Fueling yourself

Monday, September 21, 2009

You can, as they say, teach an old dog new tricks (or an old dieter, whatever). Recently I've fond myself ready to reach for a snack -- maybe some cookies to go with my tea, for example. Now, these are Healthy Choice Amaranth crackers, which almost don't qualify as a cookie -- pretty healthy.

Then suddenly I find myself thinking . . . is this what your body truly needs? Wants? Will this fuel your upcoming workout? This morning I found myself reaching for a banana instead. I wasn't planning on a snack at all this morning, but my body during TOM has other ideas.

The change here isn't that I'm eating healthy. I've had pretty good eating habits, with some minor lapses, for a long time. I just suddenly find myself thinking more and more often about what my body really needs, rather than what my mouth wants.

Don't get me wrong, if you read my blog regularly you know that I think pizza, cookies, and even cake has a place in a healthy lifestyle. But these are most definitely treats, and my body only needs the occasional treat.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MOMMA_GRIZZ 9/21/2009 9:11PM

What a great blog - you are SO right. Thank you. Report Inappropriate Comment

JEANLECUY 9/21/2009 1:49PM

You are inspiring me. Food is the spot I have the hardest time with. I love how you are treating your body as a machine that needs to be fueled!! :) Jeanne Report Inappropriate Comment

Sometimes discretion IS the better part of valor

Sunday, September 20, 2009

My husband's workplace seems to be fond of potlucks. The upcoming one is a chocolate potluck. For the first time, I declined to participate. I just made 2 batches of cupcakes this weekend; today is my husband's birthday. One batch was chocolate peanut butter for me, the other vanilla/coconut with chocolate on top for him.

I could have just sent the leftovers into work with him, and not physically attended the potluck myself. But I enjoy having cupcakes at home. They're so portion controlled. I've already frozen all of them except for the 2 we had on Friday night, and the 2 we'll have tonight.

I know that part of a healthy lifestyle is learning to deal with the parties, the holidays, and the eating out. By the same token, though, it's also about knowing what you can and cannot deal with. And at this particular point in my journey, I know that I am better off not putting myself in harm's way like that.

I would love to break into the 130s before we leave on vacation, which is totally doable -- but only if I keep focused. I haven't been in the 130s for probably a decade! I still expect that I will gain some weight on vacation, so I want to be extra vigilant beforehand. Which doesn't mean that I can't afford a cupcake or two once in a while -- but not every night. Not even more than a couple of times a week.

And to change directions completely, I gave my husband a pedometer for his birthday. He actually wanted to borrow mine the other day while he cut the lawn, but I wouldn't let him. I'm not sure that he'll actually end up using it, but I hope that it will -- I think it will open his eyes to just how little exercise he really gets.

He has been working very hard the last few days, trying to make the kennel cat-proof for the cats. It's a big job. And while I know that it's very tiring, too, I don't think he realizes that it isn't cardiovascular work at all -- and that you need both.

I asked him if he was serious about wanting to lose weight, and got the expected answer: no. It's quite obvious in his food choices. For instance, one of the places he's considering going tonight for his birthday is Ted's Fish Fry. I have no desire to even set foot in this place -- I'm not particularly fond of fried foods, and I don't want to waste my points on something I don't even like. Luckily, they do have a grilled chicken sandwich. Otherwise I'd told him that I'd go with him, but I wasn't going to eat anything!

He never, ever wants to think ahead of time about what he's going to eat. For instance, I keep bread in the freezer -- we don't use much, and it gets mushy or hard in the fridge, or moldy if you keep it at room temp. So you have to defrost it ahead of time. He expects bread to just be ready for him.

Well, there are very, very small signs that he does want a healthier lifestyle, too. He just doesn't want it badly enough yet to do the work. All I can do is try to be a good example, and keep gently nudging him (but not nagging him) in the right direction.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JEANLECUY 9/21/2009 8:11AM

My sister in law, AMYJEANHEALTHY, has lost over 50 lbs this year. My brother joined the weight loss efforts later in the game and started helping her train for the tri. He ended up losing almost 40 lbs. He is now thinner than he has been in the last 22 years. All of the good decisions are showing and he is watching. You know that you are setting a good example. Good for you! I know that you can get to your goal weight by vacation! Where are you going? Have a great day. I loved your blog. Y. Good for you! :) Jeanne Report Inappropriate Comment

HOLLY1949 9/20/2009 12:09PM

You sound like you are doing great and know what you can and can not handle . It is important to know yourself. I think you are doing a super job! Keep on pressing toward your goals. You can do it! Holly Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 9/20/2009 11:35AM

Yup, not participating in the chocolate potluck is a very wise choice - I completely understand. Kudos to you! Hope you and DH have fun celebrating his birthday - thank goodness for grilled chicken sandwiches...... Have a great Sunday JLITT62! Report Inappropriate Comment

A change will do you good

Friday, September 18, 2009

You will get to a point in your journey where you'll have to change things up. That may be eating a different way, adding exercise, increasing your exercise, whatever.

For me, the running is part of the change I had to make. I just can't really exercise longer than I already do. Between walking the dogs and exercise DVDs, most days that's at least an hour day, often longer -- which is time most people don't have, I know. Of course the dog walk isn't that strenuous, which is part of why I need to do more exercise on top of that -- that was one of the first changes I had to make a year and a half ago.

So I couldn't exercise longer, which meant that I had to exercise harder. For me, running seems to be working. Plus it's giving me a goal to work towards: a 5k.

What else seems to be working for me right now is the Flat Belly Diet (FBD). Don't get me wrong -- I don't follow their meal plans, I didn't do their "jump start", I don't drink the "sassy" water. I've really never been very good at following anyone's meal plan other than my own.

The food just appeals to me -- and to my husband. And while I did some researching online after the fact, and most "experts" agreed that there really isn't much science behind MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), it just seems to be working for me.

I didn't lose much last week, but then again I had been on vacation and was sick. This week I only lost half a pound, but then again, it was less than a week since the last time I'd weighed in (I went to a different meeting because I was still too sick to go out on my regular meeting day).

After all, who wouldn't love a diet that requires you to eat chocolate AND peanut butter? My two favorite things.

The basic message is that there is no status quo when you're trying to lose weight. It's a constant state of experimentation, so don't be afraid to change things up if what you're doing isn't working for you. But please, no wacky diets -- nothing that cuts out whole food groups!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

STARTSPARKING 9/20/2009 1:40AM

Good for you for intensifying your exercise regimen and your eating plan. You are doing well, and I wish you continued success. Report Inappropriate Comment

MTER67 9/19/2009 3:58PM

You've never been good at following anyone's meal plan other than your own--and your own seems to be working for you! We are always in a constant state of experimentation. I can't imagine anyone who doesn't have room for improvement somewhere! I like that you are flexible--always willing to change things up when they are not working (rather than throw up your hands and give up.) Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_GRIZZ 9/18/2009 10:52PM

I think the body becomes use to routine so it's very good to switch things up a bit some times. Plus it would keep it exciting. Report Inappropriate Comment

FITKAT2010 9/18/2009 6:26AM

What about changing your mind set? The mind controls everything else. Report Inappropriate Comment

BNAILS50 9/18/2009 5:43AM

Good advice, What I've been looking for. Thank You! Report Inappropriate Comment

Calling all yogis

Thursday, September 17, 2009

I'm in the market for some yoga podcasts. I'm not actually sure yet if my phone does video. Technically, it doesn't; the media player doesn't support video. But the Web browser should -- only it has to be something on my card, not something on the Web, because not only am I not planning to pay for Web access (don't need it), it wouldn't work in Europe anyway and that's where I'm planning to use the podcasts.

So far I've discovered the yoga journal and yogi2go podcasts. The yoga journal ones are great -- they're free, of course; always a plus. But beyond that, you can download either the video or just the audio AND they have pictures of the asanas you can print out. And even though I've been doing yoga a long time, I might not recognize an asana name (in fact, I know I wouldn't!).

I will have to try out the whole video thing. I've read I can download opera mini, but the phone does come with a browser.

What I'm looking for:

1. Preferably free
2. Short -- 15 minutes or less would be great; I'm a bit limited as to space, too.
3. Something that I won't need a book or something to be able to actual follow them.

I did the YBB Sculpt DVD Tuesday. Not the one that comes with the basic package, I think it's one that comes with the goddess series. Anyway, it's got about a 20 minute ST routine & then about 20 minutes or so of yoga. It's been a while since I did that particular DVD, and boy, my legs are still feeling it! Or maybe it has something to do with only walking the week before.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MOMMA_GRIZZ 9/17/2009 9:03PM

I hope you find the podcasts that you are looking for....sorry but I have no idea. Does SP have any podcasts? I've never actually 'listened' to podcasts and am not really sure what they are...... sigh I'm a newbie to the techi user world - lol. Report Inappropriate Comment

JLITT62 9/17/2009 7:57AM

My husband's laptop doesn't have a DVD player, not to mention I don't really have the space to bring DVDs. And since I'm gonna be gone 2 weeks . . . would be nice to have something with me. Report Inappropriate Comment

KARBIE18 9/17/2009 7:19AM

I've got many yoga DVDs so I haven't searched for yoga podcasts yet. I was thinking, though, that it would be great to do my yoga outside if I could. I'll let you know if I find anything that looks promising. I still love the Turbo Jam, so I had forgotten about the YBB you recommended. I think I'll use that for a reward when I reach my BMI goal. Report Inappropriate Comment

Be honest about what you eat

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Little things add up -- for good AND for bad. Who, exactly, do we think we're fooling when we don't track something we eat? Like if we don't track it, we didn't eat it, right? Well, as the really old commercial says, you can't fool mother nature.

Since I'm a WW member, I track points, and while I tracked here on SP for a while, just to make sure I was eating the proper proportions of protein, carbs, & fat, I know just use a 6 month journal to track.

I will admit it, though, that there have been times when I've eaten something and not tracked it. Usually it's something small that I've noshed on while cooking. Maybe a couple of crackers, maybe a little bit of chocolate.

It may not be normal to track every BLT (bite, lick, taste), but if we were normal, we wouldn't end up here in the first place. It's not what naturally thin people do, but if that's the price for me to be thin, then I'm willing to pay it.

So why do I still sometimes not track my BLTs? Take last night for instance. It's pre-TOM time, and I've been extra hungry the last few days. I have a small tin of sweet riot (dark chocolate covered cacao nibs). The entire tin is only 3 points, and I never eat the entire tin in one sitting. I was just going to have a few. Lucky for me, I hadn't opened the tin yet. You have to removed some plastic to open it -- and as I began to struggle with the plastic, I decided that I would drink some more water and wait first -- and then if I wanted it, I would track it.

Turns out I didn't eat it, although I did eat something else which I tracked. The reason I didn't want to track it was because I'd eaten way more than I really wanted to yesterday. Not out of control eating, just hungry eating. But I realized that I was truly hungry and wouldn't sleep well if I didn't have something, and if that was the case, I had to make sure to sit down, enjoy it, and track it.

Remember, you can't fool mother nature.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SUZY6281 9/16/2009 10:07AM

You mean mother nature know all about that broken cookie? Aw, gee. Now I have to write it down. I read somewhere that the calories all leak out of broken cookies. So there. suzy Report Inappropriate Comment

KARBIE18 9/16/2009 7:36AM

I've had the hungries the last couple of days, too. I didn't eat anything too unhealthy, but I couldn't seem to get enough. I'm thinking about tracking again during PMS/TOM just to keep myself thinking ahead like you did. There was no stopping to wait to decide if I was really hungry. I was already eating it before I even realized what I was doing. As a result, I feel very poofy today, likely from the volume of food and the sodium. As for the extra BLTs, I admit I haven't always tracked them either. In fact, I had a little nibble of zuchini bread at work yesterday that I completely forgot about until I read your blog. If I had tracked it, I wouldn't have forgotten, and I might not have had the extra dark chocolate square last night. Fortunately TOM is almost over for me, but if I still have the munchies today, I'm tracking EVERYTHING. Great blog! Thanks for the reminder. Karen Report Inappropriate Comment

ZOLLINGERMOMOF3 9/16/2009 7:33AM

Yep, I agree. It's those secret bites that can add up in calories and pounds. I now repeat, if I eat it, track it! Thanks for sharing! Report Inappropriate Comment