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Posts Tagged weight loss

Are You a Sugar-holic?

Aug 5

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit, Lose Weight | 7 Comments

Many of you may already know of Kris Carr’s amazing story and her equally amazing blog, Crazy Sexy Life.  (If you don’t know of her, you’ll find her to be inspiring.)  I don’t always get enough spare time to read all of the posts (and she has a lot of really great contributors) but the one I did read today really hit home.

The blog post itself is actually about alcohol and binge drinking, but after I read it through the first time, I went back through and replaced “alcohol” with sugar and “drinking” with eating.  Because truth be told, I go through times where sugar lures me back in to its evil grip and it’s a hard habit to break.  Chemically, sugar works in the same pleasure center of the brain that other addictions do.  I had a spell early this year where I just found myself going overboard way too often with sugary foods.  And now that the Halloween candy is starting to show up in the stores again (I saw some yesterday!) I thought this might be a timely topic.

Binge eating (especially binging on sugar or things that turn to sugar) can do a lot of damage to the body, besides just adding pounds.  Sugar is acid-forming so it throws your pH off balance, it can lead to inflammation, candida overgrowth, lowered immune function diabetes, and much more.  And the more you eat the sweet stuff, the more you WANT the sweet stuff, and the more of it you NEED to get the same “soothing” benefits.

I’m going to quote a couple of the questions asked in the article but I’ll replace them with sugar:

Do you sometimes eat sugar/sweets when you’re alone? What about when you’re angry or sad?

Why, yes.  Yes I do eat them when I’m alone sometimes, truth be told.  And I know that I reach for sugary stuff sometimes when I’m upset, especially when I’ve let my feelings get hurt.

Fortunately I have a much healthier relationship with ALL foods than I did in my past.  I’m not nearly as restrictive or regimented.  But that does allow for that sneaky SUGAR MONSTER to try to wheedle his way back in since I let him stop by for a visit every once in a while.  The trick is learning when to cut that visit short, and get back to eating foods that provide real nourishment rather than rob us of it.

If you find that you have trouble controlling sugar, take a look at the post, replacing those words I mentioned and be honest with yourself.  Do you think you are a sugar-holic?  If so, here are some additional articles you might enjoy reading and the first one on the list has some strategies ideas as well:

Sugar Addiction?  It Might Be Genetic

Dr. Mark Hyman on Food Addiction

Sugar Is Poison

When I am eating well and not wanting to get back on that sugar roller coaster, the “trick” that I find works for me is this:  if I am experiencing a craving for refined junk, I’ll turn to a sweet fruit. Granted we can overdo natural sugars as well, but overeating mangoes or sweet cherries is a heck of a lot less damaging than binging on a bag of mini Twix bars.  At the very least I’m getting some good nutrients and fiber.  And you’ll actually stop much sooner calorically than you would with the refined stuff.

Do you have any favorite strategies for conquering your sugar monster?  Please share in the comments section – we can all learn from each other.

Hope your Friday is FABULOUS so far!

– Shari B. =)

 

 

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Crave Sweets After Meals? This Post Is For You

Aug 31

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit | 5 Comments

Hi FeatPeeps!

In response to a recent post (Get Hungry), Cindy suggested in the comment section that a good topic to discuss here at FitFeat would be craving sweets after meals.  Excellent subject idea, Cindy.  Thank you!  Because this is definitely a hot button when it comes to people aiming to lose a little body fat.

I have since spent a bunch of time writing and editing my thoughts on this topic, then decided to pare it back down and keep it simple (and keep it from being the longest post on record!).  There are plenty of reasons one might experience cravings for sweets (dissatisfied with meal flavor, lack of carbs or fiber, neuropeptide Y, low blood sugar, etc.)  But really when you get right down to it, for the majority of us, more often than not it’s a matter of CONDITIONING.

Meaning, it’s something you do that gives you pleasure so you want to do it again and again.

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As a child, did you regularly have dessert after dinners?  Did you (or do you still) have ‘treats’ to mark special occasions or as a reward for good behavior?  Were you told that you had to ‘clean your plate first’ before you were allowed to have dessert?

All of these things can cause a conditioned response.  Hey, we’re human – we like pleasure rather than pain, and we like to be rewarded.

So What Can You Do About It?

Should you fight it?  Give in?  Well, that depends.

If you are in weight loss mode and trying to burn off body fat, you’ll have to pick your battles.  If a 100-200 calorie treat a few days a week will end up cutting too much into your caloric deficit, then you might want to abstain (and the only time I really see this being an issue is when someone in a cutting phase for a fitness/figure/bodybuilding show).

If you are someone who is triggered to overdo the sweets after just taking a bite, then you might want to make an alternate choice.  Being able to stop when the enjoyment of the food wears off (or before) is key.  I like to keep small squares of high quality dark chocolate in the house for this reason.  Sometimes after lunch or dinner, I just ‘need’ something to change the taste after the meal.  Some of my coaching clients have told me that to them, the sweet bite after a meal is their ‘signal’ that the meal is complete.  A 50 calorie bite of strong chocolate is not going to hurt the ‘bottom line’ so to speak, so it’s not a big deal.

If I’m having an especially rough day (PMS ladies?) and I know that one chocolate might lead to my eating the rest of the bag, I’ll pass on even the first bite.  In these cases, I find a cup of decaf coffee after dinner does the trick.

It becomes an issue when you are already full from dinner, and then eat a full-on dessert.  A few wonderful bites of enjoyment are fine, but sometimes foods taste SO good that it’s hard to stop.  This is where you need to revisit the Get Hungry post.  Because the hard truth is if you are eating when you aren’t TRULY hungry, getting (or keeping) the fit body you work so hard for will be much more difficult.

In my fit coaching work, I prefer that people NOT restrict all that much.   The things you tell yourself you “can’t” have are always the things that you’ll likely crave the most, and if you are too restrictive you could be setting yourself up to fall completely off the wagon and hopping onto the crazy train toward eating a whole sleeve of Oreos.

Having a “healthified” version of a dessert is a smart choice over something packaged you bring home from a store.  In Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, one of the rules discusses eating dessert IF it’s one you made yourself.  I love this idea because then you are in control of the quality of the ingredients your dessert is made with.

Moral of the Story

The point is this:  don’t beat yourself up for wanting a little dessert.  If you are still hungry, have a little and really savor it.  Remind yourself that life is a balance of choices and decide what it’s worth to you.

For me, every Oreo is the caloric equivalent of one more mile to run.  It’s a choice – sometimes I say yes to 2 or 3 miles worth, and sometimes not.  ;)

***

Coming Up:

Speaking of making your own desserts, be sure to join me for the next blog post topic where I’ll review and compare two different recipes for Black Bean Brownies!

An Article Worth Your Time to Read:

For some additional ‘dessert’ reading that may have you stepping away from your favorite ice cream (or at least reconsidering which brand to buy), check out this article about which big ice cream makers still use milk with rBGH (bovine growth hormone) and some brands that do not.

See you next time, blog buds!

– Shari B. =)

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Shari Becht is a Fit Living Coach and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer offering coaching services to people across the U.S.  She is extremely passionate about teaching her clients how to start making small changes every day to their own lives, built around steps customized to fit their needs.

If you or someone you know could benefit from Shari’s coaching, please feel free to email her at shari [at] fitfeat  [dot] com.  For more information, click here.

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Slimmin’ for Spring

Mar 23

Posted by Shari B. in Lose Weight, Spring Slimdown 2010 | 4 Comments

Hi FitFeat friends!

Wow, two posts in one day – that never happens!  :)   If you missed the earlier post today, it’s about Vindaloo Veggies in the crockpot – check it out!

When I started the FitFeat blog last August, my primary intention was to show clients and readers how I personally fit fitness and healthy eating into my daily life, with tips along the way.  I used to write about (and take pictures of) all the food that crossed my lips plus all of my exercise, which ultimately added an additional layer of accountability to keep me on-track because I knew whatever I did would be listed online the next day.

FitFeat has morphed somewhat from ‘day-in-the-fit-life journal’ to more of what I like to think is thoughtful content with articles and topics for discussion.  While I definitely want to continue with those types of blog posts, I do also want to get back to the journaling side too.

Here’s why…

My mentoring clients are required to send me their food plans every day.  This not only holds them accountable, but it also keeps their fitness journey front and center in their daily focus.  

That which you focus on, you move toward.

I feel that I could benefit from that same daily focus now.

I’d mentioned recently that I wanted to hit a target weight for the marathon.  Even though I won’t be running the full marathon on May 16, I’d still like to drop a few lbs to increase my overall speed for the summer because I do intend to run in an event of some sort.  Plus I am female after all – which means it’s a prerequisite in my genes to want to slim down for bathing suit season, right?  ;)

The first goal is to get back to last summer’s ‘comfy maintenance weight’ which is somewhere in the vicinity of four pounds down from what my Monday morning weigh-in was.   The Monday weight will be considered “Weight Zero” and then I’ll post any gains or losses against that number as it relates to the starting weight.

Now please know that I do not ‘live and die’ by the number on the scale.  It’s simply a tool through which I can measure progress.  I know I won’t be packing on muscle to skew the numbers anytime soon, so this will give me a fairly accurate representation of whether I’m eating and/or exercising in the right ratio.

I know that recently I’ve been consuming more than I’ve been burning off.  When I gain, it’s from the waist down.  And my pants have been telling me there have been more calories in the “IN” column than the “OUT” column.

I recently read in the comments area of another blog that some people are a little over the whole food journal blogging schtick.  Rather than place all of that info on the main page of the blog (and possibly bore you to tears in the process), I’ve added a tab on the navigation bar called Spring Slimdown and then each day will have a subpage below it.

Click on Monday Recap (Day 1) for the first day of Feats & Eats.  :)   Today’s weight was down 1.2 lbs from yesterday.  (See what happens when I keep my hands out of the candy jar at the office?)  :D

If anyone out there needs to drop a few pounds, you can follow along with what I am doing as well.  I’d love the company!  If you do, let me know how it’s going!

– Shari B. =)

P.S. I also read that people are bothered by RSS feeds in summary form (i.e. Google Reader or your email subscription) so I have changed that setting back to FULL view in all feeds.

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About Face

Mar 16

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit | 5 Comments

Hey everyone!

Happy Tuesday!  Thank you all for your very kind comments yesterday regarding my needing to scale back on the marathon training while I determine what my knees need to be happy.  While I did start this journey knowing that I’d stop if it ceased being fun or if my knees acted up, it’s still a hard thing to give in to because I don’t like to say I’ll do something and then not follow through as planned.

However, I did that once with a triathlon.  In that case, I just didn’t enjoy the swimming training at all and I wanted more than anything to throw in the towel & admit that I’d made a mistake in signing up to do it.  But I’d said I would do it so by golly come hell or high water I was gonna DO it. And I did.  Unfortunately I didn’t have that ‘rewarding’ feeling after I was done, as if I’d really accomplished something.  Because I didn’t enjoy the race – I was just focused on crossing that finish line so that I could be done without having given up.

I don’t recommend that following that route.  :)

And I learned a big lesson from it.  So when I do finally cross that marathon finish line, I want to feel FANTASTIC for having done so.  (And preferably be RUNNING across the finish line as opposed to CRAWLING, which is where I’m headed if I don’t listen to my knees.)

I heard from one of my fellow marathon training buddies this weekend that he unfortunately may NOT be running the marathon on May 16 either, as he might have a stress fracture in his heel.  I hope he has a speedy recovery and is back to running in no time.  Stress fractures are no fun to deal with because the only way to fix them is pretty much do nothing while they heal.

***

Yesterday morning to start off the week using something other than my legs, I did another round of “Meat Mallet Muscles” for my upper body workout:

Chest, Back, Shoulder Workout

  • Upper Body warmup with arm circles, light stretching, moving light weights around
  • DB Bench Press 2 warm-up sets + 4 working sets of 12
  • DB Incline Chest Flyes 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
  • Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
  • One-Arm DB Rows 4 working sets of 12
  • Seated Overhead DB Press 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
  • Side Lateral Raises 4 working sets of 12

Now THIS is the soreness I crave.  ;)

Then, thanks to the extra daylight after work and the 50 degree weather, we were able to get the dogs out for a 40-minute WOG last night.  Spring is just around the corner and I couldn’t be happier.  Today they are saying 60 degrees, so I may have to find some time to fit in a long outdoor outing of some sort.

***

I mentioned last week that I came across a few old pics of me back before I the start of my weight loss journey.  These aren’t the highest quality scans, but I think you’ll be able to get the idea.  :D

In my heavier days - check out those cheeks!

Double chin!

It is still so weird for me to look back at these pictures.  My face looks completely different.  I am so thankful that I found my way to fitness and healthier living before it snowballed into something more.

I had a friend tell me that I have an “athletic face” now.  I take that as a complement!

Or maybe all faces look “athletic” whilst wearing a baseball cap.  ;)

Have a TERRIFIC Tuesday!

– Shari B. =)

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The No-Slacker Tracker

Jan 19

Posted by Shari B. in FitFeature | 5 Comments

Hi friends!

Hope you had a great start to your week yesterday.  I have a feeling this one is going to fly by.  I have to show up tomorrow for that jury summons I mentioned a while back and knowing my luck I’ll get picked to sit for a trial.  Not that I mind serving my civic duty, I just think it’s a little lopsided seeing how MSP has never even received a summons.  :)   Actually the real reason I think I’ll get picked is because I’m totally slammed with things to accomplish this week at work and sitting on a jury will totally put me behind on my deadlines.  But I’m sure everyone feels that way when they get a jury summons in the mail, right?

Even though I was off work yesterday for MLK Day I still got up at the usual silly hour to get my workout in and get my day started.  First I did 30 minutes of yoga with Bob from the Biggest Loser (yes, I’m Team Bob.  You don’t even want to get me started on Jillian.  I have started writing many a post to discuss that particular issue of mine, but I figure I’ll get a lot of hate mail if I post it, so I always end up scrapping it! But I digress…)  So the yoga was actually pretty good – not terribly challenging though.  It is broken into different levels and since this was my first time using this particular DVD I decided to stick with level one.  I will need to try levels two and three to see if they are harder or more of the same just longer.

Since I didn’t feel like that was as much of a workout as I would normally do, I then did 20 minutes of the Exhale Core Fusion “Gluteal Toner” that I recorded from FitTV.  Similar to Physique 57, but actually a little too easy.

To wrap it all up, I added a few Tabata sets of thigh and hamstring moves to get a good burn going.

Afterward I had a terrific green smoothie.  I’ve been back to getting these in regularly again, and I can’t say enough how great I feel when I have one of these to start my day.

This beauty had banana, clementine, hemp protein, spinach, cucumber, a scoop of dried green superfoods, and a little bit of white chia seeds.  Lip smacking good!  Riley and Rascal thought so too… since they get a little bit of green smoothie in their bowl whenever I have one.  The pups need their greens too!

For an afternoon snack, I FINALLY ate some of that cute little kabocha squash that I bought recently.  I drizzled just a tiny bit of blackstrap molasses (a little goes a LONG way – it’s a STRONG flavor), and then sprinkled some cinnamon and some dried ginger on it.  (Yes I roasted the squash first!  Figured I bet put that out there, lest someone try this raw!)

I’m not sure what all the fuss is about with these.  Yes, there was a bit of a nuttier flavor than that of butternut squash but not different enough that I’ll drive all over town trying to track one of these down.  I think it was a fluke that I found it in the first place because when I went back to the store where I found it, they didn’t have any on the shelf.

Dinner was quick and easy, a usual requirement for my ‘cooking’.  Step one was opening a jar of 505 Green Chile:

(This one is even gluten-free, made with rice flour – which impressed me for some reason!)

Pour jar of chile into a small soup pan and heat over medium till bubbly.  Add egg(s) and ‘poach’ in the green chile.

I plated my egg on half of a whole wheat tortilla and then topped it with some nutritional yeast for ‘cheesy flavor’.

For extra cheese, eat while watching “The Bachelor” like we did.  ;)

***

As I mentioned yesterday, I thought I’d share with you my very simple method of keeping an eye on my level of exercise.  I have used other methods in the past, including spreadsheets and logging programs (like The Daily Plate).  However I like a very quick visual on whether I’m getting something done most days of the week.  Generally it’s pretty easy to keep track of in my head as well, but by that same token it’s also easy to “forget” some of those missed days here and there.

I print a blank calendar page and keep that page on my bulletin board just for this particular tracking.  This calendar doesn’t have anything else added to it: no appointments, birthdays, etc. For every day that I get in my exercise, I mark a star on that day, sometimes jotting a note about what I did that day.  If I don’t get a workout in, there is no star.

Now keep in mind that NOT having a star is not a bad thing, either.  I like to be sure I’m taking rest days when I need them, or at least active recovery days.  So this isn’t a matter of telling myself  “Uh oh, bad girl, no star for the day!”  This type of ‘dashboard view’ just lets me know at a glance if I’m slacking or if I’m overdoing it.

I took this picture on Friday and have since added my stars for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  So 18 days into the new year, I’ve worked out 16 of the 18, averaging a rest day about every 9 days.

One could take this a step further and color-code their days, such as one color for cardio, one for strength, maybe another for yoga/flexibility.  Or if you are training for a marathon, you could mark one color for your speedwork/hill runs, one color for your tempo runs and a third for your long runs.  Or mark the days off as you do Cindy’s 30 Day Core Challenge. :)

No matter what goal you have or habit you might be trying to change, using this type of tracking can be a good tool to see quickly and easily how you’re doing on that journey.  For example, let’s say you wanted to increase your veggie intake.  You decide you want to eat veggies with at least 3 of your meals/snacks each day.  You could start a calendar with a marking system to show the days you met that goal, and the days you didn’t.  This might also show you some trending, such as not doing as well on Fridays as you do on Mondays, etc.

Are you a “tracker”?  How do you keep track of your workouts?  Or do you skip tracking/logging altogether?

***

OK, friends!  Off to train a client and then on to the other j-o-b.  Have a TERRIFIC TUESDAY!

– Shari B. =)

PS:  There is another Vitamix Giveaway going on in the blogosphere!  That is an AWESOME Giveaway!  Get yourself to Katie’s blog to enter!

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Recipe: Sweet (and light!) Broccoli Salad

Dec 3

Posted by Shari B. in Recipes | 3 Comments

I finally made the recipe for Broccoli Salad that I had intended to make on Thanksgiving but due to my overindulging on baked kale, I postponed it.  If you’ve ever been to a Sweet Tomatoes restaurant they have a yummy sweet broccoli salad called “Joan’s Broccoli Madness” that you know is just brimming with dairy and sugar (not to mention bacon).  I found a recipe for something similar on the back of a broccoli package and decided to tweak it to make it fit into my own style of eating.

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Sweet & Light Broccoli Salad

  • 10 oz package of broccoli florets
  • 1/4 of a small onion chopped (I used a sweet onion)
  • 3 TBSP sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup light mayo (I used Nasoya FF SOY Mayo)
  • 1 TBSP agave nectar  (the original recipe called for 1/4 cup of sugar which is WAY too much, 1 tbsp agave worked fine.  Add in some stevia if you need it sweeter.)
  • 2 tbsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar)

- Steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes until lightly tender and bright green and set aside.

- Mix the mayo, agave and vinegar in a small mixing bowl.  Stir well until even in consistency and color.

- In another container (one with a lid that can be shaken) add the onion, seeds, raisins and broccoli.  Pour the mayo mixture over the broccoli, put on the lid and shake around to full coat with the mayo mixture.

- Place in refrigerator to chill before serving.

***

I have been packing this recipe for lunch this week.  It’s light but very filling.  Next time I may try it with onion powder in lieu of actual onions, only because onion flavor always lasts TOO long with me.  I love eating onions, but I don’t like the aftertaste and I’m worried everyone around me can smell onion!  ;)   To keep the crunch in the salad, I’ll chop up some celery to use instead.

Enjoy!

– Shari B. =)

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Make Your Old Year(end) Resolution Today!

Dec 1

Posted by Shari B. in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

What’s new FitFeat friends?  Happy December 1st!  Hope your Monday after the long holiday weekend is off to a great start!  I think weeks after a long holiday always tend to go very slowly.

I figured what better way to get back into the full swing of things than to start with a TABATA upper body workout!  

Weight Training:  Tabata Upper Body

  • 5 Minute WarmUp on TM, followed by arm circles and light upper movements
  • DB Bench Press 4 min 
  • Bent DB Row 4 min
  • Side Lateral Raise 4 min
  • Triceps Pushdown 4 min
  • DB Bicep Curl 4 min

This style of workout never fails to do the trick – I end up getting in 80-96 reps of each exercise.  It was a fast and effective and this morning my upper body is feeling the pain love. 

Monday Eats

Post-workout was a green smoothie.  And I do mean GREEN.  I used two fists of spinach this time, so it was extra bright.  I forgot to add my rice protein to this one, but I did remember chia seeds.  ;)   Along with 2 stalks of celery, sprouts, a pear, and a clementine.

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A piece of Ezekial toast with almond butter served as my mid-morning snack.  When one wakes up at 4:00 AM, “mid-morning” is 8:00 AM.  :)  

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I packed my lunch and afternoon snack since I was headed in to work.  In the white container is my leftover Tokyo Joe’s brown rice with tofu and steamed veggies.  I ate the Larabar for an afternoon snack (Tropical Fruit Tart, be still my heart!!)  The apple was neglected unfortunately, so he may become smoothie food later today. 

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Dinner was a colorful salad of spinach, red cabbage, zucchini disks, sun dried tomatoes, and home-roasted seeds (from the acorn squash you see on the side there.)  This was my first acorn squash… WOW!  Love it!  It has a wonderful nutty flavor.  The serving shown here is about 1/4 acorn squash.

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Evening snack was a cup of decaf coffee and a Nana’s NO’s cookie bite:

nana

And then I was having trouble keeping my eyes open during “House” which airs here from 7:00 to 8:00.  Again, waking at 4:00 AM means “bedtime” often wants to come at 7:30 PM!

***

As mentioned above, yep, it’s DECEMBER!  Can you believe it?  I’ve been blogging since August!  Time flies when you are having fun! 

Today’s challenge is to make your “Old Year(end) Resolutions“.  If you are someone who starts resolutions on January 1, why not move it up a month to December 1 and get a head-start?  Just think of what you can accomplish in 30 days when you put your mind to it.  If weight loss is your goal, you can easily be 5 pounds down in the next 30 days, rather than 5 pounds UP like many will experience over the holidays.  If you want to quit smoking, DO IT NOW!  Why wait?  (And if you DO smoke, please please quit.  You know how bad it is for you!) 

The time is now!  Drop me a comment and let me know what your “Old Year(end) Resolution” will be for the next 30 days!

new year clock

One of my resolutions for the next 30 days is to get some of the exercise instruction posts put out here, as Cindy had suggested back when I asked for reader input.  Cindy, I haven’t forgotten you!  I actually have had one in the works since then, just have had other topics taking over it seems!  :)

Enjoy your Tuesday friends!  See you next time!

– Shari B. =)

***

If you know someone embarking on their own fitness journey for the new year, please feel free to send them my way. I offer fitness consulting by phone nationwide.  Visit my Coaching/Training and About Shari pages for more info.

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Thanksgiving Full of Kale

Nov 27

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit | 5 Comments

Hello again blog buds!  Hope you have had a productive “Black Friday”!  I have, but I’m still WAY behind in my xmas shopping!

To recap our Thanksgiving, it was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day!  It started a little too early for my taste shortly before 4:00 AM, but sometimes that’s just when my body decides it’s time to get up.  I spent the early (and QUIET) morning hours writing yesterday’s blog post, then catching up on my recorded chick-shows while the rest of the household members were sleeping.

We started the morning with the SOYsage Gravy and Biscuits (recipe in the Build-A-Meal tab if you didn’t see the post).  Then because it was over 60 degrees outside :)  we went out for a hilly power walk.  It was only 3.26 miles, but since the hills were steep we felt like we got a great workout (at least that’s what my glutes and calves told me!)  

I had a green smoothie when I returned.  I’ve been missing these the past week!  Some days when I feel chilly, a green smoothie just doesn’t always sound good because the idea of it makes me feel chillier!  Luckily it was warm enough yesterday to crave one.   Still rockin’ the festive green & red thanks to the cranberries. 

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Later I made a BIG batch of baked kale chips.  Two trays of kale.  And guess what I did?  I ate it ALL!!!  Every last bite of kale!  I didn’t INTEND to eat all of it – I INTENDED to make it for something to snack on during the Broncos game.  When it came time to actually sit down to our Thanksgiving meal, I wasn’t very hungry – I’d eaten THAT much kale!  :)   I guess if you are going to overeat something, nutrient-rich kale would be the food to choose! 

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We each had some time to relax for a bit, then it was time to make phone calls to family members & time for me to get busy in the kitchen (with cooking, that is!) 

Finally time to eat our holiday meal!  Wahooo!

Here is MSP’s Thanksgiving plate:  roast turkey breast and mashed potatoes, both covered with gravy, along with some mac-n-cheese spirals, cornbread and unpictured Crescent rolls (because truly it’s not Thanksgiving without Crescent rolls!)  Oh, and a side of beer!

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And here is my plate (or bowl, I should say):  Heavenly Ginger Curry Squash soup, with a side of 1/2 baked sweet potato.   And a glass of Riesling on the side.  It doesn’t look like much, but it definitely filled me up.

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I had also intended to make a sweet & savory broccoli salad, but to be honest I was so darn full after eating the kale that more greens just didn’t sound appealing at all!  We both had PLENTY to eat and were soon relaxing on the couch to take in some football and a movie.  (FYI “Funny People” with Adam Sandler is anything but FUNNY — just a heads up.)

Even the puppies got a little GREEN action in their bowls for the holiday – here’s Rascal chowing down on chopped organic cucumber and sprouts:

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Overall I had a VERY healthy Thanksgiving.  My only real ‘splurge’ for the day was a piece of apple pie.  It clocked in at 580 calories, so rather than flood my system with more calories in one sitting than it should handle, I cut the pie into two pieces.  I had one-half late afternoon, and the other as an evening snack. 

You know your “Healthy Holiday Eating Plan” was a success when you hop on the scale the day after Thanksgiving to find that your weight is down 3/4 of a pound from what it was the day BEFORE Thanksgiving!  Now that is something for which to be thankful!  ;)  

– Shari B. =)

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Stay Fit Strategies for Thanksgiving

Nov 23

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit | 3 Comments

Hi FitFeat friends!  Happy “short-week” Monday!  Now that Thanksgiving is almost here, I think I’m finally officially in the holiday spirit!  People in our neighborhood started putting up holiday lights this week since it was a nice weather weekend.

I know this week is going to start getting busy so I wanted to cover some “Stay Fit” strategies today, so that you can be thinking it over before the holiday arrives and before you are so busy that reading blogs moves down the list of things to do!  ;)

I saw a news segment this weekend that the average Thanksgiving meal is 2500 calories!  In ONE MEAL!  They were discussing lower-calorie recipe alternatives to bring the meal down to 1200.  My friends that is STILL too much to consume in one sitting. 

Here are a few of the strategies I’ve put to good use over the years.  I’ve been successful at keeping off the 35 lbs I lost 9 years ago – hopefully you’ll pick a few tips (or all of them) to use yourself in your own journey to get (or STAY) fit. 

Get in a good workout the morning of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one day you DON’T want to take off from exercise.  Chances are you will be taking in many more calories than usual, so you can at least mitigate some of the damage by burning some calories and depleting your glycogen stores. That way when you do eat, some of it will first go toward replenishing those stores. Turkey Trot 5K/10K races are a great way to get the day started with some fitness.  If you can’t get out for a run or hike, aim for a full body workout focusing on the larger muscle groups of the body.

Stay hydrated (and feeling full) with water and no- to low-calorie beverages
Make sure you keep your water intake high so that your body doesn’t send you thirst signals that you may mistake for hunger. 

Fill up on veggies first
Before you dig in to the high calorie, richer items focus on getting in your healthy items first.  This way you’ll be increasing your fiber and nutrient intake as well.

Stop eating as soon as you start to feel full
There is no reason to eat until you are stuffed.  It causes great stress on your body and makes you feel sluggish.  Eat until you begin to feel satisfied.  Then put the fork down.  When food tastes amazing, it’s too easy to keep eating simply because “it’s too good to stop”.   And don’t let friends/family pressure you into joining the “clean plate club”.  You are an adult – you get to decide when you are done.  Let the turkey be the only thing STUFFED that day.

Truly savor what you do choose to eat
Don’t scarf down your food.  Eat slowly and enjoy all the time, flavors, and LOVE that went into each bite of what you are eating.  Read an earlier FitFeat Post about chewing and digestion.  Put your fork down between every bite. 

Keep your goals in mind
If you are working toward a weight-loss goal, please keep that in mind.  You know you need a 3500 calorie deficit just to lose ONE POUND in a week – so when you hear that the average holiday meal may be upwards of 2500 calories it’s easy to see how quickly you can undo some of your hard work.   The average female only burns 80 to 100 calories per mile walked or jogged – think about that when you are eating a 600-calorie piece of pie.  Ask yourself if it’s worth the 6+ miles it may take to work it back off.  It might make you want to cut that piece of pie in half.

Stephen Gullo, Ph.D., writes about strategy being stronger than willpower in The Thin Commandments and urges you to tell yourself, “There’s not a single food that I’ll see today that I haven’t seen or tasted before.  I have seen it all, I have tasted it all, and it hasn’t made me happy; it’s only made me heavy.”  That has always resonated with me and helped me step away from foods that I know I might not want to stop eating once I take a taste.  If you have foods that trigger you to overdo it, don’t even start.

Above all, have a HAPPY Thanksgiving
Enjoy the holiday for its meaning of giving thanks.  Enjoy your time with friends and family.  And be proud of the things you do to keep your body fit and healthy!

thanksgiving

I will definitely be giving thanks for all of the wonderful friends I’ve made through the FitFeat blog.  Thank you all for following along with my daily feats and eats, and FitFeat tips!  

If you have HEALTHY HOLIDAY tips of your own that you’d like to share with the FitFeat readers, please drop a comment!  We’d love to hear from you!  Or if you have any questions, drop those in the comments too!  Let’s chat!

Have a BEAUTIFUL Monday!  

– Shari B. =)

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Run, Bike, Swim, Walk, Climb, Crawl…

Nov 15

Posted by Shari B. in Keeping Fit | 10 Comments

Hello Sunday readers!  Thank you for joining me today!  Sundays are typically a slow day on the blog (at least that’s what the stats tell me) so I appreciate you coming by to take a gander at the happenings on FitFeat!

The other day I took a stroll down fitness boulevard memory lane and thought it would be fun to make a list of all the events in which I’ve been fortunate enough to compete participate.  

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I came up with 16 (see About Shari.)  There may be more that I’ve forgotten because I didn’t save the bib number. 

Here are some of the highlights:

Muddy Buddy:
This was fun not only because MSP was my teammate, but because you had to alternate running and biking to obstacle course stations.  And at the end, you and your partner had to crawl on your belly through a nasty stinky mudpit!  muddy buddy

The Carla Sanchez Fitness Fiesta:
This was my first experience with competing in the National Physique Committee (NPC) as a figure and fitness model competitor.  I’d say it was a highlight of my fitness memories because I’d worked SO hard to get there — even stepping on stage meant I’d won in my book.  Especially because just a few short years before that I was 40+ lbs more than I was while competing.  (One of these days I’ll post my ‘before’ photos.)  I competed in 3 divisions and came home with a 2nd place trophy and two for 4th place.   (If you follow the IFBB / NPC, that’s Elaine Goodlad - Olympia competitor – handing me my trophy.)

trophy

The PF Chang’s Rock-n-Roll Half-Marathon:
My friend Beth and I traveled to Phoenix for this one.  I was expecting to wear shorts and run in balmy weather.  I mean it’s ARIZONA, right?   It was their coldest day on record in 17 years that morning (the month was January).  Even a fountain froze over, and the temperature made the front page of the news. I had (luckily) packed my Nike down running jacket, and I wore it!  We spent much of the evening before the race trying to find gloves and ear warmers in the stores.  Not an easy task in AZ. 

The Avon Breast Cancer Walk:
39.3 miles on foot.  Full marathon distance on day one.  Half marathon distance on day two.  Avon does an AMAZING job coordinating this event.  It’s probably the most well-run event I’ve been involved in.  My friend Karen had invited me to do this with her, and each person had to raise $1800 in donations to participate.  We spent 4 months training and raising money.  What took this from ‘event’ to ‘adventure’ was the INSANE storm that ripped through right where the thousands of participants had pitched our tents to stay the night.  The winds were strong enough to snap power poles like toothpicks.  We had to take cover in the park restrooms!  All of the tents were upended and there was flooding everywhere!  We won’t soon forget it!

So many good times were made during all of my events.  And it makes me feel good knowing that almost every event’s registration fees went to a good cause. 

Swing on over to my revised About Shari page to check out the full list!

Today’s discussion:  What is the fitness favorite event you’ve participated in?  Is there one you haven’t done yet, but would like to? 

Well, it looks like I better go fuel up for some snowblowing action again.  Here is the backyard this morning and they (evil forecasters) say we are only halfway there:

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And for just a bit of comedy to put a smile on your face today, I’ll l eave you with the pride and joy of my collection of event photos (NOT!)  As Right Said Fred put it, “I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt…”   Is this the pinnacle of hotness or what? ;)

Now that's sexy - ha ha

– Shari B. =)

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