Following the fad diets of my mom and her friends did not work for me.
T.O.P.S. was a weight loss club that my mom and I attended many years ago. The acronym stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. The idea was to eat sensible meals by choosing the right foods and eating them in the right portions. We were not to use diet pills, special foods or special plans.
But, even with the support of those around us, the program and dieting didn't work for me. Matter of fact, those diets really sent my metabolism into a tail spin. Have you ever found yourself in this predicament?
After years of searching, trying different ways to manage and lose weight, I finally found a simple system that is working for me. I am losing weight and you can, too!
By erasing everything we've known in the past and starting with a clean slate, we can reprogram our mind with a new way, a proven system that will take off those unwanted pounds…for good.
Here's a look at what I've been doing to get results.
Realize why you want to manage your weight…
I know that may sound silly, kind of ridiculous. But the reality is we must want to lose weight for the right reason.
Losing weight can be the same as if you were trying to quit any bad habit, like smoking for example.
I smoked for over 10 years…to be cool. Really…to fit in. I knew it was bad for me, but I wanted others to like me, so I smoked…to my health's detriment.
I tried quitting three times. Every time I would end up sneaking a cigarette, washing my hands, hair and teeth so my boyfriend wouldn't know that I had failed.
My motive for quitting was for the wrong reason. I was quitting because he wanted me to…I didn't want to.
Six years later I found myself in a disgusting situation, sitting in the gravel driveway digging around for any butt to smoke. I was desperate for that nicotine.
The next minute I thought…what am I doing? I was so disgusted with myself that it prompted me to take action. I quit cold turkey that day…it's been 23 years since I've taken so much as a puff!
But, you see…I decided I was quitting, no matter what, and I did it! No excuses, no matter what…I did it!
When you figure out why you want to lose weight you will do it. Whether it is to lose a few pounds or gain a few pounds, the result will be the same…you will do it!
Key tools to use…
Some simple, yet verykey tools we all need to use for our weight management are free!
Free or not, these tools are useless unless we actually use them in our daily life. Don't take these free tools for granted.
Once you decide why you are managing your weight, then you need to act on your "why".
Simple key tools:
regular 7 to 8 hours of deep, restful sleep
consistently drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day
eliminate all soda and sugared drinks (yes, this includes cappucino, sorry)
make a grocery list including FRESH fruits, veggies and meats
eliminate pre-packaged, processed meals, these are full of sodium, sugar and carbs
partner up with a friend or family member for support
Each of us will take this information and do something totally different with it.
In order to show you that it does work, I will share my plan with you.
By taking these tips and acting on them I am losing weight living the lifestyle that I want to. Your lifestyle may be totally different than mine, that's okay. You can take these tips and adjust them to you
It wasn't easy to do, but after deciding to manage my weight instead of dieting, I had to adjust a few things in my daily life.
Sleep is an area I struggle with. Being a work-a-holic isn't something I'm proud of, but it is a fact. Working on getting the proper sleep is one part of the plan I work on daily.
When shopping I make a list and stick to it. By eating a piece of fruit and drinking a glass of water before leaving the house I don't crave everything that looks good on the shelves. Being able to stick to the list, staying focused on why I am shopping is easier. Not buying out the store with calorie laden emptiness is a thing of the past!
By planning meals we are able to buy only the ingredients that are not already in the pantry. This saved money and allowed me to stick to my plan.
No more being lazy and buying prepackaged foods. Being determined to cook from scratch eliminated hundreds of carbs, countless milligrams of sodium and refined sugars.
Fresh fruits, veggies and meat were mainstay of my list. Not over purchasing cut out the waste, but was a learning experience for me and it took a while to master.
Only buy what you can eat in 3 to 4 days at a time. This may be harder if you have kids at home, they can eat you out of house and home. You will have to adjust this to fit your family situation.
For exercise…I parked as far away from the store as possible. Those extra steps burn calories, raised my heart rate and got that fat burning stove called my metabolism fired up.
By the time I finished shopping, packed up the groceries and got back to the car, I felt awesome, ready to take on the world.
After putting the groceries away, I called my girlfriend and reported in. She was proud of me, and I was so excited that I jumped right in and started the laundry, changed the bedding and started on my to do list.
It's amazing how once our metabolism kicks in we feel better, have more energy and our mood is elevated, too.
My hope is that you have gleaned some valuable weight management tips from this information and will put it to use immediately. Your health is important for you, your family and loved ones and the world, too.
If you need a friend to hold you accountable and you are struggling to find one, I'd be honored to join you on your journey of losing weight.
Want more tips like those in this post? Get your free report on how to wake up different tomorrow aboveon the right hand side of page.
Each week you will receive valuable health tips and tools to use to take care of your health and enjoy vibrant, good health today and forever!
Here to Serve,
Carla J Gardiner
p.s. we love hearing from you, leave your comments below…
"Great to see you so happy, Carla! My hubby, Mark and I were talking about this today. We are also doing a cleanse this month -- based on another of our friend's recommendations, Dr. Peggy. :)
So much of success on ANY diet is mindset. I am already noticing a difference in how I *think* about food. I am loving how things like cucumbers and bright yellow peppers taste. He mentioned that the organic cucumber was expensive, but I pointed out that it wasn't so bad because we are actually EATING it! LOL What is expensive, however, is the bag of uneaten "regular" cucumbers that I used to routinely throw away. As if bringing them home from the store somehow made me healthy...." Tara Geissinger, FL
"Very well put. I've been with a health and nutrition company for over 26 years and I understand exactly what you are going through. I shiver to think what my health might be today at age 68 had I not stuck to my guns as far as practicing what I preach. Yes, I fall off the wagon regularly but my daily routine life reflects taking care of my health. That way I can keep up (somewhat) with my 7 grandchildren. You keep it up, Carla'. Pat Moon
"For most people the thought of venturing out there in pursuit of your dreams, in a place outside of your comfort zones is just what stops them. But I could sense your excitement not resentment in going against the competition. In planting your stake and truly making a difference in the clients experience. That's ultimately what matters, the rest just falls so easily into place. Thanks for that reminder"! ENO Nsima-Obot MD Life
"Love this article and "be willing to change" hit a cord. How many people rather stay comfortable, be bored, not make a lot of money and just be plain perhaps stuck. I know of a person as I am writing this. I was that stuck person but no longer. This other person is still stuck and doesn't even realize it. So be willing to change on my end is a big YES. Thanks Carla". Carol Giambri
"What a great encouraging article! I especially liked the reminder that there are varying seasons in our lives and in the lives of our businesses! Thanks for these great words Carla"! Jen
"Carla, you are a model for me to follow. I love your site. And, I like what you have to say - very kind, very gracious. I have to say though that nothing in my life has ever been crystal clear". Susan Daniels
"Thank you for sharing this article Carla! Showing gratitude and being gracious is extremely important in the process of showing clients that we appreciate their business and differentiating ourselves...sometimes it is as simple as 'please' and 'thank you' ...great article"!!! Hughie Bagnell
"If anyone can follow a dream that leads them down a different path, it's you! I always love reading what you have to share" :) Amity Hook-Sopko
"Great article Carla, it may not be all we want it to be right away but just knowing where our passion lies is half the battle...and that makes it all worthwhile"! Denny Hagel
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