February 27, 2011

Wow it has been a while since I wrote here.   Over a year.  Life has been hectic, but I am back and will start blogging again.

Well what is new.  I am still on my healthy journey.  It has been over 3 years and I am maintaining nicely.   

On February 14 I started Coaching a Learn to Run Clinic at my local Running Room.  It is very motivating for me to help new runners start running.  I remember as if it was only yesterday what it was like to start running, and even though I am not a fast runner, I very much enjoy the high one gets from running.  I am hoping to incorporate that into each runner in my group.

The weather today was -21 (c) and my runners still braved the cold and came out and ran with me 8:30 this morning.  I was very proud of them and it definitely shows their dedication to their new lifestyle.

Tomorrow I will be talking to my runners on how to breathe.

If you just starting out running you should remember these simply rules:

Train your breathing while running is through using a breathing ratio. For general distance running that does not involve speed, a 3:2 ratio may be used. For example, you should inhale for three steps, then exhale for the next two steps. However, if you speed up, a 2:1 ratio is best. This involves inhaling for two steps, then exhaling for one step. This may require several practice running sessions to become effective.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/391370-when-running-how-should-you-be-breathing/#ixzz1FDG801Ee

My diet today:

I am trying very hard to keep my carbs low.  I am aiming for a ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.   Well keeping the carbs lower then 50% is a task in itself.  I officially gave up buying bread.  I think that is a big saving(s) on carbs for me.   Today I reached 47%; not quite 40% but definitely lower then 50%.

Just another manic Monday

It is just another Manic Monday...wish it were Friday (not sunday) but it's Monday.    Ok that is my sad attempt to sing :-)

A man who is too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools

That is an old spanish proverb and it simply states that it is completely up to you to take care of yourself, not up to anyone else.

I have not been here for a while, life has been hectic but I have not neglected my healthy living just never had time for blogging.

I promised a couple of weeks ago I would give you the advantages of bananas.

Bananas are not alone good tasting fruit but they are nourishing and good for you.

1.Avoid from anemia,
Bananas have high zinc content so that help to product higher hemoglobin

in your body.

2.Decrease high blood pressure
Bananas have high potassium content, suitable to people that have low salt diet program, but they need potassium.

3.Improve concentration
The highest potassium in bananas, proved can improve your mind shard and more concentration. (Based on survey to 200 students that have breakfast with bananas menu)

4. Improve normal digestion
Bananas have highest fibrous content that help to decrease acid stomach. According to researchers, acid fibrous of bananas are not bad effect to acid stomach, but help to improve normal.

5. Decrease depression
Survey proved that some one eat bananas when they have depression, tend to decrease, because of bananas have high protein can make your body relax and potassium in bananas can stabilize your heartbeat.

6.Decrease sunburn
Antacid of bananas can decrease your body temperature, because of drying on the sun for long time.

7.Avoid stroke
Based on the New England Journal of medicine said that people always consume bananas every day, help to avoid stroke ( almost 40 %)

8.Good for smoker addictive
Vitamin C, A, B6, B 12, potassium and magnesium in banana are good for smoker addictive. The vitamin and mineral can help to recovery your body cell because of nicotine.

9.Good for pregnant woman
Pregnant woman tend to feel queasy in the morning. They had better to eat bananas for breakfast. The highest natural sugar in bananas can help to decrease feeling queasy.

Advantages of Bananas


It is also proven that Bananas help you sleep at night.   If I wake up in a middle of the night I will reach for a 1/2 banana and within minutes I will fall back to sleep.


Today is high calorie day for me.  The weather is horrible so I decided to take a night of exercising although I am feeling guilty so I may get on the treadmill for 30 mins after the news.

Until tomorrow...remember a healthy lifestyle is YOUR choice.

The of Power of One

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.    ---Douglas Everett

Smile and make today worth it!

I found this quote this morning that simply explains my thoughts today.

Life's not always fair.  Sometimes you can get a splinter even sliding down a rainbow

 It was quoted by Chrrelea Morgan.

I have not written here since Friday.  I was not feeling the greatest this weekend so I just relaxed.

This morning I came into the office and was greeted during our morning meeting that a co-worker and dear friend passed away last night.    We are all very sad here today and productivity is low.   R.I.P  Beetle (D Bailey).

A couple of you asked me this past week about the nutrient values.   Coincidentaly I received an article on the Healthy Protein, Fats and Carb Ranges.   You can read the whole article by clicking here but I will give you the highlights. 

Basically it states:

• 45% - 60% of your daily calories should be eaten in carbohydrates
• 20% - 35% of your daily calories should be eaten in Fat
• 10% - 35% of your daily calolries should be eaten in Protein.

Today for Breakfast I had

Egg fried in olive oil spray, english muffin and a piece of black diamond cheese snack

Snack

Not a healthy one...package of animal crackers (130 calories)

Lunch

Roasted Beef (made yesterday for lunch) sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard
Low fat Chocolate Pudding

Afternoon Snack

Forgot to have afternoon snack

Supper

Peanut butter and jam sandwich

Exercise.

Today I burned 300 calories in cardio alone.  I ran three miles on the treadmill at a speed of 6.2 mph and then did 10 mins of skipping.  Boy don't know how I skipped for so lung as a kid...it is tough to skip.

Until tomorrow remember....SMILE today :-)

Friday is here.....

Ellen DeGeneres is one of my favorite comedians...one night I was watching her show and she said

You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.

It was a funny line but her message was clear, irregardless how old you are you need to continue your healthy lifestyle.  Stay in shape and take care of your body.

This morning I was up bright and early to go to the gym.  Friday is my favorite day of the week.  My alarm went of at 5:45 and I was at the gym for 6:10.   I burned 300 calories between the  Stepper and the Treadmill (quick 30 min cardio session).  

Tonight is play time with a few friends.  I will let my guard down and enjoy the night without too much guilt.  I always have one night where I eat/drink to  my maintenance calories.   Maintenance means the amount of calories I can eat without gaining weight.  For me it is 2000 calories.

Be back later with my updates

I think I can.....I know I can....I CAN

Eleanor Roosevelt once said

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do"

We think that we cannot lose fat because of excuses like  'we don't have the time to dedicate to it' or 'we tried once before and you didn't succeed.".   But if we pay attention to Eleanor Roosevelts quote we can , 'DO the thing you THINK you cannot do'.   As my mother always told me there is no such thing as 'can't' it is simply you don't want to try.

As I promised yesterday my topic today is about Calorie intake and Net Calories.

You often hear people talk about Starvation Mode.   I like to refer to it as conservation mode.   When we get in the mode to lose fat we automatically think that we should drop our calories drastically.  I hear people telling me I didn't have breakfast, had lunch and only had a bagel for supper and I never lost a pound.  Or I hardly eat and the scales is not moving.    You should NEVER skip your breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day.    Eating little or nothing causes your body to go into conservation mode. (read more about this below under "why 1200 calories".

But first:

Why is breakfast important?

• It helps start your metabolism.  It is said that you should eat within the first 1/2 you are awake.   Some of you will say "I can't eat breakfast", well try.  Even if it is a piece of fruit or a 1/2 cup of yogurt but really try.   Preferable it should be your largest meal of the day and be well balanced with Protein, carb, and fiber.
• It prevents 'conservation mode'.   Let's look at this scenario.   The last time you ate  was last night at 7:00 pm.  It is now 10 am and you are "not hungry", but you have been up since 6:00 am this morning.   Right now your body is gone into conservation mode and will hold onto every bite you eat just in case you starve your body again for 15 hours.   

Calories Consumed

Calories Consumed are the calories you eat in the run of the day.  To figure out how many calories you should consume daily follow the link to the right of this page  under 'my favorite links' called "Harris Benedict Equation".  By doing this equation you will have an idea on how many calories you can consume throughout the day.

Net calories

This is the amount of calories that you have left after you exercise.  Let's take my example from yesterday.  I consumed 1500 calories and burned 700 calories that means my NET was only 800 calories.  I like to keep my NET at 1200 so my body don't go into that conservation mode.     One day of going below 1200 calories is not a big deal, but I try not to make a habit of it.

Why 1200 (1500 for males) calories?

When you eat only 1500 calories and burn off 700, your body didn't have this extra 400 calories to build a leaner, meaner, fat-burning machine. The first thing that disappears is your glycogen stored in your muscles. Your body had to tap into this because you weren't taking in enough calories for your needs. For every 1 part glycogen, your muscle stores 3 parts water (it needs the water to be able to utilize and process the glycogen). So when the scales drops in a week after you ate below 1200 calories, it is almost certain it was WATER, not fat, that you had lost. If you don't believe me, try eating at maintenance tomorrow, and I bet the scale rebounds overnight.

Your body may have also burned some fat, but it is very likely you also lost some muscle. Any time we are in a deficit, we are likely to lose muscle, because you need a calorie surplus if you are going to gain muscle. While you *may* have managed to maintain muscle mass if it was just one week of short-changing your nutritional needs, you almost certainly did not *gain* any muscle mass.

Quite possibly you also lost some bone. Your body stores minerals like calcium and magnesium in your bones, for emergency use when needed. Unless you are very small (5 feet or so), or very careful with your diet, 1200 calories may not have been enough to meet your calcium and other mineral needs. So your body may have had to tap into the bone for it. You almost certainly did not have enough extra calories that week to build stronger, denser bones.

Please note it is not enough to merely take a vitamin or pill to attempt to cover any deficiencies. It's been well-documented that a pill simply can't duplicate nature's own vitamin delivery system: food.

Breakfast

2 slices of Homemade 100% whole wheat bread, made by a co-worker and friend.
1 slice of Maple Leaf Cheese
1 tsp of Becal Margarine
330 calories, 6 g fiber; 14 g protein; 640 mg sodium

Morning Snack 


Kellogs Special K Bar
90 calories,120 mg sodium;

Lunch

For some reason I didn't have an appetite lunch time but I did force myself to eat something.
2 oz of boneless skinless chicken breast and a small greek salad without dressing and olives
202 calories; 310 mg sodium; 25 g protein; 2 g fiber

Supper

Supper consisted of a 4oz rib eye steak, small baked potatoe and mixed veggies.

Exercise

Today was exercise free day...although I did burn a few calories shopping with my daughter for 3 hours in high heel shoes (we went after work).

Until tomorrow  remember Eleanor Roosevelt's Quote:   You must do the thing you think you cannot do"

Let's Get Moving

It is Wednesday, traditionally known as HUMP Day.  It is the day of the week where our bosses suppose to l get the  most work out of us.   It is also the day of the week where you have the most energy to Work Out.  So today you have to get moving.  Get your butt off that sofa and do some sort of physical activity.

I know you are saying to  yourself that girl is crazy, she must love working out.  Well the truth is I HATE IT.  But I know it is part of my lifestyle.  I can't really say I hate it, that is a strong word, but I am not fussy on it.     On the other hand I love the after affects. I can't say every day I hate going to the gym, there are some days that I am excited, depending on my activity for the day but weight lifting days....I can leave it but I know it is important to a healthy fit lifestyle.

Some people think that getting on a treadmill 3 times a week is sufficient exercise.  But it is not true.   I  have made it a habit to weight train every second day (opposite day of my cardio)  Statistics show that you burn the most FAT (I mean fat not weight) through Weight Lifting.    But there is proper technique.   I read an article by the MAYO CLINIC  that goes into detail about the proper method to lift weights.   Some of you females think that if you lift weights you will look like those body builders that you seen on TV and you don't want to have those big muscles.  Well I am here to tell you that you will not look like that.  I have been lifting weights for 2 years now and I am toned but I don't look like a body builder.  It is genetically impossible for females to bulk up with out taking steriods and living at the gym for 6 + hours a day.

 Today is weight lifting day for me....I will be attending a weight lifting class that runs for 60 mins called Group Power...great class, great instructors.

So my challenge to you today is to check out this YouTUBE video on lunges with free weights and start some sort of weight training.

Today for Breakfast

I had a cup of multi grain cheerios and skim milk followed by 1 large naval orange.

215 calories, 7g protein, 7 g of fiber; 26 g sugar , 230 mg of sodium

Lunch


Lunch was on the run today as I went to the hospital to visit a dear friend/co-worker who is not well so a few of us went to Wendy's to grab a quick bite before the hospital visit.

I was craving french fries so I had to figure out the best strategy to have those fries but keep the calorie level down.   What I decided on was.

• Grilled chicken sandwich plain without the bun.  (Without the bun I saved 160 calories)

•  I ate 1/2 of the small fries (I just needed a taste)

365 calories, 828 sodium; 25 protein, 3 fiber

Not to bad for fast food eating.    Sodium was the killer; which is the norm at most restaurants.  If I know I am eating out I will always do my homework by going online and reviewing their nutritional information  ie. Wendy's has their information online, so I planned what I was eating before I went.  This way I won't go to the restaurant hungry and regret calories that I ate..

Afternoon Snack

My afternoon snacked consisted of 1/2 bodywise bagel with 1/2 tbsp of Kraft Light Peanut butter. 
150 calories;

Supper

Supper consisted tonight of Whole Wheat Pasta, Pasta Sauce and Extra Lean Ground Beef. 

435 calories; 28g of protein; 420 mg sodium; 8 sugar

Workout:

I had lots of energy this evening and did weights and cardio training.    My weights consisted of 50 mins of a weight lifting class followed by 50 mins of Group Ride (cycling)

Total Burn tonight:  710 calories.

Treat  Snack

Frozen Yogurt and a Kellogs Special K Bar

Calorie consumption today was 1545 but my NET is only 835 due to my calorie burn.   I would like my Net to be 1200 calories but some days you just can't eat that much.   So tonight I will have to live with a low Net.

Tomorrow I will talk about the difference of Net Calories and Calories Consumed.



Until tomorrow remember.....THE GROUND OF ALL HAPPINESS IS GOOD HEALTH