A girl's weight loss journey #4- Re-educate your habits, swap the bad for good ones!

Hello there!

I hope you're all fine and you had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day weekend!

F If you want to know, how I did this week, just scroll down and skip my text! You'll find all the stats and key facts for this week at the bottom of this post

Find my other posts HERE!

Last week I reached my 5% goal, what means that I lost 5% of my original weight the last 6 weeks. It is kind of a great feeling, as I was really surprised, when the computer, that is connected with the scales, showed the 5% sign and so I got my sticker as a reward.

(By the way, I love to get stickers like that, you also get ones, when you lose 7lbs or half a stone, the so called “silver seven”. It keeps you motivated on the one hand and shows you, how far you've come, by collecting all your silver sevens through your journey)

This 5% goal, however, shows me, that I was capable to start with the weight loss. I know, that I am just at the beginning of my journey and that I have a long way ahead of me, but I'll stay focused and I am determined to get to the end of it.

So when you've lost an amount of weight, there are some changes, that come naturally with it. Maybe you dropped a clothes size or you're feeling fitter, more energetic and less lethargic and probably, you discovered new habits and dismissed some of the old ones.

So I thought, it's time to talk about some of my old and new habits, surrounding eating and weight loss.

Re-educate your habits – swap the old bad for newer good ones

When you've decided to lose weight, this usually comes with a change of older eating habits for a new and healthier life style. New habits are a key to weight loss, but are sometimes not so easy to develop, when you're sticking to some of the old ones. The dictionary's definition of habit says, that's an acquired behaviour pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

Let's think of non-food related habits you may have, like brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, turning the kettle on of a cup of tea, first thing in the morning, as a woman, cleaning and moisturising your face in the morning and evening time, taking the same seat in the bus or train on your way to work or university.

Sometimes, we pick up things, not thinking what they could do and how fast they could become habits, food-wise means that having that biscuit or two (or maybe you don't know how many) with your afternoon coffee or tea, picking on sweets or crisps in the afternoon or night time, while watching your favourite TV show, and not because you are hungry, just because you used to or you are bored.

So how to develop new habits? Simply by doing new and different things every single day, repeating the action regularly till it has become you new habit.

To get a bit personal, let me tell you about my older bad habits and the new ones I've adapted the last weeks. First, let me tell you about the bad habits:

-I love chocolate, well, not just chocolate, all kinds of sweets were welcome. I am a dessert fan and usually I enjoyed and loved a dessert more than the main dish. I am also a muffin and cupcake fan. And I still love to have these. But as a treat. That means I won't have them every day, and I would be happy with a smaller amount or less pieces of chocolate. You need to start thinking of the food's value and/or the calories and if you would be happy with one piece or if you'd need all of them.

-I ate, because I felt boring, while having nothing to do, I ate all night while watching TV. Things like crisps, nuts or chocolate bars, non of them was filling or healty and I just ate, 'cause I used to eat, not that I enjoyed the food, I just tucked in without thinking what amount of food I have just consumed. You know, sometimes, when you are big you thinks, who cares if I eat this whole box of chocolates, I'll never going to be thin.

One thing, I also recognised was, that I ate more, when I was alone. When no one was there to judge me I just ate more and without using my brain.

-I used to have a mid-afternoon-low and I needed something to cheer me up between lunch and dinner and so I would have had biscuits or a chocolate sandwich with my cup of tea.

-I used to use oil or butter in huge quantities. Thinking of using a good quality oil does not reduce it's calories. All of them have a high amount of calories for less quantity.

While revealing my bad habits I changed some of them or just avoided different situations I was afraid of.

-Swapping full fat for skimmed milk. Actually, I do not like the coffee or tea made with full fat milk any more. It makes such a difference when you are using one product for a time.

-Eat more fruits and vegetables. I eat my porridge or weetabix in the morning mixed with fresh or frozen fruit, I love to have a fruit salad after my dinner or having a fruit in the afternoon. I now eat my lunchtime sandwich with a salad and have vegetables with my dinner, that would be chicken and potatoes for example.

Try to snack on vegetable sticks with plain no-fat yoghurt, cottage cheese or quark cheese. Have a fruit salad with no-fat yoghurt and a meringue for your dessert.

-Tracking: everything that goes into my mouth is written down in my journal. And no, you do not have to count ProPoints for doing that, just write down, what you're eating throughout the day. Sometimes you'd be surprised by the amount of food you're eating without thinking.

-Choosing healthier food. Have chicken breast and mashed potatoes instead chicken nuggets and chips. Steamed salmon and pasta instead of breaded fish with chips.

-Portion control. I weigh my portions to track down exactly what I am eating and how many points I am using. So besides of the quality of food you are eating it's also important what quantity you are eating.

-Less snacking on rubbish-like cake, biscuits, crisps, chocolate. Sure, I do have them, as I mentioned earlier, nothing is not allowed. You have to understand that Weight Watchers is not a diet, it is a change of your eating habits a change of life style, a programme that makes you think about your food, instead of tucking just into. Have your favourite chocolate bar or whatever, but as a treat, not every day. Rely on proper food, that fills you up and makes you happy as well. Do not tell yourself, that from now on, you won't be allowed to eat all the things you love. Restrictions aren't a solution and would be too difficult to maintain. The sooner or later you would have meltdown, craving for the favourite thing you gave up, and this would be worse, than having it every now and then.

I now think twice, if I need that biscuit or slice of cake after my lunch and usually I keep myself busy with something else, so I forget about my craving for a sweetie.

-Plan your meals ahead. This means, that you should plan your meals for the week ahead. Create a menu planner and do the shopping according to that. Try to buy the things you really need for the next week. Do not fall for the 2 for 1 chocolate bargains, leave them in the shop, because when they are in your cupboard, you are going to eat them. So I usually have some Weight Watchers biscuits or Chocolate bars in the kitchen and less other rubbish. Honestly, this just made such a difference to me, but I know, that these offers are everywhere and sometimes it is really hard, to stand in front of the sweet treats in Tesco's and thinking “No, I will not buy any of them, because I don't trust myself” (And I really don't!)

-Don't make to many big changes at the same time. Try to do small steps. If you fail by following all of your new habits at once you mightn't be motivated to continue your weight loss.

Statistics and key information:

Number of weeks: 7

Weight loss this week: -6lbs, ~ 2.7kg

Weight loss in total: -1^st 10 ½lbs, ~11kg

Feeling: Wow, I am a bit flabbergasted. I never thought, that I would've lost 6 lbs this last week. So every time I step on the scales, I am more than surprised. And at the moment, I doesn't feel like I am over 10kg lighter, than I used to be in January when I started with Weight Watchers. I also don't have the feeling that I am missing something. I still have my favourite foods, my chocolate and desserts. I am feeling great, I got a lot of compliments for my weight loss from my hostmum's mum and from fellow members, who keep telling me, how well I am doing this is such an awesome and incredible feeling for me.

I need new trousers, as well. My jeans are too big, I would lose them now, and that is kind of weird, because there was a time, when they barely fitted the other way.

And I also had such a great weekend in Salthill and Galway, I really enjoyed the beach and Atlantic, and the walk on the prom.

Favourite food: Chickenbreast, potatoes and vegetables, steak, onions & chips, grilled chicken and pasta.

Favourite treats: Champagne, scone and jam, fish & chips with onionrings

Goals & plans for the next week: I alway kind of have the feeling that I do not keep up with my goals or plans I have for the week, I was walking on 4 days the last week, but had a lovely 2 hr walk between Salthill and Galway and back. I loved it. The weather was great. Sunshine, the wind and smell of the Atlantic Ocean. Just amazing.

Then, I had 2 Filling & Healthy Food days (I want to talk about this the next week) and so I simply reduced the days where I was eating some biscuits or other food like that.

I still haven't visited the pool yet, but I'd love to do some aqua-fit lessons.

I also would love to start running, but now, I have the feeling that I am to heavy for this and it wouldn't be the best for my bones and joints. So I will stick to my normal walking activities, 4-6 times a week or so and hopefully I will start to join some aqua fit classes the upcoming weeks.

I guess it would be to much to say, I want to lose another 3 1/2lbs the next week, with St. Patrick's day on Sunday, for my next stone lost, right?

Tips and thoughts: It's simple! Enjoy your food! Love your favourite treats. If you want that muffin or cupcake, go and have it. Enjoy it and don't feel bad about it, if you really wanted this treat. (If you would feel bad about eating it, so don't have it, this is what I would do!) Do not give up the food you love, you won't keep it up for, let's say, the rest of your life, to be honest, I would miss my desserts!

Life is just to short (I just found that out this week, how fast a young life is wasted and how fast a baby is without his mother) not to enjoy food and life or having any restrictions. You should be happy BUT you need to have a healthy way dealing with food. (Either you have it or you have to learn it by starting to adapt new habits!)

And if you need some new ideas for great low calorie/low ProPoints food, have a look on this blog! Janey has a great variety of recipes, such a true inspiration!
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