Sunday, January 16, 2011

Getting Healthy--All The Way!!

Much has been on my mind this week. One day I slept in until 8:30 and thought what is up with that!  You all heard about the scale escapade!  For me I know this is all a mind game and I am trying so hard to get my mind in the right spot and learn to eat better than I have in the past.  Last night I got an email from someone I did not know.  I opened it because it had an ancestor's name on the subject line.  Conversing back and forth with Dana sent a million emotions through me.  

Uncle Lee
I have shared some of my stories here so you can catch a glimpse into my past.  To make a long story short, I found out just this past year a great uncle had two marriages. You are probably asking, "What's the big deal Laura?"  If you are doing genealogy it becomes a VERY BIG DEAL.  It usually unlocks answers and helps you bust through brick walls you never thought you would get through.  My grandfather's family was just that, a solid brick wall.  It wasn't until I started researching his siblings that answers began to unravel.  With my Uncle Lee I found a document that he was married to Lizzie Westbrook.  My first thought was that is not his wife, then realized he had two marriages.  When I found the marriage record, the book opened to the page their record was located.  Anyway, I blogged about it and last night someone found that blog and contacted me. Dana's friends are his descendants. So once again here were cousins I had never met, never even knew  existed and we are connecting.  It is the same story it seems over and over again with me.  But then this afternoon I had an email from my aunt-an aunt I just recently connected with in the last month.  She told me what she had heard of me leaving home.  I had run away and joined a cult. Just for the record, that is not true!!  If you want to read my story, here is a link to Kathy's Blog-Laura's Journey (sorry if I have shared it before). I will admit, I broke down and cried and cried, BUT I didn't go for food.  I let the emotion and the pain come out.  And then I went to my stress reliever which is writing.

I think more anything I saw something today that was both in me and my mom--we both ran from the hurt and pain inside us. For me I took most of my comfort in food. Today a friend sat next to me in church.  She is someone I have come to love a great deal, because she was the one who said, Say it!  Say it!  Tell yourself you love yourself!  Today I felt like I could be there for her, little did I know her love and support would help me get through an email that was so painful.  Through it all I see myself getting healthy step by step.

Some of you have said, they do not see the pounds coming off yet. I have also heard you are replacing the sugar and soda with other things.  I do that too.  But today I decided it was okay if I did that sometimes, because I was breaking habits and cutting back in small ways.  And it is all those small things that will begin to add up to big things.

Kathys' blog a few days ago had some excellent ways to cut back on things and I wanted to share them with all of you. For those who follow Kathy's Blog....it's a repeat but knowledge is power right and the more ingrained into us, then the better off we will be. You can skip to the bottom if you would like.  Here is the list of ways to cut back:
 
1.   Serve dinner on a 9 or 10 inch plate (you'll eat up to 22 percent less).
2.   Serve popcorn in a small bucket instead of a huge bucket (you'll eat 34 percent more if popcorn is given in a very huge bucket).

3.   Use tall, thin glasses instead of short, wide ones (you'll pour 29 percent less).

4.   Store all your snacks in small single-serving food-storage bags (you'll eat up to 20 percent less).

5.   Keep the main serving dishes on the stove or counter (you'll eat 19 percent less than if you kept the food on the table).

6.   Move potato chips to the back of the pantry.
(I buy the $1 bags or so and when they are gone they are gone. I don't buy the huge bags!)
7.   Include a fruit and vegetable with your lunch and dinner.

8.   Don't eat white foods at dinner.

9.   Use the half-plate rule (fill half your plate with salad or veggies).

10. Have a sweet or salty afternoon snack only if you first eat a piece of fresh fruit.

11. Drink one glass of water before every meal or snack.

12. Use the Restaurant Rule of Two: Limit yourself to two items other than your entree.
13. Never eat in front of the TV.
(My problem is my car!!!)
14. Eat a piece of fruit on the way to work every day.

15. Freeze half of what you make, and serve the other half.

16. Save desserts for weekends.
 

This article was written by Brian Wansink who is the director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating.

I think there are some good ideas in here.  I like the smaller plate idea.  Last year I would get a burger and salad. Now I know that sounds like it is not healthy, BUT I didn't have seconds and leftovers and it really helped me to cut down on my appetite.  I am trying to have a salad every day, I have a 64 oz bottle I fill with water I try to drink every day.  There are many ways we can take these and incorporate them into our own plans.  Because I don't eat sweets, I think I am going to take it and apply it for pasta one day a week.  I do love a good plate of spaghetti!!!  Just remember if it doesn't work the first time, don't give up!!  This week is going to be a better week for me and you!!!  

Here is to more healthier us!!! We all can do this!!!

4 comments:

  1. Well, thiw week was intersting. I started a new job and am going out to lunch everday. I need that time out of the office to break up my day. I ate french fries 3 out of the 5 days and fried zuccini another day. (The 5th day I just had a really big gyro). I managed to gain 1.6 pounds this week according to the scale. So next week I am going to try to have fruit as a side dish instead. I bought some pre-packaged apple slices and grapes and I'm going to take those to eat with my lunch every day. I noticed that by not drinking pop at lunch I don't have the post lunch I'm-ready-for-a-nap sluggish feeling.

    Good luck with your geneology work. I've done some of my family and it seems to be a mostly I find a good starting place and a lot of pure dumb luck.

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  2. Awwww Jenny....sorry for the weight gain, YEAAA ON THE NEW JOB!! I just know you can't give up. I was once told you may fall a million times but don't give up because it may be the Million and one time is when it all happens. You saw what happened this week and are going to try changes so that is good!!! You can do it!!!

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  3. Since adding two other goals to my no sugar, no soda, I have lost 2 pounds! I'm really excited. I'll post my goals.

    1. No sugar and soda pop.
    2. Don't ever eat in front of the TV.
    3. Don't have any bread, pretzels, cereal, etc. after dinner or 7:00 pm

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  4. I did my weigh in on Sunday and I had lost 1 lb. I was surprised it was only 1LB because my clothes don't seem to fit as tight.I haven't been exercising to tone, so I'm not sure what is going on.
    Does anyone else feel like giving up the sugar and sodas has effected their hormones? Something has effected mine and it may just be a coincidence that it is happening when I started the no S/S.

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