Better Housing Market Improves Americans' Finances

Better Housing Market Improves Americans' Finances

Our Teenager's journey

Our older son is quite handsome.  He has also enjoyed a lifestyle full of friends and activity.  However, over the last year with his job and schooling, he became a bit more sedentary, and it had an effect on his weight.  He still looked good, but as he watched us lose weight and enjoy the outcomes, he became intrigued enough to try some of the meal replacements.  While they are not gourmet, they are still pretty good, and he found it desirable enough to try it.

Unlike us, he told several friends, who have done a great job of holding him accountable and noticing the changes.  I like that he was not embarrassed by the lifestyle change.  I think we modeled that for him and that is an important part of this for teens.  I do not think this lifestyle change to smaller better meals more often would have happened if we were not doing it ourselves.  It is too significant a change for them to be on their own.  Other teens we have talked to just did not like the food, or are still concerned about the perceptions of being on a diet.

He is seeing the results and has been committed to eating the meal replacements.  I looked at what we were spending on drinks and snacks, and we may actually be saving some money.  He is close to his goal and is looking great.  Not looking forward to replacing his clothes, but it is worth it to see him enjoying his health!

I am not willing to go out on a limb and say this would be a solution to some of the unhealthy eating behaviors of our teens, but learning to trust your food to support healthy living is a great sign of maturity that we as parents need to pass along and model.

The salt scare - why I think salt discourages dieters!

So, I have this bad habit of stepping on the scale every day when I am dieting.  You know, just wanting that one more pound!  Well, the other day, I had eaten several meals that were very salty, and at the same time, I saw my weight go up, rather than staying on the journey downward.  Now, I am not saying it was all the salt, because there were a bunch of calories as well.  However, I had consumed alot of coffee, tea and water during the same period.

Because of the six meal per day approach, I have confidence in the calorie burning going on in my body.  My chemistry trusts me to eat again so I am not stressed about being able to lose the weight.  In the past, through, I would not have felt the same way.  My thoughts would have been -all this work, and I have just gained three pounds - what is the point!?!?!

The ability of salt to cause fluid retention is well known, but its psychological impact is less thought about.  This quick turnaround in weight loss can kill the most effective weight loss plan.  Ever happen to you?

I think the solution is confidence in your plan.  That is why an accountability source is so important.  Most of the solid weight loss programs have some way to talk to another person.  Ours has a coach provided by the company to participants.  This was what took Kelly over the edge to sustained weight loss.  She had someone checking in on her.  Don't let a little turnaround in your weight stop you from reaching your greater goals - it feels to good to succeed!

Why the meal replacements and not just the eating plan?

I have thought about this question alot as I completed the certification as a health coach.  There are three basic thoughts about this weight management plan.  First is to build the discipline to eat six small meals per day - eat when you are hungry, but don't overdo it.  Secondly, is the need to make sure that when eating only 100 calories per meal for weight loss, that we still have complete nutrition, and there are ideal ratios of carbs, protein and fats that keep our digestion regulated, and allow for fat burning.  We need to be eating around 1000 calories or so, to encourage weight loss.

Thirdly is the need to learn how to prepare meals that are balanced and portion controlled for the rest of our lives, creating a lifestyle that encourages weight management.  We will need to manage around 2000-2500 calories on average for maintenance.  We also need to know how to manage salt, fat and sugar.

Surrounding all that is a fitness behavior that keeps our bodies maintained and trim, rebuilding muscle and other infrastructure health.

While it is possible to start off a diet plan focusing on the food, the reason we like this approach is that it allows for focus on the lifestyle change first.  Moving to a five meal replacement, one lean and green is challenging enough without having to prepare each 100 calorie meal and match the nutritional ratios right each time.  The prepared foods allows for the focus on eating every 2-3 hours, developing that routine and becoming confident in the results.  The coach can focus on the discipline of mealtime.  This is why calorie or point counting never worked for us - we had to incorporate too many decisions and disciplines at one time.  I like the stepwise approach better.

There is a time of transition where the focus moves to exercise as a component, and when we will move to a lifestyle of small meals, but with coaching begin to understand how to cook and eat well without the replacements.  Then we might still buy some of the replacements for the times when we are in a hurry, but move to a lifestyle of healthy choices.

So - the bottom line is this .  There is no charge for advice!  I would be happy to give you advice on moving to a six meal per day program to promote weight loss with no expectation of a meal plan purchase.  I would be happy to help you buy the meal replacements at a discount so you can try them and see the discipline perspective.  But, to me, the main thing is to find a way to feel healthy, if you don't right now!

The ice cream curse - dieter beware

I have had two terrible weeks of managing my eating plan, and two of the instances were related to ice cream.  The long love affair I have had with Cookout milkshakes goes back to my daughter attending App State, home of the best Cookout milkshakes, as well as Lenoir which had a Cookout on the way to and from Boone!  So, this week I had two milkshakes from there.  They are so stinking good, that you almost get sad nearing the bottom.

Secondly I went to Brusters.  Now I have been pretty good there, getting the no fat or sugar added caramel ice cream there.  However, on this week, as Mr. Gordon would say, they were having a sale on waffle cones, which means my normal 100 calorie treat was up around 300.  worse still, I am confident that whatever they put in there as a substitute for fat has a limit to how much you can eat before it attacks your digestive system - creating the most amazing emissions known to mankind.  GO easy on this stuff!

The cool thing about this tragedy is that because I am staying true to the six small meal per day, my system has been able to handle the calories and keep me stable during this time of stress eating.  The plan works.

My new blood chemistries

In addition to sleep apnea, my weight had caused me to have issues with high cholesterol, as well as poor HDL/LDL readings.  Now that I am at 183, I have had my numbers recalculated.  I believe that better eating habits, and the reduced stress and increased self esteem of the weight loss have all contributed, and now that I am adding back in the exercise, I have expectations of more improvements.

My cholesterol has dropped from 225 to 137
My LDL has dropped to 84, below the 99 goal and less than the 125 before.
My HDL has climbed to 40, above the 39 goal, and the first time it has ever been in goal.
My ratio is now 2.1, in the 3.6 and below range.

My triglycerides are at 65, below the 149 top of range.

Should you really care about my numbers?  Probably not, unless you just like me and want me to grow old.  My family is extremely happy, though.

C

Kelly and I are now Certified Coaches

What does this mean for you?  Just that we have spent more time studying and understanding the entire program that Dr. A has laid out.  If you need some advice on changing your approach to health, whether it includes meal replacements, or just a better understanding of the way to eat for better health, don't hesitate to ask us.  Also, we are now able to come and present to your company ideas on better health, whether diet, exercise, lifestyle choices or a combination of all three.  Let us know and we can schedule a time to meet with your company leadership about this opportunity.

When I crash and burn, I really go all out!

This new lifestyle of small meals every 3-4 hours is still taking some getting used to.  I am supposed to consume about 100 calories every meal except one.  So, when we went to ALDI's which is a bad thing for me to do (too much stuff, too cheap).  There in the frozen food section was a Berry pie - blackberry and raspberry.  Man, did it look good, so we cheated and bought it - then we also cooked it.  So, one piece would not be too bad.  But I had two.  Then I made the mistake this morning of looking at the box - 330 calories per slice.  Good grief.  However, it was not all bad, because it was still on pattern - six meals per day, and the total calorie intake for the day would not cause a weight gain.  Whew!

Is it silly to be so dramatic about weight management?

Experiencing a little of what is to come eating wise

So I am getting better at the six meal per day methodology.  Right now it it mainly the replacement meals, but I am expecting more of a reliable process with real foods after I transition out of this program.  The reason I am feeling good about this is that I have been cheating regularly.  Last night I had a blueberry muffin from the Cheesecake factory about three hours after my meal, and then another meal around 9:30 that night.  What is different is that in the past I would have eaten dessert right with the meal, creating a barrage of calories right then, and then wait five hours and take a hit of cookies or something right before bed.  Binging and crashing were the norm.  Now I can wait on the dessert until three hours after dinner, helping my body continue to trust that I am going to eat again.  This keeps me in fat burning mode, and even though I am not losing that day, I am still experiencing a consistent process.

I remember when I would eat a sugary cereal, and even though it was not a lot of calories, the sugar/carb combo caused a crash around 10, and I would eat another breakfast then.  Now I get a more balanced breakfast, and when I eat at 10, it is a light meal of only 100 calories or so.  Basically I eat all the time, but am watching the content better.

When I reach my goal weight, I can then spread 11 times my weight across the six meals or so each day.

102 over 74 - are you kidding?

So I have never had real huge issues with blood pressure, but over the past year I had seen it creep up a little, particularly the bottom number.  However, I went to the doctor for a follow up visit, and the nurse measured my BP at 102 over 70, the lowest I have ever seen it, and my heart rate was 68.  Very much good news for me to see.  I am constantly amazed at the benefits of this weight loss, and I feel certain that I will be able to maintain it.

It sure is nice to get rested

At 225 pounds, a couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.  Not obstructive, but a problem nonetheless.  I ended up having to go on a breathing machine.  A month ago, I was able to finally rid myself of this contraption once and for all.  What made me think of this was waking up this morning and actually feeling like getting out of bed.  I hit 184 this morning, so I would guess that 41 pounds would clog up some breathing, huh?

It is cool when the youngsters feel good about what you are doing

With the success Kelly and I have had, our kids have been really supportive of the TSFL program, and are more willing to select places to eat where we can get our lean and green.  In fact, they have been eating more  healthy in general as the sugary snacks are disappearing from the pantry.  What was really cool, though, is that our older son has wanted to deal with the Freshman 15, and has decided that the best way to do this is by joining in with us on the program.  He sees how quickly we have experienced results, so his thinking is that he can make a drop, then move to maintenance mode quickly.  Now, he is still tempted by the Cookout milkshake, just like me, so we will have to work together with him.  However, we are in the position of not just saying you do it, but lets do it together.

How are Kelly and I affording the program?

You know that we are both self employed right now, and it is a challenge to make sure our budget works.  We are both big fans of eating out, and that has been our biggest budget buster.  I have looked at what we spend daily on drinks, lunches, breakfast and snacks and it runs $6-10 a day for each of us.  This does not include our regular dinners out.

We are spending right now, $8 or so per day on our plans.  Yes, the monthly total looks like a lot, but with the discounts and free foods, it really stretches the program out, so we are always less than $10 per day.  The sacrifice we added, was to eat out less for dinner, and when we do, to either share or buy less.  We also eliminated all non-water beverages from our orders.  For my at home family of five, that can be $10 by itself in a restaurant.

We are also buying and using  the coupons from restaurant.com and those mailed to our house to eat out for less as a family, and are taking advantage of the low prices at Cookout to eat for less.  The grilled Cajun chicken sandwich is Kelly's favorite.

So the trick is to put away this saved eating money each day, so at the end of the first month, if you continue with the program, you have the money to pay, and if you don't you have saved up all you spent on the program to pay back yourself.  Regardless, at the end of your months in the program, if you diligently save the money you would have spend, there will be a payback of your initial investment at the end.  You will need it for the new clothes.

Oh, and when you are transitioning back to regular meals, Kelly and I are still there for you!!!!

Why am I a Take Shape for Life Coach?

Good question.  Kelly began her TSFL weight loss, with a friend of hers, Jill, as her coach.  Jill stayed on top of Kelly's progress, a lot of calls at first, then just to check in.  I could tell that Kelly was struggling to tell her everything, but that she really appreciated the follow up.  I also saw that it was working.  Kelly has lost over 45 pounds so far, and BELIEVES she can lose 25 more.  Kelly brought me into the program as my health coach, but she is too nice, and I struggled a bit more.  I have lost the weight, but did not have the level of accountability that she has had.  Now Kelly is coaching, and as she works with couples, the men and the women have such different follow up needs, that I felt I could do well with the men, and even some of the women who just need to feel like their progress matters to someone.  So, I took the leap.

I went to a training this week, and the sales approach is this.  Use the products, tell others, have fun.  It is not a pyramid, and I am paid by the company, not the person.  I found out that a client can pay the same buying from Medifast as from TSFL, they just don't get the free coaching.  I guess the cost of getting new customers equals the cost of paying me, so it is a win either way for Medifast.  TSFL is the coaching arm of Medifast, a $300MM company that has been around 30 years.

Also, I have some dreams about working in jobs where the pay is not what I have received in the past, and this program offers me some supplemental income that I could really benefit from.

Kelly's discovery at Zaxby's

We went in to have lunch there the other day, and she was complaining that she wanted a salad, but that they were all too large, and had too much calorie laden toppings.  I told her to ask about their side salad.  Even though she did not believe me, she asked, and sure enough, they gave her exactly what she was looking for, at less than $3.  She then asked for a couple of chicken strips, and they even cut them up and put them on top of the side salad for her.  I told her I knew a lot of stuff, she just has seen me be wrong so much that she is a true skeptic.  But today, score one for me!

Cool, huh?

My weight loss report

Right now, today, I weigh 185 pounds.  Two years ago, I weighed 225, and when I began this program, I was around 205, so I am at the 20 pound level right now!  I plan to get to 175, then transition to a way of life that will maintain it.  I am truly buying into this multiple small meals approach for me.  My waist at the bellybutton, has dropped from 39 to 37 inches, and my pants are all too big.  I just got a new pair of shorts, size 34.  Now I have read all the articles about clothing manufacturers increasing the waist without increasing the size on the label, but I don't really care - it is still a 34.

Tricks for the pancake

With the Medifast breakfast, you can make one nice sized pancake.  I am of course used to a stack about six high, so this has been a major shift in thinking for me.  It took several tries for me to accept the one pancake mentality, but once my body began to trust that I was going to eat again in a couple of hours, it got easier.

However, I really missed the syrup.  So I tried a way to substitute for the syrup, and I am proud to say it was a great success.  I think this would work for regular pancakes as well, if you were trying to cut back on the calories.

Take two packets of splenda, and pour them into the batter right before you cook it.  It gives the sensation on eating, that there is syrup on the inside of the pancake!!!!  No, it is not sticky, and no, it is not maple, but it is still very sweet, and I enjoyed it very much.

My friend Kevin humbled me the other day

So Kelly and I are invited to a baby reveal.  You know, where the cake is cut and the color of the cake tells the sex of the baby.  I have decided that this is a cheat day, since I know I will want a piece of cake.  However, there is a buffet of beef, potatoes and even fried green beans to deal with beforehand.  You should have seen my plate!   Just like the old days, edge to edge.

We sit down with Kevin and his wife, and begin discussing my weight, since you can tell I have lost.  He is telling me about his decision to live by portion control.  I look at his plate, and while he has some of each food offered, you can definitely see plate.  I look down and mine is completely hidden.  Wow, some lifestyle change.  I was very strongly impacted by his ability to only eat what was needed, not all that he might want.  I tell you, it was embarrassing to be talking about my weight loss success in those circumstances.

Why am I doing this?

Well, if you have read my story, you may realize that I waited a very long time to start my weight loss journey.  In fact, I probably would still be struggling except for two things - my health care coverage required addressing it (low motivation, but some) and my wife began her Take Shape for Life odyssey.  After Kelly lost her first 40 pounds, I began to take this program a little more seriously.  Finally, after just trying the foods she didn't like, I placed my own order.  I have to tell you, the feeling of the quick drop of 10 pounds in the first week (results not typical), I was hooked.  Now, I feel less of an obligation to accomplish a weight and health change, but also the need to stay there once I get there.  I am getting used to the six small meals per day, versus the 14 slices of pizza at Pizza Inn.  I don't seem to miss it.