So, exactly what do you mean by "no pasta"?

I love food.  I would have to say my favorite foods are
1.) anything pasta  2.) cheese  3.) pie  4.) cake.  I could go on but I won't bore you with the minor details. 

I was never really one that enjoyed fufu food.  Food, that when put on a plate, looked more like a 6th grade art project than something one really wanted to consume.   It was almost way too pretty to ruin, and in no means would fill me up.  My husband and I ate mostly food out of a box or frozen food, which would be ready 20 minutes after we got home from work.  It was very easy.  And very processed. 

There was no bigger wake up call for me then when my weight loss coach asked me to record my food and beverage intake for the week.  One particular day I consumed the following; 
Breakfast:  Lucky Charms, milk & coffee with cream  (Lucky Charms are really the bomb)
Lunch:  McDonald's Bic Mac, fries & 32 oz Diet Coke
Snack:  5 oreos and a big glass of milk when I got home from work
Dinner:  Spaghetti and garlic bread
Bedtime snack:  3 scoops of ice cream.

After a few choice swear words and a couple of tears, the "mystery" was solved as to how I gained weight.  Eating too much crap.  Period.  I didn't drink any water, had tons of salt, and had little or no fruits and veggies.  It was that minute I had decided to completely change the way I ate. 

The first thing my weight loss coach mentioned was "no pasta".  This hit me like a brick as I do love an occasional noodle.  But after looking at my food log, the "occasional noodle"  was pasta 4 times that week.   Oops.   Not my best moment at meal planning to say the least. 

Another mention, was to eliminate the 20 oz of fountain Diet Coke that I had every day.  I instantly thought "oh, what I could do with an extra $10.50 a week".  Probably buy Tylenol to get rid of the massive headache I was going to get from caffeine withdrawal.  **Vent**

Next thing, to add water.  I was informed that it is necessary for one to get 8 cups of water every day.  That's a gallon.  A gallon is a lot of any liquid for someone that has a bladder the size of a chihuahua.  As the first few days passed, it became easier and easier to drink all 8 cups.  I purchased a 32 oz water bottle, and made it a goal that I would finish my first one by 3pm, and then the second one by 10pm.

Finally, to eat fresh fruits and veggies, and to make meals out of real fresh ingredients.  I was given access to dozens of recipes and my first thought was "great.....fufu".   After making a few, it became clear that this was the better way to eat.  The time to make the meals was just as quick, if not quicker, than the boxed meals we were eating before and I started to really enjoy making and trying something new.

After the first 3 weeks, of a little exercise, and no pasta, no salt, no Diet Coke, more water and homemade meals, I had lost 12 lbs.  I want to hope that it was the diet change and getting off my tush that made my weight loss happen, but it could have been the calories I was burning going upstairs to use the bathroom.. :)