So, like many who are trying to lose weight, my first goal was to lose 10% of my original body weight. I have done that in just about 2 1/2 months, 11 weeks to be precise. So far, I'm averaging 3.5 lbs loss a week. I cannot anticipate to continue at that rate, although it would certainly be nice. I'm in this for the long haul, and I do not want to sabotage what I've worked so hard to accomplish.
Tonight, I was challenged by a student/family potluck for my daughter, who is a senior in high school. I planned ahead and brought my own meal prep container filled with food I knew I could eat on plan. I did have a few things from the potluck, a few pieces of fruit, a piece of sushi, and a single chocolate crinkle cookie off the dessert table. I decided before going to make sure I made very careful choices. Homemade items I would not get a chance to repeat, and or items that would fit on plan and would be okay. This pre-planning and decision making is what kept me strong throughout.
To celebrate my goal my daughters plan to help me dye my hair, and then my hubby is going to take me to get it cut. I hope to do that tonight, but it may have to wait until the weekend since we have a week busy with graduation events.
My next big goal is to get below 300, that means I have about 25lbs to lose to get there. I'm planning on adding more exercise to my program, and I'm finding that challenging. So, another of my goals is to be able to ride my bicycle to the local co-op, and eventually to the farmer's market. What are your goals?
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Monday, May 29, 2017
Memorial Day!
Today, let's take a moment to remember those that have served our country, and especially the many that have died in that service. Those lives are the foundation of this country, they are the people who make our freedoms possible. Thank you!
My grandfather served in World War II, and today I am reflecting on so many happy memories of him. He didn't go overseas, and a part of me is glad for this, because if he had I may not have had the pleasure of spending so much time with him. I am blessed in that as a child we essentially lived in my grandparent's backyard. I spent many days with my grandpa, when he wasn't away working.
It seems that most of my favorite memories of him involve the garden. Growing up, we always had a huge garden. I have many happy memories of both my grandparents in the garden, but with my grandpa I remember picking strawberries, and the long sticks with cans that he made so we could harvest the fruit in the trees without an orchard ladder. (I'm not really sure why we never had an orchard ladder, we had many fruit trees.) I also remember the year we planted corn. We may have done it more than once, but I only remember once. That year my grandfather taught me about how tasty baby corn is, my grandma wasn't thrilled about this!
Ah...The garden. Some of my funniest memories of him are in the garden too. He used to sit out in a lawn chair with his pistol and shoot at the gophers. I think it was somehow therapeutic to him. The thing my husband still laughs about, and teases me about, is that when I was really little my grandfather convinced me that little girls could be pulled down into gopher holes by the gopher. He told me my only defense was to put my arms out so they couldn't pull me all the way down and shout gopher so they could come rescue me. We had many "Gopher Drills". He would shout gopher and I would put my arms out as quickly as I could. There was a part of me that is embarrassed by how silly I was, but I realize more all the time how my grandfather's sense of humor is part of my heritage.
A heritage I'm proud to be part of. It is gratifying to see how it passes down in the generations. I see quite a bit of my grandfather's sense of humor in my youngest daughter. She just makes me laugh, but she has that same dry wit. I see him in myself when I get obsessed with a topic and can't stop researching it, or when I find yet another thing I'm interested in. He had a quick wit, he was well read, and he had a playful side I have really come to appreciate. Thank you grandpa, for being such an important part of my life, and future.
My grandfather served in World War II, and today I am reflecting on so many happy memories of him. He didn't go overseas, and a part of me is glad for this, because if he had I may not have had the pleasure of spending so much time with him. I am blessed in that as a child we essentially lived in my grandparent's backyard. I spent many days with my grandpa, when he wasn't away working.
It seems that most of my favorite memories of him involve the garden. Growing up, we always had a huge garden. I have many happy memories of both my grandparents in the garden, but with my grandpa I remember picking strawberries, and the long sticks with cans that he made so we could harvest the fruit in the trees without an orchard ladder. (I'm not really sure why we never had an orchard ladder, we had many fruit trees.) I also remember the year we planted corn. We may have done it more than once, but I only remember once. That year my grandfather taught me about how tasty baby corn is, my grandma wasn't thrilled about this!
Ah...The garden. Some of my funniest memories of him are in the garden too. He used to sit out in a lawn chair with his pistol and shoot at the gophers. I think it was somehow therapeutic to him. The thing my husband still laughs about, and teases me about, is that when I was really little my grandfather convinced me that little girls could be pulled down into gopher holes by the gopher. He told me my only defense was to put my arms out so they couldn't pull me all the way down and shout gopher so they could come rescue me. We had many "Gopher Drills". He would shout gopher and I would put my arms out as quickly as I could. There was a part of me that is embarrassed by how silly I was, but I realize more all the time how my grandfather's sense of humor is part of my heritage.
A heritage I'm proud to be part of. It is gratifying to see how it passes down in the generations. I see quite a bit of my grandfather's sense of humor in my youngest daughter. She just makes me laugh, but she has that same dry wit. I see him in myself when I get obsessed with a topic and can't stop researching it, or when I find yet another thing I'm interested in. He had a quick wit, he was well read, and he had a playful side I have really come to appreciate. Thank you grandpa, for being such an important part of my life, and future.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Comfort Food Conversations
As an American, I believe I was raised to comfort myself with food. I've sadly done the same with my daughter's. Some examples are obvious, "You had a bad day? Let's get ice cream." More insidious, are the comfort food cravings that crop up as you are losing weight, and watching what you eat. The voice inside your head (usually this is the deceiver) saying "I've stayed on plan all week, a couple of cookies won't hurt." Half a box of cookies later... We've all been there.
What am I doing about this today? Well, for one thing I'm aware of the types of food I crave. I don't bring them into the house. In fact I've told my husband before that if he wants to buy X, he can keep it in the car and eat it while he is working. More and more he is wanting to stay on plan with me, so he isn't doing that.
Another thing, I try to find ways to feed my craving for comfort, but stay on plan. This morning, I didn't even realize I was in the mood for a comfort food, but as I started to think about my usual breakfast of veggies and egg whites, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for. I was in the mood for a "fried" egg sandwich. Something that a week ago, would have been tricky.
As part of this plan, I have gone gluten free. It wasn't deliberate at first. I was just avoiding carbs, particularly processed carbs, which limited my exposure to wheat. Then I had some pizza on an off day. The next day I was foggy, and tired all day. I realized the gluten was effecting me, and previously I had eaten so much of it that I had never noticed. You may be asking yourself why I went on this bunny trail, my answer is this week I bought myself a loaf of gluten free bread.
So, with my gluten free bread in mind, I decided I could swing a fried egg sandwich, with my usual morning coffee. I planned it all out on Sparkpeople first. It did come out as about 100 more calories than I would usually do for breakfast, but I can work that out throughout the day. Meanwhile it was great to satisfy the craving. What did I do differently than previously? I used to use oversized (standard now) slices of wheat bread, spread with a fair amount of mayo, tons of mustard (this to me is the key to a good fried egg sandwich), two eggs fried in butter or coconut oil. I just ran the numbers, and it would have been about 575 calories. Today's whole breakfast, including coffee came in at 305. Just about half.
I like to find ways to eat the things I want to eat, but stay within my goals. Most days my cravings are not so intense, and when I find something is really too high in calories I just avoid it. Otherwise, I try to plan a way to have it. Most things can adhere to a plan, and I think it is good to eat a variety of foods. I also think knowledge is power. I think it is powerful to start to figure out how many calories are in the foods you normally eat. Then, you are truly making an informed choice when you eat them. This journey, is all about the small daily choices that add up, in other words it is just like when I gained the weight. I choose to no longer keep my head in the sand, but to be aware of all that I eat, eat a bounty of the good food the Lord has provided, and praise Him as he changes me from the inside out.
if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you Col. 3:8put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and (Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you (Rom. 6:4; 7:6; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:10)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24
What am I doing about this today? Well, for one thing I'm aware of the types of food I crave. I don't bring them into the house. In fact I've told my husband before that if he wants to buy X, he can keep it in the car and eat it while he is working. More and more he is wanting to stay on plan with me, so he isn't doing that.
Another thing, I try to find ways to feed my craving for comfort, but stay on plan. This morning, I didn't even realize I was in the mood for a comfort food, but as I started to think about my usual breakfast of veggies and egg whites, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for. I was in the mood for a "fried" egg sandwich. Something that a week ago, would have been tricky.
As part of this plan, I have gone gluten free. It wasn't deliberate at first. I was just avoiding carbs, particularly processed carbs, which limited my exposure to wheat. Then I had some pizza on an off day. The next day I was foggy, and tired all day. I realized the gluten was effecting me, and previously I had eaten so much of it that I had never noticed. You may be asking yourself why I went on this bunny trail, my answer is this week I bought myself a loaf of gluten free bread.
So, with my gluten free bread in mind, I decided I could swing a fried egg sandwich, with my usual morning coffee. I planned it all out on Sparkpeople first. It did come out as about 100 more calories than I would usually do for breakfast, but I can work that out throughout the day. Meanwhile it was great to satisfy the craving. What did I do differently than previously? I used to use oversized (standard now) slices of wheat bread, spread with a fair amount of mayo, tons of mustard (this to me is the key to a good fried egg sandwich), two eggs fried in butter or coconut oil. I just ran the numbers, and it would have been about 575 calories. Today's whole breakfast, including coffee came in at 305. Just about half.
I like to find ways to eat the things I want to eat, but stay within my goals. Most days my cravings are not so intense, and when I find something is really too high in calories I just avoid it. Otherwise, I try to plan a way to have it. Most things can adhere to a plan, and I think it is good to eat a variety of foods. I also think knowledge is power. I think it is powerful to start to figure out how many calories are in the foods you normally eat. Then, you are truly making an informed choice when you eat them. This journey, is all about the small daily choices that add up, in other words it is just like when I gained the weight. I choose to no longer keep my head in the sand, but to be aware of all that I eat, eat a bounty of the good food the Lord has provided, and praise Him as he changes me from the inside out.
if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you Col. 3:8put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and (Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you (Rom. 6:4; 7:6; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:10)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Weight Loss Ups & Downs
Today, I'm feeling discouraged. Okay, I know it isn't actually logical. I can look at my weight-loss progress, and see I'm ahead of schedule for my goal, my body is feeling better, and yesterday I fit into a dress a friend had gotten me, but had never fit. It isn't often I have a mood like I do today, and I can actually feel my mood yo-yoing. I'm battling my own self talk.
How am I going to choose to battle this today? I'm going to bring the Lord to the battle first, by getting into scripture, and spending time with Him. Then I'm going to remind myself of the success I've had so far, and keep my eye on the prize. I'm going to take control of these emotions that are making me feel discouraged, and frankly a bit depressed.
I'm not feeling like doing that, but I am not going to let my emotions drive this train. I am having a bit of a plateau, and I know that is normal. I weigh myself everyday, and I know our weight fluctuates, and most of the time I'm content to just wait and actually record my weight when it has gone down, but it has been a few days, and I guess I was hoping for it to continue to go down. On top of that, yesterday wasn't a great day.
I'm going to give myself credit though, my not great day is nothing like even a normal day used to be. On Sparkpeople my daily calorie intake goal is between 1200-1550. I like to stay between 1200-1300, but I don't always succeed. Yesterday I felt out of control of my eating. I went out of town with my hubby, and I didn't really plan. We bought some protein bars on the way out of town, and a bag of air popped popcorn. I do eat bars as part of my normal routine, but not usually two fuelings in a row. So, I think I felt deprived. I ended up binging half the bag of popcorn. In the end, my calorie intake was 1566. I felt out of control, but I guess it ended up working out okay.
The good news, I got a new swimsuit in the mail yesterday, and I'm very happy with it. It is comfortable, I look good in it, and it fits well. The best part? I bought a size smaller than before, and it fits fine. I probably could go even one more size down. I'm really looking forward to the day when I can actually just shop in normal stores, not just online for clothing.
I apologize if this reflects my up and down feelings, but I want to be real, and this is really where I'm at today. As Scarlett would say, "After-all, tomorrow is another day."
How am I going to choose to battle this today? I'm going to bring the Lord to the battle first, by getting into scripture, and spending time with Him. Then I'm going to remind myself of the success I've had so far, and keep my eye on the prize. I'm going to take control of these emotions that are making me feel discouraged, and frankly a bit depressed.
I'm not feeling like doing that, but I am not going to let my emotions drive this train. I am having a bit of a plateau, and I know that is normal. I weigh myself everyday, and I know our weight fluctuates, and most of the time I'm content to just wait and actually record my weight when it has gone down, but it has been a few days, and I guess I was hoping for it to continue to go down. On top of that, yesterday wasn't a great day.
I'm going to give myself credit though, my not great day is nothing like even a normal day used to be. On Sparkpeople my daily calorie intake goal is between 1200-1550. I like to stay between 1200-1300, but I don't always succeed. Yesterday I felt out of control of my eating. I went out of town with my hubby, and I didn't really plan. We bought some protein bars on the way out of town, and a bag of air popped popcorn. I do eat bars as part of my normal routine, but not usually two fuelings in a row. So, I think I felt deprived. I ended up binging half the bag of popcorn. In the end, my calorie intake was 1566. I felt out of control, but I guess it ended up working out okay.
The good news, I got a new swimsuit in the mail yesterday, and I'm very happy with it. It is comfortable, I look good in it, and it fits well. The best part? I bought a size smaller than before, and it fits fine. I probably could go even one more size down. I'm really looking forward to the day when I can actually just shop in normal stores, not just online for clothing.
I apologize if this reflects my up and down feelings, but I want to be real, and this is really where I'm at today. As Scarlett would say, "After-all, tomorrow is another day."
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Eating Out!
Here are the things I look for:
A menu with nutrition information I can look at before going (This does limit me to chains for the most part.)
A place that offers whole/fresh food options
Finally, a place I will enjoy eating at.
Some places I eat here locally are Laughing Planet, Chipotle, & Burgerville. So, now if I know I'm going out, the next step to my plan is to survey the menu. I'm looking for a meal between 200-300 calories, or 400-500 if I plan to split it. Keep in mind that I eat 5-6 small meals a day, each equal to about 200 calories more or less. I look at the carbs, I would not say I'm low carbing, but I'm cautious about my numbers on carbs and making sure that some of the carbs are fiber, not bunches of sugars. Next, I look at protein, and make sure there is sufficient protein for the meal to be satisfying. Finally, and something I'm finding increasingly important is sodium.
Sodium, especially when eating out, has become a pet topic of mine lately. I had hypertension when I started this plan just over 2 months ago, and I'm happy to report I no longer have high blood pressure. I'm quite sure that part of the high blood pressure was caused by all the eating out we were doing when I had the shop. I've been researching this after I discovered the high amount of sodium in some of the foods at restaurants.
To start off with, just how much sodium should we be taking in on a daily basis? According to the American Heart Association no more than 2400 mg a day, but recommended no more than 1500 mg a day. ("How Much Sodium Should I Eat Per Day?", 2017) Multiple sources say most of that comes from processed food. In fact "the watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest found that 85 out of 102 meals at popular restaurant chains contained more than a full day's worth of sodium. Some of the meals had four days’ worth of sodium."("Low-Sodium Diet: How to Eat Less Sodium at Restaurants", 2017).
What does it all mean? It means eating out, and keeping sodium low is challenging. I will give you an example, I like Chipotle, and I know they try to offer healthy options. The great thing about their website is you can enter your choices and then see how it effects your meal. If I were to have 3 crispy chicken tacos with black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and romaine lettuce the sodium is 1440 mg. Well, that is pretty close to the day's recommendation for sodium in one meal. (Actually, I wouldn't eat this particular meal, because it is too high in calories, but I thought it was a decent example.) There aren't really many choices that don't exceed the daily recommended maximum. Last time I went I had a salad, with chicken, black beans, fajita veggies, and salsa, no dressing. The calories were a bit high at 365, but I adjusted through the day for that. The sodium was 1225 mg. More than I like to do for a meal, but workable.
Long story short, make your choices carefully, and thoughtfully. Keep eating out to a minimum since you cannot control the amount of sodium in the foods you are consuming. If you are eating in a mom & pop type of establishment that can be great, depending upon what it is. I guarantee that if one of their suppliers is Sysco or similar national restaurant suppliers, you are at risk of eating high levels of sodium. Just making you aware, as I have become aware.
Citations:
"How Much Sodium Should I Eat per Day?" Sodium Breakup. American Heart Association, n.d. Web. 21 May 2017.
"Nutrition Calculator." Chipotle. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2017
.Zelman, Kathleen M. "Low-Sodium Diet: How to Eat Less Sodium at Restaurants." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 21 May 2017.
Friday, May 19, 2017
Wow! Victorious Breakthrough
I was stressing about a number, and my past experiences with that number. The number was 330, a place I've plateaued several time. I really believe drinking 64 oz. of water before eating, and within the first half hour after waking up, have helped me break through this typical plateau. Today, I weighed in at 329, that puts me at 34lbs lost, only 3 lbs away from having lost 10% of my body weight. I'm really excited about how things are going.
Further great news, everyone in my family has lost weight. My hubby has lost about 20lbs, I'm not sure what my oldest daughter has lost, but her prom dress was too big, and she had to go with a different one because she had lost weight, and the youngest wouldn't weigh herself when we began, but since she has noticed a real change she is weighing herself now. We had been keeping our bathroom scale under the sink, none of us really wanted to know what it said, but now it is out in the bathroom and we all weigh in frequently.
Okay, so I'm excited about scale breakthroughs, but I have to tell you, I try not to obsess with the number on the scale. I'm being honest, if I step on the scale, and I don't like the number, I don't track it. In other words my weigh ins look far between when I'm plateauing. It is a mind set that the number I don't like is not permanent, and tracking it would make it permanent.
So, non-scale victories: yesterday I walked quite a bit around downtown and it wasn't terribly strenuous like it used to be, and I stayed on plan yesterday, even with eating out and having a busy day of meetings. Perhaps tomorrow I will talk about eating out strategies that work for me. Also, yesterday I got to wear this great dress that I had bought a few months back at the thrift store. I really like it, and it makes me feel sassy. Finally, a huge non scale victory yesterday, I have a denim jacket that I bought quite a while ago, but it never completely buttoned, yesterday I was able to button it, easily. Now how is that for sassy! (Below is the sassy dress, not on the same day, but....)
Monday, May 15, 2017
Mother's Day Blessings
Everyday I'm learning, little by little, that the little steps matter. Today, my husband got me a great Mother's Day gift, that really helps me pursue health. He bought me a kite. It is important to find things you enjoy, and I enjoy kite flying. I haven't done it in years, but I can't wait to go to the park around the corner from us and fly my kite. Yesterday was a bit cold for such things, but as spring is finally springing here in Oregon, I'm looking forward to outdoors pursuits.
There was still food at our Mother's Day celebration, but I decided I wanted spring rolls. It is a meal I adore, but don't really love making because it is a lot of prep. The family got together and did the prep, and I just helped direct. It was an awesome time sitting around the table making spring rolls and talking. A small thing that blesses a mom's heart.
Today, I finally remembered I wanted to start drinking the 2 quarts of water before I eat anything. Since I try to eat within an hour of getting up, and I want to drink the water in basically one sitting, it was a challenge. The thing is now, I feel great. Drinking that much water helps get things moving, plus I know that all the rest the water I drink throughout the day is kind of bonus water.
Finally, the best mother's day I got was when I stepped on the scale yesterday I finally dropped that pound that had been stubbornly hanging on. Right here, where I am now, has always been a place that my body wants to plateau. I'm going to have to work to shake things up so I can continue to lose about 15 lbs a month. My plan is to incorporate more exercise, and of course adding the water in the morning. I hope it is enough to shake it up, because I'm done fooling around. This weight is going to go.
There was still food at our Mother's Day celebration, but I decided I wanted spring rolls. It is a meal I adore, but don't really love making because it is a lot of prep. The family got together and did the prep, and I just helped direct. It was an awesome time sitting around the table making spring rolls and talking. A small thing that blesses a mom's heart.
Today, I finally remembered I wanted to start drinking the 2 quarts of water before I eat anything. Since I try to eat within an hour of getting up, and I want to drink the water in basically one sitting, it was a challenge. The thing is now, I feel great. Drinking that much water helps get things moving, plus I know that all the rest the water I drink throughout the day is kind of bonus water.
Finally, the best mother's day I got was when I stepped on the scale yesterday I finally dropped that pound that had been stubbornly hanging on. Right here, where I am now, has always been a place that my body wants to plateau. I'm going to have to work to shake things up so I can continue to lose about 15 lbs a month. My plan is to incorporate more exercise, and of course adding the water in the morning. I hope it is enough to shake it up, because I'm done fooling around. This weight is going to go.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Starting the Day Right
Starting the day on the right track cannot be underestimated! Today, for example, I decided to do something a little different from my typical eggs and veggies breakfast. Cereal just sounded good, and since I want to live a life of abundance, and not limitation, I decided to go ahead and have cereal. I had some gluten free Puffins Peanut Butter cereal. I stayed with a serving size, and I added a half of a cup of soymilk to up the protein content. With that I had my usual cup of coffee, today with maple syrup.
It all came in at the right caloric load. So, it balanced out to 209 calories, which is right on track for a meal. I eat 5-6 small meals a day, and keep them around 200 calories. This meal had 34 carbs, which is a little high for a typical morning meal, 6 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, which is a little low, I like to stay at 10 grams and above, and 3 grams of fiber, which is reasonable. So, all the numbers were okay, not great, but acceptable.
Why then, am I so hungry after only an hour? I'm finding myself counting down the minutes until my next meal. This is not something I normally do. All I can gather is that it is the lower protein count, and perhaps the carb numbers. I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that either an egg breakfast, like a frittata, scramble, or even a tofu scramble, keeps me satisfied, and on track with my day better.
It is important to know how to start your day. Here is where I believe each person is individual. Some people start with fruit. I used to drink 2 quarts of water before I ate or drank anything else in the morning. This is a great way to get your body primed for the day. Actually, as I'm writing this I think I want to get back in that habit. It has several benefits. It helps your body flush toxins that may have gathered overnight while you sleep, it gives you all the water you need for the day in one sitting, so you know you will not get dehydrated during the day, and it assures that you are not going into the first meal of the day starving.
In fact, often we think we are hungry, when in fact we are thirsty. Next time you think you are hungry, try drinking water. If you find drinking water challenging, infuse it with fruit. Lemons and limes are great for detoxifying and alkalizing your body. Other fruit, like berries can be very tasty, you can even try cucumbers for a refreshing treat in summer. Another way to try drinking water is with therapeutic grade essential oils, like doTERRA. I particularly like the Slim & Sassy blend. You can find out more on my website : http://mydoterra.com/amandavellinga
Blessings to you, as you seek ways to start your day right. Let me know what that means to you.
It all came in at the right caloric load. So, it balanced out to 209 calories, which is right on track for a meal. I eat 5-6 small meals a day, and keep them around 200 calories. This meal had 34 carbs, which is a little high for a typical morning meal, 6 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, which is a little low, I like to stay at 10 grams and above, and 3 grams of fiber, which is reasonable. So, all the numbers were okay, not great, but acceptable.
Why then, am I so hungry after only an hour? I'm finding myself counting down the minutes until my next meal. This is not something I normally do. All I can gather is that it is the lower protein count, and perhaps the carb numbers. I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that either an egg breakfast, like a frittata, scramble, or even a tofu scramble, keeps me satisfied, and on track with my day better.
It is important to know how to start your day. Here is where I believe each person is individual. Some people start with fruit. I used to drink 2 quarts of water before I ate or drank anything else in the morning. This is a great way to get your body primed for the day. Actually, as I'm writing this I think I want to get back in that habit. It has several benefits. It helps your body flush toxins that may have gathered overnight while you sleep, it gives you all the water you need for the day in one sitting, so you know you will not get dehydrated during the day, and it assures that you are not going into the first meal of the day starving.
In fact, often we think we are hungry, when in fact we are thirsty. Next time you think you are hungry, try drinking water. If you find drinking water challenging, infuse it with fruit. Lemons and limes are great for detoxifying and alkalizing your body. Other fruit, like berries can be very tasty, you can even try cucumbers for a refreshing treat in summer. Another way to try drinking water is with therapeutic grade essential oils, like doTERRA. I particularly like the Slim & Sassy blend. You can find out more on my website : http://mydoterra.com/amandavellinga
Blessings to you, as you seek ways to start your day right. Let me know what that means to you.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Re-Learning Social Eating
Yesterday I had an event with my daughter. It tested my resolve a bit. It was a mother daughter lemonade party. We planned ahead and took our own Zevia sodas, since I knew I wouldn't want the lemonade. It is always challenging eating in a social situation. So much of our social lives are centered around eating. Think of this, does a wedding feel complete if there isn't cake? How about a funeral, with no food? Or, even more regular things, like how about going to the movies? Spending family time? Netflix and chill? All of it seems to involve food. For a food addicted person this can be challenging.
Think about it, food addiction isn't like other addictions that can be stopped entirely. (I'm not saying that stopping isn't a challenge.) This is where the problem lies. Couple that with a society that glamorizes overindulging, and it is no wonder we have an obesity epidemic. I could go on and on about the ties between eating, media, body image, weight, and exercise, but what really matters is how am I dealing with those issues today?
Like any addict, it is one day at a time. Yesterday, I was victorious. I avoided the gluten filled foods, which is a challenge for me. I ate the vegetables and fruit, and indulged in a bit of fruit dip. In the end, did I feel deprived? No. It is those little victories, where I change my actions for my pursuit of health, that really are awesome. These are daily reasons to thank God as he transforms my mind, and consequently my body. I'm realizing daily, that I'm no longer a slave to my desire to eat. In fact, I am finding more pleasure in eating well than I was in just eating as my flesh willed me to.
Think about it, food addiction isn't like other addictions that can be stopped entirely. (I'm not saying that stopping isn't a challenge.) This is where the problem lies. Couple that with a society that glamorizes overindulging, and it is no wonder we have an obesity epidemic. I could go on and on about the ties between eating, media, body image, weight, and exercise, but what really matters is how am I dealing with those issues today?
Like any addict, it is one day at a time. Yesterday, I was victorious. I avoided the gluten filled foods, which is a challenge for me. I ate the vegetables and fruit, and indulged in a bit of fruit dip. In the end, did I feel deprived? No. It is those little victories, where I change my actions for my pursuit of health, that really are awesome. These are daily reasons to thank God as he transforms my mind, and consequently my body. I'm realizing daily, that I'm no longer a slave to my desire to eat. In fact, I am finding more pleasure in eating well than I was in just eating as my flesh willed me to.
Monday, May 8, 2017
Exhaustion, and Sleep Apnea
Back in July I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. It is a heck of a thing to realize that you may have never had good quality sleep as an adult. I remember that first night of sleeping with a bi-pap machine. I woke up and felt like I hadn't been to sleep. The amazing part was how quickly I fell asleep. I have always dealt with insomnia, and come to find out that may be because of the apnea.
When I first came home from the hospital I was pretty obsessed with the bi-pap machine. I took naps just so I could use it. (Of course, I was recovering from sepsis at the time.) Then, after a month or so I was less enchanted with the machine. Just this February, I got a new sleep mask, and my romance with the machine was revived.
All that to say, I'm not sure how much sleep factors into weight loss, but I know it does. Occasionally, I will sleep without my mask, and when I do I find that I need an afternoon nap. When I sleep with my mask I awake refreshed, and I do that with fewer hours of sleep. Without the mask I can never seem to get enough sleep.
Sleep factors into my pursuit of health because when I'm well rested I feel like I can conquer the world. I wake up ready to be productive, rather than slogging through my day from coffee cup to nap. I also seem to crave less sugar because I am rested. I'm not trying to get that sugar rush. Before getting tested for sleep apnea I would never have thought that sleep could make those differences, but then I don't think I ever really had good sleep as an adult. (Maybe even as a child.)
When I first came home from the hospital I was pretty obsessed with the bi-pap machine. I took naps just so I could use it. (Of course, I was recovering from sepsis at the time.) Then, after a month or so I was less enchanted with the machine. Just this February, I got a new sleep mask, and my romance with the machine was revived.
All that to say, I'm not sure how much sleep factors into weight loss, but I know it does. Occasionally, I will sleep without my mask, and when I do I find that I need an afternoon nap. When I sleep with my mask I awake refreshed, and I do that with fewer hours of sleep. Without the mask I can never seem to get enough sleep.
Sleep factors into my pursuit of health because when I'm well rested I feel like I can conquer the world. I wake up ready to be productive, rather than slogging through my day from coffee cup to nap. I also seem to crave less sugar because I am rested. I'm not trying to get that sugar rush. Before getting tested for sleep apnea I would never have thought that sleep could make those differences, but then I don't think I ever really had good sleep as an adult. (Maybe even as a child.)
Friday, May 5, 2017
Facing Challenges
Lately it seems like I'm facing challenge after challenge. Food challenges have been easier to overcome. I feel like I've hit an epiphany I've been waiting a lifetime to hit. Suddenly I'm looking at foods as fuel, and calories. I've always understood this concept, but recently it is becoming a thing that helps me change the way I interact with food. I find myself weighing out how much an item will "cost" me if I indulge in it. Most the time finding I would rather go home and eat something else, that will better fuel my body. I'm feeding myself for my health more than I ever have before.
Today, could be a classic day to overindulge, it is my birthday. I'm finding myself more focused on the goal of staying healthy than classic birthday foods. I'm not going to decide that I am not having cake, but if I do have an indulgence it will be very carefully chosen. Any indulgence will have to be something I know I want enough to make it worth it.
Finally, my biggest challenge today is still my knees. I am going to the doctor today about my knees. I'm afraid I won't get immediate answers, but I'm ready to face whatever answers I get.
Today, could be a classic day to overindulge, it is my birthday. I'm finding myself more focused on the goal of staying healthy than classic birthday foods. I'm not going to decide that I am not having cake, but if I do have an indulgence it will be very carefully chosen. Any indulgence will have to be something I know I want enough to make it worth it.
Finally, my biggest challenge today is still my knees. I am going to the doctor today about my knees. I'm afraid I won't get immediate answers, but I'm ready to face whatever answers I get.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
The Quest for "On Plan" Coffee
So, I have not always been a coffee drinker. When I was younger I liked the aroma, but not the flavor. Then in my late teens, early twenties, I went through an obsession with espresso. I think perhaps I liked the accessories, i.e. the demitasse cups, more that the beverage. After moving to Colorado, at age 23, I was still an occasional coffee drinker. Back then my caffeine of choice was Diet Pepsi. When I did drink coffee, I always wanted plenty of cream and sugar. I continued this way until my husband, oldest daughter, and I moved to Oregon.
Then begins our Dutch Bros. stage. When we moved here we had never heard of Dutch Bros. We both agreed that Starbucks was not our thing, but a friend of ours turned us on to Dutch Bros. and we ended up pretty addicted. There have been times on and off in the 12+ years we've been in Oregon that we had Dutch Bros. daily. There have also been times that I've been totally off coffee. Somewhere, about 8 years ago I stopped drinking Diet Pepsi, and that may have been why the coffee intake raised.
My love affair with coffee was rather full blown. I started brewing coffee at home. The only problem with brewing it at home was that if I brewed a pot my husband would maybe have a cup, and I would drink the rest. (Who wants coffee that sat a day, and who wants to waste coffee?) This became a thing for a while, always with lots of soymilk and sugar, or maybe agave. Then, we decided a French Press would be better than brewed. Partly because when you brew drip coffee, it always seemed that if you brewed half a pot it wasn't strong enough. We got a couple of small French Presses, and started making our coffee that way. Still, all this time buying coffee at Dutch Bros. or other such coffee houses when we went out and could afford to.
Then, almost 4 years ago we moved to Corvallis, OR. We still drank Dutch Bros. a few times a month, and we also tried most of the coffee shops around town. We found a local coffee shop we really liked, but still tons of cream and sugar. I opened my shop and my coffee addiction really reared it's ugly head again. The shop was near Starbucks, which was and still is zero temptation for me, and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Well, the drip coffee at Einstein was good, and if I purchased it early in the day, I could have unlimited refills. This was not good for me. I got a little out of control for a while.
During all these years, and our family's attempts to get healthier, we had at some point discovered cold brew coffee. About a year and a half ago we bought a pot to cold brew coffee. If you don't already know, cold brew is much less acidic than hot brewed coffee. It also retains more of the good anti-oxidants that are in coffee. Consequently, it is naturally sweeter tasting. Still with the benefits of cold brew, my husband felt it wasn't strong enough.
Then, research led me to Turkish style coffee, and that led me deeper to using Turkish style coffee in a cold brew process. Turkish coffee is just a much finer grind of coffee. The texture of Turkish style coffee is like that of cocoa powder. You can use any type of coffee in that grind. We like a locally roasted coffee called River Mud. To make the cold brew you mix 1 cup of ground coffee with about 1 quart of cold water, and let it sit on the counter over night for at least 24 hours. Then you strain out the grounds. We use our cold brew pot's strainer, but you could use a nut milk bag, or similar. It is really that simple.
Today, my on plan coffee is 10 oz. of cold brew, 3/4 cup of organic almond milk, and 2 teaspoons of agave. This comes in at about 55 calories. Much better than my fave Dutch Bros. drink that comes in at 440 cals for a similar size. These type of choices help me stay on plan, and not feel deprived.
Then begins our Dutch Bros. stage. When we moved here we had never heard of Dutch Bros. We both agreed that Starbucks was not our thing, but a friend of ours turned us on to Dutch Bros. and we ended up pretty addicted. There have been times on and off in the 12+ years we've been in Oregon that we had Dutch Bros. daily. There have also been times that I've been totally off coffee. Somewhere, about 8 years ago I stopped drinking Diet Pepsi, and that may have been why the coffee intake raised.
My love affair with coffee was rather full blown. I started brewing coffee at home. The only problem with brewing it at home was that if I brewed a pot my husband would maybe have a cup, and I would drink the rest. (Who wants coffee that sat a day, and who wants to waste coffee?) This became a thing for a while, always with lots of soymilk and sugar, or maybe agave. Then, we decided a French Press would be better than brewed. Partly because when you brew drip coffee, it always seemed that if you brewed half a pot it wasn't strong enough. We got a couple of small French Presses, and started making our coffee that way. Still, all this time buying coffee at Dutch Bros. or other such coffee houses when we went out and could afford to.
Then, almost 4 years ago we moved to Corvallis, OR. We still drank Dutch Bros. a few times a month, and we also tried most of the coffee shops around town. We found a local coffee shop we really liked, but still tons of cream and sugar. I opened my shop and my coffee addiction really reared it's ugly head again. The shop was near Starbucks, which was and still is zero temptation for me, and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Well, the drip coffee at Einstein was good, and if I purchased it early in the day, I could have unlimited refills. This was not good for me. I got a little out of control for a while.
During all these years, and our family's attempts to get healthier, we had at some point discovered cold brew coffee. About a year and a half ago we bought a pot to cold brew coffee. If you don't already know, cold brew is much less acidic than hot brewed coffee. It also retains more of the good anti-oxidants that are in coffee. Consequently, it is naturally sweeter tasting. Still with the benefits of cold brew, my husband felt it wasn't strong enough.
Then, research led me to Turkish style coffee, and that led me deeper to using Turkish style coffee in a cold brew process. Turkish coffee is just a much finer grind of coffee. The texture of Turkish style coffee is like that of cocoa powder. You can use any type of coffee in that grind. We like a locally roasted coffee called River Mud. To make the cold brew you mix 1 cup of ground coffee with about 1 quart of cold water, and let it sit on the counter over night for at least 24 hours. Then you strain out the grounds. We use our cold brew pot's strainer, but you could use a nut milk bag, or similar. It is really that simple.
Today, my on plan coffee is 10 oz. of cold brew, 3/4 cup of organic almond milk, and 2 teaspoons of agave. This comes in at about 55 calories. Much better than my fave Dutch Bros. drink that comes in at 440 cals for a similar size. These type of choices help me stay on plan, and not feel deprived.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Challenge Update plus Sweet Chili Chicken Salad Recipe
So, yesterday I had intense knee pain, and I won't lie, it still hurts. Today is not as bad as yesterday. I watched part of the legs workout on the SparkPeople 28 Day Home workout challenge, and decided that I was unable to do it. I substituted the sitting workout instead. So small victory, I did workout.
As for dining challenges at our friend's house. It turned out great. I took the sweet chili chicken salad, and avocado black bean brownies. They were delicious, and I stayed totally on plan. Today, I am going to include the recipe for the sweet chili chicken salad.
As for dining challenges at our friend's house. It turned out great. I took the sweet chili chicken salad, and avocado black bean brownies. They were delicious, and I stayed totally on plan. Today, I am going to include the recipe for the sweet chili chicken salad.
Sweet Chili Chicken Salad
Cabbage, shredded 3/4 cup
Carrot 1 small, shredded
Radish, 1-2 small, chopped
Zucchini, shredded 1/2 cup
Fresh mint and/or Cilantro about a total of 2 Tbsp. chopped
Red bell pepper, chopped 1/4 cup
2-3 ounces of shredded cooked chicken breast*
1 Tablespoon of Sweet Chili Sauce (I like Mae Ploy, or Grama's)
Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tablespoon sliced dry roasted almonds (I like Trader Joe's)
Mix the chicken and chili sauce, and set aside. Layer the rest of the veggies, zest the half lemon over veggies, and squeeze the juice over the salad. Top with the chicken and toasted almonds. The macros below are with 3 ounces of chicken.
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 264.6
- Total Fat: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 52.7 mg
- Sodium: 442.0 mg
- Total Carbs: 26.1 g
- Dietary Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 23.1 g
There are of course lots of possible variations. The veggies can vary depending upon what you have on hand. Instead of almonds you could used toasted sesame seeds, or cashews. Let me know if you try this salad, and what you think of it. Let me know if you want more salad ideas. Please subscribe.
*I get large packages of chicken and cook a big batch of breasts at one time with salt and pepper on it, then I shred and store for later use.
Farmer's Market from Sparkpeople Blog 5/2/17
Tomorrow is a Farmer's Market day here in Corvallis, OR. I can hardly wait. If you don't shop your market I want to encourage you to do so. There are incredible finds there. I've always been adventurous when it comes to produce. When I was a little girl my grandparents always had a huge garden and I always had a row in that garden. My row was always Swiss Chard. I still adore Swiss Chard. My grandparents would plant certain things, like carrots, and cucumbers, and we had a lovely strawberry patch, but they also experimented. I remember the year they first tried bok choy and my grandma couldn't seem to find ways to use it all.
Anyway, all this to say that most Americans eat a very narrow range of fruits and vegetables, but there are sooooo many out there that are delicious and overlooked. I made a beautiful egg white omelet this morning with shiitake mushrooms, green garlic, and arugula, all from the market. I wish I had taken a picture, but I devoured it too fast. (No picture could honestly have done it credit.) The buttery flavor of the mushrooms complemented by the deep flavor of the arugula, the mild garlic and a little Romano cheese was an intense sensation.
The Farmer's Market gives us all an opportunity to eat gourmet meals. The ingredients are premium, and the flavors varied. If you are ever unsure about an item, just ask the grower. They can tell you what it is, some ideas on how to use it, and what it tastes like. They often will offer a taste if it is something that can be eaten raw. If you have grown bored with your vegetable routine, I encourage you to explore your market.
Anyway, all this to say that most Americans eat a very narrow range of fruits and vegetables, but there are sooooo many out there that are delicious and overlooked. I made a beautiful egg white omelet this morning with shiitake mushrooms, green garlic, and arugula, all from the market. I wish I had taken a picture, but I devoured it too fast. (No picture could honestly have done it credit.) The buttery flavor of the mushrooms complemented by the deep flavor of the arugula, the mild garlic and a little Romano cheese was an intense sensation.
The Farmer's Market gives us all an opportunity to eat gourmet meals. The ingredients are premium, and the flavors varied. If you are ever unsure about an item, just ask the grower. They can tell you what it is, some ideas on how to use it, and what it tastes like. They often will offer a taste if it is something that can be eaten raw. If you have grown bored with your vegetable routine, I encourage you to explore your market.
Knee Pain and other challenges from Sparkpeople Blog 5/1/17
I'm having a hard time focusing today due to knee pain. I believe I need to make a doctor's appointment. I'm trying to do the 28 day Home Workout Challenge, but I'm not sure if I can do it today. I am going to attempt since it is only 10 minutes today, but my concern, without having watched the video, is that today is a leg workout. I'm not going to let it discourage me.
Also challenging today, spring allergies. My hubby is mowing the lawn and cut grass kills me. My daughter is making me doTERRA tri-blend shots with lavender, peppermint, and lemon. It helps. Also running doTERRA Breathe in the diffuser. On top of all that it is that time of month. Wowser! I'm going to make it through this day victorious.
The final challenge of the day is family fellowship at a friend's house tonight. It is always potluck. Last week I took frittata and salad, and the host had barbeque chicken legs and stuffing, both things I cannot eat. This week she plans on doing roast and peach cobbler. Thankfully, she doesn't make things overly sweet, so the cobbler won't be a huge problem. I'm not sure what I'm taking. I think black bean brownies, salad, and some sort of casserole. I need to assess what I have in the fridge. I know I have some shredded chicken I should use up. Maybe I'll just make the brownies and a sweet chili chicken salad. That sounds good, and filling. (Plus easy since I have most of it made already.) Challenge accepted!
Also challenging today, spring allergies. My hubby is mowing the lawn and cut grass kills me. My daughter is making me doTERRA tri-blend shots with lavender, peppermint, and lemon. It helps. Also running doTERRA Breathe in the diffuser. On top of all that it is that time of month. Wowser! I'm going to make it through this day victorious.
The final challenge of the day is family fellowship at a friend's house tonight. It is always potluck. Last week I took frittata and salad, and the host had barbeque chicken legs and stuffing, both things I cannot eat. This week she plans on doing roast and peach cobbler. Thankfully, she doesn't make things overly sweet, so the cobbler won't be a huge problem. I'm not sure what I'm taking. I think black bean brownies, salad, and some sort of casserole. I need to assess what I have in the fridge. I know I have some shredded chicken I should use up. Maybe I'll just make the brownies and a sweet chili chicken salad. That sounds good, and filling. (Plus easy since I have most of it made already.) Challenge accepted!
Little Victories from Sparkpeople Blog 4/30/17
Victory is not always shown on the scale! As I've mentioned in one of my previous blogs, my hubby and children are eating buddies, and as such every time we want to do something as a family it seems to involve eating. My husband works delivering pizza (a job we are trying to get him out of), and he has been saving his change every night towards a family night. Now, for us that would usually mean a dinner out.
Here is where the victory is, last night we decided to spend the saved money for a family night in the theater. We further decided that we would stop at the local co-op and get snacks to take with us so we didn't have to have popcorn and candy at the theater. Everyone in the family was allowed a sweet snack, and a savory snack, plus a drink. I was so excited to find toasted chickpeas as an on plan savory snack, and I already had a Skinny Girl protein bar, so that was my sweet/meal all in one. I was looking forward to a Zevia soda, but they didn't have any flavors I liked, so I had a slightly sweetened mint iced tea as well.
So, learning portion control, and eating 6 small meals a day has been such a key for me. I was concerned that with this whole bag of chickpeas, that was 5 servings, and eating while in the theater, I would be unable to monitor them. I only ended up eating one and half servings. I stayed totally on plan, plus I think going to the movies was so much more memorable for us as a family rather than eating out. What fun!
The still learning portions of the day are that my oldest daughter, who seems to know no moderation (sadly I've taught her that), had to buy this big sweet trifle thing as her sweet and probably almost a cup of sesame sticks as her savory. Much larger than a portion. My youngest had a bag of chickpeas like mine and ate the entire bag, she also ate a small, but still more than a portion bag of tiny peanut butter cups. My husband did okay, since he got only apricot bars and ate those. So the learning thing is that next time I will bring home treats and portion them, particularly the savory treats as they were hard to find in portion sizes. If I take them to the store to pick their own sweet I will be more specific about sizing and portion.
However, learning aside I'm still counting this as victory. We did something as a family that, although it involved eating, didn't center around eating. Plus, I was able to "indulge" but still stay on plan with my family. Reinforcing for me that this is a journey of small steps and decisions that add up to a result.
Here is where the victory is, last night we decided to spend the saved money for a family night in the theater. We further decided that we would stop at the local co-op and get snacks to take with us so we didn't have to have popcorn and candy at the theater. Everyone in the family was allowed a sweet snack, and a savory snack, plus a drink. I was so excited to find toasted chickpeas as an on plan savory snack, and I already had a Skinny Girl protein bar, so that was my sweet/meal all in one. I was looking forward to a Zevia soda, but they didn't have any flavors I liked, so I had a slightly sweetened mint iced tea as well.
So, learning portion control, and eating 6 small meals a day has been such a key for me. I was concerned that with this whole bag of chickpeas, that was 5 servings, and eating while in the theater, I would be unable to monitor them. I only ended up eating one and half servings. I stayed totally on plan, plus I think going to the movies was so much more memorable for us as a family rather than eating out. What fun!
The still learning portions of the day are that my oldest daughter, who seems to know no moderation (sadly I've taught her that), had to buy this big sweet trifle thing as her sweet and probably almost a cup of sesame sticks as her savory. Much larger than a portion. My youngest had a bag of chickpeas like mine and ate the entire bag, she also ate a small, but still more than a portion bag of tiny peanut butter cups. My husband did okay, since he got only apricot bars and ate those. So the learning thing is that next time I will bring home treats and portion them, particularly the savory treats as they were hard to find in portion sizes. If I take them to the store to pick their own sweet I will be more specific about sizing and portion.
However, learning aside I'm still counting this as victory. We did something as a family that, although it involved eating, didn't center around eating. Plus, I was able to "indulge" but still stay on plan with my family. Reinforcing for me that this is a journey of small steps and decisions that add up to a result.
Pursuing Health Continued from Sparkpeople Blog 4/29/17
So, picking up where I left off, my husband and I are eating buddies, as is my best friend, and I passed my unhealthy habits on to my children. More on that later. About eight years ago we discovered a life changing book called "Food Additives A Shoppers Guide to What's Safe and What's Not!" I cleaned out our entire pantry, and we started to eat organic much more often. It is around this time when we discovered, and purchased Saladmaster. It was a missing link for us.
So, I have been cooking on my Saladmaster for about 7 years. I think I hoped that I would naturally lose weight, and I did lose some using it. However, my old nemesis, self-control, or rather the lack of it, kept rearing it's ugly head. The food cooked on my new Saladmaster pans just tasted sooooooo goodl. It took the simplest of meals and elevated them, but did I mention that I was already a good cook, so the meals I can make on that are phenomenal.
Here I was, with this incredible cooking system, and all sorts of knowledge about food, but no self control, or plan. I opened a small shop about two years ago, and with being so busy, my food got completely out of control. We were constantly eating out. Something we had phased almost completely out back when we cleaned out our cupboards. We even started going to fast food again, because it was affordable and we were hungry. Of course, we weren't eating for life, we were eating for death, so we had no energy.
I'm not sure how long we could have continued on that road. I ended up in the hospital last 4th of July, with a case of sepsis that it took me months to completely recover from. My leg is scarred from it, and I came away with a diagnosis of diabetes, and hypertension. You would think this would be enough, and when I first got out of the hospital we did do better for a time. Then slowly, as we were busy, we went right back to our old habits.
Then, going back to the beginning of this story, I closed my shop at the end of December. I'm a bit of an introvert, so at first I just needed some time of not going out or doing anything. I started cooking at home, but even that was a bit challenging at first, we had become kind of addicted to eating out. Plus, if my kitchen isn't clean, I don't feel like cooking. Then in March I started Take Shape for Life.
I thought I would love the convenience of pre-packaged foods. Plus, TSL had made a new line of products called Optavia, which had no artificial sweeteners, or artificial flavors. However, somewhere along the line even when we were eating fast food we had checked out of the standard American diet (SAD). We had been cutting the sweetener, for ages. We had always eaten a fair amount of fresh produce. In fact, my favorite part of TSL was the lean and green meal. I love green vegetables. Well, all color vegetables really.
I was four days into TSL when I realized I hated eating packaged food. We do not microwave, and the foods that needed to be microwaved were difficult to make.any other way The shakes with stevia were too sweet, tasted icky to me, and left a bad stevia after taste in my mouth. I felt like I was eating sweets all day, with one lean and green meal where I always wanted to eat more vegetables. So much of the food was just not to my taste. I decided it was not a good fit for me.
That being said, TSL taught me some things that I have successfully implemented in my weight loss journey. First, eat smaller amounts more frequently. Six smaller meals a day, 2-3 hours apart. I try to have a protein at each of those meals, veggies, and a couple of meals a day I have a higher carb/fiber option. (Like a sweet potato, or beans.) Second, Dr. A's habits of health is a great book, that addresses all the issues an obese person will face during a weight loss journey. It is invaluable. Third, if I don't have a perfect day eating, I can just pick myself up and do it right the next day.
This journey is interesting. I believe God has put me on it for a reason. I think at least part of the reason is the story of my journey. We all come from different walks of life, but no matter where we come from the pursuit of health is a something we need to be dedicated to, and it is individual. This is just the start of my story.
So, I have been cooking on my Saladmaster for about 7 years. I think I hoped that I would naturally lose weight, and I did lose some using it. However, my old nemesis, self-control, or rather the lack of it, kept rearing it's ugly head. The food cooked on my new Saladmaster pans just tasted sooooooo goodl. It took the simplest of meals and elevated them, but did I mention that I was already a good cook, so the meals I can make on that are phenomenal.
Here I was, with this incredible cooking system, and all sorts of knowledge about food, but no self control, or plan. I opened a small shop about two years ago, and with being so busy, my food got completely out of control. We were constantly eating out. Something we had phased almost completely out back when we cleaned out our cupboards. We even started going to fast food again, because it was affordable and we were hungry. Of course, we weren't eating for life, we were eating for death, so we had no energy.
I'm not sure how long we could have continued on that road. I ended up in the hospital last 4th of July, with a case of sepsis that it took me months to completely recover from. My leg is scarred from it, and I came away with a diagnosis of diabetes, and hypertension. You would think this would be enough, and when I first got out of the hospital we did do better for a time. Then slowly, as we were busy, we went right back to our old habits.
Then, going back to the beginning of this story, I closed my shop at the end of December. I'm a bit of an introvert, so at first I just needed some time of not going out or doing anything. I started cooking at home, but even that was a bit challenging at first, we had become kind of addicted to eating out. Plus, if my kitchen isn't clean, I don't feel like cooking. Then in March I started Take Shape for Life.
I thought I would love the convenience of pre-packaged foods. Plus, TSL had made a new line of products called Optavia, which had no artificial sweeteners, or artificial flavors. However, somewhere along the line even when we were eating fast food we had checked out of the standard American diet (SAD). We had been cutting the sweetener, for ages. We had always eaten a fair amount of fresh produce. In fact, my favorite part of TSL was the lean and green meal. I love green vegetables. Well, all color vegetables really.
I was four days into TSL when I realized I hated eating packaged food. We do not microwave, and the foods that needed to be microwaved were difficult to make.any other way The shakes with stevia were too sweet, tasted icky to me, and left a bad stevia after taste in my mouth. I felt like I was eating sweets all day, with one lean and green meal where I always wanted to eat more vegetables. So much of the food was just not to my taste. I decided it was not a good fit for me.
That being said, TSL taught me some things that I have successfully implemented in my weight loss journey. First, eat smaller amounts more frequently. Six smaller meals a day, 2-3 hours apart. I try to have a protein at each of those meals, veggies, and a couple of meals a day I have a higher carb/fiber option. (Like a sweet potato, or beans.) Second, Dr. A's habits of health is a great book, that addresses all the issues an obese person will face during a weight loss journey. It is invaluable. Third, if I don't have a perfect day eating, I can just pick myself up and do it right the next day.
This journey is interesting. I believe God has put me on it for a reason. I think at least part of the reason is the story of my journey. We all come from different walks of life, but no matter where we come from the pursuit of health is a something we need to be dedicated to, and it is individual. This is just the start of my story.
Pursuing Health Part 1 from Sparkpeople Blog 4/28/17
So, I was rather late on starting the New Year's Resolution thing. I closed a shop at the end of December, and to be honest was ready for a bit of break. I took it easy for a few months, but started cooking at home. At the end of February I decided I would try Take Shape for Life (Medifast, Optavia) because I knew some people who had been successful with it, and I personally knew a health coach with TSL. So, I got my first shipment, unpacked it, and set a start date. The start date was March 15th. It only took me four days to decide it was not right for me. Let me explain a bit more about my background to explain why it wasn't right for me.
I am a whole food person, and have been most of my adult life to varying degrees. When I was 18 I decided, for ethical reasons, to be a vegetarian. I did have neighbors that were vegetarian and they lived a longer and healthier life, so I knew it to be a healthy choice. However, there are things I didn't change about my diet. At 19, and for 4 years I ended up working at McDonald's. My love of fries didn't end there, although I wish it had. I was eating vegetarian, but not really overly concerned with what I ate.
Then I moved to Colorado. I had started eating small amounts of meat before moving, but moving to Colorado changed everything. The great produce I had grown up with in Northern California became only a memory. Things may have changed, but when I lived in Colorado there were only a couple of really great local produce items because of the short growing season. I started eating meat more regularly, it was just easier, but I ate reverse of most people, I cooked vegetarian food and added meat. (I had learned to cook as a vegetarian.)
Next, I met my husband. He was an adamant meat eater. The first meal I ever made for him was a vegetarian chili he still fantasizes about, but that at the time he claimed needed meat. It was a constant source of anguish for me. He felt like I was trying to make him a vegetarian, I felt like the food I made never made him happy. We were always eating buddies though. We ended up eating out a lot. We had busy schedules, and when eating out we could get what we wanted. This was not a healthy pursuit.
I feel as if this blog entry will go too long if I continue this story today. I am going to leave it here for today, and complete the story tomorrow.
I am a whole food person, and have been most of my adult life to varying degrees. When I was 18 I decided, for ethical reasons, to be a vegetarian. I did have neighbors that were vegetarian and they lived a longer and healthier life, so I knew it to be a healthy choice. However, there are things I didn't change about my diet. At 19, and for 4 years I ended up working at McDonald's. My love of fries didn't end there, although I wish it had. I was eating vegetarian, but not really overly concerned with what I ate.
Then I moved to Colorado. I had started eating small amounts of meat before moving, but moving to Colorado changed everything. The great produce I had grown up with in Northern California became only a memory. Things may have changed, but when I lived in Colorado there were only a couple of really great local produce items because of the short growing season. I started eating meat more regularly, it was just easier, but I ate reverse of most people, I cooked vegetarian food and added meat. (I had learned to cook as a vegetarian.)
Next, I met my husband. He was an adamant meat eater. The first meal I ever made for him was a vegetarian chili he still fantasizes about, but that at the time he claimed needed meat. It was a constant source of anguish for me. He felt like I was trying to make him a vegetarian, I felt like the food I made never made him happy. We were always eating buddies though. We ended up eating out a lot. We had busy schedules, and when eating out we could get what we wanted. This was not a healthy pursuit.
I feel as if this blog entry will go too long if I continue this story today. I am going to leave it here for today, and complete the story tomorrow.
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