A Reason to Celebrate

I start this post off with an apology for being away so long. 

I will be the first to admit this summer has not been an easy one and I primarily stayed away so long because of my own shame.  Bottom line is that I currently have not met the goals I set for myself and for that I am truly embarrassed.  

I have a list of excuses about a mile long for why I did not reach my goals but I refuse to allow myself to continue the pity party any further.  I thank God for support partners who can see more than what I see and can look at situations with an objective eye.

Losing weight and taking a journey towards a healthier lifestyle can be challenging and you will be met with highs and lows along the way.  Suggestion:  find that person (someone you trust) you can confide in about your goals and plans.  This person should serve as someone with whom you can be accountable.  This person should be able to balance constructive criticism with encouragement and know exactly when to apply each. 

Last week I needed my friend to be encouraging and because of their optimistic words I am able to write this post today.  My friend sat me down and went through the things I did accomplish this summer.  After our discussion I was able to see more clearly and discover that even though I am not where I want to be, I am no longer where I used to be and for this I am very thankful.

This is why I cannot continue with my pity party; I have every reason to celebrate!  I only lost five pounds when I wanted to lose 12 but I did not gain weight like I did last summer.  Even though I am heavier than I was when I used to put on a pair of my favorite jeans they are looser now because I have less body fat. 

I encourage you all to find a friend and find reasons to celebrate even the smallest accomplishments throughout your journey for these are the things that will keep you running when your tank is low. 

Don't Let your Travel Plans Mess with Your Plan

I guess I am thinking about this because I am on the road and away from my normal routine.  However I could not let this much needed relaxation away from home mess up my plans for a healthier me.  I am on day 4 of my 6 day vacation and so far I have remained on track.  Below I will share with you some of the things I have done to keep my focus on this trip and vacations I have taken in the past.  

• Plan ahead:  I love Google Maps because you can search nearby locations.  I cannot stress the planning part around.  Get to know the area before you get there.  Where will you work out?  What and where will you eat?
• Movement:  So now you know where you are staying.  If you are staying in a hotel and they have a gym you don't have to do much planning but you may want to find out the hours of operation.  If your home away from home does not have a gym, no worries there are plenty of other options.  
• Local Fitness Facilities:  If you belong to a gym you may check to see if your club is in the area.  Most gyms will let you work out even if you are not a member but be aware that most places will make you pay to play. 
• Trails are your friend:  Walking is one of the best all around workouts you can do so finding a "safe" area to walk can prove to be very beneficial.  A lot of malls open their doors before the stores open so people can have a safe, weather proof walking option.  
• Room to move: There are plenty of things you can do right in your own space.  If you have bands, they are light, easy to pack and provide a great strength workout.  The basic push up works multiple muscle groups at the same time.  
• Your TV: Bring your favorite workout DVD or if you are lucky you will have access to On Demand workouts on cable.  My DVD of choice is the Insanity workout by Beach Body.  You only need yourself and water to get a good workout with Insanity.  

• Meals:  Again planning ahead is key.  Find out if you will be eating out or preparing meals in advance.  
• Eating Out:  Google Maps is your friend.  Find out about the local restaurants and after you locate them, study the menu.  Plan your meals in advance.  
• Cooking:  This is actually the best scenario because you have complete control over every meal.  Put together a list of the foods you are going to prepare in advance and make a shopping list of all the ingredients you will need.  If you can, pack some of the ingredients and take them with you to save money. 
• Staying with relatives or friends:  This one is difficult because some people will try to push food your way, trying to be nice and make your vacation more relaxing.  If this is the case you have to determine your comfort level in sharing your goals with your friend or family member.  If you feel comfortable have a conversation in advance about your food requirements.  If you do not feel like explaining anything then offer to cook a few meals and bring plenty of easy to pack healthy snack options.  When you must eat with you friend or family member focus on small portion sizes.

Online Weight ManagementTools

Losing weight can sometimes be challenging because we don't see immediate changes. If you are the type of person who wants to see instant progress or simply likes to keep track, there are many online weight management tools that may work for you.  Here are a few to get you started.  If you have any favorites I have not mentioned, please feel free to list them or send me a note and I will add those sites to this post.



Nutrition and Exercise Trackers

• SparkPeople: A free online diet, exercise and healthy living community. (This is one of my favorites because you can set caloric goals and as you input your food it tells you how many calories you have until you reach your limit.  This one also has a place to input the amount of water you drink)
• FitDay: A free and very popular online journal and diet tracker (must register)
• Nutridiary:  Tracks Food, calories and weight (free/must register)

Community and Group Support

• PeerTrainer: Find others like you and form support groups and teams.  This site also offers great fitness and nutrition tips.  Additionally, you can make a plan and track food an exercise (Free/must register)
• Fit Tracker:  Fit Tracker is an online community where members can connect with each other to socialize and learn more about health and fitness. 

Weight Loss Calculators

• Calories Per Hour: Calculate your calorie goal and make a plan that works for you.  Has a search-able database of over 679,300 foods and 1,500 activities to help you be accountable to your goals  

Nutrition Information    

• Nutrition Data: Know what you eat.  Provides comprehensive information on most foods to help with healthy planning.  
• Dietfacts.com: Look before you eat.  This site lets you see the nutritional value of standard foods and has manually entered information from most restaurants as well. (Warning-I can no longer enjoy some of my favorite foods at restaurants after visiting this site)
• CalorieKing: This comprehensive program goes back to the basics, you won't find any fad diets here.  You can try a 7 day free trial and become equipped with basic tools to help you reach and maintain your goals.
• Calorie Count:  Type in your food of choice and find out how many calories, carbohydrates, proteins, etc. you will eat.  
• WebMD Portion Size Guide:  This PDF guide gives you real life examples to compare appropriate portion sizes. 

These are a few of the many tools out there and available to assist with reaching health goals.  If you have others please let me know and I will gladly add them to the list.

Seeing is Achieving: How my Virtual Life Changed my Real Life

For about 9 weeks I have been participating in a program designed to help individuals re-frame the way they think about eating, movement and nutrition. This program is completely online and uses avatars to interact with small groups and with instructors on Club One Island located in a virtual world called Second Life.

Naturally I asked, "How in the world can I lose weight sitting in front of my computer?"  The Club One Instructors informed me numerous studies have shown people can change their actual behavior or circumstance by seeing themselves in an alternate reality.  I have often read in order to lose weight you have to see yourself smaller or if you wish to have success you must believe you can be successful.  The beauty industry uses imaging technology to allow people to try on different hairstyles and looks before taking the final leap.  People use virtual reality game consoles to imagine what it would be like to be a famous boxer, rock star or dancer.  Finally, it all goes back to the old saying, "if you can see it, you can achieve it."

I must admit in the beginning I was very skeptical of the entire program.  I am a person who already loves to work out so I really did not see how they could help me in this area.  However, after 9 weeks, I am a little sad it is coming to an end.  My life has changed.  Yes I have seen some measurable results, which I will reveal at the end of the 12 week cycle, but more importantly, I have seen my life change.  I am now much more aware of not only what I eat but how I eat it.  I have more tools at my disposal and have learned the benefits of portion control.  Once you are in control of your eating you can truly be free with food.  I used to sit and scarf down two bowls of cereal with no problem.  Now I can't imagine eating two bowls of cereal back to back.  I now know if I am still hungry after eating the first bowl I should wait 15 minutes before going back for more.  Waiting allows my brain to realize my stomach is full and usually I am not longer hungry (oh the calories I've saved).

I have always been a big fan of movement but attending classes at Club One Island in Second Life has allowed me to see my Avatar participate in activities that would otherwise be a stretch for me like surfing, skating and Yoga.  I recently started doing Yoga in the mornings and can already feel and see the benefits.  One day in the not so distant future, I may even get on a surf board just to see how it goes.

I will update this post in the future to share my results.

If you want more information about the program in general the following article provides detailed information.

Virtual Club in Second Life

Eating Mindfully

Last night was the sneak preview for Jamie Oliver's TV show, Food Revolution.  Jamie also known as the “naked chef” is traveling across America to help people eat healthier and improve their lives. 

Jamie’s first stop was in Huntington, West Virginia, which has the reputation of being “the unhealthiest town in America.”  To Jamie’s surprise, he quickly learned his healthy lifestyle changes were met with much resistance.  Jamie was not only shocked but hurt by the negative response received to the help he was offering.  Even the local DJ was put off by Jamie’s desire to inspire people to change their health habits.  The DJ questioned, “Who are you to tell us what to eat?” continuing, “We’re not interested in eating lettuce all day.”  Even though the DJ’s words were harsh he is not alone in his thinking.  Many Americans do not realize eating healthy goes far beyond the salad bowl.  

The children in the video had trouble recognizing common, fresh vegetables like tomatoes.  Why should they know fresh veggies when they are used to being served food that only resembles food?  Jamie was disgusted when he discovered the school was serving pizza for breakfast, stating he had never seen such a practice in any country.   

Viewing this preview will make one think back to the mystery meals they were served in school or may even turn the focus to the meals your children are being served.  Is it possible these meals will have an impact on their lives 20-30 years from now?

If you or your children are unable to form healthy eating habits because you learned bad practices early on, the answer is probably yes. 

The preview video focuses on Huntington, West Virginia but the issue is much larger than this town.  Unhealthy eating habits are learned in America at a young age and if left unlearned are passed down from generation to generation. 

Mindless eating often leads to overeating or eating foods that have no nutritional value.  Unfortunately many mindless eaters are on autopilot and do it automatically without giving it a second thought.  If you would like to be more mindful in your eating try these following techniques. 

1.         

1. Get in touch with your hunger:  When you wake up in the morning don’t eat until you feel that first sign of hunger.  Get to know what it feels like when you are first hungry, this way you will be able to recognize when that feeling is gone and know when to stop eating
2.  Limit the distractions:  Many like to multitask but while you are trying to get your eating under control try eating without doing anything else.  Enjoy the taste and every bite of your food.  Pay attention to your body signals.  Do this and you will start to recognize when you start to feel the feeling of fullness.  
3. Take your time: Eat slowly.  It takes 20 minutes on average for your stomach to communicate with your brain that it is full.  If you eat slowly you will realize you are full before consuming too many calories.  
   
   

Let’s first have a conversation and then retrain the brain to build new eating habits.  What are your pitfalls to mindless eating?  Have you found any techniques to combat these pitfalls and become more mindful in your eating?  

See the Sneak Peek at the Food Revolution

Sneak Peek Food Revolution 

Keeping it Creative: My Favorite Recipes

 I keep my health and nutrition journey exciting by trying new things.  I have learned new exorcises and ways to keep my body moving and now I am learning new recipes to keep my taste buds interested.  The best part about incorporating new and tasty recipes into my lifestyle is I am able to convince my husband to eat better as well which means I don't have to go on this journey alone.  Below, I provided some of the new recipes I have tried and like.

 

 Yogurt and Cereal

 

I love yogurt and cereal.  This is one of my favorite quick breakfasts packed with lots of protein.  

Ingredients

• Greek Yogurt

• Fresh Strawberries

• Fresh Blue Berries

• Your choice of high fiber cereal (this one is from Trader Joe's)

• Almonds

• Dried Cranberries (or any other fruit)

Simple Salad Dressing 

Ingredients

• 1 whole clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Smash the garlic clove with the back of a knife. Add garlic to the other ingredients in a jar or other airtight container. Cover, shake well and serve. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition analysis per serving:

Calories: 80

Total fat: 9g

Saturated fat: 1g

Carbohydrate: 1g

Protein: 0g

Sodium: 25mg

To find this and other healthy, fun recipes visit the

Foodnetwork

 

 

Tortilla Soup  

Serves 4
Calories per serving of soup: 165
Calories per serving of garnishes: 95

1 pound chicken tenders, cut into strips
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ancho chile powder, or your favorite chile powder
 

To garnish:
1 jalapeño chile, cut into rings
12 baked tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded light Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 lime, cut in wedges

 1. In a large pot, bring chicken, broth, tomatoes and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the salt and chile powder, and taste, adding more chile powder if desired. Divide soup among serving bowls, and top with garnishes. 

Cook Yourself Thin 

 

 

 

Get Your Movement In

Working a desk job, while paying well, comes with a high physical price. Professional women are busy with work and family and sometimes it is hard to fit in a formal workout. While I am an advocate of taking an hour each day for personal time doing something for you, like a formal workout or meditation, I also understand the realities of meetings and family obligations. While you may not be able to get in your formal workout each day, with a few minor tweaks to your daily routine, physical activity does not have to completely take a back seat. I have worked both in an office and from home and they each present their own unique challenges for busy women striving to lead a more active lives. Below I have provided some tips for achieving a higher activity level while on the job for both at home workers and those who work in an office.

Office Work Movement Suggestions

· Park far from the entrance: This way you are taking a few extra steps into the office each day. You may wish to bring your heals in a bag and wear your sneakers so you can get a brisk walk.

· Take the scenic route: When getting coffee, water or even taking a bathroom break, don’t go to the coffee maker, water dispenser or bathroom in your immediate area. Try visiting the facilities in another department. You will not only take in a few extra steps but you may make some new friends along the way.

· Take an Active Lunch: Most people usually get an hour for lunch so why not spend half of that hour eating and the other half walking alone or with friends. A lot of people complain about feeling tired after lunch, a nice walk is not only a way to burn a few extra calories but get the blood flowing as well.

· Take an Activity Break: Did you know the average smoker takes three 13 minute smoke breaks a day? Imagine if you took three 10 minute activity breaks in a day, you would be getting in an additional 30 minutes of activity each day. Next time you are working at your desk, set an alarm to take a break for 10 minutes. If you have an office you can do some calf raises, squats or even pushups. You may also use this time to walk outside, around the building or try walking up and down the stairs a few times.

Work from Home Movement

· Take Activity Breaks: Get away from your desk and move. Set your timer if you have too but get up each hour and do something. Suggestions: jumping jacks, pushups, household chores (great calorie burner)

· Always take a lunch: I found taking a lunch working from home more difficult than taking one in an office because you get caught up in what you are doing and often times there is no one there to interrupt you and your day seems to just blend together. Well I am telling you to make the effort to take a lunch and make it an active one. When you are working on site you don’t like your boss or co-workers to cheat you out of your 30 minutes to an hour so don’t cheat yourself either. Spend half of your lunch eating and the other walking or climbing the stairs.

I hope you have found these suggestions helpful. Please let me know some of yours.