Walking in the Dark

After using up the entire day for school, personal projects, cooking, eating, and cleaning the idea of exercising can feel like a tiresome chore.  That is why I love having my dog.  My boyfriend and I feel a sort of obligation to take him for daily walks, which if all considered, is getting us out on our daily walks as well.  There is something to be said about finding a walking (or running, roller blading, cross country skiing...) partner that counter reflects your own enthusiasm to get out and about.  My boyfriend and I have become so persistent on the idea of the daily walk that we have started walking in the dark when we've used up all our day light hours.  There is something peaceful about walking at night.  First of all I have less chance of running into other people walking dogs, hence less leash yanking, and it is cooler so I can get in a brisk walk without perspiring.  Our walks have become unifying as well, we are forced to be encompassed within each other's personal space which evokes a deeper level of conversation.  If you can find an individual or even a few that you share a similar schedule with, consider starting a walking club.  A good place to start might be during your lunch hour at work..

...or consider getting a dog :)

Skinny Jeans: to keep or not to keep, that is the question

Since my debut into the thirties I have been facing up to a few bad habits, such as holding onto what I considered "my skinny jeans". Call it my baby blanket or a soft, mangled  little bunny (Mr. Jangles) with one ear and a missing button nose, but these are the same jeans that I used to wear when I was in high school, that was over a decade ago! When do I start attending Hoarders Anonymous?  So I finally decided that it was time to let the extra weight (in jeans) go.  This is a trap that women have been getting caught in for centuries 

( I can only imagine) how do we sensibly (economically rather) let go of our clothes that have become too small and move into a new set?  Is it emotionally healthy to keep a pair of jeans (or whatever it may be) that we may not ever fit into again, or should we only keep what fits and lose the rest?  I, like a lot of other woman, have this predisposition that if I hold onto that sweet pair of jeans, that I am so close (but yet so far away) to fitting into that it will encourage me to lost that extra weight and once again parade around the streets of the world with the jeans that show off my "fabulously tight ass".  

Here is my answer....pass!  Yes pass.  Isn't it more fun to change our look, to embrace who we are (all 10 +/- over what we'd like to be)? I have this new rule.  I pass them on to someone else as I go. So for example I pull out that favorite green turtle neck from last fall and it seems to have shrunk (the dryer did it!!) AND it does not fit me well....and when I mean well I mean FABULOUS then I toss it in a pass bag that hangs on the doorknob of my closet door...NO looking back! (TIP:  What ever you do, never look in that bag!!) You can feel really good about throwing these once coveted apparels in that PASS bag because once it is full (or half full for the weak of heart) you bring the bag to the local second hand store.  It feels nice to do this, plus you are no longer deceiving yourself by allowing that piece to hang in your closet. Besides it makes space for new, awesome finds :)

I am going to share  a few tips on how to know, if you are indecisive, on whether you should pass or keep:

• If your bra strap cuts into your skin: PASS
• If the entire length of your bra strap is visible from the back of your shirt or under your arms: PASS 
• If you have to lay down to zip or button your pants: PASS
• If the entire outline of your underwear is visible: PASS
• If when you lift up, your shirt reveals your mid section: PASS
• If your shirt is meant to be long sleeved, but when you stretch your arms out it yanks past the joint in your wrist: PASS
• If the cuff of your pants is higher then the midsection of your shoe: PASS
• If anything you are wearing cuts into the skin anywhere on the body or causes a visible fold in the skin: PASS

A FEW MORE TIPS:

I just learned that when we wash our pants they shrink up not in, to keep the integrity of the length hang your pants to dry rather than using a dryer if you can.

Cotton shrinks, hang dry. I have had to pass a few things that I would of liked to have kept by over drying, this will shorten the life span of your clothes so do read labels.

I hope this is helpful information. Key concepts: Get rid of your skinny jeans by donating them to Goodwill or a second hand store, it always feels good to do something good.  Lose some weight today (in fabric) and dress your best by wearing what feels nice and compliments your body shape, you will be fabulous instantly!  

Sound Mind, Sound Body

The food log is a very important tool in this exercise.  Too many times we mindlessly eat and don't do a mental check "am I just grazing"? This seems to be a famous activity in my family, we will be sitting around the table (next to the appetizer platter) chatting away and popping an occasional black olive in our mouths, or eating an occassional pickle.  Now I am not saying that these are foods we should try to avoid, I am just acknowledging that I don't need to finish them off! 

Buy yourself a fun, colorful little tablet and remember to record everything you eat each day.  You can be more precise and leave room for a little follow up about how you feel after you eat something.  Here is an EXAMPLE

Friday
October 9, 2010

Breakfast: two eggs over easy, two pieces of whole wheat toast, one glass of orange juice, and a cup of green tea.

Snack: One chocolate chip cookie, small handful of raisens, one cup of coffee

Mood: I feel sluggish, my stomach is twisting.

In this example I noted how I felt after my snack. I know that drinking coffee in the afternoon is a bad idea, because it upsets my stomach. Now I can analyze why I decided to have this cup of coffee even though I know from past experience that it bothers my stomach.  Part of this experiment to understand why we choose to eat what we eat, understand how certain foods contribute or take away from us as a whole, and to develop a friendship and appreciation with food.  We shouldn't have to be afraid of what we eat, but rather understand ourselves, our mood cycles, our metabolisms (why do I reach for chocolate cake and a cup of coffee when I feel tired?), and our culture.  I love comfort food because it reminds me of my Grandma's cooking.  Knowing where and why we crave certain foods, why we eat them (and when) can help us to stop uneccessary eating.

Enjoy the beautiful day with a nice walk :)

Everyone can find 30 minutes.

Last night around 9:30 I crashed next to my boyfriend on the couch after a long day of college classes and watching neighborhood sporting events.  As I waited for the pulse beating along my rushing blood to ease I noticed the time and thought to myself I didn't get my 30 minute workout in today! How am I going to let myself go into a total state of body/brain numbness in front of the television if I have not yet treated my body to a bout of daily exercise?

Bottom line is that everyone has 30 minutes!  I grabbed my yoga ball, a resistance band, a set of 8 lb. dumb bells, and ankle weights and did a 30 minute circuit of arms, abs, and legs in front of the TV.  The fun part about collecting gym gear (as mentioned above) is that your gym can be anywhere.  If you normally walk (which is what Luke and I like to do) then another way to prepare for those rainy, busy, or just plain lazy days is to purchase a few items to have at home in case of a last minute emergency.  The fun part of having these things is that you can always switch your routine, add a few bonus reps to a walk/run outside, and you can do strength training, stretch, or even aerobics with them. Here is a list of a few basics that you might want to consider collecting:

• yoga ball 
• resistance bands
• a set of 2-8 lb. dumb bells
• one 10-20 lb. dumb bell
• jump rope
• yoga blocks (these are great for stretching)
• ankle weights

These items range in length, weight, and size so read the labels and find what works best for you.  Remember consider these purchases an essential gift and investment for a healthier, happier you, you deserve them!

Staying Motivated

Today I made the executive decision to buy a cereal I haven't bought for a couple of years because it has partially hydrogenated oils.  Over all I am satisfied with how I look but I can tell after entering into thirty-hood that my metabolism is slowing down (I used to be a ping pong ball).  I convinced myself that I could eat the cereal because I enjoy it...sometimes you just have to give.  This cereal is an important tool for the ultimate goal in my experiment, can I eat what I enjoy and still maintain a healthy body weight and/or lose weight by just eating smaller portion sizes?

Remember only you can be the judge of how you feel about your body, if you are happy with your weight and you are physically healthy then you should be able to eat what you enjoy without feeling guilty with every little bite.  We live in a society that is continuously beating body image down our sugar free, low fat granola throats, it is time for a slice of cake!

Tonight, hug yourself first before judging yourself in the mirror...you deserve it!

Day 2

Here is an example of how you can record your data for the rest of the month by omitting your measurements:

Tuesday

October 2, 2010

Daily Exercise: about an hour walk

Mood Log: I am in a good mood, however I feel very unmotivated, lazy and tired, and can’t focus or concentrate well.

Skin Log: Skin appears clear with minimal acne, slightly blotchy, not too oily or dry.

Sleep Log: went to bed about 11p.m last night, woke up at 2a.m. and slept until alarm went off at 6 a.m. Pushed snooze until 6:30.

Food Log: Breakfast-2  over easy eggs (fried in canola oil) and two slices of whole wheat toast, cup of coffee. Snack-small handful of walnuts and one prune, glass of water with unsweetened cranberry juice. Lunch-tuna sandwich with shredded cheese and spinach, a large handful of baked nacho Doritos, glass of water, one apple. Snack: medium handful of Baked nacho Doritos, glass of water with cranberry juice (same glass I poured myself at breakfast time).  Dinner-2 pieces of baked fish, ½ c. of spinach salad (with sliced onions, Italian dressing, parmesan cheese, and sunflower seeds, hash browns, container of strawberry yogurt, 2 glasses of red wine, water. 

Getting started: Day 1

Here is an example of how you can start out your Daily Log:

Friday

October 1, 2010

Measurements: Upper Thigh-23.5 in. Calf-14.5 in. Hips-39 in. Waist-28 in. Bust-36 in. Bicep-11 in.

Daily Exercise: about an hour walk

Mood Log: I am in a good mood, however I feel very unmotivated, lazy and tired, and can’t focus or concentrate well.

Skin Log: Skin appears clear with minimal acne, slightly blotchy, not too oily or dry.

Sleep Log: went to bed about 11p.m last night, woke up at 2a.m. and slept until alarm went off at 6 a.m. Pushed snooze until 6:30.

Food Log: Breakfast-2  over easy eggs (fried in canola oil) and two slices of whole wheat toast, cup of coffee. Snack-small handful of walnuts and one prune, glass of water with unsweetened cranberry juice. Lunch-tuna sandwich with shredded cheese and spinach, a large handful of baked nacho Doritos, glass of water, one apple. Snack: medium handful of Baked nacho Doritos, glass of water with cranberry juice (same glass I poured myself at breakfast time).  Dinner-2 pieces of baked fish, ½ c. of spinach salad (with sliced onions, Italian dressing, parmesan cheese, and sunflower seeds, hash browns, container of strawberry yogurt, 2 glasses of red wine, water.