers Caramel Spice Cake flavored yogurt! 

I tried this for the first time on Monday and it was very tasty! I do not like yogurt for dessert, but this flavor was incredible and I think it would satisfy my evening sweet tooth. 

Getting Back on Track after Summer

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  Here is the meeting summary for September 10, 2011.

One minute you're eating, drinking and making merry in the summer sun. The next you're back home, very possibly disappointed by any vacation weight gain and facing the prospect of the oncoming colder weather. It's enough to make anyone ditch their diet, grab the comforter and become one with the cookie jar.

Are you like many others trying to ditch your summer vacation eating habits? Here are 10 ways to get back on track after summer.

Follow these 10 top tips to get back on track 
1. It might seem obvious but you can avoid the post-vacation panic if you eat and drink sensibly while you're away. Eating well over summer is easy as you can always get access to low PointsPlus® value foods (sorbets, salads, exotic fruits etc.) and you'll also have lots of opportunities to earn activity PointsPlus values by swimming, walking and other outdoor activities.

2. Your vacation feeling doesn't have to end the moment you walk through your front door. Make the most of the fading light by getting out and about. The exercise will not only burn calories but it will also keep you feeling cheerful and buoyant well after your vacation has ended.

3. Same goes for food. Recreate some of the best meals of your trip at home. Buy the best fish you can afford or the leanest cut of meat, season well and grill over charcoal for the authentic alfresco taste. Serve with a crisp salad, juicy tomatoes and fresh herbs for a light, low PointsPlus value meal.

4. Foods that make you feel full will stop you from overeating, even if you're suffering the back-to-work blues. Mix tastes, textures and temperatures to keep your palate entertained and opt for filling, slow-release foods such as brown rice, bananas, potatoes and lentils.

5. Have a kitchen clear-out. Get back on track by clearing out the cupboards and fridge. Have an amnesty on naughty foods; don't feel guilty for having bought them, just trash them.

6. Stock up on delicious fall foods. Swap out light summer herbs like basil and cilantro for woodsy rosemary, thyme and sage, and look for autumn apples and squash. Spend an afternoon with a cup of coffee and your favorite cookbooks, finding low PointsPlus value recipes for the forthcoming months. You could also cook a few meals in advance and freeze them.

7. Anticipate any monthly milestones. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just a few of the seasonal events that revolve around food. We've got lots of recipes for all these occasions so there's no reason you have to miss out on all the fun.

8. Exercising in bad weather can be brutal. Keep on track with your fitness routine by investing in a new workout DVD or picking up second-hand copies from a thrift shop. If you don't feel like buying any DVDs, your local library and video store will have them to rent for a few bucks.

9. Make sure you get enough sleep. Vacations, jet lag and getting back to work can all disrupt your sleep patterns leaving you tired and low. Tiredness is often a trigger for snacking and overeating, so make sure you get plenty of rest and the full eight hours.

10. Stay positive! Your summer vacation may be over but each season has its own charm. Some of the nicest walking weather happens in the fall, with its clear skies and glorious colors, while winter is the perfect time to be sledging, skiing and building fires — all great fun activities which will earn you extra activity PointsPlus values!

Sexy Christians

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Preface: I blog about what’s on my mind and this I have been thinking a lot about sex and self-image. Blogging helps me to process what I am thinking about. So, try to bear with me. Thanks!

Last week, I listened to Pastor Mark Driscoll’s The Peasant Princess sermon series. This sermons series took an in depth look at the book of the Songs of Solomon. I enjoyed Pastor Mark's preaching because it was to the point. He does not beat around the bush, but simply tells you how it is which I appreciate. At the end of each of his sermons Pastor Mark would give you questions to ask your spouse so that you could begin to talk about some of these issues.

This past weekend I tried to talk about some of these things with Jon. We had some good talks! When I was all out of questions Jon surprised me with a question of his own. He asked me, "why don't you feel sexy?" I quickly tried to come up with an answer, but the truth was that I nothing was good enough. I am not sure why I do not feel sexy, but it is just a fact.

I began to wonder, "can Christians be sexy?" I’m talking married Christians in a Godly covenant relationship, can they be sexy? Well, of course they can! However, what does that look like? What does it look like to be a sexy married Christian? 

Our world and culture do a good job at telling us what they believe is sexy. But why does the church stay so quiet about such an important issue? Shouldn't Christians be examples of what is means to have a healthy understanding of sexuality?

The Lord has not given me any divine revelations about my questions, but if He does I will let you know!

So...what do you think?

My Challenging Week

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 Happy Friday!!

Do you ever have those weeks were you are so thankful that you were able to make it to Friday!? I feel like I can finally take a deep breathe, because this is the last day of the week. If I survive today, I will have made it to the weekend! Praise the Lord!!

It has been a very long and challenging week for me. I have been busy with a huge project at work. As a result, I go home feeling exhausted from all of the effort that I have had to put into this project. I am not finished with my project yet, but that’s okay. I know that I will get it done and I am not going to worry about it anymore.

However, in all honesty, I have not had a very good week on plan. I am stressed. I have not been grocery shopping. I am tired. I have not been able to mentally get my mind back on plan after Labor Day.

I am weighing in tomorrow morning and at that time I am going to start over. I am going to keep trying and not give up just because I had one bad week.

I wanted to share this with you in case you have ever thought that I have it all together. I am not a perfect person and I make mistakes just like anyone else. Just because I am at my weight loss goal does not mean that I do not struggle to make the right food choices. I need to take some time to pray and ask God to help me refocus on what is important and not let work overwhelm me.

I hope that you have a great weekend!

"For I am the Lord your God who takes your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you."

- Isaiah 41:13

Check out my personal blog Newsham Flight Log to read about our NFL Date Night.

Smart Supermarket Shopping Guide

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For some of us the Supermarket can be an extremely intimidating. There are tempting foods around every corner!!

This was such a fun meeting to lead, because I love the grocery store! I have so much fun grocery shopping with my husband. Jon is so supportive of my weight loss. He even helps me calculate PointsPlus values of different foods, to try and find the largest serving size for the least amount of PointsPlus.

If you find the grocery store overwhelming please read the meeting summary below. If you have already learned how to navigate the grocery store, please share your tips with me! I would love to know how you do it!

Here is the meeting summary from September 3, 2011.

More than 30,000 food products fill the shelves of approximately 34,000 supermarkets in the U.S., according to the Food Marketing Institute. Supermarket superstores offer endless aisles of food choices, and wholesale centers encourage us to consume in bulk to save money.

Without a clear game plan, double coupons, weekly specials and free samples can encourage you to buy more food than your family needs and derail your weight-loss efforts.

Weight Watchers has created a Smart Supermarket Shopping Guide with tips to help you make wise food choices, save time and plan your ultimate 40-minute shopping trip.

Plan Ahead 
• Write down your shopping list. It helps you stay focused while strolling the aisles.
• Post your shopping list on the refrigerator and add to it as you need to replenish your food and household items. This saves time when you are ready to shop.

Review Your List
• Before heading out to the store, use the shopping circular to help plan the major meals for the week. After planning your menu, check your pantry and fridge to take inventory of what you need.
• Always add a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for side dishes and snacks.
• Include a few treats to avoid feeling deprived.
• Do not forget the staples: milk, eggs, juice, cereal, bread, and yogurt. These basic food items are a good place to reduce fat and calories because you can choose lowfat or nonfat versions of most of these items. Some of these items help increase daily fiber intake also.

Shopping Strategy 
• Get through the supermarket quickly by organizing your list according to the store layout. Most supermarkets are similarly designed, with perishable foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, eggs and breads around the perimeter of the store, and aisles and end-displays containing cleaning and paper products, health and beauty aids, packaged and canned goods, and frozen foods.

• Purchase only the items on your shopping list. Resist impulse purchases which tend to be high fat and high calorie. However, we all fall prey to impulse shopping and if you deny yourself you will wind up spending even more. Allow yourself three impulse items and write them down as you buy them, that way you will feel satisfied and still stay on budget.

• Eat before you shop. Never go to the supermarket with an empty stomach. You are likely to end up with more food than you need and more fattening selections.