the longest comment ever...

A friend of mine recently posted about her struggle with food in an effort to support one of her friends struggling with an addiction, and she asked for those reading to help by commenting. Which led to the longest comment I've ever written. Ever. I'm partially embarassed by it, but kind of proud, too, so I want to share it here since it was cathartic to write.

Here is Jamie's post 'Hi, My name is...' and below is my comment:

Isn't it awful that something that can make us feel so good while we're eating it (chocolate chip cookies, doughnuts, ice cream give me instant bliss) can also make us feel so bad afterwards? I don't always feel bad after, sometimes I just don't care (or am really good at repressing negative feelings)... but it's when I'm sabotaging my other *more important* goals is when I feel REGRET. Indulging, whether it's a treat when I'm trying to cut calories, or reading a book instead of doing the work that's waiting for me (like I did this morning), gives us that instant gratification, but what is our true priority? For me, I have to break out of the irrational how-I-feel-in-the-moment and try my hardest to remember the rational decisions and goals that will bring me true and lasting joy, not just momentary and artificial bliss (there's a gospel principle in there). I have had to change my whole mindset- to not use food/reading as a way to escape or avoid feelings or duties, and honestly it is a daily struggle- some days are harder than others, and most days I don't do as well as I wish. I'm so glad you posted about your struggle because I feel like I'm at a turning point right now (again) and support and motivation from friends is extremely helpful- for me I post my successes on facebook and love it when people leave supportive comments.


My goal is to live a healthier lifestyle by exercising and cutting calories to lose weight while making healthy food choices. Here are some things that have helped me...

~ Tracking calories on livestrong.com, and making it my homepage so every time I go online I can quickly update what I've eaten. It gives me a wake-up call to see it add up and the reality of the results.

~ Getting out of the house! I eat far less and am not faced by the temptation to snack when I am kept busy.

~ Keep the crap out of the house. I can't eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner if it's just not there. I've also stopped buying cereal since that is also something I'll overeat- even the "healthy" kind. And bonus- I save money!

~Exercising in the morning starts my day with the good rational perspective, giving me more energy and motivation to do well. This is definitely the most helpful, because the endorphins naturally cheer me up and I'm not so hard on myself. Sometimes I have to force myself to do it, but I always feel better afterwards. I never feel regret over a workout.

~ Replacing treats with healthier substitutes. My go-to treat is frozen yogurt. Way fewer calories than ice cream, I only get it when I'm out of the house, and only when I have the time. Because it's usually priced by the ounce, I don't get a huge amount.

~ Prayer and scripture study also help me stay focused on what's really important in my life and what I value and want for myself and my family.

I hope this helps! Stay strong and keep at it! Every day is a new chance to meet your goals. I also have a group blog that I've neglected lately called Girls In Shape where I can rant about my struggles and exclaim over my successes. And share useful information, and sometimes just funny stuff. Email me if you'd like to join and post on it! I think I'll copy my comment here and post it there since it's long enough to be an actual post :)

We love you and miss you here in La Mesa!

Heidi

it's good to feel good again!

This morning I went on a FABULOUS run with my sister Cheryl and ended up at the park so the kids could play. I'm very encouraged that after a month with only a few runs it wasn't painful (except the uphill sprints) and was able to keep up a conversation without losing my breath! Yay!

I've also lost five pounds after being sick in March with strep and a ruptured eardrum (OUCH!). I think my stomach shrunk from having no appetite... which has helped me keep my portion sizes smaller and reduce snacking big time! It's amazing to not feel hungry or the need to constantly eat something. So much easier than fighting the cravings. Cravings are evil.

After a five day road trip to Arizona and the Grand Canyon, I'm finally back in the exercise groove! I'm excited to increase my endurace with running and develop more muscle with Jon's P90X DVD's. I want to try the yoga one next. Tomorrow.

How are *you* doing with

your fitness goals??

Let's get some more posts and comments going!

pre and post-workout nutrition tips from active.com

I loved this article so I thought I'd share! (Click on the title below to view article at Active.com)

To Eat or Not to Eat Pre-Workout?

By Hana A. Feeney, MS, RD, CSSD

Should you eat before working out? Is it better to exercise on an empty stomach so that you tap into your fat stores and burn them away? What if you have a sensitive stomach? Should it be carbs or protein or both?? So many questions!

The bottom line: When you eat carbohydrate-rich foods before exercise, you will perform better--mentally and physically--during your workout. The question then becomes, what works best for your body?


Sensitive Stomach?

Choose low-fiber and low-fat foods before exercise. Try to eat at least one hour before beginning your workout. Skip the peanut butter and high-fiber dry cereals before your workout. Fat and fiber hold food in the stomach longer and with your sensitive stomach, you want the food that you eat before a workout to be digested and out of your gut when you start exercise. Best low-fat, low-fiber foods:
•Banana

•Low-fat yogurt

•Whole wheat English muffin

Trying to Burn Fat?

While it is true that exercise on an empty stomach allows you to burn fat during exercise, this does not translate to a reduction in body fat. When the body is burning fat for fuel during exercise, it inevitably means that you are working out at a lower intensity. What does that mean? It means that you are burning fewer calories per minute of exercise.
To really blast through fat stores, you need to be in the carbohydrate-burning zone. When your body is using carbohydrate to fuel exercise, it means that you are burning more calories per minute. When carbohydrate isn’t available, your intensity drops, both physically and mentally. Exercise on an empty stomach generally feels much harder. Choose a satisfying meal or snack, but keep the high calorie additions to a minimum if you are trying to lose body fat. Give yourself 30-60 minutes to digest and then hit a high intensity workout. Best lower calorie, carbohydrate-rich foods to blast fat:
•Unsweetened cereal with skim milk and fruit

•Toast with light spread of almond butter and preserves

•Low-fat yogurt-fruit parfait

Protein to Build Muscle?

Eating protein-rich foods before exercise won’t necessarily lead to bigger muscles. Focus your attention on protein-rich chicken, salmon, turkey and Greek yogurt for after your workout when your muscles are more receptive to the powerful muscle-building affects of protein.
Before any workout, you need carbs. Carbohydrate powers exercise, especially high-intensity workouts like weight lifting. You can blow through your glycogen stores (carbohydrate stores) during a heavy lifting workout. When glycogen levels get low, mental and physical energy will drop. When trying to build muscle it’s a good idea to incorporate small amounts protein into every meal and snack, provided that you aren’t sacrificing carbohydrates. Choose pre-workout meals and snacks that provide carbohydrate and a bit of protein for extra calories to build lean mass. Best muscle-building options:

•Hummus with cucumber and tomato slices on whole wheat pita

•Oatmeal with fruit and low-fat chicken sausage

•Baked sweet potato topped with low-fat cottage cheese

Prime your body for exercise by choosing carbohydrate-rich foods for your pre-workout meal. When possible, give yourself at least 30 minutes to digest the food and absorb the nutrients. Experiment with which foods work best for your body.

blogging away

If anyone feels so inspired...

Here is a list of 100 food blogs to inspire healthy eating. Let me know your favorites (even if they're not on the list) and I'll add them our "blogs we love" sidebar.

quote of the century.

"If eating cake is wrong, I don't want to be right."

-Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls(Discovered tonight during girls night in with Emily...)

AND!

I have exercised THREE days IN-A-ROW! I'm so on a roll. I almost didn't today, but I bit the bullet and speed-walked to the church for Emily's Music Makers class. And the feeling of pride I now have is feeling even better than cake! Crazy, I know. The beautiful weather doesn't hurt, either :)