Nutrition

It's been a while since I have blogged.  Life has been busy staying active, Zumba, work, the gym, friends/family.  I am loving my life.

I have to vent a second and get something off my chest.  I have been self studying and reading alot of nutrition books. I am trying to live and eat healthier.  Yes, we all have our moments of ice cream, cakes, chips, etc.  I have my fair share too however, just not everyday.  That's part of life and that's part of living.
However, how do I stop my need to inform others of what I have learned?  These "fad" diets that people want to do and think it will be a miracle cure makes me want to yell STOP!!! and to tell them what they are depriving their bodies of and what might happen to their body if they do it....cancer, kidney misfunctions, and the list goes on.  I know I don't have a right to say anything, it's not my place, I am not a dietician.  Why do I always feel the need to help others!?!  It's not my place and none of my business.  I guess I just want people to think things through, do the research, eat healthy, grains, fruits, proteins, etc.  Stuff that mother nature intended us to eat and not deprive our body of the nutrients it needs to survive.

I didn't know where else to vent this to and I thought, hey, why not my own blog.  I am not perfect, this is not directed at anyone.  I just have seen too many people go through fad diets, thinking it will work, then give up.  Fad Diets don't work over time, exercise, staying active, being conscious of what you're putting in your body does work.  This is not about anyone that has an extreme condition or my friends that have gone through extreme measures to lose weight.  I love them and never want to hurt them by writing this down.  This is about others who think they can cheat their bodies and get fast results.   You didn't gain the weight in one year, what makes you think you will lose it in 6 months?  I know for me I gained it in 5 years and it will take me a year and a half to get to where I want to be.  I am at peace with that.  I am trying to eat right, exercise, and stay on the right course. I just want the same for others.  Maybe that's why I am reading so much and even thinking about a nutrition education.

My favorite quote is from a book I am reading called Master your Metabolism in my words:

When you put good food, such as apple into your body, the body says, HEY, I know what to do with this.  And your body breaks it down and places the food particles where they need to go into your body, as energy, water, etc.  When you put processed food into your body, it kinda looks at it and goes, now what the HECK am I supposed to do with this???  So you know what it does, it says, eh I will just store it for later and  it stores it to your fat cells.  Basically it has no nutritional value.

I have to say that sticks with me everyday, strives me to eat healthy from the ground and from a mother foods.  Staying away from the processed as much as I can and the fast food.  Yes, again, I am not perfect, I do enjoy dinners out with friends and the occassional treat, but again it's occasional.  Okay, I am repeating myself, I just had to vent somewhere.

Please NO ONE take this personally, again, it's about NO ONE, it's just something I had to get off my chest and put down on paper.

*something that shocked me last week at the doctors office from the mouth of a mother---" okay, you were good, we will go to Mcdonalds like I promised"  .  Really? ???  we need healthier food choices for our kids!!! unless you get a happy meal with a cheeseburger, apple dippers and a milk, then I am good with that :)  I read that is the healthiest item on the menu for all ages....interesting huh?  Made me think. Just saying.

I know some people are going to take offense to what I am writing but please don't.  This is the only place I can write down MY thoughts and MY opinions.  Again, that's all it is.  I have a right to do that and :)

Alot on my mind

So I have alot on my mind today.  First off, wow the weekend went quick, but the weekend went great.  I had a Tastefully Simple party at my place on Saturday and the turnout was great.  Twelve people came, that has been the most I have had at one of those shows.  It was great to see everyone! 

As far as my eating right and health, I am struggling to work out today.  I could ride myself to the park and walk, but that's so boring.  My bike is in the basement and I wish I could ride it but the tires are flat and I believe they need replaced. yeah......so there's that.    I know if I went out running I would die because my allergies are bothering my asthma today.  I woke up and my eyes are red and puffy, so took some meds, but just feeling blah.  My mind wants to work out but my body has no energy today, so I am dealing with an internal battle.

So I have ran into more bullies (internet wise) and I am proud to say I stood up for myself and didn't take any crap.  They never came to me personally, but if they did, I would've stood up for myself.  I basically just put it out there that if anyone on the loseit site doesn't truly support my journey, feels I am a failure, wants to talk bad about me to others, then defriend me.  I don't need them.  I just went through a rough 4 weeks being sick with bronchitis and a chest cold and having to work extra time to cover a co-worker (which I was fine with that didn't bother me) it was the not feeling so well that got to me.  I still ate right, still worked out and didn't push myself too hard.  I have made some great friends on loseit but one more spout of drama like I just witnesses I think I will move on.  I am on there to track my progress, my gains/losses, my food, not to please the world.  That's all I have to say about that.  I am girl who has learned from her childhood.  I am relatively easy going, shy, calm, funny, and mellow, but if you put me in a corner and I feel threatened, I will speak my mind and clear the air.  I am moving on from that.  

I am also looking into going back to school in the spring, will announce later what my schooling will be for, but still doing some research and have to figure out what schools here will best fit my needs and work schedule.  I am looking forward to that. 

Not much else going on.  I am definitely getting back to working out with Zumba classes.  I am hoping that helps with the plateau and what not.  Other then that, not much else new.   Just sitting here, windows open, enjoying the cool air and the laundry that needs to be done is calling me....so long for now everyone!

Thyroid (underactive) list

So in doing some research here are the foods I should incorporate in my diet to help maintain my thyroid levels, stay health, energized, and support my immune function to keep my body from fighting itself.  Luckily, I have alot of these foods at home already. :)  YAY!  I was slightly on track.  I did learn today that strawberries and peaches aren't something I should be truly eating, or just not everyday, so as of tomorrow, they will not be eaten everyday.  I will do them once this week and next to deplete the supply in the house and then I won't be eating them going forward.

Hypothyroid Diet - Nutrition
A diet for hypothyroidism should include whole foods rich in iodine, niacin, riboflavin, zinc, as well as vitamins B6, C, and E. These nutrients naturally support proper thyroid functions as well as overall good health and vitality.

Iodine (Is a major component of thyroid hormone balance and is antimicrobial) ·         Cow's milk ·         Eggs ·         Salmon ·         Seaweed  ·         Tuna ·         Yogurt High Polyphenols (Acts as an anti-fungal) ·         Apples ·         Blackberries ·         Blueberries ·         Cooked broccoli (Broccoli in raw form is considered goitrogenic) ·         Cooked cabbage (Cabbage in raw form is considered goitrogenic) ·         Cantaloupe ·         Celery ·         Cherries ·         Cranberries ·         Eggplant ·         Extra virgin olive oil ·         Grapes ·         Green tea ·         Legumes ·         Onions ·         Parsley ·         Pears ·         Plums ·         Raspberries Niacin (Is required for normal manufacture of thyroid hormone) ·         Brown rice ·         Chicken ·         Lamb ·         Pomegranates ·         Tuna ·         Turkey Riboflavin (Vitamin b2) (Is essential for normal manufacture of thyroid hormone) ·         Avocados ·         Clams ·         Duck ·         Fresh pork ·         Lamb ·         Milk ·         Mushrooms ·         Yogurt

Selenium (Helps to convert T-4 to T-3) ·         Brazil nuts ·         Cod ·         Crimini mushrooms ·         Eggs ·         Garlic ·         Halibut ·         Salmon ·         Shrimp ·         Snapper ·         Sunflower seeds ·         Tuna ·         Turkey Vitamin B6 (Is required for normal manufacture of thyroid hormone) ·         Avocados ·         Bananas ·         Barley ·         Bok Choy ·         Brown rice ·         Chicken ·         Chickpeas ·         Fresh pork ·         Mangoes ·         Potatoes ·         Salmon ·         Sunflower seeds ·         Sweet potatoes ·         Tuna ·         Turkey Vitamin C (Boosts thyroid gland function) ·         Cooked cabbage (Cabbage in raw form is considered goitrogenic) ·         Kiwi fruit ·         Oranges ·         Peppers, bell, red ·         Pineapples ·         Potatoes ·         Tangerines and other mandarins Vitamin E (Works with zinc and vitamin A to produce thyroid hormone) ·         Almonds ·         Avocados ·         Brazil nuts ·         Cooked broccoli (Broccoli in raw form is considered goitrogenic)  ·         Mangoes ·         Peanuts ·         Sunflower seeds Zinc (Boosts thyroid function) ·         Beef ·         Chicken ·         Crab ·         Lamb ·         Oysters ·         Pumpkin seeds ·         Sea vegetables (nori, kombu, etc) ·         Summer squash ·         Turkey

Back on Schedule

So this is it, summer is over and it's back to fall and staying on track with my exercise. Marty and I talked about it today and this is the work out schedule:

Sundays- Zumba
Monday- off
Tuesday- he will go to the Gym during the day, I will go to Zumba after work
Wed-Zumba
Thursday- Gym with Marty
Friday- open to my own workout, DVD, Park for Running, whatever.
Saturday- gym with Marty

I also will be alternating Sundays and Mondays every week because I would like to get back to Andrew's (one of the instructors at the studio) because he has classes Mon/Thursdays.

I have told Marty since he is studying to be a certified trainer to work with me in the gym on the days we go together.

I know getting back into a routine will be tough since my chest cold and allergies have been slowing me down the last few weeks, but I HAVE to get back to this, I can't slack or make excuses anymore.  Not that I have, just telling myself that I have to do it.

Here's a great video and if you are one of my workout friends, I too hope you find this motivational <3

Next week

So I typically don't write two posts in one night, but this past week has been hard on my body.  Because of my chest congestion and allergies (along with having asthma) I haven't had a chance to work out as hard as I have wanted to.  Some weight has come back on and that's fine, at least it's not the full 20pds that I lost and I am hoping within a couple of weeks of getting back to Zumba classes, working out, and eating right that the small amount of weight that I gained will come back off.

This is a new DVD I got last week and I think to shock my body and get out of the plateau I have been in since the latter part of the summer I am going to get to this next week.

Jillian is very motivating for me and she pushes me to keep going.  I was doing her 30 day Shred and I was doing it for 2 months, however, like I said before I think my body is used to it so I got her Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD.  I watched this small clip on Youtube tonight and it got me excited to get back to working out.  Sad, but TRUE.

I also miss Zumba, so I watched this video to get psyched up again for classes! This isn't my instructor, but I do her videos at home if I can't get to a class and she asked me via email if I had any song requests.  I did ask her for the Jennifer Lopez song On The Floor.  She told me to watch for it, she is working on the steps and will upload it as soon as she can.  That is SO cool !!!!  I can't wait to see it or get back to my instructors here in DE for Zumba.  I actually miss it and so does my body.  Now that the weather has cooled down I am hoping my asthma won't act up as much.  With the humidity we had over the summer in the studio it was getting really bad.  I knew I had to wait it out when I spent the last 10 mins of class in the bathroom trying to get my red face (color of a stoplight) cooled down.  That made me sad.

Random Poem that just popped into my head

Sometimes the path isn't always clear,
there are a few weeds that get in our way,
we must chop at them for a while
it slows us down
hinders our plans
wears out our energy.

The light goes dim,
we search for something to light up the path
we look to him, he guides the way,
moves the weeds, shows the paths in different directions.

The choice, dreams, hopes, and happiness returns,
we know what to clearly do,
we smile brighter,
laugh louder,
we finally see the way.

It is from here now our choice,
you no longer have to sit and be repeatable,
you can fulfill your dreams, your hopes, your desires.

It's time to live and dream for what you want
you know you can do it
the risk will be worth the end result
otherwise, what's the point of not pursuing your dream?



(so this was a short poem and the words just poured out.  I used to write alot of poetry in my 20s and I feel my creative mind is coming back with this blog.  Don't try and guess what the poem is about, just read, appreciate it, and leave it at that.)

Been a while

So it has been a while since I have written anything.  The days have gone by so fast with work and life that I haven't had time to sit down and put my thoughts out on digital paper.  Things are going well, just living, working, staying fit, enjoying friends and what life has to offer!

I plan on doing some writing this weekend so stay tuned.....

First Goal and other thoughts....

So alot has been on my mind lately.  First thing is that I have hit the 20.6 pds lost mark on my getting healthy lifestyle.  However, as happy as I should be, I have been stuck here for 3-4 weeks, like being on a weight loss roller coaster.  I keep going up a few pounds then right back down to the 20 pd mark.  I am really wondering if my body will ever let me get more then 20 pounds lost.  I know in the overall scheme of things, one month out of a year is not really going to matter when I look back...it will just be a small plateau that I will laugh about when I am sitting here thinking about it next year, or so I hope.  


I have to say our eating style has definitely changed, less processed foods and more nuts, fruits, veggies, beans, fish and poultry.  Marty is working hard to suppport me.  He makes sure I don't get too discouraged like I normally do when I get to this point, get frustrated, and give up.  I have been here before 6 years ago.  I weighed 165, well right now I am down from 191 to 170.2 and I can't get below 170.    I am REALLY trying hard not to get discouraged and give up.  I have to remember to keep pushing, keep active, and eat clean.  I can have my days of eating bad and it's okay, it's going to happen, I can't let that get me down.  I have been putting my lose it website exercise information links up to Facebook to get more support, but lately I feel like that's all my life is and I don't want to bombard my friends with it all....ha ha, they must BE so sick of seeing all that by now.  BUT, in turn, hey one of my work friends said I must be rubbing off on her because she had packed fruit and healthy things for snacks LOL.....I just giggled, I would love to think I did rub off on her!! 


So, I will keep plugging along, I know this seems like a rant above, but it's really not, just a small bump in the road and with my thyroid being slow (I am hypothyroid) it's a constant battle for me and I know it will be harder to lose then someone who doesn't have this issue to deal with.  I get my numbers checked with my doctor sometime this month.   Will be interesting to see if the numbers change since we haven't checked them since I lost the 20 pds.  


Course, this is interesting, here is what 20pds of fat looks like.....puts it all in perspective!!! 

Kinda gross!! ewwwwww and wow, hard to believe that is what I was carrying around.  Have to say, I feel alot lighter these days....LOL


On another note, alot of people knew I was trying to relocate to Florida with Citi (same company I work for) however, I didn't get the position.  At first I was bummed and very sad that my dream/desire didn't come true.  However, I am at peace with it now after this week.  I realize that things are going great for Marty.  He is now working Full time at his job, he was part time before and now he is also studying for his personal training certification.  Things are finally looking up for him and to move again without knowing what he could do down in Florida is probably not the best for him at the moment.  There is a reason for everything.  Plus, there is so much more I want to do in this house over the next couple of years, repair wise, really it's just to fix up the basement to finish it off and also the sinks in the bathrooms and repair the countertops in the kitchen along with some cabinets.  I know that will all take time and I know God has the plan.  Again, I am very blessed to have a home and a job in today's economy and market.  Things/my desire will happen when it is the right time.  Besides, the more I think about it, I like that my family is close by.  I just told Marty, hey, we will get there when we retire....no jobs no responsbility, just time to relax and enjoy the weather and the ocean :)


Well that's really all that is going on at the moment......tomorrow is going to be a get together with the family to celebrate my sister's birthday.  I am looking forward to it and spending some time with everyone.


Have a fun, safe and happy weekend everyone!! 

Feeling good!!!

I weighed in and I am at 170.4!!! I am 0.4 away from my first goal of 20pds lost.  I am sooooo excited.  I never thought I would see this day when I started this lifestyle change back in March.  Once I hit 170, then my goal is to get to 150.

/dance dance dance!!!!!!

Happy 4th!

 

Happy 4th of July...

To all my friends/family, I hope you have a pleasant, safe, enjoyable holiday!

Marty and I won't be doing much today except relaxing and grilling out burgers later tonight for dinner....yay for summer!! 

 

*ah-ha moment*

So, I know everyone has had an "Ah-ha" moment in their lives....well I had one this past weekend.  I was going through my old photos on photobucket and came across this picture:

Now this photo was taken about 3 years ago and was the last time I had seen my grandparents and Aunt in Missouri.  I couldn't understand when I was out there last month on my vacation and it was just me and my Grandparents in the kitchen one day why my Grandpa kept calling me "skinny minnie".  

SOOOOO, this is my "Ah-ha " moment!!!! When I saw this picture I now realize WHY!!!

Here is a current shot of me when I was out there visiting the family last month:

 

I have to say, I can now see why my Grandpa was saying that....I sure have come a long way and you know what?!? It isn't over yet...I still have a long way to go, but this sure did humble me. It also made me sit back and go ........WOW ....I am really doing this and no more will I look like that first picture...this is more about being thin, this is about changing your life, getting healthy and getting strong.  

Monthly Measurements

 I decided to take the time to measure myself since it's been a month since my last measurements, so here they are:

Lower Chest as of 5/13/11 = 34.50, Lower chest today 6/17/11 = 34

Hips as of 5/13/11 =44, Hips as of today 6/17/11 =43

Lower Arm as of 5/13/11 = 8 3/75, Lower Arm as of today 6/17/11 = 7.60

Upper Thigh as of 5/13/11- 25, Upper Thigh as of today 6/17/11 = 22.75

Abs as of 5/13/11 = 34.50, Abs as of today 6/17/11 = 34

Upper Chest as of 5/13/11 = 35, Upper Chest as of today 6/17/11 = 34.50

Upper Arm as of 5/13/11 = 12.25, Upper Arm as of today 6/17/11 = 12

Lower Leg as of 5/13/11 = 14.375, Lower Leg as of today = 14.50 (building those calf muscles I bet with running- so I am okay with this)

 YAY for losing more inches!!!   As of today I have lost 9.1 inches!

So even though the scale has NOT been my friend this week and keeps going up and down I am happy to see my measurements and know that I am progressing in the right direction!  I had Marty hide the scale for me tonight until next Friday night when I weigh in weekly on Saturday morning.  I am not going to stress about the small up's and down's and he agreed and hid it.  YAY!