Sunday, August 14, 2011
Hold Me Accountable (that's ok) But Just Know...
Had a pretty awesome thing happen at work the other night... I was *starving* about an hour before I get out of work due to an earlier-than-usual lunch, so I grabbed a chocolate milk from the work fridge to tide me over. (gasp!) I know, I know -- I haven't had hardly anything of that magnitude (or that HFCS-laden) since my journey began almost 6 months ago. But, I'll get to that in a minute...
One of my coworkers (who knows of my healthy journey) walked by my desk as I downed the Chug & gasped, "NO! You are NOT drinking chocolate milk! You do not need that crap! Do NOT backslide on me now, woman! I need you for inspiration & to help keep me in check!!"
It caught me off-guard. Not because she was scolding me, but because (a) she was invested in my success, and (b) my success or failure helped her along her journey. It was really sweet, and completely unexpected. :)
Now, we're not the kind of coworkers that hang out together. I won't be invited to her wedding next month (& I'm totally ok with that). We're cordial & casual & we ask each other about the small-talk points in our lives. But she's aware of my friend Chane't passing away this past December & of the changes that I've made since then. I even talked her into going to her first Zumba class (which she loved). I know she just trained for the Warrior Dash this month. But I never would have guessed that I inspired her in any way (she's been "fit" & active for the years). That admission made me want to be better...
But, as I told her, the great thing about this change I've made (& about it being a lifestyle change & not a DIET) is that I can have an indulgence now & then, and it doesn't derail the whole train. It's the old 80/20 rule (though for me, it's probably more 90/10) -- and when you live to your best 80% of the time, the other 20% doesn't hit you as hard & it's easier to bounce back. I'm not talking "living for cheat days" or having one thing at each meal that is outside my eating regimen. I mean that an indulgence, when needed (whether due to being on vacation or nowhere near a better food choice or at your boss's house, whom you don't want to insult), doesn't mean you're a failure & it doesn't mean that you have to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Living well doesn't mean living to perfection; it just means making the best choices that you can, as often as you can.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Pro-Plus-Size Does Not Mean Anti-Skinny
In my lifetime, I have heard many plus-size women put down thinner women in an effort to make themselves feel better. Everything from point-blank comments about how they need to "eat a cheeseburger" to the more subtle put-downs hidden in supposedly pro-plus-size slogans like "real women have curves". These same women who would be aghast if someone were to make a comment to them about putting the fork down or the weight limit on a ride somehow have convinced themselves that it's ok for them to think & say what they do about thinner women.
On one level, this is disturbing to me because it emulates the negativity that these same plus-size women get from the rest of society -- but somehow it's ok for them to make disparaging comments about the thinner women --why, exactly? Because society itself doesn't pick them apart as much, so it's ok for them to do it, to what - even out the scales? It's typical abused/abuser behavior -- they hear negative comments about their body, and even though they KNOW how horrible that makes them feel about themselves & their own body, they somehow become the abuser themselves & pass on that same behavior to other women. How about we break the cycle of abuse instead? How about we not only not talk negatively about OURSELVES, but we not talk negatively about anyone else either -- regardless of whether she looks like you or not?
But what's worse than that, in my opinion, is when women try to pass their negativity off as simply being "pro-plus-size". For example, the previously-named slogan "real women have curves" -- what this implies is that if you don't have curves, you're not a real woman. I get that this came from a place of good intention (as an anti-airbrushed model campaign), but in fact what it does is put down anyone who doesn't "have curves". So, my BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING friend who happens to be tall & lanky, and yet very much a woman of every sense -- she doesn't count, because -- WHY again?? Because you need to feel better about yourself?
Because that's what it all really comes down to, in my opinion -- the simple schoolyard behavior of putting another down in order to make oneself feel better. "If I say that she's not pretty/attractive/desirable, then that makes ME pretty/attractive/desirable by proxy." What??? :S
Can't we ALL be pretty/attractive/desirable, without having to put someone else down in order to feel that way? Can't we be "pro" _____ without having to be "anti" _____? Afterall, if you have to put someone else down in order to lift yourself up, that's not self-confidence, as there is no SELF in that action. And it's called SELF-confidence for a reason. So the next time you start to critique another woman's appearance/body type/food choices, think about how you'd feel if someone was directing that kind of negativity toward you based solely on your appearance/body type/food choices. And STOP the cycle of abuse.
On one level, this is disturbing to me because it emulates the negativity that these same plus-size women get from the rest of society -- but somehow it's ok for them to make disparaging comments about the thinner women --why, exactly? Because society itself doesn't pick them apart as much, so it's ok for them to do it, to what - even out the scales? It's typical abused/abuser behavior -- they hear negative comments about their body, and even though they KNOW how horrible that makes them feel about themselves & their own body, they somehow become the abuser themselves & pass on that same behavior to other women. How about we break the cycle of abuse instead? How about we not only not talk negatively about OURSELVES, but we not talk negatively about anyone else either -- regardless of whether she looks like you or not?
But what's worse than that, in my opinion, is when women try to pass their negativity off as simply being "pro-plus-size". For example, the previously-named slogan "real women have curves" -- what this implies is that if you don't have curves, you're not a real woman. I get that this came from a place of good intention (as an anti-airbrushed model campaign), but in fact what it does is put down anyone who doesn't "have curves". So, my BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING friend who happens to be tall & lanky, and yet very much a woman of every sense -- she doesn't count, because -- WHY again?? Because you need to feel better about yourself?
Because that's what it all really comes down to, in my opinion -- the simple schoolyard behavior of putting another down in order to make oneself feel better. "If I say that she's not pretty/attractive/desirable, then that makes ME pretty/attractive/desirable by proxy." What??? :S
Can't we ALL be pretty/attractive/desirable, without having to put someone else down in order to feel that way? Can't we be "pro" _____ without having to be "anti" _____? Afterall, if you have to put someone else down in order to lift yourself up, that's not self-confidence, as there is no SELF in that action. And it's called SELF-confidence for a reason. So the next time you start to critique another woman's appearance/body type/food choices, think about how you'd feel if someone was directing that kind of negativity toward you based solely on your appearance/body type/food choices. And STOP the cycle of abuse.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
So, How Much Weight Do You Want To Lose?
Yesterday I decided that I'm no longer going to post my weight-loss stats on Facebook (in specific pounds, per say), as I don't want it to give off the wrong impression, and I feel that it might. Thus far, "how much weight have you lost" has been the most prevalent question I get asked, shortly followed by "what are you doing?" (which usually, I find, people are wanting you to only tell them that they have to pop a pill every morning & it'll take care of itself). I find the "how much weight have you lost" question odd because (a) wow, that's kind of personal, and (b) the assumption there is that I am doing what I am doing BECAUSE I wanted to lose weight & for no other reason.
My weight loss has been a consequence of my lifestyle changes, but weight loss has NEVER BEEN and will NEVER BE a goal of mine. Most of you that know me well (especially those in our FB fitness group), know that this is true. But there may be a lot of people out there who don't know this, and I don't want to give off the wrong impression when I post that I've lost XX pounds. I especially don't want to give the impression that one must lose ANY amount of weight in order to be healthy.
I do not believe that there is a "healthy weight" -- I think that "healthy" ranges in people of all sizes, and I think your *weight* has VERY LITTLE to do with it. I know lots of thin people who aren't healthy at all & lots of fat people (like me) who are healthy as a horse. In fact, I have one of the "good doctors" who never pressured me to lose weight simply because I was fat. And when I brought it up once, he said "you're healthier than most of my thin patients, so lose weight if you want to, but I don't see a medical need."
There are other indicators of health that are much more important to me -- sleep patterns, endurance/stamina, strength, flexibility & the lack of migraines, for a start. That's why I started this journey -- because I didn't FEEL HEALTHY. My stats (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc) were all fine. In fact, after a recent health analysis at work, the ONLY thing that flagged on my tests was my BMI (so, thanks for tellling me I'm fat -- DUH. Now can you tell me the SPECIFIC, proven health issues associated with that?? No??).
But as good as my tests were, I didn't FEEL ok. I felt angry a lot. I felt tired a lot -- which was exascerbated by the not sleeping well/intermittent insomnia thing. I got migraines at least once a week, sometimes more. I felt sluggish & would get winded trying to chase my nieces around the back yard. I didn't like feeling ANY of those things, regardless of the test results. So I decided that if I wanted to feel different, I had to do something different, so I did. But not because I specifically wanted to lose *weight*.
I find it even more odd that after I answer the "how much weight have you lost" question, the inevitable follow-up question seems to be "so how much more do you want to lose?" Call me weird, but I don't have a weight-loss goal. AT ALL. Would I like to get down to a size 16? Sure -- because I'll have more shopping options (I'm not kidding...you know this). But not because I think that being that certain size/weight makes me pretty or validates my self-worth. I'm happy with me RIGHT NOW. I don't need a size or number on a scale to tell me that I'm ok -- in my eyes or in the eyes of others.
And overall I really haven't lost much weight. I'm still in the "obese" category of life. And I'm ok with that. Because I FEEL SO. MUCH. BETTER. Insomnia - gone. Migraines - gone. Kick your ass on the treadmill? Yes, I will thankyouverymuch. Chase my nieces around for hours with energy to spare? Ask them - I wore their butts out last Thursday! Oh, and my anger is gone. GONE. And I don't think ANY of those things happened BECAUSE of my weight loss; they happened along with it. Both those things AND the weight loss happened because of my change in eating & exercise habits, and nothing more. The weight loss is merely a by-product, not the goal.
So, if I don't lose another pound, I'm fine with that. So long as I don't have any more migraines, the insomnia doesn't return & I can chase my nieces til the cows come home, I'm a happy camper. It's not about WEIGHT. It's about honoring my friend Chane't's life in the best way I know possible -- by LIVING to my fullest extent.
My weight loss has been a consequence of my lifestyle changes, but weight loss has NEVER BEEN and will NEVER BE a goal of mine. Most of you that know me well (especially those in our FB fitness group), know that this is true. But there may be a lot of people out there who don't know this, and I don't want to give off the wrong impression when I post that I've lost XX pounds. I especially don't want to give the impression that one must lose ANY amount of weight in order to be healthy.
I do not believe that there is a "healthy weight" -- I think that "healthy" ranges in people of all sizes, and I think your *weight* has VERY LITTLE to do with it. I know lots of thin people who aren't healthy at all & lots of fat people (like me) who are healthy as a horse. In fact, I have one of the "good doctors" who never pressured me to lose weight simply because I was fat. And when I brought it up once, he said "you're healthier than most of my thin patients, so lose weight if you want to, but I don't see a medical need."
There are other indicators of health that are much more important to me -- sleep patterns, endurance/stamina, strength, flexibility & the lack of migraines, for a start. That's why I started this journey -- because I didn't FEEL HEALTHY. My stats (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc) were all fine. In fact, after a recent health analysis at work, the ONLY thing that flagged on my tests was my BMI (so, thanks for tellling me I'm fat -- DUH. Now can you tell me the SPECIFIC, proven health issues associated with that?? No??).
But as good as my tests were, I didn't FEEL ok. I felt angry a lot. I felt tired a lot -- which was exascerbated by the not sleeping well/intermittent insomnia thing. I got migraines at least once a week, sometimes more. I felt sluggish & would get winded trying to chase my nieces around the back yard. I didn't like feeling ANY of those things, regardless of the test results. So I decided that if I wanted to feel different, I had to do something different, so I did. But not because I specifically wanted to lose *weight*.
I find it even more odd that after I answer the "how much weight have you lost" question, the inevitable follow-up question seems to be "so how much more do you want to lose?" Call me weird, but I don't have a weight-loss goal. AT ALL. Would I like to get down to a size 16? Sure -- because I'll have more shopping options (I'm not kidding...you know this). But not because I think that being that certain size/weight makes me pretty or validates my self-worth. I'm happy with me RIGHT NOW. I don't need a size or number on a scale to tell me that I'm ok -- in my eyes or in the eyes of others.
And overall I really haven't lost much weight. I'm still in the "obese" category of life. And I'm ok with that. Because I FEEL SO. MUCH. BETTER. Insomnia - gone. Migraines - gone. Kick your ass on the treadmill? Yes, I will thankyouverymuch. Chase my nieces around for hours with energy to spare? Ask them - I wore their butts out last Thursday! Oh, and my anger is gone. GONE. And I don't think ANY of those things happened BECAUSE of my weight loss; they happened along with it. Both those things AND the weight loss happened because of my change in eating & exercise habits, and nothing more. The weight loss is merely a by-product, not the goal.
So, if I don't lose another pound, I'm fine with that. So long as I don't have any more migraines, the insomnia doesn't return & I can chase my nieces til the cows come home, I'm a happy camper. It's not about WEIGHT. It's about honoring my friend Chane't's life in the best way I know possible -- by LIVING to my fullest extent.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Oh, So You're Doing Atkins? - Part 2
As stated in yesterday's post, I started changing my diet a few weeks into my healthy journey. At the recommendation of my trainer, and after much research on my own, I decided that giving up highly processed foods & focusing my eating on whole foods was the right path for me, for a few different reasons. First, I had been tracking my eating for a week or so for its caloric content, and I wasn't eating much beyond my BMR...not nearly enough to justify my current weight (and overall weight gain the previous 5 years) if one were to just go on the "calories-in/calories-out" theory. And I didn't "drink my calories" (as I rarely drank soda & don't like those fancy coffee drinks). So, obviously something else was going on here.
So I started doing more research into both our body's regulation of fat storage, as well as the history of flour in agriculture. I've always believed that something in our food HAD to be related to the rise in heart disease, diabetes, obesity, ADHD, autism & Alzheimer's in our society over the past two decades. My theory was that it had to do something with the chemicals in processed food. Little did I know that it also had something to do with the processed flour & sugar/corn syrup in those "foods" as well. Bottom line, our bodies are not meant to digest/process a diet heavy in those items, which the Standard American Diet surely is, and these things are the side effects of such a prolonged, malnourished diet (ie, when you're eating a diet heavy in simple carbs, you are by default not getting the other nutrients that your body needs -- from protein & fat, to the vitamins & minerals in fruits & veggies). There's a reason why ONE slice of bread is ONE serving, and yet many of us never eat less than two slices in one sitting (whether with an omelet, surrounding turkey, or beside our pot roast dinner), in addition to the whole carbs (fruits & veggies) already on the plate.
"But, Andrea," you protest, "cheese, butter & sausage are processed too." I look at it this way: if I can make the item in my own kitchen, I'll eat it. I can't make flour. I can't make sugar. I can't make oats (the flat oats you use to make your oatmeal in the morning is NOT what grows on the plant, and you cannot make the plant into what you are eating without some heavy stripping of nutrition). Ditto on white rice. I CAN make cheese. I can make butter. I can make sausage. So I seek out local farmers/dairies/charcuteries that would make it like I would at home. Get my drift? Yeah, it's more expensive...but it's SO worth it. You cannot believe the taste difference (not to mention the innate nutritional difference).
So, I started on my path. I figured, if nothing else, what I was currently doing wasn't working for me (& you know what they say about the definition of insanity). So, if I wanted to change, I had to do something differently. And for me, this was the only path that made sense to me -- both scientifically & common sense-wise (afterall, it seemed really close to how my great grandparents would've eaten -- before factory-produced foods & before the onslaught of "lifestyle diseases"). And if nothing else, if I tried it for a week or so & didn't feel good, there was nothing stopping me from reverting to how I've always eaten. I wasn't on The Biggest Loser, afterall. I was an adult in control of my own fate. So, armed with new knowledge, I started acting like it.
One week later, I observed 2 significant things:
1) I was eating less frequently (as the fat & protein kept me fuller longer), so instead of eating every 3-4 hours, I was eating every 5-6 hours (that whole "ramp up your metabolism by eating lots of small meals" is lock stock & barrel with the calories-in/calories-out myth). So that assumption that you'll eat more calories on a low-carb diet is outright FALSE. I eat less food than I did on a carb-heavy diet, and about the same if not less calories overall, but I feel satiated LONGER.
2) I was eating less at each meal. The same omelet, potatoes, toast & juice meal at my favorite breakfast joint (that I used to easily eat the whole thing)...when I subbed the potatoes for fruit & ixnayed the toast & juice...I could now barely get thru the omelet alone before I was full. The fat & protein were filling me up faster, and the lack of simple carbs was keeping my body from perpetuating the endless cycle of eating/burning/eating/burning.
Even more surprising, after a month of eating this way, I noticed several more interesting (& completely unexpected!) things:
1) I was no longer eating on-the-go. It's amazing how little on-the-go (ie, "mindless") eating you can do when you don't have the tortilla/bun/taco shell as an option of Meal Transportation anymore. When you have to use a knife & fork for most of your meals, not only do you slow down & TASTE your meals, but you also become more cognizant of when you're full & when you should stop eating (instead of just eating until the wrapper is empty).
2) I was no longer doing "emotional eating". All of my comfort foods (potatoes, ice cream, popcorn, chips & many other mindless snacks) were no longer in the house (I got rid of them all to help set myself up for success). So without them in the house, I couldn't just grab a bowl of ice cream to make myself feel better after a bad day or to celebrate when I was happy or to have something to do when I was bored. I had to leave the house if I wanted those items & by the time I got around to that, the urge had passed & I was ok again.
3) Everything tasted different...everything tasted BETTER. I can't convey this difference enough to people who tell me "but I don't like [insert vegetable X or fruit Y here]" when I tell them how I'm eating. Your. Tastes. Buds. Will. Change. Your sense of taste is SO dulled down by the processed, refined carbs that it's ridiculous (the same reason macaroni-n-cheese/chicken-nugget/frozen-waffle-laden kids nowadays refuse their fruits & veggies). Strawberries have never tasted so sweet. Tomatoes have never tasted so bright. My trainer calls it the "I can't enjoy my cocaine anymore cause my crack is so good" syndrome. When you're constantly eating high-sugar foods (or worse, HIGHLY-sweet artificial sweeteners), how can you expect your taste buds to recognize the sweet in fruits & veggies the way they really should taste?
4) No more insomnia. Did you hear me?? I said NONE. I have had intermittent insomnia since high school (the old "can't shut my brain off" kind). I've tried everything from behavorial changes to environmental changes to pharmaceuticals. Nothing worked. I assumed it was something I would just live with for the rest of my life (much like my migraines - see below). Out of all of my research on insomnia, no one ever said that the insulin cycle might be a contributing factor & that cutting back on the processed carbs (& therefore evening-out the Insulin Rollercoaster) might help to quiet my body long enough to settle into real sleep every night (& stay there). But it has.
5) No more migraines. DID YOU HEAR ME??? NONE!!! Ok, almost none -- none as far as I'm concerned. I've had only TWO in the past **4 months**, both of which were caused by a crick in my neck that was so bad that I couldn't turn my head to the left. Considering that I used to have 1-3 PER WEEK, that's an unheard-of improvement. My own doctors don't even believe me. Like insomnia, I've had migraines for almost 2 decades. In those 2 decades, I have seen countless doctors & tried countless avenues to eliminate my migraines. I've been able to curb them, but was never able to practically eliminate them (as it stands now). And in all that time, and seeing all of those doctors -- out of all the diet tracking & suggested changes, NO ONE ever suggested that processed carbs might be the culprit. Nitrates, MSG, salt, etc maybe...but not processed carbs. But voila!
[SIDE NOTE --> 5a) I have missed a LOT less work these past few months due to the lack of insomnia & migraines as well.]
6) My mood was significantly elevated. Did NOT expect this one, for sure. In fact, it was probably the change that I NEVER would have guessed (wasn't even on my radar as far as diet goes). To give you a little back-story, before this started, I just felt angry all of the time. I didn't know why, and couldn't pin-point any specific reasons or triggers. I was just pissed off. At everything, at everyone -- at nothing & no one. I was just in a bad mood, and it was affecting both my personal & my work relationships. I knew I didn't want to feel this way, but I couldn't "will" myself out of it. I had even started therapy & going to OA meetings again, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of it. Nothing was helping. Then a few weeks in to changing my diet, I noticed that I wasn't pissed off any more. My BOSS even made a comment to me about how I seemed to be in a really good mood "lately" & others were noticing. A good friend remarked one day that "yeah, well carbs are an addiction & the [Insulin Rollercoaster] can make you an angry junkie." Holy jeebus, was she right!
Am I saying that YOU have to eat this way? No, not at all. But I will recommend it to anyone who (a) asks what I'm doing, or (b) asks what they can do to help relieve the same issues that I described above. And if nothing else, think of it like I did -- first, is what you're currently doing working for you? If so, great. If not, then maybe try something you've never done before to get results you've never had before. Second, if after a few weeks or a month, it doesn't make you feel better, then stop. As one of my new favorite bloggers says, only YOU are the boss of YOUR underpants. (But if you parrot the uninformed Conventional Wisdom Crap at me, you bet your ass that I'm gonna correct you on it.)
So I started doing more research into both our body's regulation of fat storage, as well as the history of flour in agriculture. I've always believed that something in our food HAD to be related to the rise in heart disease, diabetes, obesity, ADHD, autism & Alzheimer's in our society over the past two decades. My theory was that it had to do something with the chemicals in processed food. Little did I know that it also had something to do with the processed flour & sugar/corn syrup in those "foods" as well. Bottom line, our bodies are not meant to digest/process a diet heavy in those items, which the Standard American Diet surely is, and these things are the side effects of such a prolonged, malnourished diet (ie, when you're eating a diet heavy in simple carbs, you are by default not getting the other nutrients that your body needs -- from protein & fat, to the vitamins & minerals in fruits & veggies). There's a reason why ONE slice of bread is ONE serving, and yet many of us never eat less than two slices in one sitting (whether with an omelet, surrounding turkey, or beside our pot roast dinner), in addition to the whole carbs (fruits & veggies) already on the plate.
"But, Andrea," you protest, "cheese, butter & sausage are processed too." I look at it this way: if I can make the item in my own kitchen, I'll eat it. I can't make flour. I can't make sugar. I can't make oats (the flat oats you use to make your oatmeal in the morning is NOT what grows on the plant, and you cannot make the plant into what you are eating without some heavy stripping of nutrition). Ditto on white rice. I CAN make cheese. I can make butter. I can make sausage. So I seek out local farmers/dairies/charcuteries that would make it like I would at home. Get my drift? Yeah, it's more expensive...but it's SO worth it. You cannot believe the taste difference (not to mention the innate nutritional difference).
So, I started on my path. I figured, if nothing else, what I was currently doing wasn't working for me (& you know what they say about the definition of insanity). So, if I wanted to change, I had to do something differently. And for me, this was the only path that made sense to me -- both scientifically & common sense-wise (afterall, it seemed really close to how my great grandparents would've eaten -- before factory-produced foods & before the onslaught of "lifestyle diseases"). And if nothing else, if I tried it for a week or so & didn't feel good, there was nothing stopping me from reverting to how I've always eaten. I wasn't on The Biggest Loser, afterall. I was an adult in control of my own fate. So, armed with new knowledge, I started acting like it.
One week later, I observed 2 significant things:
1) I was eating less frequently (as the fat & protein kept me fuller longer), so instead of eating every 3-4 hours, I was eating every 5-6 hours (that whole "ramp up your metabolism by eating lots of small meals" is lock stock & barrel with the calories-in/calories-out myth). So that assumption that you'll eat more calories on a low-carb diet is outright FALSE. I eat less food than I did on a carb-heavy diet, and about the same if not less calories overall, but I feel satiated LONGER.
2) I was eating less at each meal. The same omelet, potatoes, toast & juice meal at my favorite breakfast joint (that I used to easily eat the whole thing)...when I subbed the potatoes for fruit & ixnayed the toast & juice...I could now barely get thru the omelet alone before I was full. The fat & protein were filling me up faster, and the lack of simple carbs was keeping my body from perpetuating the endless cycle of eating/burning/eating/burning.
Even more surprising, after a month of eating this way, I noticed several more interesting (& completely unexpected!) things:
1) I was no longer eating on-the-go. It's amazing how little on-the-go (ie, "mindless") eating you can do when you don't have the tortilla/bun/taco shell as an option of Meal Transportation anymore. When you have to use a knife & fork for most of your meals, not only do you slow down & TASTE your meals, but you also become more cognizant of when you're full & when you should stop eating (instead of just eating until the wrapper is empty).
2) I was no longer doing "emotional eating". All of my comfort foods (potatoes, ice cream, popcorn, chips & many other mindless snacks) were no longer in the house (I got rid of them all to help set myself up for success). So without them in the house, I couldn't just grab a bowl of ice cream to make myself feel better after a bad day or to celebrate when I was happy or to have something to do when I was bored. I had to leave the house if I wanted those items & by the time I got around to that, the urge had passed & I was ok again.
3) Everything tasted different...everything tasted BETTER. I can't convey this difference enough to people who tell me "but I don't like [insert vegetable X or fruit Y here]" when I tell them how I'm eating. Your. Tastes. Buds. Will. Change. Your sense of taste is SO dulled down by the processed, refined carbs that it's ridiculous (the same reason macaroni-n-cheese/chicken-nugget/frozen-waffle-laden kids nowadays refuse their fruits & veggies). Strawberries have never tasted so sweet. Tomatoes have never tasted so bright. My trainer calls it the "I can't enjoy my cocaine anymore cause my crack is so good" syndrome. When you're constantly eating high-sugar foods (or worse, HIGHLY-sweet artificial sweeteners), how can you expect your taste buds to recognize the sweet in fruits & veggies the way they really should taste?
4) No more insomnia. Did you hear me?? I said NONE. I have had intermittent insomnia since high school (the old "can't shut my brain off" kind). I've tried everything from behavorial changes to environmental changes to pharmaceuticals. Nothing worked. I assumed it was something I would just live with for the rest of my life (much like my migraines - see below). Out of all of my research on insomnia, no one ever said that the insulin cycle might be a contributing factor & that cutting back on the processed carbs (& therefore evening-out the Insulin Rollercoaster) might help to quiet my body long enough to settle into real sleep every night (& stay there). But it has.
5) No more migraines. DID YOU HEAR ME??? NONE!!! Ok, almost none -- none as far as I'm concerned. I've had only TWO in the past **4 months**, both of which were caused by a crick in my neck that was so bad that I couldn't turn my head to the left. Considering that I used to have 1-3 PER WEEK, that's an unheard-of improvement. My own doctors don't even believe me. Like insomnia, I've had migraines for almost 2 decades. In those 2 decades, I have seen countless doctors & tried countless avenues to eliminate my migraines. I've been able to curb them, but was never able to practically eliminate them (as it stands now). And in all that time, and seeing all of those doctors -- out of all the diet tracking & suggested changes, NO ONE ever suggested that processed carbs might be the culprit. Nitrates, MSG, salt, etc maybe...but not processed carbs. But voila!
[SIDE NOTE --> 5a) I have missed a LOT less work these past few months due to the lack of insomnia & migraines as well.]
6) My mood was significantly elevated. Did NOT expect this one, for sure. In fact, it was probably the change that I NEVER would have guessed (wasn't even on my radar as far as diet goes). To give you a little back-story, before this started, I just felt angry all of the time. I didn't know why, and couldn't pin-point any specific reasons or triggers. I was just pissed off. At everything, at everyone -- at nothing & no one. I was just in a bad mood, and it was affecting both my personal & my work relationships. I knew I didn't want to feel this way, but I couldn't "will" myself out of it. I had even started therapy & going to OA meetings again, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of it. Nothing was helping. Then a few weeks in to changing my diet, I noticed that I wasn't pissed off any more. My BOSS even made a comment to me about how I seemed to be in a really good mood "lately" & others were noticing. A good friend remarked one day that "yeah, well carbs are an addiction & the [Insulin Rollercoaster] can make you an angry junkie." Holy jeebus, was she right!
Am I saying that YOU have to eat this way? No, not at all. But I will recommend it to anyone who (a) asks what I'm doing, or (b) asks what they can do to help relieve the same issues that I described above. And if nothing else, think of it like I did -- first, is what you're currently doing working for you? If so, great. If not, then maybe try something you've never done before to get results you've never had before. Second, if after a few weeks or a month, it doesn't make you feel better, then stop. As one of my new favorite bloggers says, only YOU are the boss of YOUR underpants. (But if you parrot the uninformed Conventional Wisdom Crap at me, you bet your ass that I'm gonna correct you on it.)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Oh, So You're Doing Atkins? - Part 1
When I started this journey back in March, I figured it would mostly be about moving more. And that's half of why I signed up -- I felt too sedentary lately & worried that would negatively contribute to my health. So a competition offered in part by a local gym & one of their trainers was bound to do just that, right? (The other reason I joined the competition was because I wanted another photoshoot with the awesome Vixen gals - can you blame me??)
Then the 2nd week of our Weekly Check-in Meetings, our trainer wanted to discuss the diet side of fitness a little. Afterall, the point of the program/competition wasn't to lose weight, it was to improve your overall fitness; to make a positive change in your life. (They took measurements, sure, but just as important was how much you interacted with everyone in the group & what contribution you brought to the group.) As our trainer put it, you cannot be at your best physical condition if you are putting junk into your body. And no amount of exercise at 1-2 hours per day can counteract what you do (& don't) put in your mouth the other 23+ hours of the day (or 14-16 hours, sleep notwithstanding).
He started talking about whole foods vs. processed foods, and more specifically processed carbs (as that's what permeates the Standard American Diet nowadays); how those items (flour, sugar, bread, pasta, cereals, rice, etc) are not adding much nutritionally to your diet compared to what they do to your insulin (& therefore your body's ability to regulate its fat storage or release) & how fat/saturated fat does not contribute to gaining fat nor to heart disease. I listened, but I was skeptical. This advice goes against everything you hear from Conventional Wisdom -- most medical doctors, government agencies, media, etc. But quite frankly, there's a LOT of Conventional Wisdom that I already disagree with (the use of lotion/moisturizers, the use of makeup foundation, treatment of my migraines, etc), so why am I taking their word on this?
But I wasn't ready to take this trainer's word on its face-value alone either. Luckily, he didn't want us to either. He encouraged us to do some research, including recommending a documentary (that you can stream on Netflix, should you want to) that outlines how the Low-Fat Dogma came to fruition not too long ago. I found this interesting, as I had never researched its origin, I had always just taken it at face value as fact -- something very unlike me. I don't take anyone's word at face-value...I have to know know KNOW why why WHY...yes, I was one of THOSE annoying kids. ;) So, I started my research. Here are some surprising things that I learned:
1) The Low-Fat Dogma was instituted by a Senatorial Committee. Not a committee of doctors or scientists or nutritionists. Of Senators. (Huh. Interesting -- do you trust Congress to know what's best for YOUR health?)
2) Fat in foods does not make you fat. Saturated fat in foods does not raise your cholesterol. Cholesterol in foods does not raise your cholesterol. There have been NO significant studies to support these theories. None. And the Senatorial Committee knew this when they set out these guidelines, simply telling the scientists who objected to this mandate that they "did not have the luxury of waiting for definitive results". (WOW. Really? And they're willing to put out National Health Guidelines based on results they know aren't definitive?? Huh.)
3) The rise in processed foods directly correlates to these National Health Guidelines, along with the rise in an emphasis on individual nutrients rather than whole foods. (For more on this, I *highly* recommend reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food".)
4) Cholesterol does not cause heart disease. Cholesterol tries to REPAIR heart disease. There'a reason why every cell in your body makes it -- it is the repair system. If your arteries become damaged (thru inflammation or oxidation), cholesterol is what comes in to try to repair those sites. So blaming cholesterol on heart disease/heart attacks is like blaming the paramedic who shows up to the scene of an accident for causing the accident. (But we can measure/quantify cholesterol. We can't measure/quantify inflammation/oxidation.)
5) Robert Atkins did not die from a heart attack/heart disease. He had a cardiac infection. Completely different -- hopefully you understand the difference.
6) Calories-In/Calories-Out is a MYTH (more on this in a later, more detailed blog post, but until then Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" is an EXCELLENT read/explanation of why this is simply not true.)
7) Not all calories are created equal. Sounds simple, as we know you cannot be healthy on a diet of Mountain Dew only, despite the fact that it's "fat free". But I'm amazed at how many people (myself included at first) think that your body somehow processes one refined carb (Mountain Dew) differently than another refined carb (flour). They all contribute to the Insulin Rollercoaster (which derails your body's natural ability to regulate its fat stores), and provide little other nutrition for your body. (Again I recommend Gary Taubes & his "Good Calories, Bad Calories" for more on this...until my more detailed post later.)
So, I decided to give cutting back on the processed carbs a try for a week or so. I was basically eating fruit, veggies, meat & dairy -- trying to get my overall daily carb consumption down to a more manageable 100-150g of carbs a day to help re-regulate my insulin system. And BOY was the change dramatic (& completely unexpected). But more on that in the next post...
What I find interesting, though, is that when I tell people how I'm eating (when they ask, of course), I usually get some form of "Oh, so it's Atkins/South Beach/etc" in response. No, it's not. Atkins is about eliminiating all carbs, being conscious of when you're in ketosis, and then slowly adding carbs back in (anywhere from no fruits/veggies, to all fruits/veggies) based on what your system can "handle". South Beach is not only about eliminating the carbs, but also eliminating/significantly reducing fat from your diet. Umm, no thanks - talk about miserable. And if this is supposed to be a long-term lifestyle change and not a fad DIET, then you can't be miserable.
But people feel the need to put you in a box/category, to make themselves feel more comfortable I assume? My "I eat whole foods" (fruit, veggies, meat & dairy) confuses them, so they feel they must label it? Or if they can't label it, then they can't argue against it? Is it easier to dismiss someone's choices if you align them with a philosophy that you've already made your mind up about (usually with little to no actual research)?
Who knows... And who cares? Frankly, it's not about them. It's about me. It works for me, and that's all that matters. I'm not telling anyone you HAVE to do what I do. But if you ask me what I'm doing, because you want the same or similar results, try not to be immediately dismissive by making unfounded, unresearched assumptions, ok? Otherwise, just don't ask.
Then the 2nd week of our Weekly Check-in Meetings, our trainer wanted to discuss the diet side of fitness a little. Afterall, the point of the program/competition wasn't to lose weight, it was to improve your overall fitness; to make a positive change in your life. (They took measurements, sure, but just as important was how much you interacted with everyone in the group & what contribution you brought to the group.) As our trainer put it, you cannot be at your best physical condition if you are putting junk into your body. And no amount of exercise at 1-2 hours per day can counteract what you do (& don't) put in your mouth the other 23+ hours of the day (or 14-16 hours, sleep notwithstanding).
He started talking about whole foods vs. processed foods, and more specifically processed carbs (as that's what permeates the Standard American Diet nowadays); how those items (flour, sugar, bread, pasta, cereals, rice, etc) are not adding much nutritionally to your diet compared to what they do to your insulin (& therefore your body's ability to regulate its fat storage or release) & how fat/saturated fat does not contribute to gaining fat nor to heart disease. I listened, but I was skeptical. This advice goes against everything you hear from Conventional Wisdom -- most medical doctors, government agencies, media, etc. But quite frankly, there's a LOT of Conventional Wisdom that I already disagree with (the use of lotion/moisturizers, the use of makeup foundation, treatment of my migraines, etc), so why am I taking their word on this?
But I wasn't ready to take this trainer's word on its face-value alone either. Luckily, he didn't want us to either. He encouraged us to do some research, including recommending a documentary (that you can stream on Netflix, should you want to) that outlines how the Low-Fat Dogma came to fruition not too long ago. I found this interesting, as I had never researched its origin, I had always just taken it at face value as fact -- something very unlike me. I don't take anyone's word at face-value...I have to know know KNOW why why WHY...yes, I was one of THOSE annoying kids. ;) So, I started my research. Here are some surprising things that I learned:
1) The Low-Fat Dogma was instituted by a Senatorial Committee. Not a committee of doctors or scientists or nutritionists. Of Senators. (Huh. Interesting -- do you trust Congress to know what's best for YOUR health?)
2) Fat in foods does not make you fat. Saturated fat in foods does not raise your cholesterol. Cholesterol in foods does not raise your cholesterol. There have been NO significant studies to support these theories. None. And the Senatorial Committee knew this when they set out these guidelines, simply telling the scientists who objected to this mandate that they "did not have the luxury of waiting for definitive results". (WOW. Really? And they're willing to put out National Health Guidelines based on results they know aren't definitive?? Huh.)
3) The rise in processed foods directly correlates to these National Health Guidelines, along with the rise in an emphasis on individual nutrients rather than whole foods. (For more on this, I *highly* recommend reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food".)
4) Cholesterol does not cause heart disease. Cholesterol tries to REPAIR heart disease. There'a reason why every cell in your body makes it -- it is the repair system. If your arteries become damaged (thru inflammation or oxidation), cholesterol is what comes in to try to repair those sites. So blaming cholesterol on heart disease/heart attacks is like blaming the paramedic who shows up to the scene of an accident for causing the accident. (But we can measure/quantify cholesterol. We can't measure/quantify inflammation/oxidation.)
5) Robert Atkins did not die from a heart attack/heart disease. He had a cardiac infection. Completely different -- hopefully you understand the difference.
6) Calories-In/Calories-Out is a MYTH (more on this in a later, more detailed blog post, but until then Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" is an EXCELLENT read/explanation of why this is simply not true.)
7) Not all calories are created equal. Sounds simple, as we know you cannot be healthy on a diet of Mountain Dew only, despite the fact that it's "fat free". But I'm amazed at how many people (myself included at first) think that your body somehow processes one refined carb (Mountain Dew) differently than another refined carb (flour). They all contribute to the Insulin Rollercoaster (which derails your body's natural ability to regulate its fat stores), and provide little other nutrition for your body. (Again I recommend Gary Taubes & his "Good Calories, Bad Calories" for more on this...until my more detailed post later.)
So, I decided to give cutting back on the processed carbs a try for a week or so. I was basically eating fruit, veggies, meat & dairy -- trying to get my overall daily carb consumption down to a more manageable 100-150g of carbs a day to help re-regulate my insulin system. And BOY was the change dramatic (& completely unexpected). But more on that in the next post...
What I find interesting, though, is that when I tell people how I'm eating (when they ask, of course), I usually get some form of "Oh, so it's Atkins/South Beach/etc" in response. No, it's not. Atkins is about eliminiating all carbs, being conscious of when you're in ketosis, and then slowly adding carbs back in (anywhere from no fruits/veggies, to all fruits/veggies) based on what your system can "handle". South Beach is not only about eliminating the carbs, but also eliminating/significantly reducing fat from your diet. Umm, no thanks - talk about miserable. And if this is supposed to be a long-term lifestyle change and not a fad DIET, then you can't be miserable.
But people feel the need to put you in a box/category, to make themselves feel more comfortable I assume? My "I eat whole foods" (fruit, veggies, meat & dairy) confuses them, so they feel they must label it? Or if they can't label it, then they can't argue against it? Is it easier to dismiss someone's choices if you align them with a philosophy that you've already made your mind up about (usually with little to no actual research)?
Who knows... And who cares? Frankly, it's not about them. It's about me. It works for me, and that's all that matters. I'm not telling anyone you HAVE to do what I do. But if you ask me what I'm doing, because you want the same or similar results, try not to be immediately dismissive by making unfounded, unresearched assumptions, ok? Otherwise, just don't ask.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Who, What, When, Where...Why?
I've been meaning to get this blog up & running for over a month now. Part of my procrastination/hesitation/delay in getting it up has been this very post. The first one...trying to set the tone, per say. So, I've decided that I'm just going to get over myself (& get out of my own head) & just do it already. Take the leap. Get this party started...
So, first I should let you know why I wanted to start this blog & what I (hope) it will be all about. As many of you know, at the beginning of March I started what I call "my healthy journey". The catalyst for this journey came in two different forms. The first, a tragic & heartbreaking motivation. The second, an uplifting encouragement.
This past December, I lost a good friend from grad school (founder of The Good Virus), Chane't Johnson, to sudden heart failure. She was my age (35), she was about my size & (as far as she knew) didn't have any prior heart disease issues. And yet one morning, after not showing up at a meeting, a friend found her passed away on her bathroom floor. I had just spoken to her on Facebook days before. She had an exciting new series about to come out that she had been working on. She was one of the most generous, vivacious, charismatic people I've ever known...and then she was just gone. This shook me on several levels. It's one thing to lose a close friend. It's another to lose one so young. And it's another entirely to fear that you could at any moment be following in her footsteps, unless something changed. But what? And HOW?
Enter the girls from Vixen Pinup Photography, who paired with personal trainer John Stone & Scott Fitness, in late February of this year to offer a unique fitness program, The Fit Vixen Challenge. It sounded intriguing to me, so I put out the word to a few friends to see if anyone wanted to do it with me (I was rather apprehensive to go it alone). My beautiful friend Cassi stepped up to the plate with me, and off we went. I thought that it might be fun. I thought I might get a swift kick in the rear on the exercise train. I never thought it would change my life. But it has...in so many ways.
And the ways that it has changed my life...well, that's what this blog is going to be about. Chronicling my journey, answering the questions I seemed to get asked over & over & over again, as well as having a venue to express my thoughts, frustrations & triumphs -- without feeling like I'm preaching to people on my Facebook page (who could care less) or or offending them on my motivational group (where, because I'm the moderator, I feel that some things I say can get taken out of context quite often...possibly interpreting things I say as mandates instead of simply my opinion...which I need to be able to express as much as the next guy). Hence, the need for the blog. I need a place of my own to help me through this journey. If it helps others along the way, great. But that is not my primary intention. I am being a bit selfish with this one. But much like the rest of this healthy journey, it's a selfish decision for the betterment of me. I need this. All of it.
Lastly, I'll let you in on the reason behind the name, The Drea Files. "Drea" is the name of my hungry alter-ego, as dubbed by my workout partner, motivator & fabulous friend Cassi (hers is "Sandra"). Drea is the little voice in my head that battles me every step of the way on my journey, for I am my own worst enemy in this journey. I, and I alone, can lead myself to success or lead myself down the path to share in Chane't's fate. I love her & miss her dearly, but I don't want to see her anytime soon...not in that way. I'll see her soon enough, but until then, I have things to do. She, more than anyone else, would understand that statement. So, I dedicate this blog to Chane't...who I know is cheering me on from the wings.
So, first I should let you know why I wanted to start this blog & what I (hope) it will be all about. As many of you know, at the beginning of March I started what I call "my healthy journey". The catalyst for this journey came in two different forms. The first, a tragic & heartbreaking motivation. The second, an uplifting encouragement.
This past December, I lost a good friend from grad school (founder of The Good Virus), Chane't Johnson, to sudden heart failure. She was my age (35), she was about my size & (as far as she knew) didn't have any prior heart disease issues. And yet one morning, after not showing up at a meeting, a friend found her passed away on her bathroom floor. I had just spoken to her on Facebook days before. She had an exciting new series about to come out that she had been working on. She was one of the most generous, vivacious, charismatic people I've ever known...and then she was just gone. This shook me on several levels. It's one thing to lose a close friend. It's another to lose one so young. And it's another entirely to fear that you could at any moment be following in her footsteps, unless something changed. But what? And HOW?
Enter the girls from Vixen Pinup Photography, who paired with personal trainer John Stone & Scott Fitness, in late February of this year to offer a unique fitness program, The Fit Vixen Challenge. It sounded intriguing to me, so I put out the word to a few friends to see if anyone wanted to do it with me (I was rather apprehensive to go it alone). My beautiful friend Cassi stepped up to the plate with me, and off we went. I thought that it might be fun. I thought I might get a swift kick in the rear on the exercise train. I never thought it would change my life. But it has...in so many ways.
And the ways that it has changed my life...well, that's what this blog is going to be about. Chronicling my journey, answering the questions I seemed to get asked over & over & over again, as well as having a venue to express my thoughts, frustrations & triumphs -- without feeling like I'm preaching to people on my Facebook page (who could care less) or or offending them on my motivational group (where, because I'm the moderator, I feel that some things I say can get taken out of context quite often...possibly interpreting things I say as mandates instead of simply my opinion...which I need to be able to express as much as the next guy). Hence, the need for the blog. I need a place of my own to help me through this journey. If it helps others along the way, great. But that is not my primary intention. I am being a bit selfish with this one. But much like the rest of this healthy journey, it's a selfish decision for the betterment of me. I need this. All of it.
Lastly, I'll let you in on the reason behind the name, The Drea Files. "Drea" is the name of my hungry alter-ego, as dubbed by my workout partner, motivator & fabulous friend Cassi (hers is "Sandra"). Drea is the little voice in my head that battles me every step of the way on my journey, for I am my own worst enemy in this journey. I, and I alone, can lead myself to success or lead myself down the path to share in Chane't's fate. I love her & miss her dearly, but I don't want to see her anytime soon...not in that way. I'll see her soon enough, but until then, I have things to do. She, more than anyone else, would understand that statement. So, I dedicate this blog to Chane't...who I know is cheering me on from the wings.
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