Ideas to HELP me on my continued weight-loss journey

Now that the holidays are over, I’m craving a healthier lifestyle.  I’ve learned a few secrets since losing weight last year (you can read about that here) and I’m hoping I can continue making healthy choices in 2014.  I’m pressing forward with my mindset that the choices I make today affect all of my tomorrows.  I try to eat small healthy meals through-out the day, but one of the secrets I learned is to be prepared with healthy foods before the cravings hit.

Here are the saving foods/drinks that get me past the hard times.

1. A grapefruit and stevia.  I have a pink grapefruit tree in my backyard and purchase stevia from Trader Joe’s.  It comes in an easy to use shaker, so I can just sprinkle it on whatever I want.
   
2. Hot chocolate.  Late at night, when everyone else is snacking, I go for this. 

Sugar-free hot chocolate

Celestial Seasonings makes a great tea called Roastaroma.  I steam my tea and then mix in a shake of stevia, a tablespoon of cocoa and a pinch of cinnamon.  Sip it steamy hot and slowly and I feel like I’m on vacation at the Swiss Alps.  Seriously, I feel like I’m sitting in some ski lodge watching the snow fall.

3. Zipfizz.  I know there are many different sugar-free drinks out there.  
   
   I’m not a soda person, so that’s out.  I discovered Zipfizz at Costco and am really happy with it.  I try to only drink it when I need a boost.  Dieting, I find drinks are really important.  They can save me from a downfall. 
4. Mint Cali tea. 
   
   I love to sip my Sunrider Cali tea steamy hot, but when it’s done, I take the tea bag and throw it in with a half-gallon of water.  The mint of the tea bag is so strong, it carries over perfectly.  I mix in the juice of a lemon (I also have a lemon tree that sings with love) and shake in some stevia.  Served over ice, it is the most refreshing drink EVER. 
5. Extra Gum Mint Chocolate Chip. 
   
   I reach for this gum several times a day.  The flavor lasts and lasts.  When dieting, smells can make or break you.  The longer I eat healthy, the less cravings I have, but I remember when I started losing weight the cravings would come which the fierceness of a hungry lion. I felt over come, but remained determined.  I learned to pick up what it was I wanted to eat, like a cookie or a piece of pizza and smell it.  Really smell it and the smell created a distraction.  It was just enough satisfaction and with some self-control, I could put the food down and walk away.
6. Celery.  I eat a lot of celery.  At first, it doesn't taste very good.  I do keep fat-free ranch dressing on hand, so that helps.  When I first started on my weight-loss journey, I remember walking around the house saying "Look at me.  I'm so lucky I get to eat celery."  Yeah, there was a bit of sarcasm in that tone and I would chomp down on it like a cow chewing cud, but celery is an interesting food because if you pay attention to your body, you realize celery can really fill you up.  I eat three celery pieces and can go hours before I’m hungry again.
7. Sugar-free jell-o.  It’s always good to have some jell-o stashed in the refrigerator.  I like cherry or strawberry.  The flavor is very strong and satisfying.  I eat it slowly, so I feel like I’ve had a decent treat.
8. Broiled zuchinni with garlic.  Make sure they are well-done, crispy and they are that much more satisfying.  Sprinkle your favorite garlic seasoning over it and it's delicious.

One of the biggest things I learned is dieting has a true start and stop date.  I don't have to eat like this forever.  I really only eat this strict when I'm in fat-burning mode.  When I'm in maintaining mode, I don't have to be strict.  Still, I do fall back on these foods when I feel I'm starting to slip. In addition, because I had so much weight to lose (and still have more to lose), I found it more manageable to do it in 20 pound increments.  I lost the first 20 pounds and took some time to figure out what I was going to do from there (plus the will power was slacking).  I learned to eat more in moderation and experimented with how much I should/could eat to maintain where I was at.  After a few months, I started up again.  I lost another 20 pounds and took another break for a few months.  This required me to really love myself and be patient.  I had to enjoy and appreciate where I was at.  I had to see the good in my body, even though it was far from where I wanted to be.
  

Out of all the blog posts I wrote last year, I find it interesting my spiritual journey to weight-loss was the most popular with over 1,000 hits.  I wasn't sure if I even wanted to share it, but decided if it would help someone, I would.  It wasn't easy sweating through an emotional battle with weight-loss (and I continue to fight the battle).  I was angry with myself and felt it was unfair I was over weight.  I was a good person.  I exercised and ate lots of salads.  I worked hard and hoped to just get by.  I had five children and that’s why my body looked the way it did.  I had every excuse in the book.  In the past, these emotions and ideas sabotaged me from my weight-loss goals, but spiritually, I held on.  Every minute was a choice.  I knew nothing was impossible with God.  Still, the body has a way of taking over the mind, so having these food and drink choices available left me feeling a bit more in control.

(click here to read more)

Dressember was a great experience for me.  Buying beautiful dresses and wearing them every day was a gift to myself.  I still can't believe I fit into smaller sizes than before.  Wearing these dresses was a reminder to myself that the sacrifices made for weight-loss are worth it.  I know my body isn't perfect, but the purpose behind dressember was important. It's been amazing to maintain my weight-loss after almost a year, but it's time to push myself again.  Back on the band wagon.  I can't wait to see what else I learn through my next spiritual journey with weight-loss.

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Girl's Dressing Modest for Dressember

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you are aware I am a member of the Mormon Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was raised by Mormon parents who joined the church in their early twenties, actually before either one of them met.  My parents both lived wonderful lives pre-Mormon with great families and opportunities, but felt the teachings of the Mormon Church brought more fulfillment and happiness into their lives. 

One of the elements of the Mormon Church my Mom really honed in on was modesty. Her mother had set this example and taught her the principle of modest dress. 

Beautiful and modest dress really defined my grandmother's era.

My mom with her mother and sister on Easter Sunday.  

My mom's engagement photo.

In return, my mom taught me and my four sisters the value of our feminine spirits.  She said “One way to keep your body and spirit nurtured is to dress in a way that honor’s God.”

Like many believers of Christ, Mormon’s feel we draw close to God through actions of love, moral goodness and keeping our bodies clean from addiction.  By living such a way, I believe we are given wonderful gift.  It’s the gift of the Holy Ghost.  We can actually have a companion sent to us from our Heavenly Father that guides us throughout our life, keeping us safe, directing us towards our life’s purpose and providing comfort in an uncertain world. 

What is modesty?  It’s more than just knee-length skirts and one-piece swimsuits.  I believe modesty is part of obeying the law of chastity because how we dress reveals our standards.  

I love how author Carly Walker describes us Mormons and our obsession with modesty.  On the website Normons, she shares her desire to stay true to her values in a fashion-obsessed world (and it’s a really funny article).  She says “When me and other Mormon girls my age grew up, we slowly learned the reasons why we dress the way we do. We stopped caring about looking like everybody else. We realized we were too different. Instead of trying to be something we obviously weren’t, we started to dress the way we wanted to, coined the term “modest is hottest,” and then rocked it like a boss.”  

image found here

Also, there’s a great Mormon fashion designer by the name of Athelia Woolley.  She is the co-founder of Shabby Apple, a beautiful dress and clothing company.  On the Shabby Apple website, it says “Newer styles seem to be using less and less materials, but our retro fashion from the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s have a high level of modesty that still complements the feminine shape.”

Here’s a bit more about how Athelia started the Shabby Apple Co.

I had to laugh about Athelia's dilemma with sleeveless dresses.  You’ll notice many of the dresses I wore for Dressember had a t-shirt underneath.  Thus, the life of a modest girl.  I found this Shabby Apple dress at Salvation Army for $4.00 and featured it last year for Dressember.  

Here are the last days of Dressember.  

December 30

Kelly's daughter Emily left on a mission for Chile.  Monday night, they had a going away party.

I wore a Tryst skirt, made by Billabong.  My shirt from Express and Gap cardigan were all from Goodwill's $1.00 day.  

 Doesn't Kelly look gorgeous.  I know a lot of you miss her posts.  She may still blog from time to time, but her life has gone from busy to busier.  Not only does she still do estate sales and trunk shows, but she is also the new Primary president in her ward. She volunteers countless hours for the children ages 18 months to 12 years-old in her church.  

As a missionary, Kelly's daughter Emily honor's the modesty code too.  You can read about the church's guidelines of dress for missionaries here.  

She will volunteer the next 18 months of her life as a full-time servant for our Heavenly Father. 

December 31

Eden is posing on an end table I refinished in her $1.00 Old Navy dress from Goodwill.

On a side note, I was thrilled when Eden was highlighted on Dressember’s Instagram.

I know dressing modest may not be trendy.  It even appear's old fashion, but I am grateful to have this standard in my life.  Dressing this way is a conscious choice I make every time I go out shopping.   There are certain stores I cannot shop in because I will never find a thing I can wear.  Many times it's frustrating, but that's just how it is.  Thrift stores have such a huge selection of woman's clothing, many vintage, so most of my clothing purchases come from there.  When I was younger, I wanted to dress like everyone else.  As a teenager, one of the only fight's I every had with my mom was when I wanted to wear a mini-skirt.  And I did wear it!  Many times!  My mom let me make my own choices with fashion.  She never forced anything on me, but in the end, I came back to what I had been taught.  It's what makes me feel most comfortable.  I wish more designers would accommodate and I think in time, many will realize it's a profitable business.

Benefits of dressing modest:

1.  It allows me to be more creative with fashion. I experiment with layering and leggings.

2.  I get to cover up more of my flaws.

3.  I can still dress trendy, but I don't have to look like a teenager.

4.  I stay warm in the winter

5.  I set an example for my little daughter.

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