I have a very sweet tooth. I love candy and sweets, and have a hard time moderating myself. I also have adverse reactions to sugar, which would make you think that it would be easier for me to avoid. Yet I always forget how I’m going to feel after, when I’m popping candies into my mouth. I’ve noticed in the last week or so that I now get a headache after eating candy. I suspect because I’ve been eating healthier lately, that the sudden rush of sugar goes straight to my head, literally. It also plays havoc with my blood sugar.
As a teenager I struggled with Hypoglycemia – the opposite of diabetes – where my body produced too much insulin. If I didn’t eat regularly and let my blood sugar drop, I would pass out. I have too many stories about passing out in strange and embarrassing places, before I learned to listen to my body and fuel it appropriately. Over time and likely with my weight gain, my body shifted to a pre-diabetic mode and I was dealing with the opposite problem. While I’m no longer considered in either state, I feel the effects of my blood sugar levels almost instantly. Within minutes of having a high dose of sugar, my cheeks and ears turn bright red and start to burn and I can start to feel light headed and sick to my stomach.
And yet it still doesn’t stop me from eating it.
I came across a group today that is running a 30 day challenge starting on February 1st. They are challenging people to change just one thing for 30 days to help your goal of a healthier lifestyle. While I always maintain that I don’t deny myself anything and that I’m not on a “diet” but on a new way of living, I am going to deny myself candy and sugary foods for the next 30 days. I don’t need them, they do nothing good for me and there are plenty of healthy, sweet altrenatives if I feel that I just can’t go on without some extra sweetness. I’m sure I will feel better for it too.
Are you interested in making 1 small change for 30 days? Come join us!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Nature vs. Nurture
Genetics can play a huge role in whether or not we are over weight. But so can our our environment. In our home right now, we have both spectrums of weight issues – I am trying to lose weight and we are always trying to get Liam to gain weight. Since both he and I are adopted, it has me thinking about the effects of nature vs nurture on our struggles.
Being adopted in a time of closed adoptions, I grew up with no idea of what my genetic family looked like. Did they struggle with their weight too? Or were my weight problems more because of the environment I lived in? My mom has been a member of TOPS for more than 35 years. I grew up watching her diet, measure her food and count calories. Her weight would go up and down over the years, until she finally hit her goal weight and stuck with it in the last decade. However, we always had chips, cookies, pop and ice cream in the house, and I remember freely helping myself to it all. All celebrations had a food component and all successes were rewarded with treats.
Eventually I was able to meet my birth mother and to see pictures of my half sister. They too have both struggled with weight issues all their life, with my sister being much heavier than I have ever been. So it seems that karma may have dealt me with weight issues from both the side of nature and the side of nurture.
We have more of an open adoption with Liam’s first family, but only on his mother’s side. He seems to be the only one that struggles with gaining weight. He also has the environmental component of being on medication that works as an appetit surpressant. So it begs the question – will he always be on the low end of the weight percentile, or could his genetic makeup kick in one day and even things out?
At the end of the day, the idea of nature vs nurture is really only academic. We can’t change our genetic makeup. We can however control our environment by making sure we are eating healthy food and staying active.
Do you think that Nature or Nurture has had a bigger impact on your health today?
Being adopted in a time of closed adoptions, I grew up with no idea of what my genetic family looked like. Did they struggle with their weight too? Or were my weight problems more because of the environment I lived in? My mom has been a member of TOPS for more than 35 years. I grew up watching her diet, measure her food and count calories. Her weight would go up and down over the years, until she finally hit her goal weight and stuck with it in the last decade. However, we always had chips, cookies, pop and ice cream in the house, and I remember freely helping myself to it all. All celebrations had a food component and all successes were rewarded with treats.
Eventually I was able to meet my birth mother and to see pictures of my half sister. They too have both struggled with weight issues all their life, with my sister being much heavier than I have ever been. So it seems that karma may have dealt me with weight issues from both the side of nature and the side of nurture.
We have more of an open adoption with Liam’s first family, but only on his mother’s side. He seems to be the only one that struggles with gaining weight. He also has the environmental component of being on medication that works as an appetit surpressant. So it begs the question – will he always be on the low end of the weight percentile, or could his genetic makeup kick in one day and even things out?
At the end of the day, the idea of nature vs nurture is really only academic. We can’t change our genetic makeup. We can however control our environment by making sure we are eating healthy food and staying active.
Do you think that Nature or Nurture has had a bigger impact on your health today?
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Weigh in January 26
Last Week's Weight - 220.9
Current Weight - 220.2
Weight Lost This Week - 0.5 lbs
This was not my most stellar week, with a lot of extra food that I knew I shouldn't eat, but enjoyed immensely. That to me is the point of this journey. Enjoy life, don't deny yourself anything, just keep it all within moderation.
Hilary and I are meal planning for the week before we head out grocery shopping today. Lamb stew, salads and chicken breasts, breakfast smoothies and steak are all on this week's menu. Sounds yummy!
Do you pre-plan your meals for the week?
Current Weight - 220.2
Weight Lost This Week - 0.5 lbs
This was not my most stellar week, with a lot of extra food that I knew I shouldn't eat, but enjoyed immensely. That to me is the point of this journey. Enjoy life, don't deny yourself anything, just keep it all within moderation.
Hilary and I are meal planning for the week before we head out grocery shopping today. Lamb stew, salads and chicken breasts, breakfast smoothies and steak are all on this week's menu. Sounds yummy!
Do you pre-plan your meals for the week?
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Speed Work
Speed is a relative term. Speed to a snail might be considered standing still to the a jaguar. The same applies for runners. Liam can "dork walk" faster than I can run. But even I have more than 1 speed when I'm running. I can't (yet) maintain my faster speed for very long, and I've just introduced "speed work" in the hopes of improving.
Why do speed work?
There are hundred's of articles and how-to's for adding speed work to your running regimen. I took the simplest approach. On every fifth lap of the track I would speed up to my maximum speed for the last straightaway section. Then I wouldkeel over slow down, catch my breath and try to keep going.
Surprisingly, while the speed work is hard, it feels great! For the first time I'm moving fast, not just shuffling along. I see a glimpse of the runner I want to become. I should also add in Hill Work, but that will have to wait till spring, since the track is pretty flat.
Do you add speed or hill work to your runs? What is your strategy?
Why do speed work?
Speed work doesn’t just make you run faster. It makes you fitter, increases the range of movement in your joints, makes you more comfortable at all speeds, and it will ultimately help you to run harder for longer. Source: Runners World
There are hundred's of articles and how-to's for adding speed work to your running regimen. I took the simplest approach. On every fifth lap of the track I would speed up to my maximum speed for the last straightaway section. Then I would
Surprisingly, while the speed work is hard, it feels great! For the first time I'm moving fast, not just shuffling along. I see a glimpse of the runner I want to become. I should also add in Hill Work, but that will have to wait till spring, since the track is pretty flat.
Do you add speed or hill work to your runs? What is your strategy?
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Raynaud's Syndrome
I live in a place that is cold at least 4 months of the year. It may not be as cold as other places in Canada, but when you have a disease that is affected by the cold, you are certainly aware of the dips in temperature.
What is Raynaud's Syndrome:
If I let myself get cold, my fingers, toes and even my nipples lose all blood flow, turn white and I have no sensation in them. It's not just a matter of wearing warm socks and gloves (or fur lined bras). I have to keep my core warm too. I spend the better part of Nov - March wearing a minimum of 4 layers - tank top, short sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt and sweater. If I'm really cold I will add a hoodie or wrap myself up in a blanket. I wear oven mitts to get things out of the freezer or to hold a bowl or glass that is cold to the touch. We have a bucket full of hand warmers and I use a heated bag every night when I go to bed to keep my hands warm as I fall asleep. I always have gloves and mittens with me, and use the fingerless gloves at the office so that I still type.
Once I do start to warm up, the blood comes rushing back to the area with a lot of pain and discomfort. It can be like having pins and needles from sitting on your leg for too long, but much more intense. On a bad day I can have 3-4 episodes which is very unpleasant.
I do take a medication that is a calcium channel blocker to help relax and open up the small blood vessels. It doesn't cure the problem, but it does help decrease the frequency of attacks.
I have lived with this disease for more than a decade now. I'm still fascinated to watch the transformation of my fingers from regular skin tone to white to bright red as the blood rushes back. It freaks out cashiers when I hand them money with fingers that look like they belong on a corpse. While there is no cure, I have found ways to work around it and to minimize the impact on my life. The only "cure" would be to move somewhere warm where I would never get cold. Maybe one day.......
What is Raynaud's Syndrome:
Raynaud's (ray-NOHZ) disease is a condition that causes some areas of your body — such as your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose and your ears — to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress. In Raynaud's disease, smaller arteries that supply blood to your skin narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas. Source: Mayo Clinic
If I let myself get cold, my fingers, toes and even my nipples lose all blood flow, turn white and I have no sensation in them. It's not just a matter of wearing warm socks and gloves (or fur lined bras). I have to keep my core warm too. I spend the better part of Nov - March wearing a minimum of 4 layers - tank top, short sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt and sweater. If I'm really cold I will add a hoodie or wrap myself up in a blanket. I wear oven mitts to get things out of the freezer or to hold a bowl or glass that is cold to the touch. We have a bucket full of hand warmers and I use a heated bag every night when I go to bed to keep my hands warm as I fall asleep. I always have gloves and mittens with me, and use the fingerless gloves at the office so that I still type.
Once I do start to warm up, the blood comes rushing back to the area with a lot of pain and discomfort. It can be like having pins and needles from sitting on your leg for too long, but much more intense. On a bad day I can have 3-4 episodes which is very unpleasant.
I do take a medication that is a calcium channel blocker to help relax and open up the small blood vessels. It doesn't cure the problem, but it does help decrease the frequency of attacks.
I have lived with this disease for more than a decade now. I'm still fascinated to watch the transformation of my fingers from regular skin tone to white to bright red as the blood rushes back. It freaks out cashiers when I hand them money with fingers that look like they belong on a corpse. While there is no cure, I have found ways to work around it and to minimize the impact on my life. The only "cure" would be to move somewhere warm where I would never get cold. Maybe one day.......
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Miso
In my Christmas stocking this year I got some lovely cup of soup style Miso Soups. Just add water and you have a lovely mug of warm, comforting goodness, complete with squares of tofu and bits of seaweed. I’ve always loved miso soup, so having it to take to work seemed like an awesome idea. And it is!
One packet of Miso soup has only 35 calories. It’s certainly not a complete meal on its own, but it makes for a great mid afternoon snack, or an add-on to a lunch of cheese and crackers. Miso also has many health benefits. One study associates it with lowering the risk of breast cancer1. Other studies link it to weight loss2. Nutritionally it is packed with vitamins from the B family, especially B12 (on that I often suffer from a lack of), antioxidants and it is a complete protein3.
What exactly is Miso?
Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans. While that doesn’t sound very appetizing , it has the texture of butter with a satly/nutty flavor4. It can be used in a variety of recipes, though the most commonly used for Miso soup.
Sources:
1)WebMd
2) LiveStrong
3) Care2.com
4) Natural News
Do you eat Miso? What is your favorite recipe?
One packet of Miso soup has only 35 calories. It’s certainly not a complete meal on its own, but it makes for a great mid afternoon snack, or an add-on to a lunch of cheese and crackers. Miso also has many health benefits. One study associates it with lowering the risk of breast cancer1. Other studies link it to weight loss2. Nutritionally it is packed with vitamins from the B family, especially B12 (on that I often suffer from a lack of), antioxidants and it is a complete protein3.
What exactly is Miso?
Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans. While that doesn’t sound very appetizing , it has the texture of butter with a satly/nutty flavor4. It can be used in a variety of recipes, though the most commonly used for Miso soup.
Sources:
1)WebMd
2) LiveStrong
3) Care2.com
4) Natural News
Do you eat Miso? What is your favorite recipe?
Monday, January 20, 2014
Rules for Living
An article was published by the Canadian Press today about the 9 rules for living that author Bruce Grierson has penned. Grierson recently published a book, What Makes Olga Run?, about 93 year-old Canadian track star Olga Kotelko. I’m looking forward to reading the book because WOW! what an inspiration. Olga didn't take up track and field events until she was in her 70s and sounds like the kind of old lady I would love to grow up to be.
Back to Grierson’s 9 rules for living. Some of his rules seem like no brainers: “Begin Now” - “Don't Do It If You Don't Love It” - “Keep Moving”, while some made me pause and think about them a bit more: “Be Opportunistic” – “Believe in Something” and "Be a Mensch" . It made me think. What rules for living do I have? At the young age of 43, I’m no expert on longevity, but I realized I do have a few “rules” that I try to follow. Hopefully they help lead to a long and healthy life. And who knows? Maybe I’ll be setting records when I’m in my 90s!
Andy’s Rules for Living
Back to Grierson’s 9 rules for living. Some of his rules seem like no brainers: “Begin Now” - “Don't Do It If You Don't Love It” - “Keep Moving”, while some made me pause and think about them a bit more: “Be Opportunistic” – “Believe in Something” and "Be a Mensch" . It made me think. What rules for living do I have? At the young age of 43, I’m no expert on longevity, but I realized I do have a few “rules” that I try to follow. Hopefully they help lead to a long and healthy life. And who knows? Maybe I’ll be setting records when I’m in my 90s!
Andy’s Rules for Living
- Laugh every day
- Tell the people you love that you love them every day
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat fresh vegetables
- Get out and walk
- Get enough sleep
- Be kind to yourself
- Own pets
- Believe in yourself
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