A calorie is not always a calorie...

Say what?!?!? A calorie isn't always a calorie? What you talkin' 'bout Willis?

One of the things that I struggle with is that all calories are not created equal. If you are counting calories or using an app to lose weight, you know that we are given a certain amount of calories we can eat each day and should still lose weight. But sometimes our weight stagnates or we are ravenous by 2 p.m. and have no more calories left that we can eat. This brings us back to today's blog post: All calories are NOT created equal.

If we break down fat, protein, and carbohydrates, we find that for each gram of protein or carbohydrate that we consume, they will stack up to 4 calories. For a gram of fat, the total is 9 calories. However, the way in which our bodies digest the three is different. If we exceed our caloric requirements each day, fat is readily and easily stored as fat. Carbs are also easily broken down into sugars in our bodies; whereas, protein takes the longest for our bodies to digest as it is more complex and not as easily turned into sugar.

For more information, visit: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=are_all_calories_created_equal

All of this begs the question, how much of each should we be eating. Ideally, our diets will include 10-35% protein, 45-60% carbs, and 20-35% fat. For more in-depth info: http://www.livestrong.com/article/413441-percentage-of-protein-in-diet/. What this means is that we need a good balance of each to have enough energy, meet our bodies' needs, and not become ravenous at any point during the day.

Contrary to previous diets and marketing campaigns, our bodies need fat to survive and function. The first link will also drive home the reasoning why low fat diets and low fat foods can lead to weight gain and more inches on our bodies. Fats, protein, and fiber also help us feel full longer. Reading the dailyspark article will explain a study that better illustrates how all calories are not created equal.

So if you are hungry, try to incorporate carbs, protein, and fat into a healthy and calorie conscious snack that won't leave you starving in an hour.

Also for a list of items that take more calories to digest than those you consume (AKA - FREE foods), please see the following:

Finally, today is the day to step on the ol' scale and chart your progress. How is everyone doing?

Motivation by the pound

I'm having a lazy day, as in, I'd like to curl up and take a nap. But I know I will need to work out when I get home since I failed to do so at lunch and there was no way my happy butt was getting out of bed at 5 this morning.

Working out is often easy to procrastinate and justify that it's not important. After all, if you are eating right, exercise shouldn't be needed. Right??? WRONG. Exercising does more than just burn calories. It improves circulation, tone, stamina, endurance, and a myriad of other things. PLUS....working out (combo of strength training and cardio) will totally transform your body. WHY???? See below:

While a pound of fat and a pound of muscle may weigh the same, their volume is different. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space, which is another reason why it is so important for women to work out. Working out is not just doing cardio, although that is important. Strength training builds muscle, strengthens bones, tones, and helps prevent osteoporosis. Contrary to popular belief, strength training will NOT cause women to bulk up. So that can no longer be your excuse.

This doesn't discount cardio. Any exercise that elevates your heart rate is beneficial to your overall health as well as helping us to lose weight. 

For those who may be self-conscious about running or doing cardio, just remember that you will be doing laps around those sitting on the couch. To illustrate my point and to visualize me as a runner, please see the following:

So with that in mind, be like Nike and "Just Do It." None of us will make progress sitting on the couch. And it's better to be sore today than sorry tomorrow.

Double dipping...

No, not that kind. Although double-dipping is not allowed in my house as it's a great way to spread germs. I missed posting yesterday due to a sick child, so I will double up today. As far as my kiddo, he just has a cold. But since our multiple hospitalizations, I'm pretty paranoid.

Now, back to the double dip.

Goal Setting....

I hope by now we have all set goals as far as what we want to achieve this year. For me, I have also done a slight re-evaluation... I do want to lose weight, but more than anything, I want to be fit. I want to be able to look in the mirror and like what I see. Liking what I see doesn't have to do with the number on the scale or back of my pants. It has everything to do with my perception of myself. Perceptions are often fickle, but the one I have of myself at present time isn't pretty.

So what are your goals? What do you want to accomplish?

Recipe Makeover

I'll take pictures of my next recipe, but I didn't get around it for this one.

On Monday night I made spaghetti...kind of.

I found a new spaghetti sauce at Wal-Mart that was made with basil and all-natural ingredients (i.e. nothing refined) that I had to try.

Soooo..... I warmed it up. Browned some turkey sausage, put it in the sauce, and let it simmer.

But before I started doing that, I did something totally sneaky (in my mind anyway). I took two spaghetti squash, sliced them in half, and scooped out the seeds.

Next, I sprayed a cookie sheet with no-fat cooking spray and placed the squash halves face down. I baked them at 375 for 40 minutes.

Once done, I took them out and scraped out the meat of the squash with a fork. (Be sure to do this side to side instead of lengthwise.) The meat comes out in strings like spaghetti noodles. I put all of the squash in a big bowl and then poured the sauce on top. I mixed it all together and dished up a plate. Topped it with a little mozzarella and....OMG!!! YUMMY!!! I liked it way better than using actual noodles.

Now remember what I said in a previous post about all recipes being hubby tested. He liked it. Not only did he like it, but he had seconds. After that, he snuck in the kitchen to eat more before I put the rest away.

The squash is so mild that it doesn't change the way spaghetti should taste with noodles, that is. But the swap saves a TON of calories. A serving of whole wheat noodles is about 200 calories. But really, who eats just ONE serving of noodles. But you can eat two cups of the squash for 63 calories, which IS two servings of it.

I promise to take pictures of the next recipe I post, but this one you really have to try!

Keep Going...

So how did everyone's weigh-in/checkpoint go on Friday? I will admit that I was bummed. I ate really healthy all week and exercised more than I have in the past. Want to know how much my scale moved???? Not one iota. I weighed exactly what I didthe week before.

At first the fact that I had just maintained was pretty disheartening, and then I realized something-- I hadn't GAINED weight. That's right! I hadn't gained anything. How many weeks have you been gaining weight and didn't realize it? I don't even want to speculate that number because I am above my ideal weight, so I have had to be gaining each week prior to this. (My clothes can attest to this.) So it was actually a good thing that I had at least maintained my current weight.

I've been eating so much better that I also feel better. My daily intake of 5-Hour Energy has been eliminated. This is huge for me. So while the scale didn't move in either direction, feeling better is definitely a step in the right direction.

How did everyone else do? Were you happy with your check-in? If not, I've found something that will help put things in perspective and remind us that this is a journey, not a destination:

It's Friday, Friday....

You know what that means...time to step on the ol' scale and see if anything has changed. If it hasn't, DON'T get discouraged. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will the new you. This is so easy for me to say because I won't get on the scale until the morning. Because after all, we are the lightest we will be all day first thing in the morning... And I'm female. If I could get on the scale buck-naked at the doctor's office, you can bet your sweet cheeks that I would. So anything I can do to make myself weigh less, I can promise you it's going to happen.

If you don't notice any changes on the scale, go back and look at your food diary. Evaluate what you have been eating. I will include a post next week about calories and not all being created equal. If your diet isn't the issue, how much exercise did you get? The most important thing though - DON'T QUIT. Remember that this is about being on a journey. It's not a destination. It's not like going on vacation and we can pinpoint to the hour when we will "arrive."

Another week also means another quick, simple recipe. Today, I am going to share my lettuce wraps. They're so easy and yummy that it feels like cheating.

LETTUCE WRAPS

Start with the big leaf lettuce. I prefer Romaine, but pick what you like. (A large lettuce leaf has about 2 calories, which is WAY better than the 100+ found in a tortilla.)

Next I cut up a roast chicken. If I have time, I'll roast my own. If I don't, your local grocery store sells them already cooked for about the same price as it costs to do it yourself.

I will also chop up an avocado, tomato, and some cilantro.

Then I pile it together: chicken, avocado, tomato, and cilantro. On mine, I also add a little shredded cheese (also known to some as sprinkle cheese) and hot sauce. I don't add a ton of cheese, but dairy is important in a diet for calcium and protein.

Then I sit back and enjoy. Yumm-o!!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful Texas weather.

Reality Check...for all of us.

Just to shed some light on how our perceptions of beauty have changed, I am sharing the following picture that a friend posted on Facebook. I would like to thank the media and Hollywood for telling women who were once beautiful that they are now overweight and unattractive. Ugh...

It's no wonder women feel inadequate. The only way most of us could look like Hollywood stars today is if we worked out 4 hours a day, had a personal chef and nutritionist, a maid, a nanny, an assistant, etc. That's not reality for 99% of us.

So for those of us living in the real world, here's a reality check:

Healthy is not always a size 2....

Did you know that you can be skinny and fat all at the same time? That's right. You can be thin AND have a high percentage of body fat. It's totally possible and happens on a regular basis. That is why it's important for us to realize that our health is not measured by the number on the back of our pants. It's possible to be a size 2 and be considered obese by your percentage of body fat. Being healthy is more than just a number on the scale. It's more than the size of our pants. It's about accepting who we are, changing what we can, and working toward a better you.

I read an interesting article the other day that compared runway models and plus-size models. Did you know that the average plus-size model is a size 6-14? Are you freakin' kidding me??? The average woman today is around a size 12/14 and clothing manufacturers are selling clothes on "plus-size" models who are a size 6??? Not only that, most runway models meet the requirements to be anorexic. I'm not sure about you, but I think it's ridiculous that designers are using these women as human clothes hangers and telling us this is beautiful. No wonder women are so unhappy with themselves. We are trying to achieve a type of perfection that doesn't exist. Not only does it not exist, but those pictures of what makes women so beautiful are touched up to the point that even those women don't look like that in real life.

Add in the trend of using teenage models to promote women's clothing, and it gets even more discouraging. A 16-19 year-old girl does not have the curves that will make them women.

This is just another reason that we need to strive to value ourselves and work on being the healthiest we can be by eating right, excercising, and taking care of ourselves. I will never look like a model, but by eating right, exercising, and getting in shape, I will be more confident in my own skin and will celebrate myself for who I am. I encourage all of you to do the same.

To check out the article, go to: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/11/new-magazine-editorial-highlights-shocking-differences-between-plus-size-and/

Put an end to dry skin...

The purpose of this blog is about our journey to health. This encompasses more than just eating right and exercising. It's about our whole health.

With that in mind, I want to share with you an incredible product that I've recently come across....thanks to Pinterest. (If you haven't joined, you totally need to.) Maybe you've known about this product for a long time, but it is definitely new to me and has been incredible for healing one of my problem areas.

This problem area is my heels. That's right, the back of my feet that take a beating on a daily basis. The part of my foot that always seems to have really dry, cracked skin. It doesn't matter if I've just had a pedicure or am in dire need of one. This area always seems to be dry.

Here is the solution....

OMG (or as my son says, "oh goshed!"), this stuff is incredible. It's like soothing chapstick for your feet. I apply a layer to my feet before bed, slip on some socks, and by morning, all the dryness has disappeared. Do it as often as you need. But holy cow! You and your feet are going to thank me.

Results of Friday's Check-in

So...... How did everyone's check-in go? Was it what you thought? Was it better or worse than expected? Or was it the wake-up call you needed?

I'll be honest, my weigh-in didn't occur until this morning and measurements will have to wait till this evening. I crammed as much as I could into the three-day weekend and didn't fit that in. Horrible excuse I know, but we are still living out of boxes from the move and other things (like hanging shelves so my son can't get into the cleaning supplies) took precedence.

I am sure I won't be too pleased with the pictures and measurements. But remember, this is just the starting point. This isn't the finish line. Becoming healthy is a marathon, not a sprint. It happens over time, which is why we need to document our progress.

I hope everyone continues to stay motivated and is gradually learning to look at food a little differently than before.

To cleanse or not to cleanse....

The popularity of cleansing has gained huge momentum in recent years. The reviews of cleansing are mixed. I'm in the camp that believes if you're eating what you should be, you're body will naturally cleanse itself. HOWEVER, I am not opposed to them. But I will do a cleanse for an entirely different reason...

Cleanses work great for me to help get off my sugar cravings. At certain times of the year I will choose to do a cleanse. The one I like the best is by Advocare. It contains fiber packets, herbal supplements, and  probiotic replacement pills. I especially like to do a cleanse after Christmas. Food is such a key aspect of this special time of year that it is impossible to not indulge, which often leads to overindulging.

I started my cleanse about two weeks ago. I am pleased to say that I have not indulged in a candy bar or something sugary sweet since I started. In fact, none of that stuff looks appealling.

So whether a cleanse does what its manufacturers claim, for me, it helps break my sugar addiction.

Again, if anyone else would like to contribute to the blog, send your post to me and I will include it.

Starting Points

Ok, so today is THE DAY. The big one. Today is the day that we will truly begin the journey. Today is the day we will write down our starting points.

This is what you will need:
- A journal (or something where you can document your measurements and will know where to find for future days of accountability)
- Tape measure - not the kind for construction but the one used for sewing, etc.
- Scale - hopefully it is accurate. Just make sure to use the same one so you'll get consistent results
- camera - only if you're brave

Measurements:
- Largest part of your arm
- Largest part of your hips
- neck
- waist
- bust
- weight

Now, if you're brave....TAKE PICTURES. Preferably, do it in the same outfit if possible. If you have a full-length mirror, you can do it yourself. If not, have someone take them for you. (Don't worry, we won't be sharing pictures or measurements except with our journal.) Take a picture from your front view and side. This way you will be able to SEE the changes we are making. This is important because it will keep us motivated. The changes will be gradual and we will think we aren't making progress because we can't see it. In reality, we will be making improvements and having pictures of progression will show our achievements.

Here is one woman's progression: http://ronisweigh.com/pages/progression-photos. The results are more impressive since we can SEE them.

Also, if anyone would like to submit a post to the blog, send it to me and I will add it. Happy measuring!!! And have a great three-day weekend!

Spaghetti -- only healthier

I have yet to meet someone who does not like spaghetti. The truly amazing part about it (to me) is that it is always better the second day. Kinda crazy, but totally true. However, traditional spaghetti gets a well-deserved bad rap for being carb-loaded and not the greatest for you. But there is a way to make it more nutritious, taste great, and make all the calories count in a nutritious way.

Spaghetti - only healthier

I start by browning 1 lb. turkey sausage in a pan. I like to use turkey sausage because the seasonings add flavor and the meat is cheaper than the 97% lean ground beef.

Next I warm up pre-made spaghetti sauce. Here is the important part about the sauce - READ THE LABEL BEFORE YOU BUY IT!! Select a sauce with the fewest ingredients and look for one that does NOT contain sugar. This is possible and tastes so much better.

I then add a small can of PURE pumpkin to the sauce. Make sure it's not pie filling. This is a sneaky way I add nutrition and fiber to my hubby's diet and he doesn't know it. :-)

From there, I adjust the spices to taste. Usually, italian seasoning and sometimes a can of tomato paste.

Then I add the browned meat and let simmer while I cook the noodles.

For the noodles - make sure to use WHOLE WHEAT noodles. If you just can't bring yourself to do it, there is a type of white noodles that are similar in nutritional content. Only use these as a second resort. Cook the noodles and then serve.

For sides, I typically will pair it with steamed green beans and caesar salad with LIGHT dressing. I've never understood serving bread with pasta. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs.

Carbs aren't all bad as long as they are paired with nutrition. It's the empty carbs and calories (white bread/pasta, soda, potato chips, etc.) that are turned directly into sugar and are stored as fat. But if you make spaghetti this way, you are getting a ton of nutritional bang for your caloric buck.

What are some things you do to make recipes even more healthy?

There’s an App for that

Earlier I discussed keeping a food journal and keeping track of the calories you consume. This isn’t something that I think you need to do indefinitely, just long enough to grasp how much you are eating, where your empty calories are, and areas within your diet that you can improve.

But there’s also an easier way than writing it down, looking up calorie counts, and doing simple addition… There’s an App for that. In today’s world, most of us have smart phones. And if you have such a phone, you’re in luck. There’s an App that will do all of the counting for you.

I have the “Lose It” App on my phone and iPad. When you first use it, you put in your current weight, your desired weight, height, gender, and how much you want to lose each week. It then configures how many calories you need in a day to achieve your goals and by a certain date.

Once you have entered in your information, all you have to do is search for the foods you ate for the day and any exercise that you did. You can also customize information for foods that may not be found on the App so that you can still track your progress.

Don’t get depressed by the counting and tracking of food and exercise. You only need to do it until making the smarter choice (and doing so) becomes second nature. If you make the smart choice 90% of the time, it’s not a crime to indulge the remaining 10%.

If you don't have a smart phone, you can still use this App at: http://www.loseit.com/

CICO - Calories In, Calories Out

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a little blue pill (don’t all pills seem to be blue) that helped you drop weight and keep it off? Instead, we have to work at it.

During my recent doctor’s visit, I asked him specifically about weight loss. Do you know he had the audacity to tell me “Calories in, calories out?” Dang it! I was hoping for some magic. Maybe a rabbit out of a hat. Something. Anything besides what we all know to be true…we have to work at it by paying attention to the number of calories we consume each day and the number of calories we exert.

Fortunately, some calories are exerted just by being us. Our bodies require a certain number of calories each day to just maintain our current selves. It’s only when we create a deficit between those we eat and those we burn that we lose weight. We can help increase this deficit by… EXERCISE! (You were hoping for that pill weren’t you?)

To help you figure out the number of calories your body needs to maintain, here are a few helpful sites to know if you are eating too much, not enough, or just right depending on your goals:

-          http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement

-          http://www.livestrong.com/daily-caloric-requirements/

-          http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

Now if you’ve been keeping calorie counts in your diary, how do your needs versus calories consumed compare? Was anyone surprised by the calorie counters?

Keeping a journal

We all think we are eating healthy, not too much, or just not that bad. But what are you really eating in a day? How much are you eating in a day? Are you exercising too?

I want all of us to be brutally honest with ourselves. What are we really eating? I encourage all of us to start keeping a food/exercise journal. I picked up a cheap spiral at Target over the weekend for a buck. It may be one of the best dollars I will spend in my journey to a healthier me. Why??? Because it is shocking when I write down what and how much is going in my mouth. This will make it easier to track calories taken in and calories I exert each day.

There is only one person who can hold each of us accountable and that is ourself. Every time I eat a few Nilla Wafers or Animal Crackers that my two-year-old is eating, I need to write it down. It is often these "hidden" bites and nibbles that are sabotaging our goals. Or it could be the in-your-face calories that we indulge in...#3 from McD's with a Coke maybe??? Either way, WRITE IT DOWN!

Healthy is a Journey…

If you think about it, being healthy is not something you just arrive at in one day. It’s a process that requires daily work and planning. We can all think back to a time when we were thinner, in better shape, or felt better than we do now. Which begs the question: what changed? In one word: LIFE.

As we age, our lives become more hectic with work, husbands, relationships, children, etc., so maintaining our health is placed on the back burner due to lack of time. But for most of us, including myself, that is just an excuse to be lazy and become better acquainted with our chub.

I like to refer to mine as “baby chub.” I was an avid gym rat when I met my husband, so I didn’t develop “love chub.” However, “baby chub” and I are great friends. So much so that “baby chub” continues to hang around and try to convince me to accept the relationship as long term.

Here’s how my relationship with “baby chub” started:

Before I became pregnant, I was training for a half marathon. My husband and I figured we would let nature happen when the time was right. In my blissful ignorance, I figured that would take a while. Nope. And as soon as I found out I was preggo, my exercise regimen hit the skids and went on hiatus.

Pregnancy was a great excuse to eat what I wanted with almost blatant disregard for calorie counts. After all, I was eating for two. Then came my baby boy, who replaced all my free time with diaper changes, feedings, baths, and hours of cuddling. Since I chose to nurse him, I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted, and as much as I wanted and still lost weight. During this time I also started eating a candy bar a day. Why??? Because I could. Didn’t matter what I ate, I was still losing. It was great!!

Then nursing came to an end. My eating habits continued. My lack of exercise continued. And the weight piled on. Did I realize it? Subconsciously, yes, but I excel in the art of denial and chose to ignore the obvious. This continued until I stepped on the scale for a doctor’s appointment and the reality of my weight not only stared me in the eye, but the nurse even wrote it down in my file to save for all time. OUCH!

Which is how I arrived here. I want this year to be different. I want to strive to be a healthier me. Not only in the weight department, but also in the mental department. Being healthy affects our entire well-being—mental and physical. So with that in mind, I am going to eat healthier and exercise more. I want to be able to play with my son instead of watch him play. I want to train for a 5K and get closer to my goal of training for a half marathon again.

What is your story? What goals would you like to achieve in the upcoming year as we begin our journey together?