tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45986302637500625372024-03-13T08:32:47.103-07:00Live It Out Every DayBeckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-43497930531541932222012-05-04T15:43:00.000-07:002012-05-04T15:43:01.192-07:00Back on Tracking<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As part of the First Place 4 Health (FP4H) program, I’m back
on tracking my food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a while
since I regularly have tracked what I’m eating.<o:p></o:p></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">Sometimes I wasn’t tracking at all</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those weeks I found that I was certainly able
to still eat healthy (I have practically memorized calorie info for some foods
because of all the tracking I’ve done in the past).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I noticed I was more likely to eat
more than I needed and to justify that not-very-healthy foods were a better
choice than they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, when
you’re not tracking, it’s easy to think, “That piece of banana bread wasn’t so
bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had banana in it—it’s
practically a serving of fruit!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then in
reality, that piece of banana bread was a 400 calorie snack followed up by an
800 calorie lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But even the weeks that I only tracked for a couple days, I
found that <strong><span style="color: purple;">tracking my food was a great way to maintain a realistic view</span></strong> of the
decisions I made around food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The gal who leads my FP4H group kept recommending
<a href="http://myfitnesspal.com/">MyFitnessPal.com</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hesitant to even
try it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have tried other food
tracking sites, and I find most of them very frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either their food database is small making it
hard to find any foods that I eat, or it’s plastered with so many “Lose belly
fat!” ads that you can barely see the site, or it doesn’t let you set any
custom settings making it useless to tailor to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I am loving MyFitnessPal.com!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only can I custom set all the nutritional
and fitness settings, but their food database is amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to specifically set my daily max
calories, and my percentages of Protein/Carbs/Fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can even set the nutritional limits (like
a sodium intake limit), and then tell it to track that on your food diary
page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The display is really easy to read
and browse, and there’s even a print option if you have to take your diary with
you (like to a meeting).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s also a great community!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can invite your friends and they can see
your food and fitness diaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND there’s a phone app for it (on both
iPhone and Windows Phone).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Honestly, this site is hands down the best calorie tracker I’ve
ever used (it even beats the 20/20 Lifestyles tracker which was previously my
favorite).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you decide to join,
message me and we’ll encourage one another!</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-5956265994440587362012-05-02T15:04:00.001-07:002012-05-02T15:04:26.388-07:00First Place 4 Health<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Monday I had my first <a href="http://www.firstplace4health.com/">First Place 4 Health</a> (FP4H) meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The program is hosted through <a href="http://www.meadowbrookchurch.com/">my church</a>, and
it really appealed to me for a couple of reasons.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">FP4H has a whole-life kind of approach</span></strong>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal is to get all the aspects of me
healthy: my mind, my soul, my strength and my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think of it as mental, spiritual, physical
and emotional wellness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had mentioned giving Overeaters Anonymous (OA) a try
(which I want to go into detail later), but I was having a hard time with their
program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept feeling like a lot of my
eating issues were just symptoms of spiritual and emotional sicknesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was trying to address the root issues, but
I kept feeling like the OA laser focus on eating issues was getting in the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I’m trying out FP4H, and I’m excited that I get to do it
with ladies that I know from my church!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s about 15 of us (from my church and other churches as well as
online).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were measured and weighed on
Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I weighed in at 216, and I was
once again hit with disappointment in myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But at least I’m pursuing help and health!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">I’ve already found myself in need of a careful attitude
check</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to learn, but sometimes I
can get stubborn and convinced myself that I already know everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve learned a lot in the past couple years
about eating healthy and exercising, but I need to empty myself and come to my meetings
with a humble spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-52004257978587712792012-04-30T15:13:00.002-07:002012-04-30T15:13:18.365-07:00Trying Again<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: purple;">Back on the Road<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a long while since I’ve given any sort of update
on my wellness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say that I
finished my weight loss journey over 2 years ago now, and I had genuinely
thought that it was a race I had completed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Won that one!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark it down as a
victory and move on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, I’m discovering that for many people, this is
simply a road we travel all our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
gained back almost 50 of the 100 pounds that I lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help but thinking, “How did I get
here <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I look back, I think I can finally admit that I don’t
know how to implement all the healthy living that I learned in the 20/20
Lifestyles program into my everyday life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was unemployed while I did the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I literally Biggest-Loser-ed myself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I focused solely on learning and exercise and
eating well and my emotional health for almost 9 full months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I got a job right as I ended my program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every time I try to get my life back onto the track where my
physical health is a priority, I feel like I need to take a week off from work
to really make it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the reality
is that I will always have a job!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need
to figure out how to make life work, while still prioritizing my wellness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: purple;">Addiction<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am absolutely convinced that I am addicted to sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have read and researched about food and
addiction; tried and tested different methods of moderation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people (not all, but some of us) are
truly and physically addicted to sugar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After many failed attempts at moderation, I decided that abstinence
was worth a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started going to
Overeaters Anonymous meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
the program is amazing, and it is working for many people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attended the meetings and read The Big Book
(which is worth a read for anyone who thinks they’re addicted to
anything).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard for me to choose
a sponsor, though, because I was having a hard time connecting to anyone at my
meetings on a spiritual level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
Higher Power is an integral part of the program, no arguing with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I was finding it very hard to share
my faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people could barely
stifle an eye roll when I talked about my relationship with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people could not even force themselves
to say the word “God,” but could only use the generic “Higher Power.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people had such a wide view of God that
everything was God (but if everything is God, then how come food isn’t
God?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I called it quits because
it was making me feel isolated, which is never helpful for any kind of
recovery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: purple;">Trying Again<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m starting a new program at my church tonight, and I’m
hoping that it addresses some of these needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can tell you all about it tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the main point is that I’m not hiding from the truth anymore, and I’m
finally aware that what I’m doing isn’t working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My name is Becky, and I’m a Compulsive Overeater.</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-33674827625673111692011-03-13T13:56:00.000-07:002011-03-13T13:56:46.344-07:00Meal-Tracking Online<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You ever have one of those work weeks that by Friday make you feel like you’re panting and out of breath?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had a couple of those back to back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my games have launched finally and the worst is behind me—back to the grind!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">One of the most important tools you can possibly keep in your repertoire for weight loss and maintenance is meal tracking.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For weight loss, meal tracking can give you a sense of control over how quickly or slowly you lose weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your meal tracker won’t make food decisions for you, but it gives you control over your accountability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For weight maintenance, meal tracking is the perfect way to get yourself back on track—like when your company sends you to NYC and you decide to go a little nuts on NY pizza and street meat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hypothetically, of course.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I use a great meal tracker that was created by the 20/20 Lifestyles program that I did my weight loss with (they’re hoping to make the program available to the public in the future).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are a lot of great meal trackers online.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my good friends started using the LiveStrong.com <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/myplate"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">My Plate</span></strong></a> program created by the Lance Armstrong Foundation (<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.livestrong.com/myplate"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.livestrong.com/myplate</span></a></span>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s found the program to have almost all features she needs to help her track her weight loss (as well as some health issues).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are her favorite features for My Plate:</span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Provides numbers on calories, carbs, protein, fat, and sodium for each food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can create saved meals (foods consumed at the same time) and recipes which provide the same numbers.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Huge database of foods (even my weird gluten free foods) including foods that don’t have calories on the package (like Whole Foods’ sausages).</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tracks weight, exercise and water intake as well.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Has reasonable calorie goals (although the goals for fat, carbs, protein are a little skewed towards carbs). Can chart weight against calories and see if a change is necessary.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great recipe feature! Since my husband and I cook together, and we usually cook multiple portions to reheat later. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I do is I put all the ingredients into the system, and the servings, and it will tell me the calories/protein/carbs per serving (this helps me decide if it is worth making). Then when we make it, I weight the pot empty and full and put into the system the total weight so that it will remind me what the right serving size is each time I have it.</span></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you discovered any online (or offline) meal trackers that have been helpful?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-32923842181325363002011-02-27T22:55:00.000-08:002011-02-27T22:55:16.835-08:00Cutting off the Reward Center<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did you know that the activity in the reward center of the brains of obese people is exactly the same as cocaine addicts?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll say it again just in case that question didn’t sink in: when I am eating, <strong><span style="color: #990000;">my brain activity is the same as someone who is taking cocaine</span></strong>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You’ll want to share <a href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Addictions/18207">this link I was reading</a> with anyone who says people can’t be addicted to certain foods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what does this mean for us who struggle with our weight and our compulsion to eat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Science is beginning to prove that high sugar, high fat and high salt foods have addictive qualities for certain people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that some of us will have to be more vigilant than others in trying to control our eating habits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few of the most important things to remember:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Build in repetition of your new habits.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to create and repeat a new routine for yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This won’t always help you overcome temptation in the moment, but it will give you a firmly planted daily routine to fall back on when you do give into temptation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Get your blood moving.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exercise by itself raises the dopamine that your body releases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exercise won’t give you the same rush that a piece of cake would, but it could give you enough of that feel-good feeling that you’re able to resist in the moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Find non-food rewards.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caught myself for a while rewarding my good eating habits with the promise of bad eating moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my brain, I was only reinforcing the hold that those highly palatable foods had over me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find big and small ways to reward yourself non-calorically, and reward yourself often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also means finding new ways to deal with stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to find ways to relax that won’t lead you straight back to the foods you used to turn to.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you found any good ways to stop the pull that food has over you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you feel like there is nothing that could stop it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you see this happening to you each day?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-75545540086092936172011-02-23T09:19:00.000-08:002011-02-23T09:19:25.770-08:00Cycle of Overeating<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week, we began to talk about the reward centers in our brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <strong><span style="color: #990000;">reward center</span></strong> is the area in our brain that is responsible for the feelings we have that motivate us toward certain behaviors—obviously, the behaviors that give us the most pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our brains release hormones that drive us toward actions, like eating or social interaction, that give us that sense of reward.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, because of reaction in our brains when we eat highly palatable foods (foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt), <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>we develop a habitual cycle that compels us to overeat.</strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m sure you’ve found that, after dieting for a while and abstaining from the highly palatable foods that you love, you begin to build up your expectations and memories around those foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve been on your diet perfectly for weeks, but now you’re remembering those amazing doughnuts they sell down the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You remember how perfect they tasted, and you find it’s all you can think about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when you finally give in to your craving, your first bite isn’t as good as you remember it.</span><a href="" name="_GoBack"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though you’re a little disappointed at the memory of that food, you’re brain is still darn happy that you gave in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our brains are driving us to give in constantly—after all, <strong><span style="color: #990000;">our brains are programmed to seek the things that trigger our reward centers</span></strong>!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m sure you’ve also found that, after consistently giving in to those cravings for a while, you find that you no longer crave the one food you wanted and now crave a different food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is because the rewards center in our brains can become immune to the response that a food previously triggered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is exactly what is happening when you cave and eat an entire sleeve of Thin Mints (those horrible Girl Scouts will be out soon, prepare yourself).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You finish off the cookies, but find that now you’re craving potato chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your brain says, “Ok, I’m done with the cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The magic is gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you know what would do the trick?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something salty!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m sure you see how overeating can become cyclical in these instances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so tempting to run from one highly palatable food to the other, keeping that “high” in our brains constant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you see this cycle in your own life?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ll be talking once more this week about stopping this cycle in its tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is hope!</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-67079079731082384722011-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:002011-02-16T09:30:38.599-08:00Making You Fat Is Good for Business<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may not realize this, but the <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>American restaurant industry has perfected the science of making you fat</strong></span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Through research and scientific examination, we now know that certain foods trigger the pleasure center or the rewards center in our brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Foods high in sugar cause a reaction in our brains that drives us to seek out more of that food and eat more than we need to eat of that food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take that high-sugar food and add fat—you get a stronger reaction; take that high-sugar, high-fat food and add salt—you get the strongest reaction.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The restaurant industry employs scientists and researchers to help their chefs create food that is highly palatable (<a href="http://liveitouteveryday.blogspot.com/2010/08/highly-palatable-part-i.html">longtime readers will recognize this phrase right away</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These <strong><span style="color: #990000;">highly palatable foods are engineered to make you strongly desire them and overeat them</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Restaurants layer salt on fat on sugar and then sit back as you dish out your money to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, fast food French fries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the processing plant, they slice up potatoes (a carbohydrate that your body immediately processes into sugar) and fry them in salted vegetable oil (fat with added salt).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are also sprayed with a sugar solution to help them brown (more sugar).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The French fries are then flash frozen and sent to the restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the restaurant, the frozen fries are tossed again into frying oil and then salted before they’re served (more fat and salt).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s a French fry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s sugar layered with fat and salt, more sugar, and more fat and salt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>No wonder our brains seek out these foods exactly like an addiction.</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll be talking more in the next week or so about our reward centers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our long term success depends upon understanding how our brains work and creating a plan on how to deal with our addictions.</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-7664034694569205112011-02-14T10:35:00.001-08:002011-02-14T10:35:58.470-08:00Love Those Pounds Away!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In honor of Valentine’s Day today—especially considering most of us will both be eating out and skipping the gym—<strong><span style="color: #990000;">here’s a few ways you can get to your daily calorie burn and get your lovin’ in at the same time</span></strong>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grab your hubby’s hand and go for a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A one-mile leisurely stroll will burn 100 calories for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you add some smooching in during your walk, you can burn 2 calories for each minute you spend lip-locked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or the two of you could jump on one of those very romantic two-seater bikes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the breeze in your hair, a 30-minute pedal with your love could burn you 150 calories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let’s say you happen to ride that two-seater to a secluded romantic spot, a little… ahem… “interlude” would add 30 calories to your daily burn.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m splurging for the day and doing pizza and a movie with the husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you spending your Love Day?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-88017233897980373232011-02-11T09:36:00.000-08:002011-02-11T09:36:20.991-08:00Spreading Love… and Healthy Living!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just heard about an exciting movement this week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s called <strong><span style="color: #990000;">The 100 Women Project</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a super catchy name, but wait until you hear their goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a movement being run by a mom and daughter duo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With daughter’s help, mom lost 90 pounds and has learned how to keep it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The duo is determined to help other women accomplish similar goals, and their hope is to create a ripple effect of health and wellness that travels far beyond their initial scope.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here’s how the program is going to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re looking for 100 women to join the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These <strong><span style="color: #990000;">women will receive all the tools and support they need on their journey</span></strong>: coaching, nutrition guidance, food recommendations, self-care products, recipes, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants will learn how to build sustainably healthy lives.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The project will culminate with a book that will not only celebrate the transformations of this initial 100 women, but will serve as inspiration for other women now embarking on their own transformations of health and wellness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can check out their story and other program details at <a href="http://www.100womenproject.com/">http://www.100womenproject.com/</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m really excited about this project, I’ll be following it as they get started in the next couple of months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s motivating to see others succeed in passing on their experiences and knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that my own transformation made me want to share it with others.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you’ll hop by their website and check it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please pass it on to anyone who you think might be interested in becoming a participant!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There aren’t many people in this world just handing out help with good hearts—you need to accept the help in whatever form it comes.</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-85580952082947360752011-02-09T09:43:00.000-08:002011-02-09T09:43:53.487-08:00Packaging Doesn’t Always Equal Junk<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With my job having been so crazy lately, grocery shopping has taken a bit of a dive in my priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, that doesn’t mean I’m not sticking to my calorie range and eating as well as I should!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That just means I don’t have a lot of fresh food around the house (or time to prepare it, even if I did).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized today when I was packing my lunch that <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>I have a kind of emergency supply of pre-packaged healthy foods for just these seasons!</strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here are a few of my favorite quick-to-grab, easy-to-make foods:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">StarKist Tuna Salad Pouch</span></b> – I about fell over from shock when I first looked at the nutritional info on these little 3oz pouches. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are only 100 calories in one pouch, 13g of protein and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> 3g of fat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, quickest lunch ever: grab two of these pouches and couple whole wheat crackers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps</span></b> – Since I don’t have any fresh fruit around the house, these little pouches of freeze dried apples, pears, bananas and strawberries are the perfect answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each little pouch of fruit is 40-60 calories of nothing but fruit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also help with those crunchy, munchy cravings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like getting the big box at Costco, but you can find them most anywhere.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies</span></b> – I’m sure you’ve already seen these at your grocery store—they’re everywhere!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t already keep some bags of the steam-in-bag microwave veggies around your house, you need to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no quicker dinner!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll throw some chicken on to broil (add a very small amount of BBQ or teriyaki sauce on the side) and a bag of these veggies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinner is done in 15 minutes and I got my veggies for the day!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">SnackMasters Turkey Jerky</span></b> – This one is my new favorite snack to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had turkey jerky before, but this SnackMasters brand just tastes amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their Teriyaki flavor is my favorite, but they also have Hot & Spicy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try their salmon jerky or ahi tuna jerky!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The turkey jerky is only 70 calories in an ounce, and it’s a quick grab when you’re on the go.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have any favorites in the pre-packaged category?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does packaging make you nervous?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your secret weapons when you’re schedule gets crazy?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-37068323608613701592011-02-07T12:04:00.000-08:002011-02-07T12:04:12.535-08:00Bouncing Back!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, my beloved Steelers let me down yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you can’t win them all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a good game, and—at least at my house—even better food!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t resist cooking up a Pittsburgh classic: Kielbasa, pierogies and sauerkraut!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">It definitely wasn’t a low-call kind of meal, but I have to let myself go every now and then.</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I find that I’m getting much better at bouncing back to my normal routine when I let myself have these little caloric vacations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t keep any of the leftovers (I know, my mother would be appalled), and I definitely didn’t force them on any of my guests (my biggest pet peeve ever)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did bring the extra cupcakes into work, but frankly it’s just payback for my coworkers who always have junk food sitting around their own desks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I packed my breakfast and lunch today, and I’ve got my trip to the gym planned for tonight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>When living healthy is your daily routine, it’s not so hard to get back onto the right track if you take a small detour!</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you find that bouncing back is harder than you think it should be, take a look at your daily habits and routines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you find that your own healthy lifestyle is your “normal”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is it less a part of your daily schedule than you realize?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’ve made many healthy changes to your own life—and stuck to them for a while—do you find that you can bounce back pretty easily from these kinds of days?</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-737863639301544042011-02-05T09:04:00.000-08:002011-02-05T09:04:50.055-08:00Accentuate the Positive<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here’s a challenge for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Find a good mirror and take a look at your face.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a long look!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now write down everything that you see as you’re taking in your reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kinds of things do you find yourself writing?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of us will likely have some of those negative, picky thoughts: I see a pimple; I don’t really like my hair today; there’s my big nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone has thoughts like this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real question is—does your list <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> have these kinds of thoughts on it?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>do you have positive observations mixed in?</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always liked the color of my eyes; thank heavens good skin is genetic in my family; hey, my double chin is gone!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should have a healthy mix of positive in with any of the negative on your list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the things that say: “Hey, I’m not perfect, but I like me!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The point of this exercise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, I’m noticing something in more and more people (ok, mostly women) I speak to about losing weight or getting healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many people make decisions to get healthy, to get fit, or to lose weight for different reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have different goals and different motivations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But many of them have something in common—they think that <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>if they make the changes they’re making, then they will like themselves better</strong></span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve got news for you: you’re not going to like yourself any better if you lose 100 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not going to like yourself better if you can do 100 pushups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not going to like yourself better even when you’re eating 100 percent healthy foods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> something to not like about ourselves!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your list is filled with negative self-talk, do you think fixing one thing on the list will grant you life-long happiness?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if you get to your goal weight and decide it’s not enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if you reach your fitness goal and realize you wanted more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if you eat nothing but healthy food but find you’re still addicted to sugar and fat?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">If you’re going to find happiness once you reach your goals, then you need to find that happiness now.</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why do you think it’s so hard for us to like ourselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I challenge you to not blame the media!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, I’ll re-ask this week’s discussion question: Why do you think it’s so hard for YOU to like YOURSELF?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-70460029744658250462011-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:002011-02-02T09:01:31.270-08:00Oh, Those Dietary Guidelines...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Monday, the USDA released their <strong><a href="http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PressRelease.pdf"><span style="color: #990000;">2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans</span></a></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend Alex, over at <a href="http://ieatasphalt.com/2011/02/eat-less-move-more/#comment-1782">I Eat Asphalt</a>, gives a great layman’s breakdown of what changes this announcement entails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, the USDA is finally taking serious the obesity epidemic that our country is facing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the changes could simply be summed up as “Eat less and eat nutritiously.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m happy to see the government finally making this step, but I can’t help but feel that they’re still several steps behind the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are their messages to Americans:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">Balancing Calories</span></b>- Enjoy your food, but eat less.<br />
- Avoid oversized portions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">Foods to Increase</span></b>- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.<br />
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">Foods to Reduce</span></b>- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals—and choose the foods with lower numbers.<br />
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please, oh please tell me that your reaction is “<strong><span style="color: #990000;">No. Duh.</span></strong>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really USDA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is your news flash of 2010?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The saddest part is—if you followed the directions above while eating a 2000 calorie diet, you would only lose weight if you’re seriously overweight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I followed that kind of diet, I would gain 35 pounds in a year!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you USDA recommendations to guide your own diet choices?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they behind the times?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-39485050413352101182011-01-31T08:56:00.000-08:002011-01-31T09:00:48.297-08:00BBQ in January!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31A3aM38_8gTsui39RuRVJ3bKkcQ6uas2m3-aOy8WprzKE7obdXZNTZD5RJmA9eZHqzO8JsHh-s6Ly8SXjyn-fQ7o07JHXYvUk5V6x-mNpM7iSElIO5qGddDk9_oSsx9WKLbFN5_NZFM/s1600/kabob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31A3aM38_8gTsui39RuRVJ3bKkcQ6uas2m3-aOy8WprzKE7obdXZNTZD5RJmA9eZHqzO8JsHh-s6Ly8SXjyn-fQ7o07JHXYvUk5V6x-mNpM7iSElIO5qGddDk9_oSsx9WKLbFN5_NZFM/s320/kabob.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my absolute favorite dinners is shish kabobs!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Kabobs are the perfect dinner because they’re quick, they’re easy and they’re delicious.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re a great kind of dinner to get the kids involved with (learning opportunity!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s just so invigorating to have BBQ when it’s cold and blustery out!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kabobs are one of those foods where you don’t really need a recipe—just imagination!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m a big fan of <strong><span style="color: #990000;">Teriyaki Kabobs</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll use a lean cut of beef (like filet mignon or top round), zucchini, mushrooms, and green peppers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lightly brush some teriyaki sauce over top and you’re good to grill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have calories left for some extra carbs, you can even have a little brown rice on the side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are also the classic <strong><span style="color: #990000;">BBQ Kabobs</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like BBQ chicken best, but I like to mix it up with snow peas, mushrooms, and asparagus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have friends who love to add some pineapple to their BBQ kabobs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here in Seattle, you can pretty much grill all year round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my parents, buried in snow in Pennsylvania right now, also do a lot of winter grilling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t have a grill, your broiler is actually a great way to fake it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No broiler?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A ridged skillet and some olive oil are all you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re going to want a very hot heat on the stove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want to cook them, you want to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sear</i> them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">And it’s a perfect dinner to involve the whole family!</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get the kids to cut veggies (with supervision, of course) or and have them skewer the kabobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll be the perfect time to explain why veggies and protein are so important for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I guarantee that kids are far more interested in eating their veggies when they get to see where they came from and how they’re made.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have favorites for your own kabobs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or does the sound of winter grilling just make you shiver?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-88079788515712674412011-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:002011-01-26T09:47:40.372-08:00Ready! Set! Eat?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People, I have discovered one of the most amazing tools ever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our friend over at <a href="http://www.leavingfatville.com/">Leaving Fatville</a> turned me on to <a href="http://www.readyseteat.com/">http://www.readyseteat.com/</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awesome!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, whether you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight (or just don’t care), <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>this is the perfect website for planning our last minute dinners</strong></span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The basics: You tell it how much time you have and what kind of main ingredient you’d like, and then it spits out some quick and easy dinner recipes for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can enter your zip code and select your normal grocery store (so that it can tell you what ingredients are on sale).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND there’s a “Healthier Recipes” button to filter out the high calorie dinners.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Awesomeness:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>The recipes are designed to be quick and simple</strong></span>, but flavorful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You won’t have to go scrounging for hard-to-find ingredients, and you won’t be spending a fortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you register on the site, you can rate recipes and find other coupons and offers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pitfalls: Even the “Healthier Recipes” aren’t perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re trying to lose weight, the worst thing you could do is just pick one of their healthy recipes and assume the calories are low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easier than pie to substitute what are obviously paid sponsor foods (like Banquet frozen chicken) and just use plain chicken breast in your recipe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can’t even tell you how thrilled I am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been in one of those ruts where I’m eating the same five dinners every week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While that’s ok with Mr. Husband, I’m getting bored and quick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see me using this on the weekends to plan out my meals for the week (so I don’t have to make last minute stops at the store).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any great suggestions on how to keep dinners simple but creative?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any weekly timesavers you’ve discovered?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite easy recipes?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-51924908186799033512011-01-24T10:04:00.000-08:002011-01-24T10:04:03.657-08:00Skipping the Gym<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was meeting with my trainer the other day—I figured a good way to jumpstart my fitness is a couple weeks of visiting the ol’ trainer—and he was asking me about my weekly schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him a rundown of the classes I like and machines I like on days when I don’t have class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked, “What days are your days off?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">I don’t schedule myself days off from working out because they seem to happen all on their own!</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Those are the days when you get home from work, having every intention of going to the gym throughout the day, but after cooking dinner you just can’t seem to muster the energy to head back out again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often I feel guilty for not making any effort to be active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why I have a few Plan B’s at home!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>One of my favorite at-home activities is video games!</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this sentence takes you by surprise, then you haven’t been paying much attention to what your kids are playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents have a Wii—my mom loves the Wii Zumba and Wii Fit games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got my brother the Wario Smooth Moves game for Christmas and you’d be shocked at the sweat you can build up just paying a simple game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At our house, we have a new Kinect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the Dance Central game (I can’t dance, but I’m a star!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t have any machines or weights at home, but <strong><span style="color: #990000;">I did splurge on a </span></strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quest-1205732-BOSU-Balance-Trainer/dp/B000WZXPH8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1295846811&sr=8-4"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Bosu Ball</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: #990000;">.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a great tool that I can use for balance, abs, legs, pushups or anything I can think of!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t have to fill your house with fitness aids or bulky machines (that just end up holding your laundry).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you pick one tool to keep around, you have a backup plan for those days when you just want to stay in, like a yoga mat, a balance disc, or an exercise band.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What kind of backup plan do you have for when your normal routine gives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any favorite DVD workouts?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you tried other simple exercises that don’t require any equipment?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-10954944921662181992011-01-21T16:06:00.000-08:002011-01-21T16:06:42.694-08:00Diet Food Protest<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lovely Lorrie, over at The Token Fat Girl, <a href="http://www.myallnaturalweightloss.com/diet-food-vs-health-food/1771/">posted an interesting personal discovery this week</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was talking about <strong><span style="color: #990000;">the differences between “diet food” and “health food.”</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She defines “diet food” as anything in a package that has a weight loss claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it was a very good description!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the foods that you might like or not like, but that we can easily find ourselves gravitating toward in our search for that quick fix weight loss solution.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Health food,” on the other hand, is what I think Miss Lorrie would describe as anything natural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s safe to say that these are the foods that we all know we should eat every day, but most likely don’t.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, we know that any food—however we classify it—can potentially be unhealthy in large amounts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avocado is definitely a natural food, but if you choose to each 20 avocados every day you’re certainly not going to lose any weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">But most of us generally don’t get enough of these “health foods” in our diets every day.</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, yesterday I decided to only eat like 4 of my Zone protein bars, some Greek yogurt and granola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say I desperately need to go grocery shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calorie-wise, my day was great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hit my 1200 calorie goal with no problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nutrition-wise, well… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my day was lacking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever feel like you need to strike from your “diet food?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does your “diet food” make you feel deprived?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or do you feel that it helps you not feel deprived?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-24570804734587801472011-01-17T10:20:00.000-08:002011-01-17T10:20:07.953-08:00Kings and Queens of Reasoning<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s Sunday afternoon, and you’re still in your pajamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurs to you that you should head to the gym at some point in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you still have the house to tidy up and some laundry to throw in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and you were hoping to run to the grocery store, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time you did that errand, it would be dinner time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you had been pretty good with your eating so far in the day, so it was no big deal if you didn’t make it to the gym.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">It’s so easy to reason away those things you’ve committed yourself to!</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find reasoning far better than just making excuses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With excuses, at least you feel a little guilty for your decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you reason your way to a decision, there’s no guilt because you had perfectly good reasons!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the scary thing is—I reasoned away my need to get to the gym for the entire month of December.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can reason away your need to eat fewer calories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can reason away your need to drink plenty of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saving your money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Working reasonable hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staying active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our commitments and resolutions float away on a river of reasons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">The best way I have found to help fight the urge to reason is to make sure I have rules and routine in place.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Monday I attend Body Attack and Fridays are Zumba nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a rule, I try to get to the gym at least four nights a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On principle, I never schedule myself off days (because they seem to happen all on their own without me scheduling them).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you have a rule that can stop you in your reasoning tracks, or a sense of routine that prevents you from even getting to that point where you’re reasoning away your need.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How to you keep yourself on track?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you find that once you start making reasons that it gets harder to get back on track?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do to not give yourself room for reasons?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-51029430451509693502011-01-14T10:51:00.000-08:002011-01-14T10:51:26.276-08:00Protein Bar Puzzle<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s a lot of talk out there over protein bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are touted as meal replacements, diet aids, snacks or nutrition supplements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what should we do with them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you pick a good one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do any good ones even exist, or do they all taste like Styrofoam?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m here to help!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Protein bars can be a big part of weight loss and weight maintenance.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can use them as snacks or meal replacements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing protein bars are not: nutritional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter how many vitamins they pack in them, a protein bar cannot replace vegetables and fruits—natural sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often use protein bars to replace a breakfast when I know I don’t have time to put anything together or a snack when I know I’m going to be crazy busy at work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you’re choosing a protein bar, your choice is going to <strong><span style="color: #990000;">first be based on the nutritional facts</span></strong> and <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>second on the taste</strong></span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you’re looking at the nutritional facts, what’s the most important number?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Protein!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why it’s called a “Protein Bar!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want there to be more grams of protein than fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, there will be 10 grams of protein or more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since you’re already comparing your protein number to your fat number, you simply want to make sure there’s as little fat as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There should definitely be less fat than protein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, there will be 5 grams of fat or less.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next number you’re looking for is carbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you start looking at the number of carbs in protein bars, you’re going to be in for a shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the most part, you don’t want any more than 25 grams of carbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If more than 50 percent of those carbs is sugar, chances are that you’re not holding a protein bar in your hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Say “hello” to the candy bar that snuck its way into that section with fancy words like “nutrition” and “all-natural.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’re following the rules listed above, you’ll get a protein bar that’s between 150 and 200 calories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a list here of bars that I have tried and that actually taste good!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Special K Protein Meal Bar</span></strong> (Strawberry)<br />
170 Calories, 5g Fat, 25g Carb (15g Sugar), 10g Protein</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Zone Perfect All-Natural Nutrition Bar</strong></span> (Double Dark Chocolate)<br />
190 Calories, 6g Fat, 22g Carb (14g Sugar), 12g Protein </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Luna Bar</strong></span> (Peanut Butter Cookie)<br />
180 Calories, 6g Fat, 26g Carb (11g Sugar), 9g Protein</span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve tried a lot of protein bars, and some of them are just disgusting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you tried any good ones?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any we should avoid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were you surprised by the nutrition numbers on your own protein bar?</span></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-56393053822227011902011-01-13T13:52:00.000-08:002011-01-13T13:52:58.761-08:00Year of the Happy Medium<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I guest posted on <a href="http://healthylivingblogs.com/">Healthy Living Blogs</a> (a fantastic resource for all topics health related)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my first guest cameo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve giving a rundown of my New Year’s resolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://healthylivingblogs.com/2011/01/making-2011-my-healthiest-year-yet-live-it-out-everyday/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HealthyLivingBlogs+%28Healthy+Living+Blogs%29">Check it out!</a></span></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-84458779715800153882011-01-12T11:46:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:46:21.832-08:00That Fleeting Good Feeling<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During my December eating extravaganza, I pretty much let myself eat anything I wanted to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I over-ate on several occasions, and I think about ninety percent of my eating was sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was mostly aware of the choices I was making, but it just felt so good!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>When it comes to sugar, I have a very real and very noticeable physical reaction.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when that sugar leaves my body, I can feel that, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed how quickly my old cycle of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sugar high</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crash</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sugar seeking</i> became habit again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so very similar to a drug addict seeking their next high.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">But the high is never lasting.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was scary how quickly my body became used to the sugar again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would look at a bowl of M&Ms and realize that it wouldn’t be enough to get that good feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would want the cookies instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would add hot chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was eating constantly, but eventually, it wasn’t making a difference in how I felt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I didn’t feel energized like I normally do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel like I could go dancing or run around the block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt comatose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But gosh darn it—I “felt” good.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s interesting how our brains interpret these situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the sugar was sending endorphins and opioids to my brain, I interpreted it as feeling good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I compared that feeling to my normal state, it wasn’t good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t like the way that I felt.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you had any moments like this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moments when you realize that something you thought you desired wasn’t really anything you wanted?</span></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-30830756650722177562011-01-10T09:34:00.000-08:002011-01-10T09:34:38.147-08:00Change It up!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, one of the most sure fire ways to keep my workout routine consistent is to <strong><span style="color: #990000;">keep it fun and challenging</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you let boredom creep into your routine, every workout will become a fight to stay on track.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many times we want to change up our habits, but all we do is move from the elliptical machine to the stair master.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re afraid of leaving our comfort zone; we bore ourselves into failure!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>This year we’re going to be brave!</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are going to do what we’ve never done!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’re one of those elliptical machine people (meaning, four days a week you put in your 30 minutes on the same machine), <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>try a group class!</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are plenty of cardio classes that would shock some fun into your schedule, as well as give you an opportunity to work a few other muscle groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zumba classes are everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love Les Mills classes—Body Attack, Body Combat and Sh’Bam.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’re one of those group class people (meaning, you only attend classes and hate to work out alone), <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>grab a buddy or a trainer and do some strength training!</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might have variety of muscle groups, but you probably don’t have the strength you could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll see some gigantic men and women in the weight areas, but I promise they are very nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many are more than willing to help you find weights or give you a quick instructional on how to work a machine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’re one of those weight lifting people (meaning, you only bulk up), <strong><span style="color: #990000;">try a martial arts class</span></strong> or the Les Mills Body Combat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll find it will let you still work in some strength training (as well as make you feel like there’s a use to all those muscles now) while letting you build in some cardio to your schedule.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally, my running friends!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re one of those marathon freaks (meaning, you’re a marathon freak—you know who you are), <span style="color: #990000;"><strong>try anything else!</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many runners have very healthy hearts and keep their weight in check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is you’re only working out one very small muscle group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you play a game of basket ball or jump on the trampoline with your kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you help a friend move some furniture or climb a rock wall?</span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How are you going to change up your routine this year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What have you been dying to try but always been too afraid?</span></span>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-64171969434995937962011-01-07T08:14:00.000-08:002011-01-07T08:14:57.020-08:00Brown-Bagging It<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My coworkers drive me insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone complains about their holiday weight gain; yet, everyday at lunch, everyone is asking what restaurant we want to go to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day it is “Who else wants Mexican?” or “Does anyone want Jimmy John’s?” or “Where are you going for lunch?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear I’m just going to start packing them all a lunch every day because I’m tired of it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">It’s tough being that one person brown-bagging it.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, when it comes down to it, I think my lunches look so much better than anyone else’s!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And my lunches always range from 300 to 450 calories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my favorites is <strong><span style="color: #990000;">Turkey Teriyaki</span></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guarantee you have left over turkey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ladies, grab about 4-5 ounces of turkey; guys will probably want 5-6 ounces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t smother your turkey in teriyaki sauce—measure yourself a serving and keep it on the side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you dip your turkey into it, you’re going to eat much less sauce but still get plenty of flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll often take one of those Steam Fresh bags of broccoli and then add a piece of fruit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lot of people think you need to eat nothing but salad in order to lose weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll notice a significant lack of salads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Here’s my favorite salad!</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start with some spring greens or spinach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add a few slices of grapefruit and tangerines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Top it off with a small slice of grilled salmon (grill the night before and eat it cold, it’s delicious)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flavor combination is fantastic, and you’ll be getting some heart healthy fats into your diet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever get to lunch time and just want something sweet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Kashi makes some fantastic high protein and high fiber cereals.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the Almond Flax Crunch because it’s sweetened just enough (and I love Almonds).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a cup of cereal and add to a cup of Chobani Greek Yogurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have great flavors—I just tried the pomegranate today, but my favorite is the peach!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have fat free and 2% options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a quick way to get a good amount of protein and satisfy that sweet tooth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Got any good brown bag ideas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seen anyone else bring in the kind of packed lunch that makes you wish you hadn’t gone out?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-16959276346052936182011-01-05T11:29:00.000-08:002011-01-05T11:29:18.870-08:00Creative Resolutions<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately—everyone is on one of two wagons: the Weight-Loss-Resolution Wagon or the Resolutions-Don’t-Help-Anyone Wagon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’ve been seeing a lot of really creative resolutions!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vicky, my oh-so-sexy Body Attack instructor, is committing to drinking more water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine is going to give another shot at quitting smoking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My husband hasn’t explicity said so, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to try his darnedest to cut soda out of his day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great resolutions that make big steps toward making their lives healthier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are a few more <strong><span style="color: #990000;">creative resolutions</span></strong> I’ve seen:</span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will not compare myself to other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be content with myself, my home and my possessions.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will not be so busy that I do not have spare moments for myself or anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will make sure to leave margins in my schedule.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will read 30 books in 2011 (and magazines don’t count but graphic novels totally do).</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will not acquire any new debt in 2011.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will not eat any fast food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will either eat at home or be discerning with the places I do choose to eat out at.</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Some of these creative resolutions could potentially have a greater impact</span></strong> on your life (and your weight) than simply a resolution to lose weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you seen any other interesting resolutions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you thought about adjusting your own resolutions?</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598630263750062537.post-36674437412272793962011-01-03T21:08:00.000-08:002011-01-03T21:08:10.738-08:00Your Beginning!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome to 2011!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The holidays are behind us, and we’re staring down a fresh start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love a clean slate!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I don’t care who you are—we all need a clean slate right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether you’re a size 2 or a 26, you’re a couple pounds heavier than you were at the beginning of October.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here we are armed with our resolutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re ready to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re committed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we’ve been here before…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyone remember their 2010 resolutions?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year, we’re going to do some reflection over our resolutions and set ourselves up for success!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> <strong><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></strong></span></span></span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Is my resolution too lofty?</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to ask if it was “realistic” or “attainable.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your resolution is to lose 100 pounds, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> and are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">capable</i> of doing that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when you set your first goal too high, you guarantee yourself a struggle in reaching it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make your goal easy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set yourself to lose 5 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll reach it quickly and can set your next goal at 10 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give yourself room for momentum.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> <span style="color: #990000;"><strong> </strong></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Is my resolution really my goal?</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you really want to lose 5 pounds, or do you want to feel better about yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe your goal is really to feel physically fit or to be able to run up the stairs without being winded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these goals have very different ways of getting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you may work at your resolution, but never feel the happiness you could if you actually accomplish your real goal.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> <strong><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></strong></span></span></span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Can I see myself achieving my resolution?</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can’t visualize it, you’ll never get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t realize how much we hold ourselves back!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you reach your goal, it may be completely different from how you even imagined (I could never have truly imagined my life as it is now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you need to be able to see yourself reaching that finish line—the subconscious knowledge that you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are your resolutions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you plan on adjusting your resolution at all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>January 3 isn’t too late to do a little midcourse correction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Share your resolution</span></strong> and book mark this page—visit back to remind yourself of your real goals.</span></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836913725156756930noreply@blogger.com2