911

"Woman Calls 911 claiming she ate too much".
Okay, you laugh when you read this initially, but didn't you ever feel that way? SO in need of some professional help after you eat to the point of no return? You eat not only the wrong thing, but way too much of it, KNOWING how you will feel the day after, but you seem to have no control when you are in the moment. You know that day after pill after you have unprotected sex? Well there is a fortune to be made for the person who invents a similar pill to be used the day after a binge. Made a mistake? Poor judgemet, ate too much? Don't worry, take this and you will not get...fat.

Yes, food to many women is like sex is to men. Have you ever heard the statisic that states how many times a day men think of sex? Well that is me and food. You don't know how many times i think of food, what i will eat, what i should and should not eat, and how many times i catch myself ALMOST absentmindedly pop food in my mouth: what is leftover from breakfast, my kids plate, last night, whatever. It is constant. Luckily i have become much more mindful about what i eat, although the thoughts are always there. I try to decipher if i am actually hungry or not, and 80% of the time i swear i am, but the other 20% i am eating even though i know i have had enough, know that i should be done, that the food i have consumed is enough fuel for that day, let alone for that meal. It is amazing how much food we eat vs what we actually need for optimum health.

No, i cannot dial 911 as much as i wish there was a magic number i could call that would rush to my aid and help me through the challenging times...unfortunately it is all up to me, to us. And the rationale is that it is the best thing for me, but who said our relationship to food is rational? ONE DAY AT A TIME. Better choices next time...:)

"I Could Have Done Better"

This is what i heard from one of the participants of our health program, Total Transformation. I took that statement with mixed emotions. At first i immediately thought of my own journey these past 8 weeks: I KNOW i could have done better. Overall i really ate healthily and kept up with the exericse through zumba of course, but also did extra that i normally did not do. But i had my moments, the ones where i ate greedily the things i had been depriving myself (more on that in a minute). I drank wine, many times more than the allotted 5oz per day that every book, article, etc. i have ever read said is actually good for you. BUT I WILL ANALYZE MY BEHAVIORS AND TRY TO FOCUS ON PERHAPS ONE OF THEM I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVE.

So the next thing that came to mind when i heard this is: You should be proud of what you have accomplished: paying attention to what you are eating. Learning about what foods will spike your blood sugar, cause inflammation and a host of other problems..., exercising regularly which i think for most of the participants can almost be called a HEALTHY HABIT because they will continue this.

Now the next thought: If participants, including me, truly want a TOTAL TRANSFORMATION, PERHAPS THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO BETTER ON THE DIET PART. I know i do. So what i will focus on:

Portions: i eat way too much. Yes, Natural peanut butter is on the list but while high in protein, it is also high in fat. Nuts too. So if you are having these foods, great but they need to be measured and monitored to avoid too much fat and calories in your diet. Even if its good fat (goes for olive oil, avacadoes too)

Wine and Dark Chocolate. Life is too short and deprivation is not my thing. So a LITTLE each day and i think i would be able to move on.

HABITS THAT I WILL STICK WITH: Water each morning. I grab a bottle when i walk the dog and finish that up, then come in and refill that. I like to multitask.

No whites! No white flour, sugar (not white processed anyway, unless it is in an irresistable dessert, then maybe once in a great while), no white pasta or bread. This is easy for me to stick to...i love multigrain foods so i am great with that.

For a reward at the end of the program i gave everyone a healthy living themed book. Mine is absolutely awesome (if you haven't gotten yours, see me) It is called The Sugar Solution: balance your blood sugar naturally to avoid disease, lose weight, gain energy and feel great. Do you suffer from memory lapses, mood swings, weight issues, mental fuzziness? This book explains the sugar connection to all of these issues.

I will be sharing this info with you. Here is an excerpt that helped me understand better: Foods high in fiber (aka complex carbs) slows the absorbption of glucose (the sugar molecules that fuel every cell in your body)into the bloodstream, which helps control blood sugar levels. In other words, white carbs spike blood sugar levels because the glucose is immediatlely absorbed into the blood stream RATHER THAN Getting in to the cells to help them function properly.
Insulin (the hormone that helps usher blood sugar to the cells)is helped by moderate exercise to get the sugar into cells. Being a couch potato makes your cells insulin resistant, so your blood sugar builds up in the blood instead, and get stored to FAT!

Normalizing blood sugar and insulin levels will encourage the breakdown of stored fats and keep food cravings in check.

More tomorrow including those recipes i promised! This is enough for today.

Turkey Day Survival Guide and More Good Stuff! (not stuffing!)

Okay, tomorrow biggest eating day ever, right? The holiday most centered around eating is here, but it's all in the planning. You can make it a fun day, have all your favorite foods, and skip the regret and bloat!

It seems everywhere today there were tips on how not to go overboard. Here are mine:

I think the number one rule is this: THIS IS NOT THE ONE DAY WHERE YOU ARE "ALLOWING YOURSELF TO EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT CAUSE ITS A HOLIDAY AND YOU DESERVE IT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS!" (HAVE YOU NOTICED MANY OF THE "EVERYONE ELSES" ARE OVERWEIGHT AND UNHEALTHY?) What i am saying is yes, you can eat what you want today, but in MODERATION. I also think it is extremely important to know that if the next day comes and you want a slice of pecan pie, you can have it. DO NOT GO INTO IT THINKING YOU WILL EAT WHAT YOU WANT ON THANKSGIVING AND YOU WILL DEPRIVE YOURSELF THE NEXT DAY. That thinking will most certainly lead to overeating.

HERE IS A QUOTE FOR YOU BEFORE WE MOVE ON: "When i exercise, eat well and get enough rest, I thrive. Repeating those things every day is how i show myself love." Now that is something to think about.

So because you do care about yourself, here are some guidelines for tomorrow:

Eat normally before the party starts. Do not save all your calories for the big meal or you will binge for sure, you will be so hungry. Eat a great breakfast with protein, complex carbs...have a protein rich lunch and even a snack before the party. You will be amazed at your will power when you're not starving.

If you plan on drinking, between each drink have a full glass of water or sparkling water. It will keep you hydrated and slow you down. Again, if there are to die for cocktails, have one, but red wine the rest of the time and if you need to have bailey's then no pie...i would rather have the pie personally. ok maybe small slice of pie.

Desserts: Have ONE...if you need to try two, go ahead, but half slices of each, and truly savor each bite, then be done...a nice cup of herbal tea afterwards will fill and warm you up.

Get active: with all this snow, why not get on your snowpants and play with the kids a bit, or do some snow shoeing...fun and the fresh air will do you good!

Your main meal should have the largest portion of a healthy veg, then the turkey of course, then the starch the smallest...if multigrain or wheat breads are being offered have a slice with no butter. Eat slowly...Here is the main tip: DO NOT GO FOR SECONDS for at least 15 min if at all....i find that when i am getting up to go for seconds i know that i am really not HUNGRY anymore, but i just want to eat again cause it tastes good. Maybe we can all avoid that this year. I think that wil be my goal! One plate, done...

Cocktail Hour: Make yourself a plate of mostly the healthiest offerings..if you are going to be a guest, bring something healthy you can enjoy. If you are the hostess, you are lucky to be in charge of what will be served.

Try to focus on the people at the party and maybe learn something new about them and recent news or things you never asked about before..focus on friends and family, not the food. Maybe even think up a fun game to play after dinner (charades can burn LOTs of calories and is FUN!)

So, i was very well behaved today food wise. I stuck to a great healthy eating plan in anticipation of tomororw. I was busy all day cleaning, so that kept me active too. I hope i can follow my own advice, we'll see!!

YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY!

I try to anyway...Did you know there are two kinds of fat in our body (great news, right?) Brown and White? (so, i thought is it like food the brown stuff is the good fat, the white the bad?) Most of your fat stores is the white fat, which serves mainly as stored energy. brown fat makes up only 1% or so of your fat. The book i am getting this info from, called The No-Nonsense Guide to Diet, Exercise and Disease Prevention, says that if your body overheats (like in exercise, like if you overdress for exercise, you decrease your brown fat activity thus lessening the buring of the white fat. It goes on to say that brown fat is stimulated by cold, and that by cooling your brown fat areas (underarms, around the shoulder, at the nape of the neck, between the ribs,you will stimulat more white fat burnig...the book suggests ending each hot shower with aminute of cool water...does this mean after a winter zumba class when we head outside into the frigid air, we are burning more white fat?? I hope so!!

Next post, an awesome granola recipe made with egg whites as the binding agent, not oil!! Talk about protein! Happy Thanksgiving...

Decisions, Decisions ...

Okay, as usual the buffet at the Toole house was open today: Will you be having Chocolate Chip or Plain Fluffy Pancakes? How about a cinnamon roll or a really cute Turkey Sugar Cookie to go with that? NOT!!!!

Really, i am no decision maker. For example, i have been looking at paint chips for months now trying to figure out the perfect shade of green for my kitchen and chocolate brown for an accent wall. do i go with the brown that has gold hues, red tints or just a milk chocolate. What about the other walls? A lighter color but should it be more mauvy, or taupy or golden??????? YIKES. With all of this oscillating, it is a wonder i get anything done (paint not bought yet, and the sale is over :(

But when it comes to breakfast it is pretty easy for me to make THE RIGHT choice: This morning i had non-fat greek yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, ground flaxseed, a dash of agave nectar, and a handfull of kashi go lean. IT WAS AWESOME and the best part, i got a lot of bang for my calorie expenditure: A FULL CUP OF FAGE NON FAT GREEK YOGURT IS ONLY 130 CALORIES AND OF COURSE NO FAT AND SUGAR. best part is the 23!!!G of protein. wow, awesome. I am still feeling satisfied and i ate that 1.5 hours ago, and usually i would be hungry again cause i am always hungry. So when i tweak the menu for January (so looking forward to that) it will include some natural sweetners and might include a conveinence food or two that has an artificial sweetner, but for the most part, i would like us all to stay away from those. I have totally given up diet soda and i am not really missing it. So i think that will stick. I have seltzer now with a bit of cranberry and lemon if i want something sparkling, usually without the cranberry and it is very refreshing and takes care of my carbonated beverage craving. So, yes,i added a bit of agave nectar, but i figured a bit of sweetness to make me feel totally satisfied with my meal and not craving a dark chocolate acai "berry"!!
It worked, let me tell you.

Now if i only could be so smart at dinner time....

I was last night. Had chicken with spinach and some salmon canapes with capers (no bread on that, just rolled up salmon with a bit of cream cheese...only 80 calories for 3, i had 5...yum. they are little by the way!

Tomorrow i will try to give you some guidelines for getting through Thanksgiving...Heres a funny little thing i saw in a store the other day: One of the mysteries of life: Why is it that 2lbs of chocolate can make a woman gain 5 lbs!!! Ha ha...

More S Words: Sugar and Stress

Yes, i had more sugar this weekend... Not happy about it, oh well, new day today. I bought these delicious dark chocolate covered acai and pomegranate "berries" to mix with almonds and dried fruit to sell for catering. Great right, not really. The acai and pomegranate were actually made (aka highly processes) from the juices of these berries and molded into what looked like a chocolate covered berry. And while they did not have high fructose corn syrup, they had evaporated cane juice and another "natural" form of sugar, aka sugar. I was popping those little babies like and addict with pills! They were good, yes full of antioxidants, but when it all boils down to it, SUGAR! 25 G per 1/4 cup. And yes, i had definitley more than a 1/4 cup of each. Then i had chocolate coverd pretzels, a big no no...my excuse: PMS

My saving Grace: zumba on sat, great dvd workout sunday, new day today, zumba tonight.


What was i so stressed out about this weekend: my ipod was WASHED IN THE LAUNDRY. Interesting news: IT STILL WORKS (MINUS THE LIGHT if you squint you can see what songs there are...i put it in rice overnight.) WOW. bad news i am nervous now and will probably go get a new one. Worse news, i already ruined the one i had, so this was my daughters!

Other stresses include people who you are desperatley trying to coordinate with and they ignore all communication attempts and they play it off like nothing went wrong...very frustrating.

I am talking about more than one person which you can imagine makes you seek solace in chocolate.

Free Radicals: So what happened to my body after i ate all that chocolate this weekend (and white flour in the pretzels): My blood sugar spiked. When that happens your cells do not respond well and the inflamation that the blood spike created wreaks havoc in the cells fostering any free radicals you may have in there already (and i think creates them too, not sure). Point is the mutation of the cells is what causes a HOST OF disease, namely cancer, but many more. The antioxidants we hear so much about fight free radicals and help cells back to their natural state.

So don't do as i do, do as i say. Learn from my mistakes as i am trying to, okay?

The "Science of the PLAN" and my Sugar Laden Day

I will start with the sugar. Of course, i will also start by saying i was running around as usual and failed to plan.

So, i found myself at Reny's at lunchtime with a few other important things i needed to do before i could go home. Hmmm what should i eat? Well i got some nutrition bars (two) that had all the elements of our plan (protein, complex carbs, even flax!) but TOO MUCH SUGAR even though it wasn't added in at least one of them. The one that did have added sugars were at least the all natural kinds, but nonetheless blood sugar spiking, fat storing MESS! (will explain more below). So, the sugared bar was a kashi go lean peanut butter granola bar with no high fructose corn syrup, said so right on the label! Big deal, still had evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup, which are not processed and nutritionally stripped forms of sugar so are minorly more healthy, but still have the negative effects of sugar we are all trying to avoid: Raising your blood sugar so you use up that energy first rather than your body needing to go into your fat reserves for energy and whatever you don't use gets stored as FAT! So the kashi go lean had 11 G of sugar. Now the bad news: the first bar i had was a larabar and the flavor was jocalat a chocolate cherry flavor. This bar was impressive in many ways: all organic, free of added sugars, gluten free, dairy and soy free, 4 G protein, full of antioxidants. Ingredients were dates, almonds, unsweetend cherries, cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate. Sounds great, right? WRONG and for one reason: 22 GRAMS OF SUGAR. yIKES THAT WILL SPIKE!!!

So, that of course wasn't enough. No lunch will do that to you. So i had 3/4 cup approximately of this granola i bought (again great ingredients, probably too much sugar) this was all in the car!!!

So then i go home and there was a quarter of a power bar (26 g of sugar for the whole bar, so divide by 4ish, so roughly 6 g more of sugar cause i had to eat that too. When i got home from zumba i chilled out, and had my 4 oz of grilled chicken, some cous cous and boiled carrots. and a glass of wine. i know...and i can tell you this. I am NOT at my destination due to my foibles with the diet, cause i am keeping up with workouts mostly, but i consider this THE HALF WAY POINT, LEARNING CURVE IF YOU WILL. I know i have time to do better, and i will not give up. I am more aware, not mindlessly putting things in my mouth, (i think good and hard about what eating all that sugar will do, but sometimes the stomach prevail!) So with the tweaks i have in mind, i think next session we will see even more success.

Now to the science of it: As i mentioned above, eating sugar OR White Carbs (flour, white rice, white pasta) creates a spike in blood sugar, which if you don't use it up gets stored to fat. Now who wants that, really? Eating a complex carb with a protein stabilizes your blood sugar and provides more nutrients so you are not on that hypoglycemic roller coaster where you are craving more bad carbs. Eating more meals with this combo speeds your metabolism and helps prevent bingeing.

The water you need to drink flushes out toxins, fat, extra salt, you name it. Also speeds up metabolism, especially if you drink it hot or cold. On the videos i recommended via my email (you tube, type in Food Doctor Diet Plan eating protein with complex carbs)they recommend making a vat of fruit teas (unsweetened of course) maybe add some lemon or seltzer and drink that all day. No calories, more flavor, might help you get the necessary water down.

Have a great day. I am trying to eat less calories than normal all day because i know i will be off the plan tonight. I don't mind going off on a scheduled indulgence, as long as i don't go TOO overboard, cause no one feels good after that.

What is your....

Trigger: When is it easy for you to stick to the plan, what is the hardest part of the day to stick to it? What are easy foods to avoid, which are the most difficult. It is good to write this info down in your journal. Awareness is the first step.

I have become sorely aware of when my triggers are and what triggers me. Countless times throughout the day I am tempted to mindlessly pop something in my mouth. No, i am not hungry, but perhaps tired, or perplexed as to what my priorities are, what i NEED TO GET DONE. This notion of never enough time in the day stressed me out to the max. Thus a peice of chocolate sure does help (FOR A NANO SECOND) and then i am back to square one.

THe good news is since being on the plan, i have learned to acknowledge the mindless eating and really curtail it. Plus i really am eating healthy! That is great, and i am feeling great. I think my downfall lately is just eating too much.

Case in point: Last night i was so proud of myself. My family and I went out, and afterwards to an early supper. The kids of course wanted pizza. So, i was not hungry, and i did not want to give in to pizza! So, i excused myself, and ran to Hannaford to grocery shop. I made up my mind when i got home, i would make a nice whole wheat wrap with tuna, olives (a monounsaturated fat which will be key to our next session's eating plan), celery, spinach, olive oil light hellmans mayo (probably not 100% on the plan, but close, tomato and a glass of red wine. Since i did not have my afternoon snack, thought that was okay. Only one problem: I generally cannot make yummy food ahead and save half...i made two cans of tuna and made the wrap with half of what i made....the continued to eat the rest of the made tuns sans wrap. LOSER!! i would have been fine if i just stopped at thewrap. I estimated with all the stuff in the wrap and the wine, and the extra tuna, to have eaten about 700 calories! THen the kicker: once i overeat, i want more (the wine i know makes me want to eat more) so i had a nutrigrain bar! it was great! but 120 calories more and 11 g of sugar.

so, not so good. But i stopped there. I had no exercise yesterday, but did take an hour long hike, so although it doesn't count for points, it counts for calories burned. I did do a dvd on sat upper body and this am i did my 100 sit ups and will do zumba tonight! I have to alternate the sit ups with pushups, my goal now doing one or the other every day. But i HATE pushups....i am able to do more though since i have been doing them a bit more regularly. I will perservere!!!!

The PLAN

I have been a devout follower of the plan over the past few days...i have done very well except perhap ONE glass of RED wine, or a few squares of dark chocolate, both of which are healthy anti-oxidants. I have been reading up on anti-oxidants and free radicals and what it all means. More to come definitley on this, and how this will fit into our next session beginning early January.

I have been following the plan but on my own terms. Today i had oatmeal with flax seed,unsweetened apple sauce, walnuts, and cinnamon. Then a little while later i had a brown rice cake and peanut butter. Was not in the mood for eggs,as i had an egg white and spinach omelet when i came home from zumba last night.

For lunch, i did not have anything planned, (bad plan) but i usually buy healthy foods at each shopping trip, so i had a grapefruit, spinach, avacado and buckwheat soba noodles which i got at renys. they are quick and versatile. I made a simple dressing with the grapefruit juice, lime juice, sesame oil and a bit of agave nectar. It was delish. I chopped up some scallions and tossed it all together (cooked the noodles first then ran them under cold water) YUM and talk about healthy. For dinner i plan on pork tenderloin and sweet potato with a few asparagus spears and my antioxidant fix, red wine, one glass. I just enjoy it and its good for me, so in moderation, we can do this!

Just a little tidbit for you. My well meaning husband bought me newmans vanilla almond flakes cereal. It is made with whole grain, and it is really good. but Very sweet. i wasn't going to eat it, but took a look at the sugar, and beleive it or not, Kashi go lean has more sugar (the berry kind)!!! So, i did eat it with unsweetened almond milk and i was happy. Lesson: always check the labels.

Today is my day off after two zumba classes yesterday, but i woke up and did 100 plus sit ups. I think if i want to reach my goal of a taut stomach, that has to be part of my life on off days.

Looking forward to sharing my tweaked plan with you all soon.

I have been hearing all sorts of fun stuff from the plan. Just a footnote: the plan assumes you are all doing these workouts probably 6 days a week so on your off day, eat a bit less okay?

Looking Forward to Monday?

Is this possible? Mondays are usually the most dreaded day of the week. We have to get up and get going on our schedules once again. EXACTLY. This is what i need. Structure, routine. When it comes to eating healthy and sticking to a fitness plan, Mondays are THE BEST day. Time to corrall yourself back to reality, back to following the directions (hopefully you did not get irrevocably lost over the weekend).

So that is what i did, once again. The weekend could have been a lot worse in terms of damage done. I worked a lot, so no time for a workout on Friday or Sat, but Sunday i was determined. Only i feel like i sort of cheated: rather than do a dvd in the comfort of my own home, i opted for my preferred workout: of course, ZUMBA! I drove half an hour to do a 1.5 hour class, and i really don't have too many regrets. I do know that my body would have been more challenged doing something different, something other that what i regularly do. But THAT IS WHY I REGULARLY DO ZUMBA, BECAUSE I LIKE IT, AND THAT EQUATES TO REGULAR EXERCISE WHICH IS WHAT WE ALL STRIVE FOR, RIGHT?

YES, MUSCLE CONFUSION...i know and i will get back to it. I will do a different strenght exercise each a.m. just to confuse myself! sit ups, push ups, inner thigh lifts, tri-cep dips...i want to be sore at least once a week. That is progress. I get great cardio from zumba, but i need more targeted weight training types of exercise too.

Back on track. Much looser with the diet now, but generally following the rules. I eat less on the days i won't work out (except the weekends :( ! but still mix the protein and complex carb. Just bought evaporated cane juice crystals and am using one teaspoon per large cup of coffee as i just really enjoy a bit of sugar in my coffee, and i don't think that is what is keeping me from my ideal body! Its all the other sweets i might sneak in or eating way too much. Not the lousy teaspoon of natural cane juice sugar!And i have decided i need dark chocolate in my life, so i eat 4 squares of it each day (unsweetened that i got from trader joes, it is great and curbs my cravings for the rest of the day!!! It is a great antioxidant so i am ALL ABOUT IT.

Still eating healthy and exercising, although i am sure the scale won't be where i want it for a couple of days after the weekend, even though i wasn't as bad as i could have been, i was bad enough!

So yes, this Monday was a great day for me. Ate healthily all day. Zumba class was great. I am happy. Word to the wise: Instead of putting yourself down for the weekend antics, look forward to Monday, knowing it will be a great day cause you will make it that way!

Good night!

Anti Aging Tips

SO, anti aging. We hear about it everywhere. What's so bad about getting older? You know more, are generally earning more, have more experience to draw on for those tough times and situations. No, i don't think growing older is a bad thing, but i do think LOOKING OLDER IS. Feeling older, also on the no-no list.

As I think you all have gathered about me at this point: I beleive exercise and keeping active are the most important tools in the quest for youth and vitality. The list is endless in terms of the benenfits of using your body daily. I think the best evidence is how we all feel after a great zumba class. I feel elated, hopeful. I have been to an facial lady (sorry don't know how to spell that big A word that they formally are)and she said i have great skin and my pores are as unclogged as she has seen. Both of us attribute this to the thrice weekly sweat fest i go through with zumba. NOTE: when i was younger, my diet was awful, my exersise inconsistent, thus my skin broke out regularly. i have marks on my face that are irreversible. SInce i have adapted a way healthier lifestyle full of antioxidants and blood pumping, circulation improving exercise, and plenty of water, and lots of products with antioxidants in them, etc. i feel my skin is the best it can be for my age. See what age brings? WISDOM. do the right thing and you shall be rewarded.

Of course, what you eat, we know, effects everything. How you feel, how you look. Stock up on the blueberries, pomegranate, green tea, avacados, tomatoes...the ANTIOXIDANT list goes on. CLEAN EATING IS THE KEY. The antioxidants fight the free radicals from the sun, pollution, basically anything that is detrimental to your normal cell function. Also staying away from foods high in saturated fat (burgers, fries, cheesy stuff) will help you avoid dementia and help you better remember and concentrate. But don't avoid fat altogether. Avacados, olive oil, and fatty fish with omega threes like salmon of course, all great and help you attain a youthful appearance. One fear i have is if i get too lean i will have that sinewy facial look. You need some good fat to fill out your face or you will look gaunt, especially as you age.

SLEEP. It seems many of us at our age (the dreaded middle) have trouble getting a full night's sleep. The onset of darkness triggers your pineal gland to release melatonin into the bloodstream, inducing sleepiness. As we age melatonin production decreases. Since we have stopped growing, we don't need as much sleep. I have been taking melatonin, a naturally occuring hormone in the body, to help me on those really awful nights. Turns out melatonin is an antioxidant and can help slow down aging! It makes sense that if melatonin helps us sleep, we will look and feel younger, more energetic. BUT what i did not know is "the master hormone modulating molecule" and it regulates the circadian cycles. Aging is a degenerative condition of the body, not just the passing of years. Melatonin sends a message of "youth" throughout the body keeping the body healthy and strong. It also may stimuatle the immune system for better overall health, including fending off certain diseases of old age. Studies have also shown that melatonin can diminish the effects of hormones that trigger certain cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. More great news about melatonin is that it is readily available at any pharmacy, cheap, and is a very low toxic hazard. (Above info courtesy of an article in My Generation from the Lakes Region Weekly.)

Anyone want to meet at Rite Aid? :)

As for the plan and my progress, great day yesterday. I use the plan as a guide for food combinations, portion size, but i am not exact. The scale puts me at my maximum weight which i allow myself, which is okay, but i don't have the buffer now, so maybe i will decrease the amounts of food today, listen to my internal cues a bit more, and eat when i am hungry. Of course, only foods in sync with the plan.

When In Doubt, WORKOUT

We are approaching week 5 if you can belIEve it. It going quickly in a way, but each day is a mini hurdle. Several times through out the day i am confronted with a challenge to my diet. Every morning in my house the sausage patties and bacon are being fried up, egg sandwiches perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper on an english muffin, chocolate chip pancakes! It is enough to make you mad. Breakfast alone could ruin the whole day for me. BUT, I AM PROUD TO SAY I HAVE NOT GIVEN IN. The mornings are the easiest because i like what is on the plan anyway, and a long time ago i decided that those traditional breakfast foods were not the best choice of fuel for my body to get me through my busy day. So for years, i have not been indulging, although i used to occasionally.

Everyone has their trigger times of day/foods/etc. Breakfast is not mine. I would have to say dinner is because that is the time when it is getting dark, and i am preparing a meal for the family i like to listen to the news, have a glass of wine...and honestly i think the wine makes me hungrier so i tend to eat more than i should.

So on to how i did over the weekend. I did pretty good for a weekend filled with a party, a snow storm and finished off by Halloween!

Friday that party i catered. I did good, not great, but good for me. I think i already talked about that last time.

Saturday I was tired, so i skipped the workout, but ate well all day.

Sunday I was back in full form, i did the Tabata Inferno workout because one participant said it was THE hardest and i was ready for it. I did find it challenging, but not the hardest for me. I was kind of bummed on Sunday because i am thinking, OK i have almost 5 weeks in and what do i have to show for it? Well i don't think i have been true enough to the diet to see real great transformation, but its that time of the month )sorry tmi) so i am bloated like nobody's business. I was doubting everything, and then i DID THAT WORKOUT AND FELT INSPIRED ONCE AGAIN.
i LOVE these workouts because they really work your body in ways you never have, such creative moves and that will get you results. Throughout my workout i kept thinking that and i wanted to do the moves and i challenged myself to keep up as best i could (although i didn't but did feel stronger, especially with pushups. I am such a wimp when it comes to push ups)

On Monday knowing it was Halloween i was determined to squeeze in a workout, so i did the core definition or whatever that one is called. That one is my favorite. Great creative moves, and you don't have to repeat them 3 o4 sets. You do a set of 4 exercises then you move onto the next set of 4 new ones. And i think the hard part of the workout was only 30 min. It went so fast. There was only one exercise i wasn't even going to try. The plank where he is on his forearms and he does a scissor type motion with the forearms and the legs! YIKES. whatever. I just did the legs.

The point is i felt great knowing that i got stronger with each of those workouts. I knew next time it would be a little easier. WHEN YOU DOUBT YOURSELF, WORKOUT. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT, NEVER HEAR YOURSELF SAY "WHY DID I DO THAT? I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! YOU WILL ONLY FEEL HAPPINESS AND SATISFACTION. EVERY TIME. JUST MAKE SURE TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF, BUT DON'T HURT YOURSELF.

Motivation

We are well into it now (the program of course) and talking to people, i see we are having trouble staying motivated. NOW IS THE TIME TO GO TO YOUR JOURNALS AND READ WHAT YOU WROTE ON THE FIRST DAY. Why you are doing this, what your goals are. There is a reason you signed up. Keep reminding yourself the journey is your destination. How you live, one day at a time will determine your future. Each day counts. If you mess up one day, go right back and start again. The moment you give up is the moment you lose, and not weight. One thing that motivated me this morning is when i looked at my children. They are just so so dear, and i want to be with them as LONG as possible. That alone can motivate me.

As for me, I did extremely well all week, for which i am proud. I did so because i knew i had this party coming up and i wanted to splurge, so that was in the plan. I did, but this time was different. I was not out of control. I had fun, i had my cake and ate it too! And 2 cookies too. And cocktails. But during the hors d and dinner, i stuck to the plan as far as food went, choosing the best things there (that i planned for in advance because i prepared everything, which helped.) I don't feel the least bit bad about it because i planned for it. I ate healthily and a bit lighter all day to make room for my splurge. Today, back on track, but tired....Heres a tip for you that helped me last night. I brought my IPOD. After dinner, i turned it on and we danced for one hour straigth (aka zumba workout pretty much, we did do a few zumba songs of course). It was so fun, i livened up the party AND i burned some of those calories.

The difference on how this night went: Like i said, i planned for it, so no worries there. But when i got home i wanted MORE sweets. In the past i would have had more bad things, saying to myself, tomorrow i will start fresh, or who cares, i want it! But this time, i compromised, had a hot chocolate, something i don't get on the plan, and then went to bed perfectly happy.

The only thing i do regret is that now my sugar cravings will probalby come back and guess when they will be a their peak? You guessed it, HALLOWEEN. i will probably have one peice but i am pretty sure i will not go overboard. I am just not feeling that way (not right now anyway)

The Icing on the Cake

No, i didn't eat a huge piece of cake with tons of icing! I stuck 100% to the plan (with the exception of 4 squares of this amazing dark chocolate with NO SUGAR whatsoever that we got at Trader Joes! It had almonds and was only 110 calories per 4 squares and NO SUGAR!, So we thought that was okay) And of course, dark chocolate has many health benefits as we all know, so good splurge. Totally plan acceptable i would say, and i will be returning to by several of those bars...as long as i keep it to 4 squares a day, it could work. Dark chocolate, to get more specific, contains flavanoids which may help prevent the oxidation of bad or ldl cholesterol and raise hdl or good cholesterol. It also decreased platelet clumping in our blood vessels, and regulates immune response (taken from a most amazing resource, Perricone's Weight Loss Diet.

Just remember the highger the cocoa content the better, but personally i really don't enjoy anything over 72%. 60% is ideal i think. I wouldn't go for Hershey's special dark, i think that is imitation dark and not as tasty as the real thing i think.

Yesterday, as i mentioned was good. Taught an awesome high energy class (had to show those high school cheerleaders who was boss!). Came home and had salmon, beets, a parsnip, that was it. I was full. Made a lovely dijon greek yogurt (fat free) and dill sauce for the fish which i could enjoy guilt free! Love that. When i went to bed around midnight i was hungry (did not have the nighttime snack, never do.) I had a tall glass of lemon water and looked forward to my big breakfast. Woke up had my coffee with teaspoon of protein powder (water first of course) and half and half. I had woken up hungry, but after the protein powder coffee, wasn't so hungry..the power of protein! when i got hungry had my ekzekial cereal and 2 eggs over hard with salsa. Very good, satisfying...snack will be the smoked salmon with capers (already got that planned a good thing) lunch will be lentil and beet salad with red onion...protein shake probably, zumba then no dinner planned yet, gotta work on that.

It will be another good day.

So i got off my theme of today's blog: Icing on the cake. What i meant is that when i stepped on the scale this morning and it was a pound lighter (my lowest since we started) i realized that although that is thrilling for me, it is just icing on the cake. The way i feel, the way my clothes fit, the energy and optimism i have, all awesome perks of this whole experience. My question: when i do get to my "goal weight" 2 pounds away, with a normal healthy diet, will i be able to maintain it? Maybe not, maybe my ideal set weight is a few pounds heavier....we'll see. My experiment is to see if i eat healthily, what my weight will settle at.

PARTING THOUGHTS:

As i was making my two eggs over hard, i cracked the two in the pan, and i kidd you not, it formed a HEART!! I AM A TRUE BELEIVER IN ANGEL KISSES...LITTLE MESSAGES SENT YOU TO INDIRECTLY FROM YOUR "GUARDIAN ANGEL" LETTING YOU KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE OR THAT YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING...THIS WAS MOST DEFINITLY ONE IN MY MIND. I AM DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR ME HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

FAVORITE QUOTE RIGHT NOW:

THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO INVENT IT

Happy Days are Here Again

So you guys must be tired going on this rollercoaster ride with me! This is my life, one self made rollercoaster ride. The problem is i am a thrill seeker i guess, for better or worse. Zumba, better, oversized holiday margaritas, worse.

Great Great day today. To the letter yesterday, awesome news for me (wow two whole days, pat myself on the back!) see that is the negative Vicki talking the positive one will say Great job, Vicki. Keep up with it.

And i will. for now....

This Friday i am catering a party which i am also invited too. The great news is that i can choose the menu. SO, i will include things i can eat guilt free and if i stick to a glass or two of red wine (the healthiest alcoholic beverage in many's opinion, i think i will do okay. I will allow some leeway which will hopefully keep me from bingeing! As usual, i will disclose on Monday!

I just had my morning snack of two brown rice cakes (remember to make sure you buy brown rice, not just rice cakes) They are harder to find. I paid $4.20!! at morning dew, i am pretty sure i can get them for half that at trader joes, i am going today. anybody want some, let me know, i will get them for you. I put the natural peanut butter, and i love to slice the included apple quite thinly and place it on top of the cake...it sweetens it up so i am not fantasizing about adding honey!

Since i cant seem to go longer than a 5 day week with being absolutely true to the plan, i have not seen my sugar cravings go down. Although it is true the longer i go withouth the easier it seems, but the craving, temptation is always there. It is the hardest a few days after indulging in sweets cause i am in withdrawal stage!!!! The memory is fresh...i am working on it.

TODAY THE SCALE FINALLY GOT BACK TO THE HAPPY HAPPY NUMBER FOR ME, THE ONE I EXPERIENCED A FEW WEEKS BACK. So, it is not my target, but i could totally live at this weight and be good with it. My target is only 3 lbs away, and i feel if i were at that, it would give me a little wiggle room (you know when you are bloated etc.) One trick i found that worked for me is that i lowered my okay with that weight. It used to be 5 lbs more, but that was me eating anything i wanted and that is not healthy. the new good enough weight keeps me honest. If i get above that, i start behaving...i haven't gotten to that old weight in two years cause i will not allow it, and that is final!

Make sure when you do eat your snacks you do include all the water and tea they suggest. I have been doing green tea with lemon. A great cleanse, and there is something in green tea that can help with weight loss ( i forget what it is). I also just read black tea (without milk or sugar) also aids in weight loss. Tea is great, just consider it a hot beverage, something soothing for your throat, something to warm you up, and not a sweet treat like a latte, which you should never drink. Maybe a skim one...

Living with the plan..

People have been telling me they are getting bored with the menus, need to be creative, which you totally can be. Here is a recipe which follows the plan:

Vanilla Almond Granola:

2 cups oats rolled
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
2 T flaxseeds (optional)

Wet ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweet applesauce
1/4 cup brown rice syrup or agave nectar (the nectar will be sweeter) or maple syrup (not sure if that is on the plan, but it is natural so why not in moderation)
1 t vanilla
pinch salt

1/2 cup unsulphered unsweetened berries ofyour choice.

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchement paper or aluminum foil ( a large sheet)

In a bowl combine dry ingrediets stir well. In another bowl combine wet, then add the two until evenly distributed.

Pour mixture onto baking sheet in an even layer

Bake, stirring every 15 min for 45 min or so. until browned

remove from oven, stir in dried fruit

set aside to cool, serve with almond or soy milk, or over greek yogurt!

Sounds good, haven't tried it yet, normally granola is made with lots of oil which is why it gets a bad rap.

Gotta run ladies, see you all at Zumba!

Now THAT is what i am talking about, and some tips for you

Great day yesterday. I did not have many of the ingredients for the specific menus so i winged it, following the rule. 4 oz of grilled salmon at lunch with brussel sprouts. Snack hoummous with whole grain crackers and some nonfat yogurt. Dinner, chicken soup and a pc. of eczekial 4:9 bread with natural peanut butter. Lots of water too, and a zumba workout. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES.

Yet, i am still afraid to get on the scale because of the debaucherous (is that a word?) weekend, so i will give it one more GOOD day.

Hope you are all back on track, regardless of how misdirected you might have gotten.

So, some tips for you.

SALSA IS YOUR FRIEND. Because i went so off track on the weekend, i decided that i would follow the plan but just slightly reduce the amounts of food to get me back to good place sooner. This morning i had the wheatabix cereal with the fruit and almond milk, and i had two eggs over easy with salsa. At 10! calories per two tablespoons, you can go to town with it. I used the fresh kind they have packaged (sisters salsa is a good one, it is made in maine!) I added a bit of anti-inflammatory cayenne pepper (cinnamon too is a good anti-inflammatory, i promise to write soon on why they are so important). Quite delish and satisfying.

I had coffee too with protein powder and a splash of half and half (will not give that up). Speaking of coffee, i read today that coffee has been linked with reducing your risk of certain types of skin cancer. YAY i love coffee, so that works. It seems the benefits of coffee out weigh any negatives at least from what i have been hearing over the past couple of years, so great news.

In regard to sticking with the plan's rules for life, although it seems strigent and rigid, it really is not! There are so many clean eating recipes out there. Really! and very delicious. Its just when you go to these parties and are tempted by what normal people eat (have you ever noticed here are ALOT of overweight and unhealthy "normal" people.

So, i think once in a while you can include forbidden foods in your routines, but if you follow the clean eating the majority of the time, you will be a winner in your battle against the bulge. You will feel and look great, ok? Now just do it. ONE DAY AT A TIME WORKS THE BEST FOR ME.

I'm TIRED

The title of today's blog says it all: i am tired because i had a whirlwind weekend. The first weekend i have had off since june. And i did not let it go to waste, rather i let it go to WAIST! I completley reverted to old bad habits, and what i wanted to change about myself healthwise.

So, i am tired. Tired of regularly making poor choices that will not get my at my desired destination. Tired of not following the directions at my disposal. I am physically tired but i a mentally tired.

The good news is i am not quitting. They say that the definition of insanity is repeating the same behaviors but expecting different results. Well i guess i am NOT crazy, because i don't expect differnt results. I know exactly how i will feel, where my choices will lead me, and yet i continue to disrepect my body's wishes. I don't think my body would choose to feel tired, run down, and bloated if it could choose. The mind is a powerful thing. If only i could really remember how good it feels to make healthy choices.

So enough dwelling on the negative, you know that is not my style. I am determined to have a great day, and with zumba scheduled i know i will. The good news about the weekend is i did well half the time, which is better than entire days of not following the plan, AND I DID A DVD, THe Ultimate Ball, which was good ab work and was challenging.

Today i drank my water and ate only half the breakfast (i had no eggs!). So, i chose kashi go lean cereal cause it has 9 or 11 g of protein which is great. I just had non fat greek yogurt with cinnamon, a tablespoon of museli and a tablespoon of dehydratd non sweetned non sulphured blueberries (trader joe's) Lunch will be salmon 4 oz with brown rice and veg.

Dinner soup and salad.

Thats the plan,plan your work and work your plan.

I did have a good time this weekend, but mondays stink when you havne't been good to yourself. I WILL DO BETTER. FOUR WEEKS TO GO, I WILL STRIVE TO REACH THE DESTINATION!

ONE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND. THIS DIET ASSUMES THAT YOU ARE DOING ALL THE WORKOUTS 6 DAYS A WEEK, SO IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL PROBABLY GAIN WEIGHT, SO MY ADVICE IS TO DO THE EXERICES!

To The Letter!

Each day that i am able to stick to the plan verbatim makes me happy. It is difficult at times, but So worth it as i watched the scale go down today, as i slid comfortably into the smaller sized end of my selection of pants. Yes the back in skinny jeans feeling is a good one.

I wanted to point out that i think many of us are reading the meal plans like they are the bible of our existence. Let me claify. The PORTIONS each numbered meal suggests as well as the comibinations should be followed as closely as possible. But i for one, neglected to carefully study what is on the shopping list. There are things on the list that never appear in any one menu specifically, but are allowable. Last night i had 4 oz of pork tenderloin (on the list) in place of grilled chicken, rice and veg because that is what i made for my family. Worked for me and that is how you have to think. What can i make for everyone that they will all like and that i too can have? I imagine dinner is the hardest, as most other meals are more of a solo act. Everyone at breakfast, at least on school days, has a different cereal or some will have toast, some waffle, etc. Snacks are entirely your experience. Lunch same goes, i am usually on my own. So when i hear it is hard to cook for the family and a seperate meal for yourself, i say you most definitely dont have to.

Most people eat grilled chicken or pork tenderloin....rice (they should be eating brown rice anyway, but it is not difficult to make brown for you white for them.) There is even potatoes on this menu. They can have theirs with butter or seasoning, your without. The brown rice i have been buying is precooked and in portion controlled containers so i just heat it up quick. How easy is that?

Now a caution for you. I bought plain greek yogurt and i was thrilled with how delish it was, how creamy, etc. Just like sour cream! Then i realized i had just finished a whole container of the full fat kind (18 g of fat per serving) SO MAKE SURE YOU READ THE SHOPPING LIST CAREFULLY AND PURCHASE CAREFULLY.

Great day so far. Went on a field trip with my daughter, packed my lunch, snack, no probelm. Having some tea with almond milk now (chai spice, very good)

See you tomorrow at zumba.

You Can Have it ALL!

First a quick update of my plan status: i followed the plan's rules yesterday, but because i failed to plan ahead, i could not be 100% true o it. I always mixed a complex carb with a protein, watched my portions. I did skip the late snack, but ate more at dinner (probably not good, but it was veggies!) So the scale is down, rah rah.

Now to You can have it all: One of the reasons i really loved this plan was because it included every food group. Dairy, Meats, Carbs, all of it is in there (except of course sugar which believe it or not IS NOT a food group. You can even have a glass of wine ONCE A WEEK. Other plans i have studied tended to exclude something. Carbs, Dairy (read Marilu Henner's book Total Transformation. A LOT of great advice and wisdom, but she does not like DAIRY at all. And she beleives in food combining where you eat a certain type of food at each meal (like all protein or all carb, but don't mix. The thought behind this is that digestion will be much easier, you will get more nutrients, less weight gain as digetsion is better.) Now this will not be the plan(verbatim anyway) i live the rest of my life but i believe i will follow many of its ideas. I am pretty certain i will be able to stay away from most white flours with no problem. I will aim to mix a complex carb and protein at each meal. I will know what a portion of protein looks like (4oz like the palm of your hand). I will have my cake and eat it too, but certainly in moderation. I will think twice abot a sweet. And when i do have sweets they will be the most healthy i can manage, 60% or higher dark chocolate for example.

If i go back to sweetening my coffee, it will be with a natural sweetner (sugar in the raw maybe) and will be half of what i used to use.

Here's the thought for today: Wouldn't it be a fantastic world if we could eat all we wanted and whatever we wanted and not gain weight. WHY NOT!!!!!!!! I ask myself that sometimes, why can't i eat what i want, its not FAIR!! WELL BOO HOO. Life is not fair. You can't spend all you want just cause you feel like it. You can't do anything you want at anytime. Because there are rules in life, like it or not. Eating well IF YOU CARE AND RESPECT YOUR BODY WHICH IS TRULY A GIFT, is a GIFT to yourself. And it is the rule you should live by. There are certain things you should just ban from your diet because they just don't follow the rules in terms of what is best for your health. This is what i am telling myself, don't think i am yelling at any of you, i just have to yell at myself sometimes to make it all sink in.

Thanks for listening. See ya tonight, remember dance like no one is watching, please. I do.

The Cheesecake won.......this time

I went back to my last post and i read the last line, that feeling confident in my clothes would be more appealing than a peice of cheesecake. That statement is VERY true, but when you are in the moment it is VERY hard not to choose the cheesecake. So i chose the that cake AND i had a peice of chocolate wedding cake!!! Plus a few minor things that were not on our plan (i kept saying to myself as a caterer it was quality control, half beleiving it!

Overall, i could have gone much more overboard than i did this weekend. I had a very intense workout on Sunday, so that was great. You have to emphasis your small victories and allow them to inspire you , so to my credit, with many temptations facing me last night, my only downfall was one glass of red wine and probably a little too much food but it was ALL ON THE PLAN. I ate nothing that would not pass the plan's rules. So, for that i am happy, but the scale is up and i am not happy about that. I was afraid to get on this morning, but i knew that the scale going up would motivate me to commit fully to the plan once again.

What i don't want is this up and down yoyo thing that i always do. It is tiring.

So, this week the plan and only the plan and i mean it.

Except for Friday ( i have an event coming up). Now i feel like i am setting myself up for failure making allowances already for a day so far away, but am I just trying to be realistic?

No is the answer to that because i should be able to be strong and just wrap my mind around the fact that i am on a journey to my goal, on a mission to be the fittest i have ever been and not fall into the same old tired pitfalls!

okay?? So JUST DO IT WITH ME, ARE YOU IN?

Wiggle Room Con't and Reality Check

Well today was a crazy day and you probably know what that means: i did not completly stick to the plan. It all started off wrong:woke up late, did not have the fundraising money for school ready, husband woke up crabby, kids missed the bus, really you name it, it happened.

So, i didnt even REMEMBER to have my water....then i waited until i was really hungry (and had to run out the door) before eating breakfast, so i had kashi go lean (if you don't have time for eggs, this is a great alternative because of the protein and i had a kefir drink, again lots of protein.

When i got home i had the brown rice cake with natural peanut butter and a banana (BUMMED-HANNAFORD DOES NOT HAVE BROWN RICE CAKES, AT LEAST THE ONE IN BRIDGTON. IT JUST CARRIES THE ONES LOADED WITH SWEETNERS, CARAMEL, JUNK)

Then i was cooking all day. We were making Roasted garlic spinach lasagna, oversized chocolate chip cookies, you get the vibe on where i am going with this? It was hard to stay true, but i really did for the most part. NO COOKIES...i made this awesome soup for a job (it was my choice what kind of soup to make so i made one i could eat!) and i had that for lunch with that literally 1/4 of a cheeseburger with hot sauce. the soup has chick peas, sweet potatoes, very fragrant and delish...cinnamon, cayene, tumeric, tomatoes, that kind of thing...recipe available for anyone who wants it by the way.

So, while i was making the lasanga i said to myself that i would have a piece....it is SO good. But when dinner came, i said NO self, there is some beef tenderloin right here i could eat, and that is on the plan, so i will eat that with some more soup and some sauteed spinach...Great choice, right? Well, i did not like the flavor of the tenderloin so i certainly did not want to waist (i mean waste, freudian slip there) my dinner calories, so i had a small pc of the lasagna AND A GLASS OF RED WINE (I find it very difficult to eat italian without red wine!)

Tomorrow i am catering a wedding and the dessert is my favorite flavor of wedding cake by a very excellent baker..So, i will probably have a little. Who knows, i might not be in the mood, i am hoping..

This a.m. the scale did not go down although i worked out hard at zumba and pretty much stuck to the plan with no wine, so i was a little bummed. Even a couple of ounces lower is motivating..So, i have a huge intense training on Sunday that should count for at least 2 workouts, but i will only count it as one. Weekends are the hardest time for me because of my catering work, to keep on track, so i plan again to be faithful come Sunday....i will report about tomorrow...good or bad.

I AM CONCERNED THOUGH, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW PARTIES AND EVENTS COMING UP THAT WILL TEMPT ME TO RETURN TO BAD HABITS. I really do feel better equipped to handle these situations...in the past i would literally just not go to parties for fear of not being able to control my eating at them! I have learned the best strategy is to eat before you go! That is most definitely what i will do, although sometimes i ask myself what fun is that? Well, to quote Kate Moss, nothing tastes as good as being thin. I have to think about that, but the joy i get from feeling confident in my clothing is very appealing, probably more than that peice of cheesecake.

A Little Wiggle Room

If you can believe it, we will soon be entering our third week of the TTP! Several participants have come to me panicked because they didn't follow the plan to the letter, or they were sharing how difficult it was to follow it to the letter. Well, please let me reassure you that there is some wiggle room in this plan, which is another reason i like it. Before i go any further, please do NOT TAKE THIS AS LICENSE TO GO COMPLETELY OFF COURSE AND THEREFORE NOT GET TO YOUR DESTINATION. If you are anything like me, i get an inch, i take a yard. That is not what this is about. What i am saying is that by now you should be familiar enough with the rules to make a few educated guesses and choices.

For example, in the plan's shopping guide, it lists low fat, low sugar soups and Kashi Go Lean Cereal, yet no where in the menus do i see either of those listed. So that to me means yes, it is okay to substitute that cereal for another one. That also means that it is up to me (and it will be the rest of your days) to read the labels on prepared soups and choose those that fit the bill. I would probably eat those soups only in place of one of the recipe soups she lists if i did not have time to make it. But in a pinch, i would say it would be fine to substitute those soups for something other main dish on the menu. Just stick to the portion she suggests. I recently bought at Trader Joes (a store i highly recommend you visit for lower priced natural and organic items)butternut squash soup. It had all natural ingredients i could pronounce, i think 1G of sugar, and 2 G of protein. It is in a carton so you just pour your portion in a pot, heat it up, done. It was the only carton of soup i could find there without sugar in the ingredient line up, so always check. Trader Joe's also has an all natural refrigerated low fat, low sugar cilantro dressing that i use when i need a little flavor let's say on chicken or whatever. it is really good, and i think fully acceptable for this plan.

So speaking of a little wiggle room, I have been doing really well. I have followed the plan closely these last few days. And i have seen results (one pound more off today, and a flatter stomach, always very motivating to any of us child bearers). Today was a crazy day for me, so my breakfast was by the book, but i knew it would be hard to follow it exactly because i was going to be out all day. I SHOULD HAVE PACKED MY LUNCH, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, but no time, had to run. So i grabbed an apple.

THE OLD VICKI would have drove through wendy's and gotten a spicy chicken (fried with ranch, cheese on white torilla) snack wrap and a diet lemonade (wendy's no longer carries that lemonade, so it would have been a diet coke). The new vicki ate her apple, and drank a bottle of water. Went about the errands, and then hunger struck.. panic. I was at Sam's where the pizza is good and cheap.. They even have a veggie one which cons you into thinking your are doing something healthy (in my opionion, it just adds more calories)and they had sample food stations everywhere! I felt like there was a conspiracy out to get me, "Come here, wanna try this CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMEL APPLE LITTLE GIRL........"

NO.

AND THAT IS HOW IT WENT. i HAD TO GET something so i bought hoummous (which i needed anyway) and i bought whole wheat rolls. In the car i had one roll with 2-3T of Hoummous. and a whole bottle of water, the big ones. Surprisingly the plan lists houmous as the source of protein yet there is only 2g (i have noticed this in the past, even if you make it yourself). But i survived the unprepared shopping trip.

LESSON: IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL.

But i didn't so i was happy. When i got home at 3:30 i had lunch (!) which was 1.5 cups of butternut squash soup and a glass of pomegranate kefir (11G protein!!)

When i got home there was a nice cheeseburger waiting for me (well meaning husband). I almost talked myself into having half of it (it was small) but i had grilled chicken ALREADY PREPARED AND WAITING IN A ZIP LOCK, SEE THE CONNECTION) so i had that instead.

LESSON: WHEN YOU COOK, COOK EXTRA AND FREEZE IT. MAKE A BATCH OF GRLLED CHICK FOR EXAMPLE AND YOU CAN TAKE OUT ONE A DAY IN THE A.M. AND YOU WILL HAVE IT WHEN YOU NEED IT.

I have alot more to say, but it is late,and they say lack of sleep contributes to belly fat, so i will stop here. Next time i will write more about wiggle room and how i think 8 weeks is a long time and you need to allow yourself maybe a treat a week. If it is planned (and not an impulsive binge) i think it could be a great addition so you don't feel so deprived!

You Are What You Eat

Remember that song that was on tv when us old folks were little. "You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet, all you really are is what you eat!" We're talking School House Rock Days....The point here is that THIS MESSAGE IS NOTHING NEW. Even back then when we were eating Frosted Flakes and Pop Tarts, this information was readily available to anyone who wanted it. There have been trends over the years, and i have probably gotten involved with them all. (Remember the Oat Bran Craze that had me eating these humongous 500 Calorie Muffins (oh i miss those) and thinking i was doing something good for myself? Ane the low fat, avoid fat at all costs (but don't mind the TON of extra sugar that we added to make it palatable.) Or the grapefruit diet which of course would work....but definitely not a long term solution...

Which is why I love the plan we are on: CLEAN EATING. It just makes the most sense to me. If you eat overprocessed crap you feel like crap. If you are what you eat, then don't you want to be fresh, clean, healthy, all natural LIKE THE FOOD YOU ARE EATING? And your body responds to that because you are treating it right. You are respecting youself and what you put into your body. You are eating to live the best life you can, not living to eat what might give instant gratification but will also haunt you in ways other than weight gain. How you feel about yourself, your health overall and how it will be effected by the choices you make...

I can say with confidence that when i eat clean i feel my best. When i feel my best i feel the most confident in my abilities to get other things done. To do more. I feel more energetic, and happy. This morning i was thinking about what to write, and i thought well i will say i won't follow this to the letter for the rest of my life...well, maybe not to the letter, but i am hoping to strive for the cleanest eating possible for the rest of my life. In one week i have learned a lot. I want to bottle this feeling i have of hope, possibilities, joy, and i want to put it away for those days when i don't have that feeling and i need it. OH YEAH, IF I EAT AND LIVE THIS WAY I WILL HAVE THIS FEELING EVERY DAY??!! WOW. That is powerful.

So NOW THE NEWS YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR: I LOST 2 LBS. What did i do differntly? No wine last night, but i have done that before, and no luck. But that definitely contributed, so i will stick to that for now. One a week for now i will have some. I think I must be part French!!! (I was adopted so you never know!) But the idea of wine and cheese every day really appeals to me. Oh well. So, i stuck to the plan almost without liberties....but i did add kalmata olives to my tuna with salad greens...i took a potassium pill afterwards that is supposed to flush out extra salt...but i could definitely get used to the olive oil and balsamic vinegar only rule for dressing. It is very good especially with a little cracked black pepper and a tiny bit of sea salt (IF you don't add salty olives or capers)

BACK TO WHAT I DID DIFFERENTLY. I ate a bit less at dinner, but overall stuck with the plan, and measured my food (something i have never done in my life. I did kasha go lean cereal at breakfast with the eggs, snack was apple and nut butter, lunch salad with tuna, snack a glass of kefir pomegranate (highly recommend this before a workout...11G of protein, easier than making a shake, just pour and drink. I got the flavored, probably a no no, but it is all natural and GREAT for you. Dinner, shredded chicken about 3oz, with greens, and half a sweet potato. Whenever i can i try to add cinnamon or cayenne pepper which are Two ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES!!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, MORE ON THIS ANOTHER DAY. READ ANYTHING BY DR. PERRICONE IF YOU WANT MORE INFO. Adds flavor too. then i had peppermint tea with lemon which i thouroughly enjoyed!!!

I have never been able to do a plan like this before, so i thank all of you for helping me, i never would have been able to without you all.

So, junk food is exactly that: Junk. And just like Junk Mail, you should GET RID OF IT, THROW IT OUT. Even those highly processed Fiber bars, etc. that are supposedly good for you and low calorie, in my opinion, are junk. Highly processed means chemicals, preservatives, etc. that were just not meant to be in your body. Don't we have enough chemical exposure without eating things that are clearly labeled as such? Pesticides, hormones, chemicals in the oceans that the fish are absorbing that we in turn absorb? I think it is wise then to avoid artificial chemical laden "treats" and foods.

That is my rant for today. I am feeling great, hope you are too. Thought for today: KISS Keep it simple Sweethearts, especially with the foods you eat. The closer to the natural state the better, period.

OOPS ONE MORE THING THAN READ THE POST BELOW THIS ONE

You should all Google Tosca Reno and read her biography. It is inspirational. She also has her own blog!

Yes you can....and some temporary frustrations....

Yes, YOU CAN...

Bake a cake (for others) and NOT LICK THE SPOON OR BOWL
Visit Len Libby's Chocolate and not have ONE bite (not even of dark chocolte)
Take your kids to ice cream and not have a single like, or finish theirs even when they ask you to hold it.

These are things i never thought possible but they really are. Its all about mind over matter. All about choices, and following the directions because you really want to see if you can get to your desired destination.

Okay, on to the temporary Frustrations: It has been a week now, with only one really messed up day in terms of sticking to the plan for me. But i did not lose one pound. I am holding steady, and considering all the food we are allowed that is good. But i am not following it to the letter. I am taking liberties, and maybe those liberties are costing me?
For example i have a protein shake every day (and when she says use half a bananna i use a whole and when she says drink 1 cup i drink a cup and a half. I also have a glass of red wine generally with dinner. I figured since i don't have my night time snack, the calories would compensate, but i dont think it will work out that way. So this week, no company , no excuses, no wine. I want to see if that makes a difference. Many on the plan are joyfully losing weight and that is AWESOME. I wonder if it is because i really don't have that much to lose (my ideal would be 5 lbs. thinner), but i think it maybe it is just too much food for me? I am not sure. So i think my first step will be to follow it to the letter as best i can. If that doesn't work, i will follow the rules but just eat one less egg, etc. You get the idea. We'll see. It just frustrates me that i did not have the ice cream, haven't had sugar (except that one fridaynight rats!) and the scale is not moving. oh well, plan my work and work my plan.

Great class last night thanks to Denise, my lower abs are sore today, and you really have to target them to make that happen. Lets have some more of that!

Don't forget this week there is an extra zumba class at the high school this Wed night! That will count as points, but being a fundraiser, it will cost you...$10 to be exact, but 1.5 hours of fun starting at 6:30 p.m. Two instructors, both fun and different.

Keep up the good work, drink your water. If you find yourself not sticking to the eating or barley trying, ask yourself why??? You signed up, now JUST DO IT! You might be pleasantly suprised!

One more thing, then read below...the last blog is the real entry!

So, what i was going to say is after you listen to the whole set once through, put on your favorite zummba music when doing the exercises, probably make them alot more pleasurable!

Perspective

Happiness is....wearing the shorts that are sometimes too tight depending on diet choices a few days before, and feeling COMFORTABLE.

Hi everyone! Sorry to have skipped a day, the weekend...busy and on Friday night i has a small relapse into bad habits. I wont get into it, lets just say smores and move on.

SO, Point number one: If you make a choice not in line with your goal, think about it, realize its not part of the plan and move on. Do not give up! Do not beat yourself up, but don't make veering off course a habit or it will become one you don't want and you will get lost on this journey.

SO i have moved on. Yesterday was a good day. I went slightly off the plan due to poor planning, but I always kept the rules in mind: no sugar, a protein and complex carb.

Point Number Two: THIS PLAN requires some major changes for people. Realize that it is diffiult to do. Also realize that some of the lessons learned you will take with you for life, and some you may choose to leave behind. I for example, will remember the complex carb and protein rule, i think that works for me. But i will again eat dark chocolate just not right now.

This morning i did the Shoulder and Arms DVD. I am suprised i can type my arms feel shaky and like jello. A few observations for you: The first round of the dvds i suggest you listen the the man rooting you on. He has a lot of sound advice, like go at your own pace, follow the eating plan, its not a race, and most importanlty, that FORM is the most important. For example i was doing this 3 part moved for biceps and shoulders. I could get through the first 2 parts with a heavier weight, but could not extend my shoulders with the heavier weight for the 3rd part, so i had to go lighter...

You should have at least 3 different sets of dumbells. And i highly recommend getting a ball.. Like he states, you are working your balance and core even when you are doing arm exercises because you are stablizing your self.

As for push ups...this dvd saved them for the last....the kind that your hands are close together so you use your triceps. I could not do one correctly, so i opted for tricep dips (google them).

I am getting feedback like "I can't keep up with the dvd". YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KEEP UP WITH THEM. YOU JUST HAVE TO PUSH YOURSELF TO YOUR LIMIT, NOT THEIRS. You will know your limit because you will be shaking trying to get the last of the reps up. Adjust the weights, reps accordingly. WE ONLY ASK THAT YOU DO AS MUCH AS you CAN DO NOT ANY LESS. THIS IS HOW YOU WILL SEE RESULTS.

Keep up the great work. One lady in the program who has followed it to the letter has lost 7 lbs!!! In just about a week. I have heard from several others who have lost several pounds as well. How are you doing?

The Good News, The Bad News and Speaking of Salt.....

Okay first the good news: I feel good. I have been eating healthy, cutting out almost all artificial sweetners (i did have one diet coke at the fair, but really out of habit, not craving. Boy its hard to break some habits). Cutting out all sugar ADDED BY ME (more on this). No sweets, pieces of dark chocolate, nothing. For that i am pleased.

Now for the bad news: I have been taking liberties with the plan. Remember yesterday i said starting slowly was a good thing? Well i still agree with that. The only problem is i GAINED A POUND. WHY I ask? I know why. I followed the plan pretty well all day except when i got home from Zumba. On a scale of 1-10 i was a 5 in terms of hunger. I really could have taken or left food, but i knew i would get ravenous especially if i was up watching the yankees lose (boo boo face), and the people around me were eating homemade apple pie and pistachios! So, i ate a well balanced meal, sticking mostly to the rules. I had one slice of ham (not on the plan but still a protein, but PROCESSED AND SALTY), 2 slices of fresh mozzarella, with tomato and basil and olive oil (i thought this was okay, not sure about the cheese) and 2 small potatoes oven roasted, sliced, tossed in olive oil, SALT, and rosemary. I think that was okay too. Potatoes are a complex carb and natural. One glass of red wine (water with lemon better choice. Or actually i am going to buy tons of flavored seltzers cause i like the carbonation). Make sure you get the no sodium kind.)

The PROBLEM with this meal i have described above. What i didn.t mention is a added about a 1/4 teaspoon maybe of salt. The plan doesnt' really talk too much about salt, so being the type that loves taking liberties, i fooled myself into thinking this would not matter, and it was allowed. Wrong. I am not saying you can't have any, but if the potatoes were cooked already with salt, i had no business adding any, period!! That last word their sums up the additional problem i am having right now (TMI?) but now you have full disclosure, right?

So lesson: no added salt please, no processed meats, and after my company leaves i will plan my dinners, and cut down on red wine to only once a week.

SUGAR: JUST A QUICK NOTE ON THE SUGAR. I bought Eczekial 4:9 raisin bread, 5g of sugar per slice. so i will finish the loaf, but get the wraps as per the plan. Also the whey powder i got at sams has two g of sugar per scoop. since i am only using one tablespoon in my coffee i am not sweating that, but just goes to show you even 100% whey protein has added sugar. It is the vanilla flavor so maybe that is why. There are brands with no sugar and vanilla though cause i have bought them before, so try to find them! Even the half and half has 1 g of sugar per two tablespoons. Crazy huh?

Workouts! I am hearing about lots of sore people who have done a dvd or two. AWESOME THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT. Take some ibuprofen and do another one today. DOn't forget to take a day off though. I will be doing one each day this weekend. Good news next week. ALthough we are not having zumba mon night (kickboxing instead at CRAE, 6 p.m.) there is that zumbathon at the HS on Wed night 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. and THAT WILL COUNT FOR POINTS! $10 donation to the benefit the football/cheefleading teams so why not? Two instructors too!!!! Raffles. lets do it! See ya Monday at kickboxing.

The Fair and more

Hello All! Feeling good about what i have been doing, although it has not been perfect. Starting out slow on such a dramatic change is probably a good thing. What i am happy about is that i really want to do this, and the group is giving me great motivation to do so.

So yesterday. I started off great with the full breakfast and water. What i neglected to do was plan and pack my snack, so as we were headed to the Fair i started to feel hungry. Had i packed my snack this would have been resolved (it was about 11 a.m., i had breakfast about 8:30). So i began to panic slightly. Would i just give in at the fair? I must also throw in that i have company visiting and that in itself not only throws everything out of whack to begin with, but can be very stressful, especially when you don't get along with said company at times (and every time so you know its coming)!

SO. Did I give in?

Well, because i didn't plan my snack i allowed myself to get hungry. But i knew all along that since i was going to the fair i was going to get SOMETHING...i mean that is cruel and unusual punishment not to be allowed anything special at the Fair. So, i got what i planned on getting which was a slice of Sunflower Pizza, garlic and olive. YUM. I did ask if they had whole wheat pizza, they did not (there is not a whole wheat choice in the whole fair, FYI, that i could find, anyway. Then i went on the ZIPPER ride at the insistence of my daughter. I DID NOT want to do this, but did it for her. I was ill for a few hours after, just queazy. So a few hours went by, i was hungry (again, not eating every three hours and no plan) so i chose a grilled chicken breast with grilled veggies and tomato. I added balsamic vinegar for flavor. It filled me up, it was on a pita (white flour and remember white flour dough for pizza). So, two no-nos. BUT I HAD NO SWEETS, NO FRENCH FRIES (WHICH I HAVE EVERY YEAR AND MY FAMILY WAS EATING). I did have a diet coke, which i ordered almost out of habit, as opposed to actual craving, so i give myself a pass on that, better than alot of other things i was considering (hot cider, all natural ice cream)

i think if you go to the Fair a decent choice would be the Giant Smoked Turkey legs. Protein just probably too much salt. Eat a banana after, supposed to help flush the sodium out. lots of water too does that.

For dinner, i didnt' follow the meal plan, but i behaved (lentil salad, chicken soup broth and one glass of red wine. You might see that one glass of red wine often as i really do enjoy the taste, and it is supposed to be full of antioxidants...so i will have a little less of something to fit that in, but again i do have company too...excuses excuses.

Breakfast on Day THree: I searched around the menus to see what i had and what i was in the mood for. I am not so sure about doing that all the time because i have noticed that some breakfasts towards the middle are lighter than the ones at the beginning, and i think that must be on purpose? Or maybe that day she allowed for a heavier lunch or dinner? Check that out somebody and get back to me!

Breakfast was: 2 pcs of Eczekial raisin toast with all natural peanut butter (1 T), 4 egg white plus one yolk scrambled with all natural trader joes salsa (very good by the way), 1/2 cup mixed berries, 1/2 cup almond milk (i was supposed to eat the eczekial cereal, haven't been able to find it even in trader joes, maybe whole foods?) and the peanut butter wasn't on the list so i traded 1/2 cup of the whole cup of almond milk i was supposed to have with 1 T peanut butter. Hope this was okay, do you think that is kind of a fair swap?

Getting ready for my snack, don't know what yet, probably a protein shake. Put the protein powder in my coffee again with 2 T half and half, but tomorrow i will try almond milk and protein powder...i am wondering if the protein powder has sugar. It is vanilla flavored, but it said 100% whey protein. I hope it does not, but it is making me happy with my coffee, so i suspect it might have sugar, i hope not! Find out tomorrow!

New Season, New Outlook, New Program!

Hi Everyone! I haven't written in a while, other responsibilites...but i write now to tell you of a new, exciting program we just began at Crooked River Adult Ed in Casco. It is the Total Transformation Program. It is named that because you really cannnot achieve your fitness goals without the complete package of diet and exercise. I have been fortunate enough to exercise consistenly for two years now, at least 3-5 times a week as a Zumba instructor. I have seen great changes in my physique, but i am still not where i dream of being physically. Being a petite person naturally, people, including my husband, make light of my health and fitness quest. "You look fine now, there is nothing to you, you are almost 50, of course things are going downhill. " I SAY NO! Everyone has their goals, and no i won't give in to age! Here's a visual for you: Middle aged lady with her expandable waistband polyester pants and holiday sweater going through the buffet with a loaded plate! NOT for me, sorry.

So, we have 23 ladies in our group for Total Transformation. We are all using the Supreme 90 fitness program (available online) in addition to 3 zumba or cardiokickbox classes a week. We are following a very sound eating plan. This blog for the next 8 weeks will be a forum for me to share my experience with this program with the group. Please feel free to comment!

Okay Ladies: Day one: Made great choices all day, but did skip meals and snack as i was running around. Every meal or snack i did have followed the plan. Combining a protein with a complex carb is the key. Lots of water. The water part (4 cups in the a.m. first off) is getting easier. The breakfast was hard to get all down, there is so much. I had 3 whole eggs and 2 pcs of Ekzekial Toast with Almond Butter. For lunch, i was not near my diet plan book, but i kept the rules in mind. I had a cup of lentil soup and half a chicken salad sandwich on Whole wheat with tomato. Snack at 4 p.m. one hard boiled egg. Dinner was a lentil salad i made with red onion, cilantro, natural cilantro dressing, a bit of raw almonds chopped, I had 1 cup it was delish and satisfying. I also had one glass of red wine which is actually on the plan! So i had a great day, with of course, a zumba class in the mix, fantastic.

Day Two: Woke up hungry. Had my 4 glasses of water (i have a huge coffee cup so i only had to fill that up twice, i measured, that made it easier. this is the second day in a row NO SUGAR OR ARTIFICIAL SWEETNER IN MY COFFEE! THAT IS BIG FOR ME. yESTERDAY I DID NOT MISS IT, today i did. I used two teaspoons of protein powder and a splash of half and half (okay two tablespoons). I will work my way to trying protein powder and almond milk instead, i think that is very doable! this morning my husband was cooking bacon and chocolate chip pancakes! THEY SMELLED SO GOOD, BUT i kept with the program thinking of the quantity of food i had coming to me for breakfast. I had the Wheetabix breakfast with the berries, almond milk, then one brown rice cake and 4 egg whites plus one yolk. I actually switched it a little and had almond butter on the brown rice cake, so i cut out one egg. Very good, very satisfying and i did not miss the bacon at all.

More tomorrow. Feel free to share ladies!

A Lot to Digest

I named this post a lot to digest because i have a lot on my mind. There is not a day that goes by that i do not think about health and weight strategies, issues, etc. A couple of weeks ago i was in a bad place in terms of my diet. I was knowingly overeating, but just could not seem to control it. I blame it partly on my cycle each month which i firmly beleive contributes to my cravings. Some times of the month it seems so much easier to resist going for seconds or not eating that peice of candy. I blame it also on the fact that i was well aware of what i was doing, and thus starting creating restrictions for myself (which doesn't work very well for me). Like "i will eat no carbs today, or i will not eat any candy today". The more i say "I will NOT" the more i crave those things.

The great news is i am in a good place right now! And this is how it goes with us all i think. I just read this book which helped me put a label on what I am: Yes, i would have to say i am a chronic overeater. I hate that term, but you gotta call it what it is: On a regular basis (perhaps not every day) i eat until i am mildy uncomforable (on a bad day till i am very uncomfortable). I do not listen to my body's cues, my hypothalmus, i beleive, that says Okay, you've had enough. You're not hungry anymore. That is the funny part. Many times I feel satiated enough to stop eating after only a few mouthfuls. BUT I FEEL DISSAPOINTED, CHEATED! I JUST WORKED REALLY HARD ON PREPARING A HEALTHY MEAL AND I AM FEELING SATISFIED (NOT FULL) AFTER A FEW BITES? WHAT A RIP OFF! I am going to eat more cause it is so delicious...(unfortunately i am a good cook!)

As i mentioned earlier, i am on a good roll right now. Over the Easter Holidays i definitely put on a few pounds. When i got back from the holiday, as usual, i was afraid to go on the scale, so i avoided it for a few days. I go right back to my healthy routines and in a day or two I am back to where i started more or less. WHAT I WANT TO CHANGE IS THIS UP AND DOWN ROLLERCOASTER. I DON'T WANT TO OVERINDULGE TO THE POINT OF BLOAT AND WEIGHT GAIN. Mind you, deprivation is not my thing and shouldn't be. MODERATION IS THE KEY.

Getting back to the book i was reading, "The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler. He describes in great detail the lenghts that the food industry go to to make our foods addictive: by layering salt, fat, and sugar they are assaulting us with a powerhouse punch, creating "hyperpalatable foods" Those are the three most addictive food attributes, and they know it. These additives create an addictive junky response similar to a drug addict to drugs. I have known this for quite some time, but have also known that i do not eat many of the processed foods he speaks of. I prepare most of my own foods from scratch, and to put it plainly, i just eat too much of them. If i do eat the foods he speaks of, yes, it is extremely easy to overeat them. M and Ms, Doritos, chips...you know what i am saying. I loved this book for many other reasons though. As I mentioned, the label for what i am facing is called "conditioned hypereating" where i have consistenly exposed myself to the "cue, urge, reward, habit" cycle. As Kessler states, "many people with this take a long time and struggle had to reach the place of not obsessing about food and eating normally...until they do they can easily fall into the trap that painfully reminds them of those childhood finger cuffs that hold you tighter as you pull harder" And yet he goes on to say that awareness, especially in the beginning of your journey to control (because as I hate to admit, and he mentions frequently, this condition never ends, it something you need to live with, but it can get ALOT easier with the proper steps)is imperative. "Many people can only protect themselves (and make the smart choices) with a focus that initially borders on obsession". I can tell you from experience this is true. As Mr. Kessler discusses, it makes resisting junk food and overindulgences alot easier when your resolve is absolute. In other words, the moment you start with negotiating with yourself (oh i deserve that Brownie, i've been so good or Oh i will just have a little), the battle is over. I am not saying you can never have your trigger foods again. But the first step is to identify them, the circumstances and "cues" that lead you to indulge. Then you need to KNOW BY RESISITING THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE BEGINNING that you can in fact, resist, and feel awesome because you did.

I will get into more for a long time to come about what Dr. Kessler speaks of. It is so refreshing to see my problem in writing from a very well respected source who admits he too has this problem which compelled him to write the book. (he is the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Dean of the Yale School of Medicine) THis passage really hit home with me:

With its power to take us hostage, a stimulus-response disorder like overeating can be deeply demoralizing. When something as seemingly inconsequential like a chocolate chip cookie assumes so much power in our lives, it can makes us feel that we're somehow less than fully capable adults. That leads to distressing thoughts: Why am I unable to stop this behavior? How can I be so inadequate. But when you gain the upper hand, the opposite effect can occur. The satisfaction of breaking the cylcle that leads to the pursuit of unhealthy food (and choices) can be reinforcing it is own right!

I wanted to make one more point before ending. I stated i was on a roll. By that I mean that for the past week i have been making smart choices (eating until my body said, okay, i'm good...eating half or 3/4 of my meal and putting the rest away for later and when i was hungry again, eating it..what a concept! No wine or alcohol which always makes me overeat and puffy (next time i will talk about morning self assesments!), watching salt and carb (but not restricting), limiting sweets (but not restricting). It has been a good week, lost the Easter Weight...but as Kessler reminds us, "Few of us are immune from the eating behavior motivated by cue-stimulated wanting. The ubiquitous presence of food, large portion sizes, incessant marketing, and the (American) cultural assumption that it is acceptable to eat anytime, anywhere, have combined to put more people at risk..Like much of the information on a computer hard drive, the neural pathways that created the cue-urge-reward-habit cycle cannot easily be wiped out. They can, however, be managed"!

WHY APPLE CIDER VINEGAR?

At least 3 times a week i remember to take 2 Tablespoons of ACV before a meal. As it's going down, the taste is so hard to swallow i often try to remember WHY EXACTLY am i taking this? Below is an article i saved to remind myself of exactly why i need to take ACV everyday before each meal! You can mix it with a little honey if it makes it more palatable to you. I mix it with equal amount of water so it doesn't burn so much going down...i buy the organic unfiltered kind which you can get at Trader Joes for cheap!

The list of apple cider vinegar health benefits are many. Apple cider vinegar helps to retard the onset of old age. Apple cider vinegar is very rich in potassium, a mineral many of us are deficient in, and a deficiency that causes old age to creep in on us sooner. Calcium maintains our hard tissues such as bones, and postassium is the equivalent to the body's soft tisues, keeping the body's flesh, joints and arteries soft and resilient.

Apple cider vinegar helps fight high blood pressure and keep heart healthy. Animal proteins and fats have a tendency to thicken the blood. When blood thickens, it puts a strain on the heart. Then the blood pressure goes up and other problems start to appear. In order for the blood to circulate freely throughout the body, the blood should be thin. The potassium in Apple cider vinegar is beneficial to both the heart and blood pressure, and helps to keep the blood healthier and thinner, and thereby aids in preventing a stroke.

Apple cider vinegar:

1.is a natural fighter against germ and bacteria.
2.helps removes body toxins
3.helps support a healthy immune system
4.relieve gout, arthritis stiffness
5.helps relieve sore throats
6.helps reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). The pectin found in Apple cider vinegar is a water-soulble fibre that is capable of soaking up fats and cholesterol in the body and then is excreted instead of being reabsorbed. The amino acids contained in Apple cider vinegar have shown promise in neutralizing some of the harmful oxidized LDL cholesterol.
7.reduces water retention in the body and excess sodium from the body
8.relieves asthma and assists in preventing circulatory problems.
9.relieve nasal congestion, A constant draining of mucus from the sinus cavities can be both sore and uncomfortable. It is best to cut out, or eat as little as possible, of mucus forming food – which traditionally, in most cases would be dairy products. Many sufferers of nasal congestion have experienced relief by adding Apple cider vinegar to their diet.
10.helps with diminishing premature calcification of the arteries.
11.flushes gallstones and kidney stones. Apple cider vinegar is beneficial in breaking up kidney stones and gallstones, by softening or dissolving them.
12.prevents Osteoporosis. The maganese, magnesium, silicon and calcium found in Apple cider vinegar have been linked in sustaining bone mass, which is important in fighting against Osteoporosis.
13.helps increase concentration and memory
14.assists in blood circulation, body temperature as well as vitality and energy.
15.improves digestion and assimilation. If the food cannot be broken into the absorbable form, the body cannot assimilate the required nutrients needed from the diet. The malic acid and tartaric acid found in Apple cider vinegar help in digesting food for proper metabolizing of proteins, fats and minerals, while killing off unwanted and unfriendly bacterial in the digestive tract.
16.relieves contipation. Constipation is the root causes of many illnesses and degenerateive diseases. When we add fibre to our diet, such as pectin in Apple cider vinegar, we assis our body by having the regular bowel movements and proper elimination, which helps with preventing cancer, especially colon cancer.
17.cures diarrhoea and food poisoning. Add 1 tbsp of Apple cider vinegar to a glass of distilled water and sip 1-2 tsp of the mixture every 5 minutes. Effective to aid the body rid of harmful compounds and bacterial, as well as providing a protective coating which soothes the irritated lining of the colon.
18.prevents cramps
Apple cider vinegar is a powerful anti-oxidant. Although Apple cider vinegar cannot cure cancer, itis a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing the free radicals. If free radicals are left alone to have the run of our bodies, they cause major damage by severely damaging cells, which leads to aging and degeneration.

Apple cider vinegar is effective in weight loss. Apple cider vinegar taken before meals will speed up the metablism, makes the body burn calories better, and controls the blood glucose level.

We All Make Mistakes, Words of Wisdom and MORE

In several internet articles about, you guessed it, fitness, dietary habits, I was reading about mistakes people make in their daily lives that contribute to their battle of the bulge. The two that I make are lack of sleep, and overeating healthy foods. What are yours?


So, let's discuss the two i mentioned.

Lack of Sleep: Being who we are: BUSY, MOTIVATED, SELFLESS, Multi-tasking women and mothers, i think we can all relate. I have had very few awesome nights of sleep since my daughter was born 10 years ago. Not only has it given me bags and dark circle under my eyes, but i think it is helping me to keep the one constant in my life: my little paunch aka belly fat. Skimping on sleep decreases leptin, a hormone that squelches appetite, and increases grehlin, a hormone that increases hunger (who knew?) You not only eat more when you are tired (i always do, it's like i need to do something that makes me feel good because the one thing i really need, REST, i can't get!), but you crave high fat, calorie dense foods for energy. Lack of sleep also increases stress hormones, which can decrease your body's efficiency at metabolizing fats and sugars. Most people need between 7-9 hours, i usually get 5 or 6!\

Overeating Healthy Foods: I have to say, i don't eat too much junk: very rarely will you see me eating chips, bacon or other non-healthy foods. I eat lots of bananas, avacados, nuts, olive oil..all great for you, but still high in fat and calories (even if its the good fat). For example, take bananas. Great for you. The potassium helps balance minerals in your body, helps rid your body of excess sodium, and potassium rich food help to prevent muscle breakdown by freeing up more amino acids which help muscles build and repair. We tend to lose muscle mass as we age, and since muscle burns more calories than fat, we need to build and maintain it! BUT Bananas have 17G of SUGAR...as much as a DONUT believe it or not, so limit your intake to one a day. Maybe even to half in the a.m. and keep the other half for a snack later in the day. Olive Oil: Heart Healthy, good saturated fat, 14G of fat per Tablespoon, 120 Calories! Enough said. Portion size matters...be aware.

Quote of the Day: Like it or not, there is always someone better than you. At some point you just have to say, "That's OKAY, I STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER!" Kathy Davis, successful greeting card designer