Category: Healthy Lifestyle

Excuses

My family was all home for Mother’s Day last night.  I enjoyed a few glasses of wine and their company.  This morning I woke with a slight headache and it’s raining and cold outside.  I really would love to stay in my bed and do nothing.   Suddenly that voice starts in my head. You know the one, “You can skip the workout today.”  Just do it tomorrow, or later, or…  Excuses are easy to find and hard to resist.

I probably can name every excuse you’ve ever thought of because I’ve had them all.  Here’s the truth about what happens when you use them though, they derail you rather quickly.  For example, if I had rolled over today and said I’d do the workout later today, it likely wouldn’t have happened.  Later, I’m sure something would come up and I’d then make another excuse and say, “I’ll just take today off and get back on track tomorrow.”   Then tomorrow the cycle would start all over again.  Before you know it I’ve missed workouts and start losing my drive to do them as the routine has been broken.

One of the best way to deal with excuses is to schedule your workouts on a daily planner.  Write them down and think of them as a work appointment, or important meeting.  They are not negotiable and not to be moved around.  Adopt a no excuse policy.  Unless you are medically excused you must do it, no excuses, just like your job. If you have a fever, are vomiting, or have a true medical issue you must listen to your doctor.  Otherwise, game on.  Listen to your body though.  If you are sluggish, consider walking instead of running.  That’s a great modification that keeps you moving and on the path to health.

Let’s talk more about modifications because like apps, there’s a modification for almost everything.  I’ll share a bit of my journey to illustrate this point.  I suffered an ankle injury years ago.  After that, every now and then my left ankle would feel like it popped out of place.  I’d circle it and it would pop back in.  This went on for years.  Fast forward to three summers ago.   I was running a lot of inclines on the treadmill.  Really pushing myself and loving it.  One day I noticed my ankle was swollen.  Then I noticed the swelling was not going down.  I wasn’t really in much pain, but concerned enough to get it checked. I had a torn peroneal tendon from years of that popping and use in running hills.   Surgery followed and a beast of a recovery.  Now this is an acceptable excuse for not working out, right.  It could have been, but I tried super hard to stay on the path.  I was non weight bearing for six weeks, in a boot for three months and unable to walk correctly for almost a year.  What could I possibly do?  Swim!  I started as soon as I was on a cane, so that was three months into recovery.  I walked myself on a cane into the gym, to the pool edge and into the pool.  I was kind of embarrassed, which is ridiculous, when I did it but I did it.  Getting in and out was the hard part.  Did I love to swim?  Nope.  Did I hate it?  No.  It gave me hope that I could continue when really I just wanted to give up.

This year, after getting myself back in running condition, I sustained a femoral stress fracture, right side. Man did that do a number on my mental state.  I mean seriously, how much can one girl go through?  I was told 20 week recovery and NO swimming, biking, yoga, walking for exercise, or anything.  Wow, this was going to be a real challenge.   I decided to make this time about my arms and upper body.  Operation sexy arms I dubbed it.  I did my thirty minutes daily in a chair.  I modified my workout streaming and completed pretty tough upper body workouts in a chair.   I used a program that broke the body into sections and did thirty minutes a day.  This was because you really shouldn’t work the same body part when weight lifting every day.  Each day I worked one of the following – back, arms, shoulders, chest, abs.  I cycled through with one day of rest.   I did this for six weeks time.  Then I added in cardio when I was able to stand, but it was truly modified because I couldn’t put any pressure on my legs.  No jumping, squatting or anything.   It wasn’t much cardio, but I pumped my arms a lot and it was psychologically uplifting.

I am sharing my story to say that it can be done if you refuse to use any excuses not to do it.  I’ve had so many things happen to me that could have truly taken me off this path.  I’m not going to lie, it would be far easier to take the excuse.   It would be easier to take it and nobody would really blame me for doing so.  But I’ve come too far to lose now.  I am tougher than anything and know there is always someone who is worse off than me.  I’ve seen people in races I’ve run with one leg, no legs, blind, obese or fighting cancer.  They aren’t taking any excuses to not get out there.

This journey is about digging in deep and pushing through.  Get the calendar out today and plan for your thirty minutes a day (minimum) of exercise.  Write it down and do it!    No excuses allowed!  You will be so happy you did and trust me, eventually it becomes a habit, like brushing your teeth.

I’d love to join you on your journey.  Join me on Facebook on Reclaiming My Health to share your story.

Change

I have clothes in my closet in three different sizes.  I have my “skinny” clothes that I refuse to throw out because every few years they fit again.  I have my regular clothes that fit most often and I have my “fat” clothes that I never want to wear again.   I’ve thrown out my size 12 clothes as I will NEVER wear those again and throwing them out made me commit to that.  Why do most women have multiple size clothes in their closets?  Because we generally go through these cycles of change.  Lasting change in our bodies and minds takes time. We have to accept this fact or we will never stay on the path long enough to achieve it.

Change in our mindset has to happen to help us push through when the going gets tough.  Let’s face it, most of us are emotional eaters.  We eat when stressed, depressed or even happy.  We seek comfort in food. It’s not realistic to think we will just block out stress or emotional issues in our life.  Finding better ways to deal with them is our best tool and “comfort food” shouldn’t be our go to solution.

One way I’m trying to deal with the stress of my life is exercise.  It is a great distraction and stress reliever.  It doesn’t even have to be hard.  If I’m sitting in my office and feel stressed, rather than going to the dreaded snack drawer, I grab my notebook and go walk the building.  I visit classrooms and change the channel in my brain.  These visits can do just as much for me, if not more, than any cookie ever could.  Can you walk around the block during work?  How about at home, put the kids in the stroller and go?  Can’t get out, buy a treadmill and walk when they are napping.

Another way I’m trying to control my emotions is through yoga.  A regular yoga practice is very good for the mind and body.  I practice Baptiste yoga, which is done in a heated room, 3-4 times a week. (Currently not allowed due to injury but May I’m back). When the class is over, I feel emotionally ready to face my day.  This practice is more than just “exercise”.  It’s truly a personal journey to reset your inner voice.  If you are saying you are too fat, not flexible enough or interested, I’d say yoga is for every body.  Anyone can practice and there are so many variations available to choose from.  Take a gentle or restorative class and I guarantee you’ll be hooked for life.

Last week I talked about celebrating small victories along the way.  This too helps control our emotions around this journey.  The photograph for this week’s post shows 5lbs of fat vs 5 lbs of muscle.  They are both representative of the same amount of weight, but they look drastically different, don’t they?  Print this photograph and hang it near your scale to remind yourself that we are changing our bodies. A daily workout will help reshape your body.  Your scale may not move at first, which is why I keep saying to take measurements.  Even if your weight remains the same, think of our photograph.  You are reshaping the muscles and they are far more compact than fat.  If your clothes are fitting, it’s working despite what the scale says.

I hope you are willing to commit to this  journey.  It is hard and you will face many challenges along the way.  Try to be proactive and seek different ways to deal with the stresses in your life.  What’s working for you?   I’d love to hear from you here, or join my private Facebook group.  Send me a message to be added to the group.

Next week we will talk about excuses.  Have a great week.

Setbacks Along the Way

 

Life goes in cycles, as does this journey.   Just when you think you’re there, you’re often right back where you started.   How many times have you said something like, “It takes six months to lose weight and one week to put it back on.”   Happens here to me too, but not this time.  This time I’ve realized success comes from having the right mindset.  Willpower isn’t the answer after all.  Determination, perseverance, grit, focus and mindset are the tools you will need, for you will most definitely have setbacks along the way.

In the past when I’ve had a setback I’d quit, give up and start the pity party.  You know the one that involves food, wine and bad habits.  Before I’d know it I’d be up ten pounds.  Then I’d get disgusted and start saying, “Why bother.”   It’s so much easier to give up.  This journey we are on is truly a hard one.  It is work, harder work than anything you’ve done before because you are never done.  This is a lifetime commitment.   That’s why I believe our mindset is the key to success.  Most people avoid failure at all costs, but on this journey you will experience failure and need to learn that in these failures lie our victories.

One way to develop our healthy mindset is to focus on the small steps we take along the way.   Forget about the scale for now and focus on your actions.  If you walked 5,000 steps last week on average and this week you walked 6,000, that’s progress.  If you drank wine every night last week and this week you had two glasses on Friday night that’s progress. Any and all progress must be celebrated, not just weight loss.  That’s why I keep saying write stuff down.  That habit will enable you to see and recognize progress.

Another way is to set realistic goals.  It is not realistic to expect to lose 30 pounds in one month.  Sure, it can be done, but we know that in most cases of sudden weight loss, it goes right back on.  Generally, that’s because we did something drastic to lose it that can’t possibly be maintained.   One to two pounds per week is a healthy, realistic goal and one that could become a lasting change.  The same concept applies to your fitness goals.  It is not realistic to set a goal to run everyday when first starting out.   You will likely start out strong and very quickly lose stamina.  Partially this will be due to your body be tired and partially due to falling in a rut.  A more realistic goal is to do some form of exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.  This goal gives you so many options to choose from – walking, running, swimming, biking, Zumba, weightlifting, yoga, gosh the possibilities are endless and fun.  This goal will set you up for success and a healthy habit will form.

Finally, meal planning will set you up for success far better than going day by day.  Set a goal to plan your meals realistically.   There are seven days in a week.   When I meal plan, I plan to cook 3-4 meals per week.  With my schedule, that is realistic and won’t leave me throwing out spoiled, uncooked food when life gets in the way.  It also won’t leave me feeling pressured, or overwhelmed by all the food waiting to be cooked.  With 3-4 meals, I’ll have leftovers for lunch and/or dinners and a manageable goal.

Success breeds success.  I’m sure you’ve heard that saying many times in your life.  It is true, especially on this journey.   We all want the feeling of success and if we dont experience it on a regular basis, this hard fought battle will be lost.   This week, set some realistic goals for yourself that will enable you to celebrate small personal victories.  Live in and cherish those victories, then set more realistic goals.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will continue forward.

Expect setbacks along the way.  I’ve sustained two major injuries over the past few years.  A torn peroneal tendon required major surgery and rehabilitation.  I was unable to run for over a year.   Exercise was limited.   Using my new found mindset and tools, I pushed through despite some temporary weight gains.  Swimming became my new best friend and saving grace.  I remember walking through the gym with crutches and then a cane.  Practically crawling into the pool left me very self conscious, but I did it for my personal victory.   This year, I stained a femoral stress fracture which left me unable to do cardio, even swimming or walking.  Nothing!  I’ve pushed through despite a slight rise in my weight.  I did chair weight lifting daily sessions until I was able to add in some leg work.  This kept me on the track towards my goals and kept me in the game.  When you experience a setback, dig deep and remember why you started.  There is always something you CAN do if you focus on that.  It’s way too easy to get lost in what you CAN’T do.  Way too easy to fall back.   With these simple, realistic small changes you can create a mindset and habits that will carry you through.

How’s it going for you?  I’d love to hear.   Join my Facebook accountability group to share your journey and stay on the road to health.  Send me an email, or leave a comment to be added to this private group.  Have a great week and please remember to take it one day at a time.

 

 

 

Commit to Change

I have a mason jar on my kitchen counter.  In it I have 20 blue beautiful flat stones.  They represent my last weight that I wish to lose.  Next to it is a second empty jar.  This jar will hold the stones that represent each of the pounds I lose.   My goal is to move the stones from one jar to the other.  Truth be told these last twenty are the hardest.  I have been playing move back and forth with the stones for two months now.  If I had focused solely on my ability to move these stones (lose these pounds) I probably would’ve given up by now.   Yet another failed attempt.

Rather than focusing on the stones (pounds), I’m focusing on the changes I’m making in my life.  I know that it took me ten years to get where I am, maybe more.  So why would I expect to lose so much weight in a few short months, even a year. This has to be a lifestyle commitment.  Focusing on the change allows us to slip up without giving up.  One day at a time and each day is your chance to reset and start again.  No big deal if you gained a pound or lost two.  It’s a process and these changes are completely normal.

Did you know it takes about 21 days to form a habit?  That’s why so many so called exercise challenges are 30 days.  The hope is after that time you will have formed a new habit.  If you focus solely on weight loss (results), you most likely will quit.   If you focus on change you will most likely have formed a new habit and get results.

As I’ve said, I workout no less than 30 minutes per day seven days a week.  The only way for this to happen is for me to plan.  It’s on my daily calendar and is non negotiable, no matter what.  For me, it’s got to be before work, so this means I need to get up earlier.  Once I started, it soon became a habit. I am now up everyday, work or not at 5.  I sip coffee in bed, read emails, then head downstairs to workout.  At first, I would’ve loved to roll over and go back to sleep.  Now, I don’t even think about it, I just get up.  Focusing on change has helped me form this habit, regardless of which jar those darn stones are currently in.

I hope you are committed to your lifestyle change.  Together we can take small steps towards reclaiming our health.  Join my private Facebook accountability group for recipe ideas and motivation.  Contact me to be added.  Have a great week and let me know how it’s going for you on this journey toward reclaiming your health.

Commit to You

I woke up this morning in beautiful Philadelphia.  I got to spend the night catching up with two dear friends and my son.  That’s all great, but the reason I’m here is for the Love Run Half Marathon I signed up to run back in September.  My first half.   But life had different plans for me.  I suffered a femoral stress fracture back in January and knew then I wouldn’t be able to run until May at the earliest.  I could’ve cancelled the race, the hotel and the weekend.  But, I had made a COMMITMENT to my friends and I am not about breaking those.

So, here I am.  I am awaiting arrival of more people I talked into signing up for the race.  I’ve become the cheer girl and will snap their photos as they finish.  It’s truly a win win.  Good friends, good times and honoring my commitment. When life hands us lemons we’ve got to push through and make lemonade.

Commitment is one of the most important things you’ll need on this journey.  First, commit to yourself.  You are worth it and you should not always be last on the list.  Commit today to be first.  I have a standing work out appointment.  I will not miss this appointment, much like I would not miss work or a hair appointment. I do no less than a 30 minute workout every single day.  Even injured I got it done.  With this injury I did chair arm routines.  Get your calendar now and block that time.  Put it on your day.  Even if it’s a walk with your dog for now, it’s a workout.

Next, I committed to eat better.  In order to do that I have to plan.  When there’s no healthy food in the house, I’m grabbing pasta or junk.  Commit to plan your meals.  Shop for only what you are planning and have what you need.  I use my crockpot one day a week.  That gets me two days of meals because leftovers can be lunch or next day’s dinner.  I also use the Optifast grill which is super easy to use and clean.  Grilled anything with salad gets you another easy meal.  Don’t over buy food.  Just what you will cook fresh.

Commit to drinking half your body weight in water daily.   I still struggle with this one but have found ways to get it in.   Track it to see if you meet this goal.

Last, commit to yourself.  Don’t beat yourself up when you slip up.  It will happen.  Commit to balance. One bad day isn’t worth quitting. You are committed to this and will just start again the next day.  Drink your water and start again.  Last night I ate fries.  The whole container.  I also drank two delicious dark beers.  I enjoyed every single bite.  This morning I’m heading to the pool to swim laps and start a new day.  I’m committed to this lifestyle, but I’m not commiting to deprivation.  Live your life to the fullest. Just keep moving and eating healthy.

The accountability Facebook page is ready.  We are starting this Monday.  If you wish to join us, message me your Facebook email and I’ll add you in.  It’s totally private and free. Enjoy the week and let me know how you’re making out.

Small changes, big results

I often wonder why people announce they are on a diet while looking longingly at a much desired food item.  Staring at a fresh, hot pizza pie and saying, “No, I can’t have that, I’m on a diet.” is setting yourself up for failure. It’s probably the biggest reason people abandon the new “diet” they are on.   Is it realistic to think you will never, ever again eat a slice of pizza, or cake, or chips.  Heck no!   If you try to go that route, I will guarantee your failure.  Unless you are banned medically from eating a certain food, you should never expect to remove it permanently from your diet.  It’s all about making some simple changes and balance.

My three biggest indulgences are chocolate, pizza and wine.  I can most definitely say I will never give them up completely.  Rather, I have learned to live in balance.  Allowing myself these items provides my brain and emotions with high satisfaction.  Denying myself these items puts me in binge mode every time.  Deprivation leads me to eat other things seeking satisfaction.  And so the cycle begins again.  Small changes is how I’ve lost thirty pounds and kept them off.  Sure my scale goes up and down slightly, but that’s normal too!

First up is chocolate.  It’s a must for me and I seriously need it daily.  Especially following lunch and dinner, I am seeking its decadent sweetness to complete my meal.  My small change is that I’ve found a healthier version.  Combat crunch protein bars (chocolate brownie flavor) are very low sugar, high protein bits of heaven.  I allow myself one bar a day.  Usually, I split it across the entire day, but some days it’s gone by 10:00 AM.  After lunch, I break off a piece and eat it with my green tea.  After dinner, if any is left I finish it off.  Well worth the 200 calories and far less than any other chocolate treats I was shoving in my mouth prior.

Pizza is something I could eat every single day, in a perfect world.  When I was twenty I really could eat it endlessly, but those days are over.  My small change to keep this food is homemade pizza, once a week.  Seriously guys, homemade everything is so much better and healthier.  I love the control of ingredients.  I make my dough in an inexpensive bread maker.  Start to finish in ninety minutes.  It has a timer, so work is no worry.  Just put all ingredients in, set it and forget it.  There are many healthy recipes for dough, including gluten free.  Stretch out the dough, put your favorite toppings on and bake for thirty minutes.   For me, it’s plain with fresh mozzarella every time.  Sure it’s got some calories in it, but it’s also got emotional satisfaction.  I eat two slices and I’m happy.  Far less calories than store bought as I don’t put all that oil on it, the cheese is not processed and the sauce is made my be.  Not a sugary store version. This is my Friday night dinner each week and I truly look forward to it.

Last up, my sugary red wine obsession.  Still struggle here with this one at times.  This week was high stress at work and I indulged in a glass two nights.  To balance it, I immediately followed with a large glass of water.  Did you know the actual serving size for us is 5 oz.  My gosh that’s like a shot glass.  My goblets are huge.  Hence the reason I still struggle.  The only key to success for me is no wine in the house   That’s it!  Anything else won’t work   So, Friday on my way home from work I pick up one small bottle of wine.  The one with maybe three glasses in it.   I have glass Friday and Saturday nights.  Then it’s gone.   Emotional satisfaction and built in control all in one.   We had some left over wine this week from Easter and just knowing it was there was my downfall.

In the past, when I tried to ban foods from my life, if I had a slice of pizza or piece of chocolate I felt like a failure.  I’d get so upset that it felt like the flood gates opened.  Once that happened I was out of control and on my way to bad eating again.  Usually, that’s when the “diet” failed and I was right back where I started.  It truly is a vicious cycle.  Just remember balance is they key.  Eat the piece of cake, but maybe not the whole piece.  Keep it small, keep it regulated (not every day) and you’ll find a lifestyle instead of a diet.  I work in an elementary school surrounded by cupcakes for birthdays.  If I want one, I take one.  I take a bite and throw the rest away immediately as I’m chewing.  Balance and control.

I hope you’ve been doing the exercises I ask each week and have a handle on where you are in this journey.  Next Saturday, I’ll be setting up my free accountability group.  It will be a private Facebook group that I need to add you too.  I’ll also lay out a plan for you with some goals .  Email me, or leave me your email here and I’ll contact you to get your Facebook information to add you to the private group   Nobody has access to the group so you will be free to share openly.  Together we I’ll continue on our journey to reclaim our health.

Have a great week!

 

Penny Wise, Me Poor

Why is it the first thing we always think about is the cost of things?  If I had a dollar for every time I said, “I can’t afford that”, I’d be rich.  Want to take up yoga but it’s way too expensive to go to a studio?  Decide to eat only organic only to balk at the increased cost of organic foods.  Along this journey, I too have faced these same perceived roadblocks.   But, can you really put a price on our health?   Why in this society is it more expensive to live a healthy lifestyle?  Why are the unhealthy foods so much less expensive?  These questions bring to mind the saying, “penny wise, dollar poor.”  In seeking to save money, you could actually be costing your health to suffer.

As part of our journey, we need to reevaluate our thinking around the cost of things.  At the most basic level, how much are we spending on health care and drugs to maintain our current lifestyle?  Do we need daily prescription drugs to offset the damage done to our bodies?   Do we make frequent trips to doctors because we consistently feel sick?  For me, the answer was yes.

The next area to consider is our daily spending.   For example, when I was first approached about drinking Shakeology, I said no thanks.  It’s way too expensive.  Of course I thought about it and looked into it further.  My wise friend pointed out that I was spending about $5.00 a day on a cup of Starbucks coffee.  The cost of the shake, with my discount, would be about $4.00 a day.  One purchase was full of extra sugar in the form of flavored creamer and one was full of vitamins and nutrients.   Why then was I so quick to say no due to perceived costs?  This realization caused me to really spend time thinking about the money I was spending.

Small changes, big results is my theme, so why did I not think to apply this to my spending.  I can lead a healthy life and not stress over every dollar I spend. I just needed to think outside the box.

First area I evaluated was my monthly gym memberships.  I was spending $75 a month for my yoga membership and $40 a month on a gym membership.  Additionally, I went to a personal trainer at least twice a week for $50.  That’s $165 a month. In thinking about my daily exercise schedule, I found myself rising at 4:00 AM daily.  Heading to either the gym or yoga studio for 6:00 AM.  Showering at gym then rushing to work.  Talk about stress.  If I did yoga, I had to then drive to the gym to shower as the studio doesn’t have showers.  I decided to cancel the gym membership as I have a full range of gym equipment in my basement, including an elliptical and treadmill for cardio.  The yoga is in a heated room and I don’t get the same levels of workout at home, so that I kept.  Savings $90 a month, plus I gained an hour of sleep and much less stress in the morning.  I can even work out in my pajamas if I want and I have!  To offset the trainer and gym class loss, I purchased some workout programs for at home use and joined accountability groups, so no lack of motivation here.

Next, I looked at our weekly food bills. We, like many, were shopping at Costco.  Buying in bulk was supposed to save us money, right?  Wrong!  What it really did was cause us to overspend and buy processed foods.  It even caused us to eat more as the food here was plentiful.  I decided to go back to my Queens roots and only purchase what we would eat and only buy fresh.  No more freezing of food!  Remember the days of walking up the avenue to get fresh meat and produce?  Those days are back and guess what it’s more cost effective after all.  Think about it .   No more over buying or impulse purchases in Costco.   Did you really need that blender, or 40 can box of tuna?

Last, I looked at my daily lunch spending.  Because I was running off to the gym with the roosters, I rarely had time to pack food.  Lunch meals, while healthy, were costing me about 8-10 dollars a day.   Elimating this would save me another $40 a week, or $160 a month!

This week, your job is to pay attention to your daily spending.   Where is your money going after all?   Once you evaluate that, I am sure, like me you can begin to see room  for change.  And, best of all the savings can be redistributed over to purchases you thought you just couldn’t afford.  Write down every penny you spend for one week.  Also, list your monthly ongoing expenses.  I think you’ll be pretty surprised as I was.

I’m hoping you have already made some small changes and are seeing some results.  Please share with me. I’d love to hear! For information on at home workouts, or discounted Shakeology, leave me a comment, or email me.

I’ll be starting an online accountability group in April. No purchase, or fee required to join.  Details will be shared in my next post. Have a great week.

Coffee, Wine or Me

We’ve been talking a lot about making small changes to reclaim our health.  We talked about taking inventory of where we are on this journey.  Part of this inventory must include everything that enters our bodies, including liquids.  What we are, or aren’t drinking matters a lot.

This week we will focus on journaling every drink that enters our mouths.  Write it down for a week and let’s talk about the patterns you notice.  For me, I noticed I was drinking on any given day, one cup of coffee with flavored creamer in the morning.  During the day, I drank two to three cups of green tea with Splenda.  At night, with dinner, I usually drank two glasses of red wine. One while cooking, because let’s face it cooking and wine go together and one with my meal.  In looking at this, I immediately noticed three things.  One, I was drinking a lot of sugar! Two, I was not drinking any water.  Three, I was using an artificial sweetener which research now shows is tied to wreaking havoc on our autoimmune systems. Clearly this was another problem area that I hadn’t even thought about.

I am not a fan of water, never was, but research shows it’s essential for our health. It also helps your skin, so ladies the best wrinkle reducer is proper hydration.  One way to make it easier to drink for me included, getting a subscription to home delivery of spring water.  This only cost me 30 per month and is well worth it.  Tap water has far to many chemicals and additives that I don’t want in my body and it just tastes better.  I also put one in my office.   Please, whatever you do, don’t buy cases of bottled water  in plastic containers.  Don’t ever freeze, or leave these in your car.  There is tons of research that links these bottles with cancer.

How much water you need to drink is super easy to figure out.  You need to drink half your body weight in ounces.  So, if you weigh 160 lbs you need to drink approximately 80 oz of water per day.  You can easily make fruit water at home by cutting up fresh lemon and cucumber and adding to a pitcher of water.  You can add any fruit you want.  I personally just like it plain.   In order to meet my daily intake, I keep a refillable glass bottle on my night table. I always wake up thirsty and can start sipping when I wake.  The bottle is 16 oz and I’ve got half down before I hit the ground.   I take my vitamins with the other half before breakfast.  I refill the bottle and sip and finish following my morning workout. So, I’ve already got 32 oz of water down before I even leave the house for work.  Carrying the bottle at all time encourages me to sip the day away. I’m not going to say it’s easy at first, but making those simple changes gets you on the path.  When you notice the change in your skin you’ll be motivated to keep sipping.

As for the coffee,  I still have one cup a day.  It’s not negotiable.  I still use flavored creamer too. Hey, it’s all about keeping it real and balanced.  Just keep it at one and you’ll be OK, unless of course you have a health issue.  Then listen to your doctor.  One thing I do to address any coffee fix I’m craving outside this one cup is to drink a coffee protein shake.  This is the healthiest latte ever!

If you have Splenda, or any other artificial sweetener in your house throw it out immediately.  That includes the blue, yellow and pink packaged version.   Read the research!  Google it.  I use only Stevia natural sweetener or agave.  I’ve also learned to like the taste of food without the sweetener, but that takes time.  I didn’t go cold turkey, believe me.  You can buy both of these items at any store.  I don’t buy Truvia.  I buy Stevia in the raw at Trader Joes and agave at Costco.  I rarely use the agave anymore though.

Finally, my beloved red wine.  Darn this was the hardest one for me. I love it and it was a part of my routine.  It’s unrealistic to think you will never have a glass of wine again.  Like coffee, this was not negotiable.  I could however, certainly cut down on the amount I was drinking.  First step was to  buy smaller bottles.  The ones that are not cost effective and only contain three to four small glasses.  Buy this on the weekend and that’s your treat for the week.  No more open bottle to tempt me during the week.  The second change I made was to buy organic flavored seltzer (in glass bottle only) at Costco.  Taking out the cutting board to cook had long been synonymous with pouring a glass of wine.  This was a time of great want for me.  Now, I take out my beautiful wine glass and fill it with the seltzer.  It works like a charm.  I’m sipping, satisfying my craving and not adding all that red wine sugar to my body. Win-win-win

I buy a certain type of shake for my coffee and sweet fix.  Feel free to contact me through Facebook, or email and I’ll share that information with you.

A great book for green shake recipes is

 

This week’s small change is to log your liquid intake for the week   Notice any patterns   in your consumption, particularly sugar intake.  Figure out your daily water requirements also.  Enjoy the week and be sure to let me know how it’s going for you!

 

 

You Can’t Out Exercise a Bad Diet

We need to talk about the elephant in the room, our eating habits.  Believe me, I’ve tried to exercise my way thin.  That alone won’t fix the problem!  After I took inventory of my eating habits and looked hard at my health, I came to realize how I got myself in this predicament.  Years of poor eating had taken its toll and I was going to fix it.   Problem is I hated vegetables.  Yes, as discussed last week I was slipping some into a breakfast shake, but that alone was not going to be enough.

After running, going to they gym, walking, biking and not losing a ton of weight, I decided to work with a nutritionist.  I walked into the first one and was shocked to see a less than healthy looking woman.  She sold me a bunch of Isotonic and handed me a piece of paper with a menu.  The Isotonix was OK, the menu was helpful in that at least I had a guide for the “What’s for dinner question” I faced every night.  I questioned some of the food choices on the menu as eating chips and chocolate cake, while appealing, was not really what I wanted.  My biggest learning in the month I spent with her was the concept of portion control.  In weighing my food to match the serving size indicated, I learned that I was eating way too much at my meals.

My second nutritionist was a beautiful, fit, healthy Doctor.  I was feeling better already when I walked in.  This lady practiced what she preached and her outer self reflected that.  She sold me a bunch of Paleo bars, shakes and supplements.  I wondered, does everyone want me to get my nutrition through powders and pills.  What happened to the food?  In my month with her my biggest learning was that people’s bodies interact with different food in different ways.  I was introduced to moving away from our dairy industries hormone laced milk and cheese.  I learned about goat milk and cheese products and how to make my own ricotta.

My third nutritionist was a beautiful yogi I met at my studio.  She is amazingly fit and knowledgeable about food and the body.  She actually did a lab test on me and found that my body doesn’t interact well with sugar.  I told her I don’t eat or use sugar.  I learned to better understand what was really in food.  What a surprise to see that sugar is in everything.  I learned how to read labels and understand what they meant.  She did sell me a bunch of enzymes and shakes and powders.  My biggest learning was I was going to have to be more selective about my food choices.  I also learned that the red wine I so loved was full of sugar and likely a cause of some of my issues.

My final nutritionist, yes I’ve been to many, took the approach I appreciated the most.  Fit and healthy and well versed, she didn’t sell me a single thing other than the fact that, “you can’t exercise away a bad diet.”  I learned the fallacies of carb free, gluten free and other fad diets, unless of course you have gluten sensitivities.   We did a complete work up of my lifestyle, health and food habits.  She taught me about different food groups and how many servings of each my body would need each day.  She told me I wasn’t eating enough!  Imagine that!  She also taught me it’s best to get your nutrients through food, not pills and powders. Finally something I can agree with.

I’m at the point now that I no longer need a nutritionist to tell me what I need to do.  I wish I could say I do it right all the time,but the reality is it’s a life struggle.

Our small step this week is to think about our portion size.  I used to think if I ate “one plate” with no seconds I was dieting.  When I weighed my food on a scale, I realized even though it was one plate, it was way too much food.  Use the idea of a typical frozen weight watchers or Jenny Craig dinner to visualize the size.  Typical serving size of meat is 4-6 oz for me.  One piece of filet mignon can feed both my daughter and I.  Typical pasta portion for me was 9 oz.  That’s not a lot, but using elbows made me feel like it was.  Typical fruit serving for me is once per day, one small Apple, 1/2 banana, 4 oz grapes, berries.  No, you don’t get to eat a whole huge bowl of fruit.  Healthy, but sugar level is high, albeit natural sugar.  Use the serving size recommended on the package label if you aren’t sure of portions.  Another small change I made was to eat on a smaller plate.  It truly made me feel like I ate more.  I was not hungry, so don’t worry. We will talk next week about eating throughout the day to balance our hunger.

Make one change this week, smaller plates and using a food scale.  These small changes will have big impacts on your journey.  Remember to journal it and share.  I’d love to hear from you.  Enjoy the week.

Here’s a great scale to use:

Information on serving sizes:

Click to access fgp_sizes.pdf

Putting Your Health First

This week we are going to talk about taking inventory of our current health status.

The first step on this crazy journey for me was understanding that I was causing my own problems.  In 2009, I constantly had flu like symptoms.  Most nights I had a low grade fever.  I had trouble staying awake past 8 o’clock, yet couldn’t sleep through the night.  During this time, I noticed I had a lump on my neck.  I went to get checked out and doctors found that I had a small tumor on my thyroid. I had to have a biopsy to rule out cancer.  Wow, what an eye opener that was.  Thankfully it was benign, but the scare prompted me to find answers as to why I was always sick.  After tests, I was diagnosed with Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I was put on methotrexate, which is chemotherapy pills, and steroids.  I did feel better but the steroids caused me to gain weight.  When I learned about the long term effects of these medications, I was determined to get off no matter what it took.

I started reading about these diagnoses and discovered there is a strong connection between nutrition, lifestyle and autoimmune diseases.  I also began to notice just how many people were struggling with the same issues.    I learned there were other approaches to treatment that did not involve medication.  I decided to wean off steroids and began looking at my eating habits.

The first change was the elimination of all those fast food choices.  Dinner in those days was usually found in the phone book.  I purchased some cookbooks and a Vitamix.

I am the worst eater, always have been.  As a kid my favorite food category was pasta, twinkies and ring dings.  But, I was always super skinny.  As a middle age woman, my diet consisted of pasta, pizza, wine, fast food.  But, thanks to middle age and steroids, I was no longer skinny, or healthy.

So you ask, how does someone who hates vegetables get them in her diet?  My Vitamix was my secret weapon and worth every single penny.  You can’t compare it to a blender as it really breaks the food down. Even coarse food like broccoli. Every morning I started my day with a green shake.  I used spinach, kale or broccoli as a base.  Add to that a small handful of berries, blueberries or blackberries.  Add some Almond milk a scoop of organic whey protein or half an avocado, flax seed and tsp of coconut oil and blend.  I drank these every morning in place of a muffin, bagel or sugary cereal. One simple change and I was able to add vegetables to my diet.  A true first for me. I only ate corn! I noticed my energy increase pretty quickly.  I noticed my skin improved.  I noticed there were indeed ways to get vegetables in my diet! I could do this and so can you

Of course, I had more work to do, but like I keep saying, one small change can lead to big results.  So, for this week’s task on our journey, take a moment to reflect on your food choices.  When I first worked with a nutrionist, she told me to write down every single morsel of food I put in my mouth.  At the end of the day, reflect on how you feel. Did you have high energy, or feel sleepy at around 3 o’clock?  Did you snack a lot in the afternoon, or evening?  Any cravings?  Write this down too.  You’ll be surprised just how much you can learn about yourself from doing this.  You’ll also be surprised how one small change, like drinking a healthy breakfast shake will impact you.

I’d to hear what you notice if you journal this week.  Feel free to email me.  Have a great week and make one healthy change this week to your eating habits.

Great reads: