I have been in the land of slump... well not slump really but Plateau, ugh! I hate the word!! It is like a 7 letter, 4 letter word! It can frustrate, and break the best of us while we work hard to keep losing and get healthy.
So I decided to re-focus (if that is even a word) and I decided to start by doing a cleanse. Now being a mom of 3 I had to be careful what I picked because I can't be resigned to a certain room of the house all day if you get my drift. So I decided to listen to some friends and try the Shakeology Cleanse. Now, I am not going to make it sound easy... it wasn't. But things worth doing are often not easy. So I decided to go for it. It is a 3 day cleanse, 2 shakes a day, green tea and a healthy meal for dinner (there are of course a few more details, but this is the gist!). I was hungry the first day, mostly because I didn't read the part where you can have veggies through out the day, because on day 2 I was much better, as well as 3!
I lost 5 pounds in 3 days, bringing my total now to 31 pounds lost! I am going to continue eating healthily and see what happens from here, but my hope is I will be able to maintain this 5 pound loss, capitalize on it, and continue my journey downward!
I know a few people had asked me to say how it went so I thought I would let you all know! Also if you are interested in trying it yourself, you can contact Robyn Slade via her website at:
http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/workmywiggles
So good thoughts, good eats, and good workouts!!! Also keep Moms In Motion in mind for a great group of women to train to run or walk 5Ks, do pilates, or even try a triathlon!!!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Moderation Is A Challenge When You Don't Know What You Are Eating!
As you all know I deal with an inflammatory arthritis, that the doc says is probably RA though I do not test for it like 20% of people that have it. I have a different opinion however. Definitely inflamed, definitely arthritic, but is it RA? I am thinking no, more and more as I explore with my diet.
We can all write down our food journals, but do we really know what we are eating? If you eat processed foods, and who can honestly say they never do, then chances are you are eating a lot more than you thought. I try to eat mostly all fresh, but in this world and the hustle and bustle of a family of 5, it isn't always possible. So I try to eat in moderation, but did you know that even in moderation, processed foods can wreak havoc on your digestive, insulin, and inflammatory systems? I didn't either, until I really started paying attention to those microscopic food labels on the back of foods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup for example. Did you know this is in everything from breakfast cereals to ice cream, from soda to fine chocolates? Oh yeah. Now I was never a food worrier, well obviously you have seen my before picture, but no I mean I never worried that the food I ate would actually hurt the systems in my body, I figured if the FDA allowed it, all was well. Well, not so fast!
Once I got the inflammation, and I went to the doctor, who had more than enough meds on her shelves to kill an elephant, I decided to look into this myself. I have told you all about the Eat Right 4 Your Type book, well there is even more info in the Eat Right 4 Your Type Arthritis edition and he also has one for Diabetes and pregnant or nursing women. Now once I read more about this, I noticed that it said Corn was never a part of the O diet until coming to America really, and that once corn was introduced, the bones started to show arthritis and thinning, prior to this, nothing showed in the bones like that! This doesn't mean that I just can't eat corn on the cob, but anything derived from corn can have this effect for my blood type, so no cornmeal, cornstarch, corn syrup.
Alright, so I already knew I shouldn't eat wheat, so now I add Corn, but you can't just look on the labels for corn, or wheat, you have to look for all the variations of products that come from those things, so no wheat grass, wheat germ, bulger, couscous, I have found it even in some hotdogs! I can go on and on and I bore you but I will let ya off the hook this time! So the all foods in Moderation jargon by the government and all the dietitians, isn't so. Not all foods are good for everyone, but you don't know what you are eating unless you check those labels!!!
Back to High Fructose Corn Syrup. Have you seen those commercials, the one where the couple is eating a Popsicle and she tells her beau, or boyfriend or hubby, that its ok in moderation, your body cannot tell a difference between corn syrup and sugar (and mind you corn syrup for those that can consume it is not the same as High Fructose Corn Syrup), well that isn't true at all!
According to Web.me.com HFCS gives food an abnormally high glycemic index, and the rapid absorption of the sweetener means your body cannot process sugar like it normally would. This in turn causes INFLAMMATORY and Insulin surges (hmmm wonder about the diabetes epidemic now?). Also the way this is processed actually allows mercury into our food and therefore our bodies! Every time you or your child ingest HFCS you have a 45% of ingesting mercury.
What about the moderation? Well what I want to know is, for those that can consume corn products, and lets just say there is no mercury, what is a safe level? By looking at your ingredients label, do you know how much you are eating? Do you know if the level in your foods is moderate? I sure as heck don't!
I want to challenge you all to check your labels, and start slowly replacing the processed foods you buy that contain HFCS or any allergens you may have depending on your blood type. I know you will feel better. 2 days into checking all of this out and avoiding those foods makes a huge difference as to how I feel. I will continue my research and keep you posted! Stay Healthy and active!
We can all write down our food journals, but do we really know what we are eating? If you eat processed foods, and who can honestly say they never do, then chances are you are eating a lot more than you thought. I try to eat mostly all fresh, but in this world and the hustle and bustle of a family of 5, it isn't always possible. So I try to eat in moderation, but did you know that even in moderation, processed foods can wreak havoc on your digestive, insulin, and inflammatory systems? I didn't either, until I really started paying attention to those microscopic food labels on the back of foods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup for example. Did you know this is in everything from breakfast cereals to ice cream, from soda to fine chocolates? Oh yeah. Now I was never a food worrier, well obviously you have seen my before picture, but no I mean I never worried that the food I ate would actually hurt the systems in my body, I figured if the FDA allowed it, all was well. Well, not so fast!
Once I got the inflammation, and I went to the doctor, who had more than enough meds on her shelves to kill an elephant, I decided to look into this myself. I have told you all about the Eat Right 4 Your Type book, well there is even more info in the Eat Right 4 Your Type Arthritis edition and he also has one for Diabetes and pregnant or nursing women. Now once I read more about this, I noticed that it said Corn was never a part of the O diet until coming to America really, and that once corn was introduced, the bones started to show arthritis and thinning, prior to this, nothing showed in the bones like that! This doesn't mean that I just can't eat corn on the cob, but anything derived from corn can have this effect for my blood type, so no cornmeal, cornstarch, corn syrup.
Alright, so I already knew I shouldn't eat wheat, so now I add Corn, but you can't just look on the labels for corn, or wheat, you have to look for all the variations of products that come from those things, so no wheat grass, wheat germ, bulger, couscous, I have found it even in some hotdogs! I can go on and on and I bore you but I will let ya off the hook this time! So the all foods in Moderation jargon by the government and all the dietitians, isn't so. Not all foods are good for everyone, but you don't know what you are eating unless you check those labels!!!
Back to High Fructose Corn Syrup. Have you seen those commercials, the one where the couple is eating a Popsicle and she tells her beau, or boyfriend or hubby, that its ok in moderation, your body cannot tell a difference between corn syrup and sugar (and mind you corn syrup for those that can consume it is not the same as High Fructose Corn Syrup), well that isn't true at all!
According to Web.me.com HFCS gives food an abnormally high glycemic index, and the rapid absorption of the sweetener means your body cannot process sugar like it normally would. This in turn causes INFLAMMATORY and Insulin surges (hmmm wonder about the diabetes epidemic now?). Also the way this is processed actually allows mercury into our food and therefore our bodies! Every time you or your child ingest HFCS you have a 45% of ingesting mercury.
What about the moderation? Well what I want to know is, for those that can consume corn products, and lets just say there is no mercury, what is a safe level? By looking at your ingredients label, do you know how much you are eating? Do you know if the level in your foods is moderate? I sure as heck don't!
I want to challenge you all to check your labels, and start slowly replacing the processed foods you buy that contain HFCS or any allergens you may have depending on your blood type. I know you will feel better. 2 days into checking all of this out and avoiding those foods makes a huge difference as to how I feel. I will continue my research and keep you posted! Stay Healthy and active!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A Journey In Pictures
I have been having a really hard time keeping up my resolve to keep going. I feel that no matter what I lose, when I see myself in the mirror I still look the same old me, with the same old blubber spots . So my mom decided to show me an old picture so I can see how far I have come. I was afraid to look thinking that I would see the same thing in both pics, but to my surprise, I could see some improvement. I need to just keep checking back at these to keep me moving, and keep my motivation up. So below I cringe as I uploaded are my then and now pics.
I need to remember that getting fit isn't just about the outward appearance either and that I need to look at the health aspects also. My jiggle, wiggles less and less, and my bingo wings are getting smaller, and my core strength is getting stronger. I am about an 2 inches away from touching my toes!!! May seem like not a whole lot, but coming from a family where no one can really reach past their knees, and I couldn't either until 12 weeks ago when I started Moms In Motion Core Class, this is a big milestone. I have to look at the scale as a motivator but not always the best indicator, because while I seem to have plateaued again for the time being, my close are looser than they were before, and this is a lifetime achievement, a marathon, not a sprint.
Me Then
Me now
Friday, June 17, 2011
I Beat The Plateau
I beat the plateau, finally losing a pound!!! I had a day to celebrate before a week of arthritis flare has occurred! Flares are terrible, every joint hurts, from my neck to my toes, and inflammation means swelling, which then in turn means water retention and a gain of 5 pounds in a week. All of that also means, less exercise because the pain is just awful. All of that said, I am not giving up. I won't do it. I have to remind myself that that gain, is just water and eventually when this flare subsides (please oh please be soon!!!) it will dissipate.
It seems that this is how my cycle goes, I lose 25 or so pounds in this case 26 because I am counting that pound! I lost it darn it and even though I can't see it on the scale I know it is gone. Normally, this is the time when I would start telling myself, you can't go through life watching what you eat, it's too much work, or you don't need to go to the gym everyday, no one else does... All the lies I tell myself you can clearly see them all over my bingo wings, hips, jelly belly and thighs. It's lies! I can control what I eat, and splurge only now and then, I can go to the gym as often as possible because there are days inevitably I won't make it, so shoot for everyday, so I get in as many as I can.
Losing weight the natural, old fashioned way is work, it isn't easy, but rarely is there anything in life worth doing, that's easy. I have to keep myself on the list. Keep investing in me, even when I am tired, and hurting, and really, really really, wanting that dark chocolate, chocolate haagen doggie with no nuts please!
I have to remain being honest with myself, and not let myself slide, because I do have goals, and I am worth it, and bingo wings be damned, they will be gone one day! My fellow Moms in Motion friend Jaime put this quote on her facebook status: "Strive for progress not perfection" - author unknown. I need to strive for progress, I have made some, and I need to make more, I will never be perfect and the pressure of perfection, drives me into my old pitfalls. So progress is my goal, and after this flare settles into the abyss, I will continue beating this plateau and know it was worth the work!
It seems that this is how my cycle goes, I lose 25 or so pounds in this case 26 because I am counting that pound! I lost it darn it and even though I can't see it on the scale I know it is gone. Normally, this is the time when I would start telling myself, you can't go through life watching what you eat, it's too much work, or you don't need to go to the gym everyday, no one else does... All the lies I tell myself you can clearly see them all over my bingo wings, hips, jelly belly and thighs. It's lies! I can control what I eat, and splurge only now and then, I can go to the gym as often as possible because there are days inevitably I won't make it, so shoot for everyday, so I get in as many as I can.
Losing weight the natural, old fashioned way is work, it isn't easy, but rarely is there anything in life worth doing, that's easy. I have to keep myself on the list. Keep investing in me, even when I am tired, and hurting, and really, really really, wanting that dark chocolate, chocolate haagen doggie with no nuts please!
I have to remain being honest with myself, and not let myself slide, because I do have goals, and I am worth it, and bingo wings be damned, they will be gone one day! My fellow Moms in Motion friend Jaime put this quote on her facebook status: "Strive for progress not perfection" - author unknown. I need to strive for progress, I have made some, and I need to make more, I will never be perfect and the pressure of perfection, drives me into my old pitfalls. So progress is my goal, and after this flare settles into the abyss, I will continue beating this plateau and know it was worth the work!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Eat For Your Blood Type
Do you know what you should be eating according to your blood type? I didn't either, and frankly I was more than skeptical when I first heard about the concept. A friend recommended the book Eat Right For Your Type by Dr. Peter D'Adamo, and since I am a firm believer in recommendation by experience, I decided to give the book a read!
Eating for your blood type isn't some fad diet, its about eating in a way that best suits your chemical make up which is determined by your blood type which is determined by your ancestry and how they evolved and ate. It was very interesting... still I wasn't too sure....
So I looked into it and I am an O blood type, O meaning old, it is the oldest blood type. For my blood type according to the book, it's best to eat a diet high in proteins, minus pork, and low glycemic vegetables, and really omitting grains as much as possible such as wheat which can be an inflammatory. According to the book, people with the type 0 blood have a higher acidic make up and should avoid wheat and other grains as well as acidic fruits and veggies because they cause indigestion... This is when it clicked.
For years I have avoided wheat as much as possible, because even though I don't test for it (and like 20% of people who have it don't) I have a wheat intolerance which causes acute indigestion attacks. I avoid acidic foods for the same reason... hmmmm.... I also when avoiding these foods have no bloating, but give me a piece of bread, and I am bloated nearly immediately! Also omitting these foods have greatly reduced the inflammation related to my inflammatory arthritis (different from osteo, inflammatory arthritis is always present and you may know it as RA or many other names). In fact once I was diagnosed, I decided to really try hard to avoid these foods, not for weight management but to stay off drugs for my RA (which is my personal choice, you should make your own after consulting your doctor if you have it). I chose to not take the prescription prescribed which would be life long, take 6 months to begin seeing the benefit of (this took days to a week to truly see a difference) and not risk any side effects. So far it isn't perfect but neither would that medicine be, and I am doing extremely well.
I borrowed the book, but I am sure you can pick it up rather inexpensive or even get it from your local library to just check it out. You may be surprised how much better you feel. Did you know some blood types are actually better off as Vegans? Maybe that is why they do so well at it, while I would be terrible. I always wondered how people can not eat meat, it seems like a basic dietary need, but I guess I learned I don't have all the answers, and healthy has no one sized fits all equation!!
Eating for your blood type isn't some fad diet, its about eating in a way that best suits your chemical make up which is determined by your blood type which is determined by your ancestry and how they evolved and ate. It was very interesting... still I wasn't too sure....
So I looked into it and I am an O blood type, O meaning old, it is the oldest blood type. For my blood type according to the book, it's best to eat a diet high in proteins, minus pork, and low glycemic vegetables, and really omitting grains as much as possible such as wheat which can be an inflammatory. According to the book, people with the type 0 blood have a higher acidic make up and should avoid wheat and other grains as well as acidic fruits and veggies because they cause indigestion... This is when it clicked.
For years I have avoided wheat as much as possible, because even though I don't test for it (and like 20% of people who have it don't) I have a wheat intolerance which causes acute indigestion attacks. I avoid acidic foods for the same reason... hmmmm.... I also when avoiding these foods have no bloating, but give me a piece of bread, and I am bloated nearly immediately! Also omitting these foods have greatly reduced the inflammation related to my inflammatory arthritis (different from osteo, inflammatory arthritis is always present and you may know it as RA or many other names). In fact once I was diagnosed, I decided to really try hard to avoid these foods, not for weight management but to stay off drugs for my RA (which is my personal choice, you should make your own after consulting your doctor if you have it). I chose to not take the prescription prescribed which would be life long, take 6 months to begin seeing the benefit of (this took days to a week to truly see a difference) and not risk any side effects. So far it isn't perfect but neither would that medicine be, and I am doing extremely well.
I borrowed the book, but I am sure you can pick it up rather inexpensive or even get it from your local library to just check it out. You may be surprised how much better you feel. Did you know some blood types are actually better off as Vegans? Maybe that is why they do so well at it, while I would be terrible. I always wondered how people can not eat meat, it seems like a basic dietary need, but I guess I learned I don't have all the answers, and healthy has no one sized fits all equation!!
It's Summer Girls!!! Time To Get Your Drink On!!!
Your Drink of water that is!!! With the heat coming on and schedules crowding up, don't forget to drink your water! In a recent article from Livestrong.com it talks about how people underestimate the importance of water with fitness and losing weight! Drinking water and keeping hydrated actually boosts your metabolism which helps you lose weight, keeps you energized for those work outs and all around makes you feel better. Did you know you should drink half as many ounces as you weigh in pounds? Crikey! I worried about drowning with all that water, but would't you know it, I am still kickin'! So for instance, if you weigh 180 pounds you should be drinking 90 ounces of water.
Before I got my fitness kick in, I was not drinking enough water let alone much of anything. I am serious when I say, I could have a cup of coffee and a diet coke for the day and that would pretty much be it. I am not a water person, I guess I got spoiled on well water as a kid, but this bottled water is flat tasting, and city water is like drinking pool water, ugh! So in order to up my intake I had to get creative! My favorite drinks are....
Arizona's lemonade tea by Arnold Palmer. It comes in those little sticks like Crystal light but doesn't have all the acidity Crystal light has. CL is much to acidic and always gave me indigestion. Arizona's seems to work out fine, but if CL doesn't bother you you can do the same thing. Now if you go according to package directions, you will get a stronger flavor and also burn though your supply pretty quickly! I have a 32 ounce reusable bottle, I fill that to the brim and add one stick to that, when I get half way through, I add water back to the top, and when I finish that, I start all over.
Fresh Herbal teas... I am not talking dried up ol' things in a baggy (although I do use this too) but fresh leaf, lemon verbena, lemon balm, or mint. All three are excellent in aiding digestion also, so a cup of that sweetened ( I use splenda or stevia a natural sweetener) in the evening is a great after dinner treat, or to enjoy it cold make a pot, chill and enjoy the summer.
Lemon or Lime Slices, or fresh mint added to iced water, are enjoyed by many to bring some freshness to the taste of the water, I try to do this also, but honestly I prefer the above two items far more.
My good friend Wendy Hoag, my Moms In Motion instructor has given us this statistic: At even 2% dehydrated your body's metabolism begins to slow. 2%! I am sure I wouldn't even notice two percent thirst wise so I just keep drinking away hoping to avoid noticing it on the scale!
Before I got my fitness kick in, I was not drinking enough water let alone much of anything. I am serious when I say, I could have a cup of coffee and a diet coke for the day and that would pretty much be it. I am not a water person, I guess I got spoiled on well water as a kid, but this bottled water is flat tasting, and city water is like drinking pool water, ugh! So in order to up my intake I had to get creative! My favorite drinks are....
Arizona's lemonade tea by Arnold Palmer. It comes in those little sticks like Crystal light but doesn't have all the acidity Crystal light has. CL is much to acidic and always gave me indigestion. Arizona's seems to work out fine, but if CL doesn't bother you you can do the same thing. Now if you go according to package directions, you will get a stronger flavor and also burn though your supply pretty quickly! I have a 32 ounce reusable bottle, I fill that to the brim and add one stick to that, when I get half way through, I add water back to the top, and when I finish that, I start all over.
Fresh Herbal teas... I am not talking dried up ol' things in a baggy (although I do use this too) but fresh leaf, lemon verbena, lemon balm, or mint. All three are excellent in aiding digestion also, so a cup of that sweetened ( I use splenda or stevia a natural sweetener) in the evening is a great after dinner treat, or to enjoy it cold make a pot, chill and enjoy the summer.
Lemon or Lime Slices, or fresh mint added to iced water, are enjoyed by many to bring some freshness to the taste of the water, I try to do this also, but honestly I prefer the above two items far more.
My good friend Wendy Hoag, my Moms In Motion instructor has given us this statistic: At even 2% dehydrated your body's metabolism begins to slow. 2%! I am sure I wouldn't even notice two percent thirst wise so I just keep drinking away hoping to avoid noticing it on the scale!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Bunco? Say What? Say What???
So in my mind, putting yourself on the list, doesn't only mean fitness. Every mom needs some comraderie, other moms to bounce ideas off of, to hear that they aren't the only ones who have ever lost their cool, and to brag to about their kids! When looking at the calendar filled up how do you do that?
Well, I did it with Bunco. And I didn't just do it once, baby, ohhhhh no, I did it twice! Oh yeah, you heard me! I am in two, count them, TWO bunco groups!!! Hold on to your hats girls, that means I have two nights out, yes two nights out a month, sans hubby, sans kiddos, and for two nights a month, no one NEEDS me, they all just want to gab and play too!
Bunco for me has allowed me to meet women I may not have in just my ordinary daily paths! My first group I was invited to join. I joined it prior to kids, and I was the youngest one by 15 years I am going to guestimate, though it may be even more. Everyone now has grown kids, and/or are grandmothers, one is even my children's great grandmother. So why would I join? For one, they wouldn't have as much fun without me (I kid! I kid!), and for two, they are a blast and I get to hear of all the things I will be dealing with later, and hear what worked, what didn't, and they get to see my kids grow up, and hear all of my stories and reminice about their kids at that age. We talk about everything while we eat, drink and play a game, you need no skill for! I love it!
The second group, I co-organized, with my good friend Dee! We both decided that we needed another bunco night, but this one we wanted to be with women our age. So she invited a few women, I invited a few women, and they invited a few women, until we have our 12! So I got to meet a whole bunch of new friends. These women make my month, I love to meet with them, and bounce off my month with them, and love it when they bounce theirs off of me, we laugh, hold baby showers, we support each other, even when it isn't bunco night! It's awesome, and really a blessing in my life.
So how do I do it? Going back to that calendar, I grabbed a pencil and I penciled me in! Each group has a set day of the month, ie the second Tuesday or the third Thursday. We all agree to make it a priority, and yea sometimes life intervenes and we have to get subs for that month, so what! We also make it for 7-9pm, so the kids have finished their homework, they have been fed, and then off I go for my time.
Guilt? Do I feel guilt? None at all! Mostly because I have the support of my husband who knows that it is healthy for a mom to have some time away, that its all in good fun, and that I come back happy, and that it is only twice a month. Do the kids try to pull the guilt card? You bet, but it doesn't work, because I know that at the drop of a hat they would say Adios to me at the invite of a friend, or promise of a sleepover.
This cracked me up, so I had to share... for those that have never played this insanely easy game, check out this site World Bunco Association (it cracked me up because who knew there was a world association for a dice game, LOL) it has the rules, lingo (again, hilarious) and even the history of the game for those of you who need to know that! So grab your friends, have them grab some, and meet some new people, until you have 12 and sign everyone up to host a month and go have fun!!!! Its a good thing and a healthy thing!
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