After stepping on the scale a few months back and quickly getting depressed, I knew it was time to take action. Dieting really was not a realistic option and exercise is not as frequent as I would like. Often I fet like I was just stuck in bad habits and really getting no where. Not up and not down. I would like to get down, but never ever up again.
So I went to my family Dr for my yearly check up. I got blood work done and asked about seeing a dietitian. He sent over a referral and I got an appointment in less than 3 weeks. I was surprised to see that it was covered as well through OHIP since I went through my family Dr. My first appointment was yesterday and I am feeling quite confident after talking to her. The initial meeting was a Q&A and lasted an hour and a half. She did not weigh me or measure me (we are doing that next time) We also set up for monthly appointment’s, I felt it was best to see her often for tips, info and check ins.
di·e·ti·tian
/ˌdī-iˈtiSHən/
An expert on diet and nutrition.
dietician – nutritionist
She gave me some great tips and we made realistic goals. I have not been eating breakfast and hardly drink fluids. So I am to eat breakfast daily and take fruit/veggie and protein with each meal. I am also aiming to drink 8 glasses of fluid a day. She also said 20 minutes of exercise a day 3-4 days a week. For me, these are small changes but realistic goals. Most often it is breaking the bad habits. The dietitian said it takes a month to do something to make it a habit. This is why I am seeing her monthly. It is also about choices. Today when I went to Timmies I got a medium regular coffee with yogurt and berries instead of an XL triple triple with a bagel and cream cheese.
Other info I walked away with
- Diet pop is not bad It would take 19 cans of diet pop a day to start causing a problem
- yogurt is good, even thick yummy Greek
- Wine is okay- 7 glasses a week for women is ok
- PGX is also good. I have been taking them before meals . Not only does it help with weight loss and filling full, it is good for lowering cholesterol and fibre intake.
- Fill my plate with half veggies/fruit, 1/4 protein and 1/4 grain/startch
- Get a tread mill – I want to work out, but it is hard to fit it into life. A tread mill may be the tool I need to succeed
I have some big goals and I hope to reach them. It may take a few months, even a year or so. But I am confident I have the tools and knowledge to do so. I will update you after my next apointment.
Wish me luck!
Do you have dietary goals?
Note these goals and tips are for me and my situation. SO they may not work the same for all
I too have been discussing diet and exercise with my Doctor (for quite some time). What she recommends for me is only 1 serving of fruit per day and cut out sugar everywhere else possible. I use artificial sweetener in my morning coffee though. I sometimes have 1 diet pop per day (and not even everyday). I drink lots of water and do get regular exercise (up to 1 hour 5 days a week) but need to increase my veg consumption to keep me full and away from bread (and those sugar!) products.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what you learn from the Dietician and following along with you.
This is exciting news for you! I am so glad that you found someone to help you get on a track that you are excited about and more comfortable with! You can do this, girl!!!!
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I hear you on how you feel. I'll bet so many of us can relate as we read this post. I've stopped and started a lot this year and suddenly I'm in worse shape than I started! ack! But, the upside is that it can be done – and you've started on a great path. I've been thinking about a nutrionalist visit, and discussing a plan for our whole family so the kids get involved in the healthy eating right from young. I'm going to see if ours is covered by medical out here, too. (BC) Thanks for the post – it's inspiring!
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This is great to hear, I am actually going for a first visit to a dietitian this Friday hoping to change many bad habits.
Congratulations on taking this first gigantic step! On January 1st I was pretty much at the same place you are now and decided to take action–and expand it to my whole family for heath and fitness. By just eating better and becoming more active with my family, as of March 1st I've lost one size in 2 months.__One step I took in mid-February was getting a family YMCA membership. It really is a great investment, and not very expensive. Included with the membership are swimming lessons, dance lessons and karate lessons for ALL your kids (we have 5 kids, so that is mega). Even better, there are daily programmes for young kids that allow you to "sign them in" and have them stay active while you swim, go to the gym, or join an exercise class. Or, it is $4 per hour for child minding. __Since joining the YMCA I have gone 3-4 times weekly and have completely worked at my own pace. I feel proud of myself for sticking to it, and feel happy that I am moving in the right direction.__Jenna
I think that's great goals. Adding in breakfast, and drinking water are so important, and they are often overlooked. You can do this!!
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I enjoyed your posting very much as it confirmed my idea of going to a Dietitian. I have lost some weight recently but have now plateau so maybe a Dietitian is just what I need for some tips to get me movtivated again.
My diet is actually pretty good, and I used to have to work pretty hard at being consistent. I'd agree with the habit idea — just like eating 'junk' used to be a habit for me, eating well is pretty automatic for me now. Good luck to you, and I look forward to hearing about your journey!
Congrats on making some beneficial changes. Nutrition is defnitely the first step. I can't help but comment on the diet pop recommendation. Diet pop isn't bad? What is good about caramel color E150d, aspartame, acesulfame-K, and "flavorings"? I would scratch that off the list with a bright red highlighter NOW!