Yay! I am so happy for myself-I woke up this morning and I weighed myself! I am not 247.5, which means that this week I lost three pounds. My weight loss has been a bit slow over the months because I was trying to exercise without fixing my food habits, but it's been about two weeks now since I have started trying to eat a little better.
I first started this journey in May at 259.5. So as you see, my weight loss has been a bit slow, but now I feel that I will finally start moving forward.
I have noticed this week that I have consciously made better decisions. There have been a couple of times when I have wanted to go and have something fatty, but I remember in my head that I have been feeling better and I don't want it to derail me. I've even wanted to go out and have a couple of drinks with friends, but something is telling me that I am starting to feel better in large part because I have been keeping my blood sugar stable, and I just don't want to make myself feel like crap. Good for me-pat on my back.
I've been trying to keep active, but I haven't necessarily been sticking to my rigorous marathon walking schedule. Two days this week I didn't do my crosstraining and on my long weekend walks aren't as long as they should be considering that the marathon is getting closer. So maybe I will start trying to walk a little longer.
Have a great day!
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
My Accomplishments this Week
I'm feeling pretty proud of myself today because I have somewhat accomplished something over the past two days.
Yesterday in the morning I went to see my yoga instructor for a weight loss session. In the past I worked with her over stress issues when she hypnotized me and I think it kind of worked, so I contacted her again to see what she could do to help me with getting ready for the marathon.
Our coaching session yesterday just revolved around what I should eat. I told her that I thought I had some sort of autoimmune disease or something that is making me feel sick. She said, "Let's ask the pendulum" and she swung around a pendulum. "Nope, it's all in your head", she said. Now I had a hard time believing a pendulum when it comes to my health, but hell-whatever is gonna make me feel better.
She worked with me to visualize what I am going to eat for the week and what I was going to buy at the health food store. Afterwards I went over to the health food store and bought tons of organic vegetables, tofu and salmon. I've never had organic fruit or veggies and I have never cooked fish for myself before!
For lunch I only ate a bowl of veggies with humus and some nuts. I was so surprised to see how much it filled me up. For dinner I cooked salmon and veggies and it was really delicious! I was absolutely surprised to find how quick and easy it was to cook salmon. It cooked even faster than chicken. It definitely occurred to me that I had my entire meal cooked in probably the same amount of time that it would have taken me to drive to a restaurant.
At my coaching session we identified that in the past I would go out to dinner with my friends in order to destress. So now I have got to find some new ways that I can destress!
Later in the evening I returned for an actual yoga session. About six years ago I took about eight private yoga classes, and I haven't done any yoga since then. It was amazing to me how easy it was for me to jump back in to the poses. I actually think that in a couple more sessions that I can move past the beginning class.
In the yoga class, I felt one brief moment of ecstasy as I sat there in a still pose. I want to feel like that all the time. It gave me some flashbacks of the ways that my body would feel so sensual and powerful in the past when I took the private lessons. I'm definitely going to go back to another class to see if I can refine my practice. It wasn't very physically vigorous, but it definitely will help me unwind, relax and improve my flexibility.
To top it all off, this morning I went over to the lab and took my blood tests that my doctor ordered a couple of weeks ago. So in the next couple of days I should know my fasting blood sugar levels and my cholesterol levels. I am a little excited about it because I want to test myself now, and test myself again later after I walk the marathon. I want to see if there is an actual decrease in numbers.
And guess what I am doing today? I signed up for an acupuncture session. I am a little nervous because I don't know if it is going to hurt with those needles poking out of me. I've heard that it helps with stress and pain relief. I'm pretty desperate at this point to make myself feel physically better. Wish me luck! I will keep you updated!
Yesterday in the morning I went to see my yoga instructor for a weight loss session. In the past I worked with her over stress issues when she hypnotized me and I think it kind of worked, so I contacted her again to see what she could do to help me with getting ready for the marathon.
Our coaching session yesterday just revolved around what I should eat. I told her that I thought I had some sort of autoimmune disease or something that is making me feel sick. She said, "Let's ask the pendulum" and she swung around a pendulum. "Nope, it's all in your head", she said. Now I had a hard time believing a pendulum when it comes to my health, but hell-whatever is gonna make me feel better.
She worked with me to visualize what I am going to eat for the week and what I was going to buy at the health food store. Afterwards I went over to the health food store and bought tons of organic vegetables, tofu and salmon. I've never had organic fruit or veggies and I have never cooked fish for myself before!
For lunch I only ate a bowl of veggies with humus and some nuts. I was so surprised to see how much it filled me up. For dinner I cooked salmon and veggies and it was really delicious! I was absolutely surprised to find how quick and easy it was to cook salmon. It cooked even faster than chicken. It definitely occurred to me that I had my entire meal cooked in probably the same amount of time that it would have taken me to drive to a restaurant.
At my coaching session we identified that in the past I would go out to dinner with my friends in order to destress. So now I have got to find some new ways that I can destress!
Later in the evening I returned for an actual yoga session. About six years ago I took about eight private yoga classes, and I haven't done any yoga since then. It was amazing to me how easy it was for me to jump back in to the poses. I actually think that in a couple more sessions that I can move past the beginning class.
In the yoga class, I felt one brief moment of ecstasy as I sat there in a still pose. I want to feel like that all the time. It gave me some flashbacks of the ways that my body would feel so sensual and powerful in the past when I took the private lessons. I'm definitely going to go back to another class to see if I can refine my practice. It wasn't very physically vigorous, but it definitely will help me unwind, relax and improve my flexibility.
To top it all off, this morning I went over to the lab and took my blood tests that my doctor ordered a couple of weeks ago. So in the next couple of days I should know my fasting blood sugar levels and my cholesterol levels. I am a little excited about it because I want to test myself now, and test myself again later after I walk the marathon. I want to see if there is an actual decrease in numbers.
And guess what I am doing today? I signed up for an acupuncture session. I am a little nervous because I don't know if it is going to hurt with those needles poking out of me. I've heard that it helps with stress and pain relief. I'm pretty desperate at this point to make myself feel physically better. Wish me luck! I will keep you updated!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Will Consumers Really Fall for This?
Yesterday I blogged about how certain companies advertise their soft drinks as including antioxidants-which I personally think is a bunch of hogwash. We all know it-drinking tons of soda is not the optimal health move.
Today I saw an article from the LA Times with a similar theme. Apparently there is a non-profit "nutrition" organization that has set parameters for which food will receive a large check mark labeled "Smart Choices". Apparently companies can pay $2, 500 to have their products reviewed and have the "Smart Choices" mark of approval.
This sounds great, doesn't it? Healthy food labeled as a "smart choice". Well, think again.
There has been a tad bit of criticism about this project. Certain cereal has been "Smart Choices" approved, including cereal such as Lucky Charms that contains 12 grams of sugar. Excuse me, but given the epidemic in childhood obesity and diabetes-since when has 12 grams of sugar first thing in the morning been a "Smart Choice"?
I'll tell you who is really making a smart choice, and it's not the consumers. This advertising is a slick move on the part of the corporations to manufacture the myth that this crappy food is actually good for us. They even had the non-profit organization change their criteria as to how much sugar can be included in order to qualify.
This is so disgusting. It reminds me of the same thing that happened with "low-fat" food. They market it as "low-fat" and healthy and then we find out that it has tons of bad stuff in it that isn't even healthy. These companies are just preying on people who are trying to make healthy decisions and don't realize that what the companies are selling them is practically the same old shit that has been making us unhealthy in the first place.
You can read the LA Times article here.
Today I saw an article from the LA Times with a similar theme. Apparently there is a non-profit "nutrition" organization that has set parameters for which food will receive a large check mark labeled "Smart Choices". Apparently companies can pay $2, 500 to have their products reviewed and have the "Smart Choices" mark of approval.
This sounds great, doesn't it? Healthy food labeled as a "smart choice". Well, think again.
There has been a tad bit of criticism about this project. Certain cereal has been "Smart Choices" approved, including cereal such as Lucky Charms that contains 12 grams of sugar. Excuse me, but given the epidemic in childhood obesity and diabetes-since when has 12 grams of sugar first thing in the morning been a "Smart Choice"?
I'll tell you who is really making a smart choice, and it's not the consumers. This advertising is a slick move on the part of the corporations to manufacture the myth that this crappy food is actually good for us. They even had the non-profit organization change their criteria as to how much sugar can be included in order to qualify.
This is so disgusting. It reminds me of the same thing that happened with "low-fat" food. They market it as "low-fat" and healthy and then we find out that it has tons of bad stuff in it that isn't even healthy. These companies are just preying on people who are trying to make healthy decisions and don't realize that what the companies are selling them is practically the same old shit that has been making us unhealthy in the first place.
You can read the LA Times article here.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Falling Off the Wagon and Starting Anew
I royally messed up this week!! I'm not sure if it has anything to do with me having pms-maybe it does, maybe not. This is exactly how I fell off the wagon this week:Wednesday: I was supposed to cross-train for 30 min for my marathon walking schedule and I planned on going to yoga. Instead, I went to dinner with a friend and had some really fatty nachos.
Thursday: I was supposed to go on a moderate 3 mile walk. I didn't do it.
Friday: I was supposed to do cross-training again, but instead I went to dinner with another friend and had a large margarita with fatty nachos again. For lunch I pigged out and ate a large plate of fried zucchini. One good thing though was that I slept for like nine hours.
Saturday: I was supposed to go on an endurance walk for 4 miles, but I only walked for twenty minutes. And really the only reason why I went walking was because my boyfriend dragged me out. During the day, I ate almost a large pizza and some chicken wings, and I felt like crap, let me tell you! Later in the evening I didn't want to admit to my boyfriend that I had binged and ate almost a whole pizza, and he made me two tamales with tons of cheese. I had such a stomach ache all night long and felt like I was going to puke.
Sunday: I walked today for 4.5 miles. I had a nice breakfast and lunch at my boyfriend's house. Later I came home and pigged out on a large burrito and fried zucchini.
Okay, so I am beginning to see a binge eating pattern when I am alone. Tomorrow I am going to promise to start anew and work on walking both Tuesday and Thursday as well as cross-training on Wednesday and Thursday. I'm going to commit to not feeling bad about messing up, pick myself up, dust myself off and try to have a better week. Wish me luck and send me positive thoughts for me to stay strong!! It's so hard-it's so very, very hard!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Super Size Me-In Reverse
A couple of years ago, I was traumatized when I watched the documentary "Super Size Me". The basic idea of the documentary, if you have not already seen it, is that the film maker is going to eat at McDonald's every day for 30 days-breakfast, lunch and dinner. He is relatively healthy, having a vegan girlfriend and working out often at the gym. (To the best of my recollection because it has been a while since I have seen the movie).
The documentary maker goes to see a number of doctors who run tests on him before he began his fast food diet, as well as throughout the thirty days and beyond. Throughout the thirty days, he gains weight, starts to throw up, loses his breath, and doesn't feel well. Based off of test results, his doctors advise him to quit his experiment, but he keeps on the fast food diet.
At one point one doctor stated that theoretically we know that a high fat diet can cause liver damage in the same way that alcohol causes liver damage, but the doctor states in shock that he has actually never seen it done within a thirty day period.
The documentary had such a lasting impact on me that I cut back on eating most of my fast food. I won't lie that it completely stopped me from eating fast food, but ever since I saw that movie there has been something in the back of my mind every time that I go through a drive through.
Now I would like to do the opposite. I would like to document my health pre-marathon and post-marathon. I'd like to compare and contrast how I look and feel, as well as how my health has improved between now and after my marathon in December. And I'd like to document it all on my blog.
Over the next week, I would like to do the following:
The documentary maker goes to see a number of doctors who run tests on him before he began his fast food diet, as well as throughout the thirty days and beyond. Throughout the thirty days, he gains weight, starts to throw up, loses his breath, and doesn't feel well. Based off of test results, his doctors advise him to quit his experiment, but he keeps on the fast food diet.
At one point one doctor stated that theoretically we know that a high fat diet can cause liver damage in the same way that alcohol causes liver damage, but the doctor states in shock that he has actually never seen it done within a thirty day period.
The documentary had such a lasting impact on me that I cut back on eating most of my fast food. I won't lie that it completely stopped me from eating fast food, but ever since I saw that movie there has been something in the back of my mind every time that I go through a drive through.
Now I would like to do the opposite. I would like to document my health pre-marathon and post-marathon. I'd like to compare and contrast how I look and feel, as well as how my health has improved between now and after my marathon in December. And I'd like to document it all on my blog.
Over the next week, I would like to do the following:
- Upload a current picture of myself
- Measure myself and post my measurements
- Post my current weight
- Make a doctor's appointment and ask him to run a series of tests: cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, etc. (Any suggestions?) I'm going to tell him all about my little blog adventure and I am sure that he will be highly entertained.
- Delineate the health problems that I suffer from-small and large.
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