Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Boring Diet Advice

I've been a manicurist for over 20 years, so part of my job is listening (and talking!) while I work! And my list of most boring conversations looks like this;

#1 Labor and childbirth stories, everyone has one! If not their own, their sister or best friend or co-worker, etc.. Everyone always has to "one up".
#2 Weddings, preparation for, and the actual event. Again, everyone has to compare and "one up".
#3 Diet advice, especially from people that need to take it themselves or people that have never had to diet!

So at the risk of boring anyone that doesn't need it or want it, I'm taking yoga off this morning to try and help my friend Royce by making just a few points about getting started. And of course these are just my opinions.

Make a plan. You have to change what you're currently eating (duh!). To what degree is based on what you can handle. Do you have the time to prepare your own food or do you need to purchase all-ready made, better quality food? Whatever type of eating you choose, make sure you have those new foods available. And the longer you have those foods stocked for, the longer you'll stay on the new plan. For instance, look ahead at your week and make sure you have the food you need everyday for at least 5 - 7 days. If you succeed for a week (sometimes just a day) you'll start to feel better and that can motivate you to keep going.

Eat basically the same things everyday. Take the choice out of the equation. You have enough stress just starting a diet, by eating the same foods everyday you won't have the stress of constantly making the right choices. Make them ahead of time. No choice.

This also helps you to start forming food habits. Forming good, healthy food habits was a huge part of my own weight loss success.

Never leave the house without knowing what the hell you will be eating that day! If you leave your front door without knowing what the hell you'll be eating that day, you're screwed! If you are not making your meals before you leave, know where and what exactly you can get (to purchase) that fits inside of your limitations.

An apple a day, and a salad! Apples saved my life (my diet life). I always, always had apples with me in case it took longer to get home (to healthy food). I had them in my car and at work. If you don't like apples, then figure it out, you're a big boy (or girl) what can you replace that suggeston with? No bananas. And please add veggies into you diet. Even if you have to drown a salad in dressing, get a little nutrition, fiber and water in your food. Preferrably a salad with spinach, cabbage, broccoli, or something other than "iceberg lettuce" as the main ingredient.

And that's my boring diet advice. It's just a start. And if you fall off, get right back on the next day, the next moment, just get back on. This is your life. No joke. You can choose to spend it fat, bloated, and waiting for more health problems, or choose to change it. It's your choice.

Off to work all day. Make life good.

14 comments:

Franz Snideman said...

Boring? Are you kidding, this stuff rocks. This is the kind of information tha people crave and can never hear enough. People need this type of information as it ENCOURAGES them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I see a great article hear that you should submit to Dragon Door. What do you think? Also,will you write an article for our website about your training, diet or anything else you would like to write about?

Thanks Tracy!

Tracy Reifkind said...

It is pretty good stuff, huh! I didn't know where I was going to go with it, but I'm pretty proud of this post!

I would love to try and write something for your website. I feel as if I'm finally "coming into my own" when it comes to writing.

I'll check out you website to see what I think might "fit".

Thanks for the compliments, Tracy

Joe Sarti said...

Thank you Tracy, I appreciate you putting this info down! I will share

Royce said...

Absolutely not boring Tracy.

"Eat basically the same things everyday. Take the choice out of the equation. You have enough stress just starting a diet, by eating the same foods everyday you won't have the stress of constantly making the right choices. Make them ahead of time. No choice.

This also helps you to start forming food habits. Forming good, healthy food habits was a huge part of my own weight loss success."


That's the pitfall for me right there. I know it, I can recognize it now it's time to change it!!


I really appreciate the advice and time you took to post.
Guess the food log was a good idea after all!!

leslie said...

You're right, as usual!

The one thing I'd add is this: if you "blow it", don't try to offset the calories by skipping the healthy foods. If you had a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies, the temptation may be to skip breakfast or dinner to help balance out the calories. DON'T! Make sure the healthy foods stay in place. You'll feel better in the long run, and eventually the "good guys" (healthy foods) will win!

magawisca said...

Tracy,

Once again you've said what I needed to hear on the right morning. Nothing boring about your practical encouragement and advice.

Were you writing a blog during your early training days? Or is it the case that you actually lost 100 pounds doing swings 20 minutes a day twice per week as I read somewhere previously (now I can't find it.)

And I was blown away by your previous assertion that KB swings can rival CrossFit's brutal workouts. And then I thought about it. The truth is, when I need a rest from the swings I go straight CrossFit--well, I go CrossFit 'light" anyway.

Royce said...

Leslie, thanks for that advice too. That is EXACTLY what I would normally do. Eat crap then not eat afterwards. Then the lack of good nutrients kicks my hunger in overdrive so on and so forth.

Tracy Reifkind said...

joe, This was just an example of the beginning "thought process", I only had a short time to post, but I think it's enough to get the wheels turning.

And remember this is exactly how I did it.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Leslie, excellent point! I only had a short time to post ths before work, but I'm going to definitely add that into the part about "falling off".

I know I can be guitly of skipping the good stuff, especially in the beginning, worrying about total calorie count!

Excellent! Tracy

Tracy Reifkind said...

magawisca, I only started blogging recently after being "asked" constantly to explain exactly what I was doing / eating to have lost the weight. So Mark talked me into blogging.

I believe the progression of my diet and exercise is explained in one of my "evolution of a diet" posts, (maybe the first one 1/14?).

And I've explained many times that my diet changed the SIZE of my body, and KB training changed the SHAPE and composition (fat/lean muscle) of my body. Without KB training I would have probably hit many plateaus (I don't believe I really hit ANY!) and I would of been just a smaller version of my fat self.

My beginning swing routines were only 20-25 min. after my first 45 lb. weight loss. I started swinging sfter Mark came home from that April's cert. (so May?). I didn't bump up my workouts until after I noticed the incredible "tone" I had in my arms, tone that I've never had before, I knew it was from KB's. So I started training 3 days a week and my workouts were 35-40 min..

I'm not exactly getting what your saying about swinging/crossfit. My point was only that 20 - 30 min. of swing combos can only be a positive "addition" not substitution to other types of sports/workouts. I really don't know anythig specifically about crossfit.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Royce, Remember that the suggestion is to eat basically the same things every day, do not "drink" the same everyday!

Only you know what changes you can make.

magawisca said...

Tracy,
Thanks for the clarifications. I really appreciate it.

Christine said...

I'm just curious, how many times a week did you do in the beginning (when your workouts were 20-25 minutes)? Is every other day the generally recommended amount?

Tracy Reifkind said...

Christine, Because of my schedule of work and "hobbies" (I'm a serious garage sale/flea market shopper, Thurs., Friday estate sales., Sat. and then selling on Sun.!) I could only bring myself to KB on Mondays and Wed., skipping the 3rd INTENDED workout over the weekend.

And remember, I DIDN'T want to do it (KB) because I had no idea of the benefits! I just saw it as exercise I HAD to do. And because it's Mark's business, and he kept telling me, if you only do ONE thing, swing! Neither one of us knew exactly what a miracle transformation it would have on my body! (Although HE knew that nothing had the benefits that KB training had, the ability to burn fat at the same time build muscle.)

You know what? I need to write a post about this! Right now I HAVE to go out and KB clean, press. I hope that gives you enough, I'll elaborate soon.