Tag: Running

Mind Over Body

Today my childhood friend and I are returning to our home town to run a 10k race together.  We’ve done races together before, but this one back on our home turf should be memorable.  I’m always excited to be with her and catch up on those carefree days.  There will be running, laughing and of course a beer.  I’m sure there will also be the dreaded pictures.  I will try to find one of us as kids and share with one from today.  I will keep sharing my pictures to document my life, as well to keep myself on track on this journey.

Last night I had a work function for our students.  I got dressed in a comfortable outfit that upon inspection in the mirror looked cute.  Actually it was even a little loose on top making me feel good about the work I’m doing.  The event included some pictures with my staff.  When I saw one, I saw myself as heavy and got discouraged.  What was this.  Does my mirror lie? Or, am I wearing rose colored glasses.  Was it just the picture?  Here’s where the mind starts taking over and beating me up.  One of the other ladies in the group and I were laughing.  She was saying the same things, but said she was planning to hang it up as her before photo.  Haha, I said, the problem here is this is my after.  It’s so easy in those moments to get discouraged and I did.  I’m working so very hard.  Running 4-5 days a week on my training program.  Working out other days as well.  Watching my intake of foods for the most part.  How can it be that I still appeared so heavy in that darn picture?

In the past, here is actually where I would get off track and spiral down.  The mind would start saying, why bother.  It’s not worth all this work if nothing changes.  But then I remember, it’s just one darn picture.  I am willing to stay the course, do the work and I will get there.  You see, it’s not enough to simply want this to work, you’ve got to do the work.  And there will be crappy days and crappy pictures.  But for every crappy day and crappy picture, there will also be good ones.  Today will be my good day and I am going to do the work.  I am going to continue to do the work until I am satisfied and then I’m going to continue to do the work because I want to stay satisfied.

Everyone takes photographs that they hate.  In fact, most people look at pictures and hate the way they look.  Even famous stars have bad photographs.  We even see them in magazines and on the Internet.  Does that make them less beautiful?  We’ve got to stop being so very hard on ourselves, me included.

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Unintended Consequences

There are large chunks of my life that are missing.  Looking through photographs of my kids growing up, you’ll see me as a young mother proudly smiling holding my kids.  You’ll see my happy little family all together.  Then around the time I returned to the work force full time (1997), there’s one last photograph of us all. I actually have this photograph in a frame in my office.  My kids and husband gave it to me when I returned to work so I wouldn’t “forget them”.  Who knew at that time it wasn’t them I’d forget, but rather myself.

There are not many pictures to be found that include me after that time.  There are lots of my kids, but I am largely absent.  I’m not sure when it started, or why, but my hate of photographs likely started with a perceived bad picture. You know the kind I’m talking about.  The photograph where you look fat, or old, or ugly.  When did I become my mother, grandmother, etc?  At that point I became the taker of all pictures and avoided being in them like the plague.

Isnt it funny, when you look at those old pictures that you hated so much you see them differently now.  Those fat photographs are not so fat after all.  You even find yourself wishing you looked that good now.  While I’m still not a fan of photographs, I’ve come to accept that every single person takes a bad photo, not just me. My daughter and friend validated that realization recently.  One said, the trick to a good selfie is to take like a hundred and pick the best one.  The other said, block tagging on your Facebook page so you can select the photos you wish to share publicly.

Seriously, I am very hard on myself. I look at myself in the mirror and call myself Grandma Schutz.  It’s hard to imagine being in my fifties some days.  Many of us ladies do the same things I do.  We constantly put ourselves down. We try all these diets and fads to recapture our youth.  We do it all for the wrong reasons, mostly to be what we think we need to be for others.

Recently, my daughter bitch slapped me when I vented about lack of progress with my training.  She said, every time you put yourself down you put me down because I look like you.  When I get older I will be you and I will have this stuff in my head.  I don’t need your body issues I’ve got enough of my own.  Ugh!!  Who even though about the impact my ongoing struggles had on her.  I was so busy worrying about myself I didn’t think outside of that.  It really made me take a moment to think about it.  Fast forward a few days, and on Facebook I saw a letter a woman had written to her mother about this very topic.  Yikes.  Talk about unintended consequences of sharing my feelings.

Here I thought I was an awesome role model for my daughter.  I eat healthy and am fighting the good fight to reclaim my health.  I work out daily and live an active life.  I thought I nailed it and my daughter has even begun to practice yoga and take hikes.  She’s in her early twenties and has even started tasting new foods she never would have before.  Heck, that took me until my late forties to do!  But, what I never realized or thought about was the impact of the negative side of this fight on others.  Who knew that by constantly voicing my self deprecation I was leaving an imprint on my daughter, framing her future.

I signed up for a half marathon training plan this week with a coach.  She made me slow down my pace a ridiculous amount to do some heart rate training.  The goal is to build a stronger base. To basically slow down to speed up.   I’ve always been a pusher.  I pushed myself to run, albeit I’m not fast, faster than was comfortable because I wanted to reach a goal I had set.  It didn’t matter that I kept getting hurt, or didn’t feel great doing it.  I fought the coach a bit but listened this week.  I came to realize that it felt great to run that slower pace and after I wasn’t exhausted or sore.  I wondered if life couldn’t feel like that if I stopped chasing some perceived expectations of myself.  Perhaps if I just embraced where I am now, slowed down a bit and just enjoyed the ride I would be a far better role model.

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Gimmicks and Quick Fixes

With the arrival of Memorial Day I’ve noticed a barrage of weight loss commercials and ads.  Glossy photographs of skinny, fit people who have supposedly wrapped, shaked or pilled their way healthy.  It’s time to once again prey upon our panic that it’s bathing suit time and we still live in our winter bodies.   Promises to lose ten pounds in five days.  Promises to drop unwanted belly fat without exercise.   It’s really sad how many people fall victim to these promises.  Thousands of dollars are spent each year looking for the magic and thousands of dollars are wasted.

Lucky for me, I’ve only fallen victim to one or two of these gimmicks.  I’m pretty conservative about what I put in my body.  Anything that involves chemicals is out and most of these gimmicks involve some type of chemical you’ll either ingest or put on your body.  What most people don’t get is that these gimmicks and quick fixes will not bring lasting change because they don’t include a lifestyle change.  So, even in the unlikely event you drop the weight, the minute you stop ingesting or wrapping, you will be right back where you started, minus a few dollars.

This year’s fad involves wrapping your body in chemicals to lose inches.  It amazes me how so many people willingly place chemicals on their skin.  Our skin is one of our largest organs.  Creams and rubs placed on it get right into our body’s systems through our pores.  It’s actually the quickest entry to our body.  Why would you willing rub unknown cancer causing agents on your skin rather than change your eating habits or exercise?   Why would you risk your health to lose inches that will be back in a short time?  It makes no sense and I wish people would hit a pause button and really read and research before rubbing anything on their body.  Would you smoke a pack a day if it meant you’d lose an inch in a week?   Likely not.

Other commercials I’ve watched on sleepless mornings involve drinking our way thin. Some of the shakes contain healthy nutrients, so this could be slightly better.  But, the minute you stop drinking shakes and eating the same old food, your weight will go right back up.  Seriously, do you plan to live on shakes forever?  Without food overhaul it won’t be a lasting change.

What about all these juice cleanses.  Drinking juice all day long.  First, our bodies have the ability to detox themselves.  That’s actually the purpose of our liver.  Filling up on sugar found in juice for hours on end is not healthy.  Juice from organic fruit is healthy, yes, but anything in excess places a strain on our body’s digestive system.  We surely do not need gallons of juice in one day or week.  One glass is quite enough for health purposes.

What about HCG drops, or injections to rapidly drop thirty pounds in less than a month.  These pregnancy hormones are another of the latest trends in weight loss. These drops, coupled with a 500 calorie a day diet promise great results.  People, can we think for a minute here.  Do you really need to take drops that mess with your hormones to get results?  Umm, I think if you starve yourself and only eat 500 calories a day you’d lose weight without the drops.  So, what are you gaining here except chemicals messing with hormone balance and unhealthy eating.   Our bodies need way more than 500 calories to sustain themselves.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone has to say it, there are NO quick fixes or gimmicks that will give you what you seek.  It takes hard work and discipline to win this battle.  There are no answers to be found outside your heart and brain.  You are in the fight for your life and looking for shortcuts in bottles, wraps or pills will likely cause more harm than good.  At the very least, you’ll be a bit poorer and still unhealthy.  At worst, you’ll find yourself in a real health battle for your life.

Today, I’m asking you to rethink the notion that quick is better.  Resist the pressure from friends to jump on the latest bandwagon.  When someone tells you they dropped all their weight through some quick fix, congratulate them and walk away fast.  Resist temptation to plunk your money down because I guarantee within a short time that person will be right back where they started.  Think about it and I’m sure you already know someone whose been through this cycle.  Read and read some more about anything you are thinking to try.  Don’t just read the site of the product or people that sell it.  Read the research and reviews.  If it’s quick and easy I guarantee it’s built on bull—-.

Join me on the long, slow path to lasting change.  Treat your body like your temple and don’t place chemicals in or on it.  Whenever possible eat organic, healthy whole foods.   Commit to moving 30 minutes per day, drink lots of water and get restful sleep each night.  That’s seriously all you need to do to be healthy.  Nothing more and no chemicals required.

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On the Road Again

After a long eighteen weeks, I got the green light to start running again.  I’m excited and nervous.  I’ve worked hard these past weeks on strength training in preparation for this day, but I am still anxious.   I actually ran an easy mile last weekend just to try it out.  I had no pain during or after the run so that should put my mind at ease.  Of course it doesn’t though because I knew when I ran that easy mile I have a lot of work ahead of me.

I have my first race in just two short weeks.  While it’s only four miles I feel unprepared for it.   I will do it though whether I have to run, walk or crawl.  I know that race will get me back on track for the summer running season.  That victory, no matter how ugly, will remind me why I run in the first place.  Training and healthy lifestyles are lived like that.  Sometimes we run, others we walk, or crawl our way through life.  Sometimes we are highly motivated and others we just want to give up.  When I get to the giving up point, I try to remember why I started and how far I’ve come.

I started this journey because I was sick and tired of feeling lousy.   I was not happy with who I saw in the mirror – my grandmother.  Seriously, when did that happen?  When did I become an older version of myself?   I am also motivated after watching my grandmother and now my mom struggle with Alzheimers.  The more I read about it the more I learned about lifestyle and food choices.   Reflecting on my eating really was a humbling experience.  In my twenties and thirties it hadn’t made a difference, but boy was it catching up to me now.  I hoped and prayed I would never get this disease but I felt I needed to start actively fighting against it.

When I think of how far I’ve come, it makes it easier for me to keep going.  This has been a battle.  Truly I have struggled with injuries, surgery, stress, you know life.  But I made it through with minor ups and losses.  I know how easy it is to regain all that was lost in what seems like a week.   I know how easy it is to fall back on those bad habits.  But I also know how far I’ve come.  I’ve made significant changes to my lifestyle and they are seriously not hard.  To remind yourself of the journey post pictures of yourself in a place you can easily see.  The photos should be of you at the start and various points along the way.  I’ve shared mine online so that’s pretty public.  Also, measure at least once a month and keep a timeline of your measurements.  In those moments check in to the timeline and you will find motivation to keep going.

So, when I’m anxious about getting back to my running routine and my inner voice is telling me it’s been eighteen weeks without it, just give it up, I push back now.   The old me would have just moved on with my new routine as the pounds came back and the food choices worsened.   The new me digs in and gets back out even if it means walking or crawling.  As long as I’m moving, who cares.  When you really want to give up, switch the workout routine.  If running makes me anxious I will go walk.  If you’re losing motivation, you may need a change to freshen it up.  Or, find a friend to drag you out there.

This week I will rework my workout schedule to incorporate my three runs back in.  Remember I shared to always plan your workouts on a calendar, just like you do for work.   Then I’ll reevaluate my menus to be sure I’m using food to fuel my body and runs.  Notice I said fuel my body, not comfort my emotions.  I’ve been eating real clean this week in anticipation.  I followed a Paleo menu this week but did incorporate some sweet potatoes to ensure I’m carb balanced for running.

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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.

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 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!

 

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

Starting Over

This is the excerpt for your very first post.

Those who know me know I’ve been on a hard fought journey to reclaim my health. I’ve had some medical issues that made it hard for me to exercise. After my ankle tendon surgery, I had trouble walking properly for a year! After a lot of physical therapy and hard work, I’m on a good path now. I have a very high stress job and in the past would make terrible food choices to soothe myself when coming home.  During the day I’d grab anything that was available, including candy.  I worked with several different nutritionists and have learned to make healthier food choices, well most of the time. Lol. Anyway, I’m putting myself out here and sharing my photos in the hopes it helps someone else who is fighting the fight. I’ll be sharing my struggles, successes and the changes I’m making with you all.  If you care to join me on this journey, reach out and email me.  I’d love to hear from you. Looking forward to continued health. Hope you join me and get moving.