What I've Learned So Far... Part 2

It's Part 2 of my "What I've Learned So Far" post! When I started writing this post I thought I'd just list 5 or 6 things, but as I started writing, I realized I had learned a lot more than that! And really, it's only fair to share... so on to Part 2!

• I found that if I add a salad, I eat less of the other stuff. Pizza is a good example. In the past, we'd order a pizza and eat just pizza... and usually all of it. Now, if we get pizza, we make sure we get a salad - a good size one, with dressing that's not creamy or sugary - and definitely without cheese (you're getting cheese on your pizza, remember?). That way you're getting your veggies and filling up on fiber. You'll be less inclined to eat more pizza.


• Portion sizes are no joke. This post from WebMD is an eye opener. Take note particularly of the correct portion sizes for pasta and meat. And, did you know that a serving size of ice cream or frozen yogurt is 1/2 a cup? We used a kitchen scale a lot in the beginning so that we could get a real understanding of what ounces looked like.


• Oatmeal. I mention Kath's blog here a lot because she's been such an inspiration in terms of healthy balance. She loves food and loves exercise just as much. But the thing that's made the biggest impression? Her love of oatmeal. And you know... I get it now. Bob and I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast during the week every day since we started. It does a great job of filling us up and giving us energy. The key to keeping it interesting is the toppings. We always top it with some sort of nut butter. Lately, we're grooving on dark chocolate! Then something crunchy (nuts, granola, cereal). But keep your portion sizes in mind... we only do a Tbsp of nut butter, maybe a Tbsp of nuts and a Tbsp of an interesting jam.


• Real, organic food tastes better. I'm much more motivated to eat fruits and veggies when they taste delicious. And honestly, I notice a huge difference when I buy my fruits and veg at Whole Foods. It's something I don't mind spending extra money on.


• Bread, for me, is not the enemy. For a lot of people, it can cause pain and misery. Me, not so much. I've done the low carb thing in the past and definitely lost weight that way... and I definitely gained it back. The thing, for me, is moderation. It's not easy when you're sugar addicted or carb addicted (those are real things). But I happen to be fortunate enough not to be those. What works for me is respecting my portion sizes and realizing that if I'm having a sandwich for lunch, bread at dinner is probably not a great idea.


• Food and fitness websites and blogs have been SO helpful and inspirational for me! I mentioned Kath's blog earlier, but there are so many others worth visiting: Carrots 'N' Cake, Oh She Glows, The Fitnessista, 101 Cookbooks and Making Good Choices are all places I find inspiration.


• Water. This article from WebMD in 2004 talks about how water consumption can increase your metabolic rate. I don't know about you, but I could always use some metabolic rate revving. I also know that it helps me feel less bloat-ey.


• Frozen bananas. Oh, you're going to thank me for this one. So I saw a couple of posts around the blogosphere about frozen bananas as dessert so of course I had to try. Changed. My. Life. This is like eating ice cream, and I'm not even kidding. All you do is 1) freeze some ripe bananas (I take mine out of the peel before freezing); 2) cut them up and put them in a food processor; 3)throw in a little bit of milk (we use unsweetened almond milk) and nut butter (a Tbsp) ; 4) give it a whir until it looks like soft serve ice cream; 5) eat; 6) thank me!


• Try something new. Listen, it's just like anything... exercise, relationships, jobs... you have to keep it interesting. So I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting ingredients, healthy products, exercises and recipes. If you're bored, you will abandon it... whatever it is.

So there you have it. What I've learned... so far. Now I want to hear from you... what have you learned on your journey to a healthy life?

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6 Months In - What I've Learned Part 1

As I began writing this post, I thought I'd have a list of 5 or 6 things that I've learned over the last 6 months. But as I got into it, I realized I've learned a whole lot! So I'm splitting this up into two parts.

I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way. Some of these things I’ve always known, but are just putting into practice now. Some are brand new to me. Together, they're all helping me... I've lost close to 50 pounds so far.

• I can eat birthday cake, pizza, steak, ice cream, pasta and cookies while working on my fitness. Just not every day and just not massive quantities of it (see my thoughts on portion sizes in Part 2). If I say I can never have something again, I simply want it more.
• It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If I eat two pieces of pizza and a dish of ice cream, that doesn’t mean I need to skip the gym because “what’s the point?” It means I need to work harder when I’m there.
• Exercise is non-negotiable for me. I’ve always had ups and downs with weight, but since my metabolism took a nose dive, I’ve realized that I need to help it along now more than ever.
• Men lose weight faster than women. Period. 80 lbs vs 50 lbs., people.
• Eff the scale. I mean, obviously you need to use it for information but don't use it as your only way to measure your progress. Look at how your clothes fit, see how your endurance is better when you exercise. It's all motivation.
• Eat at restaurants less. Sure, you can always find something on the menu that’s relatively healthy… truly, you can. BUT you have zero control over what goes into their recipes. We really enjoy discovering new restaurants and it’s the primary way for us to socialize with our friends, so this is a tough one at our house. But it doesn’t mean never…it just means less.
• Keep lots of fruit, vegetables and healthy proteins accessible. And eat them.
• Variety is vital. I know that I will get bored very quickly if I’m eating the same foods over and over again. So I’m always looking for recipes that I know will taste good, that I can add to my collection.
• Log the food AND the exercise. Whether you’re counting calories, fat, carbs or nothing… it’s important to know what goes in. It’s also important to see your progress in terms of exercise. It’s so rewarding to look back a few months into your plan and see how much more fit you are than when you began.
• It helps me to always challenge myself and work toward a small goal. Challenges like running a certain distance or upping the amount of floors climbed on the Stairmaster, or coming up with a dinner that comes in under 400 calories really help keep me motivated.

So there you have it... what I've learned so far. I'll share more in Part 2, but I will continue to educate myself on health and fitness and I look forward to seeing how much more I can learn as time goes by!

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3 Months In

My husband is pissing me off.

Yes, I love him deeply… yes, he’s the love of my life. Yes, he’s my partner, the keeper of my heart, my audience, my motivator, my cheerleader and my biggest fan.

But he’s lost 44 lbs in 3 months. And right now, that’s a good reason to be pissed off.

Listen, honestly… most of me is very excited, proud of him and happy for him… he’s been working really hard and he totally deserves this. He’s proud of himself, and he feels great. But a little tiny part of me (like, the tip of my pinkie toe) is jealous.

What are we doing differently? For the most part, we’ve been doing the same things… eating the same foods (whole foods, low in fat, with no chemicals), counting our calories, working out faithfully. I’ll be honest, there have been a few (maybe 3?) occasions where he went to the gym without me…. but in general, we are at the gym at least 5 days a week. 45 minutes to an hour of cardio - depending on how much time we have - and 4 out of those days, we lift weights. Also, he doesn’t drink, and I’ve had about an average of 1-2 glasses of wine per week.

I’m only weighing myself once a month so I don’t see results as often as he does. But right now, it looks like he’s lost twice as much as me in the same amount of time. So yeah, it’s frustrating.

Over the last 3 months, Bob has been the same supportive guy he’s always been. “Babe, your clothes are falling off!”, “Babe, you can totally tell”. Believe me when I say I know how lucky I am…he gets my ass out of bed in the morning for our 5:30 workouts, he is a full partner in getting breakfast made, snacks ready for the day, and dinner made, he cheers me on at the gym – noticing when I increase my resistance or weight lifted. Also, his success really is an inspiration. And he’s a good sport when I tell people (and the blogosphere) how annoyed I am with him.

So what can I do? Maybe step up my cardio, cut down on wine even more, but most importantly… just stay on the path. I actually feel pretty great too! I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself because I’ve been pretty good about creating a varied menu, trying new recipes, and having a piece of birthday cake when I want it (Bob’s bday was the 13th!). I’m sleeping and moving better. I really don’t see this as a “diet” that at some point I will go “off”. I’m enjoying this… and I can’t wait to see what I look like by the end of the year!

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Working It Out

Me in October 2005

At the beginning of 2007, I had mono. It knocked me out… for several months. And it totally messed with my body. Around that time, I stopped being able stomach animal protein. It started with red meat, and eventually I wasn’t even eating fish. I became a full-on vegetarian for 2 years. Over that period of time, I gained weight, continued to feel “off” and tired…a lot. I made a few half-hearted attempts at getting healthier… none of which really involved exercise.

I did start working out with a trainer in the fall of 2008 but financial and logistical reasons made me stop. At that time, I had a blog where I would journal my workouts, meals and losses. It was helpful for me, but it got boring and tedious after a while and I stopped around the time I stopped seeing the trainer.

In the spring of 2009, I just had to do something… I felt “toxic”… I don’t know how else to explain it. I did the Master Cleanse. The full 10 days. It wasn’t that hard, and I got through it. I lost 11 lbs… but the thing for me that was so amazing was that I found myself craving meat. I remember distinctly being at an event for Bob’s company during the cleanse. As they passed around appetizers, the thing that shocked me was that I was drooling over the roast beef canapés and not the chocolate covered strawberries!

When the cleanse was over, I gradually started adding meat back into my diet… mostly fish, chicken and turkey… very rarely will I eat red meat, and I still have issues with meat on the bone. BUT it was around then that I started to feel better. Then in the fall, after doing a lot of research, I stopped taking the birth control pills that I was on for years. No, I’m not trying to get pregnant… I’m just choosing not to use those pills anymore.

So here I am, 6 weeks into 2010 and I can honestly say I’m on the road to better health.

Ten Things I'm Doing Differently:

1. I’m working my ass off at the gym… literally. On January 1, Bob and I went for our first workout (not ever, of course, but as a part of this lifestyle change). We’ve been going 4 times a week ever since. In fact, last week we upped it to 5 – adding a day of just cardio.
   
2. We downloaded an app for our iPhones called “Lose It”, which is a calorie counter. Calories are something I’ve never counted before. Carbs, sure, but not calories. Anyway, we both faithfully enter every morsel of food that goes into our mouths and it’s been very enlightening. Did you know that a serving size of frozen yogurt is ½ a cup??
   
3. NOT depriving myself. If I want some chocolate, I have it. Just not the whole thing.
   
4. Eating mostly WHOLE foods. And if I buy anything prepared, it better have a short, recognizable ingredients list
   
5. Lots more water and green tea. I’ve always felt better when doing this.
   
6. Multi-vitamins, every day.
   
7. Reading motivational blogs written by healthy eaters, like Kath Eats Real Food
   
8. Eating at home more. This way, we can control what goes into our recipes
   
9. Eating at the dining room table, not in front of the TV.
   
10. Giving up the "all or nothing" mentality. In my former life, if I had a piece of cake or whatever, I would have said, "why even bother going to the gym today? I had a piece of cake last night." Now, I say "I had a piece of cake last night, I better work a bit harder at the gym today."

Why Working Out is Awesome:

• I feel so much better
• I move so much better
• I sleep so much better
• It’s fun to go with a workout partner… encouraging and pushing each other makes it interesting
• It decreases my appetite (I know…it’s supposed to increase it…)
• It’s a great way to start the day
• It clears your mind. Lots of thinking gets done on that elliptical.
• It’s so cool to see how much stronger I’ve become, just in 6 weeks

How much have I lost? I wish I could honestly say… I refused to weigh myself until Feb 1. I can tell you I’ve lost 5 lbs since then. So it seems that I’m losing at about a rate of 2.5 lbs per week, which “they” say is normal. I can tell you as a former low carber, it’s tough to see such slow weight loss but I know it’s the best way to do it. And the fact that I notice the difference in the way my clothes fit helps, too.

Another motivating factor for me is that my Dad is also working out now!! This is huge... my Dad was not a gym guy. But he is diabetic and needs to drop a few for his health. So when I found out he was working out too, I told him how great I thought it was. And I told him, "If you keep going, I'll keep going". It's a deal I'm not about to go back on.

I don’t intend to turn this blog into a “My Weight Loss Journey” blog or anything. I won’t be writing much about that stuff at all actually, other than to say “had a great workout today” or maybe mention a new fitness goal I’ve reached or complain that my husband is losing weight twice as fast as me. I’ve just been kind of holding off on posting because I wasn’t sure how I wanted to bring this part of my life into the blog, and it’s been a huge focus for me over the past 6 weeks. But less weight is part of the mission of this blog, as well as one of my goals for 2010. It’s time to work on my fitness.

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