The Challenge...Lesson 5

[SeaRunner]

I have just one body. Whether it's good or bad or if everything works, I will take care of it both physically and nutritionally as best as I can. A happy body is a happy mind.

I'm glad that we've gotten to this session. I like exercising and try to do it regularly. Some weeks I'm able to get in more activity than others. My attitude and energy level have considerable influence over that but I always get back into a healthy cycle.

My nutrition on the other hand has lots left to be desired. It's not that I eat such awful things, but rather I don't have much variety. I definitely could use more fresh fruits and vegetables. I also would like to increase the amount of protein I consume as well as decrease the amount of simple carbohydrates. Fats are not so much an issue for me since I generally don't like fatty foods as they upset my stomach.

I do take vitamins and supplements but I'm not as dedicated as I could be. Sometimes I feel too overwhelmed just to open the five bottles (a multivitamin, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B complex, and omega-3 fish oil). That's when I need to "put up the stop sign" about feeling overwhelmed and remind myself that it will only take a minute and I'll feel much better for doing it.

I'm thinking about seeing a nutritionist to discuss my eating habits. I know I can eat better and add more things to my regular diet. I also could definitely benefit from watching the sugar. I'm not a big candy or chocolate person, but any type of pastry, cookie, or sweet bread will get me every time.

After listening to Session 5 again, I had forgotten what Dr. Fisher said about how sweets affect blood sugar. I knew that the body can over compensate with insulin and reduce blood sugar too much as a result of eating to much refined sugars, but I didn't recall that the body's response to this was releasing adrenaline to convert glycogen to blood sugar. The last thing I need is to generate more adrenaline! That will be a big motivator for me to cut down on the bad carbs.

I also take in a lot of artificial sweeteners. I love cola and drink it, well, like it's water! To avoid the calories, I always drink diet, and yes it's always caffeine free. There's a lot of conflicting information about how our bodies react to artificial sweeteners so I don't really know how much damage I'm doing if at all. But I realize that these are not naturally occurring chemicals and our bodies were not designed to accommodate them. It certainly wouldn't hurt me to cut down if not completely stop consuming them.

I suppose my biggest obstacle with eating right is my energy level. I often just feel too tired to make something healthy, so I grab the quickest thing I can that requires the least amount of time to prepare. The thought of cooking is often way too much for me to handle. I think it's the idea of having to spend a bunch of time making something and then having a huge mess to clean up after.

My goal this session will be to really watch what I take into my body and why. I want to understand my eating patterns and make changes that will create a healthier body and a happier mind. Plus I wouldn't mind shedding a few pounds in the process!

[Karen L]

Jamie

just wanted to say I love your mantra

excellent goals also

those are the exact same vitamins I take...I put them in a weekly pill container, then I dont have to open every bottle every day

[mcshope]

Calorie counter

I found a free calorie counter... I like it, it lets you keep record of what you eat and also of the excersise.

Workout

I also found an online coach... this one can be free too, or you can pay... right now I just went for the free stuff, if I like it, then maybe I will get enrolled.

I know that for the excersise part, I need all the support I can get.

[NinjaFrodo]

My goals today are acceptance, putting effort towards my skills and interupting negative habits. As long as I follow these goals, I will end up becoming that person I want to be and have that life I desire that will be inevitable and I don't need to worry about it. I spend my time nourishing my mind and body with positive productive things

Searunner;

Wow thats alot of vitamines and supplements. What do you take the Vit D, Vit B and omega for?

Again it is really great that you can get yourself to do regular exercise despite the exhaustion, I think that is very big!

That might be a good idea to see a nutritionist, I've seen one of those before and they really help. Mine actually wrote out an eatting schedual when I first started to workout.

Lemme give you an example....Here is what he suggested for day 1 and 2

Day 1
Breakfast
1 slice of whole wheat toast
1 cup shredded wheat cereal
1stp non-trans-fat margarin
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup Almond Milk

Snack
1/4 cup raisins
1oz Almonds

Lunch
1cup mixed greens
1tsp Red wine vinegar
1tbsp Olive oil
2oz french roll
60g Veggie burger
1 cup Almond milk

Snack
1 medium orange
2tbsp Peanut butter

Dinner
1cup vegetable soup
1cup black beans
1cup long grain rice with
1tsp canola oil topped with
1/2c tomato
1/2c steamed spinach

Evening snack
1/2c sliced bananas
1c soy yogurt
1tbsp honey

(2,200 calories)

Day 2

Breakfast
2oz multi grain english muffin
1tsp non-trans-fat margarine
1tbsp apricot preserves
1c fortified orange juice

Snack
1 small apple
2tbsp peanut butter

Lunch
1/2c baby carrots
2 slices whole wheat bread
1/2c chick peas
2oz rice cheese
1tbsp mayonnaise
1tbsp mustard

Snack
1/2c unsweetened apple sauce
1c hot tea

Dinner
5oz chicken breast
1/2c green onions
1c brown rice
1 multi grain roll
1c steamed collard greens

Evening snack
1 small asian pear
1c brown rice milk
1oz walnuts

(2,200 calories)

I have a full week of things if you want more examples but i think thats something you might expect to get out of a nutritionist's meal plan.

I can relate to the pastry and sweet bread. I do it every once in awhile but it can be hard to just stop doing it all at once. I know I had a really hard time the first time around because I was eatting candy, chips, chocolate bars, frozen juice, donuts, ice caps and tons of other sugar filled things. I actually used those things to help keep me staying awake when I would feel exhausted.

Ah the first time Dr.Fisher said that about the sweets, blood sugar and the adrenaline release to convert glycogen to blood sugar, it stuck with me and made a huge impact. Sugar can make such a huge impact with our anxiety and exhaustion actually. It can be hard to cut down but its doable and its not a bad thing to have every once in awhile. Also something that helps motivate myself more and maybe will help you is that the adrenaline released from the sweets will supress the immune and digestive systems.

Your right our bodies are not designed to handle these artificial sweeteners. What I was taught in school is that these artificial sweeteners confuse the brain into thinking there is an increase in blood sugar and will then try to reduce your actual blood sugar level and then since you'll have a lower blood sugar level your body will just have to do the same thing to increase your blood sugar level that it does when you use normal sweets.

I can relate when I am feeling really exhausted when it comes to cooking. One thing that i've found that helps me work around that is when I have a moderate ammount of energy I will cook and prepare several meals all at once...Perhaps a salad with pieces of cubed chicken, curry chicken, maybe some oatmeal with blueberries, flax seed, coconut shavings, a protein smoothee, a sandwhich with chickpeas and mustard. There is more of a mess to clean but its easier with more energy. Perhaps you could try doing that after you go on your bike and cycle around.

I think thats a great goal, I don't know about you but i'm planning to put up my daily food consumption and you can do the same if you feel it would help and are open to suggestions.


Mike

[NinjaFrodo]

Thank you mcshope;

I actually find it hard to keep track of the calories so I think that will come in handy. How diffrent is it when you use it free vs paying for it?


Mike

[NinjaFrodo]

Alright I just wanted to say about the craving when it comes to sweets. According to what I have learned while working with along side a naturopath about sweets is that we tend to crave this when really we need water. The way I understand it is way before all this processed garbadge when there were only plants, berries, fish and other meat and probabbly now actually is the foods that had the most water content were those that are sweet...fruits and berries!

I was told by my shiatsu instructor awhile ago about this Japanese doctor who actually specialized in digestive conditions. He kept track of the diets and bms of 100s of people over a decade and he came up with a really great way to eat.

Basically when you first wake up you drink 500ml of water...30 minutes later you eat a small piece of fruit...30 minutes after that you eat your meal. The water flushes out your stomach, the fruit starts the acids in your stomach which prepares you for digestion when you eat your meal. I've tried ti myself and it actually helped especially when it came to reducing my cravings for sweets. I didn't think about eatting processed, white sugar garbage. So if you are having trouble getting off that white sugar, you can definately try that and see how it works for you.



Mike

[mcshope]

The calorie counter is free, also easy to use
The coaching depends... it is not to expensive, you can enroll for 3 months or more.

[THH]

Session 5, Eating and exercising.
I think I can do better with my eating, though I don't really eat all that bad. I think I do eat lots of fruit & veggies, and my weakness is breads & pasta. I like candy esp. chocolate. Dark chocolate is my fav. and I love sno caps! I do buy trick or treat size bars. I need to watch my sugar intake, as I know I eat more than necessary.
I had my gall bladder removed several years ago, and I quit alot of fat foods as I could not eat them with out running to the bathroom. Same with caffeine, can't stomach it well, though chocolate has it in it and I do fine with it. I just need to really pay attention esp. as I am getting older.
Exercise I have down kinda good as my back surgery I have to keep supple. I mostly do a routine of stretches. I could use some cardio's. Here in Ohio we live in the snow belt, my biggest problem is when its terrible cold and snow I don't get much exercise. I need to make that a goal as well.

[THH]

Mike,
We'll all have a Birthday party for you!!!!( When is your Birthday?)

You know we all need to nurture ourselves like a time when we remember that was so lovely.
I can relate with you all in sleeping with a stuffed animal, or feeling the arm of a loved one over us.
For me, was my grandma. She always took such great care of me, She cooked me special food, I never ate much meat, but she would always put together something yummy for me. She always hung our sheets out on the line, they were so crispy and smelled so sweet. You could crawl in the bed and just go to sleep. I used to ride my horse out in the back field and I would look up at the house and she was always looking out the window. She always knew where I was and encouraged me to have fun. I do miss her, I still feel her presents in my life. It is a good thing to do the things we remember that made us feel good, loved. For who we are. Aren't we still just kids at heart? :p

[Karen L]

I am on the road to recovery. There may be speed bumps, wrong turns, traffic, and I may even get lost, but I am moving in the right direction. I am in control of my life and thoughts. I am the one that creates my own anxiety and I can stop it also.


A cold rainy day in Cleveland...slept about 10 hours last night and it felt great
my grandson was over to visit this afternoon, he makes me smile
did a lil bit of driving this evening, but the rain shortened that...a little bit of anxiety..not too bad though

ate my share of chocolate again today....think it's one of my crutches, especially when I am bored, anxious, or depressed...seems to give me a quick fix....I really need to work on things that I do for immediate gradification by reminding myself of the long-term consequences....

have a great Sunday everyone!!