the weight loss papers

I recently found a very cool website that I couldn’t wait to share with you. It’s run by Rob Cooper of Canada - the Former Fat Guy - http://www.formerfatguyblog.com and there is so much good stuff. Incredible website.

One of the most incredible things is Rob’s story. He used to weigh 475 pounds! Today he’s fit and muscular and is at 240. I really can’t enough good things about his site. It’s *that* great.

Go check it out for yourself, read his story, peruse the recipes and have fun.

~ Annie

Mindset plays such a huge part in the success of ones life in everything and maybe even more so in weight loss. So, let’s talk about a weight loss mindset.

Now, in the past year and a half, there has been A LOT of hype about the law of attraction due mostly to the documentary movie “The Secret.” While the movie has some good basis and merit (and I do like it), it’s not the end-all, be-all that some would claim.

Mindset is much bigger than just the law of attraction. It encompasses more than simply asking, believing and receiving. One must do some work. Take action. You can’t just sit on your rear end and expect change to occur. Certainly visualization and focus are imperative to the whole process, but they alone aren’t enough.

It’s a lifestyle I’m talking about. And includes healthy eating habits, healthy mind habits, healthy spiritual habits and more. All areas of your life must be in congruence, in alignment. Having one thing out whack will make your efforts lopsided. They’ll be hit or miss and inconsistent.

Your mindset is what helps bring everything else together. Just like you can’t eat junk food all the time and expect to be healthy, you can’t put garbage in your mind and expect your life to be the way you want it. You can’t not brush your teeth and expect them not to all fall out eventually. It simply doesn’t work that way.

I’ve done an experiment on myself and my results using LOA for the past 6 months or so. And I’ve come to the conclusion that it does matter. It does make a difference and it does work. However, there are some huge misconceptions and important pieces left out of “The Secret.” (That, however, is a post for another time and for my main blog.)

But I do believe one can use the law of the attraction to lose weight.

Yes, I do eat healthy. Yes, I do exercise. And yes, I do use The Secret. All of these things have helped me lose over 80 pounds in the past year. I still have 50 to go before I’m at the weight I really desire - which is about what I weighed at age 18 - 110 pounds.

Every day I visualize myself at the weight I want to be. I spend a few minutes imagining that and thinking about what it feels like to be so healthy and in alignment with myself.

I am not an LOA expert by any means but I do know it has worked for me. I highly recommend anything written by Esther Hicks and also by Bob Proctor if you want to learn more about it and put it to use in your own weight loss mission.

Until next time,
~ Annie

Is there value in meal planning? Should one plan meals weekly? Is meal planning really all that helpful? Does it work for people who are losing weight?

And the answer is . . . absolutely!

I’ve never been much of a meal planner even though friends and family have been telling me for years that I should give it a try. Well, sure I tried it a few times and didn’t stick with it for long. Something always hijacked my good intentions.
But back in January I began doing it again. Mostly for the kids because they were always asking what we were having for dinner or lunch or whatever. Or if they could have a snack. So, I created a menu template for the week broken down into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and it’s really working well. Not only do I not get the nagging of what’s for dinner, but the kids know exactly what they can eat and when. It’s helping cut down on our grocery bills too which is a huge plus with 6 people in the house!

It’s also a great thing for my husband who is not always that good at deciding what (and how!) to cook. On days that I have homework and need the extra study time, he can now go into the kitchen, whip out whatever is on the menu and make dinner. Of course, I’m still stuck with lunch and what-not since I’m home with the kids during the day but it’s so much easier. It’s taking a lot less time to fix meals and it’s easy to shop, too. I find I don’t buy things that aren’t on my list anymore. That’s a bonus for more reason than one.

So, try creating a weekly menu plan. I will be uploading a PDF copy of my sample menu that you’re free to use if you like. I’ll try to do that by Wednesday this week.

It’s off to bed now, though, because I’m extremely tired already.

~ Annie

UPDATE - Here’s the template - Weekly Menu Template

It’s in PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. It’s probably already on your computer but if not, you can get it from Adobe.com . Enjoy!

Some might think that weight loss and the Super Bowl do not mix. And usually, you would be right. Anyone who’s been on a diet knows that days like Super Bowl Sunday are pig-out heaven - especially if you or someone in your household is throwing a Super Bowl Party.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

On my plan, I give myself 2 “cheat meals” per week. Those cheat meals are where I can eat anything I want to. And it works great! Because I get to eat foods I enjoy, it helps stop cravings (which are the #1 reason people fail when dieting) and because it helps keep my metabolism in check.

So tomorrow is no big deal around our house. We’re having pizza, chips and dip, and maybe even a little soda or candy. It won’t blow my diet - namely because I’m not on one! But mostly because it’s scheduled right into my plan and menu for the week.

See you at kick-off!

~ Annie

Thanks for stopping by my new site - The Weight Loss Papers. I hope you enjoy your look around!

So - what is The Weight Loss Papers?

Simply my dialog on getting in shape, eating right, losing weight and creating the life of my dreams.

See, until I was pregnant with my first child, I was very healthy and in shape. And even though I’ve continued to eat healthy foods, I’ve gained weight as a result of having 4 children and a back injury.

I’ve tried to lose the weight for several years and have managed to drop a few pounds here and there. Still, I weigh more than I should and I’ve finally decided to hell with my back doctors! I’m going to do whatever I can to focus on making the changes that need to be occur. After all, it’s MY life and no one can tell me how to live it.

So - come along for the journey if you wish. I’ll be posting as often as possible (hopefully at least 4 times a week). You’ll see everything from my daily workouts, books I’m reading on health subjects, recipes and much more.

Again, thanks for stopping by. Enjoy!

~ Annie