Do you even know what's in that?

How many times have I asked myself this question this week at the beach? haha Oh dear... between the boardwalk food and all of the "little" treats we feel are necessary for a vacation- sometimes it gets out of hand. I am the first one to tell you that you should have some fun on vacation, relax your typical routine and splurge a little. However, my moto is and always will be MODERATION!!!!

Sometimes I'll look at people like Drew Feldman who can eat 7000 calories in a day and stay so stinking twiggy and think ... ahh wouldn't that be nice? He had 8 gigantic cheesesticks on vacation before his meal came i mean- it must have been a pound of cheese for his appetizer and yet he doesn't gain an ounce. But here's something you might not realize, Drew is also the most hyperactive young man you'll ever meet. He burns those calories in a few hours with all of his incredible flips and jumps! My point is that yes you might say, but why can't I eat like that? But unless you're movin' like some of those people do we have to use a little self control- UGH!

Again I'm not saying you can't splurge a little but moderation is my favorite word- know why? Because it means that YES i can still eat ice cream every day but I literally measure out the half cup serving EVERY DAY! It may be annoying but maintaining your healthy weight is way easier than eating whatever and then having to loose a ton later ya know?

So here's a tip, go ahead and eat that candy bar but get some snack size ones so you're not tempted to wolf down the 350 calorie version all at once. My mom and I are all for our sweets so we found the things that we love only in smaller versions. Also variety tends to keep you satisfied longer. So you might want 2 hershey kisses and a mini baby ruth bar with an oreo one night. That's still only 175 calories for all of that as opposed to a normal baby ruth bar for 300! So much of a difference. And the other amazing benefit of moderation is that you stick with it longer because you never deprive yourself. I mean let's face it, when we diet and rule out all sugar or all fat or all carbs- how long can you possibly stick with that? Then you loose the weight but you haven't changed your lifestyle. So you end up gaining it all back plus more sometimes! NO FUN! So here's the trick, eat smaller portions, never give up what you love, and you end up succeeding :)

Question for you...

So I had a revelation last night at my sister's graduation party. Amidst the numerous food options that included everything from hot dogs to chips to cake, I realized how (as Christians) we deny ourselves so many things to keep our mind, will, and emotions healthy but when it comes to food we struggle. For example, most people I know strive to avoid pornography, foul language, and other addictive behavior. But when it comes to taking care of our bodies we have a hard time denying ourselves.

Don't take this the wrong way I'm not trying to bash you or me for that matter! BUT I just want to encourage you that YOU can do this! You so have the strength in you and the will power- heck look at the movies today and TV shows. Most of America can't manage to use self control with things we do each day! So I know that when it comes to taking care of your temple- You've got this!!

I know that many of you do try to eat healthy and take care of yourselves but if you're struggling lately just take heart that you have all that you need inside of you to take control. It gets overwhelming- trust me i know! But man you truly have what it takes to begin or continue a healthy lifestyle.

* Some Party Eating Tips:

So first of all Summer is the perfect party season- i've already been to 5 and it's only June 5th! One of the best tips I've ever received was to eat a healthy snack before you hit the party. The hungrier you are when you go- of course the more you'll eat and generally when you're really hungry have you noticed that your will power is nearly gone! Your flight or fight mode kicks in and it's just FOOOD!

Another tip is to maybe bring a healthy food. Many parties are potlucks so why don't you bring some healthy options- and here's a tip, instead of bringing the boring old veggie tray bring something healthy that you'll actually want to eat!

Try to avoid eating little bits of everything. This might seem like a good idea but in actuality you end up eating way more. Did you know that if you only eat a little bit of potato salad, chips, beans, macaroni salad, and cheese puffs, etc... Your mind never receives the "i'm full" signal. Therefore you end up eating ALL NIGHT. Did you notice that, you never really seem to get full so you just keep nibbling all night long which does you no favors.

So next time you head to a party this summer remember- You do have the strength to control your self! You can eat a healthy snack before you go so you're not ravenous when you get to the buffet table. You can bring the healthy foods for the party that are yummy, filling, and good for ya! And finally try to pick a few main healthy filling foods to eat so you don't keep snacking all night long.

You guys so have this and i'm excited to hear some good reports :)

Exercise Myths...

Ok so I hope everyone is feeling more alive now that Spring is in full swing :) I personally always feel much more motivated to work out even harder this time of year- we're breaking out the shorts and the tank tops and it doesn't hurt to add a little tone to our bodies right? So here are some things I've learned over the years...

1) Don't be afraid of strength training- this is basically working out with weights. Many women don't want to bulk up so they steer clear of the free weight area of the gym. Let me assure you- unless you're bench pressing 200 I can guarantee that you will only tone your muscles not bulk up.

2) When we use free weights or the weight machines at the gym we are also building strength. And I know that it's sort of a myth that men should want to build up their muscles but i'm telling you ladies- wouldn't it be nice to not struggle carrying in the heavy groceries? At Kohls i'm always lifting heavy boxes and carrying around pounds and pounds of clothing (can i hear an amen misses girls?!) I have noticed a huge improvement since i've been working out my arms. I can lift more for longer periods of time. Which is crucial when you're at work!

3) The more muscle we have the more calories we burn at rest- i've probably said that a thousand times now but it's true. Wouldn't you prefer to burn 100 calories sitting on the couch as opposed to 25? Well the more muscle on your body, the more blood has to flow to keep those muscles getting oxygen. This burns more calories than fat because fat doesn't need any oxygen. Have you ever seen those women who work out all the time with big fat veins running down their arms? That happens after a lot of strength training- the muscles need that constant blood supply and so the veins get bigger!

4) Lastly, I never want you to think that if you don't look like Jillian Michaels or some of those other trainers out there that you're not good enough. HECK NO! Can i just say that I know a lot of you out there are much stronger than you think! You have so much energy in you and the more you channel that energy into staying healthy... the better you will look and most importantly the better you will FEEL.

So keep going at it girls! Fire up that inner motivation and channel your energy into this. It is so key to living a long health filled life. Try something new this week, maybe you want to get a workout video- Pick something you're interested in. I love kickboxing LOVE IT! Maybe you'll prefer dance or a Zumba DVD. There is so much out there, but just get moving!

You guys are doing an awesome job!

I just wanted to take my time to congratulate you on your success today. You all are making some sort of effort to improve your health. Even if it's just reading my blog and educating yourself- those seeds are now in you and believe it or not, you're applying them to your lives.

On that note of praise I want to remind you to reward yourselves for your victories. Say you work out once this week- you know what? That is great! You're getting some physical activity into your hectic crazy week and that is awesome! So reward yourself... I will say that rewarding yourself with food probably isn't the best route to take. Not that having an ice cream cone will kill you! But it's the patterns we create that hurt us in the end. This really applies to children. If they do a good job and we reward them with a candy bar, when they grow up they'll eat a lot of candy bars to get that same satisfaction they felt as a child when they did a good job. So obviously you guys aren't kids but how about some alternative rewards: For you moms out there I say give yourself 30 minutes of alone time!!!!! DO IT! I know you feel guilty but seriously you deserve some time to yourself!

How about your favorite cup of tea or coffee and a good book? That is always appealing to me. For a special occasion, plan a day out! I love going to Longwood Gardens in the Spring. It is a gorgeous garden that goes on for miles and when it's tulip season there are literally millions of them everywhere!!!

So reward yourselves this week- you're doing a good job, trying to stay active and aware of your health and I am so proud. Also for you CCC ladies Zumba starts next Tuesday I believe at 5:30 and it's only $5 per class. It's a really fun way to exercise because it combines dance with cardio that will get you moving but you'll have a fun time too!!!!

Walks are a beautiful thing...

Aren't walks on a sunny, warm, Spring day a glorious gift from God! Oh my, today I took a walk and can I just describe the beautiful sensation of all of my muscles working, my heart pumping, the Spring feeling pulsing through my body! Oh I just adore Spring.

I definitely encourage you to take a walk this week- it is supposed to be a glorious week! Psych yourself up for it. The lovely thing about walks is that there is NO PRESSURE! You can walk as fast or slow as you want, pump your arms like a march or not. I mean it is totally up to you how intense you want your walk to be. Some days you just need a light happy walk. Other days a strong arm pumping walk is amazing. I am pretty sure whatever walk you choose you will be able to experience those endorphins pulsing through your body.

If you recall: endorphins are those chemicals that our body releases that make us "feel good!" They are actually a mechanism we adapted to encourage our "fight or flight" responses. Our bodies were granted with adrenaline to make sure we could escape from predators and so forth. Consider endorphins as a reward for your hard work! They are a God given motivational prize :)

So this week the goal: Get outside and take a lovely walk- feel your body getting stronger and healthier. Another little factoid is that walking involves every muscle in your body when done correctly. If you pump your arms, stand up straight, and swing those legs with power you are working your arm muscles, abs, butt, and leg muscles! So go get em girls! :)

Don't let that number determine your mood!

Today I want to address the myth that your weight determines your health. FALSE! Did you know that muscle weighs more than fat? Ok so yes, we can still be overweight and have excess fat on us which we need to try and work on, BUT please don't let this number determine your mood!

I used to weigh myself everyday, sometimes twice a day. If I gained even half of a pound I would FREAK OUT! (Did you know that you can loose up to 3 pounds after a bowl movement?!? Crazy stuff huh?) Also I want to clarify what the B.M.I calculations mean to me. Most doctors use the Body Mass Index calculations to determine whether you are overweight or not. They plug in your height and weight and come up with a number... usually it ranges from 18-40 but what it fails to consider is body type. Let's face it, we are all sooo different. Some of us literally have bigger bone structures, others are born having more muscle on them. All of these factors contribute to your overall weight. So here's my take on the BMI: If your number says that you are overweight, consider it but don't let that discourage you! Make sure that you do your best to take care of yourself- FOR YOU! Not to make the numbers on the chart say you're in the healthy range.

One of my professors (who is a Nutritionist) told me that one of her sons came home from the doctor one day and was told he was "obese". Now this kid was husky- I'm talking all muscle and had a large bone structure. My prof thought this was such an absurd thing but all that the doctor did was a BMI test- he did nothing to determine how much muscle compared to fat the kid had! So stinking annoying! So if you're curious about your BMI you can go to www.Kraft.com and under the Healthy Eating section they have a BMI calculator. Enter your height and weight but REMEMBER don't let the numbers (whether they're on the scale or on your computer) rule your life!

Another point I would like to make is this: When you begin to loose weight, hopefully you're loosing fat pounds and not muscle pounds. When this happens at first you will notice the scale going down. After a while however, if you are exercising, even somewhat regularly compared to normal, you will begin to build muscle. As i mentioned earlier, muscle weighs more than fat so if the scale starts to go up again or if you notice no change but your measurements keep shrinking this is why. Now you know what to expect. It's called the plateau stage of weight loss and all that this means is that your "weight number" eventually reaches a holding place once you start to build those muscles! So this is a GOOD thing! Be happy, the more muscle we have, the more calories we burn at rest. Which means after a while, you don't have to work sooo hard to maintain your "happy weight". So good luck girls and keep your chin up- Don't let those numbers rule your day, Remember the good choices you made today. The BABY STEPS you took to becoming a healthier you!

Exercise Video (FINALLY!!!!!)

Hey everyone here is the promised video! The first part has the warm up and arm workout. The second part has the lower body workout and cool down. So just give it a try- if you can't get through the whole thing- no worries- We start where we start and we progress! It's ok to take breaks! And most importantly have fun!!!! :) It literally helps to smile, try it. When you're out of breath and feeling tired- SMILE! It helps alot! Good luck everyone!

Power Foods!!

Ok so update on the video: it issss coming it's just being a booger but my dad is going to help me soon!

Ok on to powerhouse foods! These are some special foods with amazing qualities: they're chocked full of fiber, vitamins and lots of other "make me feel full" qualities.

#1 Oatmeal: Oatmeal has soluble fiber which means that it helps your body absorb less cholesterol... There is good cholesterol and bad, the good stuff is the kind your body makes. Our bodies will make enough cholesterol as needed which means we really shouldn't have too much going into our bodies through the foods we eat. Therefore, soluble fiber, like oatmeal, is great because it blocks that cholesterol from entering our bodies!! Also any kind of fiber helps keep us full longer which is fabulous for beating the mid morning snack attack!

#2 Berries: Berries contain various different vitamins, the most common of which is vitamin C which most of us know as the Immune System vitamin. It really does help keep our bodies strong and healthy especially during cold season! But berries have also been proven to contain many cancer fighting agents. So why not?! They are low calorie and whether you buy them frozen or fresh they are lovely with a dust of sugar or splenda and some mint!!!

#3 Beans: Ok so beans have gotten a bad rap in the past because they tend to produce gasses in our bodies... haha. BUT beans are sooooo wonderful for your body too! They are full of protein, fiber, and if you need a way to stay full- go for the beans. Now baked beans are not the best choice, they have lots of added sugar and preservatives but black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, and garbanzo beans (chick peas) are amazing choices.

#4 Salmon: You'll hear me say it again and again but salmon is just one of those foods you've gotta try. Hopefully you'll love it as much as I do because it is definitely a power food! Besides being a lean protein (no fat), salmon packs in the Omega 3's, which are healthy fatty acids. I think before I mentioned the difference between good fats and bad- Omega 3's are the BEST fats you can put into your body. They help maintain healthy skin, a good digestive system, and keep things "flowing"! So this is a definite power food to keep in the house. You can buy frozen fillets that are packaged individually (already cleaned and ready to go!) so that they keep for a while.

#5 Leafy Greens: Now this includes dark salad greens, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach. These are power house foods for sure: they are full of Vitamin A, folic acid, and vitamin C. Broccoli is special in that it contains Calcium as well. They are also full of antioxidants which is awesome! Also have you ever noticed that after eating a lot of broccoli you feel full? This is again from the fiber- like carrots- these veggies really will fill you up. Also when choosing salad greens try to find the darkest green as possible. The lighter the lettuce, the less vitamins and minerals inside. That's why iceberg is like eating water- it's not bad for you it just doesn't do anything for you!

Well those are 5 starting points for power foods! Enjoy and remember to eat stuff you like- find healthy foods you enjoy eating and stick with it! Don't force yourself to down a bowl full of spinach if you hate it- you'll only end up reaching for the bag of chips later. Go for the baby step approach, remember small, reasonable goals that YOU CAN ACHIEVE!

Ok here is your exercise video...

So this video is not super long but it includes some of my favorites. I want you all to know how much I love you that I'd do a workout in front of a camera for all to see :) But i trust you won't make fun of me! So here you go- get ready to burn some fat, rev up your metabolism and GET MOVING!!! The first video is your intro, the second is the warm up, the third is ARMS and the fourth is legs/abs/ and cooldown!

Step #5

Ok so we all know that these fad diets don't work right? We're all on the same page with that? I mean really- eat only grapefruit and peanuts or cut out carbs entirely. Can I just clear something up? Cutting out carbs will actually make your body start eating away at itself. Instead of loosing pounds of fat, you'll start loosing your muscle and other important things which you NEED! So if we're agreed that the fad dieting doesn't work.... what does?

I and my mom are living proof that doing it the hard slow way is the ultimate key to success. The message is one you've heard a thousand times: eat right and exercise. But no one teaches you how to really go about those HUGE changes. I mean for my mom, that was something way foreign to her. She used to be overweight (most of you don't remember this), but she really was at one point. She chose to start counting calories and measuring everything while keeping a journal of all of her intake. That worked for her- for most of us though, that seems very overwhelming and so we just don't do anything. I lost 30 lbs by just monitoring what i put in my mouth and exercising. I wasn't quite as stringent as my mom but I did start looking at nutrition labels. Ok so really I should only be having a cup of pasta... didn't know that before! Haha. Then i would be soo hungry because it was way less food then I was used to, so here's the trick... fill in that void with the healthy stuff! So instead of garlic bread and pasta, try some steamed broccoli, or a big old salad with lots of veggies on top and a LITTLE dressing.

Dressing is the killer man. Most people think if they have a few pieces of lettuce and drown it in Ranch it's now healthy WRONG. Sorry but true. Dressing is virtually alllll FAT so if you want some flavoring on your salad try those Wishbone Spritzers. You spray the dressing on and each spray is like 2 calories or something. As long as you don't do 50 sprays you're good! Also vinegar with a tiny bit of oil is acceptable. Remember that fat isn't the enemy it's just the type of fat we're trying to keep a handle on.

I actually think the best thing you can do is eliminate the fats you don't really need. Like using butter to sautee things- use pam! It's like 5 calories as opposed to 150! Also try extra virgin olive oil instead of other oils for cooking. It's got unsaturated fats- which pretty much means that your body can digest these. In chemistry you learn that saturated fats have all of these double bonds which get caught in your system allowing the fat to just chill there. If you consume unsaturated fats these have single bonds which your body can handle. So chem aside, UNSATURATED is the way to go. And PLEASE don't consume anything with TRANS fat. This is your enemy. It's rarely found in much except butter and a few processed snacks. But you might as well just stick that directly on yourself before you eat it because it will NOT be digested properly= fat buildup!

So i know this was a lot of random facts but to sum up, skip the fad dieting make lifestyle changes. These are what will last you. Also find what works for you, if it's calorie counting or just trying to choose healthy foods one day at a time go for it! And try to stick with the healthy fats as much as possible. Saturated and Trans= BAD, Unsaturated= GOOD!

Step #4

Today's step is going to be an attitude step. I need help in this area as well (I think most women do). I want to encourage you to try something this week that you probably never do. When you look in the mirror this week try to find something positive about your appearance. Usually when I look in the mirror it's as if I have a critique sheet listing off the things I want to change or modify about myself. But how about this week we try the opposite. Literally say it out loud- "I like my hair, I have great hair, and it rocks!"

It might sound stupid but like I said if you're like me at all, most of the time I walk away from the mirror depressed and even upset sometimes. I know that "inner beauty is what really counts" but let's get real, no girl can really accept that philosophy all of the time! Most of the time we do try to improve our looks but can I just say that whether it's your hair, eyes, skin, teeth, or any other part of your body- I KNOW that every one of us has something, make that MANY things we can be proud of and brag about. So do it this week- brag to yourself about, well, yourself!

Step #3

Today's step is all about Misinformation.

Ok this one just makes me tick... How dare some of these companies advertise these miracle cures and supplements and workouts that promise unrealistic results. GRRRRR... Honestly the only way to change anything is through some sweat and tears. Not to discourage you but nothing can be gained without pain. Many of you are more familiar with that life lesson than I am but it still holds true.

The key is to (1) Not get overwhelmed with the idea of a radical life change. It doesn't have to happen tomorrow. That's why this blog is titled Baby Steps. One small change at a time has been tested and proven to help you stick with it and actually get results without harming your body in the meantime.

(2) Please Please Please don't fall victim to these scammers out there. I know we all see the commercials and ads promising tremendous weight loss and a ripped body but what they fail to show you are these people 1 year later who gained all that weight back and then some. Baby steps toward the healthier lifestyle is the only way to do this.

So I am challenging you today to make ONE realistic goal for yourself. Just one. One small step that will lead to a healthier and stronger you. For example: How about trying to skip soda this week, see how you feel. I bet you will feel less bloated, cleaner, fresher, and have more energy from simply getting rid of this one drink. Even if it's diet soda, all of those artificial flavorings, sweeteners, and carbonation end up making you fell gross afterwards.

Another example might be going to the store and getting a light set of dumbbells. All a woman really needs are 3-5 lb weights at first. If you need to start at 2 lbs that's fine. We start where we start and when you're ready to progress you can! So go get some cheap dumbbels and do some basic bicep curls or do a few squats and mix in the bicep curls. I am not a believer in doing crunches to get thin. It simply doesn't work- if you plan on getting a regular exercise routine going then some ab exercies are fine but in order to get abs you have to burn calories and fat so the key is getting your heart pumping. When the heart is pumping your burning that fat! YEAH!

So to sum up: Remember to not get overwhelmed and chicken out of working toward your healthier goals, please relax and take a deep breath, we're in this together. Second, don't fall prey to those stupid weight loss supplements and pills. There is an industry making millions off of desperate people trying to get healthier and they're making a killing while people still don't loose weight. Lastly pick a goal for yourself this week. Pick one thing to start working on and try it out- no pressure remember! Just try it! Good luck :)

Step #2

Ok so Step #2 is pick your safety food...

For me it has always been baby carrots. I could eat bags and bags of them- they have tons of Vitamin A (good for your eyes) and lots of good fiber. They also keep you full which is handy when you're having one of those "always hungry" days.

I say pick a safety food. One that is low in calories, rich in the good stuff, and keeps you full. If I have learned one thing in all my studies it's finding foods that you like and that keep you full, while at the same time giving you some good nutrients and fiber. Just so that we're all on the same page, Fiber is an amazing thing. It helps to regulate your digestive system by basically pushing out everything in your intestines. Picture one of those commercials for drain clogs. The cleaning solution you pour down the drain is the fiber and as it makes its way through your intestines it pushes out things in it's path. Regulating your bowl movements and getting all that junk out of there. You really don't need those expensive yogurts and pills to regulate your digestive system- Just eat your FIBER!!

So what are some good choices for that go- to snack:

Carrots/Celery

Apples

Shredded Wheat

Low Fat yogurt (try to stay as natural as you can here)

Steamed veggies (you can buy them frozen in the steamer bags)

Grapes (try freezing them in the summer for a cold treat)

There are tons of others out there- try expanding your horizons, eat some different stuff! Just try to go for low cal, low fat options and heck while your at it pack in that fiber baby!

Step #1

Stand Up:

I am so sick of dietitians and physical therapists making it seem like you have to work out 3-5 times a week or there is no point. ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE! Ok let me just say, when I first started getting into shape and working out I started off with a 10 minute workout Saturday mornings! That was it for like 5 or 6 months. I just managed a 10 minute workout once a week and my muscles would be sore for days after words. Gradually I started working up to more but just standing up- getting up and moving a little makes all the difference in the world.

Maybe it's a 15 minute walk around your neighborhood or doing a few squats and jumping jacks in front of the TV- You're moving and that's the important part. Also can I just say to the moms out there- Keeping up with the kiddos can be a workout all on it's own. Maybe while you're picking up the toys you can squat down instead of bending over. It's easier on the back and great for your quads. And carrying the babies around- whooo arm workout! I bet if you flex you have a ginormous muscle! So be encouraged, you ladies work your butts off and probably burn more calories than any of us!

So to sum up, baby step #1 is STAND UP! It's so easy once you start and hey if you need to make a note to yourself- DO IT! If you need to put some light dumbbells next to your bed to remind you- DO IT! Exercise doesn't have to be intimidating if you don't make it!

Introduction to my world

This blog is designed for women and teenage girls who feel that society's pressures on females to be "perfect" is too much. This is for women who are sick of being told what to become but can't seem to work in a 4 hour workout with 3 kids and a job. This is for teenage girls who try so hard to look like their favorite celebrities but their bodies aren't looking like that even when they do skip meals. With all of the focus on body type and weight it is almost impossible to feel good about your body today. Many girls and even adult women turn to an eating disorder to try and soothe their pain. Some self medicate by thrusting themselves into their work or hobby. It feels like the media is literally SCREAMING at us to improve our bodies, change our lives, and basically look like "them". I for one am sick of the constant pressure, the grueling diets, lengthy exercise, and negative input thrust at me from every direction. I want to put some real facts out there. To show you how to take care of your body, take care of your mind, and most importantly prevent you from becoming sucked into the lies that society throws at you.

As a student majoring in Nutrition, and as someone who has literally spent hundreds of hours pouring over books, articles, and websites, I feel that I can convey honest-to-goodness facts that are not drastic or dangerous measures.

But let's start off with Baby Steps. I believe that this is the ultimate key to success for staying healthy in mind and body. Baby Steps. Not giant leaps to loose 10 pounds in one week or Get six pack abs in 6 days. I'm talking about simple little hints to help you feel more confident in yourself. Not because we all need to weigh 90 lbs and look like a super model, but because when your body is strong and healthy you can feel more alive to do the things you are most passionate about. Baby Steps.

So are you with me? Let's get started...