Reaching the Finish Line

So, I Googled "finish line" images and this was the first result. That's me after my first AHA Heart Walk!

Well, my roll came to a halt on Thursday. I felt better when I woke up that morning, so I decided to workout. Bad idea.  I’m pretty sure I spent more time in the gym coughing than actually exercising. As such, I've been recovering; breathing treatments are now my best friend. While I haven’t hit the gym again this week, I have tried to be active by enduring some spring cleaning. My house now smells lemony fresh and bleach-y clean! The last few tips will be general ones that can easier be incorporated into your daily routine.  Read, and hopefully, enjoy!

42. Abandon your car. Walk or bike to work for a slimming commute. This is easier said than done if you live in a suburb like I do.  In those cases, try to park far away so that you have to walk to your work place. This tip really became a necessity parking at the University of Tennessee as the closest parking spots there are still 15 minutes away from everything!  This tip works well when shopping too :)

43. Eat breakfast. Those who enjoy a morning meal have been shown over and over to be slimmer than breakfast skippers.  This makes sense if you really think about it; you fast all night as you sleep. When you awake in the morning, your body is hungry and needs fuel. If you skip breakfast, by the time lunch comes you are ravenous.  Then, you tend to overeat. The later you eat, the less likely you are to work off those calories with daily activities and exercise.

44. Love a cow.  A report recently cited yogurt as a food most identified with maintaining a healthy weight.  You could try yogurt for breakfast paired with some granola and fruit, or blend it up for a quick smoothie. Also, drink more milk! Low-fat dairy consumption seems to speed weight loss. There are many healthy components to dairy foods one being CLA or conjugated linoleic acid. Many reports expound on the benefits of CLA (especially my senior thesis on the subject)!

45. Weigh in daily. For some, the scale is a bummer and a distraction for many. Others however like the daily feedback and accountability. I tend to forget this one just as much as I forget to update my blog. I like to schedule my weigh-ins just like anything else.  Try it, and see if you lose weight. Either way, do what works best for you :)

Beware Idle Hands

42. Get Creative. We all know the saying about idle hands.  Boredom is probably one of the leading causes for overeating. Fill in your free time with a creative activity that you enjoy. Try a new craft project, learn to knit or take a dance class.

I personally like to make my own jewelry and other crafty things.   Not only does that activity give me a creative outlet with something to do with my hands other than feed my face, but I also sell my creations for extra cash.  Talk about a win-win situation!  

Don’t know where to start? Check out local community centers or websites like Meetup.com to find an activity that sounds interesting to you. I’m a member of a few Meetup groups and I really enjoy trying new activities with a group of like-minded people.   Just recently, my ladies social group took a pottery painting class and I loved it! Here is a so-so picture of my treasure, a cupcake trinket box!

You may also want to look on sites like Groupon, Living Social, etc to view limited deals. I know for a fact that they have various deals for fitness and dance classes, so you could try out one of those. If you don’t like the activity, then you are out a few bucks instead of lots of money. My friend and I actually took advantage of a strip-aerobics class deal as part of a bachelorette party. The class only cost us $5.00 a piece and we really got a workout (and a new respect for how hard strippers work)!  

Whatever you do, have fun! Get creative and beware idle hands :)

Just a Little Reminder

41. Remind yourself to eat better. One latest study found that people chose better-for-them foods when they were prompted to "consider the healthiness" before digging in.

I do this by writing out a meal plan at the beginning of the week and sticking to it.  For example, at breakfast I have 1 cup of multi-grain cheerios with ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk.  Then, as a mid-morning snack, I eat a serving of yogurt and a serving of whichever fruit I have on-hand (this week it’s grapes).  For lunch, I choose either a Smart One or Lean Cuisine frozen meal and my afternoon snack is a granola bar (various kinds). To end the eating day, lately I've been taking my own advice and serving soup for supper.  And because I like sweets, I save room for a hot cup of decaf cocoa before I head to bed. I really like the idea of planning and packing my meals ahead so I don’t have to think (stress) about what I will eat and/or drink that day. I do the same thing with my weekly wardrobe but that’s another story!

My thoughts are that if I can eat healthy most days of the week, then I can eat healthy all the time. As you can read, I give myself plenty of food and indulge in my favorites without having to feel guilty about anything.  I know some people who eat the same things every day. I admit I can’t do that as I like too many foods to limit myself to just a few, but I choose to eat my favorite not-so-healthy foods sparingly and on the weekends. It works for me; see if it works for you!

Pair healthy eating with a healthy exercise routine and you will be well on your way to a better, fuller life! That’s what matters :)

Smell This

On a roll…let’s see how long it lasts. I only have 1 more week until Easter, so we shall see :)

40. Don't be smelly. Scented cosmetics make us crave the foods they remind us of, which ultimately makes us eat more, according to recently published reports.  I have to think this is pretty accurate as every time I use my cherry pie or pecan pie 3-in-1 (body wash, shampoo, bubble bath), I crave those desserts. However, I think is it better i.e. healthier to smell like pie every day than to eat it every day! Try this tip for yourself to see how it affects you.  Scented cosmetics, lotions, etc. may be affecting your eating habits without you even knowing it.  

The S’s Have It

The S's Have It

Say what you will, but I am consistent in my inconsistencies. Today’s tips are ones that I practice regularly and enjoy the most.  These are especially good to do when you are sick, but work just as well during times of great health!

Soups come in all varieties. Find ones that you like and Enjoy!

38. Soup-er Swap.   Have soup for supper.   Soup's high water content makes it a low-calorie and filling option. Just steer clear of the creamy kinds. Soup is also an economical option, especially if you make it yourself. Last night, I made 4 cups of an awesome beefy vegetable soup. Even with the cost of beef, the total cost for the soup per serving was under $1.50. Eating soup is another great way to get in multiple varieties of veggies into your diet. The benefits just keep adding up without adding to your waist line!

Spice Up Your Life! Try a new spice and see if you like it. You may surprise yourself!

39. Spice it up!  Cayenne pepper really can rev your metabolism, according to numerous research studies. I’m a fan of sneaking spices into my everyday meals.  When making the above soup, I added a couple of teaspoons of red pepper flakes to the broth; it gave the soup a real, but subtle kick! You can also add spice to your drinks. Spicy dark chocolate hot cocoa is a delicious and healthy treat.  Just a pinch can reap healthy profits! 

Cash Out

Be proud blog readers! I'm updating on the right day and before midnight! Here is tip #37. Just a few more to go before the Easter holy-days!

37. Pay cash.  Shoppers who pay with plastic (either debit or credit cards) are more vulnerable to impulse buys, which tend to be the fattening snacks you know you shouldn't have anyway. I don’t know if it’s just me or not, but if I’m craving fast food and don’t have the cash to pay for my meal that’s a signal for me to stop the impulse. Most people don’t even carry cash anymore, but I always like to have at least $100.00 per month in my wallet for emergencies.  That emergency could be anything, maybe even a fun treat! Not only will cash keep your health in check, but also your budget!

Fitness report: I haven't been physically able to workout due to illness, so I haven't updated my fitness report in a long while. I hope that before next week I will be able return to the gym and my beloved pool work-outs :) Let's hope my follow-up doctor's appointment goes well!!    

Veg Out or Go Nuts

Okay, so I set out yet again to be productive, but my students had other ideas;  I should know better than to want peace and quiet the night before a final exam. As such, there will be 2 tips tonight to make up for the missing post from yesterday. 

35. Veg Out. Fill two-thirds of your plates with vegetables. They have fewer calories (comparatively to other foods), are more dense (stay fuller, longer) and more nutritious (another definite plus) than any other type of food. This is hard for me (super picky about my food in general), but I'm working on it. I try to fool myself by adding i.e. hiding veggies in other foods like yellow squash in macaroni and cheese, or spinach on pizza. 

36. Go (Green) Nuts! A recent study found that dieters who snacked on shelled pistachios shed more pounds than those who ate other snacks, even though they contained the same amount of calories. I have to say I was surprised at this study, but I’m glad as these little green beauties are my favorite nuts. I pick the unsalted version for the best nutritional value, but if you don't have a problem with salt, get what you like. Expensive snack, but worth the money! 

Do You

On Saturday, I thought I was being very productive by writing all my remaining tips at once so it would be easier to update the blog. That, however, only works if you remember to do the updates…which I forgot to do on Sunday. As such, today (3/19/13) there will be 2 blog posts; one now (it’s about 1:00 AM according to my clock) and one later this evening.  

The title inspiration for this collection of tips came from a book I read recently. It was a story about a college freshman studying pre-medicine who gets discovered as a plus-size model. It basically chronicles her discovery of who she is and what she wants to become.  The best piece of advice she receives comes from her best friend, who tells her to just “do you”. Essentially, don’t try to be someone else.   Hopefully, these tips can help you “do you”.

33. Start a blog.  The weight loss blog is practically a literary genre where anyone can share their story.  Start one, and you aren't just losing for yourself as a blog gives you accountability to the readers.  My best advice should be, “start a blog and stick with it”.  I have a tendency to start a project and never finish it.  Maybe some of you are the same way…closets and garages full of projects started and left unfinished.  I’m the same way with a fitness regime. I start out on-fire, and then get burned out midway.  There’s always an excuse…no time, bad weather, etc.  Writing a blog can act as a personal diary so you can share your story/struggles and hopefully, get feedback and encouragements from others who may have went through or are going through similar situations. Your blog doesn't necessarily have to be just about weight loss, it can be about anything you want. You have a voice. Use it :)

34. Find a buddy. On the same vein as accountability, if you know someone is waiting at the gym for you then you are more likely to show up.  Having a friend at the gym with me really helped me start going to work out.  My friend and I started by going a few days a week to new classes at the gym to see which ones we liked.  With her, I didn't feel embarrassed to try the class or to “make a fool of myself” figuring out the gym equipment.  Having a friend to share in the experience takes what could be worrisome or painful into something that’s fun and enjoyable!! Can't find a buddy? Look into getting a personal trainer. Feeling adventurous?  Go to the gym, find someone else alone and make a new friend :)

Making Up for Lost Time (and Tips)

Have you ever felt like this at the gym?

I apologize again for the lengthy delay in updating the blog. It seems like my road of good intentions ends just as it begins. The end of February and the beginning of March seem like a blur now that we are almost half-way through the month!! That may or may not be due to the fact that for the best part of this month I've been on and off so many medications that I’m on a first name basis with the local pharmacist. It started with a simple tickle in the throat that has now manifested into a deep respiratory infection.  Nothing makes you feel more old than your doctor suggesting home heath come to your house to give you breathing treatments for a couple of weeks (I’m doing the treatments, just not the home care).    On that note, I've decided to dedicate Tips #15-32 to the topic of exercise and illness.

Let’s begin with the easy question, “Is it OK to exercise if you have a cold?” Here is the short (all be it long) answer.

Mild to moderate physical activity is usually fine if you have a basic cold and NO fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion. However, don't exercise if you have a fever, fatigue or widespread muscle aches. If you have a fever (mine topped at 103 F), refrain from exercising until your temperature returns to normal. A fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection. You want to provide your body with the rest it needs to do this important work.

When in doubt, perform the “neck test”.  If your symptoms are above the neck, it’s generally considered safe to exercise; if your symptoms are below the neck, however, it’s best to rest.

• Above the neck: Symptoms that are above the neck include runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, and sneezing.
• Below the neck: Symptoms that are below the neck include chest congestion, hacking cough, body aches, chills, diarrhea, and upset stomach.

Let your body be your guide. If you have a cold and feel miserable, take a break. Scaling back or taking a few days off from exercise when you're sick shouldn't affect your performance. Resume your normal workout routine gradually as you begin to feel better. And check with your doctor if you aren't sure if it's OK to exercise.

Remember if you do choose to exercise when you're sick, follow these simple rules:

• Reduce intensity. Studies have shown that exercising at a low-to-moderate intensity level will not compromise the immune system or exacerbate the symptoms of a cold. High-intensity exercise, however, can have a negative impact on the immune system.
• Reduce duration. Your body is using its reserves to fight illness. If you must exercise, make it brief. This is not a time to build fitness; it’s a time to move your body gently to relieve congestion and maintain the fitness foundation you've already built.
• Get more sleep. Allow more rest time than you normally would. Exercise plus illness is a double whammy for your body, so give it time to recover by getting extra sleep.
• Drink water. Hydration is always important, but it’s even more critical when you’re ill. Drink more water than you normally would.