Sunday, October 14, 2007

By Jove I think I've got it!


Okay....in case you're wondering...I DID go out and take that walk. And it felt goood! I knew it would once I got out there. Always does.


This morning I skipped church. I've got a nasty cold and feel like crapola. No sense spreading the germs. So I grabbed a cup of Joe and started perusing blogs. Ya' never know what you're going to find. I love this connection with all these people that I don't "know" although in a way...I guess I do!


The other day I came across an interesting website via a few clicks called Spark People. It's not a blog persay but an online support site for dieters. At first I was hesitant to sign up. But I did. All it really obligated me to was to receive daily e-mails tips. For a while there I thought I was going to bombarded with a mailbox full of annoying reminders (like when I signed up for Flylady (a website launched to help women get organized)...good premise...great motivational tips...but c'mon - 10 e-mails a day!)


Anyway - I started actually reading these articles I was receiving and there's some really good stuff in there. This morning there was one about little changes adding up. For some reason today -it finally clicked. I've always been one to scoff about the little things and tell myself - big deal! But I started thinking. Okay...if I substitute my beloved butter for the Benecal I bought (but didn't use because every time I needed butter I said what the heck - it won't really make a difference) I'd be cutting 50 calories each time I substituted. Doesn't seem like much. But 50 calories x 7 days is 350 calories. And in 1o weeks that's a pound. And in one year - that's 5 pounds. Okay. Still doesn't seem like much. But if I do the substitution thing with other things in my daily eating the pounds can really add up. And that's without making any other changes!


So I'm going to focus on the little things right now. The itty bitty "these won't hurt me" changes. And then throw in a couple of bigger challenges when the little ones have become ingrained.


You know...it seems like it's the same old thing with all of us skinny wanna be's. We know what we have to do. Heck - we could write our own book about how to lose. But for some reason it doesn't click for us personally. When push comes to shove we are to quick to throw in the towel and tell ourselves that making that substitution really won't make a difference. But it does!


I've substituted the mayo for lo-cal fat free. I've substituted the butter for Benecal. I'm skipping the pepperoni on my pizza. Lo-cal salad dressings instead of the calories laden fat ones. Has anyone else come up with some painless substitutions? Do share please!

3 comments:

Christine said...

Great for you getting out for that walk. That seems to be my problem as well - just getting going. I am happy once I am there - but what a bugger to get going.

I will have to check out this website that you are talking about. I am always curious to hear more tips.

I love cottage cheese - but I buy the no fat stuff. 90 calories per half cup. I like to take it in my work lunch. I find the no fat is not much different.

I bought small eggs instead of the medium or large ones. Only 60 calories and tons of protein.

I buy the 33% less sugar instant brown sugar oatmeal. 130 calories instead of 210.

Let's kick some butt.

Lauren said...

Great Job. I may check out that website myself. I don't know if you eat cereal or not, or snack on crunchy things. But I find something I really like that is filling and healthy, has lots of protien and fiber and stuff, is Kashi Crunch cereal.

*ccc* said...

Yay to you for walking!! Yay yay yay!

As for the substitutions...low fat cheese isn't as bad as I thought (though I won't go so far as to recommend fat free!); low-fat sour cream and light I Can't Believe It's Not Butter are also staples in my fridge.

Also, Lay's "Baked" chips are pretty good...baked tortilla chips, baked doritos, baked cheetos...it's junk gone good. Really. Hang in there!