Day 14 Increase Activity

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {9.4 lbs}

(Do you like how I put that at the top now?  It's a bit easier to see)

Today I was reminded of the importance of increasing physical activity and how easy it is.  Now you might be thinking, What are you talking about, Brooke?! It is way hard to find the time and energy to get out and exercise!  Before you have a melt down, hear me out:  You can increase your physical activity without a structured exercise plan.

Here are some ideas...

Park your car in the spot furthest away from the entrance

Take the stairs

Go for a walk on your lunch break

Walk to your neighbors to drop something off instead of driving the two blocks

Drink lots of water (you'll have to get up and walk to the bathroom more frequently)

Clean your house, get down to the nitty-gritty

Sit up straight (Yes, when your body is engaged you are burning more calories)

Rake up 'dem leaves and shovel 'dat snow

Run with your dog around the house (I did this today and it's what inspired this post)

Keep your feet moving while you are sitting down

Ride your bike to work

If you put some or all of these into practice not only will you burn more calories, but you might save some money.  A structured exercise plan is important for your health (you know that thing where you do cardio 3x a week and weight training the other 3x), but every little bit helps.

Carry on my faithful ones!

 (Me and Dolly.  Yes I look creepy and disheveled.  Keep in mind we were running.  And yes I got a few braces put on today...gross, don't ask, long story, maybe another day.)

Day 13 STOP!

 Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {8 lbs}

Don't stop reading this blog:  STOP, CHALLENGE, & CHOOSE instead. 

That three word phrase has saved me more times than you know.  It helps me remember my primary goals.  Mmm...that cheesecake pie looks good, right?  You want to eat it?  STOP! CHALLENGE! CHOOSE! So how can this little phrase help you?  First you have to make primary goals.

Primary goals are your hopes and dreams.  A primary goal is more than just saying, "I want to lose 25 lbs" or "I want to learn the guitar."  It has to be backed up with a meaningful purpose.  A primary goal would sound more like, "I am going to become optimally healthy because I want to live long and be able to do things with my kids" or "I will improve my musical talents so I can bring the music I love to other people."  Do you see the difference?

After you have identified your primary goal, your hopes and dreams about your health, how are you going to get there?  That's where secondary choices come in to play.  These are the choices that support your primary goal.  You might decide you need to lower your BMI by losing 25 lbs.  You might consider adding exercise 3 or 4 times a week.  You would probably need to start eating healthier than you are currently.  And perhaps you would create or look for a program that would help you accomplish your secondary goals and therefore your primary goals (if you are looking for a program, look here).  

Example Secondary Choice:

You come home from work and are very tired.  You are supposed to go work out for 20 min at the gym and come home and fix a healthy meal.  Right now you feel like grabbing a big mac and kicking back on the couch to watch your favorite show, Biggest Loser.

In the moment, it might seem better to take the burger and t.v. show, but here's where STOP CHALLENGE CHOOSE comes into play.  

STOP before responding.  Take a moment to think about the situation and the outcomes.

CHALLENGE why you feel the way you do.  What is influencing your choice? Remember what you really want.

CHOOSE your ideal outcome.  What will help you achieve your primary goal?

Let's go through that previous example using the method:

STOP!  I better look at this situation.  CHALLENGE!  I am tired and that is why I want to sit and watch tv with my burger.  CHOOSE!  I am going to go to the gym and make a healthy meal because that will help me reach my goal of becoming optimally healthy.

It looks easy when put like that, but it can be very difficult.  Especially when other people are around and pressuring you.  Be strong!  Good or bad, all those little choices add up.  Remember what you really want.

Day 12, 11, 10 We Played Knick Knack Over Again

Sorry.  I missed some days.  Give a dog a bone.

 

I hope none of you - The Devoted Readers - binged on chocolate or anything.  Then I would feel guilty.  Right now, I don't feel guilty.  I had a busy weekend reading and writing papers (Did I mention I am going to school for my masters? They never tell you how much work it will actually be.), crazy-coupon shopping, spending time with my family and the best part...wait for it...we got a puppy! 

  
Say Hello Dolly!  She is the sweetest little dog ever and we are having so much fun with her.

My husband and I are in the tradition of eating dinner together, and tonight, Dolly joined us (what can I say, she just loves to be around us).  I am going to call it our first family dinner.  We sat her and her food bowl on a chair next to us, and she had her dinner too.  For this post I want to focus on something that will not only help us be healthier, but it will help us have better family relationships: Family Meal Time.

In April of this year, Time magazine published an article called Why Families Who Eat Together Are Healthier.  After reviewing data, researchers have found evidence to support the idea that having familiy mealtime has a wealth of benefits.  "Children tended to eat more fruits, vegetables, fiber, calcium-rich foods, and vitamins, and ate less junk food...Teens were more likely to show fewer signs of depression and feel that their family was more supportive...Children in families who frequently shared meals also tended to have a lower body mass index than those who didn’t." 

"Researchers found also that it’s not just the time spent together or the act of consuming food simultaneously that matters. The quality of the interactions are important too. The data showed that families who spent time watching TV together or ate fast food out together did not have the same improved dietary intakes as families who ate meals together at home...'We believe that spending that family time together may provide a platform allowing parents and children to interact and for parents to teach children healthy habits,' says Martin-Biggers."

 

The long and short of it:  A family that eats together gets healthy together.  And who wouldn't want a healthy, happy family?  So just do it; eat a healthy meal with your family.  Pick whichever works best for you (for us, it's dinner), and make a habit out of it.  Your family and your health are worth the little bit of time and organization you need to make it work.

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {7 lbs}

Come to the Boutique!

Hello my blog reading friends.  There will be more info about my amazing health program at this holiday boutique coming just around the corner.  See you there!

Day 9 Nein Fräulein

That's right, Nein Fräulein.  That's me...talking to myself...when I ask if I can have something starchy and oh so delicious.  If anyone loves carb-rich food, it's me.  Love it.  We are not even going to talk about my love of baking.  Before you know it, I will be moulding a loaf of whole wheat artisan bread while stuffing my face with a slice of warm apple pie. {Yum}

Tonight, it was pasta.  My inner chef wanted to transform our left-over turkey (a lean healthy protein) by smothering it in creamy-cheesy-mushroomy sauce and mixing it with heavenly angel hair pasta, a dish I grew up calling Turkey Tetrizinni {no idea how to spell it, must be made up by Mom}.  Luckily my lean and green guru won the battle, and was willing to compromise with this:

 
I give you Turkizinni {no idea how to spell it, must be made up by Me}and here's how I made it.

Ingredients:

8 oz. cooked turkey breast, chopped into 1/2 in. pieces
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup spaghetti squash, steamed and separated with a fork (should look like noodles, yum)
1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Sauce - Puree the following in a blender or food processor:

1/4 c sugar-free almond milk
1/4 c non-fat cottage cheese
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper 

Mix turkey, pepper, celery, squash and sauce together.  Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour mixture in dish.  Cover with shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 min in 450 degree oven (or until it smells delicious and the cheese is bubbling and lightly toasted).

The meal turned out fabulous and fulfilled my pasta craving without having to go carb-crazy..  I hope you enjoy it.

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {6.4 lbs}

Day 8 Six Squares a Day

Most of us have grown up with the idea that we need to eat three square (or complete) meals a day.  That idea was reenforced in school and work with the idea of a lunch break.  More recently, people are coming to understand the importance of eating 5-6 smaller meals a day.

Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto performed a study of the effects of eating 6 times a day.  He divided a group in two and gave them each the same food each day.  The first group ate 3 times a day and the second group ate 6 times a day.  Over a two week period, the second group LOST MORE WEIGHT!  And that's not all.  They were less hungry, their glycemic levels (the amount of sugars in their blood) remained steady, and their craving for sweet food went down.  These people also reduced their blood cholesterol by over15% and their blood insulin by almost 28%, meaning their bodies were less likely to convert dietary calories into body fat!  What does this mean for you?  It's not just what you eat, it's when you eat it (Dr. Wayne Anderson, Habits of Health, 2008).

The Science of Six Fuelings - Eating smaller, more frequent meals can:

- Help you lose weight
- Control hunger
- Reduce blood insulin (a factor in fat storage and inflammation)
- Lower total cholesterol levels
- Reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol
- Reduce levels of apolipoprotein b (the "very bad" stuff)
- Depress glucose levels
- Increase bile acid secretion
- Suppress free fatty acids levels
- Reduce serum uric acid levels, a common risk factor for coronary heart disease
- Increase uric acid excretion
- Reduce adipose tissue enzyme levels
- Reduce fluctuations in satiety (fullness)
(Dr. A, 2008)

What keeps us from eating 6 times a day?  Most of us would say lack of time or convenience.  It takes a lot of time to prepare SIX balanced protein-carb meals a day.  And where are you going to do it?  Let's face it, our lives are busy.

One thing that I love about our health program is that we use meal replacements.  They are quick and easy grab-n-go meals that are balanced protien-carb.  They help you get to a healthy weight quickly and safely while you are learning healthy habits to incorporate for the rest of your life.  When you have reached that healthy weight, you transition back to regular, healthy food.  Fabulous!

This is one of my favorites:  Chocolate Mint Crunch Bar

If you aren't eating 6 times a day right now, try it.  Incorporate small healthy snacks, like celery and peanut butter, in between meals.  It could make a big difference.

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {6.4 lbs}

Day 7 Emotional Eater

As I mentioned before, my husband and I are health coaches for this great health program that has done wonders for us.  Tonight we had a health coach training and I was reminded of one of the reasons it's so hard for us to lose weight.  I am going to call it the Emotional Pit.  This is the pit we get trapped into by emotional eating.  Here's a little diagram of what it looks like.  {My e-drawing skills aren't amazing.  Don't judge.}

And now a simple step-by-step to explain the Emotional Pit:

1. We experience an Emotionally Difficult Situation.  These situations could be anything that is upsetting or difficult.  Some examples could be stress at work or school, money problems, a new pimple, sick child, someone cuts you off on the road, etc, etc, etc.  It could be anything that would make you feel bad, the next stop on our journey.

2.  We often find ourselves Feeling Bad when difficult things happen.  Sadness is a natural emotion and we have to experience to understand happiness.  We all go through it.  Don't beat yourself up because you feel bad.

3.  When we feel bad, we try to feel better, Seeking Emotional Relief.  We all have different ways to cope with how we feel.  Many of us are not aware of what we do (I wasn't until I started reading the Habits of Health).

4.  Many of us resort to emotional eating, finding Comfort in Food.  Why do we do it?  We associate those delicious high calorie, high fat, high sugar foods with feeling good.  Perhaps we received recognition or awards in the forms of food ("If you clean your room, you can have a treat" or "If you get an 'A' on your report card, you get a free donut").  Maybe that good feeling comes merely from the burst of energy from the high calories.  Whatever it is, it makes us feel good temporarily.

5.  If we are not mindful of our emotional eating, we will inevitably Gain Weight.  When we are consuming an excess of calories that we are not using, our body stores them to be used later.  That storage is known as fat.  Having a little fat is okay, but too much is unhealthy.

6.  After we have put on weight, we start Feeling Bad about how we look and feel.  We are right back where we started, circling down and down, getting deeper and deeper into our emotional pit.

Even if we are able to climb out of the pit {lose weight}, if we haven't addressed the issue of emotional eating, any Emotionally Difficult Situation can throw us back in, causing us to gain back the weight we just lost.  

So how do we address the issue?  We have to find Positive Ways to Seek Emotional Relief.  Here are some examples of activities that may be helpful (note that we are all different and you have to find what will work for you):

go for a walk - write in a journal or blog - talk to a friend - go to a counselor - exercise - visit someone who is in need - write an uplifting e-mail or letter - read a good book or scriptures - pray - listen to uplifting music - participate in sports or dancing

These are just a few example that might help you get out of the Emotional Pit.  The key to overcoming emotional eating is being aware of what your triggers are.  Learn to recognize what makes things make you want to overindulge.  Decide, ahead of time, to participate in one of the positive activities above, instead of resolve to eating.  That will help us move out of the cycle and move forward to healthy happy future.

What other positive activities have you found helpful?  Comment below.

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {6.4}

Day 6 Election Crazy

I missed posting on day six.  I was overwhelmed with the elections and then depressed with the results.  This is not a political blog.  Since the activities of my whole day had to do with the election, we'll make it short.

Current Total Holiday Weight Loss {6.6 lbs}

Day 5 Parties, a Recipe for Failure?

One of the hardest things about holiday parties for someone who is trying to be healthy is the feeling of deprivation that will inevitably ensue.  One of the comments I hear most frequently at these gatherings is, "She can't have any.  She's on a diet."  Of course I am going to find myself feeling left out, when that is the only thing I am hearing.  I had to totally change my thought process into, "I can have whatever I want.  I am choosing to only put good things into my body."  When I am feeling especially picked on, I have to say it out loud.

Today there was a big birthday celebration at the office for Todd (that little sweetie is 31)!  Birthdays are pretty much the same as any other holiday when it comes to the food traditions they are centered around.  Hello birthday cake and ice cream.  Today our resident office diva, Annette, laid out a smorgasbord of healthy eats: carrots, baby tomatoes, celery, turkey, and even some broccoli alongside some cupcakes (she got the idea from reading this blog, hooray)!  It was a great way to make all the healthy eaters feel included in the event without stepping on the birthday fairy's toes.

Before I go to a party or other social gathering, I have to pump my healthy-self up.  I am not talking about weight lifting, although that would probably help too.  I have to mentally place myself in risky decision-making situations and decide what I will do beforehand.  It's easier to turn down Mom's ice cream cake without hurting her feelings with a creative preset answer, "Oh Mom, that looks sooo delicious.  I would love a piece, but not today.  You'll have to give me that recipe."  

If you would like to join the ranks of people getting healthy, you can join us for our weekly meeting to learn the Habits of Health.  Here's a little link to the event.  Hope to see you there!

 

Current Holiday Weight Loss Total {5.7 lbs}

Day 4 Shut the Front Door

Here is a picture from today.

Don't you wish you had wood paneling like that?

I cannot believe how much weight  I have lost in just the last few days.  I had been at a plateau for what had seemed like the longest time.  I could tell I was losing inches (my pants were falling off me, people), but my weight was staying the same.  Hallelujah for this blog!


And can I get an AMEN for Sundays.  I love Sundays.  They are the day for helping create a Healthy Mind.  This is just one part of the trilogy of health (Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Finances) that Dr. Anderson discusses in our Habits of Health program materials.  As part of the Healthy Mind, my husband and I include a Healthy Spirit.

As part of our religious practices, my husband and I participate in fasting once a month.  Today was that day.  Fasting might seem counter intuitive to losing weight (body says, "Yikes, no food!  Quick, store everything as fat), but it has contributed greatly to my overall health.  I could quote medical research in favor of fasting and also evidence opposed to fasting and its medical benefits, however; I am referring to the benefits for my Spiritual and Mental Health.

These are just some of the ways I have benefited from fasting:

1.  I gain more control over my body.  Let's face it, we do a lot of things out of habit.  One of them is eating.  By showing my body that my mind is in control, even just for one day with one thing, I feel more in control over all aspects of my life.

2.  I feel closer to God.  Fasting is more than just starving yourself for a day.  While fasting, we offer up petitions or ask for things from our Heavenly Father in prayer.  We sacrifice something in hopes that God will bless us.  I know that He has indeed blessed my with my righteous desires when I have faithfully fasted and prayed.

3.  I feel joy.  That happiness comes from helping others.  When we fast, we contribute the funds we would have used to buy our own food to those in need.  There is a great feeling of peace and joy that comes from helping others. 

Our Mental Health and Physical Health are woven together.  If we decide to neglect our Mental Health, our Physical Health will be kept from its optimal level and vice versa.  If you are trying to get a Healthy Body, remember to nourish your soul.  It doesn't matter what your belief system is, your mind needs to be strengthened.

Current Holiday Weight Loss Total {5.3 lbs}

Day 3 I missed it!

I totally forgot!  I was so caught up in shooting up pumpkins and hearing a cute niece make creepy shrieking sounds and cleaning my house that I spaced it. The short of it:

November 3 Current Holiday Weight Loss Total {3.3 lbs}

Yeah, that seems like a lot of pounds.  I know.  I am sure it will not continue at that rate forever.

Day 2 Dinner for 2

Have I mentioned my husband is amazing?!  He made a fabulously healthy dinner for us tonight.  We call it a "Lean & Green" meal, meaning a serving of lean protein and 1 1/2 C veggies.  Tonight's meal was sort of an experiment, but it turned out great.

Nick was craving some homemade chicken enchiladas, but alas, I am not eating any tortillas.  He decided to swap cabbage leaves for tortillas.  At first I thought, "Barf!" but they turned out delicious.  The only downside of the cabbage was the enchiladas were hard to cut through.  I needed a steak knife to do it.

How can you make them for you and your family?  Grill up some chicken, shred it, wrap in a cabbage tortilla with your favorite enchilada sauce, and put it in the oven.  Top with lettuce, tomato, avocado and some low-fat cheese.  Enjoy!

Current Holiday Weight Loss {1.6 lbs}

Day 1 Over and Done

Technically the first of November is not the beginning of holiday junk food days.  See figure 1 & 2.

Figure 1: Left-over Halloween Contraband

Figure 2: Unopened Halloween Contraband

I hate wasting food.  A common practice when getting ready to start a healthy eating program is to clean out all of the junk food by eating it.  There is an alternative: give it away.  You'll feel good about doing something nice for someone else, and you won't get a belly ache.  

To keep from indulging on what the treat-or-treaters missed out on, I made my husband take the leftovers to work and give them to co-workers/clients.  I took the unopened bags back to the store (one of the advantages of not buying holiday specific candy).  We saved the receipt and in turn saved a couple of bucks and a couple thousand unnecessary calories. 

Current Holiday Weight Loss Total {0}

Beginning: Very Good Place to Start

So here I am, me, Brooke.  And yes, I did lose 50 lbs. using a fabulous health program (the after picture was from a week ago).  Here's the deal:  I'm Not Finished!  I am still working towards a healthy BMI . Even though I feel so much better physically and mentally with some of the weight gone, my BMI of 27 reminds me I am still at risk for heart disease and diabetes.

What should I do now?  It's the end of October and I am already hearing the ring-a-ding melodies of a slow-melting-chocolate-peppermint-pumpkin-cinnamon-covered-everything-I-have-worked-for-going-to-waste-new-year.  Most people in diet-landia would say something like, "You've worked hard, give yourself a break."

This year I am determined to be Holiday Healthy.  What is "Holiday Healthy?" you ask.  Yes, it is a catch phrase my husband and I made up.  And yes, perhaps it is a little cheesy.  And you could even call it, if I do say so myself, a little poetic.  But what does it imply?

(Oh, by the way, this is my cute husband.  He's now lost 98 lbs!)

 Being Holiday Healthy is all about giving up something you want in the moment for something that is greater.  In my case that would mean forgoing a delicious slice of Mama C's homemade {Banana Cream Pie: The Best Pie Ever} for something that is more important for me, {Optimal Health}. 

Right about now, you might be thinking, "Come on lady, it's JUST ONE PIECE OF PIE."  To tell you the truth, a couple of years ago I would have been saying the same thing.  But I have come to realize that all those little, seemingly meaningless decisions we make are the ones that mold and shape our lives.  Giving in today makes it that much easier to give in tomorrow.  Not to mention, with all the parties, family gatherings, and get-togethers in November and December, one could justify having 'just one piece of pie' several times a week.  That's a lot of pie!

Staying healthy isn't easy.  There are so many things working against us.  This year I've decided that you are all going to help me, yes YOU random blog-reader internet user!  I am going to be accountable to YOU by posting all about my experiences on this blog every day for the next two months.  Each post will contain, at the very least, the following information:

Current Holiday Weight Loss Total (tomorrow will be zero, it's day one)

Pretty simple, right?  I will also be giving tips, tricks and other health info along the way.  You might also get to hear some of my own personal weight loss drama.

Thanks for helping me!  I hope what I post here is helpful to you!

-Brooke