My name is Pattie and I am currently following the Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise. For those of you currently following the blog, pretend you are surprised and happy to meet me!!Pretend it's the first time we've met. That's what I'm trying to do. I want to look at things with a new vision.
I decided that I need to get back to the basics....of life...and of the belly fat cure principles.I have been going through alot of personal stress with the recent loss of my beloved sister-in-law. I've lost focus in many areas of my life. I've lost a lot of sleep and cried alot of tears. I've put myself on the back burner and lost sight of my goals somewhat.There are alot of things and people that I am putting before myself. It just needs to be that way. My goals are still there, but not as clear to me as they used to be. I want to pull out my books, pretend I am reading and seeing things for the first time. Basically I want to get a fresh start, and a renewed commitment. That's the beauty of life. You can have one anytime you want!
It's time to get a little more serious. You see, I have never been the star pupil, the fast learner or the girl with the perfect report card...or in this case, perfect intake of daily sugar and carbs. I'm a little bit of a slacker. I get caught up in the wave of excitement, get started with an unstoppable enthusiasm, but then settle into that comfortable place, and I don't work so hard. I accept what I am doing as good enough. You can apply this type of attitude to many things you are trying to change in your life. It can be eating, exercising or whatever it is you are trying to make part of your lifestyle or change in your lifestyle. Sometimes you just get blasé about things and forget the basics, or the reason you got so excited in the first place and the reason you believe in something. Luckily I have some good friends on this blog, who have shown me how it can be done. Now I have to refresh, regroup and get a little bit more serious if I want to reach my goal. I want to be a big winner and a big loser. I've got an important wedding if five months!
These are the things I believe in. Sugar is really our enemy. It is addicting and overpowering. Once we get started with it, it's hard to stop. The best way is to control it, to monitor it and to limit it. 15 gms a day is the limit if you are following the BFC. If you have never done so, start reading the labels on your everyday products. You will get to 15 gms a day real fast if you aren't careful. So be careful, be diligent, and count those sugar grams. This one little change alone will squash your cravings for sweet stuff, help eliminate those binge eating episodes you've had on past diets, and help you stay in control.
So if you slip, and eat frozen Christmas cookies that your neighbor gave you, on a Tuesday night, while watching a DVR episode Keeping Up With The Kardashians, ( I know it's trash, but it's my guilty pleasure!!), and they happen to be goey, caramel pecan, with a shortbread crust, then understand the next few days are going to be hard. You will feel hungrier, crave more sweets and feel like you can't do this. If I screw up, this always happens. You can get back on track. Just start immediately.
If you are not following the BFC, it's important to know that many other important organizations are also suggesting that sugar intake be limited. They are usually referring to added sugars, and not naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit and milk. One teaspoon of sugar equals about 5 gms. The American Heart Association recommends no more that 6 tsp or 30 gms of added sugar a day for women, and no more than 9 tsps of 45 gms of added sugar a day for men.
Even when you have been conditioning yourself as long as I have to avoid all added sugars, and stay within 15 gms a day, you can slip up. You are not weak. You just lost focus. Some of my blogger friends that I so admire, never lost focus, and they reached their goal fairly quickly, with very little deviations from their plan. I'm envious. But everyone is different and some of us have a hard time staying on task. Maybe we let things get in the way of our goal. Maybe we don't remind ourselves daily why our goal is so important. Whatever it is, we are all different. But what makes us the same is that we have a goal and we are trying to reach it. Whatever your goal is, if you stay focused and keep reminding yourself of that goal, it will happen.
Thought for the day: Roses are red, violets are Blue, Sugar is sweet, and so are you!
Hi Pattie! Nice to meet you :) Sounds like you've got a goal and are ready to take it seriously! Good for you! I bet it would help to put a picture of a bride and groom on the fridge to keep you on track as a constant reminder. I have faith that you can do this :)
ReplyDeleteCarey
PS-Keeping Up with the Kardashians is my guilty pleasure, too! My husband always asks why I watch that crap! I like to watch the REal Housewives of Beverly Hills, too, but that's because my husband used to date Adrienne Malouf (she didn't have as much plastic surgery back then)
Hi Pattie! I'm glad you're "starting over" and getting yourself re-focused. It should help a lot. Let me make one tiny suggestion,okay? Try not to focus on sweets/treats while doing this, even if the food/recipe if BFC approved. I think not only do you need to get your taste buds accustomed to less sweetness, but your head as well (ever notice how all of these BFC/Sugar Free/Healthy Recipes blogs have a heavy focus on sweets/treats? See what I mean? Even when we are trying to eat healthy, we're trying to figure out how to "have our cake, too" instead of working on getting rid of our "mental addiction" to sugar/sweets as well. I really do think this is key for most people.) I know some people do fine eating BFC approved sweets/treats while losing weight, but everyone is different and you can't compare yourself to others. If sweets/treats tends to be the thing that causes you to "fall off the wagon", then don't even go there. Focus on healthy meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds...real meal foods.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that this year started off on a difficult note, but it will end on a wonderful note. We're here for you. {{{HUGS}}}
Minichick, I so agree with you!!!
DeletePattie, I think it's a great idea to get back to basics. That's sort of what I was doing before everything cropped up. Once I denied myself snacks and just ate three meals I lost a couple pounds. I'm going to try to get back to that. Once I'm down where I want to be (before summer hopefully) I'll add back in the extras. Five months until the wedding!! It's so exciting! I know you are going get where you want to be in time!
ReplyDeleteHello Pattie, it's so nice to meet you! Back to the basics will get the desire for sugar out of your system. I really, really, really believe that the reason I was able to finally conquer my sugar addiction is because I chose the day I would have a cookie. I did not eat sugar treats, even BFC OK sugar treats from March 7th until I believe July. I was at several events where people certainly tried to get me to eat them, but I didn't. If I did have something out of the ordinary, it was more fruit. I did eat my 5/2 pretty much for every meal, so I never felt like I didn't have a full meal. I think we try so hard not to have "high" sugar fruits that we forget, we can have them in moderation and I'm sorry, but I think that is better than eating some chocolate for the sugar. Just my opinion and I get in trouble for having one often! While my daughter was here she made some cupcakes that had oreo cookies in the dough and an oreo cookie baked inside the cupcake. I had NO desire to have one. If it had been a key lime pie bar, maybe:)
ReplyDeleteWrap your head around the fact that you are in control and if you want something you can have it. It isn't off limits, you just choose not to eat it. If you eat it, start fresh the next meal. This is such an unbelievable mind game really.
I know you can do this, I just know it!
And Bless you for all you have gone through and starting fresh and new. It is a tribute to your love of Beth and her family. Health!
Nice to meet you, Pattie! I think you have some great goals, and I also agree with what Minichick said a lot. I got way off track with all the 'sweet treats' and it totally derailed my efforts lately. So I'm back to basics, too.
ReplyDeleteHI Pattie, I think that's a great idea to just start from the beginning again. You might spot some things that you were doing wrong. So its like a Do-Over.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything is better with you. Have a great day :-)
Pattie, this is a great post! That is how I list my weight and I still do it twice a year now. Just start over, like it's day 1. My added treats or cool stuff you discovered along the way... just go back to basics! I hope you don't mind if I post this on my FB page.
ReplyDeletePattie so nice to meet you! I have had to go back to the basics many times and I am sure it wont be the last. When stresses come which they do often food seems to find it's way in my mouth. I am a work in progress and it is good to see that I am not the only one. I hope things are getting a little easier for you. I think about you often and keep praying that God gives you comfort.
ReplyDeleteHi Patti,
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you, My name is Crystal and I too have fallen into the sugar bowl and had a terrible time crawling out. I have heard that sugar is as bad a herion...I believe that.
I just got back on track last Thursday, woo hoo 4 days on the BFC. And for some reason I am really enjoying it this time. I write down everything I eat. And I plan my day in the morning... So I know exactly what I can have.
Good Luck on starting over... I really went out on limb starting over this time, I started over on a Thursday!!!!! LOL Can you believe that? I am usually a Monday only start a diet girl....
Crystal