Day 3.2: Have you Forgotten?

This is a reminder post.  

Don't forget to:

• write everything down, both food and exercise.
• weigh yourself and measure yourself.  For added motivation, take photos of yourself front, back and side.  I did this.  It wasn't pretty.  I did smile.  Still not pretty.
• use the hunger scale in this post.  Hunger is polite, not ravenous.
• stretch.
• use the super foods and everything we've learned in the previous 2 cycles.  Build, ladies.

I was really excited to see on Saturday that one of my favorite apps, NTC (Nike Training Club) has a new look.  They've updated and added some great features (there are a few bugs, mostly in timing and the voice coach).  My favorite is the Program feature.  You can select your goal, level, and add running to make a four-week program.  I love it when people tell me what to do!  This feature takes the brain strain out of deciding what workout to do and keeps it interesting (like the Blogilates app or calendar).  Both of which are sure to keep you on track.  Check NTC out.  I adore it.

Okay, not much else to say today.  I worked out this morning so that's great, but I do believe I ate almost a third of my daily calorie goal for breakfast.  Sigh.

Eat Green!!

Day 2.8: Uncle & Goals

UNCLE!

Not the relative, but begging for mercy.  I feel so much better.  Last week was rough for me.  Of course, I was sick, but still.  I did eat my super foods and I did have a cheat meal.  Isn't that part of the plan?

Monday.  A fresh start.  I hope you have done way better than me, exercising and snubbing sugar in all forms.  If not, start again today with a will.

It is also official:  I have set a new December record for days I've worked out.  3.  That is 300% improvement over past Decembers, so you can see why I'm so very proud.  

My December "Hail Mary" in the fitness and dramatic weight loss department has bit the dust, so I've come up with my new game plan.  My new focus goal is to work out 6 days a week.  And all I'm going to do is walk.  Yep.  Walk.  Here's why this works for me:

1.  It gets me outside.  The outdoors calls to me in a very instinctual way, and I have a burning desire to be out there.  Housework and other responsibilities can drown out this call if I let them, but I'll keep that from happening by going first thing in the morning.  Sometimes the thought of an hour sweating in the basement fills me with dread, particularly if I'm feeling stressed.  If you want to do something, you usually do it.  I want to go outside.  So I will.

2.  It clears my brain.  Instead of stewing over Christmas gifts, making phone calls, and being the secretary and last minute go-fer for 24 hours a day, I will only do that for 23 hours per day and take one hour to walk in silence (relative) and enjoy how it makes me feel.

3.  I helps me achieve a goal.  Just doing something I love will help me reach my 6 days/week goal.  And that is huge for my self-worth and sanity.  While I can't control many, many things about December, I can control this.  By making it simple, I can accomplish it.

4.  I helps me be grateful.  I am grateful for warm winter clothing.  I'm grateful for a body that functions.  I'm amazed that our bodies can create warmth as we move, and not freeze in 7 degree weather.  I love Utah's wintry, blue-sky days.  I am grateful for snow plows.  And I'm grateful that Tess has a nice warm garage, so she doesn't have to back out into the street to brush off her car, just so she doesn't have to shovel the driveway twice. :)  See?  So much to be grateful for.

So while walking uphill isn't my usual caliber of exercise and, frankly, makes me feel like a granny, it also boots my mood, accomplishes my goals, centers my thoughts, and fills my heart with gratitude.  Can't complain about that!

Today, be thankful!

Day 2.2: Carbs - Not All Are Created Equal, but I need them so badly!

Wow.  I did horrible yesterday.  Not good at all after 4 pm.  Today's a new day.

We gave our chickens away to a new home.  They will be bug-catchers down by Utah Lake.  I hope they are very happy with their new chicken friends.  I will say I was slightly sad, and felt like I was abandoning them.  In a kennel.  By a mailbox.  But their new owner said thank you, so I feel better.

Each 10 days I've written into the meal plans "complex carbs".  What exactly does this mean, you ask?  Let's discuss.

Carbohydrates all have 4 calories per gram.  They are classified as simple carbs or complex carbs.  (FYI: protein=4cal/gram; fat=9cal/gram)

Simple carbs are made up of one or two simple sugars.  These are absorbed quickly into our bloodstream, and raise blood sugar quickly and dramatically, leading to spikes and lows.

Complex carbs are made up of 3 or more sugars linked in a chain and are full of fiber.  Because of their complex nature they take longer to absorb, even out our blood sugar, and are our main fuel for energy production.

Complex Carbs are also classed as "fibrous" or "starchy", "natural" & "refined".  The best type of carbs are natural, fibrous & starchy.

Here is a list of Natural Fibrous Carbs.  These are great because they have low calorie density (meaning less calories compared to the same volume of other foods) and are high in fiber, which make them the ultimate health and weight loss foods.  When you see a calorie count for a food that says "net carbs" it means the grams of carbs minus the grams of fiber, as fiber is a flusher. Is is nearly impossible to overeat on these foods so go hog-wild:

artichokes
asparagus
green beans
broccoli
brussel sprouts
cauliflower
spinach
zucchini
lettuce
squash
tomato
green/red peppers
mushrooms
cucumbers
celery
carrots
bamboo shoots
alfalfa sprouts
cabbage
eggplant
collard greens
onions
salad vegetables
kale
okra
leeks

Here are the Natural Starchy Carbs.  These food are more calorie dense than the fibrous carbs, and should be eaten in moderation, Eat these after you've filled up on your fibrous carbs and proteins, or first thing in the morning for breakfast.  These are a healthy way to carb load if you are training hard or preparing for a long hard workout:

yams
oatmeal
barley
cream of wheat
cream of rye
brown rice
corn
sweet potatoes
white potatoes
red potoates
rye
lentils
chick peas
black eye peas
green peas
millet
legumes
butter beans
pinto beans
kidney beans
garbanzo beans
white beans
lima beans

(tips for beans: boiling them and soaking them help eliminate the gassy effect they have)

The next carb group is Refined Starchy Carbs.  Eat these in moderation, and only if you really must. These products can be slightly processed and are calorie dense.  These foods do not help you lose weight.  Rather they are substitutions for your current full-fat or full-processed foods you are eating today.  If you are a junk-food eating couch potato, eating these instead will help you lose weight.  For most of us, this does not apply, so avoid these:

Bread, whole grain (max two slices per day)
Bagels, whole grain (max one per day instead of bread)
pasta
boxed whole grain cereals
white rice
muffins, whole grain, low fat
whole grain pretzels
low fat, low sugar breakfast bars
low fat, sugar free cookies
low fat potato chips
low fat tortilla chips
low fat crackers
cream of rice
grits

Simple Carbs come in two groups: Natural and Refined.

It is much better to reach for a piece of fruit than a piece of candy or dessert.  That being said, Natural Simple Carbs are also sugars, and should be eaten in moderation for weight loss.  Keep consumption to before mid-afternoon to give your body time to be active and burn off the quick acting sugar.  Fruit is fibrous and has a high water content, making them a great way to get vitamins and nutrients.  However, keep quantities of dried fruit and fruit juice, however natural, to a minimum.  Dried and juiced fruit are calorie-dense, and the sugar content is higher per serving because you've eliminated that healthy fiber and water:

Fruit (fructose)
Dailry (lactose)

As the worst choice carbs of the lot, Refined Simple Carbs are on the "avoid at all cost unless you are going to kill someone" list.  This is the sugar we are avoiding as one of our goals for the 10 day periods.  These are calorie-dense and completely empty, or devoid of nutritional value.  These spike your blood sugar like a Six Flags roller coaster and cause us to crash and feel burned out.

white sugar (sucrose)
corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup
brown sugar
honey
molasses
agave nectar
invert sugar
maple syrup
dextrose
rice syrup
levulose
turbinado sugar
beet sugar
cane sugar
confectioner's sugar
white bread & flour
sweetened box cereal
sweetened oatmeal and hot cereals

A note about sugar substitutes:  I use a sprinkling of a sugar substitute in my oatmeal and cereals.  I haven't reached the point where a mashed banana cuts it.  I have taste buds with a spidey-sense for fake sugar and so I have not embraced them in my baking; I believe in going all-out if you're going to go to all that effort.  As the jury is still out about what these substitutes do to us, I'm not going to weigh in either way.  I have found that a little Stevia, which is a natural plant sugar substitute, works for me.  A good place to be would be not to need it at all, but I'm not there yet.

I hope this helps you make good food choices today.  Choose low density high fiber foods and you will burn fat and feed your muscles!

Be a fat-burner today!

2.1: Our Next 10 Days Start Monday December 2

Whew.  Am I glad that's over.  I had a really fabulous holiday with my family, cooking, playing, skiing, and going to a movie.  But me and my delicious Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake had to part ways.  Had to.  It was it or me, and knowing how my family feels about pumpkin in general, it was the cheesecake that got dumped.  Lucky for me.

We got to see "Frozen" Saturday...loved it!  Oh my, you really need to see it.  I'm not going to spoil it, but I am going to buy it.  Definitely.  It made me proud to be a strong woman, and to have strong girls.  Girls rule!

So the fridge got blitzed last night, all delicious holiday food covered in cream and cheese, masquerading as vegetables are gone and we are starting fresh.  I'm keeping all my lean turkey meat, and I've boiled the turkey carcass for some delicious turkey vegetable soup.  I feel so much better already!  I am going to weigh myself this morning, and most likely weep a little over the pound or two loss I erased with the help of my cheesecake, but I am looking forward to feeling a little better, tighter, and stronger over the next 10 days.  I relish the return to my predictable & scheduled life.

This 10-day cycle we are 

ditching the jiggle to maximize the jingle in our December!

Goals for our next 10 days:

• Eat 1400 calories per day.
• Drink 64 oz of water per day.
• No added sugar.
• Prioritize your workout.  Make it a scheduled time each day, and do not allow interruptions, even if you are at home.  
• Exercise at least 30 minutes every day but Sunday.  Do not skip.
• Super foods: Olive Oil & Greek Yogurt.  Greek yogurt (buy no-sugar-added) is packed with protein, a great recovery food, and vanilla flavor with added fruit is a great ice cream substitute.  Olive Oil has a multitude of healing properties and its monounsaturated fats could help you burn and store fat more efficiently. Sub it in for butter and drizzle it on your salads or cooked veggies, saute your meats and veggies in it.

Hints & Tips:

• We are entering party season.  Look forward to family Christmas Parties by making them your cheat meal.  Enjoy them most by eating clean and working hard so they aren't tainted by negative feelings.
• Drink water at parties.  Nothing racks up the empty calories like punch and soda.  Drink two cups of water before your meal, and even eat a cup of veggies at home before you go.
• Don't buy Christmas candy.  Don't do it.  Leave it at the store or tightly packaged.  You can't cheat with something that isn't around.
• Working out releases endorphins which regulate our moods and stress.  Holidays are stressful as much as they are enjoyable.  Skipping your workout is detrimental.  View it as a blocked time of day. This is increasingly important during the Christmas season.  Do it in the morning, when it's too cold to do much else.
• Workout just before one of your meals or snacks.  An empty-ish tummy is a happier tummy when you are running or jumping around, and you can feed your muscles by eating post-workout.

Tasks:

• Weigh & measure yourself.  Write it down.
• Prepare your specific meal plan based on the guidelines below.

The 10 Day Meal Plan:

Breakfast: 300 calories

16 oz water

1 serving complex carb

1 serving protein

1 fruit

Morning Snack: 200 calories

Lunch: 300 calories

16 oz water

1 serving veggies

1 serving protein

1 grain (1 slice bread - whole wheat only!)

Snack: 200 calories

Dinner: 400 calories

16 oz water

1-2 servings veggies

1 serving protein

1 complex carb (brown rice, beans, quinoa, yams, wild rice)

Have things on hand like raw nuts, V8 juice, raw fruit like apples, and cut up veggies.  Having a snack plan of attack will keep you from mindless eating.

If you want to do a meal substitute with a protein shake, add spinach, kale, whole kiwi, pears, or apples, along with greek yogurt to add fiber, a veggie serving, and muscle-building dairy to your protein shake.

I will be posting some healthy food ideas, carbs to avoid, new exercises, and other motivation to keep us moving toward healthier happier selves.  

Let's get to it!

Day 1.2 - Super Food: the Mighty Yam

Good morning!  I hope your yesterday was as fabulous as mine.  I soaked in the sunshine outside, and I felt sunny inside too because I stuck with it.  I resisted the FHE treat.  I saw some myfitnesspal entries from you, so horray for us!  And rest assured, there's absolutely no judging going on.  Whatsoever.  Period. Cinnamon Rolls are on the docket for the girls' breakfast today.  I'm going strong, and I can guarantee I will NOT give in!

All I can say for today is: stay on target, and try this today: 

SUPER FOOD: YAMS

The mighty yam.  Sometimes called a sweet potato (sweet potatoes are white), these are an orange, delicious, healthy, weird looking veggie.

If you eat this awesome food already, pat yourself on the back!  If you don't, you have no idea of the goodness you're missing out on!  As the days get dark and oh, so cold, the carb craving kicks in.  Comfort food is a must.  Eat this instead of white potatoes and your body will thank you.  Here's why:

Yams are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin C, manganese and vitamin B6.

Yams are a complex carbohydrate with lots of fiber, which releases into your blood stream slowly to keep blood sugar levels steady and won't go straight to fat.

When paired with protein it helps your body absorb both carbs and protein with maximum efficiency.

Usually they are showcased as fries, slathered in butter and cinnamon, jacketed, or bathed in brown sugar and topped with marshmallows.  RESIST, I implore you!  There are so many other delicious and healthy ways to eat these babies.  As an added bonus, they really are sweet.  So while you've been ditching sugar and your taste buds are readjusting to real life, the slight sweetness in this veggie will make your mouth happy, and possibly satisfy your sugar craving..SWEET!

Recently I have enjoyed cubing them (two potatoes skinned) , tossing them with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkling them with salt, and baking them at 400 degrees until crispy.  I also like them steamed and mashed with salt.  They are also yummy as sweet potato waffles, usually eaten with BBQ pork or chicken.  Sneak them into your family meals, they will be pleasantly surprised.

Try this link for four healthy ways to prepare yams, and why you should try them in your dessert:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/4-healthy-ways-to-prepare-yams-and-sweet-potatoes/

"You don't like them, so you say.  Try it try it and you may.  Try it, and you may I say". (Dr. Seuss)

See the link on the first week goals posting for additional recipes.
Also, please share your favorite healthy ways to eat yams in the comments below.

Have a great Tuesday!