Step 3 To Getting On Track: Keep A Record

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Lacey, here!

This step is going to be totally foreign to me. I've never been one to record my day in detail, but I have a feeling it's going to make a difference.  The idea behind keeping an active journal of your food intake, exercise regimen, and daily emotions helps keep you in check with yourself.

Keeping a log allows you to be aware of your actions and gives you a realistic sense of how you're eating. Instead of "I only had a couple snacks today" you can see with your own eyes that, actually, you had one bag of chips, a candy bar, 2 brownies, and a cup of yogurt. Now, your later self can distinctly remember, with detail, what you actually had, and not what your mind is tricking you into thinking you had.  It's easier to make change when you're confronted with the issue.

One of the more important aspects of keeping a journal allows you to track how you physically feel. If your concerned about food intolerance or any allergies, documenting when you eat, how much you eat, and how you feel (bloated, headache, constipated, nauseous) can help you get to the root of the problem.

Ultimately, the goal of the logging your days is that it will hold you accountable to yourself, encourage you to make better decisions, and gives you the chance to look back at a truthful account of the decisions your making, and not a fantastical world your mind tends to make up when dealing with guilt.

Here's how I organize my journaling:

On the front of the first page I keep track of my weight as soon as I wake up, what time I woke up, my meals, and workout routine. You can keep track of these things as you go throughout the day. Feel free to keep a small notepad in your purse or even a piece of paper so you can re-write it later in your book.  On the back of that page, I keep a more personal/emotional log of how I'm feeling, where I'm feeling discouraged or encouraged, and any fun things I did that day. This tends to get done just before bed. I don't always go into full  sentences; just bullet points or phrases. Some days I write paragraphs. Whatever feels right. Then the next page starts a new day.

The about my day is on the back of Monday's log. This is the page where I document
non-workout/food stuff, my feelings, etc. Obviously I didn't take a picture of a completed day
for privacy reasons.

This is definitely a task I have to remind myself to do, and it's not always the most fun, but truthfully, when I started writing down everything, I began making more conscious decisions about my food and exercise. It's as if I don't want to embarrass myself later by going back to read and exclaiming "Why did you eat that?! Why didn't you exercise that day?! Shame on you!"

Here's a great article that talks further about the studies done behind journaling and weight loss.

Just remember, we're our own worst critics. 

Let's use that to our advantage.

Happy Healthy Living!

Wedding Slim Down

I got married 2 months ago, and of course looking my best was important! But I wanted to stay on the same healthy pace I was on and not fluctuate too much either way in my weight. I also wanted to focus on getting in shape for our honeymoon; we went away for almost 3 weeks backpacking through South East Asia (Indonesia and Thailand) and had lots of adventures planned.

Hiked Mt. Batur in Bali, Indonesia

We had also just moved 2 months before the wedding, so eating healthy was super difficult (kitchen stuff not unpacked + a super teeny NYC kitchen to begin with)! But the best part of living in NYC is that we have access to any kind of food we want - especially healthy foods. Grocery shopping for me is half the battle.

Moving insanity

 These are some of my main tips that I followed every day for the 6 weeks before the wedding to tone up and slim down:


- Don't drink any calories 
I'm not gonna lie, I love drinking calories! But water is your best friend when you are trying to lose weight/slim down/not eat junk food. It keeps me full and hydrated.


- Walk more, take stairs when you can
Every movement counts. I added in a 20-30 minute walk every day during work. Get moving and burn extra calories, also leaving your office/desk during the day clears your mind - also helps me crave sugar less.

Leaving to backpack Southeast Asia!

- It's the little choices
Take it day by day. I talk to myself: "Steph do you need soda TODAY?" And usually I can say no, not today.

- Morning workout
When I work out in the morning - I see a significant improvement in my drinking/eating habits all day. My theory is that if I work hard in the AM, why would I ruin it with the shiz I eat the rest of the day? I also started to run twice a day to get in shape for our honeymoon - we had several hikes planned and I wanted to make sure I was in tip top shape. Running also helped to reduce wedding planning stress, it was nice to take out time for myself every day, even when my to do list was crazypants.

- Fruit snick snacks
Keeping grapes, strawberries or a banana on hand always helps me stay away from other unnatural sugars/candy. I can even trick myself into pretending grapes are candy by adding some honey and popping them into the freezer for a bit.

What are your tips/tricks? Comment below and I will share them on Facebook!

Connect with us on Facebook for extra articles, recipes and inspirational pics all summer!

- Stephanie

Morning Coffee Alternative

Hi. My name is Lacey and I was a coffee addict.

My mornings started with a big cup of joe and some cereal. But when I decided to get healthy, caffeine had to go.   Coffee makes your heart race, causes shakiness, lack of concentration, irritability, anxiety, and the inevitable caffeine crash that comes just hours later, and the most important and dangerous part: it's extremely addictive.  Yes, caffeine is considered a drug.  And that "energy" you feel?  Well, here is what Lauren from Diary of a Nutritionist has to say:

Coffee makes us "feel" awake.  In other words, coffee acts like a fake source of energy.  I say fake, simply because it does not actually give us real energy, it only temporarily increases certain metabolic functions, like heart rate, that make us feel energized.  No amount of coffee (which has highly-acid forming effects on the body's pH) makes up for lack of sleep, which alkalizes and heals the body.

Drinking decaffeinated?...in order to make something decaffeinated, it has to be treated (and something that is 'treated' is not natural).  Unfortunately, many decaffeinated coffees are treated with chemicals. Diary of a Nutritionist

While there are some health benefits to drinking coffee, for me, any food that has an addictive property to it (like junk food), I want it gone.  And in the end, the risks outweigh the benefits by far.  Before I continue, I will say, if you like your coffee and don't want to get rid of it completely, I advise lowering the amount you drink and completely getting rid of the sugar & creamers you put in it.  Like I said, there are some health benefits to coffee so a cup every now & then is okay, but straight up black coffee is your best option if you're going to drink it at all.  Don't get me wrong, I'll have maybe 1 or 2 cups a month as a treat, but even then I avoid adding sugar and creamer like the plague.

Now, since I stopped drinking coffee I had to find a way to get my butt moving in the morning in a healthy way. Here are 3 steps I take each morning to get me ready for the day as an alternative to sitting at the table and drinking coffee:

Morning walk.

1. Walk: Roll out of bed, put on shorts, a t-shirt, and your sneakers and walk around the block.  I'm not talking about a 3 mile run (this is not meant to be your only exercise for the day).  Simply get out of the house, take 5-10 minutes before you eat breakfast, and walk.  You'll stimulate your muscles, get your blood flowing, and the fresh, cool morning air is a nice way to wake up. Make this the first thing you do every morning.  Use it as an opportunity for some "me" time, to mentally prepare for the day, and a chance to enjoy the quiet early morning air before a busy day. 
2. Energizing food: "The best energizing foods are those rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals" (Eat to Boost Your Energy).  Turns out a lot of fruits have these crucial elements to waking your body up.  Most mornings for me include my walk, then a bowl of oatmeal with homemade strawberry jam mixed in, and/or a big bowl of fruit.  Some foods that are considered energizing: blueberries, cantaloups, strawberries, mango, citrus fruits, and oatmeal.  The energizing fruits & a bowl of oatmeal are what get me going.  Eating a pop-tart just won't cut it.  By eating energizing food, you will receive true energy, not the fake stuff coffee offers.
3. The right amount of sleep: It took me a long time before I figured out the number of hours of sleep that rejuvenate me.  If I get less than 6, I'm tired. If I get more than 7 1/2, I'm tired.  Going to bed at 11 and waking up at 6 is the perfect schedule for me.  I'm rested, happy, and ready to go. The more sleep doesn't always mean more energy.  Take time to figure out how much you need and maintain a normal schedule.  Once your body becomes adjusted to the schedule, it will become more efficient in rejuvenating you.  By varying your schedule with a different amount of hours each night, your body will never be able adjust. Just like if you don't keep a schedule for the week, you're less efficient.  Same thing works for you body & sleep.

I'd say that's some good sleep.  My dear husband cuddling one of our dogs, Rita.

Find out what works for you.  And if you do decide to get rid of coffee, be aware that you may have some withdrawal symptoms like fatigue and headaches, but they should end after a couple days. In the long run, it was worth it for me as I now have true energy and therefore it is maintained throughout the day instead of just a couple hours.

Do you have a different morning routine sans coffee that works for energizing you? Comment below!!

Here's to caffeine-free mornings!

-Lacey

I Say This Out of Love (Time To FOCUS)

Summer is winding down and it's time to get back into the grind of things.  I slacked on our honeymoon/family vacation.  I gained 6 pounds in 8 days.  I say all of this mostly for me, but I know some of you need to hear it, too.  Like the title says, I say this completely out of love, because when I was gaining weight and living my terrible lifestyle, I wish someone would have said this to me.  It's about being HEALTHY. Not SKINNY.

Did you know?:
In the 1960's, approximately 18% of a family's income was spent on groceries and less than 5% on medical expenses/health care.  Today, less than 9% of income is spent on groceries and over 16% on medical expenses/health care.

It's true.  You either pay the farmer or you pay the doctor.

With that said, what are you going to do?

• Will you open your mind to the possibility that the food you're buying is quite literally poisoning you, or will you give in to the immediate satisfaction of a greasy burger?  
• Will you regain self-control and proudly tell the world that YOU control your life or will you use the excuse "I could never do that, I just love [insert food] too much"?  
• Will you rejoice, knowing that you don't have to carry around pills, schedule doctor visits, or worry about the next lab result, or will you sit back and think that paying $300+ a month on medical expenses is "normal" & that "everyone does it"? 
• Will you raise your children in a culture that embraces a healthy lifestyle so they can live long, happy, and HEALTHY lives or will you teach them that food addiction is incurable & a normal part of society? 
• Will you stop lying to yourself, saying "the food I eat isn't that bad" or will you finally admit that you lost control?

I was fat. I lost control. I was poisoning myself. But I took control, lost some of the weight (so far), and rid myself of my terrible illness.

It's possible. STOP MAKING EXCUSES.  Money is not an issue, in fact, we cut our grocery bill almost in HALF when we included more raw foods.  We were buying twice the food we needed when we bought processed.  What a waste of money. Having kids doesn't matter. In fact, that should be more of a reason to change. Convenience is only what you make it.

Love yourself & respect your body.  If you do that, everything good will follow.

Now, for some heart-wrenching facts.

Via: Medical Coding

[[Remember: When you stop focusing losing weight on being "skinny", and "pretty", and trying to be like my "smaller friends", and switch your focus to living a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, one that you, your friends, children, and loved ones can respect, that is when you truly find the motivation to change things.  Always do things for you, but aim to be an example that you want your children/loved ones to follow so they, too, can grow up without debilitating illnesses,chronic problems, and outrageous medical bills.]]

Here's to a fresh start, and a regular schedule (thank God). Time to kick myself in the butt & get going!
-Lacey

Before & Somewhat After

I've received a lot of requests to do a before photo of Mike & I and one of us now, after we've lost some of the weight.  Keep in mind, I'm still going to lose another 20 pounds and Mike another 15.  I just know there's a lot of you readers who don't know what we looked like before we started this journey.

This photo of us is at my Dad's wedding on January 1, 2011.  This was exactly one month before we started the challenge and when we were both at our peak weights...EVER.  It actually makes me quite depressed to see this; to know that I, a person who used to be pretty fit allowed the stress of teaching and school to affect me so negatively that I allowed myself to become this unhealthy.  I am excited, though, to see the progress we've made.  So many of you have been supportive of our healthy eating, and for some of you, have been inspired.  Thank you for that love & support and keep being inspired!  You'll love yourself for the healthy changes you make.

Before, January 2011:

Grooooossss

Now, taken June 18.  27 (Lacey) & 38 (Mike) pounds lighter:

Sun-kissed from spending the day at the beach! 

Like I said, we're not done yet, but I think the difference in these photos is something to be celebrated!

Here's to not only feeling healthier, our number one priority, but to the awesome side-effect of looking a little hotter each day. *wink*  teehee.

-Lacey

Are You Hungry? Probably Not.

You woke up, ate your morning bowl of Cocoa Puffs or package of pop-tarts and your cup of coffee. 10:30 am rolls around and you feel a grumbling in your stomach.  Head pains set in a bit and you feel lethargic.  You open your desk drawer, pull out your mid-morning snack of chips, chow down, and suddenly, you think you'll make it until lunch.  Lunch sets in and you eat your chinese take-out or chips with a soda.  Next thing you know, it's 3 o'clock and you're feeling hungry again. You have some cookies, go home, and prepare dinner just a couple hours later.  Snacking means you're just hungry, right?  Well, some research answers that question with a big, fat "NO".  Here's what Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an advocate for nutrient-dense eating has to say:

The typical Western diet is characterized by high calorie processed foods: oils, sweeteners and animal products; a diet that is low in phytochemicals and other micronutrients. There is evidence that such a diet... results in inflammation, oxidative stress and accumulation of toxic metabolites.

When digestion is complete, the body begins to mobilize and eliminate waste products, causing uncomfortable symptoms. If we allow waste metabolites to build up by eating unhealthy foods, we will feel discomfort when the body attempts to mobilize and remove these wastes. ...these sensations [headache, fatigue, stomach grumbles] are actually symptoms of detoxification and withdrawal from an unhealthy diet, lacking in crucial micronutrients. I call this "Toxic Hunger". Natural plant foods, rich in micronutrients, do not produce withdrawal symptoms -- because inflammatory compounds and excess free radicals do not accumulate.  "Redefining Hunger..."

Essentially, it's not hunger making your stomach grumble, it's the toxins from your meals exiting your body.  This is what he calls "Toxic Hunger".  Scientists now know that that the toxic American food diet has the same negative effects on the brain similar to those of addictive drugs. The body is releasing the toxins in the same way your body would feel after taking Ecstasy or Cocaine.  It may feel wonderful in the moment, but your body will react negatively afterward, inducing withdrawal symptoms.  Most people simply assume "hunger" is setting in when you are actually experiencing a sense of withdrawal.


What Dr. Fuhrman has found is that "The body needs time between meals to finish digesting, because when digestion has ended, the body can more effectively detoxify and promote cellular repair.  To maximize health, it is not favorable to be constantly eating and digesting food." (Eat to Live, Dr. Joel Fuhrman)


As your diet improves, so will your signs of hunger.  I, too, dealt with lethargy, stomach pains, mild headaches, and grumpiness if I didn't get my between-meal-snack, but when I switched to a diet rich with nutrient dense foods (fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, etc), my perception of hunger drastically changed, and the same is true with thousands of other people who have changed to a healthier diet.  My irritability and fatigue between meals no longer exists!  "True hunger is felt in the throat and mouth rather than the head and stomach." (Fuhrman) 


This is not to say you can't ever, ever snack. Yes, I occasionally snick-snack, depending on the day and how much energy I'm using, but what important is to keep track of the calories you're consuming when you do decide to snack.  People often blindly snack out of habit, boredom, or "Toxic Hunger". Allow your body that time between meals to process & digest the food and then detoxify your body to promote cellular repair if you truly aren't hungry.  Listen to your body, but be sure that you're filling your body with high-nutrient, non-processed foods for each meal. Only then will you be able to experience true hunger.  Once you start to feel hunger in your throat and mouth and NOT your head and stomach, grab that healthy snack and chow down!




If you do need a snack (which we all need from time to time, but be sure it's not because you're bored or because it's habit), check out our recent post "Cleaning Out Your Closet" on how to snack properly.


-Lacey

Cleaning Out Your Closet

So, you've made a commitment to leading a healthier lifestyle.  You're working out more, eating smaller portions, adding salads, and preparing meals with more color.  There's only one problem: every few hours you find yourself rummaging through your cabinets only to catch yourself sucking down Doritos, pretzels, cookies, Gushers, and every other terrible sugar/high-fructose corn syrup/blue dye/processed filled foods you can think of.

My biggest downfall when I dieted when I was younger were my snack foods.  I was a very active teenager who needed something to keep me going through the long days of school, games, and meetings, so snacks were my best option and yet, they left me feeling terrible afterward. I was bloated, tired, and literally crashing from the sugar overload.

When I revamped my eating habits in February, my first concern was "What am I going to bring to work to munch on between breakfast & lunch?" I knew how to prepare healthy meals but didn't know the first thing about healthy snacking.

Step 1- Cleaning out your closet. This means removing every item that you know will be a temptation toward unhealthy eating.  The most difficult part is knowing it's there, available, and willing to contribute chemicals and nasty sugars into your system.  If it's not there, it's not an option. GET RID OF IT! Donate what you can if it's unopened. If that's not an option, this is one of the few times I advocate wasting food. Just chuck it. No one on this planet should have to be fed those terrible food items. Throw. It. OUT.

Step 2- Replace your old snacks with better ones: If it's in the snack aisle and is in a box, chances are it's not good for you.  There are plenty of great things you can make yourself that will fill you with more nutrients and therefore provide you with more energy than any bag of chips.  Snack foods, like chips, are also known to have addictive properties in them, causing you to crave more food than actually fill you up, like you intended. Here are some homemade/healthier options:

• Very Berry Granola Bars- there are plenty variations of this bar you could make, like apples & cinnamon, peanut butter and banana, strawberries, etc.  There are very few brands in store I would advocate for.  Stay away from these: Quaker Chewy Granola Bars. I know they taste good, but just read the ingredients and you'll understand why they're not a good option.  I'm also considering selling my own granola bars.  Leave a comment if you want to buy some. 
• Dried fruit- you could purchase bags of these, but be very careful as to how much you pay what the company adds to it.  There are products out there that offer true dried fruit with absolutely no additives.  For us, it's cheaper to buy the fruit from the farmer's market and throw it in the dehydrator. Honey bananas & apple chips are great!
• Nuts- almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds...they're all wonderful and super energizing.  Just be cautious of the store's mixed nuts. They are often loaded with salt.  Buy the individually packaged nuts/seeds sans salt yourself and mix them together for a great trail mix.
• Fruit- If you have the option of refrigeration at work, a mixed fruit salad is a great pick-me-up.  You get the sweetness you originally wanted from the candy bars without all the bad sugar.  Grab some strawberries, grapes, pineapple, apples, watermelon and so on, cut it all up and toss it in a big bowl.  When you go to leave in the morning, scoop it into a small container for a mid-day snack.  Don't forget to drizzle lemon juice on the salad to keep it from going bad.

Step 3- Plan ahead:  Rushing off to work without a packed lunch or your morning snack will only leave you with two options: eating out & vending machines.  The best way to stay away from unhealthy snacking is to eat all three complete meals, make sure you're full, and then pack a small snack to take with you.  Now, snacking in and of itself isn't the most healthy option (your body actually needs those hours between meals to process all the food you ate. If you eat between meals it confuses the digestive process.)  But, if you are going to snack because you have a long day ahead of you, do it right. By packing something ahead of time, it leaves you less room to search for that evil vending machine.

Now remember, the less snacking, the better. Eat hearty & healthy meals that will keep you satisfied until the next meal, and if you eat a lot of raw/natural foods, trust me, all of those nutrient dense items will give you all the energy you need.  Because of my raw diet, I rarely snack myself, but if you're going to, do so properly with items that are going to give you sustenance, energy, and subdue those sugar cravings.  Let snacking be purposeful and not just to give into cravings.

Here's to healthy snacking!
-Lacey

Drinking Yourself Unhealthy

Imagine sticking your favorite candy bar in a blender and then drinking the contents. Now picture doing that three to four times a day. Most candy bars actually have only slightly more calories than do your favorite can of soda, and they usually have fewer calories than do your drinks from your preferred retailer. A large Starbucks for instance, can contain about 100-200 calories more than a single candy bar.

If you decide to do one thing to change your health forever - stop drinking calories. Are you aware how many calories you drink every day, and what are in those calories?

Regardless of your health goals, drinking calories throughout your day can be very bad for your health. Whether you are making a lifestyle change or trying to stay on the healthy track, drinking your calories is the fastest way to swerve off the road.

via

Drinking calories means the milk and sugar in your coffee, fruit juice, soda, beer, wine, liquor, Starbucks, etc. Two or three drinks of anything can add up to over 300 - 500+ calories per day! This means adding at least 500 calories (1 pound) of extra sugars, carbohydrates, calories and chemicals in your daily diet. So if you are looking to stop your stomach bloating, lose weight, cleanse your body, etc - cut out the calorie drinks!

Our trusty food pyramid shows us that there is simply not enough room in your daily diet to consume so much sugar and fat through drinks. There's no need to get nutrition from beverages if we eat a balanced diet. That means all we really need to drink is water. A new study shows that drinking is the downfall for many people aiming to lose weight by following a healthy diet and lifestyle.

 

Take today to TAKE CONTROL! If you don't have time to track what you eat, try to track what you drink. You will be amazed by the amount of calories you are drinking. I guarantee that if you cut out all calorie drinks, you will lose at least 10 pounds within a month, and your body will thank you for it. Water too boring? I drink an assortment of green tea all day, both hot and iced. I also drink a tall glass of milk (soy/almond/rice) every morning to kick off my day. It can be difficult to give up your daily drinks, especially if they are a habit, but you can and will learn to love and appreciate the refreshing taste of good old water! > Let us know if you have any suggestions that have helped you to make the switch to iced water!

- Stephanie

30 Day Fatty Challenge

We're fat. We know it.

We're also super busy with work, dogs, working on a business, class, and relaxation that we come up with every excuse in the book to justify eating lots of food (we already eat fairly healthy foods, we just eat too much) and working out.

Mike & I are going to compete against each other for the next 30 days to see who can make the most progress in weight loss (Healthily, of course. No starving).  He's calculating the results like this:  Initial weight minus goal weight=x.  Then, pounds lost divided by x = percentage lost towards goal weight. (We literally just talked this out for 10 minutes so I could understand. I hate math.  This is why I teach English. Someone verify that we're doing the math right).  Basically, whoever has the higher percentage wins.*

On February 1st our initial & goal weights will be written on a piece of paper, put into a sealed envelope and hung on our fridge. On March 2nd, we will re-weigh and calculate. The winner will be announced that evening.

Now, here's where you come in.  We need your input on what the bet will be. If I win, what will Mike do?  If he wins, what will I do?  And, who do you think will be the FATTY CHALLENGE WINNER? Comment below!!!





*In no way do I say suggest this as a long term lifestyle nor is this a crash diet.  The point of this is a) for fun b) to help get us into a routine.  Right now, we really just need to push ourselves into a healthy lifestyle.  Hopefully this challenge will get us into a positive daily habits that will stick long-term after the 30 days. So, comments about how "this is sooooo unhealthy" will be flagged as sucky.