It used to be that it was easy to avoid food that was reduced fat, reduced sodium...reduced taste.
The packaging clearly indicated with a bright green stripe across the top or something similar. Also, most of the food was the real thing and the reduced crap occupied a single row.
Now it seems to be different. Now the reduced fat/sodium/calorie crap takes up the majority of shelf space, and you've got to work hard to find the unadulterated product. It wouldn't surprise me if pretty soon that's all you'll be able to find on the shelves!
I embark on this rant because a couple of weeks ago I picked up a box of beef quesadillas at Sams. I didn't even bother to read the label beyond the word "beef", I admit, but when I looked at the box today prior to opening it...there it was plain as day, Made with reduced fat cheese.
Blech....
Don't get mer wrong...I suppose if you were raised on reduced fats foods you'd be used to the taste and it wouldn't bother you...but *I* prefer to reduce my fat and calorie intake by the portions I eat, not by some cheese company doing something to the food.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thanksgiving over, Christmas to come
Well, hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.
Now we're on to Christmas.
And invariably, after Christmas, we'll be bombarded by media saying, "Oh, God, you gained 5 pounds during Christmas, here's how to lose them!" Happens every year, although I suppose the juxtaposition with January 1, the new year when everyone makes their new year's resolutions, also has something to do with the barrage.
Weight loss is a billion dollar industry. There's pills, there's books, there's surgeries, there's media influencing people to be unhappy with the way they look.
Remember that your goal is not specifically to lose weight... but to get in shape. The one will follow the other. But dont' obsess over every roll of skin. Your body needs some fat to work properly.
So train your mind to ignore all the media bombardment. Work to your own schedule. Eat whatever you like - just do it in smaller quantities. Remember, as you gradually cut your food intake, your stomach will shrink and so will your appetite.
So plan to enjoy some good meals around Christmas time, and when January 1 comes around don't think, "Oh, I've got to lose 5 pounds..." no. Think, "Time to resume my journey toward fitness."
Now we're on to Christmas.
And invariably, after Christmas, we'll be bombarded by media saying, "Oh, God, you gained 5 pounds during Christmas, here's how to lose them!" Happens every year, although I suppose the juxtaposition with January 1, the new year when everyone makes their new year's resolutions, also has something to do with the barrage.
Weight loss is a billion dollar industry. There's pills, there's books, there's surgeries, there's media influencing people to be unhappy with the way they look.
Remember that your goal is not specifically to lose weight... but to get in shape. The one will follow the other. But dont' obsess over every roll of skin. Your body needs some fat to work properly.
So train your mind to ignore all the media bombardment. Work to your own schedule. Eat whatever you like - just do it in smaller quantities. Remember, as you gradually cut your food intake, your stomach will shrink and so will your appetite.
So plan to enjoy some good meals around Christmas time, and when January 1 comes around don't think, "Oh, I've got to lose 5 pounds..." no. Think, "Time to resume my journey toward fitness."
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!
How many times have I said that time goes by too fast?
I had no idea it's been so long since I'd posted here.
I apologize.
Well, it's Thanksgiving, and my parents and I will be going over to my sister's house at 4 pm. We'll stay for 2 hours, then come home. Which is good because I've got too much work to do!
And too much football to watch while I do it.
Well, I hope you have a good Thanksgiving. Feel free to eat what you want...although try to just take small portions of each dish offered.
Make sure your relatives bring home as many left-overs as possible - left overs taste great, by the way, 24 hours always helps flavors marinate better - and feel free to eat up the rest tomorrow.
Life's for living - enjoy it.
And tomorrow you can walk an extra mile or so, or bike, or whatever, to work back into your caloric-imbalance mode you need to continue losing weight.
I had no idea it's been so long since I'd posted here.
I apologize.
Well, it's Thanksgiving, and my parents and I will be going over to my sister's house at 4 pm. We'll stay for 2 hours, then come home. Which is good because I've got too much work to do!
And too much football to watch while I do it.
Well, I hope you have a good Thanksgiving. Feel free to eat what you want...although try to just take small portions of each dish offered.
Make sure your relatives bring home as many left-overs as possible - left overs taste great, by the way, 24 hours always helps flavors marinate better - and feel free to eat up the rest tomorrow.
Life's for living - enjoy it.
And tomorrow you can walk an extra mile or so, or bike, or whatever, to work back into your caloric-imbalance mode you need to continue losing weight.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Don't despair over Twinkies yet
Apparently Hostess, which employed 18,000 people, closed its doors on Friday. Either Hostess was to blame or the Unions were to blame. Who knows?
Apparently people are flocking to stores to pick up Hostess Twinkies and other items....
The Twinkies and those other items aren't going to die, of course, some other business will buy the brands and produce them.
I have to admit I haven't had a Twinkie in a long time... I used to like them as a kid but the last time I had one as an adult they didn't taste the same - they tasted "store bought" rather than fresh baked the way they used. to.
I think many of the foods we liked as kids disappoint us when we reach adulthood, or at least don't taste the same. I used to like ham...today I find it too salty, for example. (Except when it comes to ham and green olive on pizza - yum!)
Anyway, the point of this entry is that if you want to eat a hostess Twinkie now and again (or whatever company takes it over) feel free to do so. As long as you don't make a daily habit of them, it's fine. (Always assuming that whoever takes over the recipe makes it properly and doesn't use cheaper ingredients. That's always a risk.)
Of course if you are going to eat some chocolate or other sweet now and again, I'm sure you can do better than a Twinkie!
Apparently people are flocking to stores to pick up Hostess Twinkies and other items....
The Twinkies and those other items aren't going to die, of course, some other business will buy the brands and produce them.
I have to admit I haven't had a Twinkie in a long time... I used to like them as a kid but the last time I had one as an adult they didn't taste the same - they tasted "store bought" rather than fresh baked the way they used. to.
I think many of the foods we liked as kids disappoint us when we reach adulthood, or at least don't taste the same. I used to like ham...today I find it too salty, for example. (Except when it comes to ham and green olive on pizza - yum!)
Anyway, the point of this entry is that if you want to eat a hostess Twinkie now and again (or whatever company takes it over) feel free to do so. As long as you don't make a daily habit of them, it's fine. (Always assuming that whoever takes over the recipe makes it properly and doesn't use cheaper ingredients. That's always a risk.)
Of course if you are going to eat some chocolate or other sweet now and again, I'm sure you can do better than a Twinkie!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Habit is Everything
If you have a busy schedule, you know that the only way you get things done is to have a schedule, and do the same things at the same time every day. (And if you don't have a schedule...and are constantly late to meetings, forgetting to do stuff, and always behind...well...that's the reason. You must live to a schedule. A schedule isn't a straight-jacket, it's a tool that allows you to get the most out of life.
Take your weight training schedule.
You must work out 15 minutes a day, every Monday, Wednesday or Friday - or whatever every-other-day works for you.
You must work out at a time of day when you have the most energy and the desire to use it.
So if you try to work out first thing in the morning, but skip your scheduled session every other time because you just don't have the energy...well...think about moving the session to before or after lunch, after you get home from work, or even last thing at night.
Everyone's body clock is different. Some people are early risers, some night people who have to get up early because of having to take kids to school or go to work, just kind of putz around for a couple of hours until their bodily clock kicks in and starts giving them energy. So it's important that you know when you are at your most energetic (and it will be the same times every day) and that's when you should do your exercisig.
If you never have any energy, well, something''s wrong. Make sure you're eating right - getting all your fruits and vegetables and protein and vitamins. What's your mood like? Do you feel depressed all the time (as opposed to just a day or so?) That could be a sign of clinical depression - which requires medical treatment. You can not snap out of clinical depression on your own, so don't be afraid to talk to your doctor about it.
Take your weight training schedule.
You must work out 15 minutes a day, every Monday, Wednesday or Friday - or whatever every-other-day works for you.
You must work out at a time of day when you have the most energy and the desire to use it.
So if you try to work out first thing in the morning, but skip your scheduled session every other time because you just don't have the energy...well...think about moving the session to before or after lunch, after you get home from work, or even last thing at night.
Everyone's body clock is different. Some people are early risers, some night people who have to get up early because of having to take kids to school or go to work, just kind of putz around for a couple of hours until their bodily clock kicks in and starts giving them energy. So it's important that you know when you are at your most energetic (and it will be the same times every day) and that's when you should do your exercisig.
If you never have any energy, well, something''s wrong. Make sure you're eating right - getting all your fruits and vegetables and protein and vitamins. What's your mood like? Do you feel depressed all the time (as opposed to just a day or so?) That could be a sign of clinical depression - which requires medical treatment. You can not snap out of clinical depression on your own, so don't be afraid to talk to your doctor about it.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Apologies
Sorry for not having posted in this blog for so long... I actually thought I had scheduled several posts, but apparently I lost track of time.
So, what to discuss today?
It's Thursday... you've done your weight training on Monday and Wednesday, and I'm sure you're looking forward to doing it on Friday as well.
Have you been writing repetitions and weights in your weight training journal? Is it time for you to add a couple more reps or a few more pounds to your weights?
Remember that lots of reps = endurance, whereas more weight = building strength.
If you aren't training with weights yet, you really should start. You do not have to invest a thousands dollars in a bowflex or something of that nature (not that that wouldn't be nice!).
Just stop in at local garage sales, or even check Craigslist, for people selling their free weights.
You can typically get barbells, dumbbells and plate weights inexpensively.
What you do want to buy is a weight bench with a leg extension accessory, because you want to be able to do leg curls and leg extensions on it. That's something you might have to actually buy new.
Don't be afraid of waking up one day looking like Jean Claude van Damme (at least, if you're a woman!) The only way women get the huge muscles you see on body building shows is if they take a lot of steroids and HGH. If you just weight train and eat right, you will "sculpt" your body, rather than build it.
So, what to discuss today?
It's Thursday... you've done your weight training on Monday and Wednesday, and I'm sure you're looking forward to doing it on Friday as well.
Have you been writing repetitions and weights in your weight training journal? Is it time for you to add a couple more reps or a few more pounds to your weights?
Remember that lots of reps = endurance, whereas more weight = building strength.
If you aren't training with weights yet, you really should start. You do not have to invest a thousands dollars in a bowflex or something of that nature (not that that wouldn't be nice!).
Just stop in at local garage sales, or even check Craigslist, for people selling their free weights.
You can typically get barbells, dumbbells and plate weights inexpensively.
What you do want to buy is a weight bench with a leg extension accessory, because you want to be able to do leg curls and leg extensions on it. That's something you might have to actually buy new.
Don't be afraid of waking up one day looking like Jean Claude van Damme (at least, if you're a woman!) The only way women get the huge muscles you see on body building shows is if they take a lot of steroids and HGH. If you just weight train and eat right, you will "sculpt" your body, rather than build it.
Friday, November 9, 2012
East Coast battling more storms
If you're living on the East Coast and dealing with the remnants of Sandy and the nor'-easter that just blew up and dumped tons of snow on you guys, surviving is more important to you right now than losing weight, I'm sure.
This is a post about being prepared for disasters. Obviously for being flooded out of your home there's little you can do. If you live in a flood plain I suppose all you can do is have very heavy-duty plastic bags handy, identify your treasures, and stick the one in the other before you evacuate. If you're home isn't washed away but rather just filled with mud, this would perhaps keep your treasures safe.
But if you live in an area which just gets tons of snow such that you can lose power, remember to have an emergency kit - or two or three! - handy. Extra blankets, food stored in water proof containers (and not too salty food if you don't have access to fresh water) and so on. And of course if you've got pets, set some extra stuff aside for them as well.
Remember there's nothing more important than your life - so if it's raining cats and dogs outside, let your pet tinkle indoors for once. Don't go out when there's a chance you could get hit by a falling tree limb - most of the people who died during Sandy died in just that way.
This is a post about being prepared for disasters. Obviously for being flooded out of your home there's little you can do. If you live in a flood plain I suppose all you can do is have very heavy-duty plastic bags handy, identify your treasures, and stick the one in the other before you evacuate. If you're home isn't washed away but rather just filled with mud, this would perhaps keep your treasures safe.
But if you live in an area which just gets tons of snow such that you can lose power, remember to have an emergency kit - or two or three! - handy. Extra blankets, food stored in water proof containers (and not too salty food if you don't have access to fresh water) and so on. And of course if you've got pets, set some extra stuff aside for them as well.
Remember there's nothing more important than your life - so if it's raining cats and dogs outside, let your pet tinkle indoors for once. Don't go out when there's a chance you could get hit by a falling tree limb - most of the people who died during Sandy died in just that way.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
November is here again, oh lord
Well, we're getting in to November...and November and December are always the hardest months as far as weight loss and weight maintenance are concerned.
Well...mostly December.
The 22 is Thanksgiving, and prior to Thanksgiving there will be plenty of food to eat, and after Thanksgiving is over we get in to December and all the food available then.
There's lots of good food, and my advice is don't stint yourself. Eat what you want!
But - don't go overboard. That's the key as far as everything is concerned.
I'll talk more about this as Thanksgiving gets closer.
Just remember life is short and is to be enjoyed. Don't feel guilty if you wake up on Jan 1 and find you've gained 5 pounds over the course of 2 months. (Not that you will - I'm not saying that!) Just remember that that weight will come off easily because you know how to make it come off.
5 pounds is nothing! Very easy to lose. It's a lot easier to lose 5 new pounds of weight, then to lose 100 pounds of old weight.
We'll travel the journey together.
Well...mostly December.
The 22 is Thanksgiving, and prior to Thanksgiving there will be plenty of food to eat, and after Thanksgiving is over we get in to December and all the food available then.
There's lots of good food, and my advice is don't stint yourself. Eat what you want!
But - don't go overboard. That's the key as far as everything is concerned.
I'll talk more about this as Thanksgiving gets closer.
Just remember life is short and is to be enjoyed. Don't feel guilty if you wake up on Jan 1 and find you've gained 5 pounds over the course of 2 months. (Not that you will - I'm not saying that!) Just remember that that weight will come off easily because you know how to make it come off.
5 pounds is nothing! Very easy to lose. It's a lot easier to lose 5 new pounds of weight, then to lose 100 pounds of old weight.
We'll travel the journey together.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Migraines suck
Been struggling with a migraine for the last 2 days. When I get a migraine, I can't do anything except lay in bed and wish I was dead. Seriously.
I get a migraine about once every 6 months. I always try to figure out why I got one, so I can not do whatever happened to cause it, but as usual it was a combination of very little sleep and too much mental activity. (I was working on a project for a client that was taking me forever.)
Having a migraine is not like a typical headache. It's not a question of taking a couple of aspirin and taking a nap for an hour. A migraine doesn't go away and renders you immobile for a day or more.
So, I apologize for not posting in here for so long.
It's Monday - have you done your weight training exercises today?
I get a migraine about once every 6 months. I always try to figure out why I got one, so I can not do whatever happened to cause it, but as usual it was a combination of very little sleep and too much mental activity. (I was working on a project for a client that was taking me forever.)
Having a migraine is not like a typical headache. It's not a question of taking a couple of aspirin and taking a nap for an hour. A migraine doesn't go away and renders you immobile for a day or more.
So, I apologize for not posting in here for so long.
It's Monday - have you done your weight training exercises today?
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