Posts Tagged ‘nutrition



19
Sep
12

Ignorance is Bliss

Most people really truly don’t want to acknowledge the truth about fitness and weight loss.  If they hide behind the veil of ignorance then they don’t have to hold themselves accountable.  I did that, for a couple of years, in fact.  I managed to pack on an additional 168# in two years.  Yes, that’s correct, in only two years I went from a relatively healthy size 10 woman to a grossly unhealthy size 22.  That’s an average weight gain of 1.61 pounds PER WEEK.

Talk about a sad sack.  But ignorance was bliss.  No one really ever said anything about the weight as it progressively increased.

I could have stopped it, I could have changed the course of my life.  But instead I used every excuse I could dig up, meds were making me fat, job related stress was making me fat, my obnoxiously nasty divorce was making me fat.  But you know what? 

I was making me fat.  I was the one stopping by the fast food joints picking up a bag full of whatever daily special was going on at whichever place was super-sizing everything.

The beautiful thing in my story is that I truly believe that people can change and those changes can stick, like glue. 

I know personally many people who have successfully changed.   Taking themselves from being slightly overweight, or emotional eaters, to those like me, who were obese. 

They’ve taken responsibility for educating themselves.  They’ve put their own ego’s and pride aside to make these changes.  They’ve humbled themselves to the point of learning and humbled themselves to the point of DOING

The most important thing that we’ve all learned is that in this life is:  it’s not always about me. 

Reach out and do something nice for another person.  No need to tell anyone what you did, just do it.

Each one, reach one.

17
Sep
12

Do You Inspire?

This morning after I finished my workout, I stopped by the grocery store on my way home.  All stinky and sweaty I walked in store and a gentlemen unexpectedly came around the corner “excuse me” I say in my normal post workout cheerful voice. 

I continued on down the main store front aisle.  I noticed him about ten feet to my right and he says “are you a bodybuilder?” and I don’t know exactly what came over me when I blurted out “Well, yes I am!”, technically speaking I’m building on this body every single day.   He proceeded to ask how long I’ve been working on it etc, I said a good 3-4 years.  He simply said “well nice work”. 

I could have gone in to the story of CrossFit and the story of being a personal trainer but in all honesty the answer I gave flew out of my mouth and so be it.

I’m not in great shape, I’m in good shape.  To the outside average observer, I guess they see something different.  It made my day.  Reaffirmed my desire to keep moving forward, obstacle after obstacle.   Goal after goal. 

I have always loved the following quote:

“Just remember, there is someone out there who wishes they were where you are today.”

Today I’d like to share a new friends blog.  It’s very inspirational.  And a big thank you to Lifting My Spirits for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk with me.

13
Sep
12

The Past

Every now and again I’m delightfully gifted with the opportunity to share my story and a few things I’ve learned to a live audience. 

I derive so much joy from having these opportunities.  Talking to others reminds me of various places I’ve been along my journey.  It also reminds me that I’m still on my own journey.

This past weekend I was reminded of one aspect of my journey.  The mind has a very powerful ability to replay old conversations years after the occurence.

That being said, I believe that we are in control of rewinding and re-recording over those powerful negative messages with positive new ones.

For example, I started running (well, what would be barely considered jogging to a runner) when I weighed just shy of 250#.  I remember the negative thoughts going through my mind step after step, “you’re too fat to do this, you are too slow to be running, you can quit this now”.  Over and over I would allow my negative thoughts to rule.  It took me years to clear the cobwebs enough to realize that I was, simply put, defeating my own purpose.

Once I began to understand that nothing has the power to impact me, unless I give it the power did I realize  great positive change from the inside.

I began changing my mantra to “you are strong and you are capable”, “you are strong and you are capable”.  Over and over, year after year, I’ve repeated those words many, many times. 

We truly are what we think we are so it is extremely important to make sure that we use “no negative self-talk, EVER”

I have that saying written in chalk in the middle of the chalk board in Garagegym 107.  My clients see it.  It’s a constant reminder of the way I live.  I see it every time I start my day.  I believe it.

Empower yourself to make changes to negative experiences from your past. 

Our past contributes to who we are, but our past doesn’t dictate who we become.

The chalk board project.  The humble beginnings of GG107.

11
Sep
12

You Can’t Out Train a Poor Diet

I know this to be such a true statement.  I don’t consider what I do a diet.  I eat clean, I’ve educated myself on proper macro-nutrients and understand how to consume balanced meals.

Does that mean I always do what I know is the right thing?  Negative ghost-rider!

Why would I not do what I know is best?  Well, for me it is usually about poor planning. 

If I don’t make a conscious effort to prepare and store my protein sources I find myself scrounging around for what I should eat.

I spend a couple of hours once a week preparing protein sources, usually grilling or baking in the form of chicken.  Chicken gets boring.  Yes, I know.  I have umpteen(yes that’s a word my mom used to use) spices that I rotate so the my chicken gets a different flavor.  I have friends that simply boil their chicken to death and then eat it.  Not me I want some flavor. 

I digress terribly today.

I freeze what chicken I won’t use over the following two days and I even go so far as to cut it up in to bite sized pieces so I don’t have to fight it later.  I use the quart sized Ziploc freezer backs.  They make my life easier.

I don’t always have access to fresh veggies, but our local Kroger puts small bags of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots on sale 10/$10.00 so I always have a back up plan on my veggies and yes, I eat the whole bag at one sitting.

I hard boil an 18 pack of eggs on Sunday, then I peel them all.  Grab and go protein.

Food planning is only as hard as you make it.  Do you work 12 hour days?  Then it’s even MORE important to plan your meals.  Write down a list of what you need and go buy ONLY what is on the list.  Stay out of the inner aisles at the grocery store unless you are looking for olive or coconut oils or some other healthy oil.   Shop the produce section, the meat counter and cooler for eggs. 

Yes, it is that simple.

Veggies…don’t judge your taste of a veggie from any childhood experience.  I hated brussels sprouts until someone roasted them after tossing in olive oil and salt and pepper.  Now I love them. I enjoy and appreciate most all roasted veggies.  We are grown-ups now.  We should be open to trying every single vegetable just for sake of variety.  It’s amazing how many things I’ll eat now that I wouldn’t touch years ago. 

Eating clean is only as hard as you choose to make it.  I choose to make it as easy as possible. 

It’s not a chore, it’s a choice.

The best carb sources around!

05
Sep
12

Clean Out the Clutter!

I’ve been in my current office creeping up on 4 years now.  I decided I needed a major change.  Thankfully we have the resources to rearrange the furnishings from time to time.  I understand why people NEVER do it.  People here have been sitting in the same offices, same chairs, more clutter surrounding them than you can fathom.

Are they settling or just lazy or perhaps stuck in the past?  This morning I cleaned out clutter that has somehow walked in to my office over the past several years.  Coffee cups that have no lids…what the heck happens to the lids??  CD’s I used to listen to.  A bulletin board stuffed with quotes that have spoken to me over the years.  Before and after pictures.  Pictures of my wonderful kids back in the day when they weren’t always wonderful. Times I wish I could go back to for a brief moment, then I snap out of it.

Everything is cleaned, dusted and de-cluttered now.  Some how it is soothing. 

In the old days I was often compelled to hold on to everything, thinking in some way I may need it again.

I believe that I tend to lean toward holding on to the clutter in my fitness life as well.  Old workouts, old techniques, old mindsets and old habits of allowing myself to become sloppy in holding form during weight training.

I’ve recently taken a few steps back in an attempt to de-clutter my fitness world.  I’ve lowered the weight and increased my reps on many of my lifts.  Mostly in an effort to drill home the mental memory of proper form.   I am enjoying the removal of the firm goal of “lift heavier always”.   Guess what?  I’ve been slowly and incrementally improving on all of them.

Having trouble with your food?  De-clutter it as well.  Stick to the basics, eat clean one meal at a time.  What’s clean?  Foods that you select from the produce aisle and the meat/seafood/tofu counter that don’t come in a box or that are prepared for you in the deli.

Tackle on drawer, one closet, one bookshelf at a time.  It’s truly freeing to de-clutter.

I used to believe this too…

30
Aug
12

Are Anger and Frustration a Catalyst?

Yesterday I had a conversation with an online trainer.  I’m not here to bash this person because there is an off-chance there may be a bit of truth in his message.

His message was that someone with my history, the history of obesity to fitness, isn’t likely a good fit for taking things to the next level of getting leaned out.

It really struck a chord with my insecurity for about an hour.   For that whole hour I had mental tapes from years past replay over in my head.  All of the moments I heard the term “you can’t” “you won’t” “it’s not possible” to lose the weight. 

He never said those exact words, but the words he said were direct enough to make me take that road trip backwards for the hour that I allowed my mind to venture. 

Then I got really miffed.  Miffed like I haven’t been in a decade.  I got miffed because I allowed another human being to create doubt in a space that is off-limits.  A space that I’ve maintained, manicured, furtilized with positivity, grown from a desolate space of nothingness into a positive field of successful DOING.

I know that people are trained in given fields.  They fill themselves with statistics and data.  They become an encyclopedia of their field of study and then they get comfortable spewing that data as one size fits all gospel.

Well, I’m here to tell you that is well and good.  But there are things that none of that data can capture. Those are human spirit, soul and determination.  The odds may be stacked in favor of the data, but there is always the off-chance that the underdog can and will prevail.

I choose to be the underdog.  I choose to be the one that will succeed.  My next level may not be the same as a superstar, but it’s mine for the taking.

I saw this the other day and yes, it came to mind by the time my head hit my pillow last night. 

“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t”

24
Aug
12

Emotional Eating

Quite a few people know what emotional eating is.  Some folks think it is conjured up and an excuse.

I found this definition on the interwebz but it’s a bit harsh for my liking. 

“Compulsive overeating, also sometimes called food addiction, is characterized by an obsessive/compulsive relationship to food.”

You see in the South we celebrate every occasion with food and therefore tend to connect every type of emotion under the sun with food.  EVERYTHING.

Ironically I married a man who is NOT emotionally attached to food.  I’ve learned a lot from him. 

Food either tastes good to him, or it’s meh…  He never eats because he’s stressed or anything like that.  In fact I at times I put food in front of him as a reminder to eat.

It’s actually quite cool as an emotional eater to witness in reality that non-emotional eating really exists.  It has helped me come to the following conclusion on handling food.

-When you look at food you shouldn’t be trying to decide if it will make you feel better or worse.  You should only be thinking “it’s time for me to fuel my body with the best possible option, is that what this particular food will do?”

Once I accepted the responsibility that I managed food and it didn’t manage me, things really begin to change.

When you are caught up in the cycle of eat bad, feel bad so eat more bad and feel worse, it is totally up to you to break that mental cycle.  It has nothing to do with the food. 

You see when I first started losing weight, I had weight loss momentum on my side.  I ate clean 6 days a week, had a free day and I worked out 6 days a week and rested one.  The weight literally started falling off.  125# in the first year.

But the real changes for me didn’t start happening until I started unpacking my baggage chest.  For 8 years I went up 20 pounds and down 20 pounds.  Constantly yo-yo dieting and never really putting my finger on what the issue was.

One day I stood in my kitchen with my hand literally in the cookie jar, with my cup of milk about to commence in the Oreo dunking party when I realized that I was defeating my very own purpose. 

At that moment came the first epiphany.  That ah-ha moment when I cracked open the proverbial baggage trunk for the first time.  I was flooded with guilt and shame and all sorts of emotion from the shoe boxes within that chest. 

At that moment however, true healing began.

One shoe box of baggage at a time was revealed, acknowledged, ultimately forgiven and then released into that unknown space of healing.

I wrote letters to people who had wronged me, vented all of my frustrations, then burned them.  Somehow this process allowed for me to let go of bitterness and hurt I was holding on to.

I wrote letters of apology and requested forgiveness and actually mailed those. 

Once I had dealt with the process of letting go, surprisingly the emotional eating episodes slowed down and now are almost completely non-existent.

Never give up on yourself.  Learn to love and appreciate the wonderful things you are capable of and forgive yourself for the seemingly stupid mistakes you’ve made and move on. 

Life is so much better with a trunk filled with peace.

22
Aug
12

When The Obstacle is The Mind

I was having a conversation with a coworker this morning.  This girl has done an amazing job of losing about 40# over the last 4 months.  Ironically, she says to me this morning “I’d be happy if I never lost another pound”.  Maybe. 

Here is the question I ponder though…  why set self-imposed limits? It’s not about losing pounds, it is about losing insecurity and realizing just what you are capable of.  It’s about getting fit.

I’ve been there, I’ve been to the point of saying “I’d be happy if I never lost another pound” but then I found fitness. 

Fitness truly begins when scale watching ends.

Feeling healthy and strong far surpasses what it feels like to diet down to “thin”.  

My message is this, when weight loss begins you will inevitably put self-imposed mental limits on what you can accomplish. 

Mainly because you will fail to believe in all that you are capable of.  Set those thoughts behind and set measurable, obtainable goals. 

It may take you a lot longer than you initially think it will, but let me tell you this…the journey is so much more adventurous than you can imagine when you begin. 

Get out of your own way and get busy doing things you never dreamed you could.  The only obstacle is your mind.  

Who would have ever thought that this:

 

Could transform in to this:

And the beauty of this is that I’m just getting started on learning how to stop letting my mind become the obstacle. 

BELIEVE…

 

 

03
Aug
12

Let’s Talk About Time

How long did it take you to lose all that weight?  I get that question a lot.  Through clean eating and working out 6 days a week in 12 week cycles, it took me the better part of a year to lose the first 125#.  

I’m sure there are people out there thinking “That’s like forever!”.  Well it may seem like an eternity but in reality that was pretty fast and consistent.

What other choice do you have?  You are not going to wake up one morning and be magically thin, so just get busy doing what must be done.

Don’t think I’m unkind or harsh, that’s not it.  But the truth is it is just a waste of precious time sitting there saying I’ll start Monday.  Or I’ll start when I finish this exercise book.  Or I’ll start working out after I lose 10# or 20# or 30#.  Or I’ll start once little Johnny starts school. 

Does it really matter how long it takes?  I used to think that I had to have spectacular results in x amount of time.  Now I just focus on doing the work each and every day and the results naturally follow.

It’s time to get busy!

01
Aug
12

It Is Not About Them

In the world of weight-loss it’s easy to play the victim.  Blame all of our shortcomings and lack of results on our upbringing, our past relationships, our lack of relationships, our jobs, our family time, our lack of money, and the list could go on for a full paragragh.  In all honesty, it is not about them, it is about you.

You can make valiant attempts to make lasting change, but until you realize that you are ulitmately responsible for your food intake and moving your butt, you are playing victim.  Sure life will give us lemons on occasion and we’ve got two choices, sit and sour along with the juice or make some lemonade.

Today I was heading outside to work-out with a coworker.  As I turned the corner to go down to the locker room I glanced to the left and saw two gentlemen coming into the facility to enjoy lunch in our cafeteria. 

One was suffering from health related issues, I have no idea what, but he struggled to walk slowly with his friend supporting his arm on one side and walking with a cane in the other hand. 

I smiled and nodded as I usually do and as I continued on to the locker room I was overcome with gratitude.  Gratitude that the man had a friend to lean on and walk with and emmense gratitude that I am now healthy.

When I weighed 328# I used to see the obstacle of weight-loss as  chore.  I used to pout when I would have to eat a salad and someone around me would be eating crap, that whole “why me” thing. 

Over time (not overnight) I realized that I was starting to feel better, my clothes fit better and then it got easier.  My mind shifted from this is a chore to this is a choice.  That one little switch changed everything.  The sooner you acknowledge that you are willing to do whatever is takes willingly to succeed the easier this path will become.

Hat Tip: Elements of Your Life