Bad Month

I don't know about you, but it's been a bad month for eating. And exercising. Just dieting in general. Which is perhaps why I haven't posted. My apologies.

The first part of the holiday season is over. I left for home on Friday afternoon with the resolve to limit my eating. Finals week was brutal on my diet. Since we didn't have classes and I only had a few meetings, my goal was to at least get back to the gym. My hope was to work out every day for at least 15 or 20 minutes, thinking it was a start.

It didn't happen.

Then the holidays were here. Between the Christmas cookies, pie, turkey dinner, apple cider, hot chocolate and pasta salad (which I'm currently munching on, even though I don't think I'm that hungry) I just feel gross. There's no reason for me to consume all those calories. Yet I always pass it off with, "It's the holiday season...."

Thankfully, though, the new year is right around the corner. And we all know what that means - the resolution to lose weight.

What is sometimes tough is that you can get so excited for the new year. It's a time to turn over a new leaf and really start changing your eating habits. But the tough part is that you almost expect the changes occur. It didn't take me a week or month to put on this weight, and it surely won't take that short amount of time to take it off.

One thing I'm hoping to do differently is set better, and more realistic, resolutions and goals for myself. I kid you not, in the past I had goals like, "Work out 5-7 days a week for at least 30 minutes. Train to run a mile. Lose 50 pounds."

You could say I was a little more than lofty with my goals. While their fine things to work toward, I had the mentality that I could accomplish them by the end of January, and that isn't the case at all.

So, I'm taking what I learned through my GRE studying. When I was reading tips, one suggestion was to set a goal a day and make it specific. Saying "study for the GRE" was much too overwhelming and it prevents you from finding success. Instead it said you should set a goal of just conquering fractions or exponents. Much, much more manageable and you're less intimidated by the task at hand.

To make a long story short, I'm changing my resolution. Each week I think I'll try a new lifestyle change (I'm going to stop saying diet). One week my goal will be to work out three days for 30 minutes. I'll focus on trying to make one healthy change at a time so it's less overwhelming and will hopefully lead to success.

Feel free to share your new years resolutions. We're still all in this together!

It's All Related

Yesterday in one of my classes, the professor was talking about cause-effect relationships. To provide an example, he talked about how what we eat and put into our bodies effects factors we may not even realize. He said he can really notice a difference in his two kids in their school performance, their attitudes and their energy levels based on what they ate for dinner.

One thing I'm starting to realize is just how in tune our bodies are with everything. It really is affected by everything. This week, for example, I ate a healthy breakfast and lunch Monday through Wednesday, and my mood steadily improved. Then yesterday and today my lunch wasn't so healthy, and I can sense the difference. It's not a substantial difference, but it doesn't go unnoticed.

This only furthers our need to eat right and really monitor what we do to our bodies (not exercising, not sleeping enough, stressing) and what we put into our bodies (cookies, pop, alcohol, large amounts of carbs). Sometimes it's just frustrating to know that what you do to your body reflects in everything else, and you either realize it too late, or you notice it, but don't make it a priority to change.

Not that I should be getting on soapbox. Things are always easier said than done. But I just thought that was something worth noting. Any experiences you have had? Do you notice a difference as well, or is it just in my head?

Stress It Is

Today I realized once and for all that it's stress that screws up my healthy lifestyle.

This morning started out good. We don't publish a paper on campus this week and I'm ahead in work hours, so my Monday and Tuesday are pretty free. That never happens. I was feel really good about life and the amount of time I would have to get some homework done.

For breakfast I had a bowl of cereal and glass of 100% orange juice. For lunch, I had a salad with light dresses and three pieces of celery. I even drank a liter of water - no pop! Even for dinner I just had some rice and cottage cheese. Nothing too big. I was feeling good about my diet for the first time in weeks.

Then comes the stress. All the sudden there's drama I have to deal with, an assignment I don't understand and my to-do list nearly doubled. And now I can't stay away from the sunflower seeds or vanilla covered holiday pretzels. It's absolutely ridiculous. As if I'm not stressed enough already, add the fact that I'm not eating well to it.

Why are we prone to emotional eating? What is it about stress that either drives us away from food or nudges us to the fridge every 20 minutes? Whatever it is, I don't like it.

Isn't it Ironic?

Well, we've made it through one holiday. I admit I ate more than I wanted to, but it's all about getting back on track.

Here's something that's been bogging my mind for a few days. Wednesday night, since it'd been awhile, I decided to step on the scale. I'd eaten somewhat poorly that day, and since it was nearly 10 p.m. at night I thought the number would just make me cringe.

But the weird part was that it was okay.

When I started the Eat Right Challenge at the end of July, I was X pounds (like I'm really going to disclose that - ha). I started really, but after my torn MCL and once I got back to school, it's like my diet plummeted. I haven't been feeling healthy, be it because of my lack of consistent exercise, imbalanced meals or insane amounts of Diet Coke. Perhaps it's a combination of all three - I just don't feel good about myself.

Anyway, I pretty much stayed around X for quite some time. Some days it'd be less (those are the good days) and then there would be days where I was above (those days make me want to start monitoring every calorie that goes into my body).

But here's the thing. When I stepped on the scale at 10 p.m. Wednesday night, I was four pounds less than my X weight. Two nights later, wondering how much I'd gained thanks to the holiday, I stepped on the scale at 7 p.m. and was X minus six. How weird is that?!

How does that work? How can I be less than my X weight but feel much, much less healthy? I'm starting to think that the number on the scale really has no meaning or value. I could exercise everyday and eat healthy day in and day out, and still be X. Or I could be as unhealthy as I currently am (mostly due to stress, I think) and be X minus five pounds.

It's a mystery to me.

Thanks for the Tips

I've been looking forward to Thanksgiving for longer than I can even admit to. It's a few days where I get a break from reality and it kicks off the holiday season. But I won't lie when I say Thanksgiving could be tough.

Typically I'm of the mindset that Thanksgiving only comes once a year, so why not splurge? The problem? Thanksgiving starts off the splurge that doesn't end until New Year's Eve when I undoubtedly make a resolution to drop some unwanted pounds.

So this year, I'm going to try harder to at least monitor how much I'm eating. It's interesting because what I eat tends to be fairly balanced. Turkey and eggs for protein, potatoes for carbs, cressant roles for grains, corn and green beans for vegetables. It seems pretty balanced. And yet the average person can eat around 2,000 calories. Ouch.

Thankfully I stumbled upon a 10 Tips for a Thinner Thanksgiving site that actually may help me and others hold themselves more accountable. Two things really got my attention. One, skip seconds. That tends to be a problem with me. I eat more just because I can, not because I'm hungry. Two, the site recommends that you don't eat things that you could eat any day of the year. This is a bit hard since Thanksgiving may not be complete without some of those items, but it does have a point.

Feel free to share your Thanksgiving and holiday dieting tips here. The American Cancer Society is about to launch it's Great American Health Challenges, so we're going to try our best to stay healthy this holiday season.

Owning Up

Yesterday on the way to one of my classes, there were a group of us catching up about news and gossip we'd heard over the long weekend. One girl mentioned that one of her friends was just getting over mono and had lost 15 pounds from it.

No joke, three of them immediately said, "I want to get mono!" One girl, who is getting married in December, promptly said, "Mono is the only way I'm going to look good in my wedding dress." She's probably a size four or six.

When did our vision get so tainted? I don't get it. Now we're hoping to get mono just to drop 15 pounds? You're willing to feel miserable and exhausted and unable to do anything just to lose 15 pounds? What happened to the good old fashioned way of eating right and exercising?

I'm the same way, so I can't really judge, but why are we always looking for easy answers? We all know that hard work pays off. You can get the high GPA or the great job or a stable relationship unless you really work at it. Why do we assume it should be different for losing weight?

A little hard work never hurt anyone. I know why I'm not seeing results and feeling healthy. And instead of sitting around just waiting for mono, I should be going to the gym on a more consistent basis and eating balanced meals.

Sometimes you just can't help but shake your head at all the silly comments people make about ways to lose weight.

Confession

Last night as I was trying to fall asleep, I was recapping my day. I always try to figure out where I could have minimized wasted time and when I could have been more productive. Mostly I wonder what I could have done to be healthier.

Then it dawned on me. I'm doing a terrible job of helping my readers (the few that I have left...). This is supposed to be the Great American Eat Right Challenge. When it launched in August/September, I was all set. I was ready to take on the world and really apply the things I'd learned through the website.

And it worked...for awhile. But soon enough I was back to my busy schedule and making excuses for not working out and not even cooking my own meals. What kind of example am I setting? Can I honestly say I'm making an honest attempt at leading a healthier life? Unfortunately, the answer is now.

I was looking back at some of my previous blog entries, and I was always searching for answers and ways to really change the way I viewed eating, dieting and lifestyles. It really hit me that the decisions I make today and tomorrow really do impact my future.

It's hard for me to say this - but what's going to be more important in 20 years? The exam I took or the health decisions I made. My guess is I won't be kicking myself in the butt if, just once in a while, I opted to workout or cook a healthy meal instead of study for an exam.

Who knows. But I do need to be a better advocate for waht I preach. It's one thing to complain and wish to be healthy. It's another to actually do it. It's time to put action behind my words.

A Step in the Right Direction

Last week (mostly because I didn't have any exams, papers or meetings, which is a very, very rare occurrence) I made dinner three times! One night it was goulash, another night it was tuna casserole and Thursday night was the best of all - light caesar salad with chicken tortellini casserole. Yummy!

What's tough about cooking dinner (at least what I found to be true for me) is that it either takes too much time or I don't have all the necessary ingredients. I was going through recipes on the food network, and half of them, while they looked appetizing, didn't sound very feasible for a college student on limited time and budget.

But this week I found myself looking at other friends' eating habits. Isn't it amazing how different people have different perceptions on food? One of my co-workers refuses to eat Cream of Chicken soup, and I love to pair it with rice and peas, or even noodles for hot dish. I mean, I eat that stuff on a weekly basis. But my co-worker swears that it's absolutely terrible for you. He never eats anything with too much fat, sodium or sugar. But how do you know when it's too much? Another one of my friends believes in the "everything is good in moderation" theory. Another friend just eats whatever and works out extra hard if he feels he ate like crap.

It's tough to find out what the best approach is for your own self. Mine varies, which probably isn't a good thing. One week I'll try to focus on eating natural and organic foods. The next I eat whatever as long as it's in moderation. One week I'll swear off pop, and the next I'll put pop back in but I'll take out anything with high fructose corn syrup.

I need to be more consistent with my diet.... and with exercising. I read in a magazine a few months back that even going 48 hours without working out can have harmful effects on your body. It's harder to get back to working out and you body starts to lose its muscle (at least according to this magazine). Being as I haven't worked out in two weeks, I could be facing a tough workout the next time I hit the gym - which will hopefully be this week.

How do you know what's best for you? Is it a combination? Are there any hard and fast rules that people should at least be aware of in terms of eating or exercise? And if there are, why don't we know about them??

Next Top Chef?

I've decided I need to start cooking more..

Today at work, one of my co-workers and I were talking about my Diet Coke addiction (in case you're wondering, it's only grown. Last week was really bad with a midterm and two papers... I really just need to go cold turkey.) Anyway, he asked about my eating habits to see if I was at least getting in good health practices there.

Apparently I'm not.

In an average week, I'd say that I only really cook something once or twice. Maybe. And even when I do cook, it's something like Pasta Roni or something from a box. Rarely do I make anything from scratch or truly homework.

Apparently that's a really bad thing. My co-worker almost seem appalled that I would do that to myself. I'll admit it - I'm a fan of popping in a Lean Cuisine or Lean Pockets. Sometimes I'll make rice and pair it with cottage cheese (some people think that's weird, but it's a family thing that I absolutely love.)

I know I need to start eating more natural and healthy foods, but sometimes it's hard. With Lean Cuisines, I know what the calorie count is and that it's somewhat healthy for me - at least according to the numbers. But that shouldn't be my default. I should learn how to make a healthy meal. I should learn to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into my meals. I should be picking out things from the grocery story that aren't from a box or a can.

Of course, all this is easier said than done. Does anyone have any website or healthy recipies that they've enjoyed in the last few months? I'm new to this...

No Easy Way

Isn't it disheartening just how upset and frustrated you can get with yourself because of dieting and exercise? Looking back on last week, I don't think there was even one day where I want proud of my eating habits. It could be because of my all-or-nothing mentality, but even so, I just don't seem to be getting in the nutritious and healthy foods I need.

At least today I hit the gym. My last session of physical therapy is on Wednesday and then I'm free to go. That means I no longer have an excuse for not hitting the gym! It just gets tough when you try to balance everything out. What takes priority? Should you put diet and fitness in the top five, even when you don't think it deserves to be there?

Perhaps that's worded poorly. Of course it deserves to be there. Everyone needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Not leading a healthy life right now only leads to problems in the future, problems where you can look back and say, "Remember when I didn't think my health was worthy enough to be a priority? Boy if I had know then..."

But the problem is, we do know. We know what we have to do. We know we need to eat right and exercise. We know this. As with other things, though, it's always easier said than done.

Has anyone found good ways to really ensure that health is a priority in their life, without really making it a time-consuming and thought-consuming ordeal? Has anyone found a true motivation or factor that really gets them to hit the gym and really consider what they're about to eat?

Sometimes it's just so much easier to pop in a frozen meal or go through the drive thru than cook a healthy meal. Sometimes it's just so much easier to skip the gym and vow to go tomorrow, even when you know full well that you won't. But the easy way won't get you good health or a longer life. I've realized that; now I just have to overcome that and start doing something about it.

Food for Frustration

Have no fear. Tomorrow I will be starting my food diary once again. This weekend was bad. Not only was I at home (which allowed me more access to a wider selection of restaurantes, but also home cookin' and more food around the house to nibble on), I was stressed.

It really bothers me how much stress plays a role in my eating habits tonight. Multiple times tonight, because I was frustrated with an assignment, I found myself venturing into the kitchen. How is that going to help me?? It's not. So why do I always make my way to the kitchen? The answer surely isn't there.

I fear that unless I really tackle this issue, the fridge and I are going to be come best friends by the end of the semester - and that's not what I want. Perhaps I need to drink water instead. Not allow myself to leave the room? Talk to my roommate instead? I'm not sure. But there has to be a solution. There just has to be.

Day 3....kind of

Some of you may have noticed that I didn't post my eating habit. No, I didn't forget. I was just too embarrassed to.

It was one of those days. You know those days where you just eat terribly, be it from stress or frustration or socializing? I had too many emotions to deal with yesterday, and my eating suffered because of it. Let's just say I ended up having ice cream for dinner.... Yeah....

But, when you fall off the horse, sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and start all over again. I've made a valiant effort. I've been drinking more water today, ate a filling breakfast and when I went out for lunch with an old friend, I only ate half and took the rest home.

Who knows what tonight will bring, though. I've got a paper due tomorrow and a test to study for... and when those crop up, I invariably end up making my way to the kitchen more than once. Someday I will figure out what triggers these things, and more importantly, learn to break those habits. Until then, I'll hid the junk food and keep a pot of tea on.

Day 2

Today was a little better. Now that I know I actually have to post for anyone to see what I'm actually eating, I find it easier to really evaluate what I'm eating and if I really need it.

8:00 - Bowl of Quaker Oat Squares with skim milk
12:30 - Fiber One Bar, 24 oz. of water
3:00 - Honey ham sandwhich with two slices of 100% whole grain wheat bread - no mayo! Diet Pepsi max (more caffeine than Diet Pepsi)
5:30 - Big Smith sandwhich at local deli (this unfortunately had mayo, mustard and probably sandwhich meat that wasn't as good for me as, say, turkey); 32 oz. Diet Coke
7:15 - Fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonalds, 32 oz. Diet Coke

I started off the day strong, especially with water. I bypassed my normal wake-me-up Diet Coke, and it wasn't as bad as I though. I didn't have a slight headache from the caffeine withdrawal, but I made it through the morning.

For some reason I'm still addicted to pop. I think part of the appeal is that it's just so easy to grab. Instead of getting a glass, pouring the water, sometimes adding ice and having something that lacks flavor, you can just reach into the fridge and grab a can of pop. It's so much easier. Maybe I need to lose that lazy mentality to actually see results. Who knows. But hopefully I'm on the right track in terms of eating. One can only hope.

Until tomorrow...

Day 1

As promised, here's a list of what I eat today. Some of the serving sizes are approximations, so we'll see if it ends up being decent.

10:15 - Handful of Oatmeal Squares cereal
Noon - Half of the Chicken Caesar Salad in a bread bowl from Perkins and two glasses of Diet Coke
1:30 - Love-it size of Birthday Cake Remix from Coldstone (bad, I know!)
2:30 - One can of the low-carb monster energy drink (20 cals)
5:15 - Medium plate of spaghetti with meat sauce
7:30 - 24 oz. of water
8:00 - Five tortilla chips with spinach dip
10:00 - 16 oz. of water
10:30 - An apple with low-fat caramel dip (mostly due to stress over my test tomorrow...)

I'm trying to get better with the water and hopefully through keeping this diary I'll see when my week moments are (evening hours seem to win tonight out of stress and boredom). I guess we'll just have to see what tomorrow brings...

Promise

I feel bad that I haven't updated this as frequently as I should have. I've decided, however, that I'm going to update this blog every day for the next few days. I'll be using this as a food journal to not only give you guys an idea of what I'm eating on a daily basis, but also to serve as an honest look for myself. I figure if I actually have to write it down and then post to my readers, I'll be less likely to eat and drink as much.

The problem? It's homecoming week. And I have two tests and a paper this week. The festivities and stress will surely lead to lots of temptations, but perhaps this is what I need. I've been at a standstill for about three weeks now, and I need to get my body and mentality back in gear. Who's with me??

Pop Addict

I have a bad confession to make. I'm back to being a Diet Coke addict.

I thought I would have it under control. At first I just had it on mornings when I was more tired then normal and needed the caffeine to kick start my day. Then I threw it in when I went out for lunch or dinner. Now I'm back to 2-3 pops a day.

Will the madness ever stop??

What sucks about my pop addiction is that I know I should be drinking water. Instead of ordering a pop and getting a refill or two, I should be drinking water. But it just doesn't seem as satisfying anymore.

When I drink pop, even if it's diet, I just don't feel as healthy. I can feel the acid in my stomach and I know I should be drinking water instead. But I can't shake the need for caffeine. And I'm not about to resort to energy drinks or caffeine pills.

Maybe my goal in the coming weeks should be to get into a regular sleep habit. I've hard that's good for maintaining weight anyway. You need a good night sleep each and every night to regulate your body.

Of course this is all easier said than done. But aren't most things in life?

Fat Pants

I think I had one of the best and worst feelings in the world yesterday.

Sunday I went shopping for new jeans. My old knee brace, because of the vast amount of Velcro, ripped a hole in three pairs of my jeans. So on Sunday, I embarked on a mission to find new jeans to replace the old.

Yesterday morning I put on my new jeans and about mid-day, I was starting to get really frustrated with them. They just weren't fitting right and I just didn't feel as comfortable in them. Typically I need to wear jeans a few times to break them in, but more than anything, I just wanted to return the jeans.

Why?

They were too big.

That was a "WOW" moment for me. My weight has fluctuated in the last few years, but I’ve never really had the experience of pants not fitting right. I’ve had them feel tighter, but I’d never thought to myself, “Wow, I wish these were a smaller size so they would fit better.”

I always wondered if I would get to experience the joy of your normal size not fitting right anymore. You see commercials and ads of people who have lost weight, and they’re holding up their ‘fat jeans.’ I’d always wanted fat jeans. Not that these classify as fat jeans, but still.

The bad news? I spent $30 on jeans that are too big.

Gym Rat

Thursday was a big day for me. Why, you may ask?

Because I've been given the go-ahead to start working out again. I couldn't be more excited!

For those of you who are new to the blog, I actually tore my MCL back in July. Since then I've been going to physical therapy three times a week to get the strength and motion back in my leg. It's probably been the biggest challenge I've ever had to take on in my life, but I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thursday at physical therapy, I rode a bike. And for therapy, that's huge. I'm still not quite done with my rehabilitation, but just knowing that I can go back to the gym is an accomplishment and sense of relief in it of itself.

You see, while I have managed to lose 7 pounds and really evaluate my eating habits and emotional eating, I haven't been able to work out. And working out is such an essential part to the weight-loss process that I felt like I couldn't accomplish anything. But that's all about the change.

I do know, however, that I won't be back up to speed for quite a few months. I know I won't be running on the treadmill or biking for an hour. But every little bit helps. I'm sure we've all heard it, but something is better than nothing. If you can't carve an hour out of your day to exercise, that's fine. Try to get in 10 minutes. To lose weight, you don't have to be a gym rat. You just have to make sure you're getting the balance of eating right and exercising. This is not only the healthy way to lose weight, but also the best way to ensure that the weight doesn't creep back on.

So tomorrow (or perhaps even tonight), for the first time in 10 weeks, I'll finally be able to work out again. : )

Change the 'Tude

You know me. I'm always looking for new diet tips. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe people think that knowledge is power, and so the more you learn about dieting, fitness and healthy lifestyle choices, the better prepared you are to make a lifestyle change yourself.

These tips come from a dietian on Weight Loss Resources. They're mostly about attitude and perception, which I think is the root of all diets. Before you can even start off on a weight-loss challenge, your mind as to be in the right place and you've got to have the mindset. Otherwise you may find yourself facing more failures than successes.

2. Have clear motivations. Write down your reasons for wanting to lose weight. Having clearly identified reasons helps your feeling of commitment. Try to include reasons that aren’t just about appearance, for example, ‘will help me feel fit enough to do more of the things of I want to do’ or ‘will help my back pain’. Looking back on them can also be a very useful motivator if the going gets tough.

I won't lie. In the past I haven't always had clear motivations. It was typically things like, "Look hot in my prom dress." That's obviously not going to be an effective way to really make a valiant effort to get in shape. Now I'm focusing on my overall health. What can I do today to help me have a healthier tomorrow? More and more I notice the strong correlation between my weight, fitness level, eating habits and my mood. For the first time, I feel like I have a good motivation in place.

12. Beware ‘all or nothing’ thinking’. You know that feeling when you really overdo the chocolate or a night out and think you’ve blown it so may as well give up – and keep on eating… The blow out isn’t a problem, but your reaction could be. Lapses are a normal part of change. You can’t be, nor need to be perfect 100% of the time to lose weight. Doing well 80-90% of the time is great progress. Rather than feel you have failed and give up, look at what you can learn from a bad day or week and plan to do things differently in the future. Then forgive, talk positively to yourself about what you have achieved already, and get back on track.

I'm a HUGE victim of this. I always fall into this trap. The second I blow my diet, it's like it's all out the window. I feel like I blew my entire lifestyle change. I need to have a much more positive outlook and be able to accept the bad right along with the good.

30. Believe in Yourself. If things go wrong don’t panic. Learning new habits takes time. Think back to when you learned to ride a bike. No-one expected you to do it the first time. You no doubt fell off a lot and needed picking up, with help along the way. Step by step you took control of that bike and learned how to keep it on course. How you think affects how you feel, and in turn the actions you take. Believe in yourself every day. Focus on what you want – being fitter, healthier – rather than how unfit you are. Setting realistic goals and having positive expectations will make all the difference.

A close friend of mine always tells me that I need to think positive. "You WILL lose weight, Liz. You just have believe in it and follow through." Perhaps a major downfall when I embark on a lifestyle change is that I'm unfortunately more pessimistic than I am optimistic. But hopefully through these tips, and support from friends, I'll be able to do it right this time.

Tales from the Scale

I hate stepping on the scale. Isn't it silly how worked up we get over a number on the scale? I shouldn't be afraid of this little contraption...yet its affects can be huge, particularly on my mood and self-esteem.

Thankfully, I had a positive experience on Saturday morning. Right before my shower before I ate or drank anything, I loomed over the scale, knowing I probably wasn't going to like the number displaying back at me. It's been two weeks back at school where I can't seem to get in the swing of things as far as my health goes. I took a deep breath and braced myself.

Surprisingly the scale has gone down. About 2 pounds to be exact.

How does that happen? I looked back at my eating habits, and I think it's because I'm not eating as much as I really think. The foods I eat aren't as healthy, but I'm not eating as much as I did during the summer. During the summer I had the whole evening free to snack, but now that I'm back to classes, homework and organizations, I tend to keep myself busy.

I also think it's because I'm eating breakfast more continually and I bring around my liter water bottle to every class and meeting I have on campus. While I do typically have my diet coke in the morning or early afternoon to wake myself up, I mostly just drink water and tea, which is definitely a healthier option.

This week doesn't look to be as stressful as last, so I'm hoping some of my focus and attention can go back to eating right. I don't want to lose sight of my goals, and I don't want to give up on the Eat Right Challenge just yet. I've already lost 7 pounds on it. That's huge for me! People might not be able to tell, but looking down at the scale isn't as terrifying as it used to be.

I hope you are finding the same success as well!

Emotional Roller Coaster

One of the biggest challenges I find myself facing lately is emotional eating. I know it's sometimes an easy excuse for over-eating, but it really is a serious issue. Food really can bring about a sense of comfort. But food is the last thing I need.

This afternoon, after a stressful day of classes, work, homework and what have you, I came home to finally get a chance to breathe and put my feet up. Unfortunately, the only thing that seemed to help calm me down was an singles Double Chocolate Brownie Fudge ice cream.

I need to find another source of comfort.

Thankfully my guilt kicked in. After about four or five bites of ice cream, I put the lid back on and put it back in the freezer, and surprisingly replaced it with an apple. It definitely wasn't as satisfying, but I didn't have the "I can't believe I just ate that" horror when I was done. I hate that feeling.

To me, it's easy to admit that I fall victim to emotional eating. What's not so easy to turning off that switch. How do you replace other things with food, especially when you've relied on food for so long? I could talk to friends....but they can only get calls from me so many times during the day. I could read...but then I still want something to munch on. I could do homework, but the sheer frustration and boredom of staring down at a textbook immediately drives me to the kitchen.

Since those options don't work, I've devised my own mechanisms to hopefully prevent myself from falling into the emotional eating trap.

1. Chew gum. More often than not, I find that I mostly want something tasty or satisfying for my tastebuds. Instead of loading up on that chocolate ice cream, I could reach for my Mint Mojito gum. It definitely perks up the taste buds.

2. Drink water. And lots of it. I've really found that when I chug some water (especially water flavored by crystal light) my stomach feels full. Not only do I get the taste, but I also get a somewhat full feeling in my belly.

3. Organize something. Anything. This weekend when I was tempted to head to the kitchen, I started organizing my desk, which was just littered with school papers, supplies, folders and books. It kept my fingers moving, my mind focused and at the end, I felt extremely accomplished.

4. E-mail someone who understands your troubles. I have a core group of people who, like me, are concerned with their health and weight. It's easy to sit down and write an e-mail to talk about your struggles. It gets your emotions out about your health with someone who understands. When I'm feeling restless or bored, I try to e-mail my mom or a friend and talk about some of my weight frustrations, which almost makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

5. Start/Continue a diary or blog. Much like the e-mail suggestion, I found that trying to think of a blog entry or journal entry lets me air some grievances while putting some of my emotions down. It doesn't have to be anything formal or well thought out. Even just random thoughts help get the frustration/disappointment/stress or whatever emotion you may be dealing with out of your system.

6. Have healthy snacks on hand, just in case. Sometimes you just have to give into emotional eating. If that's the case, make sure you've got a healthy stash of food so you're not driven to the ice cream. If you really feel like you need that indulgence (and you have to admit that sometimes we do) make yourself walk around the block or even do laps around your home before giving in. I've found it doesn't add to the frustration of my emotions as much.

Hopefully some of the tips work for you. Those are just a few tricks I've found that get me through some tough situations. Some work better than others, depending on the day and emotion I'm dealing with, but it's a start. I still find comfort in food, but I'm learning to really ask myself why I need to have that cookie or high-calorie dessert. Trust me - eating is only going to make my mood worse, and that's the last thing I need.

If you want additional advice, here's more information on emotional eating, from recognizing the type of eating to possible solutions.

Still Trekking

I've been back at school for a week now and I'm still struggling to find a balance in my healthy eating. With a different schedule (one that doesn't allow me to go home and actually make my lunch unless I want to wait until 2:30) and seemingly limited food options (I'm a poor college student, after all) it's hard to get my butt back in gear.

Does anyone have any tips that have been working for them?

I do notice that when I start the day off right, with a bowl of Oatmeal Squares cereal and skim meal, and eat a fairly healthy lunch, I tend to continue on my path. Isn't it funny, or perhaps frustrating is a better word choice, that once you blow your eating for the day, you automatically throw in the towel? Instead of passing it off as a mistake and continue eating healthy, instead you use it as an excuse to continue eating crap?

I've also noticed that limiting my pop intake has helped. I don't know if it's a mental thing or if it really does affect my health. While I do drink my Diet Coke from time to time, it's not as refreshing and fulfilling. I don't find myself needing to drink 4+ cans a day like I did a month ago. When I started drinking pop on a daily basis, it was mostly for the caffeine. Now I've found a secret weapon to perk me up after my 7 a.m. wake-up call - Crystal Light packets. Last week I discovered an "energizing" Crystal Light flavor. It's Wild Strawberry, and more importantly, it has caffeine. So, I'm getting in my recommended water while still getting my caffeine fix.

One thing that I'm hoping to start next week is a food diary. I've heard of situations where they really do help because they keep you reliable. With my evening snacking habits (mostly out of boredom and to avoid homework), I think I forget that those calories count, too. I can do well all day, but then boredom hits and I find myself heading toward the fridge every hour or so. Not good. Perhaps by starting a journal I can keep myself on track better and really know whether or not I need those extra calories. Maybe for a day or two next week I'll even post my intake on this blog. That should really get me to be good!

Continuing the Challenge

It's hard to believe it's already Sept. 2. The Eat Right Challenge is technically over, but people are encouraged to continue it through the fall. I will most definitely be one of those people.

Since moving back to campus Friday, I feel like I've eaten nothing but crap. I'm sure once I get back into a regular schedule I can better monitor my eating habits, but it gets tough when you're in a new environment. I thought it would be a piece of cake making that transition...but I was wrong. Probably because I'm already trying to adapt to other changes in my life.

The biggest problem is that I've been eating out. Too much. I think I've only eaten one meal at home since I've been here. I've tried to be health conscious when deciding what to eat, but sometimes temptation gets the better of me. I did keep in mind the Eat Right Challenge fast food tips, and I actually ordered grilled chicken....but I also ate the fries. And I'm back to drinking Diet Coke. It just hasn't been a healthy weekend.

But I'm hoping that will change this week as I really keep the Eat Right Challenge in mind. What's cool is that I did find some success with the challenge. In August I lost 4-6 pounds (depending on the time and day I weigh myself) and I just felt better about my outlook on health and life. I've found (and I'm sure it's been proven somewhere) that when you really make an effort with solid, healthy lifestyle changes, you just feel better. It may be a physical or emotional thing, but I did notice a difference in my attitude and how I felt about myself.

Now I just need to get back on track.

Shopping Success?

Sometimes I really hate grocery shopping. There’s so many food options that it’s hard to know that when you’re going through the checkout line that you’ve actually got some healthy choices.

Plus it doesn’t help that I’m easily swayed by the pictures of oh-so-tasty yet probably not good for me foods. I’m usually able to come out with half to 75 percent healthy choices, give or take. I think it actually depends on who I’m shopping with and whether I listen to their advice…

Friday I’m heading back to campus, so Saturday I’ll be hitting the local grocery store to stock up my cupboard and fridge again. I’m hoping to start the semester off right. I’m turning over a new leaf for fall. While I’ve done pretty well on the Eat Right Challenge, it’s by no means over for me. I’ve got more inspiration, motivation and support. I can’t give up now.

So in an attempt to actually buy the right foods, I’m going to make a list of healthy foods (although they will have minor sweet snacks, like Hershey’s kisses to give into my chocolate cravings now and again) and stick to it. It’s going to take a lot.

Part of my problem is that I don’t know what is actually healthy to buy. Do you buy a specific kind of pasta? But my biggest challenge is grains. How do you know what whole grains are? I’ve never understood that. There are probably hundreds of explanations online, but it’s still hard to apply when you’re staring bags of bread in the eye, trying to pick the one that actually qualifies as whole grain. So much deception in a supermarket!

Does anyone else have any grocery shopping tips? How do you make sure that what you're buying helps maintain your healthy lifestyle? Here are some I found on the ACS website. It’s definitely a start. Hopefully I can start applying some of those suggestions and examples. I'll let you know on Saturday.

It's Not a Race

I was reading a brochure on the ACS website and ran across a few tips that might be helpful to my readers.

1. Start slowly – small steps can add up to big changes
2. Promote healthy changes in your community, worksite or schools
3. Cutting back can be as
simple as watching your portion sizes. Share a restaurant entrée with a friend or just eat half and have the rest the next day
4. Low-fat and fat-free don’t always mean low-calorie. Low-fat foods that are high in calories from sugar and other refined carbohydrates won’t necessarily help control your weight

What I’ve really noticed about embarking on a lifestyle chance is that it has to be gradual and you have to enlist support. You’ve got to have people who can turn to and people who are really willing to help you put forth your best effort. And you also have to realize that you’re human. While you may have all the inspiration and motivation in the world, you’ve got to slowly make the changes in your life or they won’t stick.

In my three years of college, I worked out and watched what I ate the most last semester because my roommates were so health conscious and we leaned on each other. Plus it helped that they were members of the same gym and we always encouraged the other person to hit the gym on a daily basis. At the beginning of the semester we made it our goal to hit the gym three or four times a week. Later on in the semester, it was almost on a daily basis, and we were working out for longer periods of time.

Building up that stamina at the gym allowed us to stick with our workout program, and it kept us motivated to keep going. Going to the gym and walking 5 miles your first day of dieting is great, but are you going to be able to do that tomorrow? What about in four days or in a week? You’ve got to take the right steps to make sure you’re no overdoing it or making it hard for you to stick with lifestyle changes.

Ultimately, it seems like weight loss is being more aware of your life and your body, about finding that balance. It’s about really seeing what you’re about to put into your mouth instead of letting your head tell you how hungry you are and eating the whole plate. It’s about listening to your body and knowing your limitations. You don’t want to starve yourself or gorge yourself, and you don’t want to kill yourself the first day at the gym. It’s about moderation.

Maybe this week your goal is to workout three times a week. Maybe the next week your goal is to not eat after 8 p.m. Maybe during another week you want to limit your pop consumption. Whatever it is, take your time. Make the changes stick and notice how your body feels. Chances are, it will appreciate the effort.

ACS is right. Start slowly. Small steps can add up to big changes.

Beyond the Classroom

This isn’t really something diet or ACS related, but I happened to think of it yesterday when I was driving past a middle school and saw kids outside on the track for gym class. Even thinking about gym class makes me shudder.

This month I’ve really been thinking about that it takes to get people to be healthy. How do we really encourage it and motivate people to adopt better lifestyle choices? Better yet, what can we do to start them off at an earlier age so they can carry it with them throughout their life? Is it something that needs to be taught in elementary school? Middle school? At home? There seems to be too many questions, but no real answers.

I know one of the ways schools try to get kids to be active is through gym class. There’s no denying it – I hated gym class. I dreaded it everyday and always tried to think of ways to get out of it. But, kids do need physical activity. I just wish it had catered to more students like myself.

One thing I never understood was the curriculum. You’d walk into gym and do your warm-up (5 laps, 150 forward jump rope, 100 backward jump rope, 25 pushups, 25 sit ups). Then you’d spend the next 35 minutes playing some competitive sport – crazy football, matball, basketball, track, dodgeball.

That’s great…if you’re an athlete or competitive and are actually good at that stuff. If you’re not, then it just feels like 45 minutes of pure torture.

I think that might be part of the reason I grew up disliking physical activity – I always associated it with gym class, which I hated. Running laps. Jumping rope. Sports. It didn’t make me want to try to maintain an active lifestyle outside of class. Forty-five minutes was enough.

For me, gym should really encourage students of all shapes and sizes to maintain an active lifestyle. So why not give them a variety of activities instead of the same sports and running year after year? That’s something I’ve never understood about gym class. Why force students to run? Why can’t you spend an entire class period just walking laps and letting friends catch up on their days? That’s physical activity. Why can’t you have a week of yoga, or callenetics, or golfing, or dancing (other than square dancing)? Why does gym have to focus on the hardcore side of working out?

What’s interesting is that I didn’t start to like walking until I was in high school, when I took a gym class called Walkasize (it was the easy way out of a gym credit, but I actually enjoyed it. I get crap for it, but who cares.) Anyway, it was through that class that I began to see the joy in walking – getting to be outside, talking about life with friends, seeing the progress you make on a daily basis. Why not apply that to all education levels? Why did I have to wait until high school to find a physical activity that didn’t make me want to skip out on it?

Like I said, this entry isn’t really diet or ACS related, but I still wanted to air it. While I’m no expert and am not looking to change the curriculum or start a revolution by any means, I think it’d be interesting to start looking at other options for gym. Definitely gives you something to think about. Or maybe that’s just me.

Fads Aren't so Fad

You know, I’ve always wondered why people get into fad diets. From the Atkins diet to the grapefruit diet to the South Beach diet, there just seem to be too many out there to be safe and effective.

I’m lucky in that when I decide I want to lose weight, while I may have urges to try those fad diets, I never all into the trap. Most people talk about how they lose a lot of weight, gain it all back. Lose a lot of weight, gain it all back. That’s never been the case for me.

I think sometimes we forget the purpose of eating healthy. It’s not to lose that last 5 pounds or those first 20 pounds. It’s about learning to be healthy so you can have a better future.

I could go on a fad diet tomorrow for the next month and drop 10-20 pounds. But is that really what I want? At face value, yes. I do want to drop 20 pounds. Not that way, though. What good is losing the weight if it’s just going to come back because it was done unhealthily?

On the ACS website, they make a healthy diet seem managable:

· Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.
· Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
· Eat 5 or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
· Choose whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains.
· Limit consumption of processed and red meats.

I don’t know about you, but that seems so much easier than just eating all grapefruit or Special K or all meats to avoid carbs. It gives you variety, it gives you choices and it gives you a peace of mind. Nowhere does it say, “Eliminate this and this and this.”

I think that’s what the purpose of the Eat Right Challenge is. An ACS spokesperson was quoted as saying, “Our message is moderation, not deprivation.” People tend to find success when it’s a lifestyle change they can actually live with. Can you honestly tell me you’d be happy eating just red meats the rest of your life?

Next time you’re tempted to try a fad diet, take some time to really think about it. Lose weight for your health, not to fit into a size 4.

On My Way

Guess who lost two more pounds? Always great news.

I took this quiz on the ACS website and found that "Not bad! You're halfway there! You still have a way to go. Look at your NO answers to help you decide which areas of your diet need to be improved or whether your physical activity level should be increased."

That's always exciting. I know it's not a complete change, but I think I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances (not being able to get in physical activity thanks to my knee injury...). There are still many changes I can make in my diet - eating less red meat and processed foods (pasta seems to be my huge weakness), but at least I'm making the right track.

There's a co-worker at ACS who really stresses that unless you're really ready to lose weight, it's not going to happen. She's completely right. You've got to be committed and really want it for yourself - it's got to be your time and on your terms.

I think that's been the problem with me in the past, and even right now. I've never really made it a priority. It's always in the back of my mind, but I always assumed there was more time: "Oh, I'll lose weight during the summer when I have time to workout..." "Oh, I'll focus on it when I'm back at school and can start a new dieting plan..." Even right now, with only two weeks before I move down to school, I keep thinking that I can just eat whatever and then when I get back to school I can start fresh with my roommates keeping me in life.

And you know what? It never works. I can't have those back-up plans for when I'm going to take the extra weight off. I need to make it a here and now effort, and I've got to be ready to make those lifestyles changes that are necessary to not only get down to a healthy weight, but also ward off health problems in the future.

Let's hope this time I'm serious.

Make the Change Today

I got an e-mail at work today highlighting the fact that 44 million Americans are over weight – and for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s lack of physical activity, larger portion sizes or genetics, millions of people are facing the same struggle with their weight. The message reinforced that you can take control of your health and it really is up to you and your lifestyle choices.

Isn’t it almost daunting to think about how much control you really have over your future? I think that’s the part that scares me the most being as young as I am. I’m 21, and the decisions I made this week could make or break my future.

One of the hardest parts about trying to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle is not being surrounded by people who are doing the same thing. It’s hard to make healthy food choices when you’re eating out with people who have no problem ordering anything on the menu.

My problem is I tend to eat like the people around me do. If friends are eating healthy, I do too. If not, then I’m in trouble. This should be the case. I need to really take control of my health, and in essence my future. Granted one indulgence now and then isn’t going to take years off my life. But I’m not doing myself any favors by indulging in the high-fat foods on a regular basis. I need to start doing what I know is best for me, not copying friends and family.

I always rolled my eyes when the older population said that the young generation always seems to act like their invincible – they take more risks and don’t really think about the long-term consequences. When I heard that I automatically thought about daredevils and people who did crazy, life-threatening stunts – and I certainly didn’t fall into that.

But you know what? We do tend to act like we’re invincible, and not in a daredevil way. We’ll put anything into our bodies – excess fast food, alcohol, sugary foods, high-calorie sodas and sports drink. You name it, we’ve probably tried it. We don’t make health a priority. And that’s dangerous – especially when you see how many health problems, including cancer, are tied to our lifestyle choices. We don’t seem to care about it until it’s too late, and I’m not sure why that is. Is the messaging not out there strong enough for kids? Are we supposed to be picking it up in school? Home? Friends? It is just my generation, or have generations before me had the same struggles? I’m not sure.

I just know that if I want to have a better future, I need to start making better choices today. It’s time to stop eating like everyone else and really make a conscious effort to get in those fruits and veggies, and start liming those high-calorie, high fat foods. And that’s what this challenge is about.

And today marks the official day of the Challenge. Take it on with me. Eat right today. If you screw up, don't beat yourself up over it. Just make sure to start fresh tomorrow.

Woah...What?

You know what I think? I think that healthy lifestyle choices and portion control should be taught at a much, much younger age. That’s something I’m slowly learning through this Eat Right Challenge.

The first time I ever remember being exposed to proper portion sizes was in sixth grade home economics class. The teacher was going through the measuring cups, and when she got to the half-cup, she said, “Next time you get yourself some ice cream, keep in mind that this is one serving size.”

That absolutely blew my mind. The serving seemed so small to me!

Unfortunately, in this day and age, it seems our portions are getting larger and larger. The amount of food we’re being given at restaurants and are consuming even at home is getting out of control. You go out to dinner and half your plate is filled with fries and your cheeseburger is three times the size it once was. It's insane. And yet it's not uncommon for us to clean our plates. Even the kid’s serving is more than necessary, and they haven’t been educated about it. Has anyone really been educated on portion sizes? At what age and where should you be learning that stuff?

I think my problem comes with pasta. Did you know that a half-cup of pasta, the regular serving size, is only the size of a tennis ball? Ouch. My serving of pasta, whether I’m at home or eating out, is definitely not the size of a tennis ball.

Here’s a few tips from the ACS website to watch your portion sizes and a guide for how much you should be eating. Makes you think twice about doubling up or filling your plate…

Going Organic?

Does anyone know if a more natural way of eating is beneficial?

I ask because I was looking through a Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine, and in it were 30 tips to lower your risk for breast cancer. Among some of the tips were…

#1 – Eat fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables everyday
#2 – Eat organic whole grains everyday
#5 – Eat soy-based whole-food products several times a week
#15 – Nix red meat (Women who eat the most red meat have an 88 to 330 percent higher risk of breast cancer)

I didn’t learn this until recently, but eating organic foods is amazing for trying to prevent cancer.

Last semester one of my roommates would only eat organic and natural foods. She said during her first year of college she put on some weight and just didn’t feel healthy. The following year, she cut red meat and milk out of her diet and went strictly to organic eating. After the switch, she felt two hundred times better (and looked amazing).

Is there really a chance that drastic? I mean, I know our society is really big on processed foods, but does organic food really make a huge difference in one’s life? And more importantly, how extreme do you have to be? Does everything you eat have to be organic – from cheese to bread to spaghetti sauce? Are some more beneficial then others, or are you just supposed to pick and chose based on your likes and preferences?

It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized how many people are really serious about eating only organic foods, saying they can taste a “huge difference” when they try to eat processed foods that you and I eat nearly everyday. I’ve always wondered how one gets into eating organic food. Is it a family thing? Is it something you grow up with or is it a choice you make later in life? And why hadn’t I really heard about it before college?

I admit I have slim to no knowledge on organic eating. On occasion I have been curious and tried a few products, and to be quite honest, I didn’t notice a difference. But some people swear by it. Perhaps someday this month as part of the challenge I’ll only eat organic foods. I realize it takes more than a day to really notice a difference, but it could be interesting just to see what can be put into my body. Maybe it would be a good "purifying" process.

Only 12 days...

What is it that draws people to pop, especially diet sodas? Is there something in it that we just can’t get enough of? Is it the caffeine? The taste? The happiness that there are no extra calories when we drink diet soda?

I’ve gone without pop for 12 days now, and I’m not sure if I miss it. Sometimes I really do wish I could go out and get a liter of Diet Coke – but what is it that makes me want it? The carbination? Does it really make me feel full?

I think part of the appeal, at least for diet sodas, is that they don’t have any calories, so in some respects we look at it as an alternative to water. I don’t know about you, but I get sick of drinking plain water. There’s no real flavor, and unless it’s really cold, it doesn’t really quench my thirst.

It’s so common now-a-days to see people reach into a fridge and walk away with a soda. Lately I see more people grabbing a bottle of coke instead of a water bottle. In college, I see more people grabbing a can of coke in the morning instead of fresh juice. Going out to dinner, I’d say 80 percent of the people there are drinking pop instead of water or milk. How has our society become so dependent on pop?

What’s interesting is that last summer my roommate decided to give up pop. She, like me, was used to having a couple cans a day. There was no happy medium. So one day, she just gave it up. After that, though, she noticed she was sleeping much better. Another friend of mine recently gave up pop too, and he said he can already tell the positive affects it’s had on his life.

Like I said, it’s been 12 days since I’ve had my Diet Coke fix (and believe me, it’s been a struggle) but looking back, it almost seems easy to do without. I’ve been drinking much more water. When I go out to eat or even when I’m thirsty in the evenings, I reach for water. (I actually think it’s the Crystal Light packets that are saving me…) At times it was hard to make the switch, but I highly recommend it.

Or, you could do what a co-worker suggested. Before she has a diet coke, she drinks 20 ounces of water. That way you’re getting the best of both worlds. You’re getting your water requirement while still allowing yourself to indulge in a pop.

For now, though, I think I’ll just stick with water. When I head back to school, that’s when I’ll need the caffeine again…

Another Item for the "Do Not Eat" List

Last semester I was reading yet another diet book trying to find the solution to my weight problem. This one, however, I found to be a lot more informational than I anticipated, and since then I’d been trying to incorporate some of the recommendations into my life.

One of the major issues was the consumption of high fructose corn syrup. Basically the book said to avoid it like the plague. It wasn’t until I read about it and did more research on it that I realized just how popular it is – and how bad it can be for you. From breakfast bars to diet drinks to snacks, high fructose corn syrup is everywhere, which is not good news for dieters.

The tricky thing about this ingredient is that studies linking it to weight problems have not been proven yet, so it’s tough to really sell the fact that we shouldn’t be consuming it – especially since it tastes so good and shows up in almost everything.

A nutritionist for the Mayo Clinic writes that “Some nutrition experts blame increased consumption of high-fructose corn syrup for the growing obesity problem. One theory is that fructose is more readily converted to fat by your liver than is sucrose, increasing the levels of fat in your bloodstream. But this hasn't been proved.”

While it’s tough, I’m trying my best to limit my high fructose corn syrup intake. The book I read last semester recommends that when looking at the first five ingredients in foods, you do not want to see high fructose corn syrup. If you do, don’t eat it. Sometimes that’s easier said than done… But you know me – I’ll try anything once, especially when it means I can better my health.

Success!

I have some slightly exciting news to report – I’ve lost 2.5 pounds!

This is not a joke (I even stepped on the scale four times to make sure it wasn’t just pulling my leg.)

Since my injury I’ve only weighed myself twice. Once was about a week and a half ago, fearing that I’d put on some weight due to inactivity because of my MCL. While the scale had gone up a bit, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.

Then, Saturday morning, I held my breath as I stepped on the scale – and saw that it went down. I couldn’t have been more excited!

What’s great is that it means what I’m doing is working. For the last 8 days, there have only been 2 days where I’ve eaten past 8 p.m., I haven’t had any pop and I’ve only had seconds twice. Although I am slightly disgruntled that I can’t continue with my walks yet (although the physical therapist did change my leg brace so that I can start bending when I walk), at least I’m compensating by really taking a hard look at my eating habits and changing them for the better.

Just wanted to share in my excitement. : ) Isn’t it crazy how a simple number on the scale can either make or break your day?

Growing Portions and Waistlines

In doing some research for the Eat Right Challenge, we came across this slide show on portion distortion. There's also a second slide show if you're interested. It's put out by the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

If you've got a few minutes, you should just skim through it. It's amazing just how much portion sizes have changed in the last 20 years. Even when you order a salad at dinner, you're still eating much more than you would have 20 years ago (about 400 calories more, actually).

Makes you think twice about filling up your plate.

One More Thing

I forgot to mention this in my last post. It's incredibily difficult to eat healthy when you're going to out to eat anymore!

I told you that last night I ordered a side of fruit. Originally, though, I wanted to order a vegetable. Unfortunately, there were no healthy options. I wanted corn, but that was soaked in butter. I wanted green beans, but that was served with bacon (why??). The broccoli was "butter-steamed" and the carrots were "glazed." Why can I just get regular vegetables without the extra fat added to it?

Very interesting....

The Little Things in Life

Today marks day two of the Eat Right Challenge, and I’m doing surprisingly well. Although I shouldn’t say surprisingly. When I put my mind to it, of course I can find success. I just found that I need to make a more conscious effort of it and really try to keep a balance. And I really have to keep in mind that it's a slow and steady process. One day of eating right doesn't mean I'm going to automatically drop 2 pounds overnight.

Last night I went out for dinner, and I should preface this by saying that when I go out to eat, rarely do I order salads. I figure, I’m out to eat, why not splurge and have something that the restaurant is known for – like ribs, steak or what have you. Why waste the trip on just a salad? (This is probably a major flaw in my dieting…)

But last night, you know what I ordered? A salad and a side of fruit. For the first time in quite awhile, I left a restaurant not feeling like I completely blew my day, so that made me happy. It’s funny how the little accomplishments during the day (turning down a fattening dessert, not diving into the fridge after 8 p.m., etc) can really improve your mood and give you a more positive outlook on dieting.

Tomorrow marks my first full week of not drinking any pop. I haven’t decided if I notice a difference or not. I do know that I fall asleep much faster and earlier at night without all that caffeine in my system, so I’m getting a bit more sleep, which in turn makes me miss my morning Diet Coke less. I’ll admit that sometimes I do crave it (okay, I crave it a lot), but I’ve actually replaced it with these little Crystal Light on-the-go packets. They’re doing wonders! I’m drinking so much more water than I normally would, but it doesn’t taste like bland water.

I do wish I could get a bit more physical activity into my day. Physical therapy is definitely starting to take its toll on me, but I can feel my right leg getting stronger. And I know if I keep it up, by the end I’ll be ready to shape up my legs since my right thigh is already getting a killer workout through therapy.

Ready for the Kick-Off

One thing I think the Great American Eat Right Challenge aims to do is to each people how to eat healthy in order to maintain a healthy body weight. Losing weight isn’t necessarily about eating less – it’s about eating healthy.

I was talking to my boss the other day and we were comparing stories of friends who have been unsuccessful at losing weight because of some of their methods – only allowing yourself one food group, not eating much throughout the day and instead relying on diet soda or water to keep them full. I fell into this trap once, relying mostly on Diet Coke to keep me satisfied throughout the day. It didn’t work so well. (But you will be happy to know this is my third day without having a pop. That’s a pretty big step for me!)

What’s scary is that lately I’ve seen my sisters friends losing weight by not eating. I hate that. Yeah you can see results, but is it really healthy? What are you doing to your body? Are you really out of other options?

To be honest, the thought of not eating lunch on a daily basis has crossed my mind on more than one occasion. But then I remember I like food too much. There has to be a better (and much healthier) way to lose weight. I’m not about to be miserable as I eat next to nothing in an attempt to hit a goal weight. Especially since once I hit that goal weight, I’d probably put all the weight back on. It’s a vicious cycle.

Well, tomorrow I’m hoping to start fresh and hopefully break off some of those bad habits of mine as I kick off on the Eat Right Challenge. I’m hoping that by limiting (if not eliminating) pop, turning down seconds and getting more fruits and veggies into my diet, I’ll see results and embark on a healthier lifestyle.

Feel free to take on the challenge, too. And keep me posted on your progress! The more feedback we get, the better.

Priorities, Priorities

Want to know my biggest problem with trying to lose weight? The constant effort it takes, all day, everyday. It really is exhausting. You think you have a great day, and you realize tomorrow is a whole new day, with new temptations and possibilities for new excuses.

As a young woman carrying some extra weight, one of my biggest frustrations are the stereotypes that you can hear all around. I hate the comments that fat people can lose weight if they would just eat right and exercise more. I may not hear them personally, but they’re all around. “If only you would eat less and exercise more…”

That’s partially true. But you have to admit that the task is not nearly as easy as so many people want to make it out to be. They make it seem so damn easy, and if it were really that easy, anyone could do it. But we’re not seeing that in our society.

I’ve struggled with weight and body image for a few years now (mostly because I’m an emotional eater, which I’ll go into in another post.) What’s tough is that while it’s something I want to do, sometimes it gets tough to make it a priority in life. Criticize if you must, (“there’s your reason for not losing weight; make it a priority and maybe you’ll see results”) but weight loss needs constant attention in your life – you really have to examine what you’re putting into your body, how you’re working it off. I just don't know if I have the mentality and patience for it.

Ultimately, good weight loss stems from lifestyle changes. But when you’re changing your lifestyle, it’s not something you can just have in the back of your mind. It takes constant monitoring – but the last thing I want to do is become obsessive. I don’t want to examine every little bite that goes into my mouth or count calories to the nearest decimal point. It’s hard to deal with people like that and I don’t want to be the next in line. I enjoy life too much and have too many other things to worry about.

But how much attention should weight loss take? What does it take to give healthy living a valiant effort? Monitoring every meal? Just ensuring you’re eating a balanced diet? And how do you know what takes priority – can I afford to spend an hour at the gym when I have a test or big project due the next day? What does it take? Maybe someday I’ll find the answer…

Helpful Pointers

This is probably one of the most beneficial websites I’ve seen in awhile for tips on healthy eating. What I enjoyed about them was that they didn't forbid you from eating fast food or banning dessert for the rest of your life. They're little tricks that you can incorporate into your day. Other tips I've found lately aren't as practical, so it was refreshing to find some that I could actually use.

What I love about tips and tricks is that you can find what works best for you. My sisters are lucky in that when they want to drop a few pounds, all they really have to do is hit the gym a bit harder. If only I were so lucky... But some of these tips are simple things I can do to at least limit my calorie intake and increase the health benefits.

I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you. There'a quite a few more on the website:

Always order your pizza with double tomato sauce and light cheese. Men who eat a lot of tomato products tend to have less prostate cancer—probably because tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, a type of carotenoid that's believed to cut your risk of cancer. If you double the sauce on your pizza, you get double the lycopene. Reducing the mozzarella by just one-third (you won't miss it) will save you 20 grams of fat. That's as much as in a McDonald's Quarter-Pounder.

Whenever you eat fast food, drink two glasses of water afterward. Big Macs, subs, fries, and pepperoni pizza are all loaded with fat and sodium, which can be hellish for your heart. You can't do much about the fat once you've eaten it, but you can flush away some of the excess sodium by drinking plenty of fluid afterward, says Tina Ruggiero, R.D., a New York City dietitian.

When the waitress asks what you want to drink, always say iced tea. The more we learn about tea, the more healthful it looks. A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that a serving of black tea had more antioxidants—crucial to your body's defense against heart disease, cancer, and even wrinkles—than a serving of broccoli or carrots.

Whenever you have salad, keep the dressing on the side. Here's the drill: Dip your fork in the dressing first, then spear a piece of lettuce, then eat it. Sound dumb? In fact, it's one of the smartest habits you can have. Four tablespoons of, say, honey-mustard dressing can have 60 grams of fat—nearly an entire day's worth for an average guy.

Whenever you eat broccoli, put a little margarine, olive oil, or cheese sauce on it. This is our kind of nutrition advice. Broccoli is a rich source of beta-carotene—one of the major antioxidants your body needs. But beta-carotene is fat-soluble, which means it has to hitch a ride on fat molecules to make the trip through your intestinal wall. Without a little fat in the mix, your body won't absorb nearly as much beta-carotene.

Do a fat analysis before every meal. It's tempting to go fat-free at breakfast and lunch so you can indulge in a high-fat dinner. Wrong. Studies show that, for several hours after you eat a meal with 50 to 80 grams of fat, your blood vessels are less elastic and your blood-clotting factors rise dramatically. William Castelli, M.D., director of the Framingham Cardiovascular Institute, says, "The immediate cause of most heart attacks is the last fatty meal." Spread your fat intake over the whole day.

Always eat (a little) dessert. Here's why: Sweets such as cookies and low-fat ice-cream bars signal your brain that the meal is over. Without them, you might not feel satiated—which might leave you prowling the kitchen all night for something to satisfy your sugar jones.

An Apple a Day...

I have to admit, I feel very guilty blogging about weight-loss and eating right efforts when it will be at least six weeks before I’m up and walking again (thanks to my knee injury). But that just drives home the point I want to make today – watch what you put into your mouth.

I was looking around the internet today and found a study reported by CBS News that stated that only one in seven adults eat healthy and exercise regularly. And then we wonder why we can’t lose weight.

“U.S. dietary guidelines call for adults to get five or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. Government health recommendations also urge at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days per week or vigorous-intensity exercise at for least 20 minutes three days per week.”

What I’ve found interesting, at least in my case, is that I’m generally pretty good about getting in the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Before my injury, I’d get out on walks 4-6 days a week. Even during the school year my roommate and I were in the habit of going to the gym at least 4 or 5 times a week. And for some reason, I still wasn’t seeing results. It really bothered me, but then I found the culprit – my eating habits.

I reread the guidelines and did a double take on the five or more servings of fresh fruits and veggies per day. I’m definitely not getting that. Or what even feels like close to that. In my head I’m eating balanced meals, but in reality, I think it’s a very different case. (Isn't it funny how you can justify things you eat and fool yourself into thinking it's healthy?) I’m lucky if I get in 2 servings of fruits and veggies a day, which is sad.

I started to think about why I wasn’t eating them. Is it because they don’t keep as long and therefore aren’t around the house as much? Are they more expensive? Do I just not crave them? What’s weird is that I would rather have a fruit salad than a poptart or some other sugar-induced food. And yet here I am, still falling short on the requirement.

Maybe that should be my goal for next week – striving to get in my five servings of fruits and veggies everyday. After all, Wednesday marks the first day of my official Eat Right Challenge.

Diet Dilemma

I’ve heard many people talk about losing weight by giving up pop. I think it’s a wonderful idea and have seen people benefit from it. My own friends have suggested I give up my pop, but because I only drink diet pop, I thought I was okay.

It’s weird because both of my sisters refuse to drink diet sodas. They don’t understand why people would settle for diet when they could have the real thing. I always roll my eyes and think, “Like I could really have those extra calories.” Why drink regular soda when you can drink all the diet soda you want without the guilt of calories?

Turns out that might my thinking might not have been entirely right. I found this article when I was trying to figure out if my Diet Coke addiction was doing more harm than I thought. As the article points out, “For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41 percent.” I'm in trouble.

I’ll admit this: I’m a Diet Coke addict. I wouldn’t be surprised if I drank 2-4 cans a day, everyday. And what’s really bad is that one of the gas stations in town has a thing called Fountain Pop Friday. All fountain pop drinks are a penny an ounce, so I can get a 42 ounce drink for $0.42. Not bad. Well last Friday I went a little overboard…and I ended up drinking 150 ounces of Diet Coke. That ridiculous. It's completely ridiculous. No one should drink that much diet soda.

I didn’t realize how much my diet soda habits affected my ability to lose weight. From here on out, you can bet I’m going to be watching my pop intake much more closely. Water, anyone?

The Search Continues

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of looking for the easy way out. I’ve noticed this more and more as I’ve been trying to lose weight in the past few years.

Losing weight seems simple enough. It all boils down to calories. If I eat 500 calories less a day than I normally eat and burn off 500 calories a day through exercise, I could lose 1-2 pounds a week – which is the healthy way. When I was searching the internet earlier today I found a website that really just laid it out as simple as that.

Despite knowing this, I’m always searching for another gimmick or quick fix. I’m always looking on Amazon for new dieting books, reading the reviews in hopes of finding “The Book” that’s going to help me finally lose weight. Almost every time I go to Barnes and Noble, I have to hit the dieting section. I subscribe to THREE fitness/dieting magazines.

This is ridiculous. I know how to lose weight the healthy way. I know what has to be done. And yet it always feels like I’m looking for that one secret that’s going to help me lose weight. And after years of dieting, I’m still searching. The search of it never stops, though.

Why do you think that is? Are we just wired to try to find the easy way to do things? Is it our society? The way we were raised? What is it?

Maybe it’s just because despite knowing this, I haven’t been able to apply it consistently and religiously. I allow myself exceptions on a daily basis, or so it seems. It scares me that losing weight seems to rely solely on myself – if I can’t do it, it’s my fault. It’s a big responsibility to take on. But hopefully by educating myself more and looking for support from friends and family, I’ll be able to find success.

Needing a Pick-Me-Up

Yesterday I was officially diagnosed with a torn MCL (I say officially because the MRI showed a tear in my ligament). Because of my injury, I’ve been placed in a new leg brace and I’ll start physical therapy next week. The expected recovery time? Five to seven weeks. Ouch.

I think the hardest part about not being able to walk is the fact that I just don’t feel good about myself. I’d always know that there was some correlation between working out and how you feel about yourself, but I didn’t realize just how much exercise really affects my mood and my self-confidence.

The last time I was able to go on a walk was last Monday – 10 days ago. Since then I can just feel myself growing increasingly moody and disgusted with myself. I know it’s silly – I’m stuck in a full leg brace and have small pains just walking down the hall. No way could I get out and walk my usual 2.5 miles. But all this time for thinking has left me with plenty of time to ponder just how much this could affect my weight and fitness level. I’m just so worried that I could really pack on the pounds from this injury. Not a good thought.

But perhaps small things will help me feel better about myself – drinking more water and less pop, starting some of the exercise recommended for physical therapy, lifting weights for my arms, really monitoring my portion sizes. There are ways that I can work around this injury. There are things I could be doing, and my weight surely isn't dependent on exercise alone. It's about finding the right combination of healthy choices. I just need to pull myself out of this pity party and realize I am still in control of my health. No way can I let this completely ruin my outlook on dieting and fitness.

Anyone have any suggestions?

A New Attitude

My time on the couch has given me plenty of time to really reassess my dieting techniques, and I think I may have stumbled upon something that just might work.

Tonight a friend and I were brainstorming what it would take to get us to really take dieting seriously, and so on our own we’ve developed a list of rules and rewards to (hopefully) get us to start on the right track. Instead of being over ambitious and trying to change a dozen things at once (like I normally try to do), instead I’ve decided to take on one change in a given 10 day period. I’ll focus on getting that healthy habit down, and then I’ll move on to the second habit.

I’ve figured out that I have exactly seven weeks left of my summer vacation before I head back to school. That gives me seven weeks to really nip this thing in the bud. Having the healthy habits going into the school year will make it easier for me to follow when I start getting busy with classes, homework, organizations and everything else that comes my way.

So, to finish off my summer on top, I’ve developed a list of my rules and rewards. For every day that I follow through with the rules, I get a sticker.

Rules

0-10 days --- No eating seconds or unnecessary snacking before or after dinner
10-20 days --- Eat at least one fruit and one veggie a day
20-30 days --- No eating after 8 p.m. and aim to drink at least 6 glasses of water
30-40 days --- No fast food or ice cream. If I must, opt for healthier options (salad instead of fries, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream)
40-50 days --- Increase walking time by 15 minutes

Rewards

5 stickers --- Give myself a pedicure
15 stickers --- Have a photo developing party of a majority of the photos on my computer
25 stickers --- Buy a new pair earrings
35 stickers --- Buy a new shirt
45 stickers --- Dye hair

And there you have it. There are my goals and the rewards I’m working toward. Some of the rules may seem somewhat silly or simple, but they're things I've been lacking on in previous months that I really think can lead to a healthier life.

Hopefully some of you find this helpful. I’ll let you know in the coming weeks if it works.