Need help to get on the bandwagon again.........

Loriv

New Member
I am having a very hard time with keeping my food healthy. I have been excellent up until about a month ago, and I haven't been able to switch back to healthy food. I aim for a lot of protein, less carbs, etc. Has anyone else fallen into this slump before and if so, how did you get out of it?? I have eaten an extra-value meal at McDonald's 3 TIMES this week alone. I really need some advise before I start to gain all of the weight I have lost this year, back. Any suggestions, or any websites I should check out with "healthy" (lots of veggies) eating ideas. Thanks!
 
I always start with fruits and vegetables. Whenever I am eating poorly these are the first to go. I try to keep a mental tally of how much fresh food I eat. This doesn't necessarily mean raw. Steamed broccoli is fresh food to me. Anyway I just start getting serious about putting these things back into my diet and it works. It also is a much more positive approach. You think in terms of adding things rather than eliminating. Eliminating a lot of foods sets us up to feel deprived. Fruits and vegetables help us to eat fewer calories. Their water and fiber content help us to feel full on less. So as an example. I might have pizza (healthfood store variety) with steamed veggies and then cantaloupe for dessert. Then as I get into more healthy eating I start eating maybe fish and chicken instead of the pizza. But I always have something in my meal that I really want. If I am eating a good healthy dinner, I'll drink a soda (again lower sugar natural brand from healthfood store). There are nights I couldn't get that broccoli down without the cool taste of a raspberry spritzer. In addirion, have two nights a week where you have meals that are really delicious to you but cooked homemade. This will help you feel emotionally satisfied with food. Above all, avoid all of that processed food. Fast food, frozen food, prepared items at the grocery store deli, etc. All of these things are loaded with fat and salt and generally don't deliver nutritionally.

Hope this helps. Please post with any further questions and I would be happy to make more suggestions. I also have a lot of good recipes for lowfat food that is both nutritional AND good tasting. All my best, Cyndie
(I am a personal trainer who has studied nutrition quite a bit. Just wanted you to know where I was getting my info.)
 
Thank you! I think that is my problem, I ALWAYS take away before adding. I think I will start drinking cranberry juice again too (I'm not a pop or "bubbly" kind of drinker - I drink water 24/7). I have been eating a lot of sweets lately, maybe the juice will curb that all together - I don't even really want the stuff!
Since you mentioned that you are a personal trainer, can I ask how you got started? I was just checking out the ACE website yesterday, getting the urge again (every fall it seems I want to become a personal trainer). How long did it take you and what are the initial costs? It is my husband's lifelong dream to own a gym - I want to help him out and become a nutritionalist and personal trainer just in case this "dream" ever comes true. Thank you for helping with the first inquiry of mine......hope it's not too much for me to bug you about another one!! : ) Thank you!
 
I went to community college and got an associate's degree in exercise science. I decided this was enough for what I wanted to do. I am certified through ACE as well. It is my dream to own a gym and my husband is very supportive. Probably in three years we will be doing that. The cost of certification is not too bad. $175 approximately I think. The textbook to study for the test is pretty essential if you have not had any college courses in exercise physiology, anatomy, etc. I found the test long but doable although I had been in school for a while before taking it. Just study and you will do fine. My advice is to just immerse yourself with as much useful information as possible. Learn about many different exercise formats. That means doing them, not just reading about them. Try to learn protocol for post-rehabilitation exercises as many will come to you with knee, lower back, and a lot of other problems. It really isn't hard to locate the information. you just have to want to learn. As long as you take that seriously you will be ethical and professional. In contrast, there are too many young trainers out there who look good, do their own workouts, but are not knowledgeable about overall exercise and nutrition. I think you know what I mean. I also highly encourage people to go to a fitness conference. this is a good reality check. You go to the different classes and you may find that you're already on the right track and know a lot of the info that is being dispensed. Or you may find there's a lot you need to know. I also encourage getting a friend or two to train for free. This really helps you sort of get your feet wet with very little pressure.

I hope this helps. Let me know. Cyndie
 
I like your concept Cyndie to add nutritious foods before you start eliminating foods and then slowly eliminating the unhealthy foods.
Thanks,
Debbie
 

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