Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sugar...Part 2!

The 31 day sugar challenge has ended, and it was a big success!  I learned a lot from doing this challenge and thought I owed it to you to share a few things and my experience.

The biggest thing the sugar challenge did for me was it made me very aware of what I was putting in my body.  You need to not only look at the nutrition panel on any packaged food (of which I ate very, very little of during the challenge), but you must look at the ingredients.  There are some foods which have naturally occurring sugars, like low-fat milk, greek yogurt, and fruit.  Would you ever dream organic chicken stock would have added sugar?  Not me, I would never have thought chicken stock would have added sugar.  But guess what?  A major store brand has added sugar!  My point is, processed food often has added sugar to accentuate the flavor - so be certain to read the ingredient list below the nutrition panel if you use processed foods.  I had to chuckle at a friend who was stunned when she figured out there was sugar in pickles.  She was devastated!  

Sugar has all kinds of adverse effects on the body and is truly highly addictive.  The more you eat it, the more you want it.  Sugar messes with your metabolism, causes fluctuations in blood sugar (insulin) levels, can cause inflammation, can impact your cholesterol levels, and the list goes on.  You get my point.

One thing to remember when you decide to remove added sugar from your diet, you can experience headaches and flu-like symptoms.  Five days in, I started feeling bad and thought I had a bug.  A friend suggested I read more about the side effects of detoxing (so to speak) from sugar.  Low and behold, the symptoms I was experiencing were signs of my body detoxing from sugar.  I wish I had known about this before the challenge so I would have been a little better prepared.  Not that I could do anything about it, but to know I probably wasn't really ill and that it would run it's course pretty quickly...I think I felt bad for about 8-10 hours.

The sugar challenge is essentially eating super clean, lots of veggies, 3 servings of fresh fruit (or dried without added sugar, or frozen), lean protein, good fats, and whole grains.  One hurdle for me was making sure I was getting enough calories to not only support my daily needs for everyday living but enough to support the workouts I was doing as well.  Please remember for women we need a minimum of 1,200 calories and for men it's a minimum of 1,800 calories per day just to function.  If you workout, you need to accommodate for the calorie deficit to ensure you don't dip below the minimum.  Otherwise, your body thinks you are starving it and will hang onto every thing you put in it.

How about cravings, you might ask?  I craved chocolate/sweets a few evenings early on, around 7 p.m. (and I'm not really an evening snacker - usually it's during the day for me).  I found about a tablespoon of no-added sugar peanut butter did the trick.  You just have to aware of the extra calories and fat it adds to your intake for the day.  I also struggled to get chocolate cake off my mind.  That damn cake haunted me the whole 31 days, so when the challenge was over I had a small piece the next evening.  Guess what?  It didn't taste nearly as good as I thought it would, and my body totally retaliated.  I had a headache within 20 minutes, and my stomach didn't feel great.  And the next morning, let's just say my system reminded me why I stopped putting sugar in my body!  Needless to say, I'm back to eating almost zero added sugar.  I will likely have a half a serving of my favorite cereal (9 grams of sugar per serving) with half a serving of Cheerio's (one gram of sugar per serving) a couple times a week at best.  And I will likely add back in a half a serving of a protein shake a few times a week as well.  Other than that, I have no desire to go back to eating the way I did before.  Never did I think I'd tell you I didn't want to see chocolate cake again!  Somebody mark this on the calendar!  

What changes have I noticed over the course of the challenge?  The first week or so, I was very tired.  I think some of this was not only my body adjusting to the lack of sugar, but I was struggling with getting in the minimum calories I needed daily.  My energy has come back, and I think there's more of it.  My face started to thin first, then the rest of my body followed (no more bloated belly look/feel).  My body (and every body is different, yours included) loses inches before it loses pounds.  I've noticed I have lost quite a few inches and have dropped a size in shirts and jeans.  The scale has also moved, and I am down about 8 pounds.  My skin and eyes seem to be brighter a well.

What's the key to succeeding at this kind of challenge?  It is planning ahead!  Clear out the junk from your fridge and cupboards, and plan head so you have healthy snacks and meal options at your finger tips.  I make sure there are healthy snacks in my desk drawer so I am not tempted to eat from the snack machine.  Eating out is challenging, but can be done.  Remember to fill your plate with lots of veggies and lean protein.  Try having a small apple before you head out to dinner to avoid temptation.  Have your friends keep the bread basket out of reach or better yet, ask your server not to bring one and order a side salad to start off.  Again, this keeps you from feeling like you're starving and less tempted to eat something you'll regret later.  

Should you decide to undertake a sugar challenge and want additional information, please feel free to contact me.  I would be happy to answer your questions, provide info on a website with info regarding doing this kind of challenge, share what I learned about various products with no added sugar, and support you as much as I can.  Success is sweet, and I would be surprised if you didn't feel better physically and emotionally after completing a sugar challenge!




Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sugar...


Who doesn't love a sugary, sweet treat now and again?  I think we all do!  The key here is "now and again", not on a regular basis.  Sugar is addicting and can present all kinds of problems for our bodies.  Sugar has been linked to various types of cancer, diabetes, food allergies, increased cholesterol, decreases growth hormones, obesity related ailments, and on and on.

Sugar comes in all kinds of forms...refined white sugar, raw sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, evaporated cane juice/syrup, brown rice syrup, and a few others.  Then, there are the natural forms of sugar - honey, maple syrup, molasses, and fruit to name a few.

Do you read nutrition labels?  Well, after you read this blog I hope you do.  I found myself shocked recently when I picked up a container of organic chicken stock.  Never dreaming there would sugar in it, I picked up the stock while it was on special.  I later read the nutrition label to find how many servings were in the container as I went to use it and noticed the list of ingredients...big as life was "sugar"!  In chicken stock???  Food manufacturers put sugar in more things than you can even begin to imagine.  They do this to enhance the flavor and entice us to consume more of their products.

Think about the things you consume daily - cereal, bread, hamburger buns, bagels, english muffins, yogurt - sweetened or even plain (sugars occur naturally in yogurt and milk), protein bars or shakes, crackers, peanut butter, soda (don't get me started on soda, that's a whole other topic in itself), juice, condiments, salad dressing, soup, the list goes on and on.  

I found this little tidbit about how much sugar the average American consumes per year...

"One hundred and fifty-six pounds. That's how much added sugar Americans consume each year on a per capita basis, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Imagine it: 31 five-pound bags for each of us."

Is it me, or is that number shocking?  I think most people are totally oblivious to how much sugar we consume daily.

I am participating in a sugar challenge that started May 1st.  The goal is not to eat anything with added sugar, with the exception of 3 servings of fresh fruit per day.  It hasn't been too bad on the whole.  I had a few cravings in the evening but over-came them by eating a little fruit or some no-sugar added, organic peanut butter.  I also had some flu-like symptoms about 5 days into it.  Surprisingly though, I think my face is not as puffy and my tummy is flatter.  The scale also reflects about a 4 pound deficit.  I'm 13 days in and anxious to see the changes in my body over the course of the 30 days.  If nothing less, it has definitely made me very aware of how I am fueling my body.  It forces you to eat clean, no added sauces, mayo, catsup, etc, high quality carbs, lean protein and lots of good fruits and veggies.

The point I am trying to make with all this is we need to be aware of what we put in our bodies every day.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't put crappy fuel in a Maserati and expect it to perform optimally!  The same goes for your body...you have to fuel your body with high quality nutrients if you want to feel good and have the energy to do the things you need and want to do in life.  I also want to be healthy and fit as I age.  Eating foods in their naturally occurring state is really what we're going for here.  

Wishing you all good health!

Kim






Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sneaky Food Manufacturer's

Grocery shopping can be challenging if you aren't prepared and you don't take time to read labels.  I am trying very hard not to eat processed or prepared foods, as it is really hard to control what you are getting.  There are chemicals, sweeteners, and loads of sodium in so many prepared foods.  One rule of thumb is to stay away from foods that have more than 5-6 ingredients in them, as well anything you can't pronounce!
 
During a recent shopping trip, I noticed some individual fruit cups that looked good.  I thought they might be a quick, single serving I could take for lunches or quick snacks at work.  In reading the label of the item that stated "no added sugar" in big letters on the front, I flipped over the package and guess what?  One of the main ingredients was sucralose.  Do you know what sucralose is?  It's an artificial sweetener.  Ok, so technically it's not sugar.  I think this is deceptive advertising and the laws on food labels should be changed.  They should have to say "no added sweeteners" no matter what kind of sweetener it its...sugar, honey, sucralose (also known as Splenda), aspartame, Stevia, etc.

Have you been following the Biggest Loser?  Have you heard them talking about different brands and kinds of lean protein?  I was going to purchase ground turkey to use in place of ground beef in sloppy joe's and chili.  Guess what?  You got it, "natural flavorings" or rosemary extract are added to almost all packaged ground turkey.  I know it costs more, but go to your butcher and ask them to grind a boneless, skinless turkey breast for you.  This way, you aren't getting skin and fat in your turkey and no other added flavorings.  If I want stuff in my food, I'll add it!

Ever think you'll skip the regular box of cookies and go for low-fat version?  There are typically added sugar and/or salt.  Fat adds flavor to things, and when you take out the fat you have to put something back in to make it taste good.  And don't think low-fat is a license to eat more.  You defeat yourself by consuming more calories than you might have if you had just had a couple of the regular version.  Take home your treat, open it up and divide them into single serving lunch or snack bags.  This is much less expensive than the prepackaged single servings of cookies, crackers, etc.

My best suggestion to you is to skip the process foods and shop the perimeter of the grocery.  It's where all the healthy stuff resides...veggies, fruit, meat/poultry, fish and dairy.  Put your blinders on if you go down an isle in the mid section of the store.  Don't look around, run down the isle and grab the item you need and leave.  Don't let temptation derail your good efforts!  

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Why is breakfast important?

Breakfast has been called "the most important meal of the day".  And I would say it is my opinion that's probably a pretty accurate statement. So, why is eating breakfast so important?

Eating breakfast does a number of things for you.  While the body sleeps it continues to burn calories and we lose hydration.  Eating breakfast within an hour of rising helps your body refuel and rehydrate.  It is said eating breakfast kick starts the metabolism, and those of us who are trying to shed a few pounds can use all the help we can get.  It has also been said those who eat breakfast have better success at losing and maintaining a healthy weight.  The brain needs carbohydrates to function, so why not give your brain a boost first thing in the morning?  And how about fiber?  Let's not forget the numerous benefits fiber offers, and breakfast is a great place to get a healthy dose.

By eating breakfast, we are less fatigued and less apt to become overly hungry.  When I am starving, I am much more apt to make poor food choices - grabbing whatever is convenient.  Eating breakfast, followed by healthy snacks or small meals every 3-4 hours keeps the metabolism fired up and regulates insulin levels.

Many people think of breakfast foods as pancakes, eggs, cereal, juice, etc.  Breakfast can be anything you want it to be.  I find if I have a good mix of whole grains (carbs), lean protein, and a little fat I am satisfied longer and less apt to snack on unhealthy choices.  You could eat a little salad, brown rice, and chicken for breakfast if you wanted.  How about a stratta or egg casserole with some fresh fruit?  I know, you are thinking about the recipe with the crescent rolls, whole eggs, cream/milk, potatoes, sausage, and cheese.  Wrong!  How about a healthy version?  A friend gave me a stratta recipe that I tweaked to be a much healthier version.  (The recipe is below.)  The recipe makes 18 small/medium servings at approx. 150 calories per serving.  Depending on your nutrition goals, you should aim for approx. 300-400 calories per meal.  If you do 3 meals at 300 calories plus have a couple healthy snacks, you are looking at consuming between 1,200 and 1,500 calories a day.  Ideal for a woman like me trying to lose or maintain their weight.

I took a poll this morning on Facebook, and I found many of my friends are doing a pretty good job of eating breakfast.  Many of them are making good, healthy choices too.  Some said they have eggs, whole grain toast or english muffins, fruit, cereal, etc.  You can add some healthy things to these breakfast foods to boost their nutritional value.  Cinnamon is great for adding a sweet taste, kicks the metabolism up and helps regulate insulin levels.  Tumeric also boosts the metabolic burn of fat, helps with inflammation, is a natural antibacterial, and helps prevent cancer.  Nuts are a good source of fiber and fat (easy does, it they are high in calories).  How about adding pasteurized egg whites to a fruit smoothy, tofu, whey protein or low-fat or non-fat greek yogurt?  All are good sources of lean protein.  Ground flax, wheat germ, and chia seeds add good heart healthy fat, omega's and fiber.  Fruit is also a good source of fiber and vitamins.  How about strawberries or apple in your oatmeal?  Fiber makes you feel fuller longer and helps with lots of other functions as well.  And did you know a serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange?

I challenge you all to eat a healthy breakfast everyday, it does so many good things for your body!  Mix it up a bit. Try something new to shake things up.  Your body will thank you!

Recipe:

1 Zucchini Squash - shredded and excess water removed (I wring it out a bit in a clean kitchen towel)
1 Red, Yellow or Orange Pepper - Diced
1/2 of a Sweet Onion  - Diced
1 Packaged Homestyle Hash Brown Potatoes - Thawed
1 Small Packed Diced Ham (I prefer canadian bacon without preservatives)
1 Dozen Eggs (I use 4 whole eggs and the balance egg whites only)
1-1/2 Cups Low Fat Milk
1/2 Cup Low-Fat Shredded Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 with cooking spray.  Pour in potatoes, diced pepper, onion, and ham.  I kind of spread them out evenly mixed up on top of the potatoes.  Whisk eggs and milk and pour over the items in the baking dish (I add a little bit of sea salt and black pepper).  Sprinkle with cheese, and bake for approx 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow casserole to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares.  I get 18 pieces out a 9x13 for approx. 150 calories per serving. I find this recipe reheats well, and I've also had good luck freezing and reheating it.  You can also adjust this, adding whatever veggies or meat (or no meat) you like.  I've made it with bits of broccoli, fresh crimini mushrooms chopped, chicken sausage, etc.  Make it your own way and enjoy!  (I also eat this for  lunch or dinner sometimes.)

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy takes a little effort, but it's so worth it and it doesn't have to cost an arm and leg.  If I hear one more person say "it's too expensive to eat healthy", I am going to scream!  What do you think it costs you and me in insurance premiums due to obesity related illnesses?  (Stepping off my soap box!)

Delicious, nutritious meals don't have to be expensive or difficult to prepare.  I am going to show you that you can eat very healthy on a budget.  The real key to success is planning and using fruits and vegetables that are in season.  I did a little research of my own at the grocery today.  Here's how it all breaks down.  I was able to buy the following for $45.

Oat meal - once canister of rolled oats is 13 servings @ $.33 per serving
Brown rice - one bag is 20 servings @ $.16 per serving
Organic large box of salad - approx 8 small/medium salads @ $.50 per serving
Organic boneless chicken - 1 pound is at least 4 servings @ $1.25 per serving
Short cut carrots - one bag is approx 6 servings @ $.17 per serving
Fage greek yogurt - one medium container is 4 -1/2 cup servings @ $.88 per serving
Apples - on sale $1.00 per pound is approx 3 apples @ $.34 per serving
Blueberries - $3.00 per box is approx 3 servings @ $1.00 per serving
Broccoli - 3 good size crowns is approx 4 servings @ $.50 per serving
Avocado - 1/2 of one avocado is approx 1 serving @ $.50 per serving
Cuties (clementines) - bag of approx 12-14 cuties @ $.33 per serving
Almond Milk - 1/2 gallon is approx 8 servings @ $.38 per serving
Multigrain pita - 4 whole is approx 8 servings @ $ .38 per serving
Roma tomato - 1 @ $.39
Cucumber - 1 large hot house is approx 4 servings @ $.63 per serving
Bunch of cilantro - $2.00
Bananas - 4 @ $.20 per serving
1 Lime - $.89 each
1 Dozen large eggs on sale for $1.00 per dozen - less than $.09 per serving

How many nutritious meals and snacks do you think you could make out of all the items listed above?  Quite a few, right?  Add a few spices from your cupboard, maybe a little olive oil or couple tablespoons of salsa, a few nuts and the possibilities are endless!  Use your imagination, get creative.

Here are some healthy meal/snack ideas:

Breakfast - Oatmeal w/almond milk and fresh blueberries or 1/2 cup greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a couple tablespoons home made, low-fat granola  (I like to add a teaspoon or two of ground flax, wheat germ, and a few walnuts to oatmeal)

Snack - 1/2 C greek yogurt and a banana or an apple with almond butter or celery with peanut butter or a couple cuties

Lunch - Salad in 1/2 of a pita pocket or tuna with multi grain pita chips (recipe to follow) and an apple or quinoa salad with tomato, cucumber, and sliced almonds (add chicken, add black beans, or serve with a tilapia fillet for added lean protein)

Dinner - Guacamole with cilantro lime rice and grilled chicken or baked chicken with steamed veggies or a big salad with grilled chicken, diced squash, dried cranberries, pine nuts, feta cheese

Dressing - Canola oil, line juice, and a little honey or balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown mustard, a little sugar if you don't like the acid, dash of garlic salt, and a couple turns of black pepper from the grinder

Baked Pita Chips - preheat oven to 250 degrees, cut pita rounds into triangles, put on non-stick baking sheet.  Bake for a total of 45 minutes, turning the chips every 15 minutes.  Turn oven off at end of 45 minutes and allow to cool.  Store in airtight bag or container

So...you tell me?  Do you still think eating healthy is expensive???

My Top 10 Healthy Foods

There's not doubt we are what we eat, as they say!  If you don't think the quality of food you put in your body impacts it's performance, how you feel, and how your skin and hair looks...I think you are missing the boat.  The quality (and quantity) of the food we fuel our bodies with is growingly more important today than ever with all the chemicals and other things we are exposed to daily.  People today are also on the go more than ever.

I decided I would share a list of top foods I think bring great healthy benefits.  I did not list these items in any particular order, so don't think there's a rhyme or reason behind it.  I simply jotted them down as they came to mind.  Just remember moderation is the key with anything.  But if you incorporate some or all of these items into your diet, I think your body will thank you.

Green tea has been linked to many health benefits, including improved heart health, lowers cancer risk, and has thermogenic properties.  A good friend introduced me to iced green tea, which is one of my favorites.  You can use it in smoothies, drink it plain, add no added sugar fruit juice, etc.  It's really good with a little ginger/black pepper simple syrup and little bit of plain bubble water as a treat.

Whole grains help fill you up and have more fiber than processed grains.  It helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.  Whole grains offer good carbs, and your brain needs carbs to function properly.  So, it's ok to limit carbs but I would not recommend removing them completely from your diet.  I also like to eat my carbs earlier in the day with a little protein of some sort to help burn them off and prevent my body from converting them to stored fat.  Some of my favorite grains are oatmeal, brown rice, barley, and quinoa.  They can be added to soups, served with stir fried veggies, made into a salad...lots of ways to incorporate them into your diet.

Avocado is one of my favorite foods!  They are loaded with lots of vitamins, good fats, and a little fiber.  They are great as guacamole, just smashed with tiny bit of sea salt and spread on whole grain crackers, diced up in a salad, sliced on a burger...you name it...I love avocado!

Cinnamon offers numerous health benefits.  It is known to help level out insulin levels, inhibits bacterial growth (keeps foods from spoiling), and reduces inflammation.

Nuts - Walnuts and almonds offer fiber and good fats that are heart healthy.  They are a good snack with an apple or banana.  I also like to put a few broken up walnuts or sliced almonds in oatmeal or home made granola or muesli.  Pistachios are also one of my favorites.  You can put them in salads too for a little extra crunch.  Nuts are high in natural fats, so be aware of how many you consume.  The calories and fat add up quickly.  (There is such a thing as too much of a good thing!)

Ground flax seeds are another good source of healthy fat and fiber.  They are good for skin and women's health too.  I like to add a bit to cereal or oatmeal in the morning or maybe with yogurt.

That brings us to yogurt.  I think greek yogurt is great in moderation.  A 6 oz. serving of Fage non-fat greek yogurt is a good source of calcium, has 100 calories and a whopping  18 grams of protein!  Top it with a little fresh fruit and you've got a super healthy, low cal snack!

Berries are probably my favorite fruit (well technically avocado is a fruit, but I know you all don't think of it as a fruit)!  Specifically raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries are my fav's.  And yes, in that order!  Berries offer lots of antioxidants and fiber.  And they just taste good and look great in a bowl by themselves, on cereal/oatmeal or with greek yogurt!  Did you know strawberries offer more vitamin c per serving than an orange?  Who knew!  And strawberries are only 50 calories for a one cup serving (that's about 8-10 berries, depending how large they are).  I think that's a lot of healthy food for very few calories!

Nut butters used sparingly add fiber and good protein sources.  Add a little almond butter to a sliced apple, pair or celery or put a tablespoon in a smoothie.  You can smear a little on a wholegrain english muffing or slice of toast for a tasty treat and extra protein punch.  Again, be careful how much you use as it packs a lot of calories in a small serving.

Last but definitely not least are eggs.  Eggs offer a good source of protein and has nutrients to fight inflammation. If I am not using plain egg whites, I try to mix 1 one whole egg to 2 additional whites.  This is just about the perfect protein serving according to the dietician I met with last summer.  One whole large egg is approximately 70 calories, 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein.  At approximately $4.00 a dozen for organic eggs, you are still talking about less than $.34 per egg - making eggs a low cost, healthy protein source.

These are my top picks of healthy foods, what are yours?






Sunday, January 8, 2012

Commitment and Resolution

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I posted and many of you have asked me about my blog.  So, it is with renewed excitement I write this post today.  Today's topic is Commitment and Resolution.

A commitment, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is: the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionallyimpelled <a commitment to a cause>.  The definition of resolution is the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones, or the act of answering. 

"Emotionally impelled".  Means you need to own it.  You need to be committed to it.  The new year comes and people make resolutions.  Some make resolutions which are so broad they lose sight of what it is they were really trying to achieve in the first place.  Or the resolution is such they set themselves up for failure..."I am going to stop smoking (not me, I don't smoke - I am sighting an example here, work with me), workout 7 days a week, eat no sugar, and stop drinking!"  One thing at a time already!  How are you going to focus on all that at once?  You aren't, not possible.

How about setting yourself up to succeed by making a commitment to yourself to do "X"?  And once you've achieved that, move on to the next thing you want to accomplish.  Part of making a commitment to yourself is finding a solution to your issues.  Break them down in the manageable and achievable goals.  I know a gal who's doing this and I am so proud of her.  It's been one change at a time.  She has her good days and her bad, just like everyone else. But she's doing it.  She's stopped smoking, started running, overcome injury and now is working on her nutrition.  You know who you are by the way, love ya girl!

I made a commitment to myself last fall to change my life.  That goal was way too broad.  I broke my goal down into smaller goals.  The first step was changing jobs and finding a healthy work/life balance.  I gave it a lot of thought and consideration, and I walked away from everything I knew and had done for 23+ years (no cracks about my age here please!).  My new job and schedule affords me the time to get up at a decent hour, eat a little breakfast, get to the gym for a workout, shower and start my work day.  Now I have my evenings to do as I please.  No more 12+ hour work days.  This was HUGE for me!

Who struggles with drinking the recommended 6-8, 8 oz glasses of water per day?  That would be me.  I bought an insulated cup and drink 3 of them filled with ice and water every day.  Moving right along, I started going to the gym at work everyday (Monday - Friday).  I've achieved this almost every week since the first of December.

Next up is a challenge starting the 23rd of this month.  It's a wellness and weight loss challenge through our fitness center at work.  I am on a team with 3 great women, and am looking forward to shedding the weight I need to lose.  Thru a new friendship at work, I am excited about adding running (more like jogging in my case) to my regiment.  Words I never thought would cross my lips by the way!  LOL

Anyone who's read my blog has heard me talk about eating clean.  Well, I'm going to preach this again and try to improve my "say/do" ratio!  This is the one I find hardest for me.  Lord knows I like my Oreo's, Graeter's ice cream, and Five Guys cheeseburgers!  I find myself easily side tracked when it comes to my "diet".   I hate that word by the way, DIET!  You can diet till you're blue in the face and guess what?  Next thing you know, you're right back where you started.  Well, duh Kim Ross!  You have to make a commitment to eat healthier for life, not just however many weeks a diet lasts.  You work you tookus off for weeks and weeks, depriving yourself.  Then it's all done.  You say to yourself "oh, one cookie won't hurt."  Then it's a cheeseburger, and then next thing you know...you are eating crap food again.  You're bringing home junk food, eating it, and feeling crappy.  Diets are self defeating!  You have to commit to eating healthy on the whole and having things you love in moderation.  I can now have a bag of dark chocolate in the house and not gobble it down in a day or two.  Woot woot!  Now that's an achievement!

I have to stop treating my body like a tent and more like the beautiful temple it is!  And that can only be achieved by fueling it with good quality fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean protein.  I have been trying new recipes and things I never thought I'd eat, let alone like!  Guess what?  I really like quinoa.  Have you tried it yet?  Well, you should!  It's delicious, has lots of fiber and protein, and it is great as a salad, used in place of pasta or rice, and it fills you up.  Not to mention, it has a nutty great flavor.

Some friends have shared a couple links I think are definitely worth passing along.  So, here they are:

http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/getting-started/  This link offers some good info regarding eating clean and some recipes that look delicious.  I am trying the protein bar one this afternoon and will let you know what I think later.

The next one has some great tips and recipes too.  I made the blueberry smoothie this morning and added a scoop of vanilla protein powder to up the nutritional value and used it as a meal replacement.  It was awesome!  I hope you find these links beneficial.  http://skinnyms.com/blue-paradise-smoothie/

This is totally going to be corny, cheezy, whatever.  I don't care, I'm putting it out there!  Take from it what you will...as I watched the ball drop at midnight on New Years Eve, I had a sense of calm.  A sense of 'ah-ha, I know I can do this'.  It's my time, it's my year!  I am going to work hard, overcome my hurdles, and be the best woman I can be!  You can't change my life for me, but I sure can!  It's mine...I own it.  I am doing this!  It's different somehow this time.  If you fail, dust yourself off and get back to it.  Anyone who's ever tried has failed, but failing is part of the journey.  And I get that now.  (It took you long enough, Kim Ross! LOL)  I now know where my pitfalls and hurdles are, and I've armed myself with the tools I need to over-come them.  You can too, you know!  You just have to dig deep and commit to doing it!  Find your solution.  Find what works for YOU!  Because what works me or someone else, may not work for you.  It's trial and error.  I hope you too will be the best person you can be in 2012 and beyond!