Guest Post: Kelly Talks Weight Loss

Welcome to Kelly! Our bloggy friendship definitely started over nail polish but throw in a love of beer, a love for dogs and boom - instant friend! But not only is she awesome, she's an inspiration too! Read about her amazing weight loss journey and then swing by her blog to tell her how much she's kicking ass! ;)

Hi everyone! Kelly aka kjpugs here, and I’m so glad that Jessica is letting me guest post! I bonded with Jessica over nail polish (and the awesome brand that she can buy in Texas that us Floridians can’t!) and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Currently, I’m plotting to switch out one of my pugs for V, I hope she won’t notice!

The things I probably blog about the most over at kjpugs are 1) pugs, obviously 2) nail polish and 3) my weight loss journey. Pugs are the joy of my life - I have three! - and nail polish is basically my favorite hobby. But my weight loss journey has been going on for more than a year, and I have lost more than 40 pounds towards my 60 pound loss goal!

I knew I had two triggers, and they were definitely carbs and sugar. I would binge on them all the time, and wasn’t getting enough nutrients from my diet. And to make matters worse- I could just keep eating, like a bottomless pit. I love quantity! I’ve tried losing weight in the past (somewhat successfully) but it was hard to cut down on these items without adding healthier things in.

One of the best things I’ve found to replace my carb love is spaghetti squash. I blogged one recipe here, but I love trying new ways to prepare it. I’ll make it with homemade pasta sauce and turkey meatballs, or my current favorite- General Tso sauce, green onions, and cashews. It’s very low calorie, but more importantly, it’s SQUASH, not carbs, that’s filling you up.

People who know me also know my obsession - BRUSSELS SPROUTS. I blogged recipes for both sautéed sprouts and shredded sprouts. There are so many options- lots of people like to roast them also, which is very easy and hands off. It’s not a taste for everyone, but it’s an easy recipe that I can eat lots of volume for not a lot of calories. Another green option might be broccoli, if you’re into that stuff. Find new ways to spice and flavor familiar foods to mix it up.

And if you’re like me, and like french fry style finger foods, why not try homemade sweet potato fries or zucchini sticks? These recipes take a little more work than heating a bag of frozen french fries in the oven, but they offer a bigger nutritional bang for your buck.

Eating right hasn’t worked alone though. Quantity is also important. I began my journey by doing Weight Watchers at my job. When we moved from Indiana to Florida in May, I decided to switch to a free option - My Fitness Pal. It allowed me to set a daily calorie goal (based on how fast I wanted to lose, and how often I planned to work out) and track the food I eat. I can see how many calories are in the food I eat, and can track it, aiming to stay at or below my calorie goal. I also connect with friends on MFP - you can see if they’ve hit a milestone, lost weight, or tracked that day (and what they tracked, if they allow you to. I keep mine private.)

Working out helps too. I’m working on “couch to 5k” right now… goodness gracious it’s tough. But having MFP friends who are doing it, or have done it, motivates the heck out of me, and gives me someone to complain with.

But the most helpful part of all was my husband B joining my efforts. I lost more than 40 pounds over 13 months. He has lost more than 60 pounds in five months! His goal is to lose 120 pounds, and he’s more than halfway there. It makes it easier to be careful about what I eat when the person I eat most often with cares too!

So, join me on MFP (my profile is here!) and check out some of the recipes I shared. If you are trying to lose weight or get fit, find a community for yourself! It’s fun to share tips and “little wins” with one another, and it makes the experience more enjoyable and often, more successful! And be adventurous in the kitchen, you never know what you mind end up liking if you try.

Thanks for letting me share this part of my life, Jessica! I hope you are enjoying your trip!