Category: diet

Breakfast Makes Champions

breakfast

 

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day, or so your Mom always told you. Turns out she was right. So why then, do so many people not take Mom’s advice ?

Breakfast is the most skipped meal of the day.

Why? Two reasons are at the top of the list. People believe they are “to busy”, or they view skipping breakfast as a way to help “lose weight”.

Oh, I was there in the past. I, like many out there, had this ridiculous misguided notion that if I did, it would help me lose weight.

So it went like this:

Wake up from an all  night fast. ( bet you never thought of it like that, did you? But think about the last time you ate…you’ve been fasting)

Think about how I needed to lose weight ( or if I was at a “thin zone” it was to help keep me there and I decided starvation mode was a much better plan than anything else.)

Start my day and then get progressively hungrier.

Finally, lunch time, with a small amount of food.

Then afternoon hit and the “small” snacking began to try and off set the hunger I’d been battling all day. “Just enough to hold me till dinner…..”

And then… the main event… the BIG thing I’d waited for. My first real, satisfying meal all day long.

Dinner. Let the feasting begin.

Are you shaking your head agreeing? Been there done that? Maybe you still do. I hope not.

I have been reformed from such thinking, a few years now.

Why?

I figured out I feel better ( go figure) I eat better in my day and I eat less, and hey I’m really not into starving for fun… not anymore… food is good.

Unfortunately, the thinking that breakfast leads to weight loss is just not true. In fact, it works against us.  Feeding our bodies something in the morning kick starts our metabolism, stabilizes blood sugar, gives our bodies necessary vitamins and minerals and hey, our tummy stops making bad noises 😉 It also reduces our risk for over eating or cravings later in the day. It also stands to reason without properly fueling your body, you will be lacking energy and be less physically active.

I’ve learned by paying attention to my body if I eat a good, solid protein packed breakfast, I don’t think about food for a long time.  I don’t crave anything and I feel level ( meaning my blood sugar level stays nice and steady which helps with cravings or getting hungry)

I ‘ve also had to learn from an athletic standpoint that I need a “mini meal” or snack before I take off on some physical activity that will keep my body going for an hour or hours.  This has been a process for me because my old way of disordered thinking is ” I don’t need those extra calories”… but actually I do.

I’ve also had to learn how to fuel my body after my long workouts. Now days the danger for me is not eating enough sometimes to really replace what I’ve lost and keep me from getting hungry soon after again.

Breakfast is important. Breakfast is the kick start fuel for our day. If you’re athletic it plays an even stronger role in your day.

Do you know you should structure your meals in probably the exact opposite of the way you eat them ?

We tend to eat dinner as our biggest meal of the day. Ideally you should start with breakfast being your bigger meal, a smaller lunch, and dinner being your lightest meal.

If you think about it, it makes sense.  You need more calories and energy to take on the demands of your day than when you are winding down for the evening and going to be more sedentary.

So if you aren’t a breakfast eater, or think you are just “to busy” to eat it what do you do ?

First, if you aren’t try be practicing with small things in the morning. Maybe a banana and milk or a glass of oj and a piece of toast… anything small to begin the shift of making it a new habit.

If you think you’re to busy.. trust me… I get it! Some mornings I come sailing in from a workout with my mind on what I need to get to and before I know it I’m cleaning up and I know I need food but I just don’t have time to cook.

One of my favorite easy protein packed go to “meals” is a bowl of non-fat plain Greek yogurt loaded with fresh berries and almonds.  I can easily eat it while I’m getting ready.  I also use cottage cheese sometimes instead of the yogurt.

Consider other things that are fast you can eat… fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, cheese, a bagel, oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts.. Get creative with things you like that are easy and fast to eat.

The idea is to find foods you can eat that will give you energy, help kick start your morning, and give you the best start to your day you can get.

With a little practice you’ll be on the road to eating a good breakfast and having more energy for all you have to do in your busy day 🙂

 

So You Eat Healthy

green and red healthy food

 

“So you eat healthy?”  I heard it behind me but didn’t pay much attention ’cause I was lost in rapture at how totally gorgeous and big the red peppers were.  I just assumed in a store full of people that it wasn’t directed at me.

“So you eat healthy?” that broke my concentration in my study of the lovely red peppers. Still grasping one in my hand I turned around looking for the one directing the question now obviously at me.

Then I realized I had to look down somewhat as there was a young man in one of those motorized carts with his gaze fixed on me as he repeated the question again… for the third time.

I glanced at my basket that was full of produce, smiled at him, and said “yeah,  for the most part I do eat healthy”

“It’s so hard, isn’t it!” he blurted out

Still clutching a pepper in my hand and stuffing it into the bag, I glanced at him and said “No, I don’t think so. At least it’s not for me now.”

He then started telling me how his “doctor told him he needed to start eating better and healthier” and he was trying but it was just so hard but he knew it was something he had to do for his health.

I offered him some encouraging words and a few suggestions before I left him looking kinda pathetic studying the produce.

I’ll tell you this, if he’s in one of those little carts and he has a doctor making these suggestions to him, it sounds kinda serious. I certainly didn’t probe into the details but it appeared he needed to make some changes for the betterment of his health.

If you know my story and back round, 8 years back my doctor made a suggestion that I might change some things I was doing for my health. Thankfully, I had no health issues or problems that forced me into it. Thankfully, I listened to his advice and made some changes to create a healthier lifestyle for myself.

Sometimes, people wait till it’s to late or they are dealing with issues before they are forced to recognize their bodies aren’t designed to consume to much sugar, fats, processed foods, alcohol etc that contributes to excess fat which in turn leads to all kinds of health related problems and diseases.

Our bodies need good food for health and well being.

It’s not supposed to be something horrible and torturous to eat good nutritionally dense foods. It shouldn’t be viewed as some kind of death sentence.

“I have to eat healthy”

Believe it or not, in time, you lose your desire for so much of the not so nutritionally good foods as you feed your body more healthy foods. You really will begin to crave them and want to eat them and it won’t make you feel like you’re “missing out”

Listen, what you will miss out on for having health problems and other related ills is an energetic life or having a body that is strong and able to do things with your family and for yourself.  There are diseases brought on by obesity that you just don’t wanna mess around with. Some of those things can’t be changed and the effects they have on your body are permanent and lasting.

You don’t wanna “miss out” on an active abundant life. That’s what you don’t wanna miss out on.

Learning to pass on foods that don’t build a healthy body shouldn’t be viewed in a negative way.

Your focus should be on caring for your body so you can fully and energetically enjoy the precious life you’ve been given.

I like being able to run and chase little kids and walk stairs and park far from the store and not be huffing and puffing. I like having energy and knowing I can take on things I have to do in my day and not be exhausted from the exertion.

No. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.

But it has taken me some practice, discipline and intentional steps to get where I am.

Can I offer these words of advice to you? If you know you’re carrying excess fat ( and trust me, we ALL know when we are) please don’t wait till you’re at a doctors office and he’s giving you the ultimatum of ” you must do this now or else….”

Begin to take small steps that will lead to bigger changes.

Look for ways to get more movement into your day.

Learn to try a new vegetable. Learn how to cook them different ways ( I love roasting almost everything ! A little olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper, I’m in heaven 😉

Aim to eventually get veggies in at all your meals.

Understand what proper portion sizes are. I can guarantee, it’s not what you probably think it is.

Learn to eat enough to be satisfied but not stuffed.

Watch your alcohol intake.

Be aware of how much sugar you consume. Sugary drinks are huge offenders.

Stop going through fast food places, or learn to look for healthier options if you do.

Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry. Sounds simple, yet so many people reach for food to comfort them on some level. Find other activities, remove yourself from the kitchen, or call a friend… just do anything to give yourself time to think through why you don’t need to put food in your face.

In time, with repeated practice your new habits will take over leading you to a healthier energetic lifestyle and that’s one decision you won’t regret.

 

Tell me… is eating healthy hard for you?

The All Or Nothing Approach

all_or_nothing_logo_design_by_dannygdesigns-d527xic

So as I eagerly shared with you in my last post, I have jumped more into the world of cycling with the purchase of my first professional cycling bike ( I wanted to sleep with it after I brought it home. Put it outside?? haha)

In the week that I’ve had it we’ve been getting acquainted with one another. I have to take a little time to do that.

Being on a new bike is like buying a new car.

You simply have to spend some time with it to see how it responds, and how it handles under you. You learn how much you can push it and how fast you can stop when you do push it. You learn how fast you can go on curves 😉

Actually, I’m being good and haven’t really pushed the speed a lot yet.

There is also time for your body to adjust to the differences as well. Being on a bike that is sized and adjusted to my body, obviously positions me very differently from my other bike that I had adjusted as much as possible for my arms and legs.

Therefore, I’m feeling it in different ways after a ride. As much as I’ve wanted to take off and go ….for miles…. in this week I’ve kept the rides short… usually between 8-10 miles.  It gives me enough time to settle in and adjust but not so much that I’m uncomfortable later.

It’s hard mentally knowing what I can do, but keeping it in check to allow myself time to adapt to the changes with the new bike. If I jumped in and took off on my usual route which hits somewhere between 20-25 miles…. I might not be feeling so great the next day and left feeling like I wanted to do nothing because I hurt.

I cannot take an all or nothing approach to conditioning myself for new athletic adventures.

To continue strong  in my training means being practical to my approach in training if I want to make consistent progress.

Yet… so often when I’m talking with people about health and weight loss there is an “all or nothing” approach to it.

I must give up everything to be successful. No fun. Nothing good.  Lots of exercise.  Rice cakes and celery sticks, here I come.

OR

I will just eat whatever. Exercise doesn’t matter so much. I’m ok the way I am. I’ll get to it…someday… maybe… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it.

An all or nothing approach to weight loss and fitness never works either.

In fact, it’s designed to fail.

For instance, things that make me cringe. You’ve seen those “30 Day Challenges”?  You know, something like get up to 3,000 squats by the end of the month or a zillion pushups?

Ok, I might be slightly exaggerating but the effects would be the same.  If you crawled off the sofa and just started pushing your body hard with activities it wasn’t used to, well, most likely by day 2 you’re gonna be so sore you’ll be using that challenge chart to start a fire.

Maybe you just decide you’re going to go start running and try a few miles.. and you haven’t even done walking miles yet. It could be anything.

When you just throw yourself into it with no preparation, your body will let you know it’s not happy about it.

You had that crazy moment of going after it “all” approach… and now you are paying for it… which is when you decide the “nothing” approach is probably better.

What a vicious cycle!  No wonder so many give up frustrated and discouraged with the process and quit.

What if, you built a plan, that was gradual, consistent and sustainable?   A plan that allowed your body to adapt to the changes you were putting it through?

Much like I cannot just get up and run a marathon without months of training or do a really long ride on a brand new bike without some adjustment, you cannot just jump in to extremes and expect long term success.

Beginning with a few days a week, alternating days with low intensity exercise will allow your body to adapt and prevent extreme soreness with will sideline you. Each week you can add a little more to what you do.

Learning to slowly make daily dietary changes will keep you from feeling deprived and then later binging because you’ve restricted yourself so much.   A slow steady approach adding in new healthier choices, cutting back on not so healthy choices, learning to eat enough to satisfy your appetite, but not to much, as well as learning to eat when you’re truly hungry are all positive habits to building nutritional success.

Implementing these things gradually and consistently will take away the “all or nothing” approach, which will lead you to permanent and long term success.

Tell me… have you done that in your quest to lose weight or develop an exercise regime? Have you taken on an all or nothing approach? Did that work?

 

The Biggest Loser And The Biggest Lies

weight loss

 

Weight loss. It seems to be on almost everyone’s list. Whether it’s those last nagging 5-10 lbs or 100lbs.

There’s one thing everyone probably feels the same on… they want the weight gone and they usually want it gone fast.

Instant gratification. Instant results. Look lean overnight. No flab. Fit. “Toned”.

It just doesn’t happen. You don’t get fat over night and you won’t get thinner over night.

Enter shows like “The Biggest Loser”.  A game. A competition. Winner takes all prize money and the claim of winning… not to mention a smaller body than what they started with. Shows like this tell us lies about healthy living. They tell lies about what you need to do to have a level of success in becoming more fit.

Sadly, I’ve always viewed it as a show gambling with peoples lives. I always wondered what the real health effects could be to those who participated.  Some of these people are well… huge… and they have them doing so much hard work and doing it like… a zillion times a day with a huge calorie deficit. What consequences could they suffer ?

The show also shows us some lies I believe we’re led to believe about weight loss.

Well interestingly enough an article just came out this week that I’ve been following…and can I say …. I have a lot of thoughts on it? Perhaps you’ve seen it on TV or the internet.

I mean… my two cents worth… but some of the things trouble me.

I’m certainly no “expert” or “professional” but I do view weight loss in a sane and practical manner. It’s worked for many and also people I know and have worked with.

The article overall was pointing out that the contestants metabolisms had slowed because of the extreme process they put their body through losing weight ( no surprise there) and that nearly all had gained their weight back ( and a few gained back more weight) the article cited that their bodies basically fought to get back to an ideal weight and that’s why they were gaining the weight back.

Ok… I do believe that we all have a weight “zone”. That is a place where our bodies are naturally, and biologically meant to be. It explains why you might think you want to weight 150… and you’re at 155… and you work like crazy to achieve that number… but without constant, rigid, determined discipline… you will go back to 155. YET…. it’s probably easier and more sustainable for you to stay and hold that weight than it is at 150 because your body might be naturally designed, biologically, to be at the 155 weight.

Personally, I’ve found that to be true. As an athletic person I’ve realized I have a weight that I see when I’m in heavy training. I’m super lean and don’t ever have to think much about what I’m eating ( no, I don’t eat whatever, I still eat healthy) I realized when I’m not in heavy training ( like running 40-50 miles a week) by body naturally went back to where I was before heavy training. It’s a weight that I stay within 5 lbs of one way or the other. I don’t stress over it and I don’t think much about it. It’s pretty sustainable for me… meaning I don’t have to rigidly control my eating or exercise in unhealthy ways to stay there.

There is no way I can sustain the heavy training I do for a marathon or when I was ultra training, all the time. No matter how much mentally I might want to do it. Naturally, that kind of exercise will keep me pretty lean.

Same with contestants on this program. They worked them out 3-4 times a day. They worked out for 7 hours a day, every day. One man reported burning  8,000-9,000 calories a day.

Do you see a problem here ??

Without this high level of calorie output, something will give.

Then, you take people who have been in a pretty deprived environment of all things they’ve loved… involving food….. you restrict them in crazy ways… they are hungry all the time….

then when the show is over…. they go back to their life… and here is what I believe ( and again, just my own thoughts and opinions)

you can put someone through the paces of losing weight by exercising them hard and drastically cutting calories, but if there isn’t a mental change with food… we’ve got problems boys and girls.

If they haven’t learned to build new positive habits to replace the negative or if they don’t have an understanding of WHY they eat… we’ve got problems.

People don’t weigh hundreds of pounds without there being deeper issues and problems that need addressed.  If there hasn’t been behavioral changes they will go right back to what they know and what feels comfortable.

Yes, they all probably have some metabolic issues now due to what they put their bodies through. But when you gain back hundreds of pounds, that is an eating issue. There is no way someone’s “ideal” weight is 400 lbs. or 300 or whatever. You don’t get to that weight without eating food…and a lot of it.

So when they go back to old eating habits, and aren’t exercising in the insane way they did during the show… the writing is on the wall… and when they’ve been taken so far in the rapid weight loss direction ( because it’s so fast and crazy) their body will respond and start adding weight back on. Call it our bodies survival mode kicking in.

The article does say they are encouraged to exercise at least 9 hours a week and monitor their diets to keep the weight off. This is certainly sane and practical advice…but they have to do it.

This now becomes their responsibility…. and if they have the same negative habits in place or aren’t strong enough in new ones… they will slide back.

One contestant talks about how two treats can turn into a 3 day binge.  Binge eating will obviously lead to a return of weight.

One man is only eating 800 calories a day in the “real” world. 800! Talk about messing with your metabolism.

Ok.. I will just say the whole article kinda left me with my mouth hanging open. One mans workout “routine” after the show….. was nothing short of brutal… workouts all through out his day…hours… and with hardly enough food to support all of his exercise. No wonder his body didn’t want to give up fat.

I’ll tell you what troubles me most over this whole thing….well there’s a couple things….

First, I’m worried that overweight/obese people will see this and say… “well, see I’m just meant to be this way because it’s natural, biological” and try and justify it…kinda like the new “I have a thyroid disorder” reason for not being able to lose weight or being heavy ( and for the record… I have thyroid issues so I can say that.) I’ll say it again… no one is biologically meant to naturally, and in a healthy way, weigh hundreds of pounds.

The BIGGEST  thing that got me in that article?

this line….”the only way to maintain weight loss is to be hungry all the time.”

Really? Really????

Why on earth do you think people fail at it? They hate being hungry! I hate being hungry. We aren’t meant to walk through our days miserable, hungry, and constantly thinking about food. The next meal. The next thing we can put in our mouth.

That is disordered thinking.

We have a life to live and it shouldn’t be focused on when we can consume our next meal, or being so hungry it’s all we can think about.

I lost weight slowly and steadily over a period of a couple years. I didn’t starve myself. I ate food. I learned to eat the right amounts of food. I didn’t walk around hungry ’cause I’m not into that kind of sick pain 😉 It’s what has kept me successful… and others too who do this… you eat to lose weight and you don’t live in a state of being hungry.

Again, I’m certainly not some expert but I think this article and the show in itself reveal a few things .

  • Slow, steady weight loss is what is required for it to be sustainable and lasting.
  • Fueling our body with adequate and healthy foods with purposeful exercise is really the only way to achieve those goals of weight loss.
  • You are not on a time frame to make it happen. Live your life one day at a time, seeking to make good choices, forgiving yourself for not so good days and continuing to take steps forward.
  • Don’t quit. Know that things are going on even if you can’t sometimes “see” anything.
  • Without changing our negative habits, and understanding our relationship with food and why and when we eat it, lifestyle change will be hard.
  • More isn’t always better. This is a huge lie.  The extreme measures people went through show us that exercising for hours  during the day and drastically reducing our food will contribute to metabolic issues and our bodies will fight back against these things.

If you are working to lose weight remember there are no quick fixes or extreme measures to permanent success. There are no magic pills, potions, drinks or elixirs to make you thinner. (use that money to buy good food!) Putting on weight takes time, and taking off weight takes time. Don’t buy into overhyped lies that try to tell you any different.

So dear readers, have you read the article on The Biggest Loser contestants? What do you think about it? Do you ever think such extreme measures are successful? What has helped you be successful in weight loss?

 

 

The Numbers Game

numbers

Numbers. We can’t move through life without encountering them, can we ? In school I really had a not so good relationship with math. I just didn’t get why the alphabet needed to be added in to confuse things. Thank goodness for a patient teacher who worked with me to get me through my final year in high school.

Why can’t numbers be as much fun as words!?

Words tell stories and paint pictures. You can visually set pictures in someone’s mind with words and artistically create with them.

Numbers are a slow form of torture to me… but nonetheless they are a part of life. I do have a good working relationship with them now… but I still prefer words 😉

Of course we deal with them in practical ways in life. We handle money, work with finances, deal with time, and for some, their jobs might heavily involve numbers and epic number skills.

There are other numbers we deal with too… on a health and wellness level we deal with the numbers on a scale, the measurements of our bodies, numbers from lab work and the numbers of our blood pressure and heart rate, to the sizes of clothes we wear.

Now I’ve written several posts on the scale and how that shouldn’t dominate our life or determine our worth. And it’s true… it shouldn’t. I’ve talked about keeping your focus on being healthy and loving yourself. A scale is only a single tool in our health journey, and definitely not the only one. Nor does it determine our overall health.

Let me be perfectly clear… I knew exactly when I was carrying to much fat and what those numbers on the scale meant. As adults, we know when we’re overweight, and need to change that for our own continued good health. When I talk about not being defined by numbers I am not encouraging you to stay in a place of not being the best “healthy you” that you can be. Excess fat contributes to many preventable health issues and I will always encourage you to move in a direction that will lessen that on your body.

I trust you will take the necessary steps to get to your healthy weight zone and we all have what is considered a healthy weight zone. By that I mean a 5 lb balance in either direction of our ideal weight.

When I was on my journey to lose weight I accepted where I was at for that moment. I just focused on loving myself right where I was as I moved towards my goal of getting fat gone.

Today, whereas I’m not focused on those numbers, I am aware of them.  I am aware of the numbers on scale even though I don’t weigh in often.

I am aware of my sizes ( yes, I say sizes because most women have a couple they can land between) I have jeans that I consider to be perfect for me so as long as they are fitting well I’m good. And yeah, I can still get excited when my hard work is revealed in smaller pants.

Shallow? Maybe. Or just a reward for hard work, discipline and eventual success for my labor?

I’m aware of my measurements.

I know because of my body composition now, I’m measured more by body fat percentage, than a BMI number.

I’m aware of my heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, resting heart rate and what my lab numbers are.

I’m aware of these things because I know they all play a part together in all of who I am.

These things don’t define me… or give me worth… but they are important for me to have an awareness of for my overall health and well being.

So I want to encourage you, if you’re on a journey to lose weight and get fit, awesome!

Keep in mind the importance and awareness of knowing your “numbers” but don’t lose sight of the fact you are moving closer to being healthy and strong, not just for you, but for those who love you too.

No matter what stage we are in  on our journeys it’s important to keep in mind these are tools that help us be aware of our health and fitness levels.

Remember though, as those numbers change, the overall physical benefits will be loss of fat, more energy, strength, mental clarity, less aches and pains on our body from carrying excess weight, possible reversing of some health issues and…well… maybe a new pair of jeans 😉

Tell me… do you practice an awareness of your numbers? Not an unhealthy focus, but simply an awareness for the purpose of maintaining your health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Weekend Mentality

weekend

 

 

Hello Monday! And that’s a wrap on the weekend….

Ahh the weekend.  It’s a break from the grind and can give us a reprieve from the usual day in and day out activities… if we’re lucky.

Sometimes we still have all the expected responsibilities that come along with life, but the weekend can often be a time to chill out and do things that we’ve put off during the week or maybe it’s just an opportunity to relax and do a whole lot of nothing…

Either way…. it can often signify a change from our normal routine…

and in that it can also mean, perhaps an attitude, that says it’s the weekend and we let our eating habits slip, or we decide since it’s the weekend we “deserve” to eat whatever.

The weekend mentality……

Hold on…..I’m not saying you can’t have that brownie or a burger out…..

I enjoy a good weekend breakfast with my husband ( wellll a lot of times it can almost be brunch ’cause he’s a good sport and let’s me get my workout in and clean up first;) but by then I really am ready to put the food away.. and I enjoy that breakfast… which will almost hold me till dinner….

I just don’t want you to throw away the hard work you’ve invested in the week by going overboard and eating a lot of stuff that will not help your goals, but also might just make you feel not so great as well.

I guess this kinda goes along with my post I did on cheat days.

I think (personally) a practical daily balance not only keeps us sane and gets us to our goals, but allows us to enjoy life along the way without feeling deprived

Drinks out with a friend? Family birthday celebration? You just want some  ice cream? A burger and fries has been wooing you for days?

Factor that in to your weekend, but don’t allow an all or nothing approach. You can enjoy those special things and still keep on track.

Personally, I’ve found that as my body has adjusted more to having healthy food the majority of the time, it’s not so crazy about those foods I used to look forward to indulging in periodically so it kinda keeps me in check.

But I still like chocolate cake… a lot…. so on those celebratory moments… I arm wrestle the kids for it 😉

Just a reminder for you… as you get to the weekends… live life… but don’t go crazy…..

Come Monday… you’ll be happy you’re still on the same forward movement towards success =)

What about you? Do you let weekends be a time to indulge more? Or do you keep on track with your normal eating habits?

 

 

 

Food Management

food

Food. Amazing, delicious, tasty, life sustaining food. We wouldn’t get to far without it, would we? Food is essential for life and when we eat properly it gives us energy and keeps us healthy and well.

We also have exclusive control over the foods we put in our bodies and how much of it we consume.

This is one area in life that we have power over. We have power over the choices we make, how much we take in ( or how little if it swings to an eating disorder) what kinds of foods we choose to eat etc.

As I’ve worked with my client one thing I’m really excited about for her is seeing how she’s understanding that she has control over foods and the choices she makes. She is learning that just because it’s “there” doesn’t mean she has to eat it. She is learning to think and be selective about her food choices… meaning she’s thinking… “is this something I REALLY like? Is it worth it to eat it?” and if she can’t answer yes, she leaves it alone.

I’m really proud of her efforts in having to deal with so many parties and cooking foods and treats for them and still managing to have the scale slowly move backwards.

I love how she’s allowed herself certain treats and then taken time to savor and enjoy them. She has also made smart moves by simply tossing things in the trash she knew would be temptations.

It’s ok to do that. I’m always blown away when people say things like… ” I got rid of it by eating it all” or they feel they need to eat a lot because it won’t be there again.

Listen… there will always be tasty foods…things that we enjoy…. a lot. You don’t have to be the trash can to dispose of it.

Learning to think about what we eat is a huge step to building new habits and a healthy lifestyle.

Do you ever stop and think about how much mindless eating you might do? And really, yours truly has been there too. By that I mean food that we just put in our mouths without thought or hunger…. it’s just something to do… mindless.

Eating “just” to eat is a not so positive habit many of us have, but one that can be reshaped with some practice.

So  a few tips…..

Be aware of what you’re doing. There are times I find that I have wandered into the kitchen …trolling… and fully knowing I’m not hungry. If you find yourself there and you don’t really need food… leave.

Don’t think you have to eat the last of something to “get rid” of it. There is a trash can, use it. Better yet, don’t fall into that mentality of thinking you’re doing yourself a favor by polishing off the last half of the ice cream.

Allow yourself treats but become extremely selective about what you eat. Not all foods are created equal nor are they often that great. Learn to leave behind things that just aren’t worth the calories.

If you are at a buffet or party select only the items you really enjoy. If something isn’t that great, don’t feel bad to leave it behind.

Know that each time you make a positive choice, it will set you up for future good moves. It’s empowering when you realize you can make intentional food choices that can leave you satisfied and in control.

 

Tell me, do you have any food management strategies you use to help you eat intentionally?

Food And Cheat Days

cheat-day-235x300

 

It’s hard to believe we are already moving quickly into another year, and yet another holiday is behind us with the celebration of Easter this past weekend.

For many it’s a time of worship, family gatherings, and well, food. As things go with holidays there are special treats and meals that are prepared as we gather in celebration.

Holidays are meant to be enjoyed. Food is meant to be savored and appreciated.

Therefore, I found it semi-amusing when I was asked on Saturday not once, but twice, in different conversations if I allowed myself  “cheat days”.

If you don’t know what this means, in some dieting plans there is a day in the week you’re basically allowed to just eat whatever and enjoy it without any (supposed) guilt for doing it.

The first person to ask me was a friend… he simply inquired if I allowed myself to do that… to have days of indulgence.

The other person was an employee in the store I had chatted with briefly. She was telling me about an asparagus dish involving bacon and she laughed and said ” I know you look really disciplined, but I figure you’ve got to have some cheat days along the way too!”

Ok, I admit, I don’t really “see” myself like others do. Does anyone ?

I know I am a bit more muscular looking than a lot of people roaming around so perhaps there’s an idea I don’t ever touch anything that might be considered “off limits”.

That idea kinda makes me laugh….

So here’s the deal… I’ve never subscribed to the idea of having “cheat days” and I’ll tell you why.

First of all, why would I just want to bomb a whole day needlessly ? And what if I didn’t want anything “off limits” on cheat day ? What if I really need a piece or two of chocolate on a non-cheat day ? Or there’s a special celebration?

On another thought, it also begins to set you up for thinking of foods in “good” or “bad” terms. The idea being you eat bad foods on your cheat day… good foods the rest of the time…

On a personal opinion I’ve just never seen it as a productive idea.

What has helped me be successful and lose weight is balance and moderation of allowing myself things which has kept me from feeling deprived or the need to binge on something because I have withheld it. Somehow, this seems to have worked as I’ve lost weight these past few years and maintained my fitness goals.

This is how I counsel people who are trying to find a balance of losing weight and living this thing called life.

That being said, even though I don’t like setting foods into “good” or “bad” groups, you need to have an awareness that there are definitely foods that support optimal health, keep you well and energetic, that contribute to weight loss and support your fitness goals.

These should make up the majority of your daily diet.

Then there are foods that are enjoyable and make life fun but should be consumed in careful moderation.

There are some “foods” I will never put in my mouth as I see them as wasted, useless, calories that do nothing for me.

When you begin to see foods in this light it also removes guilt that people tend to put on themselves for eating “bad” foods.

I can’t tell you the times I’ve heard people apologize because they had a treat at a party or a piece of birthday cake or something similar. Or worse, feel they have to punish themselves or “work it off”.

Seriously, lose the guilt, stop apologizing. When you make a decision to have something, own it and move on.

As you progress and eating healthy begins to feel what is more normal and natural to you, those other foods honestly, will have less attraction. You will feel better eating healthy foods and (personally) I don’t feel so great if I have a day eating foods my body isn’t used to anymore.

In brief:

Eat healthy, whole foods the majority of the time.

If you need or want something special, consider a small amount to meet that need. Take a moment to decide if it’s really what you want.

Is it something you really love or are you eating it because it’s there?

Don’t lock yourself into one day to go off the tracks. There’s no point in wasting a day or ruining your efforts for the week.

Think moderation and balance.

Guilt is not a part of success. Don’t entertain it.

If you really overdo, just refocus on your goals, pick up, and keep moving forward. Quitting isn’t an option!

 

 

 

 

 

Tips For A Healthier You

weeks of fitness

Hello beautiful people of the world =)

As I shared in a previous post, I’m working with a client. A big part of what we’re doing is looking at habits and learning, or re-learning them some of them in regards to behaviors with eating and food.

She is learning the importance of getting meals at balanced times through the day, learning to listen to her body’s natural signals for being hungry ( as well as when it’s comfortably satisfied) avoiding snacking between meals, and focusing on more whole foods.

Whole foods meaning 5 ingredients or less or as close to their natural state as possible. We aren’t being crazy about it, just making it more of a focus.

These are all pretty big things to “re-learn” when you might not be used to eating normally or maybe just grabbing food randomly through the day.  Many people have forgotten or don’t listen to their bodies natural hunger and satisfied signals so these things have to be intentionally practiced.

This week we are taking a look at snacks or extra foods in our day that might be hindering weight loss. My client will be charting pretty much every bit of everything, including any drinks with sugar, alcohol, or anything with caloric value.

She wants to see the scale continue to drop and I want that for her too.

I have her also considering what she is eating at meals. Sometimes stopping with just a little left on your plate is enough to cause more calorie deficit in your day.

And of course, exercise. If you want to get rid of fat, cardio is your friend. Yeah, I know most people hate it.

You sweat. Your heart beats fast. It hurts. It’s uncomfortable. It’s the place you realize that you really are horribly out of shape… which is why it’s so easy to quit… ’cause you don’t like all that.

Don’t quit. Even if you have to work your way up till you can do a full 30 minutes to an hour… you’ll be getting stronger in the process.

Ok… so some tips or suggestions for you … they can be almost painless… and you can drop a few pounds in the process.

Practice eating balanced meals 3-4 times a day ( 4 if you’re more physically active or athletic) eat enough to comfortably satisfy your hunger.

Try not to snack between meals. (when you eat adequately at meals you will find the need to do that will diminish)

Learn to listen to your bodies natural hunger and satisfied signals. Allow yourself to become truly hungry 30 minutes  or so before your next meal.

Try to eat more whole foods ( meaning less stuff out of a box, bag etc)

Be aware of your snacking. To find weak places in your day/week be vigilant and write down everything so you can see where you’re hindering your progress.

Move your body more! Not only is it good for you physically, it’s good for your mental clarity as well.

Learning to listen to your own body and having awareness of how and what you eat are huge steps towards losing weight and getting into a lifestyle change 🙂

goal

Experimental You

experiment

I was pouring over a story in Runners World the other day… ok… stop.. yeah I hear you now..

“Wait a minute! You aren’t even running right now, and you’re reading a running magazine?”

Why yes, yes I am. I plan to keep on top of things while I’m recovering… not only that there’s lots of good stuff besides running in there… like… nutrition…

Nutrition is something that involves us all, running or not. OK, lots of the food stories do focus on fueling for a good run, but then I come across something like this that really resonated with me ’cause I understand this idea… and why I will always tell you that diets will fail you.

The story was titled “Why Can’t You Lose Weight?” On the sidebar is the “thing” that caught my eye. It was titled “10 Golden Rules of Weight Loss Success”. The first one said this:

You are an experiment of one.

No one has to live your precise life, with your specific challenges, biochemistry, anatomy, injury history, calendar, boss or family.

Yeah. Let that breathe over you for a minute.

You. Are an experiment of one.

No one else is wired just like you in any specific way.

This is why cookie cutter diets often ( and usually do) fail miserably. This is why the diet industry is a zillion dollar a year market.

This is why you must know your body, know what works, and what doesn’t.  This is why giving someone a blanket 1200 calorie diet is useless.

It doesn’t take in to account any of the things listed above.

Obviously, I only have myself to experiment on. I’ve had people ask me about certain things.. I share with them.. as far as food I eat or exercises I do… but my anatomy is different from theirs… my metabolism…how I’m made is going to respond in a different way than their body might. In the past I’ve referred to myself as a “fun science experiment”. Eating certain foods or eating limited amounts, mixing up foods, plenty of exercise and a variety of exercise works in interesting ways on my body.

My dietary needs vary not just on a day to day basis but often on the type of training I’m doing. During the heavy part of marathon training, on any given day, my caloric needs are high. When I’m off heavy training, I need to adjust my food intake to my current training level.

You are an experiment of one. As you consider ways to lose weight, know what works for you and follow it. Don’t worry about what your neighbor does or if they are on some current trendy thing. Become an expert on yourself. No one has your unique, specific body design or life circumstances.

So as you consider health and fitness goals keep in mind things like….

Your schedule. Where in your day does your workout fit best for you to get it done?

What types of exercises can you do? Do you have any physical injuries or limitations to consider ?

How good are you at eating regular, balanced healthy meals ?

What “issues” are you maybe dealing with in life that could distract you from your goals?

Know your body. Does it seem to respond better to certain exercises or foods ?

Know how much you need to eat to satisfy your hunger, but no more than that. Learn, listen and obey your bodies natural hunger and satisfied feelings.

Are you an athlete ? Your feeding needs will be different as you must consider additional calories for whatever athletic endeavor you are taking on. You have to know and respect that.

When you really understand and consider yourself as “an experiment of one” with a focus on your personal needs and body requirements, you are on your way to nailing down your own unique health and fitness plan.