Daily Ups and Pounds

Finally - back on track!

2010-10-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

I still don't know why this happened, but about eight weeks ago I completely lost my desire to workout and eat right. I was having super fun with all my extra free time (from not working out) and ordering the fattiest thing on the restaurant menus without feeling guilty. After all, didn't I need a break? It seems like a long way from 0-50lbs. If you just said yes...that's the wrong answer, btw. :) After living it up for a couple months my clothes were mysteriously getting tighter. I got on the scale and, imagine my horror here...I was up 13lbs. Uggg!!! What a waste of time (not only the time I just spent losing the 13lbs, but the time I spent gaining it back when I could have lost 13 more). After pouting around about it for a couple weeks (and indulging in some "I'm about to go on a diet so I might as well have 1 10 more cookies") I finally got a grip. I'm getting some awesome motivation from friends and family and feel like I'm totally back on track and ready to see this through to 50! What specifically is motivating me? How sweet of you to ask...here's a list of things:

1.) My general well-being. When I'm off my game, I get kinda cranky (ask the people mentioned in reason #5 below). I'm irritated about not losing weight, guilty about doing the wrong things, and terribly terribly affected by sugar (check out my previous posts). When I'm working out and eating well, I'm happy and - therefore - so its everyone else.

2.) New stuff! A friend recently told me about the Polar FT7 training computer. It's awesome little calorie counter/heart rate monitor that allows you to track how you're doing. It even saves the records for you to track your progress. I've had mine for two days and I love it. It's already making me compete against myself to do better and maximize my workout.

3.) iTunes. Ahhh, there's nothing that makes a workout move faster than great music. If you're having trouble getting motivated go download some music. Don't download the slow sappy songs that are going to make you fall asleep during your workout - hook up some upbeat tunes that let you get lost in your workout. Those are always great.

4.) Yummy Stuff. I was getting bored with turkey roll-ups and cheese everyday so I did some reading about other low-sugar food and decided to add them into my weekly line-up of meals. The key is, don't get bored. I have a feeling my sudden workout/diet hiatus happened because I was bored with it. You can find ideas for some super duper eats here.

5.) Uploading the Truth. If we're FB friends, you probably see the mobile upload of my hairspray coated scale every week. I'm taking a picture of the LCD and posting it regardless of if it's good or bad. Yes...I know...this is like weighing-in to the extreme, but it is helping me because I know other people are watching. I know this because I run into random FB friends in "real life" and they tell me, haha.

5.) Friends and Fam. Thank you, you wonderful encouraging people. Thanks for believing that I can do it. Thanks for telling me to go get a diet pop instead of the milkshake that I'm two seconds away from ordering. Thanks for not offering me cake. Thanks for sending me articles, book reviews, emails, facebook comments, workout tips and ideas and low-sugar recipes; and, thanks for snatching cinnamon rolls out of my hands. You all are soooooo helpful.

Now that you know what's motivating me, I'd love to know what motivates you??

Not out of the Candyland forest quite yet...

2010-09-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

So...I spoke too soon when I said I was coming out of the sugar detox with flying colors. I had an awesome lunch today - turkey salad w/vinaigrette and a cup of soup. On the way back from lunch I started feeling all anxious and started twitching out...maybe just a little (like a 2 out of 10 on the twitch out scale) By the time I was exiting the highway I was having an absolute panic attack (11/10 on the twitch scale) for no other reason than I needed a cookie, like super bad. I wasn't thinking, "oh my goodness, I want a cookie." It was more like a chemical reaction in my brain going, "you usually have a cookie by now, where the $%&@ is it?" I made a pit-stop for some Diet Mt. Dew and gum then chomped down a couple of the sugar-free cookies I had in tow and started feeling better (after feeling like I was going to spontaneously combust and/or barf for a minute or two). Ugh! In my post freak-out haze, I took a moment to Google. Do you know what Google implied about sugar? Lots of fun stuff!

Apparently, sugar is an addictive substance says http://www.holistichelp.net/sugar-addiction.html. Here's what holistichelp.net says (and though I'm not 100% crunchy, I believe it):

We can classify sugar as an addictive substance for the following five reasons:

Despite negative consequences or the desire to give it up, the consumer eats it compulsively
Neurotransmitters in the brain, like dopamine and serotonin, are impacted in the same manner as alcohol and hard drugs like cocaine.
With continued use, tolerance occurs and sugar consumption must be increased to achieve the same experience
Over time, sugar is required for normal functioning
Withdrawal occurs when sugar consumption ceases

Here's what I've learned about the withdrawal process:

The reason I've been having a headache, shaking and feeling faint periodically the last two days - sugar withdrawal
The reason I've been cranky and anxious as all get out - sugar withdrawal
The reason I can't stand tapping, crunching, clicking, or loudness - sugar withdrawal
The reason I've been falling asleep three hours earlier than usual - sugar withdrawal.

None of these things are not fun, friends. If you know what's good for you, you'll ditch the sugar too. According to Google, there are a bazillion (well, not really a bazillion, but a lot) of reasons that sugar stinks.

Here's two to keep you occupied. Find the other bazillion (minus 2) yourself by Googling "sugar addiction."

Social Eating: My Survival Story

2010-09-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this blog title is a little over-dramatic, but it's indicative of I feel after tonight's encounter with my arch-enemies...the party trays. Most everyone has that one friend that's guaranteed to play "drink till you puke" with him or herself (regardless of what everyone else is doing) at every single party, no question. I am THAT GIRL...but not with booze...with food. Ugh. Get me in a social situation and I loose all-regard for my diet, for what's good for me, for how full I am and...how sick I'm going to feel for the rest of the night after stacking 100 cheese cubes and a pound of buffalo chicken dip on my plate (then going back for seconds...or sevenths even).

Tonight was one of those nights that I had to deal with that kind of temptation. We went to an after-dinner gathering where everyone was asked to bring a snack. Every other thought I had today was about what food was going to be there and what I could bring to combat the urge to binge. I had fantasies of peanut butter cookies, peanut butter pie, brownies, cracker candy...see a pattern? When I finally got to the store I went directly to the bakery to get the brownies that I settled on. Wait...$3 a brownie? Maybe it was a sign. I wasn't down with buying a bunch of $3 brownies so I kept shopping. I settled with some sugar-free chocolate chip cookies made with spelt (delicious, btw) because I figured if I was going to eat a cookie, I should at leat do it with care. To be fair to others, who aren't watching their sugar, I got what I REALLY, REALLY wanted to eat myself...a big delicious pumpkin roll that I didn't so much as sniff when I took it out of the package. In case my little spelt cookies weren't doing the trick, I also picked up some of the best hummus I've had in my life and multi-grain chips. I ate a few cookies and managed not to lick the hummus container clean. I also had a few apple slices so..I feel that tonight was a success/survival story to be told.

In other related news, this was my second day of sugar-detox. I was much more pleasant today and think things are looking up. :) Tomorrow is the weigh-in so we'll see if anything has changed. I sure hope so. I could use a motivator.

Take care everyone and happy eating! :)

Ready, set, stop eating sugar!

2010-09-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

Getting back to a diet (or, "lifestyle," if you prefer that fancy lingo) is the hardest thing for me because I know what the first few days are like and I just dread going through them. If I had to paint you a picture of what I'm describing, I'd compare days 1-3 to smoker's detox. I think it's a logical comparison after being around my sweet friends and family when they've trying to kick the nic. It goes like this for me - moderate-severe unfriendliness coupled with extreme fidgeting and topped with obsessive thoughts about food. I've realized that I have stall tactics worse than my four year old's and just need to get to it if I'm ever going to make progress.

So, today is one of those days and it's going well so far. Yes..I've daydreamed about Oreos, longed for some candy and have been thinking about food ALL DAY, but I promise, it hasn't been atrocious. I have to think that my elliptical workout helped combat any Day 1 grouchiness that may have been trying to surface.

If you've read my past posts, you know that my biggest dietary evil is sugar. Besides making me fat, I truly believe that is messes with my overall well-being. I encourage you to try any diet that works with your life. Cutting sugar works great for me because my body doesn't process it quite right. When I cut it out, I lose weight easily and my body goes, "duhhhhhhh....that's what's up." For you, it may be cutting back on fat, calories or just boosting your workouts if you're on the good eats honor roll already.

I get asked what I eat a lot (and on a good day, I'll tell you). If you're in to the low-sugar stuff and want some food ideas, here's a run-down of what I've eaten today:

Breakfast:

Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin Toast (1 piece) topped w/Coconut Oil
Black Tea

Snack:

String Cheese

Lunch:

1 Serving of Triscuits topped with some Gruyere Cave Aged Raw-Milk Cheese
Raw Cauliflower dipped in Tzatziki Garlic Cucumber Dip (low cal, low fat, low sugar)
More Black Tea

Snack:

Mixed nut/fruit trailmix - just one serving. :)

Dinner:

Chicken and Stir-Fry Veggies (sauteed in Coconut Oil) with rice (hopefully brown, if we have it) on the side.

Happy eating everyone!

Accountability

2010-09-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever really wanted to be diagnosed with a legit "problem" just so you had an excuse for doing (or not doing, in my case) something? Right now, it would make my day if someone would stop me on the street and say "Hey fatty, you're not losing weight because you're a sugar addict...I can tell by that 'I need skittles' look in your eyes. Better get some help for that'." Ugh. If only it were that easy! As I write this posting, I not only wish I knew what my problem was, I'm also kicking and screaming because I just don't want to deal with it.

I was doing very well dieting and exercising. I had 15 more pounds of baby weight left to lose and then I'd be back where I started trying to skim off the final pounds. However, a month-long series of binge eating sessions and plain and simple laziness for skipping my workouts has left me with some unfortunate fatty consequences.

In an effort to get back on my diet, I posted my weight (via mobile upload of my scale) on FB. I requested cyber-harassment from my FB friends as a motivator if I don't post another update ths week. I fully intend to post another scale reading, but I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty.

I'd love to know your secrets for jumping back on the diet wagon? I have a feeling it's just going to be that "I'm tired of being fat; let's fix this now" feeling, but I'm always open to pointers and new suggestions for getting back into the diet and workout mentality. Please help, people! :)

Trim your servings and trim your figure. :)

2010-04-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I was in the kitchen and, sadly, found that we were out of turkey :(. I hoped to have it on a sandwich at lunch today because it's low-cal and filling. Once I realized my plan was foiled, I had to think quickly before binging on a calorie laden substitute. I shuffled around the kitchen and found pepperonis. Now, I'm sure you're thinking what I was thinking...pepperoni isn't the healthiest of meats. However, I started looking into the serving size, calories, etc. and found that I could have half a serving of pepperoni on my sandwich (7 pepperonis approx. if you're wondering) and only take in 60 calories! That's better than turkey AND I get the awesome flavor of pepperoni. In addition to my pepperoni, I spread on fat-free cream cheese (30 calories, btw) and some hot pepper relish (about 40 calories) on two slices of whole wheat (no high fructose corn syrup here) bread. That's 200 calories for the two slices. My sandwich ended up being 330 calories + a cup of applesauce (100 calories). That's a delicious no-guilt lunch for fewer calories than just about anything that comes from a drive-through line. Mmm!!!! I could have saved myself even more by using one slice of bread - but the lunch was filling and delicious.

Next time you're making a meal ask yourself - do I really need all of that that? I bet you'll find that you can live on 1T of Peanut Butter instead of 2 (cutting the calories and fat by half!). You can probably also be satisfied with a 100 calorie pack of popped corn instead of wolfing down a whole regular sized bag. You migh also add a splash of juice to your water instead of having a whole glass (lots of calories and sugar in those juices!) Try it and see what happens! :)

Bye Bye Baby Weight!!

2010-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever said to yourself "I'm just sick of food"? By the end of my pregnancy, that's where I was. I was so uncomfortable and exhausted that we ate out (a lot) and I was turning to comfort food all too often to help me through the last month or two. My eating and exercise habits were better during this pregnancy than throughout the other two, but they were by no means superb. I still over-ate, indulged in sweet, carbs, and other comfort food too often and didn't exercise nearly enough - my 60lb+ weight gain is evidence of this. At the end of the pregnancy I was getting candy bars here and there saying "well, I'll only be pregnant another couple weeks - I might as well do this now before I have to diet..." I made those kinds of excuses a lot. I also broke one of my cardinal rules of weight loss....I stopped looking at the scale. When I saw my weight jump up 5, 10, or 13 lbs between each appointment (that's not normal, by the way) I got scared and started avoiding the situation all together. Avoiding the situation just got me in trouble further - I started eating more since I knew I would just deal with the consequences later. Sound familiar? In one of my previous posts I promised to look at the scale before having the baby so I could at least assess the damage and plan from there. During my last OB appointment I saw 212 lbs staring back on me from the scale's display....sigh...it's been worse. If I would have gained the recommended amount of weight for my height, age, and stature in pregnancy (25-30 lbs) I wouldn't even be writing this post; I lost 30 lbs during the first week postpartum. I'm thankful for the jump-start, but I still have 30 to go to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 150(ish).

One of the things I'm thankful for is all of the yo-yo diets I've tried in the past. I'm thankful that I know how to safely lose weight now and can't wait to return to healthy eating! I have started tracking calories today and plan to lose weight via the following ways:

1.) Eliminate most all sugar from my diet (including white rice, potatoes, flour, etc).

2.) Exercise regularly (once I'm able that is ...my muscles and joints are still recovering from pregnancy, labor, and delivery). I'm going to start slowly - with walking and stretching until I am fully recovered.

3.) Eat smaller meals more frequently instead of binging on large meals once I've reached the point of starvation.

4.) Avoid processed and pre-packaged foods.

5.) Indulge in fruits and veggies

6.) Keep track of my calories and weight (not obsessively, but often enough to be aware of what's going on).

I'm looking forward to taking the weight off just as I did before becoming pregnant and I can't wait to blog on my trials and successes along the way. :) I would love to hear your weight loss tips and successes in the comments section of this blog. :)

Enjoy the weekend!
Tess

Don't throw all of your eggs on the floor!

2010-02-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of cheer-blogging lately (e.g., encouraging readers to fulfill their weight loss goals by giving supporting tips and encouraging remarks). I need to have a heart-to-heart with you though, dear readers, sticking with those tips (though totally fruitful in the end) is HARD work along the way and has been especially rough on me lately.

Even though I'm not trying to diet - due to pregnancy - I still shouldn't let food get the best of me. I've been feeling a little cornered due to the winter months and all of the lovely things that come with winter (e.g., being sick and stuck inside or dealing with bad weather and being stuck inside). In those times when I'm feeling cornered and don't know what else to do, I find myself in the kitchen...you know...standing at the fridge with the door wide open just staring at all of the food inside and wondering what to eat next. I also find myself diving into temptation, repeatedly, with baked goods...today I've eaten three sugar cookies out of boredom (and because they are stinking delicious) but it was pretty unecessary and now I have eater's remorse. Did I mention that I also ate three pieces of pizza?? One piece of pizza, fine. One sugar cookie, no problem. I should have stopped at a reasonable time, but I kept eating and kept eating because buttery, sugary, cookies and pizza is much more entertaining than the blustery winter weather! Besides, I had this mentality "I don't get to have pizza much for lunch, I'll just treat myself (and binge a little)." Boooo!!! Hissss!!!!! Wrong idea!!!

While I don't have any cheer-blogging to do today, I do want to leave you with something I heard one time in regards to weight loss and dieting..."just because you dropped one egg on the ground, does that mean you have to throw down the whole dozen?"

Sometimes it's so easy to feel that way - especially when one bad sugar cookie incident leads to a giant dinner with an appetizer and a huge sundae for dessert - only to be continued the next day and the next and the next... Over eating for one day doesn't cause diet issues, but over eating every day does. So, give yourself a break - I'm going to try to - clean up that one egg and move on. Here's to eating well the rest of the day and leaving the sugar cookies to the folks that know how to maintain composure with them. :)

Just eat it!

2010-02-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

Do your friends and family members help or hinder your diet game plan? How many times have you dieters heard, "are you supposed to be eating THAT?" or "I don't want your 'diet' food." when you've fixed a lighter selection for your family. Maybe they are nice about it all the time, but it's kind of doubtful. Even my own husband, who is a major trooper when it comes to me being on a diet and RARELY says a word about diet food, would likely rather not have a stripped down meal laden with fat-free cheese and other undesirables considered healthy. So we've learned, over the years, what is healthy while still retaining a delicious-ness factor the whole family can enjoy.

On a related note...my sister-in-law's came to me recently to request "diet-ish" dinner ideas that could be enjoyed by her whole family. The reason I say "diet-ish" is because I knew she wasn't asking me what kind of dinners she could fix and hear the least complaining about, she wants to know about the real food that everyone and enjoys, yet are still healthy. The following is a copy (with a couple additions) of what I sent to her:

1.) Buffalo Burgers. I eat mine on no bread, but put a slice of reduced fat cheese on top, some pickles, ketchup, mustard, etc. Then, as a side, fill more than half your plate with fruit and/or veggies.

2.) Meatloaf with Buffalo or lean beef or turkey. Again, use the veggies to fill more than half your plate.

3.) Chicken or turkey sausage (veggie rule still applies)

4.) I would make the (frozen) green beans (sauteed in a pan w/a drizzle of Olive Oil, sea salt, lemon pepper, and onion flakes. It makes you feel like you're eating bad.

5.) Make sure to *always* give veggies a flavor by using some seasoning. Steamed, plain, veggies are almost not edible in my opinion.

6.) Stay away from bread, white rice, and white potatoes as much as you can. I know that's so hard - esp. the potato part, but those are sugary foods that will trigger you to want more carbs and sugar.

7. We also made baked sweet potatoes a lot. Just put them in the oven and bake. Drizzle with a little bit of honey and serve. The kids can always eat fish sticks or chicken nuggets on the side. You can put marshmallows, cinnamon and honey on the kids' potatoes. Mmmm.. It's so good!! You can have one of those sausages I mentioned on the side and some veggies, too.

8. Cod/Haddock or some similar white fish. This is always good baked in the oven w/garlic and a little butter. Try the green beans or asparagus on the side. You can also make some brown rice, but watch the serving size. Eat only half a serving or one serving (measured) if you have enough calories left to do so.

9. If you are out to eat, just look for the grilled chicken. Don't eat the whole bun if you can help it and load it with pickles and condiments (no mayo, though) Maybe eat half the bun?

10. Try a side of lite cottage cheese with a whole fruit (like apple, grapes, sliced peach, sliced nectarine, etc) on the side of your family's normal dinner.

12. Make those salads interesting! Don't resort to serving a chilly iceburg and tomato salad...pick out some darker greens like spinach or romaine (which are healthier anyway), top with (a little) dried fruit, red onion, cooked ham, a little Romano, toasted almonds, cucumbers, etc for starters. It makes a plain old salad seem like a dinner in itself. Top with a serving (usually 2T) of a light dressing - some of the fruity vinaigrettes are awesome!!

As a general rule, just find things that make you full and satisfied and try not to ever make special meals for the family. If you start that, you may never be able to stop. If you're cooking, they should be happy w/whatever you fix. :)

Also, as far as not binge eating at dinner, give yourself healthy low-cal snacks throughout the day. When I want a Twinkie, I go for a piece of cheese (swiss is only like 70 calories) instead. It seriously cuts the craving and makes it so I don't need a snack. It's a great trick!! That's all for now.

Now, here's a message to all of you people born with your skinny jeans on - just eat it. It's a great illustration of love and encouragement if you can eat lighter options along with your friend or family member who's dieting - without complaining. The more us dieters are challenged by bad news foods, the more likely we are to cheat and then backslide on our weight loss efforts. So, get out your pom-poms and cheer your friends along. They're sure to appreciate you!!

What's Your Game Plan?

2010-02-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

I've been playing a really fun game for the last month or so. It's called, "If I don't look at the scale, I'm not really gaining obscene amounts of weight." Do you know that one? It's similar to, "I'm going on a diet tomorrow so I'm going to consume as many calories as possible until then." I've played that one many times in the past as well. As fun as it is to eat and gain weight with reckless abandon, we all know that it hurts when the game is over. This is all contradictory to what I would do in "normal time." I highly recommend checking-in once a week to see where you stand on your weigh loss or weight maintenance journey. Since I'm pregnant and the only place I should be going is up, it's not nearly as fun to do those "check-ins."

As I near the end of this pregnancy, I know the "game over" stage is coming. I haven't looked at the scale for some time, but I promise myself (and you all) that I'm going to do it at the very end. As much as I would love to hop on the scale a few weeks after having the baby and see my pre-pregnancy weight flashing on the screen, I know the reality is the 3 digits staring back at me from the scale will be far from that...likely way far.

No matter if you're hanging on to baby weight or just a few extra pounds that life handed you for other reasons, you're never too far out to develop a game plan for yourself. Being someone who specializes in keeping track of documentation for a living (and someone who has been to the game over stage - multiple times), I highly recommend that you put this plan on paper and review it regularly. Here are some tips to get you started.

1.) Step on the scale to check the damage; Maybe it's not as bad as you thought...maybe it's worse. Either way, hiding from the unknown isn't going to help. Just get it over with and write it down.

2.) Figure out what weight range is appropriate for your height, stature, and age. Your physician will probably be glad to talk this out with you.

3.) Research diet options. What is going to suit you best? I'm a sugar fiend so I know that a diet will only work for me if I eliminate the weakness that's caused me to fall back more times than I'd like to admit. Maybe your problem is portion control, soda, fast food, late night eating, not exercising, unhealthy food choices...it could be any number of things. Write down those foods that trigger you to gain weight and figure out what to do with them. Before starting any diet or exercise regimen, check with your doctor to ensure you're healthy enough to do so ~ that's my little disclaimer.

4.) Start a diet and/or exercise routine and keep track. Write down what you eat, when you eat, check and chart the scale on a regular basis.

5.) Make REALISTIC and HEALTHY mini-goals for yourself (give your self a non-edible reward in 10, 20, 50...pound increments). Make sure it's something that will help with your weight loss journey - not hinder it (btw, getting a giant ice cream sundae for losing 10lbs is considered a severe hindrance!). :)

6.) Don't quit the game. I've blogged this before, but it's important to know starting out that there will be fall-backs, there will be weeks when you don't lose or maybe even gain some back, there will be temptation and there will be times when you just throw in the towel destined to "be this way forever." Don't let these things get you.

7.) Lastly, find a weight loss buddy or resource. If all of your friends were born with their skinny jeans on, seek out help from online forums. They are often very useful when you're looking to find someone to identify with.

I'm looking forward to starting the game over very shortly and hope that using this blog as an outlet during the course of my next weight loss journey will be helpful. Maybe some of you will even join me!?

So, what's your game plan?

Work can make one fat...I have proof!

2010-01-30T20:52:00.000-08:00

I'm very fortunate to have a portable profession that allows me to telecommute most of the time. However, there are some instances when I have a super consuming project (or 50) going on and extended face time in the office is required. This happened to be the circumstance a month or so ago when I was working on a big project that required a few weeks of constant office time.

I recall one particularly busy day when I waited too long to eat and ended up lunching on a giant Italian Sub (because I deserved it, right?), chips, and a cookie as big as my face; I chased it all down with 8 pieces of chocolate. That was one example, but here's the typical routine...

grab a high-cal breakfast on the way to work (hot chocolate and donuts...sigh...)
work
think about lunch
talk to co-workers about lunch
more work
eat a ginormous lunch (ignoring everything I know about healthy eating) often while working
work some more
think about snacks while working
go find a snack and visit the pop machine (for pop, of course, not a sensible water)
work some more
start thinking about dinner (which I was usually still to full to eat) while finishing up the day's work
eat several huge portions of something that I will have eaters remorse about later.

Can you guess what happened at the end of my project? That's right, I gained 13lbs (in about a 4wk time span). I know, I know, I'm pregnant, right? Is that what you're thinking? Expecting or not I really shouldn't have gained 13lbs in 4wks; My dramatic weight increase threw red flags all over the doctor's office - floor, ceiling, hallways, flags everywhere. I had a few tests all revealing there's nothing abnormal about my pregnancy except my eating habits for that month.

After that horrifying tale from the scale, I decided to re-focus to avoid depleting my health further and so the baby would remain unaffected. No more pop, no more binging on entire sleeves of cookies, no more baking (for myself alone) and no more donuts with hot chocolate for breakfast. I've been able to stick to my new plan for the most part. My biggest regret is that I didn't do it sooner - for the baby and I.

Is the day-to-day routine of your workplace making you gain? I know that it's hard to avoid convenience foods and fast food when there's work to be done, but just think of all of the extra weight loss work you (and I) will have to do if you take your eyes off the prize! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but calories count ALL THE TIME even when you're working...even on your birthday (dang it)...and even when someone else gifts those calories to you (e.g., your granny bakes you a cake as a special treat because you're doing sooooo well on your diet).

My advice to you: pre-plan, make healthier choices (grilled instead of fried...you know you can do it), don't binge eat/over eat/or make bad choices because you "deserve it," be mindful of your own plate and don't worry about what your co-workers are ordering; Remember, it's lunch and (God willing) not your last meal ever, so don't order that way.

Here are 10 tips for eating healthy at work!

Zumba...how I have missed thee!

2010-01-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

I'm admittedly not athletic and not interested in sports of any kind - doing them, watching them, hearing about them, etc. Side note: I'd rather have my teeth drilled than listen to radio broadcast sports. So, when it comes to working out it's not a super natural activity for me. Here's what used to happen when I'd go to the gym...

Enter facility
Look around to see if anyone I know is there...
Circle cardio machines and evaluate each for usability (e.g., am I going to fall off once I get started?...can I find the start button?...will I be using it backwards?...does the machine look like it's been recently sweated on? ew.) You get the picture...
Stalk the weight area and maybe pick up a weight or two (that's likely too heavy for me) and then proceed to lift it the wrong way or drop it on my toe.
Maybe I'll also peruse the leg/arm machines and hopefully exercise my legs on the leg machines and arms for arm machines...not vice versa.
Continue all of this silliness for the next 30 minutes and check my watch 100 times during the course of the trip.
At 30 minutes and not one second past, immediately exit the gym and go find a snack.

Fortunately, a good friend of mine pressured me (no...wait...harassed me) to try a Zumba class. I took dance classes in school, but that was many years ago and I was SURE that I'd be stepping on my own toes and, not to mention, everyone would be staring as my left over baby fat did a dance of it's own in the mirror. Well, I'm happy to report that I was wrong on all accounts. If you take a class (as opposed to doing the workouts via DVD at home) you'll find people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and experience levels in class. Everyone just blends in.

Zumba is an awesome cardio/dance type work out that any one (assuming it's okay-ed by your doctor) can do. It's basically a follow the leader type workout that's done to great music. It's soooo much fun that you won't find yourself checking the clock or worried about what others are thinking (they aren't watching, btw, everyone is trying to catch on at the same time).

The first time you go to class, you probably will mess up (a lot), but don't get discouraged. Most instructors play the same songs (with a little variation here and there) at each class. After you go a few times, you'll start to get the steps down with no problem. If you do find yourself moving the wrong direction or jumping when everyone else is stopping - who cares! Just move, burn calories, and have fun. Others are doing the same and at least you're moving - that's the point. Also, if you take from a couple different instructors, know that they may use different routines to the same songs. .

I've been missing Zumba lately (since I'm super pregnant) and can't wait to get back to it. Several of my friends and family members have begun taking the classes as well and they have nothing but great things to say about their workouts. If you can't make it to a class, be sure to check out the Zumba DVDs. Zumba is a whole body work out and expect to see results all over.

If you want to see what a Zumba class looks like...search "Zumba class" on YouTube.com for lots of great examples!!

Potty Charts and Weight Loss

2010-01-29T18:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had two unrelated conversations (one with one of my sisters, the other with a close friend of mine), each about potty training. Both ladies are in engaging in the "yays" and "oh nooooooos" that often come in the midst of training their little ones to be diaper-free little latrine users. During the course of each conversation the topic of "potty charting" came up. Potty charting has been a successful tool for my friends and sisters and a lot of fun for the kids, too. It works like this...

The child goes potty (or tries to potty)
Gets praise
Gets a sticker to stick on the chart and everyone cheers
After so many stickers, the child gets a reward (or incremental rewards 10 trips, 20...50...and so on). We rewarded our daughter with things like an ice cream cone, a trip to her favorite restaurant, coloring books, etc.

Anyway...it helps the child master a large goal a little bit at a time. I was just thinking how similar potty charting is to the weight loss charts I've made for myself in the past. Say you have 75 pounds to lose (I did after baby #2). The thought of losing 75 pounds and counting them down one or two pounds at a time may feel like something totally out of reach. When you break those pounds down into 10 or 15 pound goals, the intimidation factor goes away and your weight loss efforts will begin to look like something more attainable. For me, I kept saying..."good, I'm out of the 190s, 180s, 170s...etc" Being in a new 10lb range every couple weeks was super motivating and kept me going until all of the baby weight was gone. Side note: I'm not saying it was easy by any means. It took me two pregnancies and another year of messing around with playing weight loss games to actually get the pounds off.

Charting Tip #1: Don't obsess over your chart. As I mentioned in a previous post, you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday. Your weight will fluctuate from day-to-day and you may just end up getting discouraged. Pick a day of the week and time to weigh and post the chart on your bathroom door (or fridge door if you're not shy) and record accordingly.

Charting Tip #2: If you spend a lot of time online (like yours truly) you may consider making your chart in Excel or using the iPhone/iPod Touch App, Lose It, that I mentioned earlier to keep track of your successes.

Charting Tip #3: Recruit a charting accountability partner. Maybe you have a friend, neighbor, or family member who also wants to lose some weight. Check-in with that person each on weigh-in day to ensure that each of you have done your job. You don't have to mention specifics, but having that accountability of saying "yes, I stepped on the scale and saw what I did (or didn't) do this week" really, really helps! You don't have to discuss specifics, but just having that person by your side each week is worthwhile.

In addition to charting my weight, I rewarded myself with mini-goal prizes. I wouldn't recommend getting a ginormous ice cream sundae as your reward, or anything else that may cause you to fall back into old habits... That would be like going out and charging something as a reward for paying off your credit cards... Something non-food related is best. :) You might choose something related to your weight-loss journey (new workout dvds, downloading a few new songs to use during your workouts, a new book or journal, pedometer, water bottle, workout clothes, athletic shoes, etc.)

Here are some sample weight loss charts to get you started: http://tinyurl.com/yzyqh2g

If you aren't in weight loss mode, but you're potty training a toddler, here are some sample potty charts. :) http://tinyurl.com/pxoljn

Life Lessons from the Chronic Dieter (me)

2010-01-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

I've been watching my weight (go up and down) since 8th grade when I had my first successful weight loss. I can't remember what I did back then to lose the pounds - probably a starvation diet of some sort since I was a young teenager not really concerned with my health. Starvation diets are a no no, by the way. Since then, I've tried many different diets (hence the title "chronic dieter"). The ONLY method that works for me is what my healthy, slender, counterparts have been preaching for years...

Less Food + More Exercise = Weight Loss

In all honesty, I've known this simple truth all along. It's just hard to digest when so many gimmick diets boast fast weight loss if you just do this or that. Also, if your exercise plan involves trotting from the couch to the fridge a few times a day (I'm guilty, as charged there also) you're probably not too thrilled with the "more exercise" part of the equation illustrated above either. Here are some pointers that I've picked up along the way that make this simple truth work with out too much fussing...

Know how much is too much (for you!). When I told some of my friends that I had to stick to eating 1,100 calories a day to lose weight they looked at me like I was insane. Maybe it is insane, but that's what was recommended for my age/height/weight, etc. and it worked! I just divvied up the day accordingly - 200 Calories for Breakfast, 400 for lunch, and 500 for dinner.

I know, I know, "What am I going to eat for breakfast for 200 calories. My mocha is 500 alone!!!" You're going to have to treat your caloric intake like a budget. What food can you eat that will satisfy the calorie cut-back requirement and stay with you until lunch or snack time? Look for foods low in sugar and high in fiber. Those tend to stay the longest. Throw in part-skim some cheese or peanut butter (but be sure to mind the servings!!
If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, I highly recommend downloading the App "Lose It"

Don't eat food that's nasty. Just don't. There's no reason to make yourself have lettuce, tomato, and onion salad with no dressing for lunch if that's not appealing to you. Do your research, find how you can incorporate the things you love without feeling deprived. I'm trying to think back to my pre-pregnancy lunches. I seem to remember loading up on a light deli meat (like turkey) with a side of my favorite cheese and a BUNCH of fruit on the side. You get meat (protein, dairy, and fruit) all in one sitting. The fruit often satisfies the sweet craving that many of us experience after a meal. If that doesn't work for you and you start going into a sugar-fit (don't freak out!) eat a piece of hard candy or some other lower-cal chocolate treat like Weight Watchers Chocolate...mmmm. You might also opt for a homemade yogurt smoothie with a little meat and cheese. If you're feeling like some carbs, find a low-cal white bread and top with a tablespoon (that's half a serving) of peanut butter. Yum.
Comparison shop. Yes...it takes a while and people may think, "why has this weirdo been standing in front of the turkey for the last 10 minutes??"I've spent probably close to an hour of my life deliberating which brand of lunch meat to buy based on number of slices you get for the lowest amount of calories (I'm all about quantity). Research low-cal diets and food choicese online too to avoid grocery store angst.
Don't load up on sugar. I'm a sugar addict (currently having a relapse with this pregnancy), but ridding my diet from most all added sugar has reeeeeeallly helped me lose weight in the past. I will warn you, the first few days of a sugar detox is not nice (and you probably won't be either). I've literally felt sick every time I ditched the sugar. Researchers from Boston University found that sugar rich foods may be as addictive as drugs - follow link to read more. Now, there's an article that I can attest to! Also, if you're reading this thinking, "I don't even LIKE candy or sweets, this won't be a problem for me," stop dreaming and follow the link to this food list. Giving up pop and candy helps, but don't stop there. There are tons of sugar-laden foods that we eat every day and never think twice about it.
Find an exercise program that you like. So your neighbor Shirley has been bugging you to meet her at 5am each morning to run around the block. If the only time we'll catch you running is with a big dog, rodent, or insect trailing you (like yours truly) and/or if 5am sounds like the middle of the stinking night to you...stay in bed!! Find an exercise that you can enjoy and do it when you feel like it (but do it consistently). Here are some ideas...

Get some exercise DVDs (pilates, yoga, dance, cardio, etc.)
Join a gym (totally not necessary, but you'll have lots of different options there)
Try a class (yoga, pilates, strength training, zumba, etc.)
Get a Wii Fit (those trainers will really hold you accountable, fyi!)
Find a friend (friends, though annoying on the days you just don't feel like exercising, are great accountability partners!!)

Don't weigh yourself everyday. Your body weight can fluctuate from hour to hour so stop torturing yourself!! Get a good scale and step on it once a week (preferably the same day and time each week) to get an accurate read of how you're doing. Also keep in mind that your weekly read may be off from time to time based on your health, water retention, stress, etc. Log it and move on. If you had a loss - great. If not, don't sweat it and try harder next week. If you had a gain - look back and the past week and honestly, write down why. Did you binge on an entire box of Mint Cookie Fudge Choco-Choco Yum Yum ice cream again? Maybe you should leave the ice cream at the store and you'll probably get better results the next time.
Cut empty calories. What's that glass cherry cola really going to do for you in the long run? Do you really need to drink juice instead of water if you're getting vitamins elsewhere? I used to be a fruit juice-a-holic. I noticed after drinking water only...I really saw the pounds coming off. At first I was pretty bitter about it (kind of like the whole sugar detox thing), but after a while it just became the norm. It also saves $$$$!!!!
Don't deprive yourself (all the time). This is kind of in line with #2 above, but needs to be done in a very controlled way. Say you're out with a bunch of friends and they're ALL getting dessert. You know that your weigh-in is the following morning and you can't possibly eat a 1,000 calorie piece of cake right now. Relax! If you constantly deprive yourself, you may end up binging and then suffering even worse consequences (besides feeling sorry for yourself). Pick the best bet on the menu and eat it (better yet, have half and feed the rest to a too-skinny friend or your little brother). Just do it now and then if you have to (not every week, not every day). I've found this tactic to be safe once in a while (and after your regular weight loss has been established).

That's all for today. Happy dieting!! :)

Disclaimer: I'm not a diet professional or medical professional; I do not represent any diet program or plan and the above statements in no way endorse any particular weight loss program. They are simply evidence of my own experience. Check with your doctor before engaging in any weight loss effort.

Maintaining Composure at the Grocery...

2010-01-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

It was the usual scene at the grocery store yesterday...one kid in the cart, the other instructed to "hold-on" to the cart so we could run through, get our stuff, and get out with little hassle. However, after the little one was snapped in to his assigned seat I turned around for a brief second and saw a lady standing closely behind me getting her cart. Immediately she says, "Woah!! When is that due?," while pointing at my stomach. I am sure the lady meant well. It wasn't if she was pointing and laughing...it's just the way her comment came out and the in-shock look on her face. I answered her, smiled, and moved on to start the shopping.

I'm not really the type to let things bug me, but here are some things that would have been helpful to consider before commenting:

Don't refer to my baby as "that." It's not as if some alien has taken over my stomach or I'm getting ready to have a watermelon...though I'm fully aware that is what it looks like.
Do you think that I don't already know my stomach is big? None of my clothes fit, I can't tie my shoes and I feel disheveled just about every day - thanks for rubbing it in, though.
Do you think that if "that" was due like "now" that I would be grocery shopping? You won't find me at the grocery while I'm in active labor...it will be ok!

At any rate, that little rant isn't the real point of my blog today. The incident above did have a positive to it. I stayed away from the cookies, candy, pastries, pop, and other treats on my "bad list" for the duration of our trip. The aforementioned "inquiring mind that wanted to know" surely meant well, but also kept me in check as I considered how much bigger I could get during the duration of my pregnancy if I don't keep my food choices in-check. Thanks for helping me not turn into a total moose, grocery store lady!

Maintaining your composure at the grocery is totally key to keeping on your diet and controlling your weight. At one point, I watched a YouTube video on how sugar controls our emotions, our weight, our urge to eat more, etc. and proceeded to throw out all of the cookies, candy, and junk in our house the next day. If you just don't buy the stuff, there's nothing to worry about later. In example, I can totally binge on a box of ice cream. However, while possibly more costly, it will save you a lot of calories, extra dieting time, and heartache just to go get a cone or sundae once and a while from your favorite ice cream joint. It's also something to do when you're looking for an excuse not to sit at home and do something like...well...binge on a box of [insert favorite flavor here].

I know you've also always heard never to shop on an empty stomach - that definitely helps! It's easy to overspend and buy goodies that you just don't need, but might be craving right then because your blood sugar has bottomed out. One final trick from me and then I'm going to post an awesome shopping tips list from Discovery Health. When you're in the grocery store, pretend like your doctor is shopping along side you. I was Krogering one afternoon and spotted my doctor at the other end of the aisle. I avoided her because I thought, "Oh crap...if she looked in my cart...I'd feel like I had some explaining to do..." I rushed around the store putting back my pop, TV dinners for the kids and sugary snacks to exchange them for whole grains, yogurt, lunch meat, more fruit and other healthful choices. Whew! I try to keep that one in mind each time I'm at the store (assuming no one insults me as I walk in the door giving me another reason to mind my cart).

Here's that article I promised. It's a good one! http://tinyurl.com/y8jpzg7

Three Packs a Day

2010-01-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking and the answer is "no." I'm not really up to three packs a day or even a smoker for that matter; however, I think that I do share a common impulse with my smoking pals and on some days, like today I'm having a "three pack-a-day day." Here's the similarity, are you ready?? I (probably like many of you) am an emotional eater. Instead of lighting one up during a stressful (or happy/sad/difficult) situation, you can expect see my rifling through my purse for gum, chocolate, stale jelly beans or even running out to get a calorie laden treat to stifle stress or rejoice in the happiness.

Much like smoking, this type of self-medication has the potential to be destructive over time and can lead to serious health problems. I can honestly attribute the various sizes of pants in my closet (6 to 16...yeah, that looks like somewhat of a roller coaster to me, too) to emotions felt over time - be them happy, sad, or stressed.

So, what's the best way to tell the eater in you to 'back it on up' and get lost because you're not giving in?

Tip you don't want to hear #1.) Have a glass of water and wait 30 minutes (unless you have a medical need to eat, of course). I know, it's boring...it's annoying...it's bland and even though I have seen weight loss results from doing this I still complain under my breath as I'm filling my water cup. It really does work and helps to control cravings. If you drink a full glass of water and you're STILL want to eat after half-an-hour, then it's possible that you really are hungry and not just eating on the brink of a stressful situation (and be sure to have a healthy meal...not cake or candy like I would do).

Tip you don't want to hear #2.) Assuming you're in a good state of health, take 30 minutes and walk it off...or run...or turn on some music and do the chicken dance. Thirty honest minutes of any exercise you are healthy enough to do should take your mind off the cake and candy and release some good endorphins to get you back to a normal state of mind.

My QOTD for you: Are you an emotional eater? If so, what to you look for when the urge to eat sets in?

Here's what WebMD has to say about emotional eating:

There are several differences between emotional hunger and physical hunger, according to the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center web site:

Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger occurs gradually.
When you are eating to fill a void that isn't related to an empty stomach, you crave a specific food, such as pizza or ice cream, and only that food will meet your need. When you eat because you are actually hungry, you're open to options.
Emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly with the food you crave; physical hunger can wait.
Even when you are full, if you're eating to satisfy an emotional need, you're more likely to keep eating. When you're eating because you're hungry, you're more likely to stop when you're full.
Emotional eating can leave behind feelings of guilt; eating when you are physically hungry does not.

Also, an interesting Mayo Clinic Article on emotional eating: http://tinyurl.com/gkhsy

Food Psych 101

2010-01-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

So, I started off the morning by running out the door without eating breakfast. Yes, I remembered my missed meal in enough time that I *could* have turned around and grabbed some to-go food from my house, but after quickly contemplating right and wrong in my head, I still proceeded to commit a pretty rotten food crime.

I picked up two doughnuts (custard filled and glazed, if you need to know) and a hot chocolate for breakfast. Did I feel good while I was committing the crime? Yes. How about afterward? I think you can tell by the tone of this blog post, I've been feeling a little guilty all day.

Why guilty, you ask? People eat doughnuts every day. It's not so much what I ate, it's that I had better choices a few minutes away, yet I drove myself straight into "eat now, work off the weight later land" nonetheless. Maybe it's food psychology, but it thinking about the end-result (extra weight gained) and self-loathing works for me most of the time. Today was just one of those times that I threw everything out the window and said "just give me the doughnuts, darn it." It's just one time, but it makes it too easy to "forget my breakfast" the next time, and the next and next and so on... I pray for a strength and wisdom when it comes to making good food choices. If I could focus on the "after effect" with every one of my meals - I may be in better shape. :)

The rest of my day was rather uneventful in the food department - I made up for my calorie laden breakfast by eating a couple oranges (they were dry and tasteless), an over ripe banana, room temperature yogurt, and a semi-rubbery piece of cheese (ew...). I also chased my lunch by a single serving of Hershey Kisses. :) Here's to tomorrow...may it be a day of better choices, healthy eating, and a clear conscience.

Have you ever practiced food psychology on yourself? On someone else? I'd love to know that I'm not the only one. :)

Baby Weight

2010-01-18T20:49:00.000-08:00

Right before my current pregnancy I lost the baby weight gained in my two subsequent pregnancies and got down to 145.

Note: It only took me three years of messing around with fad diets and wishing on stars before I actually made sense of this equation: Less Food + More Exercise = Weight Loss...

At any rate, being the short mama I am, I still had a few pounds to go, but was approaching a healthy weight for my height. I told myself early on in the pregnancy that I was going to take it easy on the sugar, keep up my healthy eating and stay true to my exercise routine (not to lose any more, but not to gain the 50 or 60lbs I gained in previous pregnancies). Fast forward to week 8 or so. I'm hot, tired (exhausted), already uncomfortable and just feeling like passing off the workouts for a week or two to "feel better." I'm pretty sure my little exercise hiatus is now indefinite and has been accompanied by my old eating habits...ugh. Who can resist chicken wings, cherry coke, and a chocolate chip cookie the size of your face (followed by some stale candy and anything else edible that comes along between lunch and dinner)?

Alright, so I've gained a bunch of weight (I don't know how much because after gaining 13lbs in one month, I quit looking at the scale). I failed my first glucose screening because I decided to have one last binge with some iced cookies and buckeyes the day before the screen. I paid dearly for that, mind you, when I had to choke down super sugary concoction they give you at the three-hour test. Since my near-fail I've been quite a bit more conscious of food choices and how my destructive eating habit are affecting the new baby as well as my other children (who are little sugar addicts in the making as well).

Needless to say, I'm feeling the pain...feeling the pain in my clothes that don't fit, being out of breath when I walk, closing my eyes when I step on the scale, feeling out of shape, and facing a lot of work once the baby is born to get rid of all of this extra poundage. I know what some of you are thinking "you're pregnant, enjoy it" or "you're eating for two..." Thanks folks, but I've been eating for 15 or more and I need to gain control before I explode. My next few blogs will likely focus on trigger foods and making healthier choices (my goal from here to the end) as well as developing a plan to melt away the extra pounds after baby is born.

If you have any pregnancy-related weight stories, please share! It's always comforting to the words of wisdom from others. :)