I have heard from a couple of you about how you are being challenged by the increase in calories with the Race to Maintenance. By now, you will be consuming two shakes and two meals each "shake" day.
There are some things that you might notice ...
- that your weight will fluctuate a bit until you get into the new norm
- that your brain is consistently telling you that you are making a mistake by adding more food to your day
- that you are feeling a bit panicked by watching your scale
I want to encourage you to hang in there.
Having said that, there are a few things to look at to ensure that you are getting the best possible experience:
- are you consuming any foods that cause inflammation, such as wheat or dairy; consider reducing your intake of these foods, or removing them entirely
- are you getting at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise each day (I know I'm not - this is one area I really struggle at!)
- are you incorporating soft belly breathing and meditation and prayer into your day - this is important for reducing stress levels, and, as we know, stress levels affect our cortisol levels, which in turn affects our ability to release weight
- are you eating your Snacks and nuts every 1.5 to 2 hours
- are you consuming enough water
- are you consuming meals in the 600 calorie range for both meals; consider keeping your meals at 400 calories, or split up your meals throughout the day: have one 400 calorie main meal and two 200 calorie snacks during the day
- are you adding anything to your shakes besides water; if so, refrain from doing so
- are you cooking with foods that positively impact your metabolism; consider adding cayenne, turmeric, etc. to your meals
- are you remembering that this is not a diet, but a journey toward optimal health
Do you have any thoughts to add to this discussion? Please comment by clicking on the Comment link below.
You CAN do this!! Do not let the enemy fill you with discouragement. Remember! This is not a diet - it's a new way of living and being in the world.
I look forward to your comments!! - Linda
2 comments:
Some other ideas for helping us to stay on track with our "Shake" days:
- plan ahead so you have the needed ingredients on hand for your meal preparation; plan ahead so you have enough snacks that travel well when you're out; plan ahead when you have an upcoming event that will require you to eat outside of your planned meals - find a way to stick with your program while still participating in the event (E.g. at a recent funeral, Dennis filled his plate with food for himself and for me; I ate the celery sticks and other veggies and he had the other food - we had it all on one plate, so it looked like we were both enjoying the luncheon, which we were!!! I felt great knowing that I was sticking to my plan!)
- fill the plate with the requisite 1/3:1/3:1/3 ratio of food; use colour and texture to make your meal appealing; load up on vegetables rather than on meat and simple carbs; don't short-change yourself, especially in light of the next point ....
- make "rules" you can live by - for me, the "No Seconds" rule is paramount; I simply will not take seconds of anything!
Do you have other ideas to share? Please click on the Comments link under this post.
Here is a post from Maria:
Hi Linda and all.
Thanks for your never ending encouragement and support.
Yes, I am in fear of the extra meal. To date I have not gained but have no lost either.
I enjoy working with a new form of the program.
Exercise is a biggie for me. I am making an effort to, rather than "fit it in", make it a priority.
I will be writing 2 letters - 1 to myself and 1 to God.
Hang in everyone.
Maria
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