Isn't there some sort of saying that if you lose weight you'll feel better? Isn't the theory something about improved health? Okay, maybe my overall health has improved, but instead we have become very aware of problems under the surface who didn't feel like making any sort of trouble until the pounds started going the way of my desire for candy bars.
First, weird menses led me to a doctor where I found out I have numerous fibroids and possibly other problems. This upsets me because there are days that the side effects (pain, bleeding) make it impossible for me to exercise. Those days suck especially on the occasions when they happen two days in a row.
Yes. Surprising even myself, I have become very attached to my exercise.
Second, I a pain in my back near my shoulder has gotten progressively worse until I started having stiff, hot pain in my neck and throbbing from the base of my neck to the base of my skull. Research made me theorize it could be a pinched nerve so I had to demand back rubs from hubby. I hate to impose that on him daily, but it has improved the pain so I think we're almost to the point where I can just stretch and work it out.
Summer plans for swimming and hiking are, at the very least, mostly ruined. I'm sad. It sucks to work so hard and then feel betrayed by my body. Of course, I didn't treat it spectacularly up to this point so maybe I had it coming.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Kid approved Stir Fry
Nearly out of calories for the day, but still hungry for a good dinner? Try this delicious stir fry!
1 pkg Hungry Girl tofu noodles (angel hair)
12 oz raw shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1/4 cup Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce
1 Tbs garlic powder (avoid garlic salt)
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs water
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup mushrooms
Fry veggies in pan with balsamic vinegar and water. Stir in sauce and garlic powder. Drain and rinse tofu noodles for 2 minutes. Spread over veggies, then spread shrimp over the top. Continue to fry on low or simmer until shrimp just turns pink, mix together and serve. Makes 3 servings at 175 calories per serving.
1 pkg Hungry Girl tofu noodles (angel hair)
12 oz raw shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1/4 cup Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce
1 Tbs garlic powder (avoid garlic salt)
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs water
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup mushrooms
Fry veggies in pan with balsamic vinegar and water. Stir in sauce and garlic powder. Drain and rinse tofu noodles for 2 minutes. Spread over veggies, then spread shrimp over the top. Continue to fry on low or simmer until shrimp just turns pink, mix together and serve. Makes 3 servings at 175 calories per serving.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Entertainment Value
Amidst all this weight loss, there is a self-loathing. I defend the rights of the obese. I defend a person's right to be happy no matter what their size or shape. I wasn't a miserable fatty and I don't think anyone should be. I do think if a person is unhappy about being fat, they should do something about it because everything is, ultimately, in our own hands. Half the time I think people aren't unhappy about being fat, but about other things or the way people treat them. People don't look fat people in the eye. That makes me a little mad.
That is why on a blog about our personal journey, I feel compelled to post the following video. (Warning: Penn's mouth is not within my control. Even I think he swears too much....)
(More - but only the first few minutes is related to diet. The rest is just, imo, interesting)
No, I don't buy into every word the present, but it really should get you questioning and thinking about what you eat and what other people say.
That is why on a blog about our personal journey, I feel compelled to post the following video. (Warning: Penn's mouth is not within my control. Even I think he swears too much....)
(More - but only the first few minutes is related to diet. The rest is just, imo, interesting)
No, I don't buy into every word the present, but it really should get you questioning and thinking about what you eat and what other people say.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The truth about 'obesity'
I'm not saying that if you are obese, you don't need to lose weight. I'm not saying there isn't something to the numbers of overweight and obese people in the world. Unfortunately, I caught an episode of The Talk today (I don't typically watch these types of shows; partly because they are shallow, but mostly because they get me riled up) so what I am going to say is that I believe there is a certain amount of publicity out there that is working AGAINST us, not FOR us.
Let's start with the truth about the supposed increase in obesity. Twenty years ago obesity was measured on a scale of body mass percentage. Now with the misapplication of BMI (an index originally used as a scientific statistical tool which does not take into account bone structure, muscle, or other factors such as the amount of fat a woman is supposed to carry in comparison to men!) the new scale has increased the number of people who would qualify as overweight by up to 50% according to medical websites. This accounts for nearly the entire statistical increase of overweight, obese, and morbidly obese people.
Let's turn to the episode of The Talk I made the mistake of watching today. I don't mean to pick on anyone - the only reason I would turn to the show ever is that I have secretly paid attention to Holly Robinson since starring in 21 Jumpstreet (great show!), I always thought Leah Remini did great guest spots on comedies, Sara Gilbert played the best "depressed teen" for years - so much that I watched Roseanne even though I didn't really like the show, and Sharon Osborne's accent is just plain entertaining - but I'm going to name names in order to keep things straight.
They begin by showing the current cover of Men's Health magazine. On the cover is some congressman with his shirt open and his sexy abs looking nicely oiled. I was not offended by the nice body, of course, but the comments that followed brought to my attention the way that we use weight to justify shallow opinions! Candace Cameron Bure, guest hosting, started by saying something along the lines of "he's bringing awareness to obesity." No! He is flaunting a well toned body, but that is not linked to obesity. Working out until you have that kind of toned muscle; applying oils to make the appearance even more aesthetically pleasing, choosing the open shirt and that particular pose - these are all things that have nothing to do with health or bringing awareness to anything other than the fact that he has a nice body. No matter what you say, posing like a model simply does not relate to weight issues. It's shallow. I am not in better health because I buy nice shoes, am I? No, but they make my feet pretty and I want to show them off so I will wear them and claim it's about health and somehow it becomes a less arrogant quest.
Am I the only one who sometimes feels like people jump on the anti-obese bandwagon because they don't want to look at fat people? They are often not pretty to look at so if we focus instead on "health", then we can guilt fatties into losing weight so they are more pleasing to look in the eye. No one asks a thin person about their health. No one assumes a thin person has health problems even though there is a large percentage of the 'thin' population that is malnourished and there are many people who don't exercise or eat properly.
Holly Robinson Peete went on to say that the magazine cover is not an exploitation because she likes his abs, she likes abs, and she likes looking at a six pack. Right, but it is an exploitation because his abs are not and should not be the reason why we vote for him.
Julie Chen claimed that seeing him like that might encourage her to look at the issues. I think she gives way to much credit to the public. Again, people vote on aesthetic appearance whether they should or not and frankly, he's exploiting that with his appearance. He's clinched the deal for the next election, imo, by knowing which part of himself to sell. A sad reality in which we live...
In the next segment, the ladies took on an Atlanta ad campaign where a child stands before the camera and says she doesn't like going to school because the kids tease her for being bigger than they. Not that it makes a lot of difference, but the child they showed is not nearly as obese as some kids I've seen. They chose one who was pleasantly plump so that you wouldn't automatically turn away. The campaign then goes on to post statistics that are disputable; the percentage of kids who are now considered obese (see above for change in definition), the number of kids who are overweight in Atlanta (again based on the new definition by which, I might mention, George Clooney is overweight in comparison to his height), and the fact that kids will not live as long as their parents.
In a previous post, I mentioned that it's about the example we set. Of course we want to be good role models for our children, but we also need to let our children be children. Instead what we are doing with an ad like this is saying that it's okay for children to intimidate other children if they are fat because fat is unacceptable. We are also telling kids that if they are overweight, they should feel bad about themselves. Somehow we think this will jolt them into better eating habits, but the fact is, a child does not know how to deal with this pain. They do not think like adults. They don't have the same control over their lives that an adult does, therefore the only way to make themselves better is to escape into a world of television and video games (T.V. never teases a child) and food. It is my perception that this only increases the problem until they become adults with such a huge weight problem, the idea of turning it around is incredibly intimidating.
I talked about the booklet I received from school for my daughter, too. I feel like it also gave unrealistic expectations that would just cause a child to feel bad about himself or herself if she can't keep up. What's the incentive of a child who has little control over his or her life to improve things when the expectations are so high? I simply don't think that the information is being presented appropriately to encourage healthy choices in children. We brainwash them with adult thoughts and don't really account for balance.
As for obese children not outliving their parents, the statistics claim that obesity may only reduce lifespan by a few months. Others claim it could be up to ten. The problem here is that there is no solid information and all studies are disputable to the point that it may not shorten life spans at all! Additionally, evidence does show that many obese children have obese parents - therefore if there is a link, their parents likely have the same problem working against them.
After that had been covered, a comment was tossed out that obesity is linked to cancer, strokes, and type 2 diabetes. The links to cancer and strokes are tenuous at best and because the studies have been focused on weight, I think the attitude is dismissive. No where near the money is tossed at studies that try to make these links between anything other than weight so by blaming it all on weight, we may be missing other important and preventative factors. As for type 2 diabetes, it is linked much more strongly with a sedentary lifestyle than obesity. It looks like it is related to obesity because many large people are sedentary and have trouble processing sugars, but if that were the case, then only obese people would have type 2 diabetes. The truth is, there are many people with type 2 diabetes who are and always have been thin.
Next, Leah Remini spoke about her child and how "she wants the white pasta, she wants the carbs, she wants the bad stuff. CARBS ARE NOT BAD! Pasta is all right. It’s the serving size that is the problem. Read the labels. You can still give her the food she likes, just in portion control. Jane loves pasta and sauce, but we don't serve it with garlic bread or added meat anymore. By pre-measuring the pasta and sauce instead of having them both self serve, we find a normal serving size to be plenty filling. Save the garlic bread for another night so you don't overdo the carbs, but we need to stop thinking they are bad just by existing.
Leah then went on to say that she can't change her daughter because she has already introduced these foods. I get where she is coming from, but you don't know until you try. Jane likes a lot of the substituted foods we eat in this house - even some I was certain she wouldn't. When it comes to other things, we make compromises and keep trying things until she is happy as well. It's not easy, but it can be done if you care enough about your child's health to go through the process.
Right before the end of the segment, Holly then went on to say that it needs to be more convenient. Well, it is, but you have to get over the brainwashing we have going on. A happy meal with chicken nuggets, apples, and apple juice is quite healthy. Take some time to sit on the internet and look up other drive through menus. Salads are not automatically a good choice, but there are a few good ones out there. Seeing the Arby's version of the chicken salad sandwich is not the same as the Subway Apply Orchard (with the added mayo, nuts, etc, it is higher calorie). A burger at Wendy's might be lower calorie than a similar one at McDonald's. If you really care, take the time to look them up so you can still grab a bite in a hurry.
Of course, I have this whole idea that has nothing to do with weight loss, too. If you're getting fast food all the time and claiming that it's because of time, maybe it's time to slow down your life. We do not need to be running a race that doesn't allow time to enjoy a meal. In fact, if you enjoy your food, you tend not to need as much of it. Slow down! It is okay to skip signing your kid up for every sport and just encourage them to ride their bike around the block with you. It is okay to find time to relax at least a few days a week.
In the end, it's about excuses. As long as we keep making excuses, we are not ready to change our eating habits. A person either changes them or doesn't. Commit.
*Not a proper bibliography, but a bulk of my information comes from USA Today and The New York Times, both of which quoted doctors, scientists, and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Let's start with the truth about the supposed increase in obesity. Twenty years ago obesity was measured on a scale of body mass percentage. Now with the misapplication of BMI (an index originally used as a scientific statistical tool which does not take into account bone structure, muscle, or other factors such as the amount of fat a woman is supposed to carry in comparison to men!) the new scale has increased the number of people who would qualify as overweight by up to 50% according to medical websites. This accounts for nearly the entire statistical increase of overweight, obese, and morbidly obese people.
Let's turn to the episode of The Talk I made the mistake of watching today. I don't mean to pick on anyone - the only reason I would turn to the show ever is that I have secretly paid attention to Holly Robinson since starring in 21 Jumpstreet (great show!), I always thought Leah Remini did great guest spots on comedies, Sara Gilbert played the best "depressed teen" for years - so much that I watched Roseanne even though I didn't really like the show, and Sharon Osborne's accent is just plain entertaining - but I'm going to name names in order to keep things straight.
They begin by showing the current cover of Men's Health magazine. On the cover is some congressman with his shirt open and his sexy abs looking nicely oiled. I was not offended by the nice body, of course, but the comments that followed brought to my attention the way that we use weight to justify shallow opinions! Candace Cameron Bure, guest hosting, started by saying something along the lines of "he's bringing awareness to obesity." No! He is flaunting a well toned body, but that is not linked to obesity. Working out until you have that kind of toned muscle; applying oils to make the appearance even more aesthetically pleasing, choosing the open shirt and that particular pose - these are all things that have nothing to do with health or bringing awareness to anything other than the fact that he has a nice body. No matter what you say, posing like a model simply does not relate to weight issues. It's shallow. I am not in better health because I buy nice shoes, am I? No, but they make my feet pretty and I want to show them off so I will wear them and claim it's about health and somehow it becomes a less arrogant quest.
Am I the only one who sometimes feels like people jump on the anti-obese bandwagon because they don't want to look at fat people? They are often not pretty to look at so if we focus instead on "health", then we can guilt fatties into losing weight so they are more pleasing to look in the eye. No one asks a thin person about their health. No one assumes a thin person has health problems even though there is a large percentage of the 'thin' population that is malnourished and there are many people who don't exercise or eat properly.
Holly Robinson Peete went on to say that the magazine cover is not an exploitation because she likes his abs, she likes abs, and she likes looking at a six pack. Right, but it is an exploitation because his abs are not and should not be the reason why we vote for him.
Julie Chen claimed that seeing him like that might encourage her to look at the issues. I think she gives way to much credit to the public. Again, people vote on aesthetic appearance whether they should or not and frankly, he's exploiting that with his appearance. He's clinched the deal for the next election, imo, by knowing which part of himself to sell. A sad reality in which we live...
In the next segment, the ladies took on an Atlanta ad campaign where a child stands before the camera and says she doesn't like going to school because the kids tease her for being bigger than they. Not that it makes a lot of difference, but the child they showed is not nearly as obese as some kids I've seen. They chose one who was pleasantly plump so that you wouldn't automatically turn away. The campaign then goes on to post statistics that are disputable; the percentage of kids who are now considered obese (see above for change in definition), the number of kids who are overweight in Atlanta (again based on the new definition by which, I might mention, George Clooney is overweight in comparison to his height), and the fact that kids will not live as long as their parents.
In a previous post, I mentioned that it's about the example we set. Of course we want to be good role models for our children, but we also need to let our children be children. Instead what we are doing with an ad like this is saying that it's okay for children to intimidate other children if they are fat because fat is unacceptable. We are also telling kids that if they are overweight, they should feel bad about themselves. Somehow we think this will jolt them into better eating habits, but the fact is, a child does not know how to deal with this pain. They do not think like adults. They don't have the same control over their lives that an adult does, therefore the only way to make themselves better is to escape into a world of television and video games (T.V. never teases a child) and food. It is my perception that this only increases the problem until they become adults with such a huge weight problem, the idea of turning it around is incredibly intimidating.
I talked about the booklet I received from school for my daughter, too. I feel like it also gave unrealistic expectations that would just cause a child to feel bad about himself or herself if she can't keep up. What's the incentive of a child who has little control over his or her life to improve things when the expectations are so high? I simply don't think that the information is being presented appropriately to encourage healthy choices in children. We brainwash them with adult thoughts and don't really account for balance.
As for obese children not outliving their parents, the statistics claim that obesity may only reduce lifespan by a few months. Others claim it could be up to ten. The problem here is that there is no solid information and all studies are disputable to the point that it may not shorten life spans at all! Additionally, evidence does show that many obese children have obese parents - therefore if there is a link, their parents likely have the same problem working against them.
After that had been covered, a comment was tossed out that obesity is linked to cancer, strokes, and type 2 diabetes. The links to cancer and strokes are tenuous at best and because the studies have been focused on weight, I think the attitude is dismissive. No where near the money is tossed at studies that try to make these links between anything other than weight so by blaming it all on weight, we may be missing other important and preventative factors. As for type 2 diabetes, it is linked much more strongly with a sedentary lifestyle than obesity. It looks like it is related to obesity because many large people are sedentary and have trouble processing sugars, but if that were the case, then only obese people would have type 2 diabetes. The truth is, there are many people with type 2 diabetes who are and always have been thin.
Next, Leah Remini spoke about her child and how "she wants the white pasta, she wants the carbs, she wants the bad stuff. CARBS ARE NOT BAD! Pasta is all right. It’s the serving size that is the problem. Read the labels. You can still give her the food she likes, just in portion control. Jane loves pasta and sauce, but we don't serve it with garlic bread or added meat anymore. By pre-measuring the pasta and sauce instead of having them both self serve, we find a normal serving size to be plenty filling. Save the garlic bread for another night so you don't overdo the carbs, but we need to stop thinking they are bad just by existing.
Leah then went on to say that she can't change her daughter because she has already introduced these foods. I get where she is coming from, but you don't know until you try. Jane likes a lot of the substituted foods we eat in this house - even some I was certain she wouldn't. When it comes to other things, we make compromises and keep trying things until she is happy as well. It's not easy, but it can be done if you care enough about your child's health to go through the process.
Right before the end of the segment, Holly then went on to say that it needs to be more convenient. Well, it is, but you have to get over the brainwashing we have going on. A happy meal with chicken nuggets, apples, and apple juice is quite healthy. Take some time to sit on the internet and look up other drive through menus. Salads are not automatically a good choice, but there are a few good ones out there. Seeing the Arby's version of the chicken salad sandwich is not the same as the Subway Apply Orchard (with the added mayo, nuts, etc, it is higher calorie). A burger at Wendy's might be lower calorie than a similar one at McDonald's. If you really care, take the time to look them up so you can still grab a bite in a hurry.
Of course, I have this whole idea that has nothing to do with weight loss, too. If you're getting fast food all the time and claiming that it's because of time, maybe it's time to slow down your life. We do not need to be running a race that doesn't allow time to enjoy a meal. In fact, if you enjoy your food, you tend not to need as much of it. Slow down! It is okay to skip signing your kid up for every sport and just encourage them to ride their bike around the block with you. It is okay to find time to relax at least a few days a week.
In the end, it's about excuses. As long as we keep making excuses, we are not ready to change our eating habits. A person either changes them or doesn't. Commit.
*Not a proper bibliography, but a bulk of my information comes from USA Today and The New York Times, both of which quoted doctors, scientists, and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tonight's Dinner: Chicken Gnocchi (Dumpling) Soup
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: about 150
Prep time: give yourself 2 hours
1 whole fryer chicken
3 cans chicken broth (low sodium - check for brand with lowest calories)
2 cubes chicken bullion
2 Tablespoons lemon pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder (avoid garlic salt!)
3/4 cup carrots
3/4 cup broccoli
3/4 cup celery
3/4 cup peas
(other 'free' veggies at 1/4 - 3/4 cup each such as onions or red pepper)
1 package gnocchi (found at target)
Boil whole chicken in large stew pot with chicken broth and equal parts water (or until it just covers chicken). Once completely cooked, remove from water and set aside. Add seasonings and vegetables, reserving peas until the end. Let stew while cutting up chicken. Take time to cut away as much fat as possible. Return chicken pieces to pot and bring to boil. Add gnocchi into soup and let cook about 15 minutes until gnocchi is done.
This makes a large amount so divide into 1 cup servings (you should get approximately 10) and freeze to make individual meals later.
Calories: about 150
Prep time: give yourself 2 hours
1 whole fryer chicken
3 cans chicken broth (low sodium - check for brand with lowest calories)
2 cubes chicken bullion
2 Tablespoons lemon pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder (avoid garlic salt!)
3/4 cup carrots
3/4 cup broccoli
3/4 cup celery
3/4 cup peas
(other 'free' veggies at 1/4 - 3/4 cup each such as onions or red pepper)
1 package gnocchi (found at target)
Boil whole chicken in large stew pot with chicken broth and equal parts water (or until it just covers chicken). Once completely cooked, remove from water and set aside. Add seasonings and vegetables, reserving peas until the end. Let stew while cutting up chicken. Take time to cut away as much fat as possible. Return chicken pieces to pot and bring to boil. Add gnocchi into soup and let cook about 15 minutes until gnocchi is done.
This makes a large amount so divide into 1 cup servings (you should get approximately 10) and freeze to make individual meals later.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Warm weather brings cold cravings...
With the weather finally warming up, the cravings for cold treats will likely increase.
1. Frozen Yogurt - A fabulous alternative to ice cream, frozen yogurt tastes much better than it did years ago. We've already tried a few spot, but it is still dangerous ground so tread carefully. We don't go more than once every two weeks and even that is probably a lot.
Frozen yogurt is difficult to find at the grocery store, but maybe it's for the best not to have it in the house. If it's expensive and you go out occasionally to purchase just one serving, it will be much easier to stick to the diet plan. The problem is, frozen yogurt joints are not as they used to be either. They are self serve and you pay by weight. My frustration is that the smallest cup is usually 16 ounce, but one serving size is 8 ounces so it's difficult to judge your calories.
TIP: 1 cup should look no bigger than a baseball.
Read the labels at each frozen yogurt machine. Some are sugar free, some non-fat/fat free. Non fat is your lowest calorie option, but still comes in around 160. I count mine as 200 even though a few can be a little more than that. (If I'm really trying to be good, I will count it as 250) Again, if it's a treat, you can go over and still lose weight over all. Toppings all need to be counted no matter what you choose. 2 Tbs chopped fruit will be your safest bet; around 40 calories. Syrups are well over 100 for a couple tablespoons and those chopped up candy bars or nuts are better avoided completely.
Farr's Fresh has a variety of yogurt, ice cream, and frozen custard in their location near Macey's in Sandy. The yogurt tasted delicious, but because of the variety, there were few options. The tastiest looking choices were in the 'naughty' area so I will probably avoid going there.
We've tried TCBY (Fashion Place Mall) and Planet Yogurt (Quarry Bend) as well as Frogurt in Fort Union. If pressed, we would choose TCBY because they have creamier frozen yogurt and offer many flavors in a nice twist. Planet Yogurt comes in second, I think, though they don't offer all of them in twist and some of the combinations seem a little weird.
2. Juice bars - cool off guilt free with Dreyer's fruit bars. Many of them are 50 calories per serving and they taste great.
3. Creamy - Snickers and Twix offer 100 calorie ice cream treats, but they are tiny and a little grainy. Skinny Cow has delicious ice cream bars - my preference being the white mint. Their other products are lower in calorie than similar items, but still more calories than I usually like to have so we have skipped things like their ice cream sandwiches.
4. Target has a nice rainbow sherbet. I believe it is about 120 calories per serving, but it tasted wonderful and could be a nice treat.
My suggestion? Skip the cone. It's only a few calories, but that's all the more calories you can enjoy in the actual frozen yogurt.
1. Frozen Yogurt - A fabulous alternative to ice cream, frozen yogurt tastes much better than it did years ago. We've already tried a few spot, but it is still dangerous ground so tread carefully. We don't go more than once every two weeks and even that is probably a lot.
Frozen yogurt is difficult to find at the grocery store, but maybe it's for the best not to have it in the house. If it's expensive and you go out occasionally to purchase just one serving, it will be much easier to stick to the diet plan. The problem is, frozen yogurt joints are not as they used to be either. They are self serve and you pay by weight. My frustration is that the smallest cup is usually 16 ounce, but one serving size is 8 ounces so it's difficult to judge your calories.
TIP: 1 cup should look no bigger than a baseball.
Read the labels at each frozen yogurt machine. Some are sugar free, some non-fat/fat free. Non fat is your lowest calorie option, but still comes in around 160. I count mine as 200 even though a few can be a little more than that. (If I'm really trying to be good, I will count it as 250) Again, if it's a treat, you can go over and still lose weight over all. Toppings all need to be counted no matter what you choose. 2 Tbs chopped fruit will be your safest bet; around 40 calories. Syrups are well over 100 for a couple tablespoons and those chopped up candy bars or nuts are better avoided completely.
Farr's Fresh has a variety of yogurt, ice cream, and frozen custard in their location near Macey's in Sandy. The yogurt tasted delicious, but because of the variety, there were few options. The tastiest looking choices were in the 'naughty' area so I will probably avoid going there.
We've tried TCBY (Fashion Place Mall) and Planet Yogurt (Quarry Bend) as well as Frogurt in Fort Union. If pressed, we would choose TCBY because they have creamier frozen yogurt and offer many flavors in a nice twist. Planet Yogurt comes in second, I think, though they don't offer all of them in twist and some of the combinations seem a little weird.
2. Juice bars - cool off guilt free with Dreyer's fruit bars. Many of them are 50 calories per serving and they taste great.
3. Creamy - Snickers and Twix offer 100 calorie ice cream treats, but they are tiny and a little grainy. Skinny Cow has delicious ice cream bars - my preference being the white mint. Their other products are lower in calorie than similar items, but still more calories than I usually like to have so we have skipped things like their ice cream sandwiches.
4. Target has a nice rainbow sherbet. I believe it is about 120 calories per serving, but it tasted wonderful and could be a nice treat.
My suggestion? Skip the cone. It's only a few calories, but that's all the more calories you can enjoy in the actual frozen yogurt.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Creative Exercise
Well, I guess I got a little over-excited. I hoped some of the lower hiking areas would be open so we drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Instead we found even the lowest ones were closed/snowed in. Moving back down the mountain, we stopped at a lovely picnic area and got our "creative exercise" by exploring, trekking up the hills and onto the rocks around the creek.
And so it begins...
And so it begins...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Getting Started
I know it seems a little nuts to put something about getting started as the 30th post and nearly 2 months into the blog. These moments have passed for me, so I don't think about them as much. It is important, though, to get off to a solid start - to take a moment and think about what you are doing.
1. Record.
Begin by NOT changing. For at least a week (not more than two, I should think) continue to eat and exercise normally. Grab a small notebook that you can keep with you and make sure you have a pen. I recommend dividing it into three sections.
Section A is what you eat. Record everything. "If you bite it, write it" is the phrase I've heard. Picking a french fry off your kid's plate should be noted. Calculate calories of these foods to the best of your ability. Most nutritional guides can be found online, but don't look them up until after you have eaten out because it can affect your eating habits whether it's out of guilt or more of a subconscious reaction.
Section B is where you record your activities. Make sure to note what the activity is and the time it takes you to complete it. Note things like resistance (weights in weight training) or distance (walking, biking).
Section C should be dedicated to notes. You can put anything you like: how you feel on a given day, what your goals might be, how you feel about weight loss, what psychological hindrances you think may have helped you get to the weight you are, ANYTHING. You should examine things like why you want to lose weight and what is going through your mind. I find these things help me sort out the truths in my mind even though I may not be ready to face some of them until much further along.
I did something similar to this when I started losing weight at Curves several years ago. Although I only lost 30 lbs over the course of 18 months, I did find that I learned a lot about myself. I wish I had done it again before starting this time because I find myself thinking back and wondering about the differences. Things are working this time so I suppose the notebook isn't necessary, but what's the harm? You'll know your before and after without having to wonder.
2. Goals.
We don't believe in end result goals, per se. When you are as overweight as we, smaller goals are more realistic and visible. Saying that we will be in the ideal weight for our height is intimidating as well as unrealistic. Scott's first goal was to get down to the weight he was when we got married in 1997. For me, I didn't even like having goals at all. They just add stress when it doesn't happen as fast as I want and I go a little crazy if the scale moves up just one pound when I have goals. My goal was to generally be declining instead of increasing. I suppose I still made tiny goals once in a while. If the scale started reading 287-288, I would tell myself that I did not want to see 29+ again. Right now I have just dipped below 238 so I do no wish to see anything over 240 when I get on the scale.
The point is, you have to know yourself and what works for you. Do you need to see where the end will be in order to reach it? Do you prefer to just see results? Try to figure that out before you go in, but be flexible if you find it's not working for you.
3. Resources.
I found Spark People to be a great resource, but I also learned quickly that these group activities don't work for me. I joined, but it was a few months later before I used the tools. I found out how to calculate the mileage of walks in my neighborhood. I hunted down videos to help with strength training and super short workouts for when I just wanted to add a little 10 minute activity to my regularly scheduled exercise. There are recipes and calorie counting guides in easy to use, convenient trackers. I used it faithfully for a month. I didn't lose a single pound the entire month. I don't know why, can't explain. I found articles of motivation and short pieces about how to overcome plateaus. I used everything I could imagine and still stayed in the same place. I didn't relate it to the webpage at first because I could see awesome graphs showing how well I was eating and nifty charts to show that I exercised even more than I had before using it. Surely it couldn't be that. Well, at one point I decided to take a break from tracking for a week and see if it made a difference. I immediately started losing weight again.
Group weight loss isn't for everyone, but I still might recommend signing up on of these pages. I still go there occasionally to update my weight and measurements, but mainly to look things up when I need them. A new workout can be useful at times and when we try a new walk, I like to record it so that I know the distance. It's useful to have a go-to webpage for the bulk of weight-loss research.
4. Ready, Set, Go.
Now that you've got the tools, goals, and recent activity to lean on, it's time to start the actual plan of attack. Yes, we are doing this to be healthy, but let's face it, weight loss is an important part of that. Make sure you are mentally ready to commit to these new goals and to the changes you will have to make. I took a while to get started last summer for various reasons. I liked my life, felt okay, and had no medical scares. I compared myself to my husband and had deluded myself into this weird thought process. "He's eating a big huge burger with beef, pastrami, and sauces spilling out. He's downing the largest french fries available. I'm eating this little gyro which is leaner meat, yogurt sauce, and a type of flat bread. On the side, though fried, what's underneath is mushrooms or zucchini. I'm eating healthier." "Well, he gets winded coming up stairs. I get out and walk once in a while. I'm exercising more. I must be healthier."
Healthier, my friends, is not the same as healthy. It took me quite some time to figure that out.
When he had his medical scares and decided it was time to do something about it, we walked together. It took him a few months just to get up to the speed I walked normally. It was actually hard for me to walk that slow! At first I changed some eating habits a little, but I hadn't quite started counting calories.
Suddenly, he started melting and I lost all of 5 pounds. We started buying foods based on his diet and the supplies of chips, sweets, and other junk in the house began to dwindle. His walking speed increased and, with a Disneyland trip I had planned coming quickly, we increased our distance as well so we would be sure to be ready. NOW I was ready to jump into the pool instead of just dangling my toes.
For some, you can just begin and start changing your life immediately. For the ones like me who need more time to adjust, I recommend the following steps:
A. Cut out obvious junk foods.
If you like to sit with half a bag of oreos dunking them in milk while watching a movie, try taking just the serving size and making the milk a little smaller. If you like to relax after work with a bag of chips and a container of dip, try taking a handful of chips and putting them in a bowl - leave the bag in the kitchen - and make that yogurt dip I've mentioned or scoop out just a tablespoon or two and leave the rest in the fridge. I liked to buy candy bars from time to time and eat 1-2 in a sitting. I stopped buying them and instead opted for a bite sized one from other people's houses (with Halloween coming up, everyone was offering). Examine those especially bad eating habits and cut them out or, at least, cut them down to one serving size per day.
B. Change activity level.
If you go walking once a week, add in a second day. If you go three times a week, try doing yoga, lifting weights, or just jogging during in place during your favorite show on television. We started by going for a 1/2 mile walk, but we did it every day. At first it took over 30 minutes. By the time Scott was up to speed, it was down to 20. Now we can do 1 mile in 20 minutes, though our goal is to go at least 1.5 -2 miles at least 3 times a week.
C. Still not ready to jump in the hole?
If you still feel you have room to improve before taking on the full challenge, I would next recommend cutting visits to restaurants and fast food joints by half. When you go, never order fries; opt for any fruit or vegetables they might offer like broccoli, apples, etc. Also, look for ways to burn extra calories; walk into the bank instead of using drive-through. Save the money and go into a grocery store to buy soda instead of buying the overpriced smaller ones at the gas station. When you crave something at home, jump up and get it instead of thinking about it, putting it off, or saving it as an activity to do several things at once.
D. Jump in!
Do the above for a week or two, then start counting your calories. If it helps, write what you eat. Make sure you are cutting at least 20% off the calories you ate during that first week of recording. Increase your activity double if possible. If you are as large as we, it was recommended we eat 2200-2500 calories (more for Scott). Had we done that, over the course of weight loss we could continue to cut our calories along the road and maintain slow weight loss. It's probably the healthiest route. The problem is that years ago when I recorded calories, I found I only ate 2000-2250. I had messed up my metabolism in such a way that my body could not burn a normal diet. By doing this diet at 1200 calories and being much more careful to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (though I still lapse. Yesterday I ate a small breakfast and forgot to eat again until 9 pm) I seem to have fixed my metabolism. It functions the way doctors and nutritionists say it should function now (YAY!) That's another plus. Scott wanted to go 1200-1500 because he felt he needed that strict discipline or he would cheat. The problem this causes, of course, is saggy skin as well as the fact that we're both slowing down a little on sending those pounds on their journey to Canada or wherever weight goes when it isn't on my ass. I've got tricks around that, though, and tricks around plateaus which I will detail another day.
So, make sure you're ready to commit to yourself. You can go to weight watchers, join online groups, or just tell all your friends you want to lose weight, but it's you that needs the commitment. Talking out loud solidifies that process, I've heard, but I think talking about it is more about being mentally ready than it is about making it known so you have to answer to someone. Your friends will love you no matter what and you know that so it's not much of a promise if you make it to them. Unfortunately, you will always know when you've cheated yourself (too bad you can't hide the candy bars from yourself, eh!?) so it's got to be internal for it to really work.
Best of luck. If, like me, you think of all these things AFTER you've started dieting, it's not too late. You can still take a moment to record goals and write journal entries about why you may have gained weight or why you want to lose it. Start thinking about other activities you may want to add in order to stave off boredom. Ask yourself tough questions, but don't answer them for a few weeks. You might surprise yourself.
1. Record.
Begin by NOT changing. For at least a week (not more than two, I should think) continue to eat and exercise normally. Grab a small notebook that you can keep with you and make sure you have a pen. I recommend dividing it into three sections.
Section A is what you eat. Record everything. "If you bite it, write it" is the phrase I've heard. Picking a french fry off your kid's plate should be noted. Calculate calories of these foods to the best of your ability. Most nutritional guides can be found online, but don't look them up until after you have eaten out because it can affect your eating habits whether it's out of guilt or more of a subconscious reaction.
Section B is where you record your activities. Make sure to note what the activity is and the time it takes you to complete it. Note things like resistance (weights in weight training) or distance (walking, biking).
Section C should be dedicated to notes. You can put anything you like: how you feel on a given day, what your goals might be, how you feel about weight loss, what psychological hindrances you think may have helped you get to the weight you are, ANYTHING. You should examine things like why you want to lose weight and what is going through your mind. I find these things help me sort out the truths in my mind even though I may not be ready to face some of them until much further along.
I did something similar to this when I started losing weight at Curves several years ago. Although I only lost 30 lbs over the course of 18 months, I did find that I learned a lot about myself. I wish I had done it again before starting this time because I find myself thinking back and wondering about the differences. Things are working this time so I suppose the notebook isn't necessary, but what's the harm? You'll know your before and after without having to wonder.
2. Goals.
We don't believe in end result goals, per se. When you are as overweight as we, smaller goals are more realistic and visible. Saying that we will be in the ideal weight for our height is intimidating as well as unrealistic. Scott's first goal was to get down to the weight he was when we got married in 1997. For me, I didn't even like having goals at all. They just add stress when it doesn't happen as fast as I want and I go a little crazy if the scale moves up just one pound when I have goals. My goal was to generally be declining instead of increasing. I suppose I still made tiny goals once in a while. If the scale started reading 287-288, I would tell myself that I did not want to see 29+ again. Right now I have just dipped below 238 so I do no wish to see anything over 240 when I get on the scale.
The point is, you have to know yourself and what works for you. Do you need to see where the end will be in order to reach it? Do you prefer to just see results? Try to figure that out before you go in, but be flexible if you find it's not working for you.
3. Resources.
I found Spark People to be a great resource, but I also learned quickly that these group activities don't work for me. I joined, but it was a few months later before I used the tools. I found out how to calculate the mileage of walks in my neighborhood. I hunted down videos to help with strength training and super short workouts for when I just wanted to add a little 10 minute activity to my regularly scheduled exercise. There are recipes and calorie counting guides in easy to use, convenient trackers. I used it faithfully for a month. I didn't lose a single pound the entire month. I don't know why, can't explain. I found articles of motivation and short pieces about how to overcome plateaus. I used everything I could imagine and still stayed in the same place. I didn't relate it to the webpage at first because I could see awesome graphs showing how well I was eating and nifty charts to show that I exercised even more than I had before using it. Surely it couldn't be that. Well, at one point I decided to take a break from tracking for a week and see if it made a difference. I immediately started losing weight again.
Group weight loss isn't for everyone, but I still might recommend signing up on of these pages. I still go there occasionally to update my weight and measurements, but mainly to look things up when I need them. A new workout can be useful at times and when we try a new walk, I like to record it so that I know the distance. It's useful to have a go-to webpage for the bulk of weight-loss research.
4. Ready, Set, Go.
Now that you've got the tools, goals, and recent activity to lean on, it's time to start the actual plan of attack. Yes, we are doing this to be healthy, but let's face it, weight loss is an important part of that. Make sure you are mentally ready to commit to these new goals and to the changes you will have to make. I took a while to get started last summer for various reasons. I liked my life, felt okay, and had no medical scares. I compared myself to my husband and had deluded myself into this weird thought process. "He's eating a big huge burger with beef, pastrami, and sauces spilling out. He's downing the largest french fries available. I'm eating this little gyro which is leaner meat, yogurt sauce, and a type of flat bread. On the side, though fried, what's underneath is mushrooms or zucchini. I'm eating healthier." "Well, he gets winded coming up stairs. I get out and walk once in a while. I'm exercising more. I must be healthier."
Healthier, my friends, is not the same as healthy. It took me quite some time to figure that out.
When he had his medical scares and decided it was time to do something about it, we walked together. It took him a few months just to get up to the speed I walked normally. It was actually hard for me to walk that slow! At first I changed some eating habits a little, but I hadn't quite started counting calories.
Suddenly, he started melting and I lost all of 5 pounds. We started buying foods based on his diet and the supplies of chips, sweets, and other junk in the house began to dwindle. His walking speed increased and, with a Disneyland trip I had planned coming quickly, we increased our distance as well so we would be sure to be ready. NOW I was ready to jump into the pool instead of just dangling my toes.
For some, you can just begin and start changing your life immediately. For the ones like me who need more time to adjust, I recommend the following steps:
A. Cut out obvious junk foods.
If you like to sit with half a bag of oreos dunking them in milk while watching a movie, try taking just the serving size and making the milk a little smaller. If you like to relax after work with a bag of chips and a container of dip, try taking a handful of chips and putting them in a bowl - leave the bag in the kitchen - and make that yogurt dip I've mentioned or scoop out just a tablespoon or two and leave the rest in the fridge. I liked to buy candy bars from time to time and eat 1-2 in a sitting. I stopped buying them and instead opted for a bite sized one from other people's houses (with Halloween coming up, everyone was offering). Examine those especially bad eating habits and cut them out or, at least, cut them down to one serving size per day.
B. Change activity level.
If you go walking once a week, add in a second day. If you go three times a week, try doing yoga, lifting weights, or just jogging during in place during your favorite show on television. We started by going for a 1/2 mile walk, but we did it every day. At first it took over 30 minutes. By the time Scott was up to speed, it was down to 20. Now we can do 1 mile in 20 minutes, though our goal is to go at least 1.5 -2 miles at least 3 times a week.
C. Still not ready to jump in the hole?
If you still feel you have room to improve before taking on the full challenge, I would next recommend cutting visits to restaurants and fast food joints by half. When you go, never order fries; opt for any fruit or vegetables they might offer like broccoli, apples, etc. Also, look for ways to burn extra calories; walk into the bank instead of using drive-through. Save the money and go into a grocery store to buy soda instead of buying the overpriced smaller ones at the gas station. When you crave something at home, jump up and get it instead of thinking about it, putting it off, or saving it as an activity to do several things at once.
D. Jump in!
Do the above for a week or two, then start counting your calories. If it helps, write what you eat. Make sure you are cutting at least 20% off the calories you ate during that first week of recording. Increase your activity double if possible. If you are as large as we, it was recommended we eat 2200-2500 calories (more for Scott). Had we done that, over the course of weight loss we could continue to cut our calories along the road and maintain slow weight loss. It's probably the healthiest route. The problem is that years ago when I recorded calories, I found I only ate 2000-2250. I had messed up my metabolism in such a way that my body could not burn a normal diet. By doing this diet at 1200 calories and being much more careful to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (though I still lapse. Yesterday I ate a small breakfast and forgot to eat again until 9 pm) I seem to have fixed my metabolism. It functions the way doctors and nutritionists say it should function now (YAY!) That's another plus. Scott wanted to go 1200-1500 because he felt he needed that strict discipline or he would cheat. The problem this causes, of course, is saggy skin as well as the fact that we're both slowing down a little on sending those pounds on their journey to Canada or wherever weight goes when it isn't on my ass. I've got tricks around that, though, and tricks around plateaus which I will detail another day.
So, make sure you're ready to commit to yourself. You can go to weight watchers, join online groups, or just tell all your friends you want to lose weight, but it's you that needs the commitment. Talking out loud solidifies that process, I've heard, but I think talking about it is more about being mentally ready than it is about making it known so you have to answer to someone. Your friends will love you no matter what and you know that so it's not much of a promise if you make it to them. Unfortunately, you will always know when you've cheated yourself (too bad you can't hide the candy bars from yourself, eh!?) so it's got to be internal for it to really work.
Best of luck. If, like me, you think of all these things AFTER you've started dieting, it's not too late. You can still take a moment to record goals and write journal entries about why you may have gained weight or why you want to lose it. Start thinking about other activities you may want to add in order to stave off boredom. Ask yourself tough questions, but don't answer them for a few weeks. You might surprise yourself.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Are you giving good advice or being a dismissive jerk?
If I have to hear this - or any variation of it - one more time, I sometimes think I might lose my mind!
In order to lose weight, you just have to burn more calories than you eat. No kidding. Really? What are you? A genius?
Do you really think saying that (or "eat less, exercise more", "keep active and watch what you eat", etc) makes you sound smart? Like some kind of weight loss guru? Come on! It's the most dismissive thing you can say to someone. It actually makes you a little bit of a jerk.
You can count calories fairly easily these days. On the internet you can get ideas of how many calories are in all those foods that don't come with labels (fruit is the first thing that pops into mind). You can also find charts that give an idea of how many calories you are burning per activity, but those rarely take into account things like your weight (if you weigh more, you'll burn more since you have more to carry around. Thinner people can replicate the numbers by adding weights), your previous activity level, how fast your heart is beating and how much sweat you are building. Many things can affect your calorie burning, but none of it is taken into account. Additionally, you burn calories just by getting our of bed, taking a shower, and even breathing. How on earth are you expected to calculate those calories? It's impossible!
In a general 30 minute workout - which is all that is really asked of an obese person starting out - we probably only burn about 150-250 calories. Are we meant to only eat 200 calories a day to offset that? Of course not! That perspective is what makes that "advice" dismissive and bordering on rude. Funny how the people who give that advice are not the kind of people who have ever spent time counting calories and calculating how many they burn in a day. Oh, right, because they think simply by understanding the concept they are somehow smarter than those of us actually doing the work. Guess what? I already knew that stupid thing you just said. I just understand it better than you.
When asked casually how we're losing weight, though, we do respond with a variation. "We're eating less and exercising more." Of course, this is only used with the same people who ask "How are you?" and only want to hear "Fine" because it's a polite question that does not require a sophisticated answer.
It's easy, but it's complicated. It's possible, but it's not always fun. It does, I have found, get easier and more fun as it all becomes part of life, though.
I just want people (in my ideal, unrealistic, utopian world) who say these things to realize that their comments are cliche, redundant, useless, and completely dismissive to a real struggle that someone else is having. I want people to know that a simple "you look great" compliment goes a long way and does not need to be related specifically to weight. I wish people understood that even if they like their comment about burning vs. eating calories, when the subject comes up and that person is on the thin side talking to someone who clearly isn't, it is perfectly okay not to say anything at all.
Hmm. That last bit could be true in an entire world view, couldn't it? Not just regarding weight, exercise, or even health, but also politics, religion, and day to day living. Sometimes it's okay not to say anything at all!
In order to lose weight, you just have to burn more calories than you eat. No kidding. Really? What are you? A genius?
Do you really think saying that (or "eat less, exercise more", "keep active and watch what you eat", etc) makes you sound smart? Like some kind of weight loss guru? Come on! It's the most dismissive thing you can say to someone. It actually makes you a little bit of a jerk.
You can count calories fairly easily these days. On the internet you can get ideas of how many calories are in all those foods that don't come with labels (fruit is the first thing that pops into mind). You can also find charts that give an idea of how many calories you are burning per activity, but those rarely take into account things like your weight (if you weigh more, you'll burn more since you have more to carry around. Thinner people can replicate the numbers by adding weights), your previous activity level, how fast your heart is beating and how much sweat you are building. Many things can affect your calorie burning, but none of it is taken into account. Additionally, you burn calories just by getting our of bed, taking a shower, and even breathing. How on earth are you expected to calculate those calories? It's impossible!
In a general 30 minute workout - which is all that is really asked of an obese person starting out - we probably only burn about 150-250 calories. Are we meant to only eat 200 calories a day to offset that? Of course not! That perspective is what makes that "advice" dismissive and bordering on rude. Funny how the people who give that advice are not the kind of people who have ever spent time counting calories and calculating how many they burn in a day. Oh, right, because they think simply by understanding the concept they are somehow smarter than those of us actually doing the work. Guess what? I already knew that stupid thing you just said. I just understand it better than you.
When asked casually how we're losing weight, though, we do respond with a variation. "We're eating less and exercising more." Of course, this is only used with the same people who ask "How are you?" and only want to hear "Fine" because it's a polite question that does not require a sophisticated answer.
It's easy, but it's complicated. It's possible, but it's not always fun. It does, I have found, get easier and more fun as it all becomes part of life, though.
I just want people (in my ideal, unrealistic, utopian world) who say these things to realize that their comments are cliche, redundant, useless, and completely dismissive to a real struggle that someone else is having. I want people to know that a simple "you look great" compliment goes a long way and does not need to be related specifically to weight. I wish people understood that even if they like their comment about burning vs. eating calories, when the subject comes up and that person is on the thin side talking to someone who clearly isn't, it is perfectly okay not to say anything at all.
Hmm. That last bit could be true in an entire world view, couldn't it? Not just regarding weight, exercise, or even health, but also politics, religion, and day to day living. Sometimes it's okay not to say anything at all!
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