Sunday, July 27, 2014
I've moved...
Just a quick note to tell you that I have moved my blog to www.StraittoHealth.com Stop by and check out my enhanced website and blog! :-) You can also find me on FB at www.Facebook.com/StraitToHealth.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Feeling yucky - sugar detox? hmmm...
Hello friends! I haven't posted in a few days... I've been feeling yucky! I woke up a few days ago and just couldn't get awake and felt achy in my elbows and shoulder joints; bad thing is that I haven't been able to shake this feeling for a few days. (boo, hiss!) I wondered if perhaps I wasn't drinking enough water (I still struggle with that) or if I just wasn't getting enough potassium (my nutrition tracker on MyFitnessPal showed that my diet was low on potassium - I tried eating more bananas but it didn't help very much). Since this has lingered as long as it has, I got thinking about the fact that I have been eating a much healthier diet and haven't been eating as many carbs nor as much sugar so perhaps my body was detoxing as part of getting healthier. So, I did some research and here is what I learned:
Next thing I learned is that even though I had seriously decreased the amount of sugar and carbs that I was eating, I just learned that I was still consuming more of each than was truly ideal. According to the FDA my Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) (assuming I wanted to lose 1 lb. per week) for carbs was 216 grams per day and for sugar was 65 grams per day. HOWEVER, further research indicates that a healthier RDI for someone like me (pre-diabetic and overweight) is actually 55 grams of carbs and 25 grams of sugar! WOW!!! That's a big difference!! I thought I had been doing so well with my reduced consumption of carbs and sugars until I started looking at them based on these revised recommendations. I have updated my goals in "MyFitnessPal" (an app where I track my food, exercise, weight and measurements). The one thing I keep thinking is: how much carbs and sugar was I eating BEFORE I decided to get healthy?? I can't even imagine how much I was consuming; it's overwhelming to me!! No wonder I am overweight!! BUT... I am doing well on my journey to get healthy and I'm not looking back!! I feel better when I am eating fewer carbs and sugar, so I am going to stick with it!!
That's all for now...
Stay healthy my friends...
Thursday, July 3, 2014
When Perception and Reality are Vastly Different
Here is a #TBT (Throwback Thursday) blog post :-)
I've been thinking a lot about perception vs. reality. Specifically, I've been thinking about how I thought I was SO FAT when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I had people in my life tell me that I was fat... and I believed them. What is really crazy about this is that I weigh about 80 pounds more now than I did then and in my mind I am just as fat now as I was then. Yes, I saw myself then the way I look now... WHAT?!?!? I was NOT fat then! I was at my ideal weight; I was thin.
This was then:
Here is now:
I certainly can't change any of the past but I certainly can change my future! I know that every step I take is one step closer to my goal!!
Stay healthy my friends...
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
June 2104 Recap
Here's a recap of my progress and struggles for June 2014. Overall it has been a good month. I think I have a good momentum going and am enjoying the process. I am also enjoying feeling healthier!! My family is being encouraging each night when I take my walk as well as when I do my floor exercises (except the dogs who think I am on the floor to play with and pet them). They are also patient with me when I can't sit down with them at the start of a meal because I am weighing and measuring my food as well as when I sit at the table logging my food so that I don't forget anything. My sweet hubby, has even mentioned that he's noticed that I am carrying myself differently (that I am standing straighter, walking taller). I also feel very blessed by the encouragement I have received from all my friends. Many, many thanks to all of you for making my journey that much nicer!! :-)
So, here we go with the nitty gritty details (I still can't believe I am sharing these facts on the internet for all to see)... First, I am down a total of 5 lbs. for the month. Here's a summary of my measurements:
June 11, 2014 July 1, 2014 Net difference
Weight: 217 lbs. 212 lbs. -5 lbs.
Upper arm 15" 15" none
Abs (at fullest point) 45.5" 42" - 3.5"
Waist 44" 43" -1"
Hips 50.5" 49" -1.5"
Thigh 27.5" 27" -0.5"
And here is my official picture for July 1, 2014:
I am the most amazed by the 3.5" lost off my upper abdomen. I know that I have been much more mindful of holding my abs in while walking (both just in general as well as when I am on my walks). So, perhaps that is helping to tone up those muscles. Also, my daily floor exercises focus on my core so that is likely helping as well. I am going to keep working on this area because it is my biggest problem area in my opinion. (I will feel a lot better in my clothes when this area is slimmed down!)
Things that appear to be working for me:
1. As you may have read on my FB page, I have been eating more good protein, healthy fats and more veggies. I have found that I feel better when I limit my carbs and sugars. (I have also learned a lot about insulin and hormone-sensitive lipase, but I will share that in more detail later in a whole separate post.)
2. I have been walking and exercising more. Thanks to the MapMyWalk app on my phone, I have been logging all of my walking and exercising. Since June 14th I have logged 21.25 miles walked (11 walks) and 2 hrs, 41 minutes of exercising (10 workouts). Funny, I really do feel better since exercising more. I never would have thought that.
3. My sugar cravings are down. It has been 5 weeks since I've had any pop/soda! That is amazing for me!! This has been a continual struggle for me; I was always craving sugar and pop. I had a hard time making it through lunch time and the afternoon without a glass of pop (or two). I have tried a variety of things in the past without success. This time I did one thing differently: each day I drink 1 ounce of Young Living's Ningxia Red and take 2 drops of Ocotea essential oil. The Ningxia Red is made from wolfberry puree from China's Ningxia province as well as other super fruits and is good for a variety of health issues. (If you want to know more, click here. ) As far as the ocotea essential oil, it comes from a tree in Ecuador and is beneficial in maintaining blood sugar levels, weight management, and is an excellent anti-inflammatory. (You can read more about it here, if you are interested.) Can I prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these two things are what has cured my sugar addiction? No, I most certainly cannot; but this is the only thing I have done differently regarding sugar and it seems to be working... and I am going to keep doing it!!
But, all isn't rosy, there are still some things I struggle with:
1. I have a hard time getting enough water. I have tried a variety of things but I am still falling short of 107 oz. per day (that is half my body weight in ounces). I know that I need more water, I am just having a hard time with it. I'll keep trying though!!
2. The other day we had a family afternoon at the beach and on the way home we stopped for an ice cream cone. I had a luscious scoop of double chocolate almond (yum!), however, since then I am craving that ice cream; not all sweets, just this particular ice cream (there are other kinds in the freezer for the kids and I have no temptation for any of those - go figure!).
3. I need to work on finding local, affordable sources for grass-fed/pastured meat. I know that grocery-store meat is full of lots of hormones and other yuck that is not good for us, so I need to get better quality meat... that actually fits my budget. I also need to commit to shopping more at the local farmers' markets, especially for produce that is grown organically and not sprayed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
4. I'm having a hard time getting to sleep at night. I wonder if my nightly walk is too late in the day and my body is having a hard time settling in. I need to do some research on this.
Well, that's my update!! I am making progress and that feels great!! Thanks again for all the wonderful encouragement; it means the world to me!!!
Stay healthy my friends...
So, here we go with the nitty gritty details (I still can't believe I am sharing these facts on the internet for all to see)... First, I am down a total of 5 lbs. for the month. Here's a summary of my measurements:
June 11, 2014 July 1, 2014 Net difference
Weight: 217 lbs. 212 lbs. -5 lbs.
Upper arm 15" 15" none
Abs (at fullest point) 45.5" 42" - 3.5"
Waist 44" 43" -1"
Hips 50.5" 49" -1.5"
Thigh 27.5" 27" -0.5"
And here is my official picture for July 1, 2014:
I am the most amazed by the 3.5" lost off my upper abdomen. I know that I have been much more mindful of holding my abs in while walking (both just in general as well as when I am on my walks). So, perhaps that is helping to tone up those muscles. Also, my daily floor exercises focus on my core so that is likely helping as well. I am going to keep working on this area because it is my biggest problem area in my opinion. (I will feel a lot better in my clothes when this area is slimmed down!)
Things that appear to be working for me:
1. As you may have read on my FB page, I have been eating more good protein, healthy fats and more veggies. I have found that I feel better when I limit my carbs and sugars. (I have also learned a lot about insulin and hormone-sensitive lipase, but I will share that in more detail later in a whole separate post.)
2. I have been walking and exercising more. Thanks to the MapMyWalk app on my phone, I have been logging all of my walking and exercising. Since June 14th I have logged 21.25 miles walked (11 walks) and 2 hrs, 41 minutes of exercising (10 workouts). Funny, I really do feel better since exercising more. I never would have thought that.
3. My sugar cravings are down. It has been 5 weeks since I've had any pop/soda! That is amazing for me!! This has been a continual struggle for me; I was always craving sugar and pop. I had a hard time making it through lunch time and the afternoon without a glass of pop (or two). I have tried a variety of things in the past without success. This time I did one thing differently: each day I drink 1 ounce of Young Living's Ningxia Red and take 2 drops of Ocotea essential oil. The Ningxia Red is made from wolfberry puree from China's Ningxia province as well as other super fruits and is good for a variety of health issues. (If you want to know more, click here. ) As far as the ocotea essential oil, it comes from a tree in Ecuador and is beneficial in maintaining blood sugar levels, weight management, and is an excellent anti-inflammatory. (You can read more about it here, if you are interested.) Can I prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these two things are what has cured my sugar addiction? No, I most certainly cannot; but this is the only thing I have done differently regarding sugar and it seems to be working... and I am going to keep doing it!!
But, all isn't rosy, there are still some things I struggle with:
1. I have a hard time getting enough water. I have tried a variety of things but I am still falling short of 107 oz. per day (that is half my body weight in ounces). I know that I need more water, I am just having a hard time with it. I'll keep trying though!!
2. The other day we had a family afternoon at the beach and on the way home we stopped for an ice cream cone. I had a luscious scoop of double chocolate almond (yum!), however, since then I am craving that ice cream; not all sweets, just this particular ice cream (there are other kinds in the freezer for the kids and I have no temptation for any of those - go figure!).
3. I need to work on finding local, affordable sources for grass-fed/pastured meat. I know that grocery-store meat is full of lots of hormones and other yuck that is not good for us, so I need to get better quality meat... that actually fits my budget. I also need to commit to shopping more at the local farmers' markets, especially for produce that is grown organically and not sprayed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
4. I'm having a hard time getting to sleep at night. I wonder if my nightly walk is too late in the day and my body is having a hard time settling in. I need to do some research on this.
Well, that's my update!! I am making progress and that feels great!! Thanks again for all the wonderful encouragement; it means the world to me!!!
Stay healthy my friends...
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
What is your Nutritional Type?
Did you even know that you had a nutritional type? No? I didn't either...
According to Dr. Mercola, there are three main nutritional types: Protein, Carb, and Mixed. Those who are a Protein type can eat high-quality proteins and fats freely but need to be careful with carbs. Those who are a Carb type freely eat high-quality carbs but need to be very careful with protein and fats. And, finally, those with a Mixed type are blessed with the ability to tolerate both carbs and protein as long as combined appropriately.
Perhaps you already know how your body responds best - either to protein, to carbs or equally well to both. However, if you would like to take a little quiz to see for sure, go to this page and there is a yellowish-colored box on the right hand side of the page about a quarter of the way down that will take you to the quiz (the rest of the info on this page is great as well, so be sure to read through all of what's there). You need to merely enter your name and email address (so they can email you your results) then go right on to the quiz. Once you answer the 20 questions, you will find out your nutritional type as well as be able to download a food chart with the best foods for your type as well as a file called "Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type." This is more than just a cookbook; the first 50-ish pages have a lot of information about the research behind nutritional types as well as additional tips and ideas for each type; then there is approx. 250 pages of great recipes. I learned a lot from both of these resources and will likely refer to them often!!
Just from the basic information I read, I was pretty sure that I was a protein type. I have learned through each pregnancy that my body doesn't do well with carbs plus in the past month I have tried very hard to keep my carbs in check (especially white flour, white sugar, white rice, etc.) to keep my insulin levels balanced. By focusing more on quality protein, healthy fats, and a variety of veggies, I find that I feel great, don't crave pop and sugary foods, and am satisfied longer after meals. The quiz confirmed this but then also gave me lots of resources for good food combinations, meal suggestions, etc. I am glad I took the time to do the quiz.
So, what nutritional type do you think you are? I encourage you to take the quiz and grab the great resources that go along with it! Let me know what you think!
Stay healthy my friends...
According to Dr. Mercola, there are three main nutritional types: Protein, Carb, and Mixed. Those who are a Protein type can eat high-quality proteins and fats freely but need to be careful with carbs. Those who are a Carb type freely eat high-quality carbs but need to be very careful with protein and fats. And, finally, those with a Mixed type are blessed with the ability to tolerate both carbs and protein as long as combined appropriately.
Perhaps you already know how your body responds best - either to protein, to carbs or equally well to both. However, if you would like to take a little quiz to see for sure, go to this page and there is a yellowish-colored box on the right hand side of the page about a quarter of the way down that will take you to the quiz (the rest of the info on this page is great as well, so be sure to read through all of what's there). You need to merely enter your name and email address (so they can email you your results) then go right on to the quiz. Once you answer the 20 questions, you will find out your nutritional type as well as be able to download a food chart with the best foods for your type as well as a file called "Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type." This is more than just a cookbook; the first 50-ish pages have a lot of information about the research behind nutritional types as well as additional tips and ideas for each type; then there is approx. 250 pages of great recipes. I learned a lot from both of these resources and will likely refer to them often!!
Just from the basic information I read, I was pretty sure that I was a protein type. I have learned through each pregnancy that my body doesn't do well with carbs plus in the past month I have tried very hard to keep my carbs in check (especially white flour, white sugar, white rice, etc.) to keep my insulin levels balanced. By focusing more on quality protein, healthy fats, and a variety of veggies, I find that I feel great, don't crave pop and sugary foods, and am satisfied longer after meals. The quiz confirmed this but then also gave me lots of resources for good food combinations, meal suggestions, etc. I am glad I took the time to do the quiz.
So, what nutritional type do you think you are? I encourage you to take the quiz and grab the great resources that go along with it! Let me know what you think!
Stay healthy my friends...
#letsgetfit
#challengeyourself #letsgethealthy
#healthy
#motivation
#inspiration
#determined #nutrition
Here's a fun challenge - let's do 30 miles in July!!
Who's up for a challenge?!? A sweet friend in Texas (big wave to Colleen!) was telling me that her trainer (Tiffani Findley Allamon) has challenged her bootcampers to do 30 miles in July - that is 30 miles of walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming, rollerblading or whatever other exercising you do that can be tallied in miles (no, driving does NOT count - LOL!). CHALLENGE starts Tuesday (today!)! Let's see how many people we can get moving in July.
All you have to do is give a shout out on FB or Twitter that you are joining the challenge; be sure to use #MyJuly30Miles for tracking! You can also search #MyJuly30Miles to see who else has accepted the challenge as well as to give (and get) encouragement!!
I'm in; how about you??
#letsgetfit
#challengeyourself #letsgethealthy
#healthy
#motivation
#inspiration
#determined
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Motivation!
Let's talk about motivation for just a moment...
I just finished logging my daily food intake into my MyFitnessPal app. I was under my calorie goal quite substantially today (actually two days in a row). Not sure why though - I ate when I was hungry and I felt satisfied all day; I am not starving myself (just in case anyone was worried :-) ). For some reason I have just not felt hungry lately... not complaining though... :-) :-)
Well, when I completed my entry today it told me at the bottom of the page that if every day were like today, I'd weigh 199.7 lbs in 5 weeks!! (It is still hard actually sharing that number... sigh...) That will be down 16 lbs from what I weigh now!! Holy crap!! WHOOP WHOOP!!
That is awesome!! Now I know that not every day will be like today - I am realistic. HOWEVER, this does mean that what I am doing could actually work and that was very motivating! That one sentence will keep me watching what I eat and will keep me exercising twice a day!!
HAPPY DANCE!! HAPPY DANCE!! But it will be an even happier dance when my scale actually reads 199.7 lbs!!
Quick side note:
I do have to say though, that if you or anyone you know are trying to be healthier and/or lose weight, I highly recommend logging your food intake and exercise into an app such as MyFitnessPal or one similar to it. I have been watching what I eat and making healthier food choices the past several weeks, but when you have to actually look at how many calories, sugar, carbs, etc. are in a food item and see how those items all add up at the end of the day, you truly do look at your food differently. I am much more mindful to not finish Bekah's sandwich or nibble a little of the macaroni and cheese sitting on the counter when I know that I have to log those items (yes, I am being that careful and actual with what I log). It is also motivating to see how your exercise adjusts the amount of calories you can consume as well. So, apps like MyFitnessPal get two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me. (No, this is not any kind of affiliate endorsement - it's a free app or you can use it for free online as well - I actually use both all day long.)
That's all for now...
Stay healthy my friends...
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