Food is not a bandaid

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This has been a tough week for me. The No Crap challenge has been tough to keep when there’s so much crap going on.
I’ve always been an emotional eater. When things are good I celebrate with a milkshake. When things are rotten, I devour a cake.  It’s taken a conscious effort to break that cycle.
 And I’m not going to lie. Sometimes that first bite still makes it to my mouth. And then I think, “Betsy what are you doing? Is this going to make you feel better? No. You will only feel worse because you let yourself down and you’ll regret it. So stop.”

Food is not a bandaid. It can not make the pain go away. I might cover it in chocolaty goodness for a second. But then the guilt will kick in and you’ll feel worse. If you really want to feel better, go for a run, or a walk, or a dance. Get those endorphins pumping and give your brain a pick-me-up.

Snack Smart: Read the label, not just the bold print

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Here’s a little lesson for ya. I was in Costco today, buying protein powder. The muscle milk mix had in bold face on the front 32 grams protein per serving. The cytosport mix said 27 grams per serving.

Duh, I grabbed the muscle milk. While pushing around the cart, I took a closer look. Apparently, muscle milk’s had two serving possibilities listed. One scoop was 155 calories. 2 scoops was 310 calories. Guess which one they were touting on the front. That’s right 32 grams equals 310 calories.

I went back to check on the cytosport They were only one scoop equaling 140 calories with 27 g protein. Why the huge discrepancy? Because muscle milk puts more ‘stuff’ in their mix to improve the taste. But it doubles the calories. If they had put the single scoop count on the front, they wouldn’t compare and they would lose the advertising game.

Make no mistake, the food industry is playing a big game for your dollars. Pay attention and read the labels. Don’t let yourself be fooled by a tricky marketing ploy.

Fitness Tip: Cross Training

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Having a sport or activity that you like to do is good. But it’s important to branch out and cross train too. Think about it. If all I ever did for exercise was run, my running muscles would get over worked, while my non running muscles would atrophy. So runners should cycle, and vice versa.

Cross training is an excellent chance to give your primary working muscles a break, but still make sure you meet you caloric burn goal for the day. My favorites are the classes at the gym. Like Zumba or insanity. Maybe pick up a tennis racket or go for a swim. You might feel like the literal or proverbial fish out of water when you do something different for a change. But that’s okay. Your body will thank you and become more evenly ‘un-rounded’ as a result.

Freedom of Speech or Freedom to be a Psycho

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Current events and public sentiment mystify me. Sometimes a thing is only right and just until it blows up in your face. Here is what is currently causing my nose hairs to twitch.

Recently there was public outcry over the detention of a former marine, Brandon J. Raub, who made some off kilter and well, violent remarks on Facebook. The sentiments were anti-government or anti-establishment I believe. Something to the effect of a revolution coming, day of reckoning. Saying he was sharpening his axe to sever some heads. The FBI and local police dept had some concerns for public safety as well as the man’s own mental stability. They held him for questioning and a psychiatric evaluation. People are outraged. They have set up donation pools for him. He has had his right to free speech violated. How dare big brother step in?

Other side of the coin. Recognize this guy?
Colorado shooting suspect James Eagan Holmes sits with public defender Tamara Brady during his first court appearance in Aurora, Colo., on July 23, 2012.  (RJ Sangosti/REUTERS)
This is James Holmes. The man responsible for the Aurora “Batman” mass shootings. Currently there is public outcry because a month or two before the incident, he made undisclosed and vague threats against the school establishment. The threats were reported, he was kicked off campus. Cue public outcry. Why wasn’t more done? Why wasn’t this maniac pulled from the streets and locked up before he hurt someone? The police knew he made violent statements, yet they did nothing.

Have you seen the problem with these two stories? If Mr. Holmes had been detained at the time of his statements, would there have been public offense and outrage at his detention? Would his rights have been violated? Why is it only after someone follows through with the violent and awful things they say, then… then it’s no longer freedom of speech.

Here’s a crazy idea. If you say violent, radical, psycho things… people should treat you like a violent, radical, psycho. I’m no law professor. I don’t have a fine knowledge of the constitution. I just don’t think we should have the right, or as a society should tolerate, the violent rantings of madmen. Much less hold them up as torchbearers for the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech should protect those who wish to oppose the ideas of the government. You can disagree vehemently without threatening to kill others or start a war. I’m pretty sure the founding fathers did not intend to the first amendment to be the freedom to be a psycho.

No Crap Challenge

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I’m down to goal weight again. But I still feel like crap. In talking to my friend, she implied it’s probably because of the crap food I use to fuel my body. You are what you eat and all that.

So on Monday, I invented the No Crap Challenge. It’s 30 days with no fried foods. No refined sugar. And no enriched white flour.

As of today I am 4 days crap clean. Suprisingly, I am less hungry than I’ve been in weeks. The cravings have subsided mostly. Amazingly, I even resisted the cinnamon roll my friends shoved under my nose. (They are my kryptonite)

I’ll keep you updated. Just to be clear, my calorie budget hasn’t changed. I’m not trying to lose any more weight. Just fuel my machine like a high end Ferrari instead of a POS Pinto.

Snack Smart: Healthy chicken nuggets and fries

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My kids eat utter crap. It’s totally my fault. Well I’m trying to fix that. Their fave food is Dino nuggets and fries. They tend to turn their nose up at anything else. So here was my attempt from this weekend.

The chicken isn’t dried or blackened, so you can tell my husband cooked it 🙂

Of course me kids wouldn’t eat it… At first. I told them daddy made healthy chicken nuggets and fries. The nuggets were naked and the fries were squished. Behold, 10 minutes later the plates were empty.

Have figured out any healthy ways to remake the classics or your faves?

Foto Fiction: Unmentionable Vacation

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I’m trying a new thing. Taking photos of odd sights I run across then writing little stories or thoughts for them. Gets the creative juices flowing. I took this picture while in Yellowstone last week.

Have you ever noticed that a sock is mysteriously absent after a wash? Or maybe your favorite bra has taken a hike? Well perhaps it really has. Yellowstone national park now boasts an all inclusive vacation package for lingerie that’s tired of the same old spin and rinse cycle. Activities include hiking, climbing flagpoles, swimming and sunbathing (as pictured below). No people necessary for the trip, your unmentionables can take the magical wormhole in the dryer. After they are rested and relaxed they will be ready to return to their daily duty. So if you come across that camisole you haven’t seen in a few weeks, and it smells vaguely like s’mores, you’ll know exactly where it’s been.

Park City Half Marathon and the Philosophy of Finishing

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So yesterday was the Park City Half. Nothing particularly worth noting about the race itself. My knee hurt when I started, it hurt worse when I finished.

What I thought about while I ran was more than the beautiful scenery, even though Park City is a gorgeous race. It was more than, “Wow I really hate these hills”.  I was thinking about how exactly one year ago, I reached my goal weight and my goal of running a full marathon here in Park City. And that in the one year since, I have kept the weight off and kept running. This race gives me my 6th finisher’s medal. They are a constant reminder to me of my Philosophy of Finishing, “Not everyone can win the race, but everyone can finish.”

My husband was there with me last year and ran the marathon as well. He hasn’t run a step since, but he was waiting for me at the finish line. Because he also believes in the power of the finish. It’s not just about fitness or weight goals. Finishing should be applied to any aspect of your life. He really set this to work by going back to college after he quit 10 years ago. Now he’s ripping through all the classes he needs to get a degree in Biology with a Computer Science minor.

So I want to take this moment and tell you, the reader, that whatever you have left undone in your life —  you can finish it. It doesn’t matter if you’re not the fastest, or a spring chick any more. Just get it done. Get that finisher’s medal around your neck – either real or metaphorical – and you will find that the weight of your accomplishment will lift a weight that has burdening your spirit.

How Do You Tell a Loved One They’re Fat?

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YOU DON’T!

poking the stomach fat

If they are truly overweight, I guarantee you they already know.

Parents, if your kids are overweight, don’t sit them down and tell them so. I had that done to me and it scarred me for life. You are the parent, lead by example. Make healthy changes without making it a body image issue.  If your kid comes to you with a concern, then you can address it. Lovingly and without judgement. You can give them ideas to improve their lifestyle, not how to fit into smaller jeans.

Spouses… beware. Trust is a delicate issue. Never tell them unsolicited that they have a weight problem. Don’t lie if asked either. Once again, subtly lead by example and work together to have a healthier lifestyle. I promise that you will create a world of issues about rejection if you start hinting about your partner’s pudge.

Friends… Oh boy. Depending on your relationship, you might have more latitude. I only offer advice if asked. But I will full on tell you if those jeans make your butt look big. But only if you ask me. Or if it would be a crime against humanity to let my bud go outside and be seen in public.

In case you didn’t catch the common theme, don’t point out other people’s flaws unasked. Work on your own. If you are asked, offer support and honesty. Find solutions, not problems.

free image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Snack Smart: The Road Trip

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Ah, the dreaded road trip. The bane of any dieter’s existence. The cure? Plan ahead!!

If you know you are going to be driving for umpteen hours, bring your own snacks. Don’t rely on gas station stops. You will end up getting the Twix or something equally not good for your. Pack your own dehydrated fruit. Or nuts. Pre-portion them out like I showed in Portion Control Made Easy. That way you are not eating the whole bag of trail mix. (Has more calories than you might think. Good for you though)

Plan ahead what you are going to eat if you stop at fast food along the way. Or use a smart phone app that tracks calories. That way you can make a good informed choice if you have to eat at those golden arches.