Weight loss is hard. Really hard. I know this because I work with so many great women to help them on their journey. Every day, it's my job to EDUCATE them and MOTIVATE them. And I've been through it myself. Although I don't have to lose it anymore, I still have to maintain and live a healthy lifestyle and be an example to others around me. And still, 8 fit years later, I still have the desire [sometimes] and want something I can't have.
It's a constant battle.
It's been a week since my oral nightmare [that's what I call it now] and had my lower front tooth ripped out. Spent 3 days on a liquid diet. No problem. Just went back to eating some regular foods and then I went back today. Now they put a band, a rope actually, around the teeth surrounding my gaping space and tightened it to pull them together. Go back in two weeks to have it done again. No problem. I can do this. My ortho says "Liquid diet for 3 days" and I glare at him. I've already told him I don't like him. He says that will change. When?
So what do I want? Popcorn tops the list. A crunchy apple. Nuts. Carrots. Anything crunchy. Not necessarily bad food for ya, I just want to crunch something. And I can't.
When I was losing weight, I wanted chocolate. Really bad. It's still a battle, sometimes. It has gotten much better, with a lot of work though.
Why does your body crave something that you can't have - or that you shouldn't have? Does your body actually crave it...or is your mind playing tricks on you?
I just read a great book "The World is Fat" by Barry Popkin about the fads, trends, policies and products that are "fattening" the human race. It was very eye-opening, not only about the history of products and companies, but about the emotional aspect of obesity and how it affects people and the way they think. Your body will respond to the things you tell it. I know this.
I truly believe it is a matter of mind over body. Now if I could just get my body to listen to my mind. I'm determined to...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Liquid Diets
Do they work? Can't you lose so many pounds in so many days? That's what the ad says OR that's what happened to me when I was sick once.
I am forced into the world of liquid diets as I had oral surgery and cannot chew anything for 3 days. Oral surgery, ick, basically, they took out a tooth. A perfectly good one too. This is all in the "plans", I am in the 8th month of braces and all of a sudden, I have too many teeth to make a perfect smile, so they have to take one out. One in front. I recommended one in back, very back, but no, it's right in front. Ewww.
So, I start to think back, how long has it been since I was on a liquid diet? I've been fit and healthy for 8 years now, so it must have been before that. I used to go on them all the time. And the comments I get from people now are still the same that I got back then:
• "Hey, maybe you'll lose a few pounds from it. It won't be that bad!"
• "I do that anytime I want to lose weight for a special event"
• "It's complete torture, but the 5 lb weight loss was worth it"
However, this time, when I was planning my meals, I didn't think of it as torture or A WAY to lose weight. I thought of the great opportunities I would have to consume GREAT healthy food in a new way. I made a great sweet potato soup with sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and chicken broth. I tried new cottage cheese concoctions in my blender, using fresh fruits. I tried different spices in my protein shakes and combinations with fruits for different flavors. I kept my nutrition plan on base and I enjoyed my meals, I didn't feel like I was suffering - like I did before when on a liquid diet.
Here are some of the drawbacks to a liquid diet:
• If you are not getting enough variety of fruits and veggies, protein and carbs, you are starving your body, depriving it of what it really needs.
• Cranky, cranky, cranky - God forbid you go on a liquid diet around that time of month - yikes! The hubby and kids stay away...
• Weakness in your body. No energy. Not feeding your body properly so the body rebels.
And here, my favorite reason:
• YOU GIVE YOUR BODY FALSE HOPE THAT A LIQUID DIET WORKS. What am I talking about? I'm talking about going on a liquid diet to lose a few pounds. I'm talking about trying something that is harmful to your body in order to get a FAST result that is NOT permanent. I have a family member who shall remain nameless...and has been overweight since I have known her and every time she gets overwhelmed about it, she goes on a liquid diet. She loses a few lbs. and then proceeds to put it back on when she starts eating real food. But, IN HER MIND, she is telling herself "THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS" and that's why she keeps going back to it.
It's an emotional battle. And that's what I am all about. I don't want to be a typical trainer. I am not. Losing weight is more than working out and eating right. It is an EMOTIONAL journey. And I am happy to say, I am READY. Liquid diet for 3 days, no problem. My body is still strong and ready for battle. My mind is still strong and ready for battle. I know what works and it's my job to get it out there and I can tell you from personal experience, LIQUID DIETS DON'T WORK. Now find out what does.
I am forced into the world of liquid diets as I had oral surgery and cannot chew anything for 3 days. Oral surgery, ick, basically, they took out a tooth. A perfectly good one too. This is all in the "plans", I am in the 8th month of braces and all of a sudden, I have too many teeth to make a perfect smile, so they have to take one out. One in front. I recommended one in back, very back, but no, it's right in front. Ewww.
So, I start to think back, how long has it been since I was on a liquid diet? I've been fit and healthy for 8 years now, so it must have been before that. I used to go on them all the time. And the comments I get from people now are still the same that I got back then:
• "Hey, maybe you'll lose a few pounds from it. It won't be that bad!"
• "I do that anytime I want to lose weight for a special event"
• "It's complete torture, but the 5 lb weight loss was worth it"
However, this time, when I was planning my meals, I didn't think of it as torture or A WAY to lose weight. I thought of the great opportunities I would have to consume GREAT healthy food in a new way. I made a great sweet potato soup with sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and chicken broth. I tried new cottage cheese concoctions in my blender, using fresh fruits. I tried different spices in my protein shakes and combinations with fruits for different flavors. I kept my nutrition plan on base and I enjoyed my meals, I didn't feel like I was suffering - like I did before when on a liquid diet.
Here are some of the drawbacks to a liquid diet:
• If you are not getting enough variety of fruits and veggies, protein and carbs, you are starving your body, depriving it of what it really needs.
• Cranky, cranky, cranky - God forbid you go on a liquid diet around that time of month - yikes! The hubby and kids stay away...
• Weakness in your body. No energy. Not feeding your body properly so the body rebels.
And here, my favorite reason:
• YOU GIVE YOUR BODY FALSE HOPE THAT A LIQUID DIET WORKS. What am I talking about? I'm talking about going on a liquid diet to lose a few pounds. I'm talking about trying something that is harmful to your body in order to get a FAST result that is NOT permanent. I have a family member who shall remain nameless...and has been overweight since I have known her and every time she gets overwhelmed about it, she goes on a liquid diet. She loses a few lbs. and then proceeds to put it back on when she starts eating real food. But, IN HER MIND, she is telling herself "THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS" and that's why she keeps going back to it.
It's an emotional battle. And that's what I am all about. I don't want to be a typical trainer. I am not. Losing weight is more than working out and eating right. It is an EMOTIONAL journey. And I am happy to say, I am READY. Liquid diet for 3 days, no problem. My body is still strong and ready for battle. My mind is still strong and ready for battle. I know what works and it's my job to get it out there and I can tell you from personal experience, LIQUID DIETS DON'T WORK. Now find out what does.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Atlanta '15th fittest of big cities, report says
This is hard to believe at times when traffic is blocked on roads at lunchtime because of long lines at McD's and other fast-food chains...
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/01/newscolumn5.html
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/06/01/newscolumn5.html
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
It's Still An Oreo...
The Oreo Cookie...such a simple cookie. Everyone knows it, everyone has tried it, most everyone loves it. So what part does it play in a healthy nutrition plan or if you are trying to lose weight, where does it fit in?
Well first of all, let's look at the ingredients. It's made of the finest - sugar, enriched flour, high oleic canola oil, high fructose corn syrup and cornstarch - these are just the first five ingredients.
Serving size - 3 cookies
Calories 160
Fat 7g
Carb 25g
Protein 1g
Not a good choice if you are trying to eat healthy. OH, but I got the REDUCED FAT oreos, a client says...okay, let's look at the ingredients. Still made of the finest - sugar, enriched flour, high oleic canola oil, high frustrose corn syrup and fructose - followed by cornstarch.
Serving size - 3 cookies
Calories 150
Fat 4.5g
Carb 27g
Protein 1g
The package says 30% reduced fat. Wow. You save 10 whole calories. Fat is reduced from 7g to 4.5g. Doesn't tell you that carb goes from 25g to 27g.
OH AGAIN, I only buy the 100 calorie packs of oreos, another client says...okay, let's look at the ingredients. STILL made of - enriched flour, sugar, high oleic canola oil, high fructose corn syrup and cocoa.
Serving size 1 pack
Calories 100
Fat 2g
Carb 19g
Protein 1g
Okay, here is where I'm going to vary. Shock and awe. IT'S STILL AN OREO. It's still a cookie, made out of sugar, enriched flour and other sugars. Not good for you. What does it do to your body? Two words for women -- HORMONES AND METABOLISM. Messes you up.
Many times when I am working with a client and doing a nutritonal analysis, there are little things like this, an oreo cookie packet here or there. You don't want to eat the REAL one because it's "bad for you", so you go with the REDUCED fat oreo so it's somehow "better for you". Then you go with the 100 CALORIE pack because that's even better for you, right? WRONG!
IT'S STILL AN OREO COOKIE! Look at the ingredients. They are practically the same, regardless of how the product is "marketed" to appear to be healthier. You may think that you are saving your body from the bad original oreo, but I'm telling you, you're not. It still has the same ingredients and it will still do the same thing to your body, which when you are trying to lose weight, is not help you at all. Keeps you from making progress.
So what does this mean? Will you EVER get to eat an oreo again? Well, that's up to you. As a former oreo bratpack, I haven't had one in years, can't remember the last one. Do I miss them? Hmmm, no, not really. It took a while to get to that point, but no, I don't miss them. I know what the ingredients do to my body - my metabolism and my hormones - including depression, fat gain, puffy feeling, low energy, madness. And I know what it's like to go without them for a while and I LOVE that feeling - positive energy, lean stomach all the time, strong, happiness. That's what I want to help my clients feel.
It's not just about the oreo cookie, but about any food in your nutrition plan that is filled with these unhealthy, unnatural ingredients. Replace with natural, healthy foods - fresh fruit and veggies, healthy carbs, lean proteins. Stay away from the packaged foods that I call poison. I went to the store to look up these ratios on oreo cookies and Ethan was with me, my 12 year old son. I was trying to explain to him the difference as I wrote down the ratios, telling him about "marketing" and making good decisions and how it's so easy to be misled, and then when I am done, he asks me "Are we getting some oreos?" UGH....no, we didn't get any oreos!!!
Stay strong and make healthy choices!
Sandi
Well first of all, let's look at the ingredients. It's made of the finest - sugar, enriched flour, high oleic canola oil, high fructose corn syrup and cornstarch - these are just the first five ingredients.
Serving size - 3 cookies
Calories 160
Fat 7g
Carb 25g
Protein 1g
Not a good choice if you are trying to eat healthy. OH, but I got the REDUCED FAT oreos, a client says...okay, let's look at the ingredients. Still made of the finest - sugar, enriched flour, high oleic canola oil, high frustrose corn syrup and fructose - followed by cornstarch.
Serving size - 3 cookies
Calories 150
Fat 4.5g
Carb 27g
Protein 1g
The package says 30% reduced fat. Wow. You save 10 whole calories. Fat is reduced from 7g to 4.5g. Doesn't tell you that carb goes from 25g to 27g.
OH AGAIN, I only buy the 100 calorie packs of oreos, another client says...okay, let's look at the ingredients. STILL made of - enriched flour, sugar, high oleic canola oil, high fructose corn syrup and cocoa.
Serving size 1 pack
Calories 100
Fat 2g
Carb 19g
Protein 1g
Okay, here is where I'm going to vary. Shock and awe. IT'S STILL AN OREO. It's still a cookie, made out of sugar, enriched flour and other sugars. Not good for you. What does it do to your body? Two words for women -- HORMONES AND METABOLISM. Messes you up.
Many times when I am working with a client and doing a nutritonal analysis, there are little things like this, an oreo cookie packet here or there. You don't want to eat the REAL one because it's "bad for you", so you go with the REDUCED fat oreo so it's somehow "better for you". Then you go with the 100 CALORIE pack because that's even better for you, right? WRONG!
IT'S STILL AN OREO COOKIE! Look at the ingredients. They are practically the same, regardless of how the product is "marketed" to appear to be healthier. You may think that you are saving your body from the bad original oreo, but I'm telling you, you're not. It still has the same ingredients and it will still do the same thing to your body, which when you are trying to lose weight, is not help you at all. Keeps you from making progress.
So what does this mean? Will you EVER get to eat an oreo again? Well, that's up to you. As a former oreo bratpack, I haven't had one in years, can't remember the last one. Do I miss them? Hmmm, no, not really. It took a while to get to that point, but no, I don't miss them. I know what the ingredients do to my body - my metabolism and my hormones - including depression, fat gain, puffy feeling, low energy, madness. And I know what it's like to go without them for a while and I LOVE that feeling - positive energy, lean stomach all the time, strong, happiness. That's what I want to help my clients feel.
It's not just about the oreo cookie, but about any food in your nutrition plan that is filled with these unhealthy, unnatural ingredients. Replace with natural, healthy foods - fresh fruit and veggies, healthy carbs, lean proteins. Stay away from the packaged foods that I call poison. I went to the store to look up these ratios on oreo cookies and Ethan was with me, my 12 year old son. I was trying to explain to him the difference as I wrote down the ratios, telling him about "marketing" and making good decisions and how it's so easy to be misled, and then when I am done, he asks me "Are we getting some oreos?" UGH....no, we didn't get any oreos!!!
Stay strong and make healthy choices!
Sandi
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Hurts and Injuries
Read a great article about sports injuries - The Big Hurt by Benjamin H. Cheever in Runner's World, August 2009.
Ouch, this put it into perspective! The author talks about trying to recover from running injuries - what he used and didn't use, everything he tried. There are many good quotes and stories, read the article, but one hit me -- he was visiting Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection:
"Rage collects in the unconscious, and then the brain helps take your mind off of this by giving you a hurt. Dr. Sarno said that when my piriformis began acting up, I should try to think about what is really bothering me. 'Take it from the physical ball park and into the psychological', he said to me."
I believe this to be true, not only in my life, but I see it in my clients' as well. People bottle up their emotions or shove things under the carpet and expect that their body doesn't know what is going on. Then, they experience an injury and have a hard time getting over it. They may feel better, but the issue is still there and sometimes they can be injured over and over again and still not get the original problem solved. I love that phrase "what is really bothering me". When I work with women who reach a plateau, I say something similar to them, but "what is holding you back?" There are so many EMOTIONAL issues and problems that manifest themselves into your physical bodies.
I remember back in 2001 when I was losing my weight and frustrated at a plateau and my trainer Jeremy Likness told me "Sandi, unless you get this fixed [my problem], you will not lose any weight". I always remember that because that's when I made the decision to GET IT FIXED, to stop overlooking my true feelings and to stop shoving things under the carpet. And of course, I starting losing the weight, 70 lbs. of it.
I encourage you, if you are hurting, whether constant or sporadic, to look at your emotional side and see what is really bothering you. It's worth it, it was to me!
Ouch, this put it into perspective! The author talks about trying to recover from running injuries - what he used and didn't use, everything he tried. There are many good quotes and stories, read the article, but one hit me -- he was visiting Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection:
"Rage collects in the unconscious, and then the brain helps take your mind off of this by giving you a hurt. Dr. Sarno said that when my piriformis began acting up, I should try to think about what is really bothering me. 'Take it from the physical ball park and into the psychological', he said to me."
I believe this to be true, not only in my life, but I see it in my clients' as well. People bottle up their emotions or shove things under the carpet and expect that their body doesn't know what is going on. Then, they experience an injury and have a hard time getting over it. They may feel better, but the issue is still there and sometimes they can be injured over and over again and still not get the original problem solved. I love that phrase "what is really bothering me". When I work with women who reach a plateau, I say something similar to them, but "what is holding you back?" There are so many EMOTIONAL issues and problems that manifest themselves into your physical bodies.
I remember back in 2001 when I was losing my weight and frustrated at a plateau and my trainer Jeremy Likness told me "Sandi, unless you get this fixed [my problem], you will not lose any weight". I always remember that because that's when I made the decision to GET IT FIXED, to stop overlooking my true feelings and to stop shoving things under the carpet. And of course, I starting losing the weight, 70 lbs. of it.
I encourage you, if you are hurting, whether constant or sporadic, to look at your emotional side and see what is really bothering you. It's worth it, it was to me!
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