AMELIA'S HEALTHY LIFE

16 Reasons NOT to Diet

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Check out this list of 16 Reasons NOT to Diet. I’m reposting the whole list here because it’s THAT good. I came across it on the awesome Through Thick and Thin Forum and it really resonated. The original author of the list, Golda from Body Love Wellness, has a great reason for picking 16 reasons:

To support you in this journey, I am reprinting my 16 Reasons Not To Diet. Why 16? Because that’s the average dress size of American women!

And here's the list!

1) Many diets support the use of non-nutritional, highly chemicalized foods like fake fats and fake sugars. These chemicalized foods negatively affect body chemistry, cause low-level undernourishment, and often encourage overeating when the dieter gets the signal that s/he is not getting nourishment.
2) Diets have such a high failure rate that they are really a gamble with a low chance of success. If you look at the fine print of most studies on diets, they will tell you that diets have a 90-99% long-term failure rate. People lose some weight, only to find it creep back up, often surpassing their initial, pre-diet weight. Even the “successful” dieters often don’t keep all of their weight off.
3) Dieting gives dieters the message that they cannot trust their internal sense of what nourishes them. This distrust of internal signals affects other aspects of a dieter’s life, where they seek external approval and control of their non-food
related actions.
4) The diet industry has a deep interest in the failure of dieters—if everyone got skinny, they’d go out of business.
5) Dieters’ self esteem is often tied to their weight—they feel good about themselves when they’re losing weight and bad about themselves when they’re gaining weight.
6) The diet system reinforces low self esteem in dieters by making them feel like they have no “willpower” when they have diet lapses. In actuality, diets encourage people to ignore their internal will in exchange for the perceived will of the diet industry.
7) Rather than being about nourishment, food often becomes about reward and punishment for dieters.
8) Diets cause dieters (who are often women) to revolve their lives around food
rather than other things that may really matter to them (relationships, careers,
social issues).
9) Diets cause a lot of body hatred, particularly when the dieter isn’t losing weight. Dieters tend to see their bodies as wrong and problematic when they’re not seeing the “results” they want.
10) Diets often categorize foods as good/okay vs. bad/forbidden. Just like our culture’s genesis story revolves around a woman eating a forbidden food (the apple), it’s human nature to want what’s forbidden. Thus, it’s no wonder that dieters often crave forbidden foods even more once they are forbidden, and then hate themselves for eating those foods (maybe because they’re made to feel as though they’ve caused all of humanity to become sinners).
11) Diets encourage what I like to call “lottery thinking”—most dieters know that diets haven’t really worked for them nor most of the people they know, yet they think that this new diet is going to make them thin, and they’ll finally be in that tiny successful group.
12) Most diet programs are expensive. I cringe when I think about the money that I and my friends and family have spent over the years on Weight Watchers, special
shakes and diet pills!
13) For some people, diets are like Band-aids on deep scars. For people who really overeat and eat unconsciously, they often eat to numb their feelings and consciousness. Their issue is not really “portion control.” In fact, they often are too controlling of themselves and their emotions.
14) Diets assume that all fat people eat too much. They don’t account for the fact that people come in all shapes and sizes, and that a person’s weight is not an indicator of overall health.
15) The weight loss/gain cycle created by dieting is more stressful on the body than just being plain, old fat.
16) Diets work on a scarcity principle. Diets make dieters focus on lack, tell them they can only have “this much and no more” and that to want more is a bad thing. Because dieting is so all-encompassing, this scarcity principle often filters into other aspects of dieters’ lives. They begin to see lack and scarcity in their relationships, in their jobs, in the world.

Big thanks to Gina at Through Thick and Thin for posting this there. This list really gets at the heart of the futility of dieting and the body hatred it inspired in me. Fighting that uphill dieting battle was causing me nothing but pain. Learning to accept myself as I am is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever tried to do, even harder than the dieting, I think. But the reward is so much greater. It takes a lot to completely turn my worldview upside down and to start swimming in the other direction. It feels strange and sometimes lonely. But I know in my heart that I’m doing the right thing for me. For all the effort I put into dieting, what did I get? A lot of feelings of failure and the opposite of what I thought I wanted (I became bigger in the long run, instead of smaller).

Though painful at first, letting go of the goal of weight loss is freeing me up to engage with myself and others in ways I haven’t before. Instead of joining in to body-shaming conversations, I try to be the voice of reason and love. The world is a hard enough place sometimes, without piling on abuse our very selves. I loved the End Fat Talk movement from last month – it was a great way to get this discussion going and to bring awareness to this problem. Now, we have to take it one step further and bravely step away from the scales that arbitrarily determine our moods and often, even our self worth. It’s time to ditch the outside voice of some random authority that makes money on perpetuating our struggle. Who gave them the right to decide what we need to eat? Are we that out of touch with ourselves that we don’t even get to decide that? I think we can do better for ourselves and I will start by reminding myself of the truth contained in this list everyday.

I know there will be some differing opinions out there – please share your perspective below. Do you think that diets work? When they don’t, do you assume it’s all your fault and that you messed up? Do you think the diet industry truly wants you to find lasting success (and quit getting your cash)? Are you willing to devote yourself to food restriction for the rest of your life? Is that really a reasonable expectation? And if not, what’s the alternative? How can we all lead happy and content lives at home in our skin without becoming obsessive? Please share your experience and any insights you’ve found that help ease the body shaming that is so rampant and excepted in society.

Do You “Struggle with Your Weight”?

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:38:00 +0000

It’s a common phrase – one I’ve used myself many a time. I used it as a way to express that I was somehow a work-in-progress, that I knew and understood that I was flawed and that I was expending effort to fix the problem. It was a badge to hold up and say, “See, at least I know there’s a problem!” I could participate in the larger culture with my fat-exemption card. I have to admit that it was a big part of my identity, to the point where I created a whole social life around myself built on the very premise. Struggling together was easier than struggling alone because we all know, struggling sucks. It’s hard. It’s energy draining. It took over my life. I decided to revisit this idea after reading this post over at Living 400 lbs.

Now, I’d like to say that the struggle is over – that I’ve learned my lesson and all is healed. If it were only that easy. Life is never black and white and I am swimming my way through the gray. Some days I fully embody Margaret Cho’s Fuck it Diet, and feel really great, really in tune with what my body needs to function well and wants just for the joy of it. Other days, the anxiety creeps in and the struggle resurfaces as an effort to silence the food police in my head and the nasty thoughts about my current (and frightening-to-think-about future weight).

The one real tool I have to combat these negative feelings is exercise. The thing I sometimes forgot about when “working out” to try to lose weight, is that moving my body feels fantastic. Getting going is the hard part but usually I feel good while doing it and really good afterwards. It’s hard to feel bad about myself when I’ve just done an hour plus of walking, yoga, pilates, or other strength training. It just doesn’t compute. What I try to avoid, however, are the thoughts about how doing these things will somehow prevent the apocalypse of The Ever-Expanding-Amelia outcome that I so fear. I cannot claim to have overcome that one yet, but practice makes perfect. I try to reframe my desires for movement as something that is showing myself care, that I’m doing it to feel better in my own skin. The goal cannot be weight loss. It just doesn’t work for me. It makes the whole thing into a chore, something that must be checked off the good-fatty checklist. There is no faster way to churn up Please-Just-Let-Me-Sit-On-The-Couch thoughts than that.

I’ve started to notice that the more I talk to myself in this way, the closer I come to believing it. It’s the whole fake-it-till-you-make-it strategy in action. So, I’m calling it – I’m done with the “struggling” metaphor. My body and I are on the same team. Even when my brain sometimes rebels and I have to talk her down, we’re still on the same side. It’s all me and it’s all good. I’m all good. I don’t need or want fixing. I can take excellent care of myself with wholesome, yummy food and fun, joyful activity. I can do all that without the goal of changing my body or losing weight. I can be healthy and not at war with my body. I’m calling a permanent cease fire.

Does anyone else use this metaphor? Do you think it's helping or hurting your efforts to be happy and healthy?

Oh, to be a Red Shoe Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:41:00 +0000

I love my little piece of the internet – it’s right here and it’s all mine. AND, I love The Wizard of Oz – so much so that I went to see it in the theater for its 70th anniversary a couple weeks ago. What do these two things have in common? Blogging is like The Wizard of Oz and there’s no place like home.

This has to be my #1 favorite blog post, like EVER. And it has nothing to do with health or finances (well, a bit, actually…) It boils down to talking about what really makes a blog successful. You see, many people have gotten into the biz of blogging to *gasp* try to make money. They learn and employ all the tricks to drive traffic and boost revenue. But if the content isn’t there, if there’s nothing behind all the bells and whistles, you’re left holding a bag of useless trinkets. Eventually, the whole thing will pop like an overinflated hot air balloon.

Well, no one could accuse me of THAT. I write what I want when I darn well feel like it. I must confess that it tickles me to know that you all (both of you!) are reading, but I don’t do anything specific to try to get more eyeballs. I don’t go around commenting on other blogs just to get people to track back to me. If I’m moved to share my thoughts, I do, if not, I cruise on by… I’ve also abandoned all hope or effort to make any money at this. I used to have some ads but they were awful weightloss or payday loans, most of the time. And who has the time or energy to police that stuff? All for a few pennies (and by this, I mean that literally). So, the ads went by-by and I like how uncluttered this space is. As I said, it’s mine and I love it.

So I’ll keep doing my thing, sporting my Beautifeel Size 9-wide sensible red heels (they may not be sparkly, but they FIT), strutting in and out as I please, talking about what’s important to me, on my schedule. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

The iPhone and My Healthy Life

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:43:00 +0000

It’s been a week since the Cute Man and I gleefully made our way to the Apple Store and bought our iPhones. I must say that it has more than compensated for the sadness of having to give back the Mini (HP Netbook). It really is everything I thought it would be and I have absolutely no regrets about the purchase (financial or otherwise). Good financial management is about making choices based on what’s important to you. And after 2 years of waiting for our contract to be up (we regretted not doing this almost right away when we chose Verizon over going with AT&T and the iPhone), we wanted these puppies and we wanted them something fierce. So, we planned for this expense and are thrilled with the result. It doesn’t even look like we’ll be paying THAT much more, especially considering how much more we’re getting for the money.

It’s a whole new world, especially for me. CM had his iPod Touch so it was basically just an upgrade/consolidation thing for him. But for me, the “just give me the free phone” girl, it was a revelation. It is the most fantastic thing I’ve ever owned. I’ve downloaded applications for everything from free music to stream based on my preferences (Pandora), to ones that help me practice my German with fun little games, to full-on yoga classes. It’s incredible. Not to mention the old standbys of weather, online banking, and maps. And I can read my Kindle books on it! I even downloaded the entire Firefly television season (plus the movie Serenity among others), which I have been watching every free moment.

To complement my new toy, I’ve gotten some accessories as well: a Sony iPhone alarm clock with great sound from the speakers, a charger for my car, and my new favorite FREE DIY iPhone stand that I made out of an old card.

At this point, it’s time to put on the breaks and just enjoy what I’ve got. There are so many free things to do/get with it (podcasts, free apps, Pandora and music I already have, Kindle books I already have, and free audio books that I found in an app) that I can stop the bleeding (spending) now and be quite content for some time.

I also plan to save some cash by using the low cost strength training and yoga apps that I downloaded. I will keep up with my paid yoga classes (2 times per week), but I’m going to forgo at least one of the two weekly paid Pilates classes and work out with my apps in the free work gym instead. We’ll see how that goes. I like the classes because they are an appointment to keep so it lends some structure. However, I think I can capitalize on my love-affair with my new gadget to lend some added motivation to hit the gym on my own.

After only one week, I know I’ve just scratched the surface of what my iPhone is capable of but I’m thrilled with what I’ve discovered so far. Going forward, I will have to be mindful to take the most advantage of the capabilities without frivolously buying things with little thought (which is EASY to do, I know). But all in all, I couldn’t be happier!

The Mini is No More: A Lesson in Impulse Purchasing

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Last week I had a minor break with reality and decided to buy an HP netbook (aka The Mini) on a whim. Nevermind that I am planning to buy an iPhone a couple weeks later. It was cute as a button and I just HAD to have it. It was shades of immediate gratification past and I just went for it. As the Cute Man pointed out, it’s not like I haven’t been talking about getting a laptop for awhile now. So why not? The CM certainly meant well and he was right in theory. However, the devil’s in the details. I don’t do so well when I don’t carefully research large purchases. Buyer’s remorse is a bitch.

I got that cutie home and fired it up. I even did some organizing/cleaning to make room for it on the bookshelf that serves as my catch-all space in the living room. The CM helped me connect it to our wireless network and my anticipation was building. And then…. nothing. The darned thing wouldn’t load a page! It would do so when connected with a hardline, albeit at an agonizingly slow pace, but it’s a freaking netbook, it needs to work wirelessly. Poor CM in his infinite patience trouble-shooted his little heart out, all to no avail.

Enter, heart-wrenching buyer’s remorse. I was glad to see that I could return it when I checked the receipt. I’d likely have to pay a 15% “restocking fee”, but it’s better than keeping a useless item, right? All the same, I hemmed and hawed, hating to lose what would amount to $50.00 in an idiot tax. But knowing I’d have my beloved iPhone next week helped me make the decision. And what would you know… the thing was actually truly defective. They couldn’t get it to connect to the internet in the store, either! So, no restocking fee. It’s like it never happened! Except that I learned another lesson in what not to do.

Sure, I’d like to have a small laptop to use here and there. It would be good for doing work if ever I need to do so away from the office (not a regular thing in my life so really not a good enough reason), but for 9/10 things I’d use it for, the iPhone will more than compensate. And that’s not even taking into account that the iPhone will be another major purchase, the planning for which should have stopped me from dropping that unexpected cash. But that’s all water under bridge and I will return to my gun-shy frugal ways, having paid my penance in some serious angst (but not in cash, thank goodness).

Ready to Take a Stand

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:43:00 +0000

I think I just became radicalized. Have you ever read something that makes such an impression that you *finally* feel the need to get personally involved? Reading this is my moment:

And when I recently attended an interview to be a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I was asked if I had any objection to mentoring a dirty and/or obese child. The woman asking, with her rushed speech and stiff posture, betrayed that she was uneasy about the question’s existence on the official questionnaire. But it wasn’t her asking the question that made me uneasy. Rather, it was that a lonesome child’s obesity (paired “naturally” with dirtiness) made a difference to enough to compassionate volunteers that it had become necessary to ask.

However I feel about We Are the Real Deal in general and MamaV in particular, this guest post has made an impression. The situation described above is wrong on so many levels, I just don’t know where to start. The author of this piece, Kim Brittingham, went on to say:

The swelling trend of fat hatred in the United States makes me profoundly sad.

No kidding.

I’ve never been much of a political person. I’m pretty self-centered, generally. It’s usually enough for me to concentrate on my own life and making the most of it. And I don’t feel particularly oppressed by fat hatred on a daily basis. I have operated from a perspective of complicity for so long (I was an avid self-flagellating dieter for years and years, after all) that it’s hard to switch the script sometimes.

But you know what, it’s not OK . It’s not OK that every other news snippet is about the latest “new” weight loss technique, spouting all types of short term benefits without any disclaimer about the long term physical and emotional damage these diets – I mean “lifestyle changes” – leave in their wake. It’s not OK that my doctor automatically assumes I’m unhealthy because of my BMI and makes every visit about that, as opposed to things that can actually be diagnosed and dealt with. It’s not OK that I’m more familiar with actual clinical studies, most of which show no link between obesity and shorter life span, than the medical experts I interact with. In fact, these studies point to the aptly named Obesity Paradox). It’s a “paradox” because studies continually show that overweight and obese people live longer on average but people continue to cling to the “common knowledge” that obesity kills. How come I know all about this but get blank stares and condescending pats on the shoulder from people who should be in the know?

And it’s just not OK, not anymore. Kids involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program are in need. Those needs are no less for the obese child. It is not OK that they are made to feel diminished in any way whatsoever. The thought that our society is so messed up that a well meaning person would choose to specifically not work with a child because he is obese (or dirty, for that matter – that is ridiculous as well, just not the subject here) is unconscionable . Something has gone awry, folks. Obese people are not broken and in need of fixing. We are not contagious and something to avoid being around. We are not greedy and somehow unworthy of respect. Food and exercise are not a weapons or moral issues in any way nor are our bodies up for public discussion.

I’m hoping that my involvement in the Big Fat Lie Project, will help spread some new “common sense” about weight, health, and how the two are not necessarily conflated. How punishing ourselves through dieting or moving our bodies for the sole purpose of making ourselves somehow less instead of for the sheer JOY of it, is just plain wrong and counterproductive. We do not need to be starved and shamed into conformity and told that it's all for our own good. I hope to be a part of a shift that has to happen in our understanding and treatment of people like me, the obese, who are not headless fat people on the news, but real and complex individuals deserving of love, respect, and human kindness.

Personal Finance?

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:46:00 +0000

I haven’t been writing much about this lately – I’ve been more into exploring intuitive eating. The latter is much more new to me so I guess there’s just more on my mind to talk about. As for personal finance, it’s honestly been on autopilot for awhile. I did a lot of work to get things sorted out and put some great systems in place. As a result, it requires far less attention and headspace from me most of the time.

My 401k contributions are automated and my ING savings transfers happen like clockwork on their own, too. I love this! Cute Man and I are gearing up to go into our house-hunting phase so saving is a big part of this. We need to demonstrate that we can save the difference between our current rent and anticipated mortgage for at least 3 months per our NACA program requirements. I’ve been doing this for awhile now, but CM is beginning this in earnest this month. Previously, his focus was credit card repayment, which he has rocked!

Another thing we’ve got sort of automated, is our vacationing! Say what you will about timeshares, but they cannot be beat for encouraging us to take a full week off. I had serious concerns about the wisdom of that purchase (mostly due to the poor reputations they have), but it has turned out really well. We just got back from our lovely vacation in Orlando, which did not break the bank. Having your own kitchen at a resort is a money saver for sure. Most of our cash went to transportation – we didn’t rent a car, but took shuttles and cabs instead. It probably cost us a bit more this way. I think next time a car would be good. Live and learn!

I’ve also streamlined my spending strategy. For the past few months I’ve been experimenting with a new system. I put everything onto my Amazon Chase Visa. I only use cash or my debit card when I have no choice. I wanted to see if I could smooth out my spending and not be hyper-conscious of what I have to spend paycheck to paycheck, constantly checking balances. I just use my “good judgment” that I have cultivated and buy what I want when I choose to. With the safety of a buffer of savings in the bank, I wanted to see if it would even out. So far, it has! I have not had to dip into saving to cover over-spending even once. This is a victory, for sure.

As long as I can live below my means (automated savings comes out first anyway), I am thrilled with this method. It takes out the stress of constant balance checking and I earn mad points that I can turn into $ to spend at Amazon. As a Kindle owner, this is golden. I have also redeemed them for a gas card that works at the station near my house, too. Very handy. Now that I don’t’ drive as much, I could feasibly not have to pay for my own gas again. Really. I can’t believe they’re basically giving me free money just for using the card for all my purchases. As someone who pays off my balance every month, it is a huge benefit because I’m not paying any interest charges.

In short, things are pretty smooth on the financial front. As I learned the painfully hard way, it’s not how much I earn that matters. It’s setting up my life so that it functions within the parameters of what’s coming in. As two people working at non-profits, CM and I do not make a whole lot, especially for living in an expensive city. We’ve just learned a thing or two about prioritizing what’s important to us and making hard choices. It’s good to know that we can have pretty much anything that we truly need or want – we just can’t have everything that we want. So, the former gets priority and the latter gets indulged within reason.

So now we’re looking into buying a house or condo. This is a whole new world to explore so I will probably be talking a lot about that and soliciting advice as we get into the thick of it. The rest will hopefully continue to take care of itself.

Inspiration from Margaret Cho

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:38:00 +0000

I read this blog post some time ago but came across it again today. And it rocks. If you don’t like the word “fuck”, this isn’t for you. Everyone else, please read it. Now. In it, Margaret Cho unveiled the secret to her weight loss success. It boils down to (emphasis mine):

“I never eat leftovers. I never take anything home. I never eat anything that doesn’t taste heavenly. I never eat when I am not hungry. I never let myself get too hungry. I never deny myself a fucking thing because I have denied myself enough for 1000 lifetimes and there is no more denial for me in the way that I live. I deserve all the mozzarella sticks, all the fucking chocolate, all the fucking pizza, all the chicken a’la king, and I deserve to leave what I don’t finish on the plate.

So there you go. Big secret diet. Love. Love and the audacity to actually waste food.”

I’m working on it, Margaret!

The Big Fat Lie Project

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Since starting on the Intuitive Eating (IE) path, I have struggled to find a balance between honoring my health and resisting the diet mentality. One of the first stages of IE is to make peace with food, which I did with gusto. However, the resulting weight gain (felt, not measured – I do not use a scale anymore) and frequent heartburn have not been welcome. I am resisting any pull to just go on another diet to “fix” things, though. I have to find another way to come to terms with my body, my eating habits, and my activity level.

I want to incorporate more whole foods into my diet. I want to keep active. I want to do these things so that I feel better, not to lose weight. I am clear in this intention. As a result, I’ve decided to join a study that is working to highlight the benefits of IE coupled with eating whole foods and doing resistance training. The goals of the study and much more information about it is available at The Big Fat Lie, our group blog for the project.

I am excited to get started on this two year project. I hope that my participation will help support me on my road to a healthy relationship with food and my body. I’m also thrilled to be a part of something that will bring IE and its benefits to light. I hope that this study will show the world a long term, sustainable alternative to dieting.

A Return to Whole Foods (the concept, not the store!)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:31:00 +0000

While catching up at Cheap Healthy Good, one of my favorite food sites, I came across a link to this post about Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook that focuses on getting back to cooking in well, more traditional time honored ways. I was pulled in right away.

Since starting on my path to Intuitive Eating (IE), I’ve been happily making peace with food. As a result, I’ve indulged in much more food of the processed persuasion, just because I *can*. Most of that has been the Trader Joe’s type of processed but not all of it. I definitely don’t like focusing on so much convenience food. There has to be a balance. I realize that it was necessary stage of my healing to swing the other way first, though, so I’m not judging my food choices or anything. I just am finding myself looking forward to cooking more whole foods and putting more effort into my cooking and general food prep.

I’ll actually be participating in an upcoming study that will examine how an IE lifestyle focused on mostly whole foods coupled with moderate strength training affects overall health. It will be a two year commitment and I’m super excited to participate. But that hasn’t started yet – I’ll post more about that when it begins next month and throughout the study.

My head is already starting to get back to craving “real” food that I prepare myself, though, so there’s no reason to wait. I’m coming at this from a place of excitement, not one of trying to “eat healthy”. I will not completely abandon all play foods, not by a long shot. I plan to continue incorporating them into my daily intake, focusing on making my own versions as well as treating myself to the occasional processed items from time to time. It’s not all or nothing. I’m focusing on ADDING more whole foods, not in trying to deny myself anything. I think that psychological distinction is key for me.

In any case, I came across the Nourishing Traditions book just when I was ready to embrace it. I hopped right over to Amazon and downloaded it to my Kindle. I’ve only just begun reading it (yes, I’m actually reading a cookbook!) and have discovered that it’s much more than just a book of recipes. It catalogues all the different ways we have been mislead when it comes to “nutrition” in the media. So many studies have been twisted to say what the researchers wanted them to say. Others were just ignored because they didn’t prove what they wanted them to. I’ve come across some of this before but it never ceases to amaze me. The author advocates a return to not only eating more whole foods but to draw on more traditional ways of food preparation as a way to combat some of the damage we’ve done to ourselves with all this fake food.

I will be working my way through the fantastic info in the book as well as trying out some recipes. I will periodically post about how they turn out and what I’m learning in the process. And lest you think that I’ve completely abandoned my focus on personal finance, I will be noting any savings that come from buying and cooking my own food on a more consistent basis.

Please chime in with any advice or experience you may have to share about cooking and eating whole foods. I’m not completely new to the concept (I’ve always loved to cook) but am coming at it from a whole new perspective. I welcome all input!

Newsflash: I Love My Life (no caveats)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +0000

For years I’ve thought that if I could just change this one thing about me (my weight) all would be well. In an otherwise charmed existence, this was my one cross to bear. Other people had “real” problems, what did I have to complain about? Just devote my energy to getting this one thing under control and I would be golden. After reading this amazing post at Shapely Prose, I came to the conclusion that this was a spectacular waste of time.

What exactly was I waiting for? What was magically going to change when I lost weight? Would I find a husband? (no, got that…) Would I get more friends and be super popular? (I have plenty, thank you…) Would I be adored by the masses on the street? (I actually HATE that, you know, to be noticed and accosted by strangers…) Was I going to travel and have tons of fun? (hmmm… already had that experience…)

So what was it? I guess my Fantasy of Being Thin just involved feeling GOOD about myself and within my own skin. It was about feeling powerful and healthy and confident. It meant looking good in clothes (and without them!) and just reveling in being me. I’ve come to the conclusion that all of those things have to do with my state of MIND, not the state of my body. It seems so basic that I could literally laugh at all the angst I’ve put myself through.

Over the past 6 months or so since I’ve added some strength training to the yoga I already adored doing, I’ve noticed a change not only in my body but how I feel about it. Although I haven’t lost any weight and have probably gained some (I no longer weigh myself), I’ve noticed subtle changes in my body composition. It’s nothing drastic or probably even noticeable to others. But *I* notice and feel different: stronger, more toned, less wobbly.

I’ve found myself getting a kick out of buying clothes again, something I haven’t been able to do for years. Between the financial concerns and the feeling that anything I bought would be temporary (because I’d be losing weight, of course), I didn’t invest too much in it. What a joy it is to find something that makes me feel good right now, as I am now. I got the best bathing suite ever and I can’t wait to sport it on vacation. Who knew that I was capable of feeling that way about a swim suite!

I AM powerful, healthy, and confident. I am that way RIGHT NOW. And none of those qualities come from my ability to semi-starve my body into submission. So instead of devoting my energy to getting this one (weight) thing under control, I have boundless energy to devote to living this wonderful, amazing life I am blessed to enjoy.

Fat Women LESS Likely to Have Premature Babies?

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:42:00 +0000

A study discussed by Sandy Szwarc at Junk Food Science totally blew my mind. For years, I have been fraught with fears of getting pregnant while still in the obese category. I thought, if only I could lose some weight before having children, everything would be better – I’d be healthier, my baby would be healthier. I also thought about how I could eat in healthy way so that I wouldn’t gain too much weight while pregnant. And it goes without saying that I’d do my best to shed those excess pounds after delivery. I just couldn’t fathom getting bigger than I am already.

First goal: lose weight before getting pregnant.

Second goal: don’t gain too much weight when I do.

Third goal: work to lose pregnancy weight after birth.

I am literally in tears thinking about how much time I wasted trying to lose weight for this reason only to learn (from the study discussed in the link above):

The CDC researchers also found that fat women with BMIs in the ‘obese’ category and high weight gain (>1.5 pounds/week) were associated with the lowest risks for preterm deliveries of all (2.4%): less than half the risks seen among those of average weights and weight gain. While some believe fat women should gain less weight during pregnancy, they found that low pregnancy weight gain for obese women raised their risks for preterm deliveries to 9.3%.

And of COURSE I’d want to lose weight after having my first child, right? More from the article linked above:

Another point noted in this new study that may have come as a revelation was that researchers had previously shown that weight loss after a pregnancy can increase a woman’s risk of having a preterm delivery with her next pregnancy.

This one article alone has challenged me to question all that I thought I knew about weight and pregnancy. I can’t say that I’ve completely let go of my fears of weight GAIN. It’s scary to think that it is not only inevitable but actually preferable that I would indeed gain weight when carrying my first child. Sitting here at my highest weight (I’ve reached it before but never exceeded it, that I know of), I can’t imagine it.

While following a path of intuitive eating, I recognize that I may release some weight as my body normalizes and lets go of any excess that is not needed. I know that paradoxically, if I focus on that as a goal, I’m least likely to see that happen. But I still hope… I genuinely still believe that it would be healthier for me to start having children at a lower weight. Whether this is true or not, I cannot say.

The important thing for me to take from this is that no matter what, I am following the path I need to take. If it leads to me to getting smaller in the long run, if that’s where my body will be healthiest, great. If not, this is encouraging news that I may not be putting myself and my future child in harm’s way.

I was comforted to be reminded:

For most of human history, fat has been life-sustaining and a sign of a woman’s ability to bear and nurture children. Obesity continues to be shown to have a protective relationship for carrying a baby to term in the soundest studies, as these researchers confirmed...

…the welfare of all babies and improving their chances for healthy futures should be the primary concern, not whether their mums are fat. All babies deserve a healthy start and all mothers-to-be deserve good prenatal care… and the very best information.

It is true that the Cute Man and I have delayed having children for many reasons (getting our finances together was a biggy), but I must admit that this is the one that really stopped me in my tracks. With so much information out there, it is indeed hard to know what to believe. However, the studies discussed in this article have really spurred a lot of thought. I am interested in any other perspectives you may want to share!

Food for Thought (pun intended)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:22:00 +0000

I came across an incredible post by Kate Harding at Shapely Prose that explains how intuitive eating (what she calls demand feeding) works and why it is so important. I was going to pull out a quote to illustrate, but really, if you’re at all interested, just go read Devouring the World. Like Kate, and many others, I’ve had the fear that if I just let go of the strings holding me back, there’d be no end to my gluttony and I’d keep gaining weight indefinitely (read about why that’s unlikely at Can Just Anyone Weigh 400 lbs?) I’m starting to really get it and the fear is subsiding more and more each day.

My Body: A Guide to Where I Want to Go

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:36:00 +0000

My body is really trying to tell me that something is out of whack. I only experience heartburn when my eating is what I used to call “out of control”. It’s when I’m eating more processed foods and less fruits and veggies. While working on making peace with food, I’ve eaten my fill of these types of things. It’s good to take that power away from them but it’s starting to take its toll. Since I only get indigestion when out of balance, I don’t keep antacids or anything in the house. Usually eating a mint helps enough to let me sleep (it really only happens at night, when it does happen).

However, the last couple of nights have been bad. I read somewhere that a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in water helps to neutralize the acid. And it does! It helped a lot the past couple of nights. It tastes nasty but it works. But the more important thing is, it’s a clear message. I’ve been slowly working more fruits, veggies, and whole grains back into my diet. I’m trying to work from a place of abundance rather than attempt to restrict myself (we all know how THAT goes…) As a result, I’ve started ordering my weekly (mostly local) produce delivery and having those fresh ingredients around again has helped. I’m looking forward to clearing my system out somewhat.

I’m trying to remember that it’s not all or nothing, that this is a process and that I’m just trying to take care of myself in a better way. Letting go of the goal of weight loss has been such a relief to me. Just thinking about that brings tears to my eyes. I feel so great just the way I am now – why was I waiting for my body to change in order to be a peace with myself? So silly, in retrospect. I AM happy and it’s so good to just revel in that.

I still have the niggling fear of weight gain, though. It will take time for that to subside a bit. I feel my body filling out more and sometimes that does scare me. I don’t like that I’m finding some yoga poses a bit more difficult, for instance. I just try to tell myself that this is part of the process. I have to allow my body the room to equalize on its own time and that it might have to expand before it feels safe enough to release what it doesn’t need.

When I think of where I want to be, I don’t see thinness. This is a bit of breakthrough… When I think of where I want to be, I visualize strength, stability, and flexibility. I think of how I’d like my body to be able to move and feel. I think of my strong vital body several years ago when I was able to complete a marathon. I think of the ease I had when doing yoga. I don’t think of those times with nostalgia or regret that I am no longer there. I think of them as inspiration of what I am capable of…

The difference between those memories and what I envision for myself now is in the process. Previously, I got there through single minded, all encompassing dieting. I only inhabited that space for a short time before “real life” came back full throttle. Now, I’d like to work towards better health and fitness with a more sustainable approach, one that will be my way to life. I don’t think it’s likely that I will reach the place I did through dieting – my set-point is likely higher than that. And that’s OK. What I’m looking to recapture is how I FELT, not how I looked. I know I’m on the right path and that I will get there, if I listen to the expert, ME.

Navigating away from the Diet Mentality: What about My Dieting Friends?

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Learning about Intuitive Eating truly was an eye-opening experience for me but it’s not just something that happened, it’s a (probably lifelong) process of healing and learning to trust myself. It’s a strange new world where I’m in the driver’s seat. I’m not 100% sure where I’ll end up, but I’m sure enjoying the ride a whole lot more. Halleluiah, praise the Lord! I can’t wait to share the good news!

That the danger, anyway. I’ve found the answer! Time to let everyone know the truth! But maybe not. I’m just at the very start of beginning to figure this all out. I am definitely sold on the fact that diets don’t work (in any fashion, even those touted as lifestyle changes). Anything that uses an outside mechanism to dictate how I should eat is doomed to fail and keep me on the hamster wheel of yo-yo dieting. I get it. But it’s a lot harder to LIVE it. I’m swimming against a tide of my own habits, friends’ behaviors, and general societal pressure. I may indeed do all this emotional work and wind up, *gasp*, still fat. I’m OK with that. If that’s where my body needs to be for me to be a happy person, I’ll take it. I do trust that by letting go of the obsession to lose weight, I will indeed wind up releasing some of the “extra” padding that makes me feel uncomfortable. But that is secondary to getting my life back from the all-consuming quest of weight loss. I seriously almost don’t know what to do with myself now that I don’t spend so much time worrying about and planning what to eat. It’s a whole new world!

But back to my point. Sure, I’m working through this and I’ve looked to many sources of support – from books, to audio programs, to online forums. I spend some time devoted to thinking about IE and looking for new info about it. But not NEARLY what I had spent previously on the diet quest. And a lot of that time was spent with my wonderful friends at the Weight Watchers board. Over the past few years I’ve gotten to know them not only as online weight loss buddies, but as amazing people.

So what now? Although I don’t think it would be healthy for me to continue hanging out on a weight loss board, that doesn’t mean they aren’t my friends anymore. The good thing about being a rational, thinking adult is that it’s OK to not agree 100% with everything that your friends believe or do. I am fully aware that each person is entitled to find their own path to health and happiness. I think I’ve found a good one for me, who am I to say what would work for someone else? If anyone else finds that the path they’re on no longer works, I’m here to talk about what I have found. I think the best method of spreading the word is to live well and be happy. If that appeals to others, they’ll have no problem coming to me about it.

I particularly like this quote from the Fat Nutritionist:

Your shit is your shit to figure out, and sometimes the only way out is through. In fact, the way I came to the place of relative peace I now inhabit with my body was by experiencing dieting in all its fucked-upness. I am not about to take that learning opportunity away from you, if you feel you need it. And if, in the end, you decide dieting is really not a tool of the devil, and you have no particular problem with it? Then whatever. I still won’t have a particular problem with you, either, unless you make it my problem.

No, I don’t agree with it, but we don’t have to agree. We just have to love each other, and thankfully we really, really do.

I couldn’t say it better myself! (((HUGS)))

Making Peace with Food and My Finances

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:04:00 +0000

It just occurred to me that this process of making peace with food is having not only a mental/emotional/health impact, but a financial one as well. As I worked to get my finances under control, I came up with a series of habits that really helped keep me on track. Chief among them were the habits related to food shopping. I almost always had a shopping list and I found it very helpful to shop for two weeks at a time, with very few if any in-between forays to the store. I did get fresh produce delivered on the off weeks to keep that stuff stocked.

However, over the past couple of months I’ve started to see a shift. Part of that is a conscious move away from meticulous money tracking – a gift I gave myself for having resolved most of my issues and gotten into an established saving pattern. With that, came a more relaxed shopping list and more frequent trips to the store. The additional cost was not significant at first, which was gratifying. Even going on autopilot, I spent about the same as usual.

Over the past couple of weeks, though, I’ve noticed that I’m stopping at the store a LOT. This is mostly to indulge cravings and round out meals I planned to prepare. In my effort to make peace with food, I have been indulging whims in my eating and shopping habits in a way that I have not in a long time. I have not totaled up with amount of spending but it “feels” like I’m spending more.

I know that this phase is just that, a phase of my healing where I need to indulge myself a little bit. I need to feel like nothing is off limits and what I want really is worth an extra trip to the store. I am fortunate to be tackling this issue at a time when money is not nearly as tight as it once was. This gives me a freedom for which I’m grateful.

At the same time I know I’m out of balance. I can feel it. I am eating a bit too much and I’m spending a bit too much. After taking some time to really let loose, I feel pulled toward the middle. I crave the feeling that comes with being in tune with not only what my body wants (ice cream!) but what it also needs (vegetables!) What’s different now is that instead of looking to some program (Weight Watchers/counting calories) to tell me how to find that balance, I’m looking inward to find the answer. Now that I’m actually listening, the message is starting to get through.

Although things (my eating/finances) are a bit out of whack right now, it’s OK. I realize that’s just part of how this process unfolds. I need to trust myself to move through this in whatever way feels right to me. I think I’m finally starting to really trust that food will always be there for me when I’m hungry – that the days of restriction are over. Once that completely truly sinks in, I know that the urge to eat half a box of Grasshoppers will subside :D

Making Peace with Food: Harder than I Thought

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:41:00 +0000

As I move through the process of learning how to eat intuitively, I am struggling to deal with its most fundamental concept – making peace with food. That is the underlying premise of this whole thing! On the one hand, it is really exciting to eat things that I’ve previously restricted. I always thought that I wasn’t “too bad” about all that – I let myself have treats, but tried to limit/control them. But throughout the last week, I’ve found myself bumping up against beliefs I didn’t even really consciously acknowledge. I find myself thinking of buying/eating a food and initially dismissing it as out of hand (a box of Mint Milanos or Oreos, white pasta with Alfredo sauce. These things are just too bad (at least in my head). I am working to let these beliefs go – I know they are only hurting me. The Alfredo sauce only has power and is so tantalizing because I don’t allow myself to eat it. So, I guess I know what I’ll be buying at the store later…

I keep reading that this diet-backlash phase is normal and that I have to allow myself to move through it naturally. It’s OK that the majority of what I’m eating is “play food”. It won’t last forever. Eventually, if I really listen to my body, I’ll start to crave/want good for me stuff, too. But I’m not there yet and rushing it doesn’t work. I’m starting to get an inkling of this, though. I don’t like how I felt last night after eating too much ice cream after a larger dinner. Thinking about not wanting to repeat that feeling (bloated, uncomfortable) is a learning experience. I am retraining myself to not think of it as a “bad night” or that I messed up, somehow. I know it’s just one of the learning experiences that will help me retune my relationship with food. That shift in thinking is a big milestone for me.

At some point, my body will get the message that I will never restrict its food again. It needs to feel secure in the fact that another diet isn’t right around the corner as was the case previously. When I finally accept that food will always be readily available, I’ll be able to chill out in trying to get it all in. Knowing from others’ experience that it will happen doesn’t make it any less scary to be on the other side of it, waiting for it to kick in. There’s still a part of me that wonders if I’ll just keep eating and eating indefinitely and just get bigger and bigger. Intellectually, I understand that’s not what will happen, but emotionally, it’s the fear I’ve clung to for so long, that it’s hard to recalibrate my brain.

So for today, I’ll try not to think too much about it and just enjoy my food. Fried chicken and spaghetti with regular pesto sauce! It’s funny how I always said I didn’t know how to make fried chicken – I just didn’t allow myself to do it right. It is so good!

Fear of Weight Gain: How I'm working to Overcome it with Intuitive Eating

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:05:00 +0000

My biggest fear as I start this new process is that giving myself permission to eat what and how much I want will result in weight GAIN. This is horrifying to my diet-saturated mind. How can I risk it? Wouldn’t it be safer just to go back to counting calories? These are the questions and the mentality that I have to contend with within my own head. At this point, I need to just let go and move through the process without focus on the outcome.

So for all that fear, it turns out that it probably WILL happen. And it won’t necessarily be a bad thing. I came across an amazing post at Through Thick and Thin, an Intuitive Eating Forum, where one of the administrators, Shannon, explains what to expect when first letting go of fearing food and honoring hunger:

“…The key is to relax in this phase; to understand that your body has suffered a lot of abuse and needs to become acclimated to regular feeding. If you give your body this reprieve, you will find that any weight gain experienced is minimal and will rapidly level off. With consistent feeding, your body will feel secure that there is no impending food shortage and will begin to release its fat stores. If you can find some time to do some strength exercise; whether lifting weights, or using calisthenics and the natural weight of your body for resistance; you can begin to rebuild the muscle tissue that was lost through dieting. Replenishing muscle tissue will restore the efficiency of your metabolism; facilitating more timely healing…

…What is pertinent to recognize is that after years of disregarding your body and its needs, there is a physiological balancing that needs to take place. It may take some time for your body to readjust and you owe your body the space to make this shift. You owe your body at least this respect. It has been through a lot. What has been the pursuit of a physical ideal for you, has been a taxing crisis for your body. If you stick with intuitive eating and focus on your healing process; relinquishing the physical goal; you will find that naturally and effortlessly, your body will reach a size and shape that is healthy for you. Don't burden your body with a time constraint for this healing to manifest. Surrender to the wisdom of your body.”

Over the past few days of reading about intuitive eating in the book and on the forum, I’m starting to calm down a bit with this fear. I have come to the conclusion that I am doing the right thing, no matter what. Even if I never shed an ounce. Even if it means living in an even bigger body. If I focus on taking care of myself and being as healthy as possible, I will be a much happier person. The issue is not about my size or shape but about my health and happiness. If I concentrate on that, the rest will take care of itself.

I no longer have the conviction that if I stopprd my intermittent attempts at weight loss, my weight would go up indefinitely. I now understand that is untrue – if I finally start listening to my own body, my own intuition about what to eat and how to move, I’ll settle at a healthy place for my particular body. Where ever that set-point winds up to be will be OK. How wonderful to learn that it is possible to trust myself. It is possible to heal. Knowing that I will never go on another diet again is so freeing.

Personal Finance at the Dentist

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:23:00 +0000

I loathe dental procedures. The last time I had fillings, I came out in a full blown anxiety attack. This is a rare thing for me and truly a frightening experience. I went in to have three fillings done. The first Novocain shot didn’t work properly and I jumped about a foot when the drill started in on the tooth. The dentist yelled at me for jumping, which was dangerous, and gave me another shot. Although I was physically numb for the fillings after that, I holding in the emotional trauma from the first experience. Tears were literally spilling out the whole time.

When I got out to the car, I completely LOST it. I had a total breakdown, sobbing for at least a half an hour before I could even think about driving away. Meanwhile, Cute Man had also just experienced worse procedures, including a tooth extraction, but he was comparatively OK. I was a mess. I did not return to a dentist for something like 4 years (I’m just guessing based on how long I’ve been with Cute Man).

Thanks to some great advice from Megan at Counting My Pennies I managed to make an appointment at the Bethesda Dental Spa. They were supposed to be sensitive to anxiety issues, etc. and offer sedation for services, if you want. Although the cost of all-out sedation was out of my realm, I opted to try nitrous oxide during my two fillings yesterday. It cost an additional $140.00 since it’s not covered by insurance but that is money well spent, I tell you. If nothing else, it made me concentrate on my breathing and I took deep breathes continuously, which is calming in itself. Regardless if it was just that, the placebo effect, or whatever, it was so much better. I was calm the whole time and got through with little anxiety. The only anxiety I had was the stress in anticipation of this dreaded experience in the weeks since my cleaning. Now, if I ever again need fillings, I won’t have that issue either, since I know what to expect now.

It may seem like a waste of money to spend $140.00 for something that’s not strictly medically necessary, but for me, the peace of mind it gave me was priceless. Thanks again, Megan, for letting me know about this!

A 180 on Weight

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:28:00 +0000

As happy as I was with the Daily Plate, I realized that there was something just not “right” about my approach. I’ve felt it deep down for a long time, but I’ve been way too scared to really confront it. I got a taste of it when I started with the Beck Diet. The suggestion that I needed to sit and just eat my meals was somehow just too much for me. I tend to read or watch TV while eating… I know this isn’t conducive to healthy eating, but I felt like it was habit I just couldn’t break. That resistance spelled the death knell for the Beck approach.

So I went back to what works – calorie restriction. On a very basic level, this does indeed work. When I eat less than I burn, the scale goes down. It’s just very difficult to maintain, even when the goal is reasonable and not extreme. I found myself cycling through periods of sticking with it and then falling off a cliff into binges where I’d just tune out, eating what I wanted. However, there was no relief in those periods, either. I wasn’t free of worrying about my weight and eating, it just went underground making me feel guilty and bad about the fact that I wasn’t counting what ate. That definitely took a lot of the pleasure out of whatever it was I was binging on, leading me to eat even more, to make myself feel better. This, of course, didn’t really work so I’d work myself back up to counting again and being “good”. Around and around we go…

I did all of this because I was searching for the numbers (calories eaten vs. burned, the scale) to tell me what to do. I was looking outside of myself for guidance on how to fix myself. Since I’ve been overweight for as long as I can remember, there must be something fundamentally broken about the way I interact with food. The thought of trusting myself with how much I should eat and when never occurred to me. When I heard about Intuitive Eating, I thought, “that’s such a great idea – for someone else”. There was just no way I’d be able to figure out what to eat without some serious math involved!

I know that sounds silly, but it is indeed a deeply held belief that I have. I am untrustworthy around food. If there is a lot food around, I will inevitably eat it. If there are snacks in the house, I will eat them all. So, the best thing is to avoid these situations – eat before I go to a party so I can just eat something small and be OK – refrain for bringing anything “bad” into the house.

I just took a look at myself and asked, is this really working, though? In my heart, I heard a loud NO. I am not happy, I am not thin, and most importantly – I’m not as healthy as I want to be. Something isn’t clicking. This led me to buy the Health at Every Size book. It was really eye opening and I read it through in a single day. I loved the philosophy but I was gripped with fear. What if I stop “trying” and I just balloon up? I loved the HAES idea but felt it was a little short on what exactly I should do. To help myself get a grip on how to get started, I am reading more about Intuitive Eating. I am ready to find a way back to trusting myself. It’s something I’ll have to re-learn but I’m willing to start.

The first thing I’m concentrating on is letting go of my fear of food. I am embracing the idea of eating what I want. When I allow myself to do that, the “bad” food loses its allure. (This is the theory and I’m just starting to experiment with this). If I know I can have oreos anytime I want, there is no need to eat 15 of them at a sitting. I’ll let you know how this goes. It is the most frightening thing I’ve done in my weight loss quest. Eat what I WANT? How bazaar! It started well, though, with the homemade brownies and ice cream I allowed myself to make and eat last night. (Scary, I know!) But you know what? I really didn’t go crazy with it. I had a single serving and felt great about it. Imagine!

Today, I focused on Honoring my Hunger and stopping when I was just satisfied. I ate without distractions and really enjoyed the stew I brought for lunch. I ate it mindfully and stopped about ¾ through because I’d had enough. It was an amazing accomplishment. Without fail, I always eat my entire Tupperware container-full – mostly just because it’s there and it’s the amount I had pre-counted calorie-wise. Instead, I am working on listening to my inner voice as to when I’m hungry or full. I am building a bit more confidence in my ability to do this.

Lastly, I found an Intuitive Eating group on Facebook and an online Forum for it as well. I think that interacting with “real” people who are doing this will help tremendously. I know that two of the wonderful bloggers I follow mostly eat in this way – Sally from Aprovechar and FT from Notes from the Frugal Trenches. I have always admired this ability and hope to join them in the endeavor. Has anyone else tried this approach? If so, how do you feel about it?

Calorie Tracking: What Works for Me

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:58:00 +0000

As I’ve mentioned before, FitDay is a calorie tracker which I’ve used with great success. However, a friend mentioned another free online one at the Daily Plate (thanks, Julie!) so I decided to check it out. It is much more user friendly and seems to have a far more extensive database of foods and activities. AND, it says I can eat more food :)

We’ve got a winner, folks! I’ve been really dragging lately and having a hard time logging in all of my food. I start out well during the day but develop selective memory in the evenings. Having a fresh new fun tool will help reinvigorate my efforts (one can hope!) The best game plan for me is always to pre-track what I plan to eat later that evening. I did that today so I’m off to a good start.

One of the toughest things for me and for a lot of people, I guess, is when I’m out of my routine. When I know I’m going home to cook and eat my own food, I can plan pretty easily. But when I’m going out for some social occasion, it gets a little dicier. At least I know what I can plan on for the Personal Finance bloggers get-together tomorrow – it’s half price night for burgers where we’re meeting :) And that’s OK, awesome in fact, because I know in advance and can plan around it. Knowing I have a juicy burger to look forward to makes it WAY easier to eat lighter during the day.

For a little insight on today’s progress, here are some excerpts from “My Plate”:

I’m always up for learning about new fun strategies and tools for weight loss – anybody discover anything new lately?

Snapshot of Financial Health

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:40:00 +0000

While chilling over at Budgets are Sexy, I ran across this CNN Money tool that gives you a snapshot of your overall financial health in a nutshell. While J. scored a B+, I came in just under that with a B:

I feel great about all the debt I’ve eliminated and am pleased to have scored so high considering how bad things were 5 years ago. I am most concerned about building up emergency savings. The issues with life insurance (not even sure if it’s accurate – I don’t remember the amount I get through work) and retirement savings are on the back burner. That’s what personal finance is all about – figuring out what important to me and making my money work towards my goals.

Right now, Cute Man and I are focused on saving up to buy a house/condo and start a family. Once those things actually come into play, I’ll certainly look into the life insurance piece more carefully, but for right now, it’s not a concern. As things stand now, each of us could handle the rent/expenses on our own, if need be. As for retirement savings, I think it’s important not to leave money on the table so I’m contributing what I need to get the employer match. I had been contributing more, but I cut it back in favor of building the E-fund and saving to buy a house. We simply can’t do everything so we prioritized. I feel good that I am putting money away each check for retirement but I know that it’s not a whole lot. Thank goodness for compound interest, at least.

So how’s your financial health? Have you tried the tool and did you think it was an accurate indicator?

Serious Recommitment or Day 7 of the 10 Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:14:00 +0000

OK, so this challenge hasn’t worked out the way I’d hoped. Let’s face it, I’ve been off track. As you can see from this weight goal graph, things were going swimmingly up until mid-late April. Those high squiggles above the line are NOT good.

After an awesome conversation with a friend today, I realize that I have been trying too hard (yet again) and derailing myself in the process. Why did I think that “shooting” for 1500 calories was a good daily goal? I *know* myself. I tend to give up when I go over. So… I have reevaluated a few things. First of all, I’m changing my goal to a straight 1 lb per week pace (as opposed to 1.25lbs or 5lbs per month). That is a great, slow-and-steady pace to shoot for. I’m also going to work on keeping my calorie intake to between 1700-1750 calories per day – the amount FitDay recommends to achieve that 1 lb per week pace, even without added exercise.

The exercise that I do will help offset any small overages but I think this is a more attainable way to go about this. This plan will take me below 200lbs by the end of the year. I can live with that!

Back from the Brink or Day 3 of the 10 Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:17:00 +0000

OK, so I got off to a good start with that Jillian workout. But I basically fell off a cliff into a binge yesterday. It started with a little overindulgence at dinner Saturday night with Cute Man. But it pretty much snowballed yesterday. I can blame PMS all I want but it won’t change the result.

So now I’ve ‘fessed up and feel better :) There’s no use dwelling on what was wrong with this past weekend. I’m ready to get myself back together starting NOW. Having the routine of the workweek certainly helps. My goal for today is to just eat the food I’ve pre-planned and just relax with it. There’s no sense of punishing myself for “bad” behavior, rather it makes more sense just to get back at it. So here I am :)

Tonight is my circuit training class so I feel good that I have some serious exercise planned. It always gives my confidence a boost. So what’s your motivation for today? Please share in the comments.

Jillian Michaels is the Devil or Day 1 of the 10 Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:03:00 +0000

Day 1 is off to a good start. I have gotten in a good (though punishing) workout. My trainer is out of town so I had to improvise today. I took advantage of my Comcast on Demand and loaded up Jillian's newest workout aimed at boosting metabolism. There was a lot of cardio in there to keep my heart pumping for the almost full hour workout. The cool thing was that it didn't require any equipment, just body weight resistance. It did the trick, I can tell you!

As for my food intake, I am doing OK so far. I'm having a "hungry" day so I had both a substantial breakfast (an egg plus english muffin with jam) and lunch (a buffalo burger on a whole wheat bun with a salad). I am fine with eating at the top of my range today as long as I stay accountable and keep track. Participating in this challenge is a good way to combat the head in the sand temptation.

I'll soon be off to a movie with Cute Man so challenges will abound. Since I just ate, I should be OK for awhile and should be able to make some good choices, even if we wind up eating out for dinner. I'll through a luna bar in my bag just in case I "have to have something" at the movie. I'll check in later or tomorrow morning. I hope you're all enjoying the weekend!