Are You Ready for some Football?!

In connection to the "Only Human..." post: I have been feeling more like my hyper, energetic self lately; I am stronger in the gym and my runs are steady and consistent; and my closet has changed from things-that-have gotten-snug-on-me to things that hang well on me again. And because of all of this, I am happy, happy, happy! I likey.
BUT it all comes to a screeching halt because we had some people over for football yesterday (it's so hard to be an Eagles fan~ugh!). Normally this wouldn't be an obstacle for me at all, but nutrition-wise, it was a very bad day for Dee Kelly. When people bring side dishes, I feel obligated to try some partly because that look yummy and partly out of courtesy. Anyway, so brace yourself and listen to what I consumed: I ate a delicious berry/fruit tart thing, some buffalo chicken dip with Fritos, a brownie and another chocolate-peanut dessert square. I also had a few Bud Light Limes, which are so delish and go perfectly with football, and then two glasses of a fabulous red wine that my friend Kate brought over. Now, this did run the course of about seven hours, but still! It's all junk.
When we went to bed last night, I slept soundly until about 2:30 when woke up with the worst stomach ache/weird dizzy-stomach feeling. I couldn't fall back to sleep without out the help of my old friend Pepto Bismal, who we have renamed Pepto Dismal.
I feel okay today, mostly because we slept until 8:30! Also it is comforting that I have no plans to hit the gym today. Sometimes I think it is best not to exercise after a rough day like yesterday. I know I would be dragging @ss through my entire workout. Mentally that would do more harm than good; it would be more like a punishment instead of the exhilerating challenge that I like it to be. Instead, I will be productive in another way~at home organizing, catching up on laundry and making Christmas travel plans. Also today, I will clear the sludge out of my blood by getting plenty of clean food and cold water to prepare for tomorrow's workout. So, I certainly didn't keep the balance yesterday, but I am not going to dwell on it. I'm looking forward and moving on; I've got too much to do this week to worry about what I did yesterday...

In the Thick of the Season

The holidays are a special time of year, but be careful when characterizing them as that. You don't want to fall into the too common philosophy that you can treat your body like crap now and then start anew in January. You may barely make it through until January if you aren't providing your bod the nutrition that it craves. And forget starting anew, you will be starting with a handicap. Now personally, I know that I would be angry and resentful if I refused to let myself enjoy the holiday season and the treats that come with it, but I do realize that a night of fatty and sugary foods will kill me the next day and shorten my life over the long run. Here is how my brain works to try and keep the balance at a holiday gathering.

I don't eat before I go. To me that's silly. I know I'm going to nibble a bit while I'm there, so why would I eat my full meal before I go and tack on all those extra calories at the party? Even if I have a full stomach from home, that won't keep my away from the yummies that are all set up and looking delectable. Shoot, I'm only human afterall! I will grab an apple or some sugar snap peas before I go since these are cold, refreshing and healthy snacks. That puts my mind in a good place. It makes me feel proud that I am taking care of my body and rising above the stuff-your-face mentality. When I arrive at the get together, I still have those I'm-a-healthy-person thoughts in my mind and I do not want to add a bunch of sludge into my bloodstream. Now, on the other hand, I don't have this kind of selection in front of me on a day to day basis so I have to sample some of the treats presented. Ha ha~the keyword is sample! Get a good long look at what is offered and what is special, like only-at-Christmastime-special. I never snack on standard crackers and dip this time of year; I see that stuff all the time. I want to try a bite of the cranberry pecan cheesecake or my sister's homemade toffee. These are small holiday treats that only come around once a year. Have a piece of yummy #1, #2 and possibly #3, then go on with your night.

I'm a big socializer, but not a huge drinker. I do enjoy my dirty martini, as some of you may know, but I really only have it on special occassions. The calories just aren't worth it for me to have one every time we go out. Plus my liver would just plain hate me! I like to save my cocktail (or two) for one night a week...even during the holidays. I always like to start an occasion off with a glass of water. If that isn't one of the drinks offered, I sometimes will need to put my H2O in a wine glass. This gives me time to assess my surroundings and decide whether this is a night for me to have a cocktail or not. If I'm just not feeling it, I will stick with the water all night long. Sometimes it takes me a little while to decide if I am "feeling it" so why not hydrate in the process? And the fresh cold water maintains that clean, healthy taste in my mouth from my snack at home and makes me feel like my teeth are really white so I smile a lot! :o) Also, when I'm holding the wine glass, I don't seem to get as much pressure to drink (which is crazy coming from adults!) in the form of "why aren't you drinking?!" And holding a glass makes it a little more difficult to manuever a snack plate so I will have to think twice before I decide if the yummy is going to go in my mouth or not.

Try to remember that this get together is to visit with people~family, neighbors or office staff and their spouses~that you may not have seen since last year at this time. Take advantage of this time to catch up with those who are there. Rechannel your brain so that food isn't the first thing you focus on when you think of the holidays. You have many blessings to celebrate including a healthy body that works and people with whom to share your life.

What?! Oprah?!

Is Oprah FINALLY going to get it? She says that she is embarrassed that she is still talking about her weight after all of these years. Her goal for the new year is not to be skinny, but to be healthy, fit and strong. Halleluiah!! This has been my mantra for a long time now: be healthy from the inside out. It is more important what your organs and blood look like than what you look like in your skinny jeans, people. Once you can truly, 100% accept that, you are free.
Concentrate on what your body can do, not what it looks like. We are all born with different genes which result in our different shapes. Focusing on the flaws of your unique shape and exercising/eating solely to improve your unique shape is an unhealthy attitude which can lead to obsession. Look how long Oprah's obsession haslasted. Exercise and eat to improve your fitness level and to improve the efficiency of your body.
In my opinion, Oprah's biggest health-related accomplishment was running a marathon, not losing a wagon-full of fat. She trained for it and she ate for it, because if she didn't, she wouldn't have finished it. Let's celebrate that completed marathon! Yes, as a result, she dropped weight, but the weight-dropping should be looked at as a byproduct of the fitness goal, not the priority. I ask you to sit down and think about your priorities. Do some good, long thinking and let's get them straight for 2009. The shallow obsession of what shape we are really needs to end.

I'm Only Human Afterall

So after a month or so of being lazy and eating whatever was convenient, I have noticed that my clothes are fitting a bit snugger than they usually do. Not good; we are building a house right now and we don't have the extra cash for a new wardrobe! So, in a drastic move usually reserved for after the holidays, I have decided to stop the insanity and go entirely back to clean eating 24/7 to break myself of this ridiculous crap-eating phase.
I wasn't really awful with the snacks, but let's face it, Flavor Blasted Cheddar Goldfish aren't going to do anything good for your body...neither will tater tots, white rice or crusty cheese bread at dinnertime!
I have to say that I've also been feeling pretty wiped out by about 2:00 each day (duh, Dee...poor nutrition) which is just when I need to pick up my energy level and receive the kids from school/start after-school activity carpool/etc. Not a good time to feel sleepy. And not just sleepy, I actually felt heavy and sluggish. Yuck. Now, these are all things that I know and preach and also things that I usually avoid, but every now and then I,too have a down cycle. It starts slowly with a snack-size bag of Smartfood popcorn here and there and then it snowballs into a bag everyday. Before I know it, I am dragging my sorry self through the long day to bedtime.
I think I subconsciously do this to myself to remind me of a few things:
1. The crap-food isn't really that good.
2. I hate having to try on a handful of things before I find one that still fits me right.
3. I can't afford to start the downward energy crash each afternoon just as my munchkins are coming home.
4. Food is the source of my body's fuel. I want to give my body the good stuff so it will perform when I ask it to.
So today is day 4 of Operation Restore Energy. Day 1 was difficult because I had quickly developed pretty strong habits of lazy eating. (It's amazing how fast these habits can form!) I had to ask myself, "Am I really hungry, or do I just want this because I usually eat this at this time?" The afternoon munchies and the after dinner sweet-sweets were the hardest parts of the day. In the afternoon I just kept putting fruit into my mouth even though I wanted the goldfish desparately. So desparately, like a drug...scary. After dinner, I literally had to leave the house and walk the dogs. By the time I got back, all that cold, fresh air made me feel invigorated and healthy and I no longer wanted to eat anything sweet. Hooray, I made it.
On Day 2 I went out and bought some fresh produce. I came home and washed it and stocked it in bowls in my fridge for easy grabbing. Little trick: I have found that if I set out a note with my next meal written on it, when I come home, I am more likely to eat that than grab somthing quick to tide me over; kind of like a reminder note. I still wanted to revert back to unhealthy choices in the afternoon and after dinner~that desire should end soon. It better~it's hard!
Day 3 I was still getting a sugar-withdrawal headache at about 3:00 every the afternoon. Oh, they hurt! I never want to get another one again!
I have to say that this morning, Day 4, I finally feel less puffy. Not saying that I've lost weight (I don't really do the scale thing), but the puffiness that comes with eating too much processed food is subsiding. The average person carries around 8 pounds of excess water with them on a day to day basis. How easy would it be to drop that puffiness if you only increased your water intake and decreased your sodium/processed food intake? Wow.
So here I sit at Day 4 and wouldn't you know it the weekend is here. We have a bunch of things going on tomorrow with the kids' sports, but I will plan my food and pack it if necessary. I wouldn't say that I've come far this week, but I have done the hardest part and I don't want to have to do the hardest part again come Monday. I also need to break out of the whole weekend-let-yourself-go mentality. Some people call exercising and eating clean "being good", but when you think about it, "being good" is what your body craves. It feels good. If you've never been "good", then you don't know how good it can get!
Go be good.

Baby Steps Can Take You Places

This is an article of mine that was recently published in a local Maryland newspaper. Hooray for me! It is directed more toward the typical couch potato, but I thought that you guys could be remotivated by reading it. Enjoy.

Whether you’re interested in preventing future health conditions or you simply want to look better in your jeans, starting on the road to better fitness can be an overwhelming task. As cliché as it sounds, there really is no better time to start that journey than right now. Your time here on earth is short and your time is valuable. Why would you go through one more day of your precious life feeling sluggish and living like the rest of the unfit American population? You can argue that you want to enjoy your life by indulging in tasty treats and relaxing on the couch in your spare time. Or, on the other hand, you can honor your time here on earth and you can lengthen it by taking care of your vessel; your body. Your body will in turn honor you by giving you days, weeks and years of increased energy. These days, weeks and years will yield more events, more memories and more fulfillment.

The first step toward this new life is to generally understand what changes need to be made. This article is the first in a series to take you through this process and to guide you in the direction of healthier living. Chances are that you are pretty set in your ways and it is true that old habits die hard; you may need to make lots of changes. To give yourself a better chance of success, think about making small changes and taking baby steps. Only until you have mastered the first few small changes in your journey, should you begin to tackle the next. Don’t be overwhelmed with the size of the feat. Think about the journey as being part of the destination. Embrace the challenge and relish in each little change that you succeed in making.

Let’s get to work. Your first baby step is to move your body. If you’re already moving, you need to keep moving. The American Council on Exercise recommends 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 times a week for the average person. This could be done simply by walking through your neighborhood. (Of course your physician should be notified before you start any exercise regimen if you have preexisting conditions.) Start out slowly if you need to. A slow stroll is better than a slow snore on the couch. You are moving. Work yourself up to a brisk walk with long strides to stretch your tight hip flexors (where your leg meets your body) which could be contributing to your low back pain. Studies show that a brisk walk burns as many calories as a moderate jog. Stand tall, get your blood pumping and make your breathing heavy.

Now with all this moving, how will you prevent yourself from passing out with exhaustion? You need food. Your second baby step is to start to change your body’s fuel. Your body is much like your car; although, sadly, sometimes we take better care of our cars than our bodies! If you fill your body up with poor quality fuel, it will perform inefficiently. It burns through the fuel quickly and slows down to a sluggish pace until more fuel is added. How many times have you slowed to nearly a halt at 3:00 in the afternoon? No doubt it was preceded by a quick breakfast of coffee and a muffin, a quick lunch of something fast food-ish and maybe some M&Ms at the office for filler in between. Your body responds directly to what you put in it. That is hard for some people to grasp. Again, your body responds directly to what you put in it. Every morsel of food you eat is a drug that will affect your body in some way, whether it is good or bad. Food is powerful.

Changing your eating habits is not easy. Let’s start today by switching over from white, processed foods to whole grains. We’re talking about brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta. Try some shredded wheat for breakfast and some reduced-fat Triscuits to snack on. These whole grain foods will give your body energy that will last for a longer amount of time than their white-flour counterparts that practically turn to sugar the minute you put them into your mouth. Some of the whole grain choices taste differently, but so what. They’re not poison; get used to them; they will do good things for you. If you need to mix your pasta into ½ white and ½ wheat combo for a while, fine. It’s a good first step and it’s better than you’ve done in the past.

Lastly for now, carry a bottle of water around with you throughout the day. Shoot for 2 liters of water each day. It sounds like a lot and it will be tough to do if you don’t have the bottle handy. Keep the intake slow and steady to last all day. Does juice count? Not if it is loaded with sugar. Get rid of it. Does coffee count? Not if it is loaded with caffeine. It will actually dehydrate you. Cut back on it. Your body is almost 85% water. Imagine how it performs when you don’t replenish it sufficiently. Fresh cold water is the most important nutrient you can give your body.

Take the challenge and make a resolution to finish each year healthier than the way you started it. Try the 3 W’s--walking, whole grains and water—and make them a consistent part of your life, your new, full, long life.