Sarah Keller's Life-Change Plan

Guest Entry: by Sarah Keller

To hear her entire story of Life-Change, be sure to watch her message from Healthy Life 2010 – Part 4

“Physical Health” – Click Here to Watch Now!

Sarah:

Alot of people ask me now what exactly I did to lose my weight and change my life. Of course, now that I have lost the weight, what I do in terms of maintenance is a little different than this, but in a nut shell here’s what I did…

Physical Fitness and Exercise:

• Exercised 6 times / week – Took Sundays Off. In order to see the results I knew I wanted, I had to get aggressive and serious about it. This was definitely a lifestyle change for me, but once I got over the initial hump, I was able to settle into a rhythm that served me well. Today, in terms of maintenance, my goal is to exercise 5 times / week.
• 45 minutes of Cardio, keeping my heart rate between 70 – 75% of my maximum heart rate. (To calculate your maximum heart rate take 220 – age. Then simply multiply it by 70 or 75%) For me my target fat burning range is 131-141.
• 30 minutes of strength training. Each day I would concentrate on a different area of the body and challenge myself constantly to keep pushing myself beyond what was comfortable.  (Some examples of that would be: arms one day, legs another  day, etc.) I was always increasing the weight when it got too easy.

Here’s What I Did Concerning Food:

One of the most important aspects of changing my life physically had to do with the food I ate on a daily basis. Food is fuel to our bodies, and if we’re not fueling our bodies correctly, then we’re not setting ourselves up for maximum life-change. Here’s what I did…

• Cut out ALL soda. (including Diet Soda because of the aspartame) and switched to water.
• One cup of coffee / day. No cream or sugar. This was a big deal for me, but after a few weeks, my body settled in.
• Cut out salt. Again, this was  huge for me. I never added salt to any food and I watched my sodium intake big time.
• I ate 5 times / day. I had to get in the habit of eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, whether I was hungry or not. 6 am, 9 am, 12 Noon, 3 pm, 6 pm. This kept my body metabolizing all day long, & helped me to not have that “starved” feeling. When you feel “starved,” you tend to overeat or want to eat the wrong things.
• I did not eat anything after 7 pm. On the few occasions that I would, I would have a simple lean protein (ie… Cottage Cheese).
• I ate low-fat or good-fat foods. Every meal consisted of a lean protein, a complex carb and a fruit or vegetable. The only exception to that would be for my last meal of the day. I would not have any carbs at all. (ie… dinner would be: large piece of salmon and tons of veggies).
• I enjoyed a cheat night every Friday. On my cheat night I would eat whatever (& I mean whatever) I wanted. This helped me to not feel like I had deprived myself of everything forever. If I craved something during the week, I would tell myself I could have it on Friday night.
• I kept my calories at 1700 or less everyday. This requires a bit of work to keep it all straight but once you become familiar with the foods you’re eating, it gets much easier.

Some of my favorite proteins:

• Natural Almonds
• Egg Whites
• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Salmon
• Jennie-O Turkey
• Hummus
• Smart Balance Peanut Butter
• Cottage Cheese
• Chobani Yogurt

Some of my favorite Complex Carbs:

• Original Sun Chips
• 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• Brown Rice
• Whole Wheat Pasta
• 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins
• Kashi Crackers / Kashi Cereal

A Sample Day:

Breakfast: Egg Whites w/ Broccoli and Whole Wheat Toast

Snack: Chobani yogurt w/ Koshi Cereal

Lunch: Lettuce, Carrots, Chicken Breast, Fat Free Balsamic Dressing, & Kashi Crackers

Snack: Smart Balance Peanut Butter, Apple and a few Sun Chips

Dinner: Salmon, Mixed Vegetables

Another Sample:

Breakfast: High Fiber Oatmeal, Grapes

Snack: Cottage Doubles & Kashi Cereal

Lunch: Turkey on Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins w/ Mustard & an apple

Snack: Hummus & Kashi Crackers, Carrots

Dinner: Mahi Mahi, Salad with lots of vegetables in it, w/ fat free dressing (no msg)

A Great NLC Couple actually owns a health food store and has made themselves available to help anyone who’s willing. Their website is:

www.TheSkinnyPantry.com

Some of the things I would tell myself:

Over the course of the 16 weeks that I was hitting it hard, obviously keeping myself motivated was a big deal. I had a great support group around me with the NLC Staff and family, but I also had a couple of key statements that I would tell myself probably at least once a day, if not more! They were…

“It’s going to feel better to be thin, then to eat this fatty food right now.”

“Food is not an event or a reward. It is fuel that my body needs, so lets fuel it correctly.”

A Few Pieces of Advice:

If I could give someone a few simple pieces of advice concerning really turning a corner and changing their life, I think they would be:

1. Eat the minute you get up. Breakfast is important not to skip.
2. When going to the gym, make sure you feel good about what you’re wearing.
3. Listen to music that inspires you.
4. Make sure you have a good pair of shoes. It will make all the difference on your joints and your body.

Obviously, there are others methods and ideas on how to change your life physically and I would highly recommend enlisting the help of a trainer and other health care professionals. This is just my story. Thanks for allowing me to share it with you…

Sarah Keller

@SarahKeller

www.Facebook.com/SarahKeller