Wellness 101

Since childhood, I’ve struggled with my weight and eating habits. I’ve come to truly enjoy working out, and food and nutrition have become major interests of mine, as part of a commitment to leading a healthy lifestyle. By incorporating healthy-living principles into my life, I’ve never been happier or more satisfied with how I look and feel.

I recently lost 20 pounds just by counting my calories, which made me more aware of what and how much I was eating. It was a shock to realize that despite my regular (and quite strenuous) workout routine, I was carrying that much extra weight.

To read my post on the day I reached my goal, click here.

Here are some before photos:

And after:

It took about 4-5 months of daily calorie-counting to accomplish my goal, and I did it in the healthiest way possible. I didn’t give anything up and nothing was really “off-limits.” I didn’t switch to diet sodas or “fake” food. In fact, I’ve never eaten better food than I do now! Losing weight and being healthy isn’t about a temporary diet; it’s a lifestyle and a passion of mine. I’m not a doctor, nutritionist or exercise physiologist, but here are some common-sense principles I’ve adopted to become healthier. Give them a try!

Food Ideas

-Most important: Be open to new foods. Try barley, quinoa or millet. Give tofu a chance. Maybe you’re still getting used to zucchini or whole wheat bread and pasta–keep trying it, and other things like it. You’ll can’t know if you don’t like something until you try it.

-Produce: Eat it all! Stock-up on seasonal fruits and veggies and keep “portable” fruits like apples and bananas in the kitchen. Alway have stuff in the fridge to make a salad and don’t forget to “eat the rainbow.”

-Carbs: Start with whole-wheat bread and pasta (if you aren’t eating them already) and then incorporate other grains, like couscous, wheat berries and brown rice. These are all filled with good-for-you carbs, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and are less processed than their “white” or “bleached” counterparts. (Who wants to eat bleach?)

-Proteins: It’s more than just meat! Hummus, natural peanut butter, lowfat plain yogurt, kefir, fish, chicken, pork and lean beef, tuna, eggs, edamame, lowfat cottage cheese, beans and nuts are all sources of protein. As long as you watch your serving size and fat content, these proteins will help keep you full throughout the day.

-Smart splurges: We still need to enjoy what we eat. Daily “splurges” can include individually wrapped dark chocolate, whole-fruit pops, popcorn and really, just about anything in moderation. Focus on whole foods, like a homemade muffin or cupcake made with wheat flour, and keep single-serving or lowfat ice cream (or other treats) for times you need something sweet. Less frequently, allow yourself a true indulgence, like an ice cream sundae or cheesecake. Again, it’s more about portion-control than what you eat.

-Water: Drink it and almost nothing else. Soda and juice are pretty much just sugar. Limit alcohol to special occassions. Experiment with different teas (with just a teaspoon of honey) if you need something other than water. There are absolutely fantastic flavors out there, and some are really good for you. (And I don’t mean the powered kind… loose-leaf or the kind you have to brew!)

Changing Your Eating Habits

Maintaining a healthy weight is part of a healthy lifestyle. Here are some ways to incorporate smarter food choices into your day:

-Combine some produce and a protein for a snack, like an apple and a cheese stick, or cut-up bell peppers with hummus

-Include high-protein picks like hard-boiled eggs or tuna in your salad to keep you full

-Give spinach a try (instead of lettuce) in salads and on sandwiches for a boost in nutrition

-Try new things like sprouts and edamame in salads

-Don’t drink your calories! Stick to water and only occasionally enjoy a soda, juice or alcoholic beverage

-Learn to like plain yogurt–top with fruit, granola and a drizzle of honey

-Mix protein, like peanut butter, yogurt or cottage cheese, into your morning oatmeal to make sure it fills you up

-Pass up pre-packaged items (like cookies and crackers) that say “Fat Free” on the box–often they have more additives and calories than the regular kind. Better yet, pass up pre-packaged altogether!

-Start baking with whole-wheat flour and swapping in applesauce or yogurt for part of the fat

-Don’t be afraid of butter! Real food is always best

-Get a diet scale. They’re super convenient and really cheap (less than $5) and perfect for measuring out portions of chips, crackers, nuts, meat and cheese. They typically only go up to one pound; larger digital scales are better for cooking, baking and canning.

-Shop the perimeter of the grocery store: produce, dairy, frozen foods, meat and bread. Avoid the inner aisles except for essentials, like baking supplies, spices, dried fruits, nuts and tea.

-Stop eating before you’re full. I realize that this seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve spent my life overeating. Learn to listen to your body and strive to feel “satisfied.”

Again, enjoy what you eat. If you’re eating healthy, real food, it’s going to do good things for your body. If you want a brownie, eat one. Is it OK to buy a package of Oreos every once in awhile? Definitely. The most important things about eating well are portion control and eating real food.

Exercise Ideas

Do something, anything, to get moving. And do things you enjoy; if you have fun while exercising, you’ll be more likely to continue doing it.

-If you are a beginner, want a group setting or are looking for personal training, join a gym. They have plenty of workout classes and trainers who can help you design a program that you’ll enjoy and from which you’ll benefit.

-Get outside! In good weather, get out and enjoy it! Take the dog for a walk or go for a bike ride.

-Start running. All you need is a good pair of shoes and appropriate clothes. No fancy equipment or gym membership required. If you can’t run yet, start walking. If you need assistance, look online for beginner runner workouts.

-Find a sports league through your office or get friends together for ultimate frisbee, biking or hiking.

-If you have a treadmill, use it! If it’s been a clothes hanger for six months or more, make the hard decision to start using it or get rid of it.

-If you don’t lift weights yet, start. Whether you’re a guy or a girl, weight-lifting is crucial not only for maintaining a healthy weight, but also for bone health. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while working out AND while resting.

-I find working out in the morning to be the only way to go, myself, but do what works for you. Find an activity or group of friends and work it into your schedule. Once you have, stick to it. It takes a few days, even a week or so, to get used to your new routine–keep going and it will get easier!

Wellness/Balance

Life isn’t just about looking good in a pair of jeans, but it sure helps. I don’t say that because I think the only way to have a “good” life is to be thin, but because being healthy on the inside will equate to being healthy on the outside.

-First, and most important, is my faith. Having Jesus Christ as my Savior gives me hope and strength for each day and also defines who I am as a person.

-Surround yourself with people who love you and who support you. While it’s certainly possible to meet your goals in the face of adversity, it’s not as easy.

-Seek out things that interest you. Whether it’s kayaking or knitting, find something and do it.

-Take time for yourself every day. It can be first thing in the morning, a break in the afternoon to take some deep breaths and enjoy a snack, or maybe reading a book before bed. Just make sure to have even five minutes of “quiet time” during the day.

-Do something for someone else. This can be mentoring, volunteering, or just helping a neighbor. Reach out.

-Weigh yourself. If you don’t have a scale, you can’t keep your weight in check. Aim to weigh once or twice a week and if you see the numbers creeping up, you’ll know you need to make some smart choices for the next couple days.

rest

I’m coming up on Spring Break next week (how did we get here so fast?!), and in honor of that time off, I’m also taking some time off from my normal workout routine, too.

(This scares me immensely.)

The truth is, I’ve felt some nasty shin splints coming on for about a week now, and the walk to class yesterday was particularly uncomfortable. Every joint–from my hips to my ankles–winced in pain. Then and there, I decided perhaps my legs could use a little TLC, too.

And the timing couldn’t be better; between my break and associated upcoming travel, and the CAR TROUBLE we experienced last night, it’s a good time to not have the added guilt of not being able to get to the gym.

(Car trouble in a nutshell: HUGE blessing that God got Katie and me back to town from school before the car decided to shudder and click on a bunch of lights. Car is currently in the shop and I don’t know that we’re optimistic for a quick and easy fix. Pray we’re wrong!)

Anyway.

Starting today, I’m taking a REST. At least from running. I might throw some swimming and long walks in, but pounding the pavement is OUT. My joints need the break, and my mind and body need some rest. It will be extremely liberating to not workout and NOT FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT, but it also means I’ll need to be even more disciplined about what I’m eating. That’s what I’m scared about.

I’m one rotation and one class away from a much-needed break, and despite having all my travel plans thrown up in the air with this car situation, I’m at peace knowing God will take care of it. He’ll take care of the car, He’ll take care of our plans, and He’ll definitely take care of my body over the next week.

My hope and prayer is for a guilt-free, restful and rejuvenating break, and that I’ll be ready to jump back into the regular routine afterward. (Gosh, that sounds idyllic. Are those things even possible??)

my stay-cation with emily

OK, so now that I’ve divulged my senior moment about losing my sunglasses, here are some highlights from my recent trip to Emily’s:

First, I arrived to the cleanest, freshest, calmest, most tranquil house I’ve ever entered, and there were even snacks and tea to welcome me! Soft music was playing, candles were flickering and the lights were dimmed. I mean, I guess bringing work home with you as a massage therapist may not be the worst thing in the world… See it here.

A few shots of the new place (as fate would have it, Emily and her husband bought their first house the same day we bought ours’ here in New York!):

Just like Andrew and I, they’ve done a lot of updating their already move-in ready house. They have plans for a new kitchen, soon. I cannot wait to see what they pick!

After we spent a relaxing evening snacking, drinking wine, catching up and running some errands, we went off to bed WAY TOO LATE, yet woke up refreshed and ready for a workout. I think that is one of my favorite things about Emily–she is as into working out as I am and is so creative with what she does. She can get exercise out of anything, and we often make up our own ‘circuit training’ session at least once. Saturday morning, after a leisurely breakfast with her husband, Dan, we bundled up and set out (extra sunglasses in hand for me) for Sugarcreek Metro Park, which seems to be a favorite location of ours.’ I’ve done 5ks here and we always seem to find ourselves there for a hike.

After our hike–in which I wore my new YakTrax (metal coil-like rope you attack to the bottoms of your shoes to help in snow and ice) and Emily wore her snow boots. The YakTrax one, hands down. I could have run the entire trail no problem, while poor Emily was reduced to slipping and sliding. We even got lapped by some little Asian women armed with both the proper footwear and poles!

Speaking of Asian…we headed out for Thai food for lunch! Thai is definitely my ‘go-to’ food of choice. Thankfully Andrew likes it, too.

Emily was a good sport and agreed to try the green curry with me–it was HOT. And we got a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. I introduced them to Thai iced tea, which is such a treat for me.

Next, Emily and I split off for some more shopping. We found ourselves at Zebra Girl Boutique, which is owned by a friend of Emily’s, named Natasha. It’s filled with fun accessories like jewelry, purses and scarves. Natasha treated us like queens and I picked up some goodies and gifts. I swear, all I did was walk around the store and say (out loud), “That is so Carolyn” or “That is so Abigail.” My sisters-in-law really like their bling. And Carolyn has a thing for zebra stripes. I may have picked up some goodies for them, too….

That night, we’d arranged to visit our friends, Jen and Dave, and their almost-one-year-old, Aiden. Their house is across the street from our old neighborhood. We packed up our slippers (we like to make ourselves at home there) and some belated Christmas presents.

Aiden may or may not have gotten ahold of my phone…

Emily, the consummate ‘planner’ of the group (she blows me out of the water, folks), got our dinner ordered–and she makes it look so easy. Funny anecdote: While on our hike that morning, we had to institute a no-planning-the-next-workout-until-we-finish-this-one rule! We just can’t help ourselves.

We chose City BBQ–a favorite of mine–and got a small family pack. We all fondly remembered the time we ate this same meal (plus Andrew), in this same living room, around a tablecloth-covered DOOR. (I went and checked for the post–it was back in April–but no photos of door/table. Sad.)

The happy momma and poppa wearing their new gifts 🙂

Remember I told you that Emily and I can come up with a circuit workout at the drop of a hat? Well, we did just that on Sunday morning before church. We drove to a local high school in hope of using their track, but found the gate locked and assumed it would be covered in snow, anyway, so we settled for the parking lot, instead. We did laps around the cleared lot and alternated with calisthenics each time we rounded the car. Thirty minutes later, we were bushed.

We all went to our church, Apex, and it was as if I’d never left. I tell you what–I’ve never loved sermons like the ones I’ve heard here. I’m definitely one of those ‘daydreamers/mind-wanderers’ in church (well, really, is there anywhere I go where I’m not already thinking of the next place/thing/to-do item?), but not at Apex. Why can’t we find a church like that here (insert whiney voice)…:(

We sat with another friend from our Bible study group, Brett, who picked up his two girls after the service. They were a little camera-shy, but I was able to catch a few shots:

Yet again, the girls broke off for some more shopping (we kidnapped Jen!) and the boys went home to take care of the kiddos. At First Watch (a must-do for me while in Ohio) a sweet older lady pointed out we were all wearing scarves….PHOTO!

Lunch of champions: some sort of veggie/egg thing covered in salsa and cheese, along with an english muffin and greens. Sour cream ON THE SIDE.

Back to the mission: YakTrax for Emily and SUNGLASSES for me! Pardon the lack of smile/pose; Emily had the brilliant idea that I should take a picture of myself in the pairs I was trying on so I could compare them quickly. Below is the winner 🙂

While there, sweet Emily gifted Jen with a new–and bigger–purse (the one she’s been carrying around wouldn’t even hold my lipgloss collection). Note the gray/green scarf–A Zebra Girl find and her gift from us. Jen and Dave as new parents without family around don’t get out much, and are so, SO, SO (and I cannot stress this enough), SO low maintenance, I thought it would be nice to get them some things to wear on those rare occasions they DO leave the house. A scarf for Jen (even childless Holly and Emily know necklaces and earrings are just baby playthings) and an athletic jacket for Dave.

After dropping Jen off at home, Emily and I made a mad-dash to Trader Joe’s so I could stock up on our favorites. Good news! We have not one, but TWO TJ’s coming to Buffalo soon! The one that’s led the rumor mill will be located on Niagara Falls Blvd. up in Amherst (read: FAR), but there is talk of another and–dare I hope–to be located in the Southtowns. It cannot get here fast enough.

After a light baked-potato-and-salad dinner at the homestead, Emily and I again ventured out in the cold–this time for ice cream. Just like First Watch and TJ’s, I can’t go to Dayton and NOT stop at a Graeter’s. I had anticipated getting a kid-size scoop of black raspberry chip, but splurged on a sundae. I consider it a personal victory that I didn’t finish it.

Our evening consisted of magazine reading under a blanket with a well-known holiday classic movie on in the background. Who can name it???

Monday morning we did 45 minutes of P90X yoga, which just about killed my arms, and then we showered and got ready to depart (me) and work (Em). I packed up my TJ’s loot–mostly frozen fish, their awesome Orange Chicken and wine, as well as some dry-goods favorites like fig butter, sunflower seed butter and red quinoa tortilla chips–and loaded the car.

Emily and I did a light lunch at Tropical Smoothie–we split their fish tacos and a ‘Health Nut’ smoothie–before I left. It was so nice to have some time to sit and chat and not rush out the door!

After only a couple hours into the trip I needed a comfort/coffee break, and snapped a photo of my new sunglasses in action.

And healthy snacks! Veggies, hummus, TJ’s sweet and salty trail mix and an iced coffee (it was warm that day!).

My last stop: Chick-Fil-A in Erie. Normally we drive home on Sundays, and they are closed. But not this time 🙂 I got my usual: two-strip kid’s meal with lemonade and bbq, polynesian and ranch to dip. I also mix mayo, ketchup and hot sauce for my fries. I learned it while we lived in New Orleans (that, and a ketchup/mustard/mayo/Tony Chachere’s seasoning combo dip) and whip it up every time.

By the time I got home, I was READY to be home. I missed my Andrew, but enjoyed my relaxing-try-not-to-plan-too-much trip to Emily’s. My next one can’t come soon enough.