My Eat Right Challenge

We Need to Talk...

2008-08-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

This relationship isn't work. My relationship with food, that is.

I was chatting with one of my co-workers about dieting. She's been on quite an interesting diet for the last few weeks, and she's had some great results. One of her more amazing accomplishments, though, is that she feels like she's fueling her body. She doesn't miss all the crap, for like of a better word, that we typically find ourselves eating.

She also drinks about a gallon of water a day, saying that it's just become habit. Instead of reaching for pop, which I generally do, she brings in 1-liter water bottles and just drinks those. She feels like she's flushing out all the bad stuff and just putting things in her body that help her function and live better.

Do you know how wonderful that would be? I really do think that's an amazing feat. For msyelf, eating tends to stem from my emotions. That was confirmed when I took this eating personality quiz. When I'm bored, antsy, frustrated or even excited, I eat. The only time I don't really eat is when I'm nervous, and that's simply because my stomach doesn't need anything on top of the butterflies I already feel.

It amazes me at how much eating has evolved. I don't eat to fuel my body. Well, I do, but it doesn't feel like that's the main priority for me. Mostly it's, "Oh my gosh, that looks so good!" and then I stuff it in my mouth. I don't stop to ask myself if I'm even hungry or if there's a better option. Eating and drinking seems to be more about instant gratification instead of eating to live.

While it won't be easy, I do think I need to take a closer look at my relationship with food. I need to start being more cognizant of what I'm eating and why. I need to start looking at my body as a machine, something that needs to be fueled with healthy, more natural foods. I really don't need to be drinking an abundance of Diet Coke and eating poptarts and ice cream. Those are okay once in a while, but I should be opting for things that will improve my life.

It's time to get out of this bad relationship with food and find a healtheir one. Literally.

Finding Excitment

2008-07-28T15:50:00.002-05:00

One thing in weighloss articles and podcasts that I've always rolled my eyes at is the idea that you have to find something "fun." Fun? Are you serious? Very rarely have I had a workout that's been what I consider "fun."

Then I started thinking about what really motivates me. What is it that gets me to workout hard, to not just throw in the towel? My family.

I recently read an article in Prevention magazine about a family that teamed up to take on a marathon. Almost immediately, I e-mailed my sisters and thought we should do something similar. Granted the health problems aren't to the same extent, but it's never too early to really start caring about your health.

Since then we've found a few 5Ks, 10K, half-marathons and even marathons to work our way toward. Our first 5K will be this November, which I'm super excited for. I also think it's great because it's a way to keep our family working toward a goal, especially while one of my sisters and I are off at our respective colleges.

Even though it's exercise, and in the past I might have said "Ugh! A 5K?!" now it's something I can get excited about. I can start walking, knowing that I'm working toward a specific goal and date, instead of "I'm working out in hopes of losing weight." It's more defined, and I think I need that. Plus having the support of my family makes it even better.

Who knows. Maybe I"ll start finding excitement in more physical activities. I've always wanted to take up pilates....

Thinking Differently?

2008-07-23T23:12:00.002-05:00

I was listening to a podcast today, and the speaker (or whatever you want to call him) said that in his years as a personal trainer, he's noticed that fat people think differently than thin people. While he was explaining his observations, I immediately got offended. He couldn't seriously think this, could he?

But then I started to look at my own thought process and experiences in comparison with his scenarios.

He claimed that heavier people tend to have a much different relationship with food. While not always the case, thinner people tend to see food as fuel. They also tend to eat fairly regularly week after week. His contention is that heavier people almost lose it come the weekend or major holidays. They see it as an opportunity to reward themselves.

Like I said, at first I was offended. Who does this guy think he is? Even thinking back to it, I still get flustered. But perhaps, at least in my case, he's right.

I look back to the Fourth of July. Birthdays. New Years Eve. Christmas. Thanksgiving. Heck, even this past weekend. It doesn't have to be a major holiday! It's almost like I justify eating more because I "owe it to myself." I got through the week. Now I can relax and just take my mind off things. But then I take my mind of really honing in on my lifestyle choices.

When I think about the Eat Right Challenge, I tend to do well during the week. I have an 8 to 5 schedule that keeps me away from the kitchen (although sometimes even work can be a tough place with my snacking and goodies...). But then on the weekend.... I'm more susceptible to binges. And as this guy explained, I can, in just one weekend, cancel out all the good work I did with eating during the week.

That's a scary thought.

Perhaps part of the Eat Right Challenge is learning to change my relationship with food. Maybe I need to start seeing it as fuel, as something that can better my body and keep it functioning. I need to focus on whether I'm hungry, and whether what I'm eating will really satisfy me. Yes that chocolate cake looks good...but do I really need it? Or do I just want it because it's there.

The podcast I listened to claimed that I, because I'm heavier and don't yet think like a thin person, am more likely to indulge in it because I've been given the opportunity to. Instead of having one bite and being happy with it, I will think "When is this opportunity going to come again??" and I'll continue to eat.

Sadly, that could be the case.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do heavier people really think differently than thin people? Is that what my/our downfall is? I'm curious to know what others think.

Mental Victory

2008-07-08T10:24:00.002-05:00

Here's a revelation I had today. I was looking in the mirror, and I realized I was okay. And really, it's more of a mental thing.

In the last few weeks, my sister has put me through a few tough work outs and I generally work out 3-5 times a week, even if it's just walking my dogs for 15 minutes. Through this working out, I feel so much better about myself. My clothes fit a bit better, but it's probably not a substantial change from a few weeks ago when I started working out.

Rather, it's my mentality that's changed. Because I'm taking care of myself. Because I'm learning to respect myself and know that what I'm doing now will help. When I look at myself in the mirror, and even when I'm just in public, I feel better about myself because I know I'm in the process of getting healthy. I'm making a real effort to improve my health, and I feel like it's paying off. This only aides in my consistency of working out, which is what I need.

I think working out, particularly on the harder workouts, has also opened my eyes to additional ways I can better myself. One day I only drank pop. I probably had a glass of water, but otherwise it was Diet Coke. That night during my workout, I wanted to smack myself. It just didn't feel as cleansing knowing I didn't have water in me, that I had junk food. While it's probably not the case, I felt like it prevented me from having an optimum workout. I just had this vision of sweating out Diet Coke instead of water, and it didn't sit well with me.

Hopefully this will lead to more changes, but for now I'm trying to take it one day at a time. When 8 p.m. rolls around, I remind myself of how great I'll feel if I get out for a walk, even if it's just 10 or 15 minutes. It's the small things that can start to add up - and they can add up to a lot.

One or the Other

2008-06-18T16:11:00.002-05:00

One thing that's always intrigued me about weightloss is how much your thought process changes. A week or so ago, I was reading a weightloss book that I was really enjoying. It got me excited about the potential and I really felt like this was something I could do. My motivation was at an all time high. I was ready.

A week later, I'm eating like crap. And I'm back to drinking diet soda. But I'm working out more.

My problem with my health seems to be that I'm more focus on one and not the other. I can work out 5 days a week....but then it seems like my heathly eating plummets. Then I'll focus on eating right, but for some reason my effort to workout drops.

I'm not sure if I just feel like it takes too much brain power, or if my mind tricks me into thinking that I can be more lienient with what I'm eating or drinking because I'm working out. But really, you have to do both to lose weight.

It's equally frustrating because I'm working out much more consistently....but I don't feel like it. And I definitely don't look like it. It almost feels like my jeans are getting tighter, and that's never a good sign. Maybe someone like me needs a mapped out schedule - these are the days and times I'm working out, and these are my meal plans for the week.

That, however, goes back to motivation. I'll have it when I plan my week, but on Wednesday night am I going to want to follow through with it? Who knows. I just know this can't be exercising or eating right for long. It's got to be both, or I'm in trouble.

It Seems Backwards....

2008-06-13T16:05:00.002-05:00

Here's something I'm discovering about myself this summer.

In almost every diet book you read, and even common sense tells you this, you are advised to find a workout or diet buddy. You need some sort of support system, something to keep you in check and make sure you get to the gym.

Do you know what's weird with me? I almost work better solo, and it seems weird.

I told you in my last entry how I just told myself I was going to give up pop and not eat seconds. It wasn't something I told family or friends or anyone. I kept it to myself, and I found success.

This week, however, I started talking to more people who I felt could be my support system. Instead of finding it helpful, I just found myself feeling more guilty and beating myself up more. Now that they know that I'm not supposed to have pop and remind me of this, I feel like there's more resentment, and there really doesn't need to be.

I wonder why that is. About a year and a half ago, I had a workout buddy and it worked out wonderfully! She was so positive and made our walks fun. It was a great experience and I understood why you should find someone to partner with for the weight-loss journey.

But lately, I don't seem to want that. It almost feels more restrictive for me because I know other people are going to be making sure I workout and do what I say I'm going to do, and that's not how I want to make a lifestyle change. But common sense tells me I need this.

Does anyone else find that they have this mindset? Does anyone have success stories about dieting/working out with buddies? I'm just curious to see how other people use the buddy system to help them find success.

One Step at a Time

2008-06-08T16:44:00.002-05:00

As with all things in life, my eating right and striving for a healthier lifestyle has had it's ups and downs the last few weeks.

Two weeks ago I casually started small. I wasn't making it too strict since I was just starting out, but two weeks ago I decided to cut pop out of my diet (my reliance on Diet Coke got to be ridiculous), tried to not eat seconds and tried not to eat after 9 p.m., since nighttime snacking appears to be my weakness.

Surprisingly, I stuck with all three, with the exception of two meals where I had seconds.

It really shocked me. Normally I try to be very strict and regimented with my diet. But I actually found that by just saying to myself, "You know, it'd be great if you could get pop out of your diet, but if you had a can, we'll try again tomorrow." But the more days I'd go without pop, the more encouraged I'd become. And now it's been two weeks since I've touched pop!

This week I didn't do as well with eating, but I got to the gym three times. For a gal who hadn't been there in a number of weeks (think back to February or March....), it was a big accomplishment for me.

Granted, my approach may not work for all. However, it may work for some. Each week I try to implement one or two dietary changes. And instead of beating myself up over it if I fail, I start up again. That may have been my failing aspect with previous diets. I don't have to hate myself for a slip up, and I don't have to make a million and one changes to kick off a diet. I want this to be a LIFESTYLE change, and to do that, I have to casually work these habits into my life. I can't expect to wake up and all the sudden be a healthy eater or an avid athlete. These things take time.

Goals for this week:
Hitting the gym at least 3 times (started last week)
Continuing with no pop (started 2 weeks ago)
Drinking 4-6 glasses of water a day
Eating a fruit or veggie with every dinner

Ready, Set, Go!

2008-05-29T15:21:00.003-05:00

Last night I was reading a book, trying to get myself motivated to really take some weight off this summer. For years and years, I've started every summer saying that this will be my summer to lose weight. Last summer I was on the right track - particularly by taking on the Great American Eat Right Challenge - but I think the knee injury really got me down.

Anywho, as I was reading the book, weightloss just really seemed simple to me. The best way to lose a pound a week? Cut 300 calories out of your current daily eating and burn 200 more calories. So if I just walked 20 minutes and cut out that nighttime snacking, I'd be on track to lose a pound a week!

I think what's intimidating about losing weight is that there's so much information out there. Do you eliminate carbs? Do you try a liquid diet? Count calories? Eat three meals a day, or six small ones? How do you even know what to put in your body?

This summer, I'm going to try to get back to the basics. I'm going to try working out for 30 minutes most days of the week, whether it be a brisk walk with my dogs or a heavy weight-lifting session at the gym. I'm also going to listen to my body when it comes to eating. I'm surprised at how much healthier when I feel after I eat an apple as opposed to a cookie. I need to start paying attention to whether my body actually needs seconds, or if I just want seconds. There's a difference.

To start, though, I'm going to implement these things slowly, going back to the Eat Right Challenge. I'm not going to overhaul my entire lifestyle at once. I'm going to take it one day at a time, rewarding myself for what I can do, and not beating myself up for what I can't do. It's a process, and I'm ready to take it on.

Here we go again

2008-05-04T16:03:00.003-05:00

Just this past weekend I injured my other knee. For more frequent readers, you may remember a few posts last summer about how I tore my right MCL. Now I've injured my left knee, although I'm not quite sure what the diagnoses is. I'm hoping it's just a sprain or bruise, particularly since I'm hoping to walk in the graduation ceremony next Saturday sans crutches....

Once my knee is all healed up, I'm making a personal goal of bettering my body. Did you know that just by shedding one pound you can take off around four pounds of pressure off your knee? For someone with knee injuries like me, that's huge!

I just keep thinking back to what I could have done to prevent the knee injury. For one, I should have really focused on strength building. I know because of the way my knees are, I need to focus on building inner thigh muscle. Despite doing that through physical therapy for four months and knowing the importance, I haven't done much with it. I need to get back to strength training to make sure my knees don't have to provide all the support.

I also need to be more strategic in my workouts. Perhaps strategic isn't the right word, but I do need to get into a routine of have shoes with good support, warming up, and cooling down. This are things I typically ignore. My workout shoes? I've had them for over a year now and they look like I've had them for seven. It's bad. I know they're not giving my knee support. And I know wearing flip-flops while walking all over campus isn't helping them either.

Isn't it amazing how you know what you should do to better your health, but it's not until after the fact that you actually want to do it?

Consider this a lesson learned.

Check In

2008-04-11T21:53:00.003-05:00

Tonight, for the heck of it, I decided to take the Great American Health Check. I took that quiz in a recent post to see whether or not I was healthy, but this one actually shows the different areas to assess your cancer risk.

To be honest, it kind of scared me.

I know I've written this before, I people generally know what it takes to be healthy. We know we should get five servings of fruits and veggies. We know we should choose whole grain wheats and pastas. We know we should get 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week.

So why don't we?

I keep asking myself - why all the excuses? One of the questions on the Health Check was what you do in your free time. I marked play on the computer. In a given day, I wouldn't be surprised if I waste a few good hours. But because I'm at a computer trying to get myself to do homework, I act like it's okay that I'm doing that instead of working out. It's a terrible thing to be doing, and yet I do it constantly.

I used to always think dieting was about will power. Yes, that's part of it. But I think a major part is accepting that you have the power to embark on a healthy lifestyles. It's not about eating healthy 24/7 and never making a mistake. Slip-ups are okay. It's what you do about them. It seems to be about your general attitude and approach to health. If my sole goal is to drop 30 pounds to fit into a cute pair of jeans, which mine has been in the past, then of course it's not going to work.

At this point in my life, it needs to be about getting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's not a diet anymore. It's not about a number on the scale or a certain size of jeans. It's about my health. Think about all the things your health can impact. There's such a huge link between lifestyle choices and cancer and heart disease and diabetes and so on. I don't know why I act like it's not a big deal. It's a huge deal. But like most things, I put it off.

Right now, it's time to stop putting it off. It's time to take responsibility for my life and start making healthier food choices - even if it's opting for fruit over bacon at breakfast. The small things can add up. It's about taking it one step at a time. I can do it. You can do it. We just have to remind ourselves that we're in it for the long haul and the benefits are incredible.

We can do this.

Being Smart

2008-03-30T20:54:00.004-05:00

Yesterday a friend and I were discussing what we should have for dinner. Being lazy college students, we opted to go out. We ended up going to Burger King.

Afterwards (on a walk, thankfully) we started chatting about how unhealthy we felt. Hypocritical, I know. She was commenting that her heart was probably hating her, wishing she would treat her body right. We just mentally and physical feel unhealthy.

I think, in part because we're in college although I'm sure others feel the same, we tend to think we can make exceptions with our health. We eat fast food and skip out on workouts thinking that our school work and education is going to get us farther. Our work experience and grades are more important than getting in a 30-minute workout.

But it's the healthy lifestyle that will get us to live longer. What's smarter?

Although we're young and may think we're invincible, there's research that shows otherwise. Because of my experiences at the American Cancer Society, I know that one-third of cancer deaths can be prevented just by making healthier lifestyle choices. I know of the connection between my lifestyle and cancer. Yet I still eat at Burger King habitually? It doesn't make sense.

I keep thinking about ways that we could really motivate people to lead healthier lives. I know places like Burger King are tempting, quick and easy. But does that mean we should fall for it? What would get you to take your health more importantly?

This summer I'm embarking on a lifestyle makeover. Together with my sister, we're going to make it a priority to start eating better and getting in the daily recommended exercises. But for the next six weeks, I'm going to be preparing myself for that. I'll start drinking more water and making better food choices. I want to change, and I want to make sure I can prevent future health problems with decisions I make today.

Besides, who likes taking the easy way anyway? It's time to be smart about something other than my classes.

It's All in your Head

2008-03-26T12:28:00.002-05:00

A few months back, I took the ACS Nutrition and Activity Quiz. What's interesting, though, is how my answers seemed to change. Last summer, I ate more fruits and veggies, and I made a better attempt to get in those 30 mintues of exercise 5 times a week.

Around this time of year, though, those are in the "no" column. I'm realizing just how much seasons do affect what we eat and how much or how frequently we work out. If anything, I think it makes me feel more hopeful and optimistic going into the summer, knowing fresh fruits and veggies will be in season. Plus I'll be able to walk outside, which doesn't even compare to walking on the treadmill in a cramped gym.

That wasn't the only thing that crossed my mind, though. I was surprised to find that my eating habits aren't nearly as bad as I think they are. Granted, they could be much better. I won't deny that. But perhaps we see ourselves eating worse because we spend so much time thinking about it. Rarely do I eat fried foods, rarely do I eat high-calorie, baked goods, and when I'm down at school I don't eat a lot of red or processed meat.

As a dieter, I tend to think I'm doing a lot worse than I am, and I almost wonder if that makes dieting harder. Am I discouraged constantly by something that isn't that bad after all? Granted I could cut back on the snacking, but when I snack it's on whole bran crackers, sandwiches Like I said, it could be better. I could be eating fruits or veggies, but I'm not constantly eating pies and doughnuts. Yet in my mind, it's like I am.

Maybe I need to have a better appreciation for what I'm eating and take a more realistic approach. You hear about so many fad diets, but whenever I go to the ACS website for information on eating right, I'm reminded that things are only as difficult as you make them. It's about making good food choices when you can and getting in the recommended exercise throughout the week. It's not cutting everything out of your diet or limiting yourself.

Sometimes I really think this dieting thing is a mind game....

Does anyone have similar experiences or thoughts?

Spring

2008-03-21T23:51:00.002-05:00

My apologies for not posting recently. It's been a busy couple of weeks, but spring is finally here and soon it will be summer.

But spring typically means one thing for dieters alike - bathing suit season is coming. Soon it will be time to start going without the baggy sweatshirts and coats and instead wearing short-sleeve shirts. Not so good for a gal like me who hasn't worked out too much.

The good thing about spring, though, is that it seems to put a bounce back in everyone's step. Not only are we happy to have more hours of daylight and warmer weather, but more people seem to be out and about, taking their exercise routines outdoors.

I've really noticed that in the past year or so, I'm much, much more motivated to "workout" when I just get to go outside for a walk. Particularly if I go with a friend, it never feels like working out. It's just a relaxing time. My body feels much better physically and emotionally than if I had spent a hour in a warm gym staring at the clock.

I also think spring is great for re-evaluating my eating habits. Typically in the colder weather, we crave heavier foods - potatoes, meat, cream-based soups, pasta. Not that those things are bad, but I opt for those instead of the fruits, veggies, chicken and fish I should be eating. I mean, just look at the recipes on the ACS website. Don't they just scream spring and summer?

All I know is that I'm going to use this extra bounce in my step to start the season off right. My resolutions may not have been successful the first few months, but you know what? It's a new time a year. Let's dust off those sneakers, stash away the comfort food and embrace the wonderful weather and even better lifestyle choices we can make.

A Message of Hope

2008-03-03T16:14:00.004-06:00

I wanted to take a moment to share a wonderful resource for everyone. The American Cancer Society launched a new interactive website that allows people to hear and share their messages of hope. If you have a minute, be sure to visit http://www.sharinghope.tv/.

Watching Annie's story, it really brings you back to Earth. It makes you realize that cancer can happen to anyone - young and old, sister, father, uncle. It's scary to think that people are going through this each and everyday. But this website offers a message of hope for everyone.

I think it also reinforces why we strive to live healthy lives. I write this blogs in hopes of sharing my story and inspiring others to realize that we can get on the right track to leading a healthy lifestyle. When Annie got her diagnosis, she explained that she took it upon herself to live a better lifestyle. She went on an organic diet, started working out and really made her health a priority - and she noticed the difference.

She delivers such a powerful message and inspiration to us all. Sometimes I think we get so wrapped up with everything else going on in our lives and our to-do lists and our obligations that we forget the simple things. We forget about ourselves. We put off what's important until something major happens, like it did for Annie.

So today, think about what you can do to improve your health, and also what you can do to share hope. No one should have to go through this alone. The internet provides an opportunity to get the help, support and guidance you need. Take advantage of it. And let me know if there's anything I can be doing to inspire you.

Squeeze It In

2008-02-28T08:58:00.002-06:00

I was browsing the ACS website and came across something really interesting. Turns out, I don't have to always spend hours at the gym.

Last week my roommate and I were talking about why it is we don't workout as often as we should. What did it boil down to? Time. In our minds, workouts have to be 45-60 minutes. Plus you throw in the time getting there, getting back, showering, and that takes up 90-120 minutes. That's not something we all have time to do.

But that's now how it has to be. According to ACS, it may work better for some people to break it down into three of four 10-minute workouts. Working out doesn't have to be so daunting and time-consuming. It'd be great if I could get the recommended 30 minutes five days a week, but I could break it up. Chances are I'd be more inclined to get my butt out of bed in the morning 10 minutes early to pop in a workout DVD for ten minutes as opposed to getting up an hour earlier. It's all about the baby steps.

Perhaps that will be my goal for next week. I'll try 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes during my lunch break and then 10+ minutes during the evening. Maybe then the task won't seem so time-consuming and I'll have energy throughout the entire day. It's worth a shot, right?

Any tips you have on squeezing in your physical activity?

Deceiving

2008-02-16T23:58:00.002-06:00

I've decided I no longer care about the number on the scale. This semester has been busy and stressful, leading me to eat more junk than I normally would and work out far less. Actually, I've only worked out twice this semester. I'm not feeling healthy at all, and it's reflected in my attitude toward myself and dieting.

But this weekend when I was home, I stepped on the scale. I've lost 5 pounds since Jan. 1.

I realized then and there that the number no longer matters to me. Yes, I'm five pounds less, but I do not feel healthy. I don't feel good about the "weight-loss" because it wasn't done in the right manner.

A friend and I were talking tonight about how working out doesn't even have to yeild results on the scale. What matters is how you feel about it. Looking back on times when I felt healthy and really felt like I was on the path to leading a healthy lifestyle, I felt wonderful. I didn't necessarily care if the scale budged. I just felt good knowing that I was working out consistently and taking my health seriously.

My hope is that this will serve as a wake-up call for me. I want to feel healthy again. I want to go back to having my calendar filled with stickers (I put a sticker on each day that I workout, which motivates me to keep working out consistently). Mostly, though, I want to feel pride in stepping on the scale, knowing that I lost weight the right way. It's not about a number for me anymore. It's about feeling and being healthy. That's what counts.

Good Intentions

2008-02-02T13:13:00.000-06:00

Yesterday two good friends of mine and I were going to detox for the weekend. We all feel like we put a lot of crap into our bodies between the food we eat and all the pop we drink. We wanted to flush out our bodies and then start a healthy lifestyle on Monday.

That was the goal.

We didn't make it.

Initially we didn't think the detoxing would be that hard. For lunch and dinner you have a cup of whole grains (they suggested 100% natural rice), 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables. We thought it would be okay. After lunch when I was in the library, however, I realized that I couldn't just go cold turkey on things like carbs, protein and caffeine. I couldn't focus, my stomach was growling and I was just in a terrible mood. Who knew you could feel like that after eating healthy?

Ultimately, the three of us decided that's it's not about restricting yourself. That's something I learned from the American Cancer Society last summer. It's about portion control. It's about listening to your body and knowing when you're hungry and full. So today, I started fresh. I had yogurt and orange juice for breakfast, and then a sandwich and salad for lunch. I don't need to detox to feel healthy. I can just make better food choices.

Here's to a new year...a month later. But, I suppose it's better than waiting another 11 months, right?

Nike's Right

2008-01-26T22:22:00.000-06:00

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get into an exercise routine or get back into one?

Tuesday night after a meeting, a friend of mine and I were talking about health. Last year she lost probably 50 or 60 pounds with the help of a nutritionist and working out. She looks fabulous, and I was asking how she jump started her program. I explained that sometimes it's just so hard to motivate myself to get to the gym, especially when it's cold.

Her response was simple: Just do it.

She explained that even when you think the gym is the last place you want to be, you should still drag yourself and at least get on the treadmill or bike for 10 minutes. If you really want to get healthy, you have to do it.

It all seems so simple, doesn't it?

So Wednesday morning my roommate came into my room and said, "Who's ready to go to the gym?!" Obviously this was met with a snarl and a, "Do we have to?" But, we sucked it up and did it.

The first five minutes on the treadmill went surprisingly fast. I felt good that I was finally working out again. But then I took notice of the time... and soon it was all I could focus on. "My gosh, I've only been going 8 minutes?? Now 8 minutes and 23 seconds??"

I'm hoping that by getting into a pattern it won't seem like that much of a struggle to get me there and to stay focused on the workout itself. I did feel great afterwards, so in the end it paid off. Like my friend said, all you have to do is just do it.

Not As Hoped...

2008-01-22T11:51:00.001-06:00

The new year isn't going exactly like I thought it would. But in all honesty, I didn't expect it to start off stellar simply because of my week-long trip. I was fortunate enough to spend a week in Italy on a study tour through school. The walking definitely helped...but all that amazing food didn't.

Two good friends of mine and I are going to kick of the "new year" on Feb. 1. That's when we felt we would be adjusted to the new semester. We're in the process of developing a pretty detailed meal plan (if you plan meals ahead, research shows you're less likely to binge or eat more than you want) and also an exercise plan. I'm hoping that I don't try to take on too much at once, which tends to be my downfall. I'll have all the motivation in the world and make it a goal to work out for an hour on top of drinking 8 glasses of water, incorporating new foods and such. I'm just setting myself up to be overwhelmed after a few days.

Want to know what's really weird, though? I've been eating soup for breakfast. Wrong meal, right? Not anymore.

I read a magazine article a couple weeks ago about how you don't necessarily need to stick to breakfast foods for breakfast. I used to be a big cereal person. I could eat it morning, noon and night. But I think I've exhausted that. Cereal doesn't look appetizing, and I'm not really a breakfast food person (unless it's bacon and eggs, which I don't have time to make...nor should I be making). The article said breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not start it off right? No one says you have to limit yourself.

And you know what? I've found in the few days I've done it that it actually works. I feel fuller quite a bit longer and I feel like I have some energy to sustain me throughout the morning. Plus the warm soup is perfect given that we just got a few inches of snow yesterday...

We'll see if I want to stick with the habit.

Bad Month

2007-12-26T21:43:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-30T14:41:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-26T21:31:00.001-06:00

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?

2007-11-24T23:12:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-18T22:57:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-14T08:48:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-06T20:38:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-04T23:10:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-10-29T15:26:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-21T23:42:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-15T00:35:00.001-05:00

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

2007-10-11T17:58:00.001-05:00

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

2007-10-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-08T23:56:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-07T20:41:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-28T21:40:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-26T09:23:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-22T17:28:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-16T14:36:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-11T01:16:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-02T12:58:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-08-29T23:46:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-27T11:58:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-18T00:11:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-16T09:19:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-08-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-08-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-08-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-08-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-02T13:44:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-31T11:55:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-27T10:38:00.001-05:00

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...

2007-07-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-22T13:25:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-15T00:47:00.000-05:00

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.

Down it Goes

2007-07-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

I have a somewhat embarrassing story to share.

Tuesday night I went to see the new Harry Potter movie with my sisters. We’re Harry Potter freaks and wanted to see the midnight showing. About an hour before the movie started, my sister and I went to go get a Diet Coke (you’ll soon find I’m a Diet Coke addict. It’s quite sad, actually.)

Unfortunately, after I filled up my soda I slipped on some pop and went down. I don't even remember how I landed, but I do remember reaching for my right knee and found that it had popped out of place. I think the mental picture of my knee being off to the right was more painful than the actual physical pain. Thankfully my youngest sister was there to calm me down and eventually my knee went back into place. Being a Harry Potter fanatic, I stayed through the movie, keeping it elevated and iced.

Fast forward a trip to the ER the next morning and my knee popping out four more times. I’ve been diagnosed with a torn MCL (medial collateral ligament) and will be in a leg brace and on crutches for at least a week. I’m just thankful it wasn’t something more serious, but it certainly puts a damper on things.

Given that I’m going to be spending the next week on the couch, it becomes even more vital for me to watch what I eat. Just as I was getting into the habit of going on two mile walks in the evening, this has come to an abrupt stop. It feels like I really have to examine everything I eat (and unfortunately yesterday that included a milk shake for breakfast thanks to my wonderful dad who felt bad for me and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream after dinner, compliments of a close friend.)

What’s tough is the guilt I feel for not being able to really make a valiant attempt to lose weight, which is silly. I’m holed up on the couch and it’s painfully obvious I can’t go out and walk three miles. But it’s still tough knowing that whatever I put in my body will most likely not be worked off.

Here’s to hoping this injury doesn’t completely blow my efforts at being healthier.

The Buddy System

2007-07-09T15:37:00.000-05:00

I think one of the best strategies I’ve found when trying to embark on a healthy lifestyle change is finding a good support base. Over the last few weeks my mom and I have been trying to go out on daily walks to trim down, and it helps to have someone hold you accountable. But more importantly, it gives you someone to lean on.

Sometimes we underestimate the power of the buddy system. Sometimes I tell my sisters to stop me anytime I try to snack for no reason other than sheer boredom, but what I need isn’t someone dictating what I should and shouldn’t put into my body. What I need is someone to relate to, someone to share my struggles with.

What’s hard for me is that my two younger sisters are athletes and thus have athletic builds. They have no problem going on runs or fitting into cute jeans. If they think they have tummies, they can work in off in a matter of a few weeks because of their training ability. I would pay big money to have their bodies.

I, on the other hand, wasn’t born with that athletic gene, so it’s tougher for me. I’ve found in the last year, though, that having a workout buddy does wonders. Last semester because my roommate and I were members at the same gym, I went twice as much as I would have gone. When I didn’t want to go, she would drag me to the gym and vice versa.

Being at home this summer, my mom and sisters have given me the motivation to get on more walks than I would have. During our walks, we talk about anything under the sun. But mostly we talk about the struggles in trying to lose weight and make healthier lifestyle choices. What’s worked for them in the past? How do they feel about their bodies? What seems to be their biggest challenge right now? If nothing else, it helps you realize that other people are going through the exact same thing. It helps that my mom understands when I’m upset that I don’t fit right into my favorite pair of jeans, or that I feel bad eating that second helping of pasta.

I just hope I can give my readers someone to relate to. You’re not alone. I promise.

2007-07-05T10:30:00.001-05:00

Last year during walks with a friend of mine, we always talked about what people have to do to eat right and stay healthy. On one of our walks I remember her telling me that it’s hard to lose weight simply because we listen to other people instead of our bodies. She said when you ask whether you want something to eat, women will typically always tell you to eat more.

Since then, I’ve really noticed that. When I would ask my roommate or sister, “Do I really want popcorn for the movie?” or “Do I want a bedtime snack?” the answer would almost always be “yes.” Even when I’m not hungry, I’ll take their answer as a legitimate reason to dig in.

I don’t know that they’re purposely trying to sabotage my diet, but rather we all want to feel like we’re all on the same playing field. If person X eats a bedtime snack, then it’s okay for me to eat something, too. Or we feel better about the slip-up we had earlier in the day. Men, it seems, don’t worry

I noticed this theory in practice yesterday during the Fourth of July festivities. While watching fireworks from our deck, my sister decided to bring out more potato salad. A friend brought out a bratwurst. The other brought out a piece of corn on the cob. I asked if I wanted something to eat, and they all said yes. After all, it was the Fourth of July.

Why did they all say yes? Why did I even ask? I knew I wasn’t hungry and had my fair share of fatty yet oh-so-good food all day long. Why do we ask, and why do we always want the answer to be yes? Is it a way to justify it to ourselves? Is it a way to take the guilt and blame off ourselves and onto our friends?

My three roommates have high metabolism and are fairly thin. For some reason, when they eat, I think it’s okay for me to eat too. After all, they’re thin. But what I fail to realize sometimes is that our bodies respond differently. While my roommate can eat three brownies and not gain a pound, mine will invariably end up in my thighs or stomach.

So next time you wonder if you should be eating, don’t ask people. Ask yourself. Listen to your body and see if you’re really hungry. Don’t rely on other people’s opinions or have them justify what you’re eating. They don’t know what your body needs. Only you can be the judge of that.

On second thought...

2007-07-03T08:48:00.000-05:00

Ouch. I was working on our state newsletter trying to figure out what to write for the Great American Eat Right Challenge. While I was looking through a few printouts of the website and came across a page in the newsletter called “I’ll Walk It Off.”

I’ll admit I’m a huge victim of this. I’ll see something that looks good and I’ll justify eating it by telling myself I’ll go on a walk later and work it off. Late last week it was chocolate chip ice cream. This weekend it was popcorn from the movie theaters, among other things.

But according to this newsletter, I would have to walk 12 miles to work off that large movie theater popcorn. Yikes. The small chocolate milk shake I had Sunday night? I’d have to walk 3.6 miles. Not terrible, but since I only went on a 2-mile walk that evening, I didn’t work it entirely off. And that was just the shake.

That’s the hard part of dieting and eating right. Temptation can be a pain, and it’s something that most people struggle with everyday. Should I have that second helping of spaghetti? Can I have that brownie without it going straight to my thighs?

I know I said I hate counting calories, but that seems to be the only real way to monitor what I put into my mouth. I need to start being more conscious of what I’m putting into my mouth, or more importantly, how much I’m putting in.

I think what it boils down to is balance between what you eat and the amount of exercise you get in. I can have some of that movie theater popcorn, but it doesn’t have to be a huge portion, and I can get on a walk later that night. I don’t need to eat ice cream every night, but I can have it once in a while.

I’m trying to change my mentality so it doesn’t feel like I’m depriving myself. I don’t want to monitor what I eat and how much I exercise just to see if it results in weight loss. Instead I should focus on being healthy and how great I feel when I eat right and exercise. If I automatically tie it to weight loss, it isn’t going to be as beneficial and I’ll be more likely to give up.

So from here on out, I eat and exercise for my health, not for the number on the scale.

…remind me of that after the Fourth of July festivities and food..

Counting Calories

2007-07-02T09:26:00.000-05:00

I hate counting calories. I’ve tried dieting in the past, and the only thing counting calories has done for me is leave me with a splitting headache. There’s too much measuring and estimating when you’re trying to figure out how many calories you’re consuming.

Just to see where I should be at, though, I took the daily calorie needs test on the website and found that even if I just have a sedentary lifestyle, I need almost 3,000 calories to maintain my weight. That surprised me.

Too many of us, I think, see food as the enemy. We tend to forget that calories are actually energy, and in order to get through the day, we need to eat. Off the top of my head, I can think of a handful of people who have lost weight by not eating meals or by cutting their daily calorie intake to dangerously low levels. It worked, but at what expense?

To be honest, skipping meals and essentially starving myself has cross my mind on quite a few occasions, but it’s always just a passing thought. I don’t know about you, but I like food too much. I enjoy cooking and being able to try new recipes. I love being able to go out to dinner with family or friends and making it a social event. Movies wouldn’t be the same without popcorn. Sometimes regret follows as I look down at what I ate, but I try not to let it ruin my day or evening.

My mom has always said that nothing is bad for you as long as you eat it in moderation. As long as I follow that rule and listen to my body to know when it’s satisfied (and not stuffed), it will pay off. No one is saying you have to be perfect or get your calorie intake down to 800 calories. You need food, so enjoy! Just remember, moderation is key. Don’t use this as an excuse to consume all the calories you want today. Just know that food is not out to get you.

Walking Machine

2007-06-28T09:06:00.000-05:00

When my cousin was diagnosed with colon cancer at the end of November, it really hit me that cancer could happen to anyone. He was only 30, didn't smoke and led a fairly healthy life. He is only 9 years only than me. What if I were facing this in 9 years?

What's good (or bad, depending on how you look at it) is that one-third of cancers can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. One-third. That's amazing. It's definitely a motivator for me to eat better and exercise more.

In the Quick Tips from the Eat Right Challenge website, it recommends that you get 10,000 steps in a day. The fact sheet recommends that you should set a goal of, say, 4,000 steps and then work toward the 10,000. My dad actually bought me a pedometer for Christmas (not as a hint to get walking, but because I asked for one.) It amazed me at how little I was walking! Walking around campus I thought I was getting at least 8,000 steps in everyday. Not true. I was lucky if I was even hit 5,000! I definitely over-estimated how much I was walking.

Since then I've made a more conscious effort to get in my 10,000 steps a day. There was one night in Janurary that I was walking aimlessly around the house, desperate to get more steps in. Slightly lame, but as long as I hit the magic number, I didn't care. Did you know the only way I can reach that number is by getting in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day? Funny how that works out, huh? It's like they knew that....

Test Post

2007-06-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

We're starting this blog as a way to help people participate in the American Cancer Society Eat Right Challenge in August. Hopefully through this blog we'll be able to educate, inspire and encourage other people to take on the challenge, too.

I don't know about you, but my eating habits definitely need a fix-up. With so many programs, it's hard to know what to do - Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers. How do you know what the best program is? One day you're eating a low-carb diet and the next you're eating a low-fat diet.

I've decided the best thing for me to do first is to watch my portion sizes. Using the American Cancer Society Great American Eat Right website I can get quick information on how large my serving sizes should be. It also has some helpful tips, too.

I'll keep you update on how my task is going... Wish me luck!