Motivation Monday Week 5

                                           


Food, love to eat it, hate what it does to the hips!
Losing weight can be hard.  How do you even begin this process?  So you know you need to exercise more and eat less?  So what should you be eating?  What should a 'good' meal look like?  What are 'good' snacks?  I asked the 'Losing It' Contestants what are some things they are currently eating.  Here's what they said...

Kristen
My favorite meal is a grilled chicken breast, salad (spinach, feta cheese and apple) and couscous.  I love green tea in the afternoon since I need energy at that time.  Plus it is warm in my stomach which is comforting to me.  I also buy a ton of organic veggies and fruit, cut them up and have them lying on the counter so I can snack all day on them.  Recently I bought a pack of seaweed to snack on.  According to Real Age, seaweed helps block fat... I will let you know if it works on me!

Bridgette

Kari

Kendra
Snacks: nuts, fruit, dried fruit,  granola bars.  Always have a bag of lettuce around, bag of baby carrots, foods you don't have to prepare in order to eat -- you can just grab and eat healthy.

Kelly
Change all snacks to fruit or veggies.  For meals I am trying to reduce the carbs on my plate.  For dessert (only sometimes) I LOVE frozen berries with a few tablespoons of yogurt and some milled flax seed for fiber and texture...YUM!

Shariah
Good snacks I like  are hot tea, celery with peanut butter, and a handful of nuts

Deb 
Hummus with cucumbers and carrots

Roberta

Oatmeal: (yummy, I eat this EVERY morning)

½ cup of oatmeal

¾ cup boiled water

1 teaspoon honey (can substitute with raw sugar, substitute sweetener)

For protein (add pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.)

For added sweetness (add cranberries, raisins, prunes, etc.)

Lettuce wraps: (makes 1 wrap, I usually eat 2 wraps)

1 roman lettuce leaf

3 pieces of raw spinach

1 piece of meat (turkey or ham)

1 serving of cheese (cream, provolone, havarti, or muenster)

Wrap meat, spinach leafs, and cheese within lettuce leaf

Enchiladas: (makes 1 taco, I usually eat 2 tacos)

1 corn tortilla

¼ cup shredded meat (chicken or beef)

2 tablespoons shredded roman lettuce leaf with spinach

¼ cup diced tomato

1 teaspoon shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Oaxaca, fresco, panela)

1 teaspoon of sour cream or plain yogurt

1 teaspoon any salsa or a squirt of bottled hot sauce

Warm tortilla and meat.

Wrap all ingredients into tortilla

May add 1 cup cooked beans (black, Peruvian, or pinto) as a side dish

Keisa

The majority of your shopping should be the outside isles only (produce, dairy, and meat).


Change from white enriched pasta and grains to whole wheat or whole grains. There isn't much of a taste difference but the fat/calories saved is a big difference.

Eat in moderation and slowly. It takes 7 minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach so eat slow and hold off before going for seconds because chances are that you don't need any.

Drink red wine, that's not necissarily a diet tip. I just like it...

 

 

 

Yes, for all those 'shaken' a little by my 1st picture, here's the real photo. chuckle. snort. ha.

Motivation Monday Week 4

Hurdles Hurdles Hurdles!  What has been your greatest hurdle with losing weight?


Kristen
Food :)
I am in a new place, literally.  I am a 'new' mom of 2 babies, I live in a new country (Germany), I am new to living where it snows a ton, plus  I am new to staying at home.  Adding exercise and diet into all of these new things has been tricky and stressful at times. 

Bridgette
My biggest hurdle is getting the mindset of the change!!! It's so easy to fall back and just grab a quick bite that is full of fat and calories! What is it? 21 days to break a habit?!? Making it to that day seems so far away. That is my goal starting this week!!!!!!!!

Kari
My biggest hurdle is myself.  I have done this before and have been really good about watching what I eat and increasing my exercise, but it seems like as soon as I drop 20 pounds or so, I feel really comfortable and start to slack off and overtime slowly re-gain the weight I took off.  So I have asked for the help of co-workers at work and my husband at home to help me stay on track. So far so good!!


Kendra
Sugar

Kelly
It is amazing how negative we can be to ourselves.  I am trying to replace negative thoughts with positive and find the positive in all the changes I am making


Shariah

The biggest hurdle is the cheat day that never ends, but on the other hand I get to start over when I'm ready. It is never to late to start again. (note to self)

Deb

One of the biggest hurdle for me is not falling back on bad habits because they are easy or familiar.  Another hurdle is to remember to get in the routine of doing new and healthy things.

Roberta

I must say staying on task with my exercise plan when traveling; especially because there are not suitable exercise facilities every where.

Keisa

My biggest hurdle that I encounter when losing weight is the lack of willpower.  I know what I should eat and what I need to turn down, but it takes a lot of prayer and strength. 

Even More Bad News for Soda Drinkers

Check out the latest news on soda here from Take Part.com:

Caramel Carcinogen? Your Soda Pop Could Kill You

Drink to rogue cells! (Photo: Steve Parker/Creative Commons)

"Caramel coloring" sounds like an innocuous ingredient, but it's damaging your health, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group that filed a regulatory petition asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give the additive the boot.
Why all the fuss?
"In contrast to the caramel one might make at home by melting sugar in a saucepan, the artificial brown coloring in colas and some other products is made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulfites under high pressure and temperatures," explains the CSPI press release. "Chemical reactions result in the formation of 2-methylimidazole and 4 methylimidazole, which in government-conducted studies caused lung, liver, or thyroid cancer or leukemia in laboratory mice or rats."
Recently, California added caramel coloring to its list of "chemicals known to the state to cause cancer," noting that "levels above 16 micrograms per day pose a significant risk." (See a pdf of the list here.) A can of cola contains 130 micrograms—a little less than ten times the daily allotment—says CSPI.
“Carcinogenic colorings have no place in the food supply, especially considering that their only function is a cosmetic one,” says CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson. “The FDA should act quickly to revoke its approval of caramel colorings made with ammonia.”
The American Beverage Association pooh-poohed the petition, stating, ""It’s getting ridiculous out there. Today, yet another outrageous and egregious attempt to dupe and scare the public was made, this time by an activist group called CSPI," reports the LA Times.


Original Article Here

Food Facts Report 

Motivation Monday Week 3

I asked Healthy Sushi's Weight loss contestants to give you advice on getting healthy and losing weight.  I hope these tips will inspire you to lose with them!

Kristen-
My advice to losing weight and getting healthy is to take a tally of what you are putting in and putting out (eating and exercise).  I believe you will see what you need to do to adjust your lifestyle so that you can lose weight.  Maybe you need to eat better or maybe you need to exercise more, you'll see.

Kari-
Make realistic small goals to acheive so that you feel like you accomplish things along the way to your ultimate goal of weight loss and better health.  Whether it be stepping up your exercise, or trying something organic (like buying organic milk instead of regular milk).  These small changes have long term effects.

Kendra-
I would say you have to first be mentally ready.  Then I would say, do not shoot for perfect.  Then I would say, it is harder than you think after having a baby to get your old body back, but you CAN do it.  I would also say, do not attempt to do it in your own strength -- you definitely need Jesus!  I would also say that if you have NO motivation, the only way for you to get some is by just getting up and doing it...after a while the results will become your motivation and you will actually feel like working out, so don't give up!  Last, but certainly not least: Make sure you rest too. "It is useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your fingers to the bone.  Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?" -Psalm 127:2 (MSG)  Sounds hard, almost unreal, for Mama's, but make sure you rest and give your body the spiritual fuel it needs in order to exercise the physical.

Kelly-
My advice for someone wanting to eat healthier and lose weight would be to keep the 'big' picture in mind.  In the moment, you can often be frustrated and ready to quit but take a deep breath, say a quick prayer for strength and keep going.  I am also a HUGE supporter of once a week 'indulgences', they keep me sane :)

Shariah-
Start slow. Don't try to change everything all at once.

Deb-
I would tell people to add more fruits and vegetables to their day and to do some form of exercise everyday.

Roberta-

I would recommend that they do the following:

• Acquire an accountability partner or group
• Lower fat and carbohydrate content, while increasing fiber.
• Start a moderate exercise program or routine.

Keisa-
I would give the advice to someone that is trying to lose weight that it is crucial to have support around you.  My colleagues know that I am dieting so they don't buy me my favorite latte machiato/bakery items any more.  My husband knows that he is on his own for cooking most nights because I would prefer to eat a salad and if I cook, I'm going to cheat and eat what he is eating.  I couldn't do this without the support of those around me.  I also found that keeping a food journal helps as well.

The Diet Soda Swap

The news is out, diet sodas may be linked to a higher chance of suffering from cardiovascular disease.  The study was released at the American Stoke Association's International Conference by the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.  The study contained 2,500 people who consumed no soda to those who drank at least one a day over a nine year period of time.

The conclusion this report came to is the daily diet soda drinkers had a 48% higher stroke risk than those who drank no soda.  What ingredients in the soda are causing this issue?  Could it be the alternative sugar substance or the salt?  Could it be that alternative sugars make a person crave even sweeter 'foods' throughout the day?  Could it be that soda drinkers tend to be more obese than non-soda drinkers?  The research is inconclusive on these issues.

What you can take away from these studies is that drinking water, even bubbly water, is a better choice of hydration.  Did you know that a regular can of soda (not diet) has 150 calories with no health benefits? If you had one can of soda a day you would be adding 55,000 calories to your diet which translates into 16 pounds a year.  This is a can of soda I am speaking about, just 12 ounces.  Most of us drink more than 12 ounces when we fill up our cups at our favorite fast food joint.  We even refill the cup to have more soda on the road (at least I do)!
So do the swap, switch from soda to water and give those 16 pounds to the next guy.
 Food Facts on Soda

Just 10 Pounds

Brad Lamm & JUST 10 LBS on KATU Portland from Brad Lamm on Vimeo.

Motivation Monday

It has been 2 weeks since we begun the weight loss contest 'Losing it'.  I asked our contestants to complete the following segments:
I can...
I have...
I don't...
I wont...
I will...
I like...

Here is what they have to say, can you relate?  How would you answer the following statements?

Kristen
I can find the time to exercise everyday if I stick to a schedule.
I have found exercise videos I like and look forward to doing them (normally they sit in a drawer).
I don't need to wait until I feel like working out, I will workout even if I don't feel up to it.
I won't find comfort in food and sitting on the computer, I will find it in Jesus!
I will pray about my health and the health of my friends in this contest.
I like bubbly water more than soda.  For real(s).

Bridgette

I can do everything through God who gives me strength! Even this!!! 

I have God on my side who is here for me through this!

I don't care about my past failures! I am looking toward my goal!

I won't go back to my old habits. 

I will start new every morning!!!

I like how I feel after a successful day!!!

Kari

I can exercise at least three times a week.

I have started to drink a lot more water each day.

I don't want to loose site of my goal of eating healthier foods.

I won't beat myself up for not staying on track week two.

I will find ways to eat healthy why I am having a few dental procedures completed.

I like that I am so excited when I go to the store and find new things to eat in the "healthy food" section.

Kendra
I can eat right.
I have the power of Christ living inside of me to help me accomplish my goals!
I don't have to be perfect.
I won't eat later than 8:00 at night.
I will pray instead of eating for comfort.
I like close girlfriends who help me see the BIGGER picture.

Kelly

I can...  overcome the urge to go back to my old way of eating

I have...made exercise a priority (and it gets easier to do it!)

I don't... have to be a part of the clean plate club- when I am full I can stop eating and it will be OK. 

I won't...  feel bad about eating at Subway (Jared did it!)

I will... try to eat more fruits and fiber this week 

I like... how I am feeling!

Shariah

I can practice portion control.
I have been happy this week.
I don't intend to eat junk, but sometimes I can't help it.
I will train for the indoor triathlon.
I like Habanero BBQ almonds.

Deb

I can completely  exchange using Splenda to using Blue Agave.  I was still Splenda at work or on the road.  Now I carry Blue Agave with me.

I have stuck to journaling my food and exercise on a daily basis.

I don't crave eating at Sprinkles Cupcake anymore.  

I won't make excuses why I can't  exercise or go to 24 hour fitness.

I will add more organic food to my daily intake of food.

I like feeling lighter when I wake up in the morning.

Roberta

I can drink 4 bottle of water a day –

• 1 first thing in the morning
• 1 before lunch
• 1 before dinner
• 1 before bed

I have a family that will encourage me and hold me accountable.

I don't weigh as much as I did when we started.

I won't harbor on this weekends failures, because this is a new week.

I will walk for 20 minutes a day.

I like legumes and nuts. 

Keisa

I can lose weight if I make the right food choices. 

I have motivation and willpower.

I don't need caffine any more...well a little I do.

I won't over induldge.

I will remember my reason for doing this.

I like the way I feel when I make healthy food choices throughout the day.