Being the official Self Appointed Diet and Low Calorie Food Taste Tester, I bring you today's recommendation. In May, Subway will be serving up their Orchard Chicken Salad sandwiches as their special $5 footlong. It's 360 calories per half (on plain white or whole wheat, no cheese or sauce - only free veggies), but it is a smidge higher in fat than some other sandwiches. Scott and I tested them out tonight. YUM! I would highly recommend, only I might have added banana peppers to mine for just a bit more flavor and Scott recommends against choosing pickles.
Also, we tried Special K's sea salt chips this week. They're nice and crispy, but not much better in either taste or calories than Baked Lays or those veggie chips we pick up at Costco. There is a significant difference in price for how many you get, which is the only reason I might vote against trying them yourself.
Additional notes: My highest weight, as mentioned before, was 330 lbs. I am now 238 lbs. Crawling up on the 100 lb mark feel really good, even if it's only 70 for the year. Update on Scott is down to 338 lbs which puts him him at 114 for the year. Whoo! Feeling some sense of accomplishment there! It's not quite a year yet, but by end of summer it will have been a year for us both.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Going out to Eat Isn't Just Picking the Healthy Option
I learned earlier off in the diet (choosing better foods) that many restraunts offer a nutrition guide. I was like wahoo, I can still find things to eat that are within my calorie count for the day. So when I looked at a restraunt that offered Chicken and Artichoke dinner and a Meatloaf dinner - I was great healthy option, but to my surprise the "healthy" option chicken and artichoke dinner had 980 calories for the chicken, sauce, veggies, and rice. I was wowed that it was so many calories. Then I check the meatloaf dinner which was just below the chicken option and the dinner including veggies and mashed potatoes was only 650 calories for the entire meal. So I went with the lower calorie meal at that restraunt. I have also been going with taco's at my favoriate fast food because the basic taco was lower in calories than all of their other menu items. Now that I know better I noticed that we also need to check out the calories from fat. While the meatloaf was lower calories over 1/2 the calories were fat calories as well as the tacos. While the chicken option while more calories only 1/3 of those calories were from fat. So which one is the better option? For me neither since one has too many calories for one meal and the other has too many fat calories, and I don't need that many fats in my diet.
Next we need to be wary, many of the places that I like to go offer salads. I have been told you can go there and just get the salad, it is better for you. However, these places that offer salads add carmelized nuts, high calorie cheeses, and fruit in them. While they are quite tasty and I am sure a lot more healthy than a burger and fries - they sometimes rival them for the calorie count, especially when one adds the kickin' dressing that they have paired to the salad. So yes healthier due to the less fat content (which your stomach will appreciate) they are not feasible on a low cal diet like we are.
Next we need to be wary, many of the places that I like to go offer salads. I have been told you can go there and just get the salad, it is better for you. However, these places that offer salads add carmelized nuts, high calorie cheeses, and fruit in them. While they are quite tasty and I am sure a lot more healthy than a burger and fries - they sometimes rival them for the calorie count, especially when one adds the kickin' dressing that they have paired to the salad. So yes healthier due to the less fat content (which your stomach will appreciate) they are not feasible on a low cal diet like we are.
Summer brings barbecue season!
Everybody talks about the holidays, but there are other difficult times of the year. Easter happens to fall within the time period of birthdays and spring celebrations. Burgers, steaks, sauce-slathered chicken, potato salad, pasta salad, and even ripe fruits (if you are tempted to sprinkle sugar over strawberries, eat berries with whipped cream and shortcake, etc) can be just as hard to pass up as ham, creamy mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. That's my opinion, anyway.
Today's subject: Summer BBQ, Utah/Western style (Southern slathered shredded deliciousness is simply not allowed. Sorry!)
Of the beefy burger substitutes, we've only tried a few. Original Boca burgers we picked up at Costco were only 100 calories and tasted delicious. Spritz with liquid smoke and Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce, Teriyaki sauce, or a dash of soy sauce and they taste wonderful on a bun. Gardenburgers are healthy, but didn't impress me as much as Boca burgers. Sadly, Costco hasn't (at least yet) put out Bocas this year. SAD! I hope they come along soon. Meanwhile, I'm anxious to barbecue so I forked out the extra money and picked up a few new flavours at Target. ($2.54 for 4 which isn't that much, but I don't like spending money). I'll critique the taste of each flavour as we try them, but what we picked up were Grilled Vegetables, Mushroom Mozarella, and Cheeseburger. Sounds yum, right? Add some low calorie cheese and don't forget this important tip! Near the bread and hamburger buns are some sandwich thins. They come in multi-grain and wheat (we prefer multi-grain) and are 100 calories each. I like them toasted on one side. Garnish with free stuff like mustard, pickles, lettuce, onion, bell pepper - I don't count a slice of tomato although I know I should - and you can still enjoy some of the other foods, too. You can't really guess how many calories might be in homemade potato or pasta salads, but if you have just 1/4 cup of no more than three of them, you can bet a 30 minute walk and getting back on schedule the next day will keep you from seeing any damage on the scale.
I've started taking my dill dip with a vegetable tray and either veggie chips or Baked Lays to each occasion. Even if no one else touches them, I know I can fill up on things guilt free so I won't be tempted to eat much of the creamy or saucy foods. Pasta salad can be somewhat nutritious (I'm working on a recipe for this summer!) but people these days are fond of adding cheese chunks, chopped ham, and corn which can all hurt your health without you realizing it. I love the new salads with gorgonzola or blue cheese chunks and craisins with nuts, but by adding too many of each or all three can make a 1/2 cup salad enough calories to be an entire meal when you are watching what you eat. Scott promises a post about deceiving side dishes which will make you think twice about not being careful when you go to the next family barbecue.
Basically, you can still enjoy barbecue even at lower calories as long as you're careful. Diet and vegetarian/vegan foods have come such a long way that there really isn't a sacrifice!
Today's subject: Summer BBQ, Utah/Western style (Southern slathered shredded deliciousness is simply not allowed. Sorry!)
Of the beefy burger substitutes, we've only tried a few. Original Boca burgers we picked up at Costco were only 100 calories and tasted delicious. Spritz with liquid smoke and Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce, Teriyaki sauce, or a dash of soy sauce and they taste wonderful on a bun. Gardenburgers are healthy, but didn't impress me as much as Boca burgers. Sadly, Costco hasn't (at least yet) put out Bocas this year. SAD! I hope they come along soon. Meanwhile, I'm anxious to barbecue so I forked out the extra money and picked up a few new flavours at Target. ($2.54 for 4 which isn't that much, but I don't like spending money). I'll critique the taste of each flavour as we try them, but what we picked up were Grilled Vegetables, Mushroom Mozarella, and Cheeseburger. Sounds yum, right? Add some low calorie cheese and don't forget this important tip! Near the bread and hamburger buns are some sandwich thins. They come in multi-grain and wheat (we prefer multi-grain) and are 100 calories each. I like them toasted on one side. Garnish with free stuff like mustard, pickles, lettuce, onion, bell pepper - I don't count a slice of tomato although I know I should - and you can still enjoy some of the other foods, too. You can't really guess how many calories might be in homemade potato or pasta salads, but if you have just 1/4 cup of no more than three of them, you can bet a 30 minute walk and getting back on schedule the next day will keep you from seeing any damage on the scale.
I've started taking my dill dip with a vegetable tray and either veggie chips or Baked Lays to each occasion. Even if no one else touches them, I know I can fill up on things guilt free so I won't be tempted to eat much of the creamy or saucy foods. Pasta salad can be somewhat nutritious (I'm working on a recipe for this summer!) but people these days are fond of adding cheese chunks, chopped ham, and corn which can all hurt your health without you realizing it. I love the new salads with gorgonzola or blue cheese chunks and craisins with nuts, but by adding too many of each or all three can make a 1/2 cup salad enough calories to be an entire meal when you are watching what you eat. Scott promises a post about deceiving side dishes which will make you think twice about not being careful when you go to the next family barbecue.
Basically, you can still enjoy barbecue even at lower calories as long as you're careful. Diet and vegetarian/vegan foods have come such a long way that there really isn't a sacrifice!
Monday, April 18, 2011
But low carb diets work better for me than cutting calories…
...or so I've heard.
When you start dieting these days, people love to tell you how you should be doing it. Here's my response to the Low-carb, high-protein advocates:
Low carb has become the new foundation for better dieting and faster weight loss. It is the go-to diet that has been around long enough to lure people into a false perception that it is not a fad diet. Low carb is perceived as an alternative to calorie counting, but what’s the truth about low carb (aka high protein) dieting?
When you start dieting these days, people love to tell you how you should be doing it. Here's my response to the Low-carb, high-protein advocates:
Low carb has become the new foundation for better dieting and faster weight loss. It is the go-to diet that has been around long enough to lure people into a false perception that it is not a fad diet. Low carb is perceived as an alternative to calorie counting, but what’s the truth about low carb (aka high protein) dieting?
The theory behind low carb diets begins with the truth. Carbohydrates are sugars, but remember that our bodies turn starch into sugars, too, so we get glucose readings from all kinds of high carbohydrate foods; including breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, sweets, and fruit. That’s right, many low carb diets won’t let you have fruit! Glucose provides long-term energy and if we use that energy to exercise or live actively, we will burn those carbohydrates. Back to the theory we are told that what we don’t use turns to fat in our bodies. On a high protein diet, you consume so few carbohydrates, that your body is forced to feed off the fats in your body instead of using protein or carbs. In actuality it can also feed off muscle which is why weight training is often pushed with low carb diets – so you don’t lose muscle tone and realize that the diet is hurting you. Low carb advocates would have you believe that by leaving carbs out of your diet, you’ll know you are burning fat because that’s all there is to burn for energy. Am I the only one who thinks this sounds exhausting? Our bodies are designed in a very intelligent way and if its initial instinct is to burn carbs, the idea of forcing it to burn fats seems inefficient to me. Now wonder it’s the diet of the lazy. I am not criticizing laziness because I am the first to admit that I hate exercise! I just can’t fathom feeling more energetic while taking away your body’s main source of energy.
“But it works!” is the cry of low carb dieters as they tell me how their struggle with counting calories has never worked. Why does it work? First of all, ask yourself how filling is junk food? Usually if you eat potato chips, french fries, a candy bar, or a tasty filled sponge cake treat, you enjoy the flavor while it lasts, but almost immediately want to eat more. These don’t fill you up and they certainly don’t provide a long term satisfaction. If you eat a slab of meat with a side of carrots, you’ll feel full sooner and the feeling will last longer. You have, therefore, just consumed fewer calories than most overweight people do when they indulge in delicious treats. The evidence is out there. Low carb diets cut calories, too. A person who consumes 2,000+ calories in meats, butter, and other high fat foods – also known as high protein diet approved foods – loses weight because they were consuming more than that before they started their diet. It fills the tummy quicker than high carb foods so they think they are eating more when, in actuality, they have cut their calories the same as me.
The second reason people get such “great results” on a low carbohydrate diet is that protein acts a little like a diuretic. Ever been on a water pill? What’s the first thing that happens? Several pounds drop off like they are melting and often the weight loss program you are on is enhanced so that you lose just a little more at a time than when you are not on a water pill (that is, if you take the water pill on a regular schedule). Proteins force the kidney’s to work harder which sort of washes the weight out of your body. This is not sustainable. Imagine for a moment what this does to your kidneys! Hydration becomes an issue, followed by overworking the kidneys.
Confirming the theory that the low carb diet is giving these dieters great results is that if they eat just a few carbs and cheat, they put weight on. Clearly this means that the low carbs are keeping the weight off. Let’s go back to the water pill. What happens when you stop taking them? Immediately, you gain weight. Your body needs water so flushing it out of the system with a diuretic or by eating foods with diuretic properties is not going to help the problem.
Low carb diets are also not sustainable. For people who have found success on the diet, it’s only because when they reach their weight loss goal they are willing to go back on the low carb diet often in order to maintain. I find it to restrictive and know myself well enough to know I would have trouble recommitting if even for a few days a month.
One of the most important things to consider in any diet is you. You have to be committed or no diet will work – low carb included. This means that if you are finally ready to commit to a diet full of meat, cheese, butter and often very little fruit, you are probably ready to commit to a low calorie diet that didn’t work for you before. It’s a state of mind and maybe you just weren’t ready before. Nutritionists and scientists can agree on one thing. Calories are calories whether they are protein or carbohydrate. If you burn more than your consume, you should lose weight. Yeah, that part sounds easy, but not everyone burns at the same rate so for some it might take more work or fewer calories than their neighbor which is why some people don't think they lose weight.
I suck a little because I read a resource and checked the credentials so that I could say this with inarguable clarity, but I lost the source now. Yesterday I read that a study was done where men on a low calorie diet and men a low carbohydrate diet were compared long term (not just the first week). Evidence showed that in an overall comparison, the people on both diets cut calories and both groups lost weight at the same rate.
Now comes the scary part.
That state where the body feeds on its own fats instead of carbs? That has a name. It’s a metabolic state known as ketosis and by forcing your body to burn a lot of fat instead of glucose, the body produces ketones “which can cause organs to fail and result in gout, kidney stones, or kidney failure. Ketones can also dull a person's appetite, cause nausea and bad breath. Ketosis can be prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day.”2
High protein diets do provide calcium, but the more meat proteins a person consumes, minerals including calcium are leached from the bones. Now you are at risk for osteoporosis and aren’t women at enough risk as it is?
High protein = higher fats. Clog your arties and increase your cholesterol? Sounds like a great plan. This, of course, leads to heart disease…
Now the good hard facts. A balanced diet is about 40-50% carbohydrates. In my research I found plenty of sources about how little you should eat for a low carb diet and how a healthy diet has more. Eventually I stumbled across sources written by a certified nutritionist, a doctor, and a medical resource page which all recommend something in that range. Sometimes it is easier to find what we shouldn’t be eating than what we should!
It's unpopular to say these days, but I challenge the belief that Low Carb diets are the way to go. The way it should go, imo, is the way of the Tab cola and the grapefruit diet. Away.
Sources include, but not limited to:
2. WebMD
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Guiltee!
We are all guilty of doing to others the things we don't like having done to us. Last week we took birthday cake to Jane's school. We offered a piece to her teacher and she said "I shouldn't". Without thinking, I responded with "I cut a few pieces rather small," and waved to one of the ones that had very little frosting.
Who needs the temptation? Of course, I'm not out to sabotage her and I do realize that people aren't out to sabotage me. Knowing that doesn't make it any less difficult, does it?
Who needs the temptation? Of course, I'm not out to sabotage her and I do realize that people aren't out to sabotage me. Knowing that doesn't make it any less difficult, does it?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Taking a break...
So, this is why it's a mistake to take a break sometimes. Yes, we have to treat ourselves from time to time. We walked an extra mile on Saturday because we ate some birthday cake on Friday night. We ate another small piece on Saturday. We both had more on Saturday and just a tiny leftover piece from the cake we took to Jane's school on Monday. Yeah. Thank heavens her birthday is over! Crap. I gained only a smidge to that point, but actually more than I gain in daily fluctuation sometimes. Swore I'd be better on Tuesday, but I just wanted crunchy stuff and ended up eating salty popcorn and veggie chips. I didn't go over calories for the day, but it was so salty and carb-filled, I felt bloated. Then Wednesday came and Jane was invited to go to Chuck A Rama. Unable to resist the scones, we joined them when S got home from work. {shrug} Bad choices and a lot of them in a row. Yeah, I've got a little to work off, but it's not about the weight. It's about something else. I have felt a little stressed and tired, then bloated and bored with the diet. Counting calories gets exhausting after a while.
The point is, it's okay! I am telling myself this in print because I'm feeling NOT okay. I think if I eat that much cake, I am doomed. I feel like it's all pointless and like there is no end, but I recommitted today and have thus far eaten pretty well.
And then, of course, there are the people who bug me. I say I ate cake and they say "Oh, I don't miss cake. I've never really liked cake..." usually they can't stop there. They just keep going on and on about it, making me feel like there's something wrong with me liking a piece of cake (or a potato chip, cookie, pretzel...whatever) Guess what. We wouldn't have cake in this world if someone didn't like it. I'm not asking YOU to like it. I'm only asking you to show some compassion for my temptation because I'm sure you have a temptation and I'm not judging you for it. Gah. Some days it just makes me want to smack a person and tell them that weight loss is not a group activity and anyone who thinks so is just as brainwashed as those of us who like a freakin' piece of cake!
The point is, it's okay! I am telling myself this in print because I'm feeling NOT okay. I think if I eat that much cake, I am doomed. I feel like it's all pointless and like there is no end, but I recommitted today and have thus far eaten pretty well.
And then, of course, there are the people who bug me. I say I ate cake and they say "Oh, I don't miss cake. I've never really liked cake..." usually they can't stop there. They just keep going on and on about it, making me feel like there's something wrong with me liking a piece of cake (or a potato chip, cookie, pretzel...whatever) Guess what. We wouldn't have cake in this world if someone didn't like it. I'm not asking YOU to like it. I'm only asking you to show some compassion for my temptation because I'm sure you have a temptation and I'm not judging you for it. Gah. Some days it just makes me want to smack a person and tell them that weight loss is not a group activity and anyone who thinks so is just as brainwashed as those of us who like a freakin' piece of cake!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Lemon Month
It's lemon month at Sweet Tomatoes. Oooooh. The dangers on every corner. Normally I have no trouble having big salad with mainly "free" veggies, their low cal dressing, a lower calorie soup, etc, etc and skipping the pasta bar which is very dangerous for both low calorie and low carb diets. This month they will have penne with a creamy lemon sauce and capers. Auhauhuhahhuh. It's the best thing ever. Quick on its heels; lemon orzo soup. Yum. Well, oh well. I'll just go for extra walks and do extra situps. It is worth it!
Having said that, even being 'naughty'* at Sweet Tomatoes is not the same as being naughty at, say, Burger King (naming some place other than McDonald's because let's face it, all fast food is generally equal, but McDonald's is the only one held accountable!) Even when I'm 'bad' at Sweet Tomatoes, I don't exceed the amount of calories I typically have in 2 meals. 2 meals at once, I will not argue, is not the best, but I swallow the guilt with a chaser of broccoli, beets, and carrots.
Get discounts at Sweet Tomatoes by signing up for email updates online! They aren't the best coupons, but they'll save you a couple bucks and when someone says "buffet sounds good" you can say "I've got coupons!" for a place that won't kill you with delicious temptation. I also like Sweet Tomatoes' nutrition guide. Check out your location, view daily menu, then just click on what looks tasty and you can add up your allowance before you go!
*I think it's best not to think in terms of cheating, being naughty, bad, etc. I tend to use these words for lack of a better one, but in your brain, I recommend you think of it as a breather, a break, a temporary lapse, a moment for yourself or the like. Remind yourself that it's a treat and that you want to be careful that it doesn't become a daily habit, but it's certainly not naughty. When you see naughty in apostrophes, it's me shortening having a little break from things into the shorter word.
Having said that, even being 'naughty'* at Sweet Tomatoes is not the same as being naughty at, say, Burger King (naming some place other than McDonald's because let's face it, all fast food is generally equal, but McDonald's is the only one held accountable!) Even when I'm 'bad' at Sweet Tomatoes, I don't exceed the amount of calories I typically have in 2 meals. 2 meals at once, I will not argue, is not the best, but I swallow the guilt with a chaser of broccoli, beets, and carrots.
Get discounts at Sweet Tomatoes by signing up for email updates online! They aren't the best coupons, but they'll save you a couple bucks and when someone says "buffet sounds good" you can say "I've got coupons!" for a place that won't kill you with delicious temptation. I also like Sweet Tomatoes' nutrition guide. Check out your location, view daily menu, then just click on what looks tasty and you can add up your allowance before you go!
*I think it's best not to think in terms of cheating, being naughty, bad, etc. I tend to use these words for lack of a better one, but in your brain, I recommend you think of it as a breather, a break, a temporary lapse, a moment for yourself or the like. Remind yourself that it's a treat and that you want to be careful that it doesn't become a daily habit, but it's certainly not naughty. When you see naughty in apostrophes, it's me shortening having a little break from things into the shorter word.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Kids
Kids are - or should be - at least one motivating factor for improved health. I have heard repeatedly that children learn from the example of their parents especially when it comes to eating, exercise, and general health. I know for a fact that mothers who approach their diet in an unhealthy fashion or who obsess about their weight only serve to create eating disorders in their children. I realize that ignoring my health can also create bad habits. Most experts agree that an overweight parent is many times more likely to have an overweight child because of the example they set. The other concern is, of course, if we push our dietary standard onto kids or we try to force them to "diet", they are also likely to end up with eating disorders.
In my case, my daughter's weight is within acceptable proportion to her height. She loves to move her body and, in fact, can't even make it stop while she reads so she is always moving. She has loved vegetables since the day her little mouth tasted pureed sweet potatoes and since she could chew a green bean. She isn't a big fan of meat, but eats a little and usually strays toward fish and not the fatty meats like beef. The biggest worry I have is her sweet tooth. I definitely had to place a limit early on with candy, popsicles, ice cream, and other treats.
From school, she has received this book where she is to record her activity levels. The books will be turned in and the school who has the most "miles" gets benefit. The children don't get anything, though, so I don't know how motivated they are.
I'm actually a bit annoyed by this booklet. It records time spent doing an activity, then calculates it at the rate of a 20 minute mile. Whether she's riding her bike hard for 10 minutes or walking slowly at a snails pace for 10 minutes, it is, for these purposes, the same. It also pushes the kids to be active at least 90 minutes a day. Well, come on! 90 minutes of biking is not equal to 90 minutes of wandering around. Kids need movement, but 90 minutes? I don't record things like her dancing around the house or going outside to play with friends. Maybe that's why I think 90 minutes every single day is an awful lot. I do think kids' activity should probably average 45-60 minutes a day, but I think 90 is unrealistic - unless you record every little activity they do. I mean, they have recess at school and that doesn't get recorded. They come home from school, have homework, dinner, family time, chores, and then they are still supposed to have 90 minutes left? After the 30-40 minutes she does with us and then our family time, it's time to start getting ready for bed. Am I unrealistic because I put my kid to bed at a reasonable time? I just think they are pushing for these kids to be all-out athletic and guess what? I do not think athletes are all they are cracked up to be!
Your booklet says that kids who are active tend to do better in school - then why are half the athletes in high school or college either failing or needing assistance? Why can't I have an intelligent conversation with an extremely athletic person? There is also evidence that musicians do better in school and that those kids with ambition or goals do better in school. Does it NOT occur to anyone that a child's education is MORE than YOUR agenda? Maybe those kids do better because someone is watching. Maybe they do better because while you are recording one thing in order to link it to their scholastic achievements, they feel like someone gives a damn about them and that's why they do better.
I appreciate the desire to encourage health in our kids. I just have this overwhelming need to perk my quills whenever "they" send home the information on how to do it. I shudder even more when they want us to record it, sign it, send it back, and act like all kids are created equal. Because it is an anti-obesity in children campaign, it is my perception that the goals given are to encourage weight loss. What if your child is not one of the obese? And how dare you convince me I am the problem when a) my child is a healthy weight and b) she brings food from home for lunch that is much healthier than the garbage you feed all those kids who get school lunch. Best irony? In the booklet is a list of things kids should be eating less than once a month. Most of those things make up the bulk of the menu at the school. Don't try to tell me your breaded nuggets are healthy. Yes, they may have the choice to eat salad, but I've seen the salad. Lettuce with a few shredded carrots doesn't give enough energy which you want the kids to burn at the rate you are asking. Nachos, pizza, nuggets, munchables... Stop trying to tell me that you are making the school lunches healthier. I've seen the menu and I didn't eat like that when I weighed over 300 lbs!! Give me a break!
All it serves, imo, is making it acceptable for kids to make fun of the overweight kids and to make the overweight kids feel bad about themselves. The result, I can tell you from experience, is that the overweight kid will feel helpless and defeated and will eat more and not care until they are a 330 lb 30 year old...
In my case, my daughter's weight is within acceptable proportion to her height. She loves to move her body and, in fact, can't even make it stop while she reads so she is always moving. She has loved vegetables since the day her little mouth tasted pureed sweet potatoes and since she could chew a green bean. She isn't a big fan of meat, but eats a little and usually strays toward fish and not the fatty meats like beef. The biggest worry I have is her sweet tooth. I definitely had to place a limit early on with candy, popsicles, ice cream, and other treats.
From school, she has received this book where she is to record her activity levels. The books will be turned in and the school who has the most "miles" gets benefit. The children don't get anything, though, so I don't know how motivated they are.
I'm actually a bit annoyed by this booklet. It records time spent doing an activity, then calculates it at the rate of a 20 minute mile. Whether she's riding her bike hard for 10 minutes or walking slowly at a snails pace for 10 minutes, it is, for these purposes, the same. It also pushes the kids to be active at least 90 minutes a day. Well, come on! 90 minutes of biking is not equal to 90 minutes of wandering around. Kids need movement, but 90 minutes? I don't record things like her dancing around the house or going outside to play with friends. Maybe that's why I think 90 minutes every single day is an awful lot. I do think kids' activity should probably average 45-60 minutes a day, but I think 90 is unrealistic - unless you record every little activity they do. I mean, they have recess at school and that doesn't get recorded. They come home from school, have homework, dinner, family time, chores, and then they are still supposed to have 90 minutes left? After the 30-40 minutes she does with us and then our family time, it's time to start getting ready for bed. Am I unrealistic because I put my kid to bed at a reasonable time? I just think they are pushing for these kids to be all-out athletic and guess what? I do not think athletes are all they are cracked up to be!
Your booklet says that kids who are active tend to do better in school - then why are half the athletes in high school or college either failing or needing assistance? Why can't I have an intelligent conversation with an extremely athletic person? There is also evidence that musicians do better in school and that those kids with ambition or goals do better in school. Does it NOT occur to anyone that a child's education is MORE than YOUR agenda? Maybe those kids do better because someone is watching. Maybe they do better because while you are recording one thing in order to link it to their scholastic achievements, they feel like someone gives a damn about them and that's why they do better.
I appreciate the desire to encourage health in our kids. I just have this overwhelming need to perk my quills whenever "they" send home the information on how to do it. I shudder even more when they want us to record it, sign it, send it back, and act like all kids are created equal. Because it is an anti-obesity in children campaign, it is my perception that the goals given are to encourage weight loss. What if your child is not one of the obese? And how dare you convince me I am the problem when a) my child is a healthy weight and b) she brings food from home for lunch that is much healthier than the garbage you feed all those kids who get school lunch. Best irony? In the booklet is a list of things kids should be eating less than once a month. Most of those things make up the bulk of the menu at the school. Don't try to tell me your breaded nuggets are healthy. Yes, they may have the choice to eat salad, but I've seen the salad. Lettuce with a few shredded carrots doesn't give enough energy which you want the kids to burn at the rate you are asking. Nachos, pizza, nuggets, munchables... Stop trying to tell me that you are making the school lunches healthier. I've seen the menu and I didn't eat like that when I weighed over 300 lbs!! Give me a break!
All it serves, imo, is making it acceptable for kids to make fun of the overweight kids and to make the overweight kids feel bad about themselves. The result, I can tell you from experience, is that the overweight kid will feel helpless and defeated and will eat more and not care until they are a 330 lb 30 year old...
Saturday, April 2, 2011
This week...
Some days it just feels awful and frustrating. Some days I forget to eat all day then I eat too much that night. Skip two mornings later and I've put on two pounds. Two whole pounds! It takes me 1-2 weeks to take off two pounds depending on too many factors to calculate. I'm hopeful that was just one of those daily fluctuations and that I didn't really do that much damage. I had that happen earlier this week. I've been stronger since then, but I won't weigh myself for a couple days because those numbers can really mess with my head.
After walk the next morning, I lost all focus of the point and started to get down on all sort of other sucky things going on around me/us. Even keeping my head about me and saying "it's okay" to myself as well as "forgive yourself" and "today is a new day" which are my most common affirmations, I just couldn't get it to sink it. I did okay with food and exercise that day, but I felt like I was going through the motions and not enjoying anything.
You know, you can pick an easy, flexible diet that works for you and STILL have shit days.
After walk the next morning, I lost all focus of the point and started to get down on all sort of other sucky things going on around me/us. Even keeping my head about me and saying "it's okay" to myself as well as "forgive yourself" and "today is a new day" which are my most common affirmations, I just couldn't get it to sink it. I did okay with food and exercise that day, but I felt like I was going through the motions and not enjoying anything.
You know, you can pick an easy, flexible diet that works for you and STILL have shit days.
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