Be a Picky Eater - Watch Your Portions!

Portion control is KEY to maintaining a healthy weight. You could eat the healthiest food in the world, but if you eat too much of it, you’ll likely still gain weight! And in the world of “super-sizing” – our notion of what one serving is has become ridiculously skewed.

Oftentimes, people ask me how I watch my portions. In an ideal world, you could look at the nutrition labels, measure out what “one serving” looks like, and eat that. But that’s just not realistic! Especially when most of us eat at restaurants or grab food “on-the-go.” One thing I’ve found useful is “eyeballing” what the right portion should be. And I was really excited when I found this article on WebMD that gives real-life examples of what normal portions should look like. The link to the article is here – but I’ve also included examples from the article below. Hope this is helpful!

So to start with – what should you be aiming for in terms of servings? The helpful WebMD folks have compiled a list which I’ve included below:

• 1.5-2 cups fruits & 3 cups vegetables
• 6-7 servings grains: ½ cup rice or pasta, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup cereal, etc.
• 3 servings low-fat dairy: 1 cup milk or yogurt, ¼ cup cottage cheese, 1.5 ounces cheese
• 5-6 one-ounce equivalent servings protein
• 5-6 portions (teaspoons) oils and fats
• 100-300 “extra” calories from snacks, dessert, alcohol or overeating

Example #1: Baked Potato

1 vegetable serving = 1 small potato = the size of a computer mouse

For an even healthier option, try a sweet potato!

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Example #2: Pasta

1 serving of grains = 1/2 cup pasta = 1/2 a baseball

For healthier options: Opt for whole wheat/whole grain pasta for extra fiber, Skip Alfredo or creamy sauces in favor of Marinara

Example #3: Waffles/Pancakes

1 serving of grains = 1 waffle OR 1 pancake = size of a CD

For healthier options: Opt for whole wheat or buckwheat pancakes/waffles for more fiber or order fresh fruit with your dish as a topping

Example #4: Bagel/Muffin

1 serving grains = 1 small muffin = size of a tennis ball OR 1/2 medium bagel = size of a hockey puck

Healthy tip: Get a whole wheat bagel; or instead of a bakery muffin, get a high fiber English muffin

Example #5: Cheese

1 serving dairy = 1 portion cheese = 4 dice

Healthy tip: Get low fat cheese!

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Example #6: Meat

3 oz portion size = deck of cards or the palm of your hand (minus fingers)

But you only need 5-6 oz per day!

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Example #7: Peanut Butter

1 serving protein = 2 Tbsp peanut butter = 1 golf ball

Note: 1 portion size (2 Tbsp) has 190 calories and 17g fat – while this is good fat, you definitely don’t want to overdo it!

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Other Quick Portion Size Tips:

• 1 portion of rice = 1 filled cupcake wrapper
• 1 portion size of fat = 1 teaspoon = a stack of 4 dimes or 1 poker chip
• 1 portion size of chips = 1 handful = 6 large tortilla chips or 20 potato chips or 20 mini-pretzels
• 1 portion size of dessert = 1 small scoop of ice cream = 250 calories

Happy Eating!

another hump day...

Woke up this morning with a migraine and my allergies were killing me too…Not a good way to start the day 

But I’m feeling better now.

Saw the Evil Trainer last night – AND I did 30 minutes of cardio before working with him.  I had planned to do my cardio on the stationary bike (because the gym I work at with him has a shitty elliptical), but my knee was not having any of that!  So I would up doing 30 minutes on the hand bike….and I hate the hand bike… but I survived.

The knee is a big concern – I’ve never had it stop me from being able to use the stationary bike… ET gave me some homework to help get it loosened up – he says there is so much scar tissue from the arthritis that’s causing the problem, and that I have to work on getting that leg to straighten out (it doesn’t straighten out like my other leg).  So even though it hurts to do the homework, I’m going to do it.  The knee got messed up in a motorcycle accident back when I was 14, and time has just worsened it.

Before you ask, yes I have had a doctor look at the knee.  He declared advanced osteoarthritis.  He prescribed an anti-inflammatory.  I did some research and learned it could stop my body from reforming cartilage, and it didn’t really do much more than the Aleve does, so I don’t take it.

I’m also going to try the elliptical at 24hour – see if that’s any better.  I actually prefer the elliptical to the stationary bike anyway.  So my plan is to get up early tomorrow and hit the gym before work. 

Been doing well on my eating, and I’m hopeful that Friday’s weigh-in will reward me with showing an at leart 2lb. weight loss.

Here is a quick recap on my weekly goals for the challenge:

• Evil Trainer 2x – 1x complete
• Cardio 2x / 30 min each – 1x complete
• Swimming 1 hour
• Pilates  – complete

I’d say so far, so good!

Reliv Gives You a Web Site!

Well, since building my own web site I think Reliv has done a great job of building their web site for distributors. I like that fact that you can adjust to certain themes. I like that you can personalize it. Will I use it as my primary? No, I will still work my personal web site but I will use it for a link for those who want to know more.

www.ladyreliv.reliv.com

Warning! this site expires at 12am tonight!

Check it out.

Doctor followup

I missed my appointment Thursday as my alarm either didn’t go off or I woke up and shut it off and fell back asleep and just don’t remember it.

Nothing much at the doctor, he was concerned about my weight loss again, down to 138ish. He thought it might be thyroid but was looking at my last test on that stuff and it was normal so not sure what the plan is with it.

He checked my hemoglobin while I was there, I believe it was at 11.2 when I checked online, that’s 2 points up from when I was in the hospital, which is good. I’m sure it’ll stay around 10-11 range as it usually does unfortunately.

I mentioned that I had another attack of the foot drop problem with my peroneal nerve palsy stuff the other weekend and me asked a thing or two but otherwise nothing else done about it. Friday night it started up yet again and have been having little attacks of it throughout the weekend, not so much today but a little. It’s slightly freaky as I just can’t make my toes (big toe and the two or three beside it) (left leg btw) point upwards. When it first starts I can still move it and it provides very little resistance to me pushing down on toe with my hand as opposed to my other foot which resists the pushing quite a bit.

Was also able to get a few Nexium and Lunesta samples as well as a new med (samples too) of Kapidex. They seem to be pretty good so far with helping my reflux, but I do tend to have to take my Nexium sometimes to reduce the reflux to a decent level.

Not much else going on, I started playing two new games recently. Both by Nexon. The first is Dungeon Fighter Online, it’s sorta like streets of rage mixed with an rpg and online. It’s pretty fun, just got level 18 earlier today and unlocked my sub-class for my Slayer character, now I’m a Blade Master. Been playing it with Brian a bit, makes it fun to play with someone you know. I play as Quietcub, level 18 Blade Master usually on channel 10 or 12 Grand Flores – East.

The second game is MapleStory, it’s a fun 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG to put it simply. Wikipedia can explain better, or the MS site I linked to. I play on the Bellocan server as a level 15 Warrior named Vaprotan. I’ve not been playing but a few days, but I have really enjoyed it so far. I don’t know anyone on there so if you play feel free to drop me a note and maybe we can meet up or such.

There’s also 2 good wikis available for the games there:
Maplewiki
Dungeon Fighter Online Wiki
Another useful MS site I use is Mapletip.com, plenty of others out there I’m sure (feel free to share good tips, guides, etc sites in comments sans the spam).

Tis all for now, I need to sleep badly.

Week 5 Weigh in and New Stats

Another week has come and gone and it’s time again for my weigh in. It’s weird but I can’t wait to share my progress now. It made me nervous to post my weight, but I’m over that now. It’s kind of no big deal now to tell everybody, so check out my stats!!!

Today’s weight 260 which is a loss of 3 pounds since last week and a total weight loss of 8 pounds.
Total % of weight loss 2.99.

My New Measurements
Neck 17 inches -.5 from week 3 -1 from week 1
Bust 50.5 inches -1.0 from week 3 -2 from week 1
Chest 40.5 inches -.5 from week 3 -1.5 from week 1
Waist 42.5 inches -3.5 from week 3 -5 from week 1
Abs/Hips 52 inches -1 from week 3 -2 from week 1
Arms 17 inches -.5 from week 3 -1.5 from week 1
Thighs 27.25 inches -1.75 from week 3 -3.25 from week 1
for a total of -8.75 inches from week 3 and a grand total of -16.25 inches.

I am very excited about my measurements, I didn’t believe it when I measured my waist. I did it a couple of times to make sure it was right. Other people have mentioned that they could tell especially in my waist area, but I don’t really feel like it’s changing, but the numbers don’t lie! My clothes don’t either, they are all getting looser and even baggy. I have to roll the waist on a pair of my shorts and my jeans. My weight seems to be taking it’s own sweet time though, I really want it to just let go! I’m so close to the 250’s I really want to just get past them! One less notch on the scale. I know I’m rebuilding the muscle mass, but I really want to see the results on the scale. I know I will get there. 8 pounds is really good in 4 weeks, I just really want more gone. I’m so impatient. Have a great week everyone!

Fat girl going Skinny!

MY HODGE PODGE OF A POST

So because my size 8 pants were looking really baggy, mom & I went to the store today & I fit into a size 6!  I never ever imagined I’d be this small.  After going to the gym tonight & looking in the mirror after my swim I finally saw that I have shrunk.  It’s a nice feeling to be able to see it & not just know it.  So yay for me!

The other day a very interesting point was brought up to me that I hadn’t previously ever thought about.  Sports at community colleges.  Now that I think about it, of course a community college would have sports.  But I went to a state college, & the few friends I have who transfered from community to state were not the sporting types.  & since I’m really not that into sports… at all, I just never thought about it.  A friend of mine is the assistant coach & strength training trainer of a volley ball team.  I mentioned to him that maybe one day i’d make up to where he lives & maybe catch a game while visiting with friends, but the team has a game about 25 minutes away from where I live, so he invited me to attend the game.  I’ve never actually been to a college game (save a few rugby games, but we kind of sat around & didn’t pay much attention- the girls were brutal to watch- never say girls can’t take a hit.  Those girls could have clobbered any man.) & I only went to maybe 2 football games… though I’m actually thinking it was just one- so this should be fun.

I enjoy looking at dresses online, but am sadly much too broke to buy anything… not to mention most of the dresses you see are WAY too expensive.  The other day I saw a dress & thought I could totally make that!  So I did.  & it didn’t turn out too poorly either.  Sure, some of my seams are crooked, & the back is a little messy at the zipper, but it could have turned out worse- seeing as how the last thing I sewed was over 2 years ago… That, & the fact that I was taught how to sew on one skirt & haven’t had a lesson since, I think I did pretty good.  I had bought the fabric several years back, thinking it would make a nice dress.  I just didn’t have a pattern that it would look good as, so I just held onto it.  The dress I ended up making is a mesh of 2 patterns.  All I had to do was buy a zipper & some ribbon.  Nice & cheap.

My physical therapy appointment has finally been set.  The pressure points KC showed me were amazing, but anything else the Dr can show me would be great.

The CBEST is at the end of this week, & I’m feeling pretty positive about it.  The practice test that the CBEST web site has up was unbelievably easy, & the essay examples they provided (examples of what will get you a 4 out of 4, a 3 out of 4, a 2 out of 4 & a 1 out of 4) were kinda unimpressive.  As a history major, I did a lot of writing over the many years of college, & I can write whoever wrote the 4 out of 4 essay under the table… not to be prideful or anything… but when you have to write as much as I did, your analysis, argument & persuasion skills tend to improve.  So I’m feeling pretty confident about that.

Okay, now that I’ve blown my own horn, I think I’m done for the night.  All that sewing has made me rather sore… I didn’t have any table top space to cut the fabric for the dress, so I cut it on the floor, & all that kneeling & moving on the ground made me hurt.  So it’s time to lay down.

Sincerely, though slightly achy,

Kim

The Truth About Diet Programs You Don't Know About Project

The Truth About Diet Programs You Don’t Know About Project

Author: Carrie Wilson
Category: Health & Fitness | Weight Loss
Keyword: diet progams,diet programs,diet program,lose weight,weight loss,diet programs available
Source: ezinearticles.com
Post Data: 23/09/2009 06:11:03
Word: 277

When you decide that it’s time to lose weight, you will most likely start looking at the various diet programs available. Unfortunately, the number of programs out there can be quite overwhelming – to the point where you don’t know where to start, and therefore never really get started. Are you ready to learn the truth about diet programs?The truth is that no matter whichever plan you select, you will lose weight if you stick to the program. No matter how you look at it, weight loss is a direct result of taking in fewer calories than your body is using up during the day. If you are doing that – no matter what the program is called – you will lose weight. If you don’t lose weight by taking in fewer calories than you are using up, you most likely have a health problem that is preventing weight loss, and you will need to see your doctor to determine what that problem is.You can release pounds without a prescribed weight loss strategy, providing that there are no underlying health problems, if you stick to the formula of consuming fewer calories than you are using. However, some people are better able to stick with it if there is a program that they are following, Project, .If this is your case, research the various programs that are available, and select a program that you feel will be easier to follow. Again, if you follow the program you will release extra pounds,, Project, and the only way to fail is to not follow the program, or to only follow the diet program every once in a while, as opposed to following it every single day.

Click Here! For a free trial of RezVPlus and lose weight now!

Six Pack Ab Exercises That Build Lean Sexy Abs Guaranteed

It seems that as more and more people begin writing articles and more and more article directories pop up more and more articles are written that provide no usefuladvice That’s why when I found this submission about 6 Pack Abs I was pleasantly surprised.

This article actuallygives solid advice about achieving killer abs. Not only does it tell the best ab exercises, but it explains the reason why each exercise is so good

Not only are these workouts easy to perform they are so easy and if you decide to do the workouts suggested, you will work your entire stomach with just the 3 basic exercises.

This means that you will create killer abs without long boring workouts. You can knock these exercises out very quickly and get on with your day.

If you want to achieve6 pack abs, check out this article to learn how you can get started right now.

To check out the article yourself, go to click here

Friday, Saturday rewind

Recap: 

Busy weekend.  Mammo. Not fun. but important.  Get yours done!!!

Volunteered.  Angel Food Ministries. Love this ministry. Cut your food bill in half. 

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities.  Each month’s menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60 that you purchase for only $30.  We were so busy, I forgot to take pictures but here’s a sampling of the Thanksgiving Holiday box ($36 frozen/fresh items)

Thanksgiving meal $36

If you’re local to me (Pembroke Pines,Fl), my church takes orders online. How blessed am I?  I’ll tell you, I have the best friends.  Last night two of them took me out to dinner for a belated birthday celebration.  We went to Grand Lux Cafe.  I love that place.

I love the fire torches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

still too warm to sit outside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love their varied menu but I was craving a pizza and a glass of wine.   So it was the Thai Chicken pizza for me.  Had a spicy peanut sauce, bean sprouts, carrots, green onions, cilantro, chicken and mozzarella.  Yummy!

Thai chicken pizza n a merlot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes I picked at it with a fork!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marlene had the Madeira Chicken sauteed with asparagus, mozzarella, and mushroom madeira sauce, with mashed potatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Karen had the Chicken Royale, lightly breaded and sauteed, with mashed potatoes, green beans and herbed carrots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then…….we indulged in Beignets, served nice and warm with 3 delicious sauces and birthday candles!!!!!!!! I had two!

YUMMY BEIGNETS!

It was a great night with good friends, good conversation and laughs.

start of the challenge...

I had meant to post this yesterday after seeing the Evil Trainer (BTW – it makes him VERY happy to know that I refer to him as teh Evil Trainer) – after measuring me, he proceeded to kick my ass HARD!  Then I had a meeting with my CPA, then a nap, then partying with some former co-workers….so I was a VERY tired fat girl by the time I got to finally relax last night.

Yesterday was my “official” challenge start day, and here is my start weight/measurements:

• Weight:  361.8
• Chest:  49 3/8″
• Waist:  49 7/8″
• Hips:  60 1/4″
• Thighs:  35 3/8″
• Calves:  26″
• Biceps:  17 1/2″

Also going to consider these as my October Measurements as well since I’m not going to have him measure me again next Friday.

I’ll post an updated weight next Friday.  And here are my challenge goals for this week:

1. Evil Trainer 2x
2. Pilates 1x - done!
3. Swim 1x – at least 30 min, preferably 60 min
4. Cardio 2x – 30 min each
5. No Fast Food/Pizza
6. 2 pound weight loss

Had my Pilates session this morning at 8:30 – and I’m going to be feeling it tomorrow.  She worked me hard!  (She’s the Pilates version of the Evil Trainer – no wonder they are engaged!)  She says I do have really strong abs based on how easy some of the exercises are for me, so that is really encouraging!  She gave me some stretching homework to do – to help stretch my hammies.  As hard as it is, I’m REALLY enjoying the Pilates – I’m really happy that I decided to try it!  I swear it makes me sweat more than the workouts with the Evil Trainer – I was dripping sweat today.

We are having some WONDERFUL fall weather too – leaves are starting to turn on the trees, and the air is cool and crisp – LOVING IT!!!  ♥

One last thing.  I found a new yogurt at Whole Foods that tastes like yogurt SHOULD taste like – Chobani.  It’s thick and creamy and slightly tart.  I’ve tried the Peach & Pomegranate so far – and I’ve got Strawberry in the fridge as well.  YUMMY!

Coppell Boot Camps - Fitness and Weight Loss Boot Camp in Coppell, TX - Pictures

Coppell, TX – Get You In Shape Boot Camp - These are pictures from the Coppell Fitness Boot Camp taken during the September 2009 Coppell Boot Camp, outside the Coppell Aquatics and Recreation Center by the Pool and by Andy Brown East Park in Coppell, TX. This was the 7am boot camp session on September 26th at 8am. If you are in Coppell, Dallas, Irving, Valley Ranch, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Las Colinas, Famers Branch, Plano, and other Dallas, TX cities, this Fitness Boot Camp is close to you.

 

 

Coppell, TX – Get You In Shape Boot Camp - These are pictures from the Coppell Fitness Boot Camp taken during the September 2009 Coppell Boot Camp, outside the Coppell Aquatics and Recreation Center by the Pool and by Andy Brown East Park in Coppell, TX. This was the 7am boot camp session on September 26th at 8am. If you are in Coppell, Dallas, Irving, Valley Ranch, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Las Colinas, Famers Branch, Plano, and other Dallas, TX cities, this Fitness Boot Camp is close to you.

 

Get You In Shape Dallas Coppell Fitness Boot Camp
Dallas Boot Camps  and Coppell Boot Camps
If you live or work in Dallas, Uptown, Lakewood, Downtown Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Lake Highlands, White Rock Lake, Richardson, Mesquite, Arlington, Grand Prairie and other Dallas cities, the Dallas Boot Camp is minutes away from you. If you live or work in  Coppell, Valley Ranch, Irving, Lewisville, Las Colinas, Carrollton, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Addison, Corinth, Highland Village, Dallas, and Famers Branch, the Coppell Boot Camps are just minutes away from you. Get You In Shape Boot Camp. Get You In Shape programs include the Get You In Shape Coppell Fitness Boot Camp, sports specific training, weight loss programs, wellness plans, nutrition plans, core fitness training, strength training, toning and more. Clients include corporations, athletes (golf, basketball, tennis, football, track, baseball, baseball, volleyball, and softball) corporate executives, professionals, weekend warriors, cheerleaders, dancers, models, stay at home moms, and anyone looking for results.

 

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Fat Burnin' Friday - Here it all starts...

Here starts my new journey….and I am bringing you all along. Partially for humiliation reasons & in turn support and maybe I will even inspire someone along the way!

So, I am going to use my WII Fit as my measurement tool until I can get an accurate scale. The “ghetto” scale (as my husband says) will just not do anymore. You know what is my ABSOLUTE favorite part of the WII FIT. The part when you get on the board and it is about to calibrate and it says “OOOO” in a really high voice. I always feel like it is squeaking under the pressure of my immense weight!

So, I am going to drag out my old weight watchers stuff and do the points thing along with exercise. I just can’t cut off my favorite foods or else I will go nuts so the key will have to be moderation! This is my plan for now and I will let you know how that works.

To this point I haven’t posted a lot of pictures of myself – know why? I’m ashamed. I can’t believe I have reached the weight I have. Here is a recent picture from a friend at a fall festival we attended.

It makes me sad to look at it. Lately I notice that it is harder to do things, I get tired more easily, and I just am not comfortable in my skin. I wanted to provide you a history of my weight gain the last 16 years.

1993-Graduated High School – 100 lbs

1998-Graduated College – 130 lbs

1999-Got Married – 140 lbs

2000- Husband has cancer – 150 lbs

2005- Get Pregnant with 1st son – 165 lbs

2007 – Get Pregnant with 2nd Son – 180 lbs

2009 – Today – 189.7 lbs

Notice how it progressively has raised…..Plus, according to the doctors office my scale is about 15 lbs off so that means I really weigh 205 lbs. YUCK!

I am not going to focus on the number though- it is all about how I FEEL! So, come along with me on this weight loss journey. My goal is about 1.5 lbs per week so I can try to get around 130. That’s my ultimate goal, but when I hit 170- I am celebrating that all on my own. (When I refer to weights they are all WII realized weights)

So, the 170 goal I am shooting to hit by Christmas! I am hoping you follow me on this journey and feel free to leave a comment with your weight loss struggle, goal, or even story.

No, I have to go chomp on some carrots……

VISIONS OF SELF

Ever meet someone who thought they were much bigger than they actually are?  I’ve heard all sorts of terms used when referring to it, like body dismorphia, misconception, & I’ve heard it linked to eating disorders as well.   Well, I don’t have an eating disorder- I like food too much to not eat it, I’m too price conscience to eat & then waste it by throwing it back up, & I’m too vain to get into force feeding myself to gain tons of weight… well, ok, I gained a lot of weight, but that was over my lifetime so far.  So I don’t have a disorder like those, but I still feel like I’ve got an issue.  I’ve watched shows where the hosts asked the woman they were with to place themselves between two women (brought in by the show) that they felt were just above their size, & just below their size- the women always place themselves several sizes larger than they actually are- & they don’t necessarily have a disorder either.

I’ve always had large thighs- since I can remember really.  I remember myself as always being one of the middle sized to larger girls in my grade school years.  My weight has always been pretty evenly distributed- that good ol’ hour glass figure of mine- but my thighs, once examined when I sat down, were clearly where a lot of the weight was.  With an hour glass figure, your pants never fit your waist- your thighs & hips flare out more, so you need pants that fit those, & as a result, your smaller waist floats in a much larger waist band- especially when you’re over weight.  This is normally why I went for low rise jeans & hip huggers- I didn’t have to worry about a waist area.  Now that I’ve lost a lot of weight- 36 pounds as of this morning- my pant sizes are smaller, as I mentioned in a previous post.  Now it stands to reason, that if my pants are smaller, that means my thighs are fitting into them, so my thighs have shrunk.

Only one problem.

I don’t feel like my thighs have gotten any smaller.  It’s crazy, because I know they have- I’ve dropped so many pant sizes, there’s no way they could still be the same size.  But despite my logic & my brain telling me they’ve gotten smaller, I look in the mirror & still feel like I’m the same size from before I lost all the weight.  Crazy, right?  I never considered that I’d have an issue like this in front of the mirror- that I would look at it & see something other than what really is.  I’ve heard that it’s because I’ve been looking at myself every day & as a result, can’t see the before & after difference so easily- unlike others who don’t see me for months at a time.  But this explanation isn’t really making me feel any better.

When I look in the mirror, & when I walk around the house & am around friends & family, I don’t feel any smaller than when I did before.  & I think that’s adding to the issue as well.  I feel like my body mass, or the amount of space I take up is still the same.  I guess I just thought that when I lost so much weight I would feel smaller.  Thing is, I don’t.  Not only that, I’m feeling the effects of being smaller without feeling smaller.  Which sucks!    & when I say that, what I mean is I’m feeling like I’m less capable of taking care of myself.  When I was around 180 pounds, I knew that if a man attacked me, I could use my weight to my advantage & then run.  Even though I was that heavy, I’ve been known to outrun people when they chased me.  But now, I know I’m 143 pounds- so close to my initial goal- 13 pounds close- & I know there’s no way that my current weight is gonna do much damage to anyone- or even make them stumble backwards.  Chances are, I’d bounce right off of an attacker.  Strange as it sounds, I actually feel kinda cheated- I mean, here I loose all of this weight, & feel like I’ve actually lost an advantage in a fight (not that I ever WANT to be in a fight, but you know what I mean), & instead of feeling joy over my smaller size- which I know I am, but just can’t see, I feel disadvantaged!

I know I’m a size 6.  I know that’s smaller than I ever thought I could be.  & to be honest, I’m still kinda shell shocked that I’m under a size 10.  I don’t know when it’s going to sink in, but I’m looking forward to that day.  But for now, I’m feeling small in the not fun way- like I’ve lost the ability to protect myself, but don’t feel like I’ve gotten any smaller.  Anyone else ever have this problem?  It’s frustrating.  But then, that’s why I have protective friends with martial arts training I guess… Maybe I should consider buying some pepper spray & taking a class or two.  But for now, I guess I just have to keep pushing forward & then one day, hopefully, my smaller size will sink in.

Until then, feeling larger than life but still sincerely,

Kim

Next to Nothing

I am on a new diet. It’s based on really scientific principles blah di blah… yawn. Blood tests blah, balancing of hormones, blah blah blah blah blah, serotonin, yeah, heard that one, insulin, got it, human growth hormone, blah blah blah, 5kg in one month – not bad at all! Ok it works, but I get to eat next to nothing. Supposedly, I am told, it is worked out to my body’s exact nutritional needs and absolutely no more. Without the extra ten kilograms that I am trying to ditch, I am not a very big person, so my minimum nutritional needs are quite small,so the diet supervisor (yes, I paid a lot for this diet) can’t understand why I am always hungry.

That’s easy to understand. My nutritional needs and my appetite got divorced a long time ago and are now living happy and fulfilled lives on separate continents and haven’t spoken for years. I eat the same, if not more, than my 6 foot 5 inches, 90kg husband. My goal weight and actual height are two thirds of his, so logic dictates that I should normally eat two thirds of what he does and half of that if I am trying to diet. That fits the logic on the diet sheet but doesn’t explain why I have the appetite of a Tour de France rider at the end of a mountain stage. (Did you know they get to eat 7000 calories a day – that is as much pasta and potatoes as you want and then some more! They struggle to eat enough. If it wasn’t for the 6 hours on a cruel little saddle it would be a great job.)

I put it all down to early childhood conditioning, my Dad owned a restaurant, so I was trained to eat high level food, in catering quantities from toddlerhood. I could polish off a junior T-bone at the age of 7 and knew my prawns from my langoustines before I was ten. My mother is also Greek. The exact English translation of the Greek words for “I love you” are actually, “Have some more baklava, I made it especially for you with extra butter!”. My husband on the other hand grew up in a WASP household that yearned back to the good old days of post World War II rationing with nostalgia. Anything excessive or lavish was, and is, considered to be in slightly poor taste. My father on the other hand starved during the war. No amount of food will ever be enough. I wonder if we genetically inherit our parent’s learnt fears. Mine would be, ” Eat everything you can, because there may never be anymore,” and my husband’s would be, “Don’t eat everything, because there may never be anymore.”

The bottom line is that in order to be thin, you have to eat very little, halve it, and then only eat some of that. Supermodels know this, anorexics know this, so do concentration camp victims and ballet dancers. The rest of us waste a lot of time on GI, low fat, fat free, high protein, low carb, no carb, good fats, bad fats, calories, water and getting enough sleep at night. There is very little that I don’t know about nutrition. All of it is conflicting, contradicting and medically contra-indicated and has not helped me one little bit.  Do you know what Angela Malan, prima ballerina for the South African Ballet Theatre eats? According to an interview in Shape magazine, she has a really good breakfast because she has to set herself up properly for 6 hours of dancing and teaching and coaching every day and a possible performance at night. She has, wait for it…… either a bowl of bran cereal or (not and) a slice of rye toast with a sliced banana on top. She is too busy for lunch and never eats before a performance. She does allow herself some Energade on performance nights when rehydrating between acts. To summarise: for a full day in the studio and a marathon on stage at night she shovels down a single bowl of bran cereal.

I don’t even have the capacity to burn off what I eat. I have an extremely low boredom threshold for excercise.  I just can’t find the motivation to work hard enough to get strong enough to be fit enough to burn enough calories. As a result I have done just about everything there is to do in a gym and am now on my last option, which is swimming. I was a really poor swimmer and had never voluntarily got into water since early high school, and even that was under duress. When I was 28 my mother admitted to me that I had nearly drowned when I was 2, and had to be fished feet first out of a fish pond at a lunch party. I really could have done with this excuse earlier, it would have saved me much humiliation.

So at 39 I discover that the lady that teaches my very small daughters to swim also does “fitness training for adults”.  I sign up for swimming lessons at the gym and promptly get thrown into the shallow end of the overheated baby pool to learn how swim from scratch. Yeah, it was that bad.  For many weeks I did the same exercises in the pool as my three year old. Now I am pleased to say I am doing the same drills as the 12 year olds in the BIG pool.

My efforts to get other people to swim with me have been in vain. All are too self conscious about their bodies to appear in a swimming costume in front of the bank of treadmills. My attitude is, ” If you didn’t want to see cellulite you shouldn’t have been looking.” I have also spent long enough on those treadmills to know that the bored and wandering eye, with 7 minutes to go on the clock, is going to linger on the firm buttocks sashaying past and not on the less pleasing thighs straining away on the neighbouring equipment. Anyway, one is anonymous in the water. Goggles and a cap face down in the water cannot be recognised and if you make the right amount of splash the exact shape of your bum cannot be determined, even from the  gallery above. I spend a lot of effort on style and grace in the water, concentrating on glide and rhythm, rather than on speed and stamina so as not to appear to be thrashing helplessly in the water . As a result, although I was promised that the weight would fall off,  I have lost absolutely none  from swimming. On the contrary, swimming has pushed the envelope of  my already excellent appetite to new and frightening depths. I can barely get home without chewing on  my towel.

I am not going to tell you which diet it is that I am on. If you are reading my blog I am very grateful to you and would not inflict the torture of slivers of lean protein and carefully regulated vegetables on to you. Unlike other diets, which allow you to gorge on vegetables, only certain fruits and veggies are prescibed on this one. They are supposedly selected to increase serotonin levels, which will make you feel better about the 95 grams of steamed fish you are about to consume. ( I thought that chocolate was a good source of serotonin.) Broccoli is not allowed on this diet, now that made me feel better already! Any diet works if you stick to it, but the mind and soul have to be ready for the abuse. I struggled for the full three months of my sabbatical before I got it together to call the dietician. I remember telling the psychologist that dieting was going to be too hard for me to do because some days eating was the only pleasure I got, and if I couldn’t do that, then life was too grim to bear.  Even now, although I can see that the diet is working, I still cheat if I am feeling bored, lonely, frustrated, cross or tired. Pleasure is an antidote for all of these things and what could be more fun than eating?

Home Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

If you are looking for home exercises to lose stomach fat, you definitely don’t need a gym membership in order to shed the extra fat. In fact, there are numerous routines that don’t need personal trainers and exercise equipment to execute.

Ideally, home exercises to lose belly fat should be regular and as intensive as possible. The more you workout, the more calories are burned. But remember that regularity is key here: you probably know it by now, how easy the excess fat tends to find its way back in no time.

Pushups - the humble pushup remains the easiest and the best weight-loss workout. It trains your chest, shoulders, triceps, abdominals and lower back. As you build more muscles, lots of calories are burned in the process and this is what makes you lose weight. No need of a gym.

Bodyweight Squats - This is a two-step workout. It’s an effective way to quickly burn fat and tighten muscles.

Rope jumping - The jump rope routine has an interesting version: the invisible jump rope. All remains the same, except that you are jumping an imaginary rope.

In order to be effective, home exercises to lose a jelly-belly must be combined with a healthy diet. The principle is simple: reducing your daily calories and fat intake while eliminating the extra that’s already found its way in your body.

Learning to listen (and to trust)

Some days I can live quite easily by the six small meals a day rule – you know the one, eat every two or three hours, something small, between 200-300 calories. In fact, that’s usually my preferred manner of eating.

But other days, it just doesn’t work for me. I used to beat myself up for that; I’m in the process of letting that go.

Yesterday, in case you’re wondering, was one of the latter.

Let’s start at the beginning; why should we learn to listen to our bodies when it comes to food?

Well, quite simply, the body often knows what it wants when it wants it. If you listen to your body (and not your emotions, the clock, your social calendar, or your friends) very rarely will you be led astray in terms of food. The trick is, distinguishing what your body wants from what your mind, your emotions, and the culture say you want.

When your body sends you a clear message – even if it doesn’t jive with the “expert” advice. Listen to it. If not, you’ll be more likely to feel deprived, throw in the towel, and decide that the so-called experts don’t know much of anything. In fact, some of the experts know quite a bit, but they don’t necessarily know you. Not like you do. So if your body is telling you that it wants a certain amount of something or a particular something and you’ve done everything else right – drank some water, took a fifteen minute walk, took three deep breaths, ate some carrots or some other super low calorie food – then you should go ahead and have it. Because once it becomes a must in your mind, it’s too late. Have it, get it out of your system, let it go, and then move on.

As I said above: yesterday was one of those days.

Looking at my food diary for the last two (almost three years) it’s clear to see that my preferred intake of calories is between 1,500 and 1,800. When I’m trying to release weight – or if I’m just calibrating before or after a big dinner or a week with my parents – I tend to purposefully drop my calorie intake down to around 1,200. Some days it’s lower than that (closer to a 1,000) though sometimes it higher (closer to 1,400).

It’s rare that I have a day over 2,200; but it’s happened.

Yesterday I was starving. I’m not sure why. My calories the day before had been low, but not that low. Maybe it was the fact that I have moved back to my school schedule and have been getting up at 5:00 instead of 6:30 or 7:00. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent a lot of time out in the world lately, whereas I have spent most of the summer at home.

Regardless, I was ravenous. And even trying to do everything “right,” I still had polished off 1,100 calories before noon! (For those of you who aren’t good at math, let me help: that’s 73% of my preferred daily calorie intake – all before lunch.)

As it turned out, I actually had a pretty good food day despite the rough start. And when I went to bed at 10:30, I had actually only consumed 1.442 calories. You might be thinking, 342 calories isn’t all that much for twelve hours! And you might also be thinking about how the body goes into starvation mode when it hasn’t had anything to eat in over three or four hours. And you’d be right.

But in the spirit of listening to my body, I wasn’t hungry again until 4:30, when I had a medium braeburn apple and some carrots. Then, a few hours later, I had a bowl of lentil soup (massive protein and fiber hit) and a glass of petite syrah.

Then, after a couple of more hours during which I consumed a couple of cups of herbal tea, I went to bed and started over today.

Today, I have been back to what the experts recommend. It’s almost 4:00 and I’ve had four small meals.

I had my normal breakfast (255 calories), one of my normal snacks (240 calories), an apple (80 calories), one of my typical lunches (280 calories). And, notably, these have been spaced out every couple of hours or so.

The moral of this story: if you have a “bad” day, go ahead and have it. It’s just a day. Trust your body to know what it wants when it wants it. But also trust yourself to know that tomorrow is a new day and you – more than anyone else – knows what you need to do get back on track.

Postpartum Weight Loss

I gained approximately 34 pounds during my pregnancy. I think the recommended weight gain for pregnancy is 25-35 pounds (I could look it up, but I’m on a time limit of “hurry the hell up before the baby wakes up”) so I finished just within acceptable bounds. By the third trimester I was basically inhaling all manner of foods with reckless abandon, so I’m glad I was anywhere close to within bounds. Now that I’m eight weeks postpartum, weight loss has started nagging at my brain. I lost around 22 pounds within the first week, which I will fondly remember as the easiest 22 pounds I ever lost. Sure, the majority of it was baby, placenta, blood, and water… ok probably all of it was that stuff. Since then I’ve lost around three more pounds, leaving me with nine pounds to lose to get back to pre-pregnancy weight.

I had my six week postpartum checkup a couple weeks ago, and everything seemed to check out. Besides the awkward conversation in which my mustachio-ed OB told me I may experience vaginal dryness due to breastfeeding, and we can resume intercourse with the aid of a lubricant as long as we go slow and ease into it (thanks for THAT info), it was a good appointment. That means I’m now free to exercise as desired. I’d been itching to start running again during the early weeks, even though I knew I couldn’t and was in too much pain to do it anyway. It wasn’t until this week that I even attempted exercise because I’ve been having some nagging vag issues (random throbbing pains for which the OB can’t find a reason, and a sagging urethra… SAGGING URETHRA! Can you even imagine?? I finally get the courage to take a mirror and examine the carnage that is my underbits, and I find THAT staring at me. Jeebus.)

So, despite these issues, I began working out again this week. I can only take so much, and eight weeks of sitting on the couch was starting to make me batty. So on Monday I whipped out my “The Firm” DVDs and did the ab workout and the arm workout; the abs in the hope that those muscles travel back to  their original position, and the arms because oh my lord this baby is getting heavy and I can hardly lug her around in her carseat without killing myself. Then yesterday I started the Couch to 5k program again. I used that a couple years ago when I first started running and it worked well. Luckily, I think the marathon training I did last year wore off gradually because I didn’t struggle through the first workout the way I did the first time around. Working my way up to 5k seems kind of sad after running a marathon, but I know I can work my way back up to longer distances again. I don’t know that I’ll ever attempt a marathon again, though. Maybe if I’m feeling really ambitious, but I don’t see how I could find the time with a baby to keep alive. These shorter workouts were squeezed in during a morning nap and 45 minutes in which Ralf held her while she screamed.

I suppose I’m happy that I only have nine pounds left. The only annoying thing is that I’m in between pants sizes so I have to wear loose jeans until I fit into my original jeans. Who knows if that will ever happen, though, since my hips may be permanently expanded. It’s a good excuse for a fall clothing shopping spree, at any rate.

Weight Loss the Easy Way

With summer taking a toll and fewer layers to hide under, you might be more motivated than ever to lose weight. But how do you get started?

If you jump in with such gusto that you’re vigorously exercising three times a day, skipping breakfast and nibbling lettuce and a carrot for dinner, you’re destined to fizzle by the end of a week. Instead, take a slow, sensible approach for steady, more lasting weight loss. The goal is to make lifestyle changes that stick.

1. Set a goal.
First of all, decide how much you want to lose. Then break the bigger goal into smaller, bite-size chunks. For example, if you want to lose 30 pounds by your class reunion, take a step back and break that down into weekly goals. Losing one to two pounds a week is both health and achievable. Losing 10 pounds a week is not.

2. Learn portion control.
To lose weight, you have to cut calories. That doesn’t necessarily mean cut out entire food groups. Instead, look at your portion size. For example, 3-4 ounces of beef is the size of a deck of cards, not half your plate. A baseball is about one cup. That’s a good guide for cereal, rice or pasta. Learn correct portion size and you’ve won half the battle as you automatically will be shaving calories.

3. Pay attention to what you eat.
Seemingly sneaky weight gain often comes from not paying attention to what goes in your mouth. Calories from cleaning your child’s plate, munching in front of the TV, or grabbing a handful of M&Ms every time you pass the candy jar can quickly amount to extra weight. The good news is these are also obvious places to cut calories once you’re aware you’re eating these things.

4. Get moving.
Exercise burns calories, speeds weight loss and helps keep it off. Walking is an inexpensive workout. Aim for 45 minutes a day at least five days a week to lose weight. You can break that into smaller chunks each day to fit into your schedule.

To help launch your weight loss efforts, try Relìv’s Slimplicity® Weight Loss System. A delicious meal-replacement shake will help you cut calories, while Accelerator capsules will help burn fat and curb your appetite to speed weight loss. In addition, you’ll get a pedometer to track your steps, a portion guide, and a food/exercise journal to help you stay on track. Slimplicity is the ultimate weight loss partner!

Grilled Salmon With Cucumber And Celery Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 small salmon steaks (1 kg)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, …

read more on

http://www.sevafrica.com/HealthWellness/GrilledSalmon-WithCucumber.shtml

Monday recap

Happy Monday everyone! I don’t know about you guys, but Mondays are the absolute HARDEST for me, diet-wise. Perhaps it’s because I’m usually grouchy about having to wake up for work, and feeling sorry for myself. Typically, Mondays are my most-tempted-to-binge days. I am usually pretty restrictive of myself over the weekends, so Mondays are when I just lose my mind. But not today!

Today, I was running low on juicing supplies, but that didn’t stop me from having my morning juice! This beauty turned out DARK red, because I was out of all my light green veggies to juice. Typically I juice one light green, like romaine or cucumber, and one dark green, such as spinach or kale, in each of my juices. Today, I juiced some kale and the rest of my Italian parsley, along with a large fuji apple, a beet, and half of a large lemon. It was surprisingly good! Must have been a really sweet apple…

For lunch, my fiancé came home and we watched an episode of Mad Men. We are trying to catch up to the current season, and we’re almost there! I think we have 3 more episodes in Season 2. I don’t know what it is about that show, because it starts off kinda slow, but I’m totally into it! Since I was distracted by my TV show, I totally flaked and forgot to take a picture of my lovely salad. I had a happy accident, trying to make some “key lime pudding” out of avocadoes, lime juice and stevia. I used way too much lime juice, and it became a liquidy mess! Way too thin for pudding, but perfect as a dressing! So I poured the whole thing over an entire bag of mixed greens, added some shredded carrot and half of a sliced pear, and it was perfect! Delicious! I’m not a HUGE avocado fan, but I know they’re good for me, so the more ways I can “hide” them in my food, the better. I will definitely be re-creating my salad again soon!

After work, I spent my time at the mall with my friend who will be doing my makeup for my wedding. She took me to the Bobby Brown counter to try out all sorts of stuff! My head was spinning by the end of it! Way too many options for me… I ended up only choosing my foundation and concealer for now. I’ll work on the eyeshadow another time. It was so overwhelming!

I felt like I got a good workout walking around the mall for a few hours, and found myself RAVENOUS by the end of our shopping trip! Of course, then I remembered I had NO juicing ingredients left! Darn it!! Poor planning on my part. I stopped by Trader Joe’s on my way home, but it was rush hour, and there was no parking spot in sight! Just a line of cars, waiting to stalk the next person to walk out of the store, so they could steal their spot! I was in no mood for those games. So I settled on a new dinner decision– I could eat a raw meal tonight, instead of a juiced one. I totally indulged in my favorite raw comfort food: bananas with raw almond butter! I know bananas are a “no-no” on the Clean program, but I got ripe bananas, which are supposedly okay as far as constipation-issues go. I love bananas, and I’ve lost weight eating them before, so I’m not eliminating them entirely. They make me happy, and on a Monday, when I would normally be binging anyway, I figured they were a better choice than most. I also munched away on some baby carrots, which my dog begged for the whole night. She is really getting into eating her veggies! I love it! Her favorites are butter lettuce leaves and baby carrots, but she’ll eat just about any leafy green.

Okay, I’m off to bed. Nite!

From Fat to PHat.

This is one of my eHow articles…How to Go from Fat to Phat. I’d like to thank Nurse Practitioner Murphy for the inspiration…

I'd also like to thank this treadmill girl for my inspiration.

Phonetically, they are the same. But “fat” and “phat” carry very different meanings. I never realized just how much until a back injury sidelined me for three months over the summer. During a doctor’s appointment, the nurse practitioner referred to me as fat and not with a “ph.” Never hearing those words to describe me before, I knew it was time to kick it into gear and go from fat to phat. If you want to go from fat to phat—pretty hot and tempting, here’s how to do it.

Admit to yourself that yes, you are fat. This is very difficult to do and may be the hardest step of all. It’s not going to do yourself any good to keep pretending that you’re just carrying a few extra pounds, or that the lighting is making you look that way, or you can hide it with an all black outfit or some baggy clothes. It’s not self-hatred to declare yourself the “f-word.” It is a real eye-opening, self-awareness type of conversation you need to have with yourself and stop putting off. Look in the mirror, naked, and realize that you need to deal with what you see. Say good-bye to the self-pity, excuses, poor health, sedentary lifestyle and bad eating. And for one final time, say good-bye to the fat.

Turn the negative comments into your inspiration. For me, it was the nurse practitioner calling me fat four times within the span of a twenty minute exam. So now, with every step I take on the treadmill and every bite of grilled tilapia, I’m thinking of much closer I’m getting to my goal of going from fat to phat, and making her eat her words. I always have a mental picture of walking into her office a few months from now, thinner than she, and asking, “Who are you calling fat?” I may or may not do this, but her negative comments give me just the motivation I need to keep at it. For you, maybe it is a bully you want to amaze at your high school reunion, or make the jaws drop of the people in your social circle that called you “the fat friend.” Whatever it is, use the negative comments to your benefit, because looking good really IS the best revenge.

Get moving and get cooking. Sorry, but going from fat to phat is not going to happen overnight. The “phat fairy” is not going to come during the middle of the night, wave her wand and magically switch out the “f” for the “ph.” YOU have to do this part yourself; you have to seriously WANT to do it. And you guessed it—it comes down to the age old rule that to lose weight you need to exercise and eat healthy. They go hand in hand; don’t think that just because you spent half an hour on the treadmill, it’s okay to gobble down mounds of fried goodness. Along with the daily exercising, you should begin to cook your own meals to monitor what foods you’re ingesting. It won’t hurt to do some research with your doctor or a nutritionist to find out just how many calories you should be taking in to take off the weight. Remember, slow and steady wins the race—with exercise and a proper diet, you will go from fat to phat!

 

© Copyright Cherie L. Steffen All Rights Reserved 2009

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I’ve been meaning to make this recipe for over 8 months, but just never got around to it.  This version is inspired by Hungry Girl, but I changed it quite a bit to suit my tastes.  Growing up my mom never made something like this, so it was fun to try to make a very traditional “comfort food” recipe.

Ingredients

(Not pictured: grated Parmesan cheese)

12.5oz Dreamfields whole wheat elbow macaroni
12oz frozen, shelled edamame
2  6oz cans Albacore tuna in water, drained
2 cans Campbell’s Healthy Request 98% fat-free condensed cream of mushroom soup
4 wedges Laughing Cow Light cheese, swiss flavor
4 TBSP Parmesan cheese
cayenne pepper, to taste
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Makes 6 7-point servings. (I plugged it all into the WW.com eTools Recipe Builder).  Obviously, if you made the portion size smaller, the points would decrease.

Directions:

Boil pasta in water until al dente, about 7 minutes.

Place frozen edamame in colander and rinse with cold water. Drain pasta over edamame in colander to defrost.

In a large pot (I used the one I cooked the pasta in), add tuna, cheese wedges, cream of mushroom soup, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese.

Combine all ingredients, mixing well.

Spray a baking pan with Pam and add pasta mixture.

Sprinkle remaining 2 TBSP of Parmesan over casserole.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

The reason I made this recipe with edamame instead of the more traditional peas is that I hate peas.  Plus, I figured that the edamame added more protein and still retained the look of the dish.

How Weight Loss Programs Help In Losing Weight?

According to health experts, diet and exercise programs are better way to prevent and cure overweight and obesity than taking pills and supplements. These pills and supplements can only work in combination with a weight loss program. Alone these supplements can’t give you the desired result.

Weight loss programs are created with the idea that most of the people don’t have enough time to take care of their body and health in this fast paced competitive world. Health often takes a back seat as most people rush to meet deadlines and try to give more than their best to everything they do. Many people look into the mirror and wish they had more time to take care of their body.

Having recognized the role of diet in staying healthy, the focus is now on how to improve the lifestyle. You need a diet program that can create a variety of diet menus for you so that you can easily follow them without being bored of them. This fitness programs also help you know how the diet works on your body and the relationship between body fat and weight.

The programs also stress on exercises. Since exercise is important in reducing weight, a physical training schedule based on your body composition will be prepared and implemented. It will also take into account injury parameters and your health condition. Fitness experts who specialize in strength cardiovascular system and Swiss ball training often chart out these programs. The exercises are intended to increase the lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. Fitness testing includes cardiovascular fitness, strength flexibility, pelvic strength and stability and local muscle endurance.

It is better that you aim at preventing obesity and overweight rather than acquire it and try to cure it. And the best way to do so is to speed up your metabolism to burn more calories and gain a healthier life.

Read more on How to Increase Metabolism through diet, foods and exercises. Know how to Detox Your Body and Lose Weight in a healthier way.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Collete Cole Gives Exercise Tips - From the Get You In Shape Fitness DVD

Collete Cole Gives Exercise Tips – From the Get You In Shape Fitness DVD

Collete Cole, MS. Fitness Coordinator, Cooper Fitness Center Co-Authorof Women’s Health and Fitness Guide, and an award winning personal trainer and fitness coordinator gives personal training tips.

Get You In Shape.com Top personal trainer Brad Linder is the owner of Get You In Shape, in the Dallas and Coppell, TX area. Get You In Shape has Fitness Boot Camps, Private Personal Training, Testimonials, Fitness Tips, Nutrition Programs, Online Training, Fitness Products, Weight Loss Plans, a Blog, and more. If you are in Dallas, Coppell, Lewisville, Irving, Carrollton, Valley Ranch, Las Colinas, Flower Mound, Plano and surrounding Dallas, TX cities, Get You In Shape is near you. Get You In Shape has helped many people get their lives back on track and change their lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle. Personal training programs include sports specific training, weight loss programs, boot camps, wellness plan, nutritional plans, core fitness training, strength training, toning and more. Clients include athletes (basketball, golf, football, tennis, baseball, volleyball, softball, and track) corporate executives, professionals, weekend warriors, cheerleaders, dancers, models, stay at home moms, and anyone looking to get fitness results. For more information, visit www.GetYouInShape.com

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Exercise vs. Diet: Day 202

Evolution Three – week Three

Saturday, September 19, 2009

September 19, 2009: Day 202

 Hello Folks,

  I think pretty soon I will be shifting gears and posting my pics once a week and not every day.

Here is a clip I like. I Don’ have much time today so I will keep it short again. This is a talk done by Brad Pilon who wrote the book EatStopEat…

 

I think he is talking about the middle way with both exercise and diet. It is no doubt that most of us eat more calories than necessary…but sometimes more is less….right…we eat more because a lot of foods today that aren’t filling tend to have more calories, like cake. He has a good point about striking a balance with food and exercise and not over doing either one of those things.

 

 

 

I would argue that he talks a lot about food and not so much about calories. We could definitely eat more food if we eat healthy food and stay away from high calorie food.

 

 

Or if we want to eat high calorie food eat smaller portions…

so the basic idea is…

• eat more quantities of healthy food
• eat smaller portions of higher calorie (unhealthy) food

 Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)

Menu: Protein and veggies

 

Until next time…

 Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up

 Dakota

 Today’s Mantra: We are the ones we have been waiting for.

~Barak Obama

Phew - water weight

I guess some of that 5 and a half pounds was water weight since I’d dropped 2 and a half of them this morning. After just one day back on normal, healthy food, with no exercise, I weighed in at 14 stone 1.0 (197 pounds), just under three pounds more than when I went away.

Unfortunately, jet lag has kicked in. Studying all day plus an hour and a half driving is taking its toll. Came home and slept again, only just waking up now, at nearly 9pm. So I missed my kung fu class, and I was really looking forward to it. Oh well, can’t be helped – I’ll have to pick that up next week. I obviously needed the sleep. I’m looking forward to a lie in tomorrow and getting to the supermarket and stocking up on healthy food.

"How do I lose the belly?"

So the first question I always get as soon as someone finds out I’m a personal trainer is….

Yep, you guessed it, “how do I get rid of this belly?”

First, look at overall body fat loss. You can’t spot reduce.

Second, it is not about weight loss…it’s Body Fat loss!

Clean up ur eating. Do two things:

1. Eat smaller meals, spaced out through the day.
2, Just try making the healthier choices.

Also add a high intensity, full body workout.

Try just 4 exercises done in a circuit:

1. Sqaut x 15 reps
2. Pushup x 10 reps
3. Straight leg situps x 15 reps
4. Burpees x 10 reps
Reapeat 4 to 6 times!

Try this for a week and see how you feel.

I bet you will feel a little stronger and a little lighter by the ed if 7 days!

Good luck and let me k ow if you have any questions!

Of raccoons, camping, salt, and work

Warning: This does get a little graphic when I talk about some health related stuff. Don’t read if you’re squeamish.

Last weekend I went camping with my boyfriend and our group of friends. It was a birthday trip for Brandon, Drew’s best friend. Lots of fun. I am so glad everyone could make it. Last weekend was by far the largest amount of people we’ve had camping at once in a year or so. The river was warm and great to swim around in, and float down. We even saw several raccoons. They’re much larger in person than you’d think, and not near as cuddly looking. I almost don’t mind completely having blown my diet for that weekend. Almost.

Which brings me to my next topic. Last weekend I thought I was going to sick to the plan. I had prepared for it! I had shopped for it! I had told my boyfriend and everyone there I was going to be good! About noon Saturday, on my umpteenth salami on white with mayo (quite possibly my favorite sandwich ever), I realized I blew it. So I ate some more. And more. And more. You get the picture. Total binge weekend. Not Good.

Thankfully, I did not freak out and let everything go. I picked myself right back up, jumped back off the fat train, and have had a great week. Last night was a little dodgy as I made chicken salad, because I’m an idiot and I thought “I’ll only have a little”. Yeah. Luckily, boyfriend came to the rescue when he got home from work, and I fed it to him instead. I was feeling bloated and, well…backed up, so I decided on a salt cleanse today. Sooooo glad I did. I was nervous, as I have never done anything like it before, only had a nurse administered enema once, but it was well worth it. I didn’t even realize how constipated I was until I was done with it all. I am feeling much better now.

I am very nearly at my short-term goal weight. So close I can taste it, and it tastes better than anything I could physically eat. I feel like I’m picking up steam the closer I get to that…I was going to say little number, but it really isn’t, lol. In any case, I feel stronger and more determined than ever, and I believe that I will continue to pick up steam as I watch my short-term goal numbers come and go. To quote a smart man: “I like to wave at them as they pass by”.

Now, if I could only find a job. Preferably one I enjoyed, but I’m not really in a position to be picky.

Happy Thursday, all.

Meeting, Lunch, Egg.

First of all, I went to the meeting today and I lost…

Goose-egg! Delicious goose egg!

Goose egg.

Once again, there’s no change in my weight, up or down. And yet… I went a little earlier in the day than usual, so I might have weighed a little less because of that. But I also wore jeans to a meeting instead of shorts for the first time in a long while, so I definitely weighed a little more because of that. So it could still be a wash.

Better than a gain, anyway.

Anyway, there’s nothing–nothing!–in the house, sandwich-wise, so I made myself some chicken rotini soup — the can says it should be 4 points. So 8 points so far! 25 left to go! (I’ll probably have some chips and salsa to take care of some of that, sooner or later.)

And I’m drinking black coffee — New England Coffee is on sale at the A&P, and I bought 3 packs. Brew, my pretties! Brew!

Rob

week 9: is it next monday yet?

I stepped on the scale this week and it said 135, not 140, but not 130. Body fat is the same damn number as 9 weeks ago or 9 months ago. The water content number is always 50. What gives? I’m somewhat more fit, probably have a new muscle or two, my diet is the same every week and I’ve been conscious of portion control, and I’ve removed the IV drip from wine bottle to arm. So what gives? Mind you, I’ve just introduced some serious interval work on the bike trainer in the last week, so I’m eager to see how that changes the shape of things in the coming weeks. In fact, I read an amusing article in Runner’s World about how doing interval work for 2 weeks can increase the body’s fat-burning ability by as much as 36 percent on subsequent low to moderately intense workouts. I’m sure that doesn’t mean to eat a big juicy hamburger and onion rings every night though. In the past 3 weeks I’ve been doing many different workouts and really curbing the excessive eating and such. Did I mention that triathlon is this Sunday?

This week I’m not working out all that hard. I’m tapering I suppose. Who wants a 2-day sore from a really hard workout to carry over to their race? I don’t need to be extra exhausted, my nerves are exhausting me enough. The days are going to fly by this week, and my concentration level will be minimal. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to Sunday. Actually this is the first time I can say I’m looking forward to Monday (the day after).

Fall Into Fitness with the following tips from Noelle Lusardi, Step Ahead's certified personal fitness trainer.

The summer days of throwing on a tank top and shorts are coming to an end. Fall means wearing a little more fabric for sure, but what else does it change in a fitness routine?

Cooler is Better
In the hottest days of summer, there is a risk of overheating. The risk of dehydration also increases with the temperatures since hotter temperatures cause more perspiration and fluid loss. So, falling temperatures mean there’s less of a risk of these things. Don’t think that means you don’t need fluid intake – because ignoring hydration can lead to becoming dehydrated in any season or temperatures.

Light Problems
Yes, fall means shorter days. To avoid post-sunset workouts, plan to exercise a little earlier. Unless the route you take is extremely safe, it usually isn’t a good idea to exercise after dark. There are plenty of gyms wherever you go, and there are some great fitness DVD’s to choose from instead. Don’t risk safety for a calorie burn.

Check the Weather
In a lot of places, summer means sunny and hot, day after day. Fall is anything but predictable. Before heading out for a workout, check the weather to see what the temperature is. Fall temps vary by up to twenty degrees day to day at times! Avoid freezing or melting by taking the two minutes to see what it’s going to be like the duration of the planned workout.

Watch Your Step (or Tires)
Keep in mind that leaves can make the ground slippery, so pay close attention and be very careful not to lose your footing!

Look Around
Remember to enjoy the falling leaves. Take your mind off your burning muscles and take in the pretty colors of fall.

What Makes Whole Grains So Hard to Eat?

. . . and Why Is It So Hard Saying Good-Bye to White?

I’ve been noticing a strange thing:  Magazines and cookbooks in the “health” category frequently feature recipes calling for refined white grains rather than whole grains.

Here’s an example from just last week.  A well-known health magazine has four cooking features.  In three of the four, the carb of choice is a white one:

• “Banana Walnut Muffins” sound pretty healthy but they’re made with all white flour and sugar.
• There’s a section on using won ton wrappers.  Clever, but won ton wrappers’ main ingredient is white flour.
• And then there’s a quick-cook dish made with pearled barley, another refined grain.  At least it’s more nutritious than most refined grains but the fact remains that whole barley can be cooked with no greater time investment by using a slow cooker.

Why this half-hearted embrace of whole grains?  Eating quality grains is no less than one of the four main pillars of healthy eating.  How can it be so routinely ignored?

It’s not like we don’t need help getting whole grains into our diets.  Women aged 31-50 would need to increase whole grain consumption by over 250% and decrease refined grain consumption by 50% to meet the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for whole grains, which only require that three of our six daily grain servings be whole.  (Men have even more work to do!)

In real life, these statistics play out like this:  A super fit body builder buys boxes of white flour crackers at Costco, even though she is a model of healthy eating in every other way.  An energetic mom serves her family only lean beef, chicken and fish but rounds out the weekly meal lineup with a couple big white pasta dishes.  Or a trim 50-something guy likes to go light at night, so he orders a virtuous vegetarian sandwich–on a white baguette.

What makes it so darn hard to eat whole grains?  It’s not like we’re being asked to eat alien-sounding stuff like kohlrabi, kale or rutabegas.  Nor are we being asked to stop eating carbs altogether.  We’re simply being asked to eat whole grain versions of our white favorites.

Here are some theories about what makes the whole grain shift so challenging:

1. Lack of Knowledge? Maybe we don’t know that there is such a thing as whole grains and that they are nutritionally superior to refined grains.  Maybe we never knew that things like tortillas, hamburger buns, cakes and French toast are all grain products that can be made from whole grains.
2. Confusion? Maybe we don’t know where to look for whole grain products.  Maybe we don’t know how to tell if a product is whole grain or not.
3. Taste: Maybe we’re afraid of what whole grains taste like (which might be warranted if your first exposure was whole wheat lasagna ten years ago; it resembled lead in many ways.)
4. Uncertainty? Maybe we don’t know how to use whole grains.  Can you just substitute whole wheat flour for white in your favorite muffins?  What kind of whole grain noodles would taste good with pesto sauce?
5. Comfort Or could our whole grain reluctance come simply from a deep, underlying sense that whole grains just don’t cut it when it comes to comfort?

While all five theories are helpful, to my mind, the comfort one gets to the real heart of the problem.   Think about it:  White foods and comfort go together like grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell’s Tomato Soup.  The star of every birthday party:  A white flour cake.  The highlight of practically every great kid get-together:  Hot, fragrant, white flour pizza.  The sure fire remedy for all that ails:  Chicken noodle soup or mac ‘n cheese, your choice.

Searching back through my fondest childhood memories, I invariably melt into visions of the fluffy white pancakes my mother made us every Friday morning before school.  No doubt most of us would find many of our fondest memories inextricably wrapped in white stuff, from Thanksgiving pumpkin pies, Christmas strudels and the Sabbath’s challah to graduation cakes, wedding cakes and mom’s lasagna.

So it’s no surprise when some health nut wants to put your grandma’s marinara on whole wheat noodles and you reply, “No way!”  My Jewish neighbor put it this way when asked about whole wheat challah.  “It can be done,” she said, “but . . . well, you know. . . .”  I think we probably all know that it’s tough to wedge whole wheat into our comforting food memories.

Mess with comfort foods and memories and you mess in dangerous territory.

If there’s truth in this theory, then it might not matter whether we know the importance of whole grains, or feel perfectly knowledgeable about where to buy whole wheat flour and how to use it.  Our desire for comfort is going to trump any whole grain virtue we can muster.

What do you think?  Do you struggle to get three out of six whole grain servings each day?  Have you thought about what makes it so challenging?  Share your ideas and I’ll share them in the next newsletter.

A Glass Or Two To Keep Sane

A study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer’s disease (ICAD), in Vienna on July 13 has revealed that consuming regular but reasonable offers long term cognitive protection and decreases the risk of dementia in older adults.The research was conducted by Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

“As of yet, we still have no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, so it is important to look for things that might help people prevent the disease,” …

read more on

http://www.sevafrica.com/HealthWellness/AToKeepSane.shtml

And so it begins

It is time to begin training for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon.  I cannot avoid it any longer.  I am actually looking forward to the training this year.  Again I am training just to finish, though I’d prefer to be in the under-3 hour category.  Maybe closer to 2:45.  And the training period marks a whole new time in my life.  There are a few categories to put it all under.

Fundraising Time  

This year I have decided to do some fundraising.  I am not yet sure exactly which charity to support but there will be one.  The one I used to like has gotten bad press lately and I am sad to see the changes being made.  I am researching options currently.  I know it will be a charity that deals with kids and/or cancer.  Now to pick one, and the method through which I do it.

Weight Loss and Health Goals

I have decided to tie my fundraising to weight loss, for me.  I will donate one dollar for each pound lost before the run.  This is some serious motivation.  Add it to the news of a sick friend and another who has since passed on and I am ready to roll…err, run.  I want my picture of me running through the castle to be one I am proud to hang for everyone to see.  I want it to be a big F-U to my current and soon-to-be former shape.  I also have another goal:  to get a rowing machine.  I have found one on Amazon that is just what I need at a good price.  I have done the research and have concluded that one in particular should be sitting in my home, getting sat on by me, rowing the stress, and pounds, away.  I’d like to maybe one day row for real on water with a group.  They have Dragon Boat races at WDW (they are back this year after a bit of time being in downtown Orlando).  I’d like to do that one day.  It looks fun.  Anyway, now I just need to get the rower here since they won’t ship it.  I am guessing it’s too heavy or long.

A New Me!

I am ready to take this anger and depression I have and let it go.  I have been depressed since our move.  It was harder than I thought it would be.  I spent so much time making things okay for the kids that I forgot to help myself.  I forgot that I had things I needed to do here as well, things that will help my family and me better people.  And the anger.  Oh, I have gotten angry quite a bit since July.  It seems stupid but deaths and illnesses of friends and friends/relatives of friends, coupled with ”celebrity” deaths (which shouldn’t bother me but just keep adding to the pile of bad news), have just gotten to me.  I just read on a friend’s site that her son is sick again and in a coma (medically induced).  I can’t take it anymore.  When does it stop?  (This situation is the one that made me have to run for a charity.  I need to do something and since I can’t personally make it all better, I will help an organization that maybe can provide some sort of relief.)  So Goodbye Anger and Depression.  Hello visions of sunshine, happiness and, most importantly, HOPE. 

Let Operation:Goofy 2013 officially begin!

Using A Vibration Platform To Lose Weight

An innovative way to lose weight is with the vibration platform. As one of the many esthetics equipment that promotes weight loss, it can be found in spas, esthetic clinics, and weight control clinics. There are also several available to purchase for home use.

Adding vibrations to your workout can assist in weight loss because of its unique muscle toning features and can improve your muscle strength, body performance, and flexibility. Other benefits include improving your circulation to assist with arthritis and muscle fatigue.

The vibrating platform mainly provides exercises to shape your legs and glutes, but also offers a variety of ways to use the machine to work on different parts of your body. In just a 10-minute workout, you can begin to feel the results.

According to Iron Man magazine, it says that vibration at a certain frequency will stimulate the muscle spindle structures to contract to increase muscle tone and strength. Essentially, when applying vibration to a workout, it makes the muscle contract more powerfully.

To check out more about vibration platforms go to, www.trueesthetics.com.

Here Are 10 Reasons Why Your Current Diet Plan Failed

The majority of Americans out there will fail to complete any dieting programs that they’ll start. A diet isn’t just a change in your eating habits, it’s also a change in the way you live your life. Essentially the problem is that most people don’t know how to make the required dietary changes that will help them lose weight.

Here are a a couple of tips and hints to assist you to get started on your new sensible eating regime that will ensure success.

1. Prepare a list of all the foods that you like to eat, including sample menus.
2. Eliminate any foods that are high in sugar, processed foods, ready-to-eat meals, or foods that are generally high in hydrogenated fats.
3. Get Rid Of any foods from your cupboards that you know you shouldn’t be eating. This also includes cleaning out any ’snack drawers’ and any secret stashes you might have at work. No cheating is allowed, not even if you’ve been sticking to the rest of your diet!
4. Shop for foods found on your healthy diet plan.
5. Use the internet to research new recipes that use food items from your diet plan.
6. Have some healthy snacks such as grapes, carrot sticks and hummus ready for munching on in-between meals.
7. Fill a bottle full of water (at least 12oz.) and make sure you drink that amount of water two times throughout the course of the day. Taking it with you wherever you go (especially if it’s out to lunch) will help remind you to always be drinking water. Not only will staying hydrated keep you healthy, but it will also keep you full!
8. Plan an workout regime appropriate to your age and fitness and make sure it is something you think you can stick to.
9. Find a smaller plate to eat your meals off.
10. Program a weeks menu beforehand so that you know what you are going to eat every day

Sticking to the points listed above will help you remain on course to losing weight. Remaining organized and planning everything ahead of time will also lead to a better chance of you sticking to the diet regiment.

Another essential tip is to try everything in your power to avoid weighing yourself on a daily basis. If you’re hoping to measure daily progress, try taking your measurements instead. Afterall, these are the numbers you’re really trying to diminish right? You’ll be amazed to find the amount you’ll lose off your ph

a foot-long on wheat

As I patiently wait my turn in line, I notice the girls approaching the counter and I listen carefully to what each one is ordering. I love to eavesdrop, it helps me make characters and stereotype. I’m not going to lie – and we all do it, I’ll just be the one to admit it.

6 inch. 6 inch. salad. 6 inch. On and on and on. Foot-long. Finally! Oh, she’s sharing with her friend.

I’m the first and only female, it appears, that changes her mind from a 6 inch to a foot-long because a 6 inch just won’t do it. I was embarrassed to order my foot-long off the bat, but when I thought about how hungry I was and I saw her cutting that tiny little piece of bread, I stopped her, “I’m sorry, can I have a foot-long instead… on wheat”. There I did my part, my health-conscious nod to the herds of people  who will look at the bag of 12 inch sandwich, chips and a drink in my hand and silently judge me. Is it just because I happen to be at the Subway in Beverly Hills or is the rest of Subway eating America like this? Am I just a freak of nature who unfortunately requires more food for satisfaction or are women just THAT absolutely ridiculous that they can’t or won’t purchase more than 6 inches worth of bread for consumption at one time?

I bet the new girlfriend eats like a bird. She probably counts every calorie and chews on celery like a horse.

Well you know what, I’m NOT fat and maybe that is one reason why my outlook is the way it is but I don’t FEAR fat either. I choose to live to enjoy everything, every pleasure that life wants to offer me – food, being very high up on my list.

I don’t fear aging either, this is a ridiculous world we live in. All we want to do is fight and fear the future rather than just accept it and savor it. We have one chance, why waste it? Eat the other half of your sandwich, it tastes better than the first (but get wheat bread, and easy on the mayo while your at it… morbid obesity is not exactly my idea of a fun life either).

Weight Loss Coach Speaks Out

Did that title grab your attention? Are you wondering who this weight loss coach is?

It’s me.

Surprised? I am.  On the other hand… not really. Let me explain.

Yesterday, I went to the grocery store to do my weekly shopping.  While I was there, I overheard a husband and wife discussing the wife’s diet plans.  I don’t even remember now what the husband said, but I chimed in to agree with him.  Next thing you know, I’m talking with him and his wife about this diet she’s going on.  She plans to eat mostly fruits and vegetables and no carbs for 5 days to flush her system out and jumpstart her metabolism. Then, she’ll start adding more grains and proteins in.

I tell her about my success with the Biggest Loser plan.  I joined their online club back in the summer of 2007, and lost 60 pounds by January 2008.  What I liked most about their plan was that it included snacks – like a morning snack of fruit and nuts,  and a similar afternoon snack. The key was to have protein at every meal, avoid refined foods, focus on whole grains, lean meats and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

I talked to her about the importance of exercise too.  She said she planned to walk 3 times a week, and I said that’s good, and if you can add any additional days, it will help too. 

Anyway, we chatted in the aisle for 5-10 minutes.  I encouraged her to watch her calories, exercise and take it one day at a time.  I also talked about the importance of keeping a food diary.  (I’ve been back at that this past week, and it truly makes a difference.) I like being accountable to myself!

The last piece of advice I gave her was to not give up.  There will be days when she’ll indulge and either overeat, or eat some junk food.  The best thing she could do was to just start over again the next day. 

She thanked me, and we went our separate ways.

It felt so good to help someone. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve started this blog. I hope that I can help other people realize that losing weight may seem impossible sometimes, but it’s not.  The trick is, you have to decide to lose weight for yourself.  No one can make you do it.  And the end results are worth it – a healthy body, improved body image, and the joy of fitting into smaller clothes. (For me – that was a biggee!)

So, take heart.  And tune into the Biggest Loser  this Tuesday night.  I’ll be watching!

Terry Fox and an apple tree

One of the things I miss the most about living in the UK is the walking. The whole country is really criss-crossed with paths and trails, covering everything from short easy rambles to hill-walking and ‘munro-bagging’. One of my favourite R&R activities is, without doubt, a long walk in the countryside. As a child and teenager I walked a lot with my family, so in some ways walking for me is a very social activity–a way of connecting with the world around me, and with my family or friends. However, I’ve also done a lot of walking on my own. If I need space or an opportunity to think something through, I always go for a walk. Walking can provide a perfect space for fruitful introspection; there’s something about getting your body moving that can also encourage the free-flow of thoughts, ideas and solutions. Or, if I’m feeling particularly frazzled and overly introspective, I find that walking can draw me out of myself. Making an effort to notice the details outside (the different bird song, the sound of the wind moving through leaves, the swish of waves against shingles), and really focusing on them allows me to return to the problem at hand with renewed energy and perspective.

I’m a strong believer in the physical health benefits of walking: as a fat burner it really is unparalleled. Even though walks in the countryside will always be the most rejuvinating for me, I actually started a real walking regime when I was living in the bustling centre of Glasgow. At the time, I lived about a 45 minute walk away from my work (if I walked at a medium-fast pace). The transport options were either the bus or the subway, neither of which appealed, but then I realized I could incorporate my exercise into my commute if I just walked to and from the office instead. So I did. Rain or shine. I walked through everything from warmth and sunshine, to blustery gales, torrential rain, and even a bit of snow (pretty unusual in Glasgow!). I had a waterproof backpack with my office clothes and shoes, full waterproofs (when required), and a sturdy pair of walking shoes. I walked fast enough to work up a good sweat, so I kept some baby wipes in my office drawer and would freshen up and change when I got in. After a year of doing this everyday you couldn’t have paid me to travel to work any other way! My iPod and the cool morning air woke me up on the walk into work, and the same journey home allowed me to stretch and revive after a day in front of the computer. Without changing my diet, I lost over ten pounds in weight and for the first time since I was about sixteen my weight fell below 140 pounds. I slept like a baby every night, and the hip and big toe joint niggles that I’d been experiencing on and off since I was in my early twenties dissapated completely. Count me as a convert.

D went to play football this morning, so I decided to go for a walk and revisit the lake shore path that we last tackled on a freezing February day. THREE HOURS LATER I returned home! Parched and exhausted, but feeling on top of the world! There was a Terry Fox Run (to raise money for cancer) happening on a stretch of the path I was following, and it was great to watch everyone jog past. As I watched them I thought about what they were running for. I also thought about Terry, and his utter indefatigability and determination. It was humbling and inspiring all at the same time.

Towards the halfway point I came across an apple tree, hunched right over a small patch of beach, right at the edge of the lake. For once it didn’t look just to be a crab apple tree; it’s branches were heavy with gold and red streaked fruit with a thick blanket of apples in various stages of decay all around its base. I went rootling around and came up with the most intact one I could find, and carried it all the way home. When I cut it open I found it was a bit too far gone inside to eat, but I managed to cut a few slices that were unblemished. And, what do you know? It was one of the best tasting apples I’ve ever had.

And I think, at the end of the day, that’s really what walking is all about for me: it’s about exploration and discovery,  inspiration and reflection. There are few other activities that are so simple and yet so powerful. All you really need is a good pair of shoes and the motivation to get outside, regardless of weather. And whether your terrain is urban or rural, there will always be new routes to sniff out and new places to explore. Walk on and rock on!

You are What You Eat Pt. 1

Its said that you are what you eat. While I have long told my customers that if that is true then the last thing you should want to be is cheap, fast and easy.

I know, from my own personal experience, that despite what “experts” may say, when I eat better food choices I not only feel better but I look better too. For many who come to us as clients their main goal is to lose weight. While I agree that losing weight is a healthy choice for many and also comes with its own set of psychologically beneficial returns, is losing weight the be all and end all goal of an eating plan?

 I think its important that health and fitness be recognised as two facets to an intelligent eating plan. Health refers to how often someone is sick, the condition of their skin, hair and nails. It is linked with lifestyle factors such as the amount of alcohol drunk, hour slept each night and overall training versus recovery strategies. Fitness, on the other hand, refers only to specific muscular traits that the body can exhibit – speed, power, strength, aerobic endurance, etc. It is entirely possible that single mindedly pursuing fitness will not lead to health. For an example, check out this post: http://relentlesspt.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/weekend-with-a-world-champ/ It details a weekend I spent with an Australian sporting hero, Rob de Castella. Rob was quite open about how despite being fitter when racing, he now considers himself to be healthier. This has come about through a combination of diet and exercise changes of the years.

 Looking at some of the popular “diets” around it seems that all modern culture cares about is the end result.

 Take the Lemon Detox Diet as an example (Please note, I hate, absolutely hate, giving any more press to bad ideas, but there is simply no other way…): It’s main premise is that if you drink their drink for a period of 7-14 days you’ll lose weight. I don’t know why people seem to think that this is so gosh darn clever – I can personally guarantee you that if you don’t eat for 7-14 days you will lose weight! I’m going to call this the Andrew Read POW Diet.

 Just so everyone can get an idea of what can eventually occur if calories are restricted for long periods of time, check out some of these problems which were found in service men who had indeed been interred in a POW camp during any war since WWII:

• “Mussulman” – atrophied body, loss of muscle tissue, sores, ulcers, limited or no growth of hair or nails.
• Beri beri – inflammation of feet, nerve inflammation, optic atrophy (reduced eye sight and ability to operate the eyes), heart disease leading to death.
• Liver damage led by change in fatty acid profiles in the liver, higher incidence of hepatitis, cirrhosis and even gynecomastia (growth of breast tissue).
• Extreme dermatitis.
• Lowering of primary sex hormones leading to “castration syndrome”.
• Increased incidences of intestinal and stomach parasites.

 Now, I’m not suggesting that some of these things, such as the intestinal bugs, weren’t also caused by the squalid conditions that people were forced to live in, but in my opinion it is pretty clear to see that a diet that just focuses on calorie restriction is not such a smart way to go. Yet, this is precisely what the manufacturers and marketers of the Lemon Detox Diet have done. They produce a cheap citric based potion to drink and people lose weight.

 But is it healthy?

 There are many famous diets that all seem to work – if followed correctly the victim will lose weight. But at what cost? I can personally say that the idea of lowering my testosterone output bothers me, as does ending up with any kind of skin problem such as ulcerated sores simply from trying to have a six-pack.

 Like with most things in life, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A diet that promises astonishing weight loss results in the short term can not be healthy for you in the long term. If you are what you eat the choice is simple. I want to be fresh, healthy and free of chemicals. I don’t want to be starved, laced with a deadly cocktail of chemicals, cheap and convenient.

 For the next instalment on this series you’ll have to go to www.ptreference.comto read all about the chemicals that are in the foods we eat, why some foods should always be bought organically and why grass fed, free range beef is the healthiest thing you can put in your body.

[Via http://relentlesspt.wordpress.com]