Products I love

Annie’s Naturals Ketchup – It’s organic and has less sodium than Heinz. It also is made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and has a gram fewer carbs as a result. I wasn’t sure about giving up my childhood brand but it tasted exactly the same and possibly even better – more tomatoey, less sugary. It tasted brighter.

Barbara’s Shredded Wheat Cereal – slightly sweet, stays crunchy for a long time, and high in fiber. It also has only 8 ingredients, almost all of which I could buy without a degree in chemistry (Whole Oat Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Unsulphured Molasses, Malted Barley Extract, Baking Soda, Salt, Natural Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols [Soy] Added To Maintain Freshness), Vitamin C)

Easier said than done…

There comes a time in every girl’s life when she must acknowledge that her jeans did not all just come out of the dryer and that muffin tops don’t just happen.

Did you know that if you exercise more and eat less you’ll lose weight? And that the reverse is also true?

Crazy.

Inspirational Success Story

Last summer, I met Jacquie, one of our gym members, when she was helping put together a health fair at the company where she works. I’d previously seen her working hard in the gym in the wee hours of the morning  and when she won 2 personal training sessions at that health fair she decided to work with me. I’m giving you the back ground so you know how little I had to do with her success. She needs to be given serious credit.

For reference: This is a 70 pound fish. Holy Mackerel!

I saw Jacquie again last week. She was positively glowing. It wasn’t hard to figure out why when she stopped me and said, “Guess what?! I’ve lost 70 pounds!!!”

“Oh my god, that’s awesome!” I told her.

“60 was amazing but seeing 70 pounds gone made me cry. I’ve got about 60 pounds to go but I’m so happy!”

I hadn’t really been following her progress so I asked her how long she’d been working on the weight loss.

“14 months. Slow and steady, about 5 pounds a month. And I really had to do both the food and the exercise. It doesn’t work any other way.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Way to go Jacquie!

The Corn People Found Me!

I just got the following comment on my High Fructose Corn Syrup post, straight from the Corn Refiner’s Association:

“I wanted to share this third party article about the misperceptions about High Fructose Corn Syrup. New York Times: Sweetener with a Bad Rap
Thank you for your consideration.
Liz – on behalf of the Corn Refiner’s Association”

I don’t exactly know whether to be flattered or frightened. I bet I’m on some sort of watch list now.

Knowing is half the battle

New York City passed a law requiring restaurants to post the calories of their menu items. New Yorkers, and visitors, have been getting a bit of sticker shock as a result.

A client of mine visited NYC last week and shared her experience with calories being up front and center -

Let me tell you how this law has impacted my day:

Breakfast arrives: it looks like 1 serving of quiche.  Menu says the quiche is 770 calories.  Now it’s two servings of quiche because I cut it in half immediately.  I ate half for breakfast and half for lunch.

Then I bounced into Starbucks for a Chai tea latte and a pastry.  I walked out with only a latte because I didn’t see the calorie count of the latte until AFTER I ordered it. Needless to say, I skipped the pastry.  Good thing is, I did get a LOT of walking in today.

Taking the fun out of eating.  No telling what’s for dinner. Probably a salad. C’est la vie.

Earlier this week, I mysteriously found a McDonald’s chocolate shake in my hand (I am not exactly the spokesperson for good choices). Interestingly, I didn’t even really want it, I just happened to be passing a McDonald’s. And a bank. See, I’ve made it a rule not to pay for fast food with a debit card which generally works well as a diet tool since I never have cash. Therefore, in order to get this shake that I didn’t even want, I had to go to the drive through ATM where I was reminded that my driver’s side window doesn’t work and had to open the door to complete my transaction. Did this then stop me from driving through the McDonald’s and having to explain to the drive thru people that my window was broken? No! Something deep in my brain was determined to get this shake regardless of any inconvenience or embarrassment to my person.

Would having that one last reminder that the shake was 440 calories have stopped me? Maybe not that time. But quite possibly the next. If I’d hestitated for even a second while thinking about those calories and just driven past the turn into the bank I would have been spared not only the calories but also the subsequent guilt. Perhaps it does take some of the fun out of eating out, but if it helps me make better choices and feel less guilty in the long run then I’m all for it.

Personal Training Demo Day at RVC

I wanted to make you aware of an opportunity you may want to take part in or share with friends and family members (or enemies if you’d like them to get a little beat up on by a trainer.)

What is it? Personal Training DEMO DAY @ RVC!

When: Thurs. April 30th, All Day (depending on the trainer)

What: Free personal training demos with any trainer who offers up their time. There will be a sign up posted in the club and anyone (RVC members and non-members) can sign up for free personal training demos. If you have friends who have been waffling on starting at the gym this may be the perfect opportunity to tip them over into joining you on the path to health and fitness. Misery loves company after all. (Just kidding…sort of.)

If you, or some you know, are interested we can schedule sessions before the poster goes up. I intend to do demos at 1, 3 and 4pm that day. I can also do buddy training. First come first served! And feel free to sign up with other trainers if my availability doesn’t work*. This may become a monthly event (on the last day or weekday of the month) so I’ll keep you posted!

* I am actually available for demos (for members or potential members) on regular old non-demo days so feel free to talk to me if you know someone who would like the opportunity to learn how to use the facilities and equipment.

Interesting Thought

“If you’re not successful, it’s because you’re not willing to do something.”

What’s your something?

It’s Week 4. Have you seen the inside of your gym recently?

I apologize for not being on top of things inspiration-wise. Between a week and a half of illness and prepping for the Les Mills Master Classes on Saturday (there’s still room in PUMP, JAM and COMBAT, sign up at RVC’s front desk) I haven’t had time to do much of anything.

I did, however, not buy Coffeemate this week at the grocery store as part of my goal to eat more “real” food. French Vanilla Coffeemate doesn’t count as actual food, no matter how yummy it is. I’m going back to sugar and cream. I also bought jam with no HFCS. I feel so virtuous. : )

Stop and smell the Vics Vapor Rub

Well, we’re a few days into week 3 of the 6 Week Challenge and I have been wiped out by a cold. I spent 4 of the last 7 days lying on my couch and wishing I wasn’t (which is completely the opposite of normal wherein I constantly wish I was lying on the couch and can’t.)

I very rarely take unscheduled days off. As a matter of fact, I don’t get paid if I don’t work. That being said, however, I have learned to take care of myself despite a potential pay cut or even bruise to my ego (I’m superhuman! I don’t get sick!).  I’m only doing myself harm if I push it. I can’t work if I’m not healthy.

So take care of yourself – whether that means resting or getting yourself to the gym.

Week 2: Excuses

So, how’d you do hitting your goal for Week 1?

Go you if you managed to do all you set out to!

If, for whatever reason, you didn’t manage to reach your goal in week 1, don’t give up. One false move does not a failure make. This is a new week. Time to saddle up and git ‘er done! Ask yourself why you weren’t able to do it. Did you run out of time? motivation? clean socks?

This week, I’d like you to think about excuses you’ve come across as you’ve tried to get to the gym or eat better and then figure out counter measures to combat those excuses. For example, this weekend I ate as if I’ve never heard of moderation or learned how to use any of the appliances in my kitchen. My excuse was “we didn’t have any food in the house.” That was pretty much true and yet instead of taking the steps necessary to remedy the situation (plan a few meals, make a list, go shopping) I spent more time and money traveling to fast food restaurants and eating stuff that made me feel even more slovenly than I already felt.

What excuses do you have to overcome?