Tag Archives: inspiration

I Was A Teenage Sugar Addict

I love sugar. In fact, some might consider me a recovering sugar addict. While I have overcome my addiction though mental effort and proper diet, I still have quite a sweet tooth.

Was I Really An Addict?

I’m not really sure I could classify myself as an “addict.” However, I did eat a lot of sugar. This consumption was particularly pronounced during my teenage and young adult years. While I do not know how much sugar I consumed on a daily basis,  I have an interesting story from my past that will help illustrate just how much sugar I would use.

I think I was about thirteen years of age at the time. During this period of my life, I would often have two bowls of cereal for breakfast. One bowl would be a sugar cereal. Some thing like Captain Crunch or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The other bowl would be a “non”-sugar choice. Something like Wheaties or Cheerios. I would add sugar to these latter choices because I just could stand the taste of them with just milk.

One morning I decided to eat the “non”-sugar cereal first. And of course I added my regular amount of sugar to the bowl. I ate the cereal and drank the milk. I was ready for my second bowl. It would be the sweet cereal this time. I did not need to add sugar because they were sweet enough on their own.

Upon taking my first bite, I realized that the milk was rotten! I had eaten an entire bowl of cereal and sour milk without even realizing it. How could I have not noticed? I had added so much sugar to my cereal that it covered the taste of rotten milk! That is a lot of sugar.

In a Better Place

Reflecting back on how much sugar I use to eat makes me appreciate how much healthier I am now. I still love the taste of sweet things. But now my cravings are under control and the future is looking good. I never want to go back to being a sugar addict.

 

What I’m Looking For In A Low-Carb Meal

The one thing I’m looking for in a low-carb meal is satisfaction. However, there are many elements that go into making a meal, particularly a low-carb meal, satisfactory. Here are the three main factors that create a satisfying low-carb experience.

Food Food Food 

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The first thing for me is volume. That is to say, I want to eat a lot of food. This may not be the main element for many readers, but for me, it is a big deal.

One of the reasons why I like a low-carb lifestyle is that I do not have to be hungry. I have to admit that there have been times when I have eaten too much. This was particularly true when I first started this lifestyle over two years ago. My tendency to overeat has severely lessened over the past two years. However, I still do not like to be hungry.

Dang That Was Good

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Of course a large amount of food on its own does not make a satisfying meal. That leads me to my next important element–flavor! I want a lot of food but it has to taste good. It’s better if it tastes excellent. Flavorful, rich food will often make me forget that I am even eating a low-carb meal. At that point, it is just a meal that tastes great!

Fun

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A final touch is to make the meal exciting. One of the things that excites me is trying out new recipes. This makes both the process of cooking the meal and eating it a major blast!

Another aspect that makes a meal fun is the way it looks. One way to help a meal look good is to add color. A colorful meal makes the experience thrilling.

One Last Thought 

One of the reasons why people fail on diets is due to the fact that they feel unsatisfied. That is to say they think they are missing out. If an individual is constantly thinking that they are missing out on better food, then of course they are going to eventually fail. This is why satisfaction is the most important element. A person who is satisfied by eating a lot of flavorful and exciting food is going to be satisfied, and, in turn, have no reason to stray from their eating program. So my question for you is: What makes a low-carb meal satisfying for you? Leave your answer in the comment section. And don’t forget to follow and share!

 

Update

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Hey everyone. I just wanted to let you know what has been going on lately. Here is the scoop. As many of you can tell, we have updated the site. We upgraded this sight from a free blog to an actual web sight. My hope is that this will bring more of a professional look to this new business.

Also, I (Ean) am working on a small booklet which will cover the first six weeks of the diet/lifestyle we promote here at Advanced Weight Loss. This will be a digital download that will be available for a very low price.

In addition, I will be starting a pod-cast shortly called: A Mind For Fitness. My hope is that the pod-cast will be up and running within the month.

Finally, I want to thank everyone for following this blog. It really means a lot to us here.

Success Questions for Weight Loss

Many times the reason we fail at our weight-loss goals has to do with the questions we ask ourselves. For example, many people ask themselves a question like: Why can’t I lose weight? Our brain is like a computer. If we ask it a question it will search for the answer. So if we ask a question like the one above, we will come up with the answer. It will be something like: Because you fail at everything so you fail at your diet too. Your brain must find the answer to the questions you ask even if the answer is untrue.

On the other hand, if we ask the right set of questions our brains will also come up with the answers. Below are three questions that will help you reach your weight loss goals.

What Do You Want?

The key to this question is to answer in the positive. Too often people will answer what they want in negative terms. For example someone might say, “I don’t want to be fat.” But what does not being fat mean? To compel yourself toward your goals, answer this question in the positive.

Personally speaking, I would answer this question this way, “I want to weigh 220.” By saying what I do want instead of what I do not want I now know that I need to lose about six more pounds. Putting your answer in the positive gives you a better mental attitude.

What Is the First or Next Step? 

If you are just starting out, you may want to ask yourself what is the first step. However, if you have been on the weight-loss wagon for sometime, you might ask yourself what is the next step.

Another key here is to be specific. What precisely do you need to do in order to take that next or first step?

I’m in the “next step” camp. So for me to lose six more pounds, I will either need to workout more or adjust my eating habits in some way. But more specifically, I could say something like, “I need to increase my workouts by twenty minutes,” or “I need to experiment with my cheat days.”

How Can You Take This Step and Enjoy the Process?

Remember, your brain will find an answer to what you ask. For example, I need to increase my exercise by twenty minutes a day. But now I’m asking the question: How can I enjoy that process? My brain is already coming up with answers. I could take a walk with my dogs. I could add an extra Martial Arts workout to my day. I love Martial Arts. The list could go on. Now my next step is fun and not something I have to do to lose six more pounds.

In closing, I would encouraging you to ask yourself these questions. It’s exciting to see exactly what you want, what you need to get it, and how to make getting it fun!

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Goal Setting For Weight Loss.

One of the things that I have found enormously helpful for myself and my clients is setting goals. In fact setting goals is a requirement for those who secure Advanced Weight-loss Resources as a training or coaching agency. What follows are a few simple steps that will help you set goals and in turn help you lose weight.

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Step one is be specific. Too often I hear people say something like, “I need to lose a few pounds.” But what is a few pounds? Is it ten or one hundred? The reason you need to be specific is so you have an objective criterion in which to measure your success. Without an objective standard, it is easier let up on your weight-loss program sooner than you should. So, if you would like to lose fifty pounds write down fifty pounds.

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Step two is give yourself a dead line. Deadlines create motivation. If you know you have to lose twenty pounds by the end of the month, then you know you have to get working on your goals right away.

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Finally, put your goals in a place where you can see them every day preferably put them in a place where you can see them every morning.  This will set a positive mental attitude at the beginning of each day.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can read your goals out loud at least once a day. This also gives you psychological inspiration for keeping you on track.

Keep Moving Forward

If you do not hit your desired goals, do not panic. I would almost guarantee that if you followed the steps above you will be much closer to your goals than if you hadn’t. Don’t be afraid to adjust and re-adjust as necessary. The important part is to keep moving toward you weight-loss goals!  

A Personal Request

If you enjoy the information that is on this blog, please consider re-posting it or sharing it on your favorite social media. It would mean a lot to me. Thanks.

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