Food Fridays - You Have to Eat to Lose

To lose weight, you must EAT.  I've put together a "day in the life" type presentation to share one of my average days.  I did not include points or measurements, but this gives a basic idea.  Enjoy!

Please note, after clicking the play button, click more and autoplay for the presentation to advance automatically.

The Average Daily Menu on Prezi

The "T" Word - Tempted? Think About It!

We are faced with temptations all the time.  Maybe you're tempted after waking up late, rushing to work and passing by the golden arches (although, I can honestly say this is no longer a temptation for me).  Maybe you feel hunger pains with the flashing "Hot Donuts" sign when passing by Krispy Kreme.  Perhaps your employer provides a Papa John's Pizza lunch for all the employees and Papa John's just happens to be your favorite pizza, not that I have any experience in this department.  LOL  (Yes, today my employer provided Papa John's Pizza for all the employees in the building - was a very nice gesture.)

Temptations are going to be there, daily.  We have to make a conscious decision on what we want more, those five or ten minutes of instant gratification on a substance that will be gone in a matter of a few hours OR the health, well-being and ENERGY provided by making wise choices; eating healthy and exercising.  Some days, these decisions are much more difficult than others.

I've had a few tactics that have really helped me not cave in to these temptations.  One that seems to really help me is visualizing the composition of the foods I'm eating.  If the food is something like pizza, I visualize the glucose making up the simple carbohydrates of the crust and sauce, the amino acids in the proteins and high amount of lipids in the cheese.  I imagine how my body will process the macromolecules and imagine how much of it will immediately be stored as glycogen in my liver, muscles and yes, body fat.  Believe it or not, this really works.  I don't think it's necessarily the science that works for me, but just the fact that I'm THINKING about it. 

For years I allowed food to control me.  I did not practice self control, I did not consciously think about what I was putting in my body.  Rather, much mindless eating took place, many meals were nearly inhaled without ever giving a second thought to what what I was eating, what it was doing to my body and what other options were available.  I did it because it's what I knew, it was easy, it was comforting, it was just. . .there.

Fast forward to now - I'M IN CONTROL!  I can choose to take something, or leave it.  Oh what a liberating feeling! 

By the way, I did not give in to the temptation of the Papa.

Good Gains

If you've been following me, you know I had a challenging food week - I was at long meetings for several days where meals were provided.  They were delicious but not low fat/healthy options.  Even with all the exercise and my 5k this week, I still saw a gain of 3.2lbs.  I was expecting it.  I'm OK with it.  I had a lot of non-scale victories and next week the scale will be much different.

There are positives to temporary gains.  Gains can be motivational, as I know I want to stay on track this week, exercise at least five days and really rock the scale next Sunday.

But gains can also be insightful.  Honestly, my eating habits this week weren't that much different than those of my old lifestyle.  Which means, prior to doing Weight Watchers I was steadily gaining weight.  While it probably wasn't at the speed of 3.2 lbs per week, it most certainly could have been at least 10lbs per month.  What the heck was I doing to myself? This only reinforces the necessity of the change I'm making - for myself, for my husband and for my children. 

I'm thankful I get these gentle reminders every now and then. It truly helps me remember where I've been and where I want to go.  I also look forward to my "blip buster" weeks !  (Click here to read about blip buster weeks.)  This week, by staying on points 100%, boosting the activity and increasing my water intake I will be able to have a loss similar to a first week's loss.  That feels GOOD!

Not every gain is a bad gain.   Gains are part of this journey and if you look at it as a positive reinforcement to what has been working - the gain can really work in your favor.

So bring it on!  I can't wait for weigh in next Sunday!

A Walk with my Grandma

This morning, I went for a walk.  A very special guest was invited to this walk and while I didn't see her, I felt her every step of the way.

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, my grandmother was like a second mother to me.  In 1993, she suffered a massive stroke, she survived but was never able to speak or walk, again.  She died in 1996, after living several years trapped in a body that would no longer function.  This morning was really about her and the many others in my family that have been affected by heart disease.

My grandma was always there when I came home from school in the afternoons.  She saw the tears caused by obesity as a child.  She saw my pain and was always there to comfort and console when I felt like no one understood.  I know she would be so proud that I was finally putting an end to that which has caused me the most pain in my life.

The morning was beautiful.  The last few days have been hot and humid, but not this morning.  It was cool and the humidity seemed lower.  A peaceful sunrise was lifting as I arrived at the park starting line, covered by an oak canopy.

The 5k started right at 8am.  Nearly 11,000 people took to the streets making a statement about themselves, raising awareness about heart disease and raising money for a very worthy cause.  I went into this walk with a hope of finishing in an hour.  I started strong, actually passing many of the walkers, not that this was a competition, but I had a fear of being the very last one to finish.  Along the path signs were posted, placing a face and name with heart disease.  Small children, the middle aged and elderly - all were represented.  I couldn't help but think of my family, many who have gone home much too soon and many others that are living daily with the effects of heart disease.

The first mile seemed the hardest, after that time and distance seemed to go fast.  By the end, I felt accomplished, it felt good to finish.  Even better, it felt good to finish right at an hour!  I did it!


My next 5k will be for the Arthritis Foundation in December.  I went into this walk with a small fund-raising goal of $100, which I was extremely thankful to surpass by $25.  However, the next walk is for the love of my life.  My husband has rheumatoid arthritis and I plan to raise $500 in his honor.  I also have another goal, other than the monetary contribution.  I plan to beat my time!  Tomorrow, training starts.  I will get my time for the next 5k to under an hour. 

I know my grandmother was with me every step of the way.  I could hear her voice in my head, encouraging me to do it, telling me she was proud.  I could feel her love and I'm so glad I was able to enjoy a walk with her this morning.

Food Fridays - Products for the Busy Life

I try to eat fresh, frequently.  It's healthier and it typically tastes better, but there are those days that life is just too hectic to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  I've found a few products that help me get through those extremely busy days, on plan, and without much fuss.  On days like that, I need dinner ready, start to finish, in under 10 minutes.  It takes more than 10 minutes to run through a drive-thru!  I try to keep a couple of these items in my fridge or freezer at all times so we can pull together a quick meal in a pinch.

Steamfresh Brown Rice - I've never been a brown rice fan.  It seemed each time I ate it I had to just choke it down.  Eventually, I stopped buying brown rice all together because I just couldn't do it anymore.  Then I saw Steamfresh Brown Rice in the freezer section. I decided to give this a shot.  I am so glad I did!  It doesn't have any additives and it really is so good.  In 4 1/2 minutes I have rice ready to go.  Steam in the bag and take to the table - it's that easy.  We often throw some lean pork, fish or chicken on the grill, steam the brown rice, steam some veggies in the microwave and dinner is done!  In less than 10 minutes, start to finish a healthy meal is on the table.  WW Points- 2pts per serving.

al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage - This is an all natural, lower fat, sausage.  With a variety of flavors, the meal options are endless.  They cook in minutes and are absolutely delicious.  I recently made the Sweet Italian Style with frozen peppers and onions, a can of diced tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano.  We put them on lite wheat hot dog buns and topped with low fat Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses.  It was like having an Italian Sausage sub without all the fat.  Pair that with a salad and you have one fast, fantastic dinner!  WW Points - 3pts for 1 sausage

BallPark Smoked White Turkey Franks - No, we don't eat a lot of processed meats but this one needs a mention.  Let me first start by saying, these are not as good on the grill, the flavor just isn't there for that; however, they are fabulous wrapped in a reduced fat crescent roll and baked in the oven!  Pigs in a blanket in about 15 minutes!  The kids love them, they are much, much healthier than eating the high fat option and really do taste just as good (when done in the oven and wrapped in flaky goodness).  Because I do have children I attempt a "fake junk meal" each week just so they do get their hot dog, chicken nugget, pizza fix - but done in a healthy way.  So if you have a craving for a hot dog (admit it, we all get that craving) - pick these up with some reduced fat crescent rolls and enjoy!  Don't forget the mustard!  WW Points - 1pt for 1 frank or 3pts for 1 Pig in a Blanket

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Sante Fe Rice and Beans - Throw one of these in the microwave, open a can of black beans, fat free sour cream, lettuce shreds, diced tomatoes and some high fiber tortillas and you have burrito night!  It's fast, easy and so delicious!  You don't have to use much of the frozen entree for filling, so you can make burritos for the whole family.  It's one of our favorites and can easily be prepared in less than 10 minutes.  WW points - 4pts for 1 burrito (when divided by six burritos)