http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyLWEYMwzGw&feature=youtu.be
I'd love to know what you think!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Video Blog Link: Quick, healthy foods for at work and in the car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3245by7ijLo
A few things I forgot to mention:
- Beef Jerky. As long as sodium is not an issue for you and you ensure it is very low fat this can be a great source of protein that stays good for a long time.
- Cut-up veggies. Either cut them yourself and put in the sandwich bags, or get the single-serving size in the produce section of the store. I LOVE the sugar snap peas!
- Holy Guacamole individual servings, also sold in the produce section. This makes a great dip for the veggies and gives you healthy fats.
- And my "Car kit"- A trio of foods that hold up well without refrigeration for a long time. I try to keep this in my vehicle all the time. It includes:
* Ready-made protein drink
* A protein bar
* Beef jerky.
Please let me know what you think!
A few things I forgot to mention:
- Beef Jerky. As long as sodium is not an issue for you and you ensure it is very low fat this can be a great source of protein that stays good for a long time.
- Cut-up veggies. Either cut them yourself and put in the sandwich bags, or get the single-serving size in the produce section of the store. I LOVE the sugar snap peas!
- Holy Guacamole individual servings, also sold in the produce section. This makes a great dip for the veggies and gives you healthy fats.
- And my "Car kit"- A trio of foods that hold up well without refrigeration for a long time. I try to keep this in my vehicle all the time. It includes:
* Ready-made protein drink
* A protein bar
* Beef jerky.
Please let me know what you think!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Hard Choices
There came a point about 3 years ago in my weight loss and fitness journey that I knew if I was going to progress any farther I would have to spend more time in the gym and cooking healthy foods. And in order to do that, I was going to have to give something up. After conducting a rather painful lifestyle self-examination, I realized what needed to go: Sewing.
I am a very good seamstress, if I do say so myself. I have been sewing for about 30 years now. Since I am a perfectionist, I wasn't happy turning out anything that didn't look positively beautiful. And perfection takes time. A LOT of time! I figured as long as I was putting the effort in, it might as well be right. And it was. Here are photos of just a few of my beloved projects:
But I had to get honest with myself and reevaluate my priorities. After some internal examination I decided the proper place to focus my energies and time was now on getting healthier for not only myself, but for my family. Additionally, I wasn't able to spend the time helping others like I wanted because my butt was stuck in a chair in front of a sewing machine manipulating fabric. So I finished up the last of my important projects and put sewing on the back burner. That was a couple of years ago, and I haven't regretted the decision since, although sometimes I do get a little melancholy about it.
This doesn't mean I don't ever sew, because in a pinch I do. And I am grateful for my sewing skills. For instance, I made a lovely fully lined wool trench coat for my daughter this winter- She is tall and willowy, and at almost 6 feet tall and 125 lbs nothing was fitting her. (This is not an exaggeration- literally NOTHING fit her even close to properly with those very long limbs.) Marching practices for the high school band would have been miserable without a warm and properly-fitting winter coat. I literally don't know what she'd of done if I couldn't sew. Here are a few of pictures of the project:
But other than the rare project, my sewing maching sits neglected in it's cabinet.
Another thing I have just recently given up is baking. This was an even harder one to abandon than sewing. Baking gives instant gratification and makes my family very happy! This in turn makes me happy! But I eat what I bake, and the stuff sitting around, even if I do avoid it, gets me thinking in a direction that is not good for my health. (I'm sorry, but my experience has been that even with healthier ingredients, it's very difficult to make baked goods that are truly good for you and taste good, too.) So, like sewing, unless it's for a rare occasion, baking is pretty much out of my life.
When people say that living healthy is a lifestyle, they aren't kidding! I'm not saying you have to abandon ALL of your time-consuming or bad-for-you habits right now. I see skinny people who sew and healthy people who bake. I just can't be one of them. At least not for the time being.
Habits are formed gradually and new practices towards healthier living are best added little by little, as you feel ready for the the changes. The truth is that if 5 years ago you'd of told me I'd of all but stopped both sewing AND (bigger shock!) baking, I'd of told you that you were talking to the wrong woman. If you knew me back then, you are nodding your head in agreement. :-)
The moral of my story? Don't be afraid to reevaluate and be honest with yourself about what needs to exit your life. I can pretty much guarantee that over time, as you progress into becoming fitter and healthier, your life will look a lot different than it does today. And that's Ok. Giving up things that slow your progress is not giving in- It's being mature and honest enough with yourself to say "This isn't in my best interest anymore". Your family may balk a bit (my 15-year old is still asking for brownies), but eventually they'll come to accept and appreciate that you made the hard choices in not only your best interest, but theirs as well.
I am a very good seamstress, if I do say so myself. I have been sewing for about 30 years now. Since I am a perfectionist, I wasn't happy turning out anything that didn't look positively beautiful. And perfection takes time. A LOT of time! I figured as long as I was putting the effort in, it might as well be right. And it was. Here are photos of just a few of my beloved projects:
But I had to get honest with myself and reevaluate my priorities. After some internal examination I decided the proper place to focus my energies and time was now on getting healthier for not only myself, but for my family. Additionally, I wasn't able to spend the time helping others like I wanted because my butt was stuck in a chair in front of a sewing machine manipulating fabric. So I finished up the last of my important projects and put sewing on the back burner. That was a couple of years ago, and I haven't regretted the decision since, although sometimes I do get a little melancholy about it.
This doesn't mean I don't ever sew, because in a pinch I do. And I am grateful for my sewing skills. For instance, I made a lovely fully lined wool trench coat for my daughter this winter- She is tall and willowy, and at almost 6 feet tall and 125 lbs nothing was fitting her. (This is not an exaggeration- literally NOTHING fit her even close to properly with those very long limbs.) Marching practices for the high school band would have been miserable without a warm and properly-fitting winter coat. I literally don't know what she'd of done if I couldn't sew. Here are a few of pictures of the project:
But other than the rare project, my sewing maching sits neglected in it's cabinet.
Another thing I have just recently given up is baking. This was an even harder one to abandon than sewing. Baking gives instant gratification and makes my family very happy! This in turn makes me happy! But I eat what I bake, and the stuff sitting around, even if I do avoid it, gets me thinking in a direction that is not good for my health. (I'm sorry, but my experience has been that even with healthier ingredients, it's very difficult to make baked goods that are truly good for you and taste good, too.) So, like sewing, unless it's for a rare occasion, baking is pretty much out of my life.
When people say that living healthy is a lifestyle, they aren't kidding! I'm not saying you have to abandon ALL of your time-consuming or bad-for-you habits right now. I see skinny people who sew and healthy people who bake. I just can't be one of them. At least not for the time being.
Habits are formed gradually and new practices towards healthier living are best added little by little, as you feel ready for the the changes. The truth is that if 5 years ago you'd of told me I'd of all but stopped both sewing AND (bigger shock!) baking, I'd of told you that you were talking to the wrong woman. If you knew me back then, you are nodding your head in agreement. :-)
The moral of my story? Don't be afraid to reevaluate and be honest with yourself about what needs to exit your life. I can pretty much guarantee that over time, as you progress into becoming fitter and healthier, your life will look a lot different than it does today. And that's Ok. Giving up things that slow your progress is not giving in- It's being mature and honest enough with yourself to say "This isn't in my best interest anymore". Your family may balk a bit (my 15-year old is still asking for brownies), but eventually they'll come to accept and appreciate that you made the hard choices in not only your best interest, but theirs as well.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Video Blog: My Daily Supplements
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6yZ-XpPXA
Here's the breakdown:
With breakfast:
Multivitamin
2 CLA pills w/ Thermogenics
Fish Oil pill
Vitamin D pill
Daughter's Multivitamin
With food at lunch or a little after:
Iron pill
Super Citramax, if I am struggling with appetite control.
Before bed:
Calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement
Fish Oil Pill
With my protein powder (I add water and drink on the way out of the gym):
L-Glutamine powder
BCAA's (when I have them, which I didn't for this video.
Here's the breakdown:
With breakfast:
Multivitamin
2 CLA pills w/ Thermogenics
Fish Oil pill
Vitamin D pill
Daughter's Multivitamin
With food at lunch or a little after:
Iron pill
Super Citramax, if I am struggling with appetite control.
Before bed:
Calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement
Fish Oil Pill
With my protein powder (I add water and drink on the way out of the gym):
L-Glutamine powder
BCAA's (when I have them, which I didn't for this video.
A Surprising Supplement Rescource
Could you use another source for your protein-rich dietary supplements? You might want to consider bariatric product suppliers. They have become my surprising source for protein-rich supplements to aid in my quest to be leaner and more muscular.
Bariatric patients (who have had either gastric by-pass or lap-band surgery) have stomachs that have been surgically altered to hold very little food. One of their primary concerns is getting enough protein. They have to pack as much of it as possible into a very small stomach space. Bariatric foods accomplish this. So it follows that these protein-rich foods can also be very handy for weight lifters and people looking to raise their dietary protein levels.
Now don't get me wrong: These supplements aren't cheap. But most of us who buy protein bars and powders have come to accept the expense.
There is a protein powder sold by our local bariatric doctor called Nectar. It's made by the Syntrax company. Per scoop Nectar is 100 calories, all of them from protein. No carbs. No fat. Just protein. And it comes in a dizzying array of flavors! (I love the peach.)
Bariatric places also tend to stock protein bars that are less garbage and more good for you, because they are interested in keeping their patients as healthy as possible. Generally these bars will have not only about equal amounts of carbs as protein, but also some fiber in them, which really helps with feeling full. For bariatric patients these are meal replacements. (Remember- their stomachs hold next to nothing!) For the rest of us, they are between-meal snacks. But they taste good (you aren't going to get an obese person who ate exactly what they liked getting that way to eat food that tastes like crap), and give a good balance of nutrients.
Don't be afraid to walk into your local bariatric doctor and ask if they sell powders and bars. They won't mind having you for a client! This is one avenue of revenue for them and they are happy to sell their products to the general public.
Another thing I like about purchasing from our local bariatric doctor's office is that they have samples of the protein flavors. So I can try out a single serving for $2, instead of spending $32 on an entire tub of powder I may not like the flavor of.
If you don't have a bariatric doctor nearby who sells supplements you can also order online. Here is a site that I use: http://www.dietdirect.com/wonderslim-crispy-protein-diet-bars.html. Not only do I like the bars in the link (I've mentioned these a couple of times in my blogs), but they also sell the Nectar Protein powder. And a lot of other stuff, too! They offer a surprising amount of vitamins and various tablet supplements, as well. Take a poke around to see! (Although I would NOT recommend their entree mixes- Not only are they highly processed, but I don't think they taste all that great.) If you order more than $49 you get free shipping, and check out the "discounts and coupons" tags on the left bar, under "Wonderslim", to see if you qualify for any discounts or special offers.
I know this isn't a practical resource for everyone, but thought it might be something some of my wonderful readers might like to know about.
Bariatric patients (who have had either gastric by-pass or lap-band surgery) have stomachs that have been surgically altered to hold very little food. One of their primary concerns is getting enough protein. They have to pack as much of it as possible into a very small stomach space. Bariatric foods accomplish this. So it follows that these protein-rich foods can also be very handy for weight lifters and people looking to raise their dietary protein levels.
Now don't get me wrong: These supplements aren't cheap. But most of us who buy protein bars and powders have come to accept the expense.
There is a protein powder sold by our local bariatric doctor called Nectar. It's made by the Syntrax company. Per scoop Nectar is 100 calories, all of them from protein. No carbs. No fat. Just protein. And it comes in a dizzying array of flavors! (I love the peach.)
Bariatric places also tend to stock protein bars that are less garbage and more good for you, because they are interested in keeping their patients as healthy as possible. Generally these bars will have not only about equal amounts of carbs as protein, but also some fiber in them, which really helps with feeling full. For bariatric patients these are meal replacements. (Remember- their stomachs hold next to nothing!) For the rest of us, they are between-meal snacks. But they taste good (you aren't going to get an obese person who ate exactly what they liked getting that way to eat food that tastes like crap), and give a good balance of nutrients.
Don't be afraid to walk into your local bariatric doctor and ask if they sell powders and bars. They won't mind having you for a client! This is one avenue of revenue for them and they are happy to sell their products to the general public.
Another thing I like about purchasing from our local bariatric doctor's office is that they have samples of the protein flavors. So I can try out a single serving for $2, instead of spending $32 on an entire tub of powder I may not like the flavor of.
If you don't have a bariatric doctor nearby who sells supplements you can also order online. Here is a site that I use: http://www.dietdirect.com/wonderslim-crispy-protein-diet-bars.html. Not only do I like the bars in the link (I've mentioned these a couple of times in my blogs), but they also sell the Nectar Protein powder. And a lot of other stuff, too! They offer a surprising amount of vitamins and various tablet supplements, as well. Take a poke around to see! (Although I would NOT recommend their entree mixes- Not only are they highly processed, but I don't think they taste all that great.) If you order more than $49 you get free shipping, and check out the "discounts and coupons" tags on the left bar, under "Wonderslim", to see if you qualify for any discounts or special offers.
I know this isn't a practical resource for everyone, but thought it might be something some of my wonderful readers might like to know about.
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