April 2020 - A Weight Loss Adventure

Setting Realistic Weight Loss Goals?

April 29, 2020 No Comments

You know, how you start planning out your weight loss even before you start? On April 1st I will begin my weight loss. By May 31st I will have lost my first 10 lbs. By July 31st I will have lost another 10 lbs. If you have ever wanted to lose weight you have started making these calculations in your head even before you have figured out, how or when to start. Goals are an essential part of weight loss but are you setting realistic weight loss goals?

In this blog post, I want to address the fundamental of goal setting during weight loss. Especially, long duration weight loss. If, like me, you have a long road before your journey is complete, you need a lot of smaller goals to keep you motivated. Goals are key to success, whether it is a number on the scale, a different size or simply fitting back into your old pants.

Below I am walking through, how I am using goals for big picture, during day to day or simply when I am struggling. There are different tips and tricks for it all.

Use the Numbers On the Scale

For some reason, the scale has become taboo. I do acknowledge that fixating on the number on a scale can lead to unhealthy behavior but it does not have to, if you keep yourself to a schedule.

Big picture, I use the number on the scale to know where I am reaching to and where I started. I was in the “extremely obese” category when I started my journey but I just wanted to be “normal” or at a “healthy weight”. As I wrote in a prior blog post, I want to be within a healthy BMI range. I have normal bone density, I am not a body builder and I am very normally proportionate, so this strategy works for me.

Honestly, it is, also, really satisfying to see the numbers starting to disappear on the scale. Having to limit your cravings and controlling everything you ingest, it is a nice reward to see that all the work you are putting in is paying of.

For the most part, I would recommend, weighing yourself once each week, preferably in the morning (after your morning bathroom visit).

As for how you can use the numbers to create goals for yourself. In the beginning you will lose your weight much faster than when you have been at it for a while. So make sure you are setting larger goals in the beginning. My first goal was to lose 20 lbs (out of my 100 lbs) and I wanted to lose these within the first 3-4 months. After that I set 15lbs goals twice. Once I hit 50lbs weight loss, I started changing it to 10lbs. I am very close to my 70lbs goal weight (3 lbs away). Once I have reached that, I will go after each 5lbs.

The main thing to take away, is that you set smaller goals that are achievable. This will keep you motivated for the long haul. Have rather too many goals, than too few.

Use Time as a Goal

Notice, how I dropped the time frame after the first 20lbs? I quickly realized that I could not set a hard deadline for when I should be reaching my goals. I don’t function under time constraints, so it simply stresses me out and makes me less motivated. You might be motivated by a time frame and if that is the case, definitely make use of it.

If you want to go through it quicker so you can move on from the constraints a weight loss journey might create. Setting goals within a time frame is key and can be highly motivating.

My only recommendation if you do use time, is to learn how exercise can help expedite the weight loss as you will have times where you will be struggling to meet the deadlines.

Clothing Size

This is by far my most favorite goal. Every clothing size difference has been a goal of mine and you will be able to see photos of me trying on new sizes on my Instagram.

When I first stepped into a size 12, I won’t lie. I cried. It was such a huge victory and had a much larger impact on how I felt about my journey than any number on the scale have had. I am currently a size 8/10 depending on the brand. I tried on an H&M size 8 both top and bottom and it fit but for other brands, my bottom still needed a size 10.

If you don’t want to use the scale as your bigger picture goal, I highly recommend using clothing size as the substitute. Go into the store you think you would like to buy clothing from in the future. Select a size you would like to see yourself in. Use that size as your end goal. Before you reach your end goal, you can use each size as smaller goals. That way, you feel progress in your journey. Either try a new size as you feel your clothing get loser or if you are measuring yourself, try a new size each time to you have lost an inch for each measurement you have chosen to record.

This leads me to my next goal.

Using Measurements As A Goal

I use measurements all the time. I can only say, use measurements as you will need it when the scale stops moving.

Before I started, I had a clothing size in mind that I wanted to reach. Size 8, if not a size 6. I, then, went to a few online clothing stores and checked out which measurements they used for the sizes I had in mind. I then had a tape-measure where I marked the sizes I was going for. When I hit my size 8 goal, I could not believe my own eyes. I had been dreaming of this day for so long. Years! I still can’t always recognize myself when I look in the mirror and I am not even done yet.

These are not ALL goals out there. Make your own if these are not enough. Some use tracking of how frequent you are on/off track and set a goal each month of only being “off track” 3 or 4 times in a month. Other’s simply use before and after pictures. Make sure you take pictures of yourself before you start this journey and during. You will love your “transformation” pictures. I wish, I had taken more images of myself beforehand. It is so satisfying to see the difference after all the work I have put in. Just make sure you set a lot of smaller goals throughout your journey as they will keep you motivated.

We have been setting all of these goals, now what?

Reaching the goals are rewarding in themselves. They are such a great victory but I do have added incentivizing ‘treats” for when I reach my goals. When I hit my 20lbs lost, I allowed myself going out for dinner and having as many desserts I wanted. When I reached 30lbs weight loss, I allowed myself to buy some more clothes and so on. Once I reach my next goal of 176lbs, I will buy some new underwear – yes, some more sexy underwear as I feel much more confident in my own skin now.

However, you want to reward yourself, make sure to celebrate every single win. Both the small and the big. It is so important that you show yourself pride and allow yourself to feel the joy of doing the hard work. You are working hard and kicking … Celebrate!

We are all different and what motivates us can be different. Make sure you start figuring out what motivates you. What makes you go for the next lb?

Recipes

Keto-friendly Danish Meatballs

April 25, 2020 No Comments

Almost, all countries have a meatball recipe. Denmark is no different. Super easy to make and healthy too. So thought, I would share my recipe for Keto-friendly Danish Meatballs

Ingredients:

1lb Ground Pork or Turkey
1 Yellow Onion
1 Egg
1/2 Tsp Salt
Ground Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cut Yellow onions into small pieces.

Add ground meat, onions, egg, salt and pepper to bowl. Mix well.

Use a non-stick pan. Put pan on stove top and turn on heat to medium-high.

Once hot, set temperature to medium.

Use Pam if you don’t have a non-stick pan.

Create small 2” radius balls and add to hot pan. Mixture will create 8 meatballs.

Cook roughly 10 minutes on each side.

All done and ready to be eaten.

1 turkey meatball is 94 calories, 1 gram carbs, 4.5 grams fat and 12.3 grams protein.

1 pork meatball is 158 calories, 1.5 grams carbs, 12 grams fat and 10.7 grams protein

I love these meatballs. They are a staple in my house. Easy to make and goes with anything. Great for lunch, dinner or a protein packed snack. Perfect for a post-workout snack.

Psst… The Keto-friendly Danish Meatballs go in the freezer too!

Weight loss

Wondering How To Lose Weight?

April 19, 2020 No Comments

I have been struggling with my weight for so long, I have forgotten when it all began. Spending hours researching, how I should be losing weight so thought I would pass along the knowledge. I have come to realize that a lot of people don’t know how to lose weight. So thought, I would give a bit of a quick overview of where to start.

When To Lose Weight

I know, a lot of you who have googled “How To Lose Weight” might not be over weight but are looking to lose 5 -10lbs more. Could you do me a favor? Look in the mirror… really look at yourself. Smile back and tell yourself: “I am beautiful”.

We are all beautiful, no matter what body we have.

If you are overweight, obese or extremely obese, it is very likely you should lose weight. First and foremost, go to your doctor, to ensure s/he agrees with your assessment and get a doctor to support your efforts. This is, also, to ensure you don’t have any underlying issues you need to take into consideration before starting.

I am not a doctor, nutritionist or weight loss specialist. I am simply someone who has lost 70 lbs herself, and have 30 lbs to go. Honestly, I still learn something new every day.

Where To Start

You technically, already, started. You started by googling “How To Lose Weight”. Now you need to understand the basics: Where are you currently and where should you be heading. For some of you, the now to where you should be headed might be far away. It can be scary and a bit disheartening to see the distance. What I want to say to all of you, before you even embark on this journey, don’t be scared. You will feel like you fail many times but as long as you keep getting back up, you are winning.

Losing weight is a mind set change and lifestyle change but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your dessert… So keep reading and learn the basics so you can start your own weight loss adventure.

BMI

You will and have already heard the term BMI. It is not a final definition, but it is a good rule of thumb to figure out where you are starting.

“Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI can be used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems but it is not diagnostic of the body fatness or health of an individual.”
CDC

I use a BMI calculator online as it is a much easier way to both calculate your BMI and to understand which category you fall within. Check out the calculator I use here.

Have you calculated your BMI?

Now you want to understand where you are going. I used the below chart to estimate what is considered “healthy”.

Now find your height on the left hand side and move your sight horizontally across towards the right. Anything in the green is considered a healthy weight. As an example, I am 5 Feet 5 Inch (165 CM for those of you that are European). I, now, move across and see the numbers 19-24 that are in green. These are the BMI number that tells me if I am “healthy”. Now look up to see what the weight is. For me it is between 115lbs and 149lbs.

What are yourhealthy BMI numbers?

So How Do you Lose Weight?

Now that you understand where you are and where you are going, you need to actually start the work. You need to lose weight. To lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit.

You might be wondering what a calorie deficit means. How you can find out what a calorie deficit is to you. I got ya’…

A calorie deficit means that you eat less in a day than what your body needs to maintain its weight.

To find out what your calorie deficit you have two options. You can either ask your doctor or you can use this calculator that I use here.

Best tip is to be as honest as possible. This will give you the best results.

This calculator is something you want to keep handy. You will will need to use it regularly as you lose the weight. The smaller you get, the less your body needs to keep you going. Therefore, you will be burning less compared to when you were bigger.

To give you an example. When I started, I was 246lbs and at 5 feel and 5 inches. 37 years of age, and I did not exercise regularly so added in “sedentary” to my calculations. When I started my maintaining calorie intake needed to be 2,162 Calories. Now if I added in my new weight, keeping the rest of the metrics the same, I will need to only eat 1,797 calories to maintain my weight.

Calories

You now know where you are, where you are headed and how many calories you need to eat to lose weight. Now what?

Now you need to understand how you can most easily calculate your daily caloric intake. Googling and reading all of the nutritional information of all ingredients you are using in a day and adding together the numbers manually is too much. I use an app to help me out. There are many different apps out there. Simply go to your app store and search for “calorie counter” and you will get countless options.

My favorite app is MyFitnessPal. It gives you the basics for free. The basics are all you need, unless you start getting into the details of what you are eating.

You can scan your foods, search for them easily and even create your won recipes. It will take about a month to get up and running. You need to get used to the app and adding your recipes take a bit of work. Once the majority is in there, it will be very easy to use.

My favorite feature is that you can set your calorie intake. This means, you decide how you want to kick off your journey or even change it as you lose the weight.

Now what?

You now have the basics you need to get going.

There is more knowledge, I can pass along but I don’t want to overwhelm you. I will continue to write blog posts to build on this one. To give you more information, teach you about macros and micros. How these play a role in weight loss and your overall health. Teach you about exercise and how that fits into a weight loss journey.. or not.

Being overwhelmed from the get go can be discouraging so I will end the blog post now. Once you are ready, I am sure I will have more posts up that will give you more details. Details you might need, as you get more and more excited about your new life.

I would love to hear from you and how your journey is going. Do you need more information Was something not particularly helpful? I want to pass along my knowledge and pay it forward.

Recipes

Easy Keto Strawberry Muffins

April 15, 2020 No Comments

I love making food, especially, when recipes are easy and it comes out better than you could have imagined. This new “Easy Keto Strawberry Muffins” recipe I created; is one of them. It is healthy, yummy and I need to buy more Strawberry Amaretto Flavored Protein…

My recipe gives you 10 muffins and each has 129 Calories. Broken down the macros as such: 7.4g carbs, 8.1g carbs and 7.8g protein. A perfect snack or small dessert. I could eat these all day long!

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour
25 Grams MyProtein Strawberry Amaretto Impact Whey Protein
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Calorie Free Powdered Sweetener (Truvia is an example)
3 Extra large Eggs (Large eggs works as well)
250 Grams Defrosted Strawberries
10 Muffin cups
Muffin tray

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven at 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).

Cut the defrosted strawberries into quarters or smaller if you like smaller pieces in your muffin.

In a new large bowl, mix all dried foods (almond flour, Whey Protein, baking powder and sweetener. Now add eggs and strawberries and mix well.

Place the 10 muffin cups in your muffin tray and add your mixture evenly to the 10 muffin cups.

Place in oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

My Easy Keto Strawberry Muffins are done and ready to serve.

Psst! They are freezer friendly.

Fitness

Strength Training or Cardio First?

April 8, 2020 No Comments

Should I do strength training or cardio first? This has been my number 1 question since I started working out and I started a long time ago. Although, I never looked the part, I always loved going to the gym but I never really figured out the right answer to the above; and with good reason. It is a simple question with a complex answer but I want to try and decode it for you here.

3 Things to consider

Do you like working out?
What does the science tell us?
What is your end goal with your exercise?

The reason I have these three items to consider, is because it will determine my recommendation. If you are someone who loves working out and wants to make the most of it, move on to number 2. If you are someone who simply works out to stay healthy and you don’t really care how you get your workout in, it does not matter. What makes you feel good is the right thing to do. As long as you keep moving, go for it! Movement is more important than whether or not, you should be doing strength training or cardio first. Do what makes you go to the gym or go for your run, don’t make it harder for yourself.

If you are like me, and want to make the most out of your workouts and you love working out. You will want to know more about why you should choose one or the other. And number 2 and 3 might give you the answer you need. Whether or not strength training or cardio first, is not definitive and the science keep changing and molding the answers to see below as a guide that might change tomorrow.

What Does The Science Say About Strength Training or Cardio First?

Some research tells us that we should do strength training first as cardio would deplete the energy resources before we need it for the most strenuous workout – the strength training. Which means we would not maximize our efforts of strength training. If you are a science geek, you can reference this study here.

Other researchers tells us that strength training builds more muscle and therefore has us burning more when resting. Therefore, we should focus the majority of our energy towards strength training. Ergo, have strength training come first. You can read about the study here.

Now you might think, that strength training should be done first, but there is research out there that supports other theories.

Some researchers found that you if you did strength training first, your heart rate is 12 beats higher which impacts your perceived cardio performance. This means you might not push yourself as much as you need during your cardio workout to balance out the the added calorie burn from strength training during rest. You can read more about these details here.

There is a ton of research out there, it is just a matter of making heads or tails of the research. Which leads me to my third and last item to consider. With the research we do have, I can now provide a guide of what is recommended depending on what your goals are.

What do you want our of your exercise?

Now this is really the most important question to ask yourself in order to answer the question “Strength Training or Cardio First?”. What are you trying to get out of your workouts?

Weight loss

If weight loss is your aim, strength training first will be my recommendation. Your aim is to burn as much as possible to be able to loose the amount you need as weight loss is all about a calorie deficit. As you gain more muscle, you will burn more from merely existing (aka. you will have a higher metabolism). To focus your energy to build more muscle you should start your workout with strength training.

Now you might think you will look like a body builder when you are done loosing weight. That will not be the case. You will need to have some serious weights behind you to do that. However, you can focus your strength training to give you a more lean look rather than a bulky look and we can go into that at another time.

Run a 5K

If your goal is to be able to run a 5K (or more) or some other endurance sport you should do your cardio first. Your focus is now around building your endurance and you should focus your energy around that. As you have more energy at the beginning of a workout, start your workout with your cardio.

Now this does not mean that you should skip on your strength training. Strength training is vital for a good endurance outcome as well. You just need to do it last and make sure you are focusing your strength training around the need you have for your endurance training. I might write another blog post about this.

Want to be more fit

Your choice! This is the beauty of workouts. No matter what you do, there will be an improvement, it is just a matter of what you prefer. If you love your cardio workouts, start with those. If you love strength training and seeing the increase in weights over time, start with strength training. Do what makes you happy and makes you continue to go to the gym.

For those of you who are simply dabbling at working out and are not 100% comfortable just yet; you don’t need to focus on whether or not you need to do strength training or cardio first. All you need to focus on is to get comfortable at the gym and build a routine that makes you want to work out. Workouts should make you feel good and give you more energy, not the opposite.