For that month, I was tracking everything on Livestrong's MyPlate Calorie Tracker. Writing down everything I eat is the only way I make healthy choices. Otherwise, I mindlessly stuff food in my face and then mysteriously my clothes start fitting funky. Take today for example. I've eaten 5 pieces of Trader Joe's 73% dark chocolate and half of a donut. Off to great start!
For a few weeks, I was also using an app called The Eatery. With that app, I took pictures of everything I ate and and random strangers RATED my food. I rated their food in return. At the end of the week, I had a huge collage of all the food I consumed. It was shocking and so helpful!
But then it got embarrassing. Especially when my daughter Ella asked me why I was taking another picture chocolate. As if I don't already document enough of my life! She must of thought I was bonkers. And what kind of message does that send her? I stopped, but I thought the concept was brilliant nonetheless. Having a visual representation of my weekly food intake had such a bigger impact than counting calories.
How do you manage your weight? I have months when I don't care about what I eat, then I get a picture back of myself that shocks me into eating healthy again. After the jump: The picture that inspired me to start eating healthy this time.
Thanks to student photographers Heidi and Amanda for taking my picture for this post! Love them!!
Sharon, that top photo of you is gorgeous! And weirdly, I think we look pretty similar ;) Thanks for writing this post, and for the app advice! I've been struggling with my weight since I had my son over two years ago. Before that I was just always thin and never had to worry about tracking what I ate (I know, it's ok to hate that younger me). Then I gained WAY too much pregnant and CANNOT lose it, I've tried everything. And I know what you mean, other people might not even notice the extra five or ten pounds (you look fabulous in all the photos!) but we do. I have to remind myself that what's inside my clothes and on the scale is just a number, but I would still like to keep eating healthier and exercising!
ReplyDeleteVery inspirational! You look great. I also have to track everything I eat or it gets waaayyy out of hand! I also notice that if I drink tons of water, I have more energy and it keeps that extra water weight at bay. Generally, sticking to protein and lots of vegi's (raw, steamed, sauteed) helps. And most importantly, eat breakfast! It helps me from pigging out at noon. I usually make eggs and kale and it fills me up. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteI followed a diet of no wheat, no sugar, no dairy, no alcohol last summer just to see if it would help me feel better in general. It did, but it was HARD to manage, especially when traveling for work. After starting to feel kind of run down and blah again I opted to do try the same thing but instead of cutting it out entirely, trying to cut it out of 2 of 3 meals each day. It seems to be working well and I don't feel as restricted if I'm at a BBQ and eat a cheeseburger. Aside from keeping the waist slim, it boosted my mood and energy.
ReplyDeletei think you look fantastic too!! i wish i had nice arms like you. my arms are my worst feature, by far. (now you're going to look at them the next time you see me, aren't you? ;) i have been stuck at the same weight for almost a year. i just cannot get those last 8 lbs off. And don't forget that i ran 2 marathons in that time, so it's not like i wasn't exercising. it's all about the food, i tell you. i have a sugar addiction, like for reals, and that keeps me out of control with what i consume. i hate it and would love to kick the habit. but i am kind of an all or nothing girl. it's so hard to "eat sensibly". i'm either doing horrible, or great. and don't worry that i really haven't exercised since mid-march. sigh. this post inspired me to get my rear in gear. thanks!!
ReplyDeleteMy Fitness Pal is also a good app for tracking your weight and what you eat. You enter in your food and exercise and it creates tallies for the day and week. You can even see how you are doing in terms of sugar, salt, and vitamins. Also, link up with some friends to stay motivated.
ReplyDelete5 lbs feels like a lot for me too! I read to not count the number of fruit and vegetables I eat each day but to eat both every time I eat. And that has been helpful to me. My biggest issue is too many cocktails/wine in a week.. trying to get more in touch with my emotions to avoid that. Reading a good book helps. fun post, love that top picture too- I think it is the outfit's fault in the other picture. :)
ReplyDeleteI was trying real hard to lose weight for this trip to Aruba in September but now that the trip has been canceled, I've been lazy with staying active and healthy :( I did use MFP app (my fitness pal) and it really helps with counting calories and exercise. Give it a try, it's free!
ReplyDeleteI gained a lot of weight (32 lbs) when I started grad school. Now, on the verge of chronic health problems, I am trying to take it all off. I am committed to doing it the slow way in order to make a real lifestyle change. I use spark people.com and track all my calories.
ReplyDeleteMan! I hear you. I am Doing it right now, getting healthy that is...I still have 10 xtra lbs from when I had my son...3 yrs ago!!! I am doing Fat Blaster Yoga 14 day program on Daily Om, you can donate whatever you want to get the program. Its only 14 days, and I am on Day 9, I have lost 4 lbs. I am eating better too...I have a vacation to St.Thomas in 2 months!! its a great motivator!
ReplyDeleteJust don't go on pintrest lol seriously everytime I go on I start planning to try dessert recipes and just seeing all of the food on there makes me hungry! I just downloaded the eatery, hoepfully I can stay honest and take pics of everything
ReplyDeleteI have a similar obsession/addiction to that chocolate- so cheap, so much (the pound plus size), so dark, soooo goooood.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew the answer, but I do think you look great! I also have to really be diligent, or it all goes to 'pot'. I workout 5-6 times a week, and I try to journal my food. I tend to not keep a dieting mentality, because it always has backfired on me. Instead, I try to think healthy, and for myself and children. Some days it works well, others...I eat a piece of cake, and brownie...well, you get the picture. If you want accountability, let me know! Want very much to lose these 10 pounds once and for all!
ReplyDeleteFirst time commenter! I've been following your blog for a while and love the photos. People always say that the best way to lose weight is with a lifestyle makeover. Easier said than done, until I read "French Women Don't Get Fat". Honestly, that book changed the way I ate and improved my metabolism so there's no need to go on and off diets anymore. The philosophy is to eat good food out of enjoyment, not out of habit. One way is to use the 50/50 rule, where you eat half of your meal, pause, and decide if you would enjoy eating the rest of the meal. It really made me think more about whether I was eating on impulse. About a month after doing this, my appetite got smaller, and I no longer liked really oily foods, or too much sweets. Extremes are never the answer, so this book really helped me keep the weight off without going into depression or binging.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteYou are a beautiful woman, either way. I used to be a competitive (national-level, but not in the US) runner, which changed my eating habits quite a bit. When I was in high school and in my early 20s I ate a lot of junk food. When I started to compete seriously in the marathon in my mid-20s, I remember thinking that I needed to eat things that would optimize my performance. I never restricted myself from eating chocolate here and there, or pizza and a beer from time to time, but I really made a shift into thinking what was going to fuel both my recovery from exercise and my performance. When I made dinner, for example, I'd usually pick a nice protein, some rice or quinoa, and at least three different veggies. I don't know how to explain it, but eating good food and thinking about the relationship between my body's performance and good food totally crowded out the junk food. I really don't believe in diets, because as we all know these days, restricting and punishing oneself doesn't work. These days, I'm 42 (eek!) and I am no longer an athlete. I eat a bit of junk food here and there at social events, but 95% of what I eat is healthy. These days the focus is more on feeling energetic, because I know how beautifully my body will perform for me when I feed it good things! I make sure that I get enough sleep, which is really important for weight maintenance, and otherwise I read excellent healthy-cooking websites such as 101cookbooks.com and mynewroots.blogspot.com for ideas as to how to innovate with my healthy food and the ingredients I use.
ReplyDeleteI want to date your necklace. It's gorgeous. Where is it from?
ReplyDeleteHow tall are you? I am just under 5'7 and I have the same issue! When I am really working at it I fall between 135-140, but right now I am at 145. I am cutting out wheat and eating after 7pm for now. Hopefully that helps me get back down quicker! I find that if I restrict too much I fall off the wagon wayyy to quick!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon! I've never commented on your blog before. First, even though this is besides the point, I think you look so stunning in that third photo!! You look so happy, your outfit looks adorable, your waist looks teeny tiny, and your hair looks amazing! I am always struggling with 5-10lbs. I'm a vegetarian, and generally a really healthy eater, but no matter what, I always end up eating a lot of carbs to feel full. I've realized that when I cut out carbs (well, almost cut out -- I can't give up fruit completely), I have a lot more energy and drop a few lbs. pretty quickly. It's hard for me to keep up, so now I try to pick one meal a day for carbs, and focus on veggies and protein the rest of the day. Drinking a glass of water right before a meal also helps me eat a little less (it fills me up, and otherwise I just clean the plate even if I'm not hungry anymore).
ReplyDeleteWow, you look beautiful in every photo, but I can definitely see a difference between the first two and the third. I have found that part of it, for me, is when I lose even 5 lbs I FEEL lighter and I FEEL more confident and radiant because I know I am making healthy choices (no matter what my weight). Additionally, another HUGE impact I've seen in my own life when I'm consciously eating healthy is less sodium intake! I eat out less and I cook at home more from scratch. Less sodium means less water weight, and I've noticed I feel and look lighter! Additionally, the hardest thing for me when I try to coordinate healthy eating with more exercise (generally hiking) I actually GAIN weight, because of the muscle I am building. So, when I know I'm making healthy choices I can stay off the scale and feel good about myself.
ReplyDeleteBest to you, in this constant struggle we all face: being healthy and being content.
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Joanna referenced your sight and I'm already so intrigued. Also just wanted to say you look great in this pic! :)
ReplyDeleteI tried keeping a food journal once. I was terrible at keeping track of things! I like the idea of taking pictures of it, though! I'm going to try that.
ReplyDeleteI think you and your family look perfect!
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