I like to workout at a County Recreation Facility almost every day. While I was talking with some of the women in the pool treading water in the deep, I noticed a woman out of the corner of my eye watching us. As I got out of the pool she said to me, “I sure wish I could lose 100 lbs.” I could see the longing to lose weight in her eyes but I sensed in her heart she had almost given up. I know for most people who are overweight, the journey to lose weight for them seems daunting, complicated and near impossible as they have tried so many times.
To my new friend in the pool I say “YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT.” It takes patience, dedication, and work. The National Weight Control Register, which tracks people who successfully lost an average of 70 lbs and kept it off for more than a year, say one of the keys to losing and keeping weight off is to develop “autopilot meals.”
We all know that in the long run it is not a diet that will take you to success. It is developing your own food own meals and food plan that will support you. It needs to include all the basic nutrients that you need every day the right portions and adequate exercise.
The Power of Autopilot Meals
I am now to the point that I develop a meal plan each week. I buy the food and do as much preparation and portioning in advance so it is easy to stay on my program and have “autopilot meals.”
As you find meals that have all the basic such as a protein (4 oz raw and 3 oz cooked), complex carbohydrate and just a little fat put them down and have them often as you develop more meals that will help you lose weight or maintain the weight that you are at.
Sample Day of Meals
Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg, 1 whole-wheat toast, ¾ cup salsa, and 2 Morning Star Lite sausages
Snack: 1 apple and 1 T. reduced calorie peanut butter
Lunch: 1 ½ cup chicken vegetable homemade soup (it had 8 vegetables in it and I prepared it on the weekend) and a slice of whole-wheat toast
Snack: 1 cup no fat yogurt and 2 Clementine
Dinner: 3 oz cooked lean steak, ½ c sweet potatoes, 1 spring green salad with 2 T. Lite Newman Sesame Ginger Dressing, ½ Brussels sprouts with 1 T hard cheese
Snack: 1 frozen banana cut in 1-inch sections, 1 ½ cup lite 8 Continent Soy milk, ½ t vanilla. Blend in blender and enjoy.
By taking these steps you set yourself up to be a big winner at the losing game. Remember, it does take time so be sure to get adequate exercise to burn some of these calories and yes, my friend, YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT.
