Foodie Friday: The Sugar Struggle Part II

Do to very limited time this week, I've put together this post by pulling together some interesting (and hopefully scary) information from the web. Sugar is bad folks, probably worse than you ever thought. Not only does it do bad stuff to your body, it can prevent good stuff from happening too. In addition, there are so many illnesses and diseases that can be prevented by seriously reducing (better yet, eliminating) sugar from your diet.

I know that it's a struggle to give it up and can turn really sweet people into Satan's minions, but "It's just too hard" is not a valid reason. Quit cold turkey or slowly reduce your daily intake, whatever works best for you, just do it. Today. Right now. No more excuses. You owe it to your body and your life to change.

In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.

In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.

In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.

In 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consume one-half pound of sugar PER DAY—translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!

from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
5. Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection.
6. Sugar can cause kidney damage.
9. Sugar leads to cancer of the breast, ovaries, intestines, prostate and rectum.
10. Sugar consumption is the top cause of type II diabetes, as it increases levels of glucose and insulin. --> I don't know about you, but I do NOT want diabetes!
19. Sugar consumption can cause aging.
20. Sugar consumption can lead to alcoholism.
21. Sugar consumption is the top cause of tooth decay.
22. Sugar use contributes to obesity.
32. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
33. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
41. Sugar can increase cholesterol.
44. Sugar can cause migraine headaches.
53. Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
59. Sugar can cause overeating.
 

http://www.earthincommon.com/rethink_01-article.html

Workout Wednesday: It's Always Going to Hurt

One of the biggest challenges I have with exercise is dealing with pain, both during and after. I don't like pain, really, honestly. I do everything I can to avoid experiencing pain. I am such a baby that when I found out I was having a baby (my now 20-year-old daughter), I freaked out about the pain that I'd experience right up until the day. If I stub my toe or cut my finger, I freak about the pain before I actually feel anything. Yeah, I'm that bad.

Oh Dwight . . . lol

For the first couple of months that I was training, I did what I've always done when dealing with pain: I tensed up, squeezed my eyes shut, and took to screaming in my head; in other words I did everything I could to block it out. I eventually realized that I had to figure out a way to get through my sessions. I would surely be punished by Trainer if I asked him to go easy on me, so that wasn't an option, and I certainly was not going to quit (I signed a contract giving the company access to my money once a month, so I might as well make use of it). Therefore, the change had to come from me.

I made up my mind to simply accept the pain. I had endured it for weeks and the only negative side affect was being sore, everything else about it was crazy positive (weight loss, stronger muscles, improvement in my exercises) so that is what I had to think about.

This has been huge for my personal growth because I find that now I approach other challenges with the same mentality. There are things that I've never been able to get through, but now I just take deep breaths and accept what I'm feeling instead of trying to push it away. The result is that my body doesn't shut down (I have fainted more than once during doctor visits) and I am able to get through things that were nearly impossible before.

So as I move forward in my get-healthy journey and continue finding new ways to physically challenge myself, keeping an open mind to the pain and discomfort is going to be the key between simply "getting through it" and downright being successful. I say there's no time like the present to kick some serious butt!

Motivational Monday: To Be or Not to Be

To be healthy or not to be healthy, that is the question. But what is the answer? My answer is a resounding "Hell yes!" What motivates me to be healthy honestly depends on the day. Some days I'm at one with the world and simply want to be my best in every way. Other days it's because I want to open up opportunities that I've missed out on in the past decade (like going to live theater productions where the seats are notoriously fat-unfriendly).

I've said from the beginning that I am not doing this for cosmetic reasons as I have in the past, but I cannot deny that I am excited by what I've seen of myself this past week. Seeing the results as opposed to just feeling them adds another level of motivation, as in gosh, I wonder what I'll look like when another three months has passed. For me, it's a reflection of the changes on the inside. I do not feel the same as I did before and it's cool that the outside is keeping pace :-)

I've put together some before-and-not-quite-after pictures for a visual of my progress to date. The last one is the oldest one, a record of the best New Year's Eve I've had. I like it, not because I want to "go back" to that, but because it's a reminder of the person I've kept hidden inside for nearly 20 years. This was a fun girl who grabbed every aspect of life and enjoyed it to the fullest. She didn't think twice about what others had to say about her bright spirit.

I can't change the past, so I'm looking to the future and reaching out for the life that I want--and I'm joining forces with the girl that was to become the woman I want to be.

May 24, 2010: 38th birthday at 270+ lbs

April 17, 2012 at 217 lbs

Christmas 2000(?): 270+ lbs

April 2012: 221 lbs

1995: New Year's Eve at 145 lbs

Foodie Friday: The Sugar Struggle Part I

Can you imagine that there was a time not too long ago when sugar was a rare treat, as in a couple of times a year, particularly for people with limited incomes? Today not only do we have easy access to sugary treats, it's being put into just about every processed food item. Even so-called "healthier options" such as bottled orange juice and low-fat treats are surprisingly packed with processed sugar (and worse: high fructose corn syrup).

I'm a fan of the Facebook page "I GOT TIRED OF BEING FAT AND GOT IN SHAPE!" which is based on one woman's determination to get and stay healthy (check it out!); nearly every day she posts an inspirational or informative image, and this is a recent one:

I count myself incredibly lucky that I've never been a soda drinker. I have friends who admit that when they try to stop drinking soda they suffer from serious headaches because their bodies have become dependent on the sugar. I have a friend who eats very healthy but has gained weight over the past few years most likely because of her Pepsi habit. The thing is, she knows it but struggles mentally and physically with letting it go.

I also have friends who admit that they have to eat something sweet every day. I remember doing that, even two or more times a day. I craved it, my body wanted it. Any time I've changed my diet for the better, it took close to a week for those cravings to subside, but the good news is that they do, we just have to be determined enough to get to that point.

There are so many diets to choose from--you can go low-cal, low-fat, low-carb, etc., but the one thing that every single diet agrees on is this: sugar is bad and should be completely eliminated. Of course this doesn't include the sugars in fruit, but many dietitians will say that even fruit should be limited for this reason. You see the thing is, there isn't one nutritional benefit in sugar. Your body will survive if it never has sugar again. That can't even be said for things that must be eaten in moderation, like healthy fats.

One of my professors brings a basket of fun-sized chocolate treats to every class and the majority of the semester I pass the basket along to the next student without taking any. Three weeks ago, after adhering strictly to my diet, I decided to enjoy two pieces of candy. It was so bizarre, after I ate them my throat actually burned from the sugar, and up until the next morning there was a remaining stale taste in my mouth that I never get with fruits and vegetables. So the body may resist the initial change to cut out sugar, but it really doesn't want it and it will let you know.

Some friends have told me that sugar is the one thing they struggle with and have asked for advice on how to overcome it. I tell them that it's certainly not easy, but worth it. The pros in the health and fitness industry would most likely say to quit cold turkey (which is what I did and I turned into an evil beast for a couple of days), but I see nothing wrong with simply cutting back a little more each day to make the transition easier.

The point is to improve ourselves, not to be perfect, and to do the best we can. If eating four pieces of candy is the best you can do today (because yesterday you ate six), then kudos to you for taking steps in the right direction.



Workout Wednesday: Back in the Groove

After going at it hard in the gym for two months I inevitably became bored with my routine, but there are only 3 types of cardio machines at my gym: treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes. I logged plenty of hours and miles on the first two and I hate bikes, so where was I to turn? Between boredom and facing a personal issue not related to diet and exercise, I told Trainer that I was desperate for a break.

Haha, gotta love this!

During this time I swore that I would not exercise and that I'd eat some things that I had on my mental forbidden foods list, but only to the extent that I wouldn't gain any weight back. For three days I allowed myself a carb once a day, so one day I chose an ice cream sundae, another it was an Italian style, thin crust pizza, and I can't recall the third day. But I'll say this--I didn't really care for any of it. I threw out the sundae after just a few bites and willingly shared half the small pizza with my daughter. Nice, huh?

Sorry, I know this picture is a bit too pretty ;-)

I also accepted an offer to walk around Forest Park with a friend twice the following weekend. It was tough walking 6 miles (twice as many miles as I had been doing on the treadmill), but I figured that since I had done it once there was no excuse not to do it again. So, I went with her again later that same weekend. Other than the heat it wasn't as bad as the first time. The next day I was on my own, so I invited a friend to join me for a walk around Creve Coeur Lake, and we had a great time! After walking 6 miles, a 4-mile route was nothing. Since then I have walked around Forest Park two more times with various friends, walked a nearly 7-mile path around Creve Coeur Lake and hiked almost 3 miles in Castlewood State Park. The total miles for all of these walks is 43 miles and I did that in just 11 days. Yeah, I'm stunned too!!

Two horses from the mounted police division of the St. Louis PD. We

aren't supposed to feed them, but I did give them some grass they were

trying to reach. I have yet to see horses in my gym ;-)

This sounds great, fantastic and wonderful, but the first two days I just went because I wanted to get out of the house and I knew I had to move my body so that I could at least maintain the weight I was at after my last training session. What I didn't expect was to like the long walks as much as I did. I am thrilled to report that I have found my drive for exercise again and am just as passionate about it as I was nearly 3 months ago. Yay!! Now I'm getting outside every day that I possibly can and will hit the gym only for training sessions. I love the views and wide open spaces. Television monitors in my face on cardio equipment is a poor, poor substitute for real life.

I've learned a few things from my experiences during the past two weeks:

1. Do not give up, no matter what. If my heart isn't in it, take a "break" by slowing things down for a bit, not by quitting. It works.

2. Allow others to reach out and help, and definitely don't be afraid to ask for support--it's always there when I need it.

3. Avoiding things in my personal life will lead to disaster, so face them early on and take care of them before they grow into real problems.

This was one of those challenging times that we expect to happen but aren't sure how to handle when they do. In the future I will definitely be more honest with myself, my friends and my trainer when I feel that I'm facing something too tough to deal with on my own.

Motivational Monday: NEVER be Satisfied with Giving Up

Life is tough sometimes and it threatens to get in the way of achieving our goals. We don't become strong and successful because the road is paved in gold and bathed in sunshine. We get there by looking life's obstacles in the face and pushing back harder than they are pushing us. This is not to say that this is easy by any means. Life can really do a number on our resolves to succeed, but those are the moments when we pull together our resources. Who can we reach out to for help until we're back on our feet? What have we learned in our lives that could be applied to the current situation? What have we learned in our journeys so far that would be useful?

There is something that has been bothering me for a while but I did fairly well to ignore it. However, while I was distracting myself with exercise and visiting friends, it was creeping up on me and eventually showed its ugly self. Because I had ignored the problem I was unprepared and temporarily (key word, temporarily) crumbled. I stopped eating, didn't want to exercise and was sleeping far more than necessary.

I had no choice but to face it, so one teary morning I talked with a friend who helped me get to the heart of the matter. Another friend knew I was struggling (but wasn't exactly sure why) and invited me to join her for long outdoor walks. I admitted to her that I didn't even want to be there, that I only was because I knew I had to be. After two days of long walks, self-reflection and support, I was ready to attack the problem and took steps to fix what was broken. UPDATE: I'm still trying to fix it, but I WILL get past this.

While working through this, I was less strict with my diet (e.g. I'd have one of my daughter's fried cheese sticks, not an entire fried meal) and eased up the intensity of my workouts, but I never completely quit. I stopped focusing on weight loss and instead focused on weight maintenance so that I truly could just pick back up where I had left off when my heart was back on board again. I've had some challenges recently, but I never completely gave up and now I'm even stronger because of it.

  

When we say that something is just too hard, what we are really saying is that we are just too weak. NEVER be satisfied with giving up. 

Motivational Monday: Even if You (Think You) Suck

Don't you just love that title? It's the title of the video and I think we all feel this way sometimes. I know I did last week . . .

My motivation has been decreasing over the past two weeks, but it wasn't until two days ago that I saw that my patterns of behavior had been changing: sleeping more than usual and no interest in exercising or even eating. Any psychologist would see these as signs that something is wrong, and there is. Luckily I was finally able to see what was happening and realized that I had to face what I've been trying to avoid so that I could get back on track and move forward. I even reached out to a friend and asked for an ear while I cried it out and opened up about my fears. I don't know why talking about such things helps but it does. 

Consequently, I haven't lost any weight in the past two weeks which pretty much guarantees that I won't be 199 when I graduate. More importantly though is that I just learned a bit more about myself, so hopefully I'll recognize these signs in the future so that I can tackle the problem head on.

I think that this video fits because even though I slowed down I didn't quit. I still worked out even though I said I wouldn't, and that's going to make a difference. Enjoy!