It Takes a Village

My doctor dropped a bombshell on me a few weeks back. Despite having awesome numbers with blood pressure, cholesterol & blood sugar, I'm a ticking time bomb because of my size. 

After I picked my chin up off the floor, he said that I've got increased risks for lots of things because I'm overweight. I'm in a higher risk category for lots of really nasty things...thankfully they should happen down the road, and are all entirely reversible.

It was finally the swift kick I needed to make some positive changes in my life. Most of them are long overdue, and are all things on my list when I would get to them. However, that time is NOW. I'm needing to get my poop in a scoop and get it together.  

First off, I assembled a team. I know I can't do it alone, so I got together with experts who can help me be the best me. It's like the president has a cabinet, I've got my team. 

I'm lucky my gym has some pretty spectacular benefits. One is free nutritionist counseling. And another is a free personal trainer session. I took advantage of both. I'm also working with a therapist to get at the root causes of my overeating and using food to self medicate. I've got accountability buddies who are both coaches & cheerleaders

Most of all, I've got a spiritual team that are putting on the armor of God with me and doing battle. I'm using Made to Crave as a framework for the whys I do what I do, and I'm sure there will be a positive outcome. Prayer, scripture study & more prayer will get me through.

Skin

As I make the transition to living a more yogic lifestyle, I am shedding a lot of skin. For many years, I was a compulsive overeater. I used my weight as a form of protection. I was guarding my heart and soul from a lot of things that were hurtful. On the subconscious level, I looked at it as being fat was a better excuse than facing up to the actual situation. Its easier to be fat than to admit you are surrounding yourself with people who are not supportive and caring about you (rather what you can do for them). I used to eat to stuff my emotions, and it was definitely a case of what was eating me.

 

I had a health crisis that caused me to completely re-examine my life and my choices. The first thing I did was eliminate animal based products from my diet. Yes, I went vegan for good. For me, the hardest thing is the fact that the Big Man doesn’t like most of what I eat, so I wind up making multiple meals. I have friends whose spouses went along on the journey with them. That is not true in my case. I also added in whole, home cooked foods. I stopped eating processed junk and soda, and I started to watch the weight drop off me. I lost almost 10% of my body weight in just over 6 weeks by not eating fast food or chips or having cokes multiple times a day.

The second big thing I did was I began to focus on mindful eating. I made each meal an experience. No more eating at my desk at work or during meetings. No more surfing the web or reading a book while I ate. I focused on eating. I say a prayer of gratitude for what I am about to eat. I make it an experience. I eat off real plates, with real silverware. I drink out of real glasses (no more disposable for me!). When I can, I add candles and table clothes, because eating should be an experience. I have noticed I eat less, not intentionally, but it just seems to work out that way.

 

The third thing is I am now owning my feelings. I journal more, and I focus on what needs to be resolved and with whom. I no longer let things fester or be stuffed down. I know I don’t like confrontation, but sometimes I need to do that in order to preserve my health. I am also slowly eliminating the 3 p’s of toxicity: people, places and products.

 

Fourth, I am eating when I am hungry. I don’t feel guilty over what I am eating either. Diets as we commonly know them don’t work. I am living proof of that. If it’s a commercially available diet, I have probably been on it. I could count points, grams, whatever. Since I stopped counting calories, I am losing weight. I am more focused on the quality of food that I am eating. I choose organic, whole foods versus anything that contains products made in lab. Since I started eating real food, my chronic aches and pains have been reduced. I don’t feel foggy headed. I am not constantly tired.  Yes, it is much more work. However, my health is important to me and it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Kombucha!

Have you ever had kombucha? It's a delicious fermented tea that I was introduced to over a decade & 1/2 ago by one of my fellow hippie friends. It was like a secret drink, only those in the know drank it. Most of us were on the crunchy side-plant eating,yoginis, farmers market going, organic eating, co-op buying-and it was just part of the lifestyle. SCOBYs were passed around from brewer to brewer and last for years. Today,you can get it at the supermarket.

As I continue going back to my crunchy roots (much the chagrin of my husband), I decided to try my hand at making my own kombucha. I'm a little tired of paying $4/bottle and quite frankly, it doesn't taste the same as home brewed. The biggest issue was finding a SCOBY in Sioux Falls. I tired hooking up with a few other brewers, but either they didn't have enough of their mother to share or flaked out. 

Desperate, I turned to my favorite resource: Pinterest. There, I found a way to make it from a pre-purchased bottle that had some of the mother floating in it. It looks a bit like jellyfish and it's good bacteria & yeast, things that make your digest track sing.

I strained out my SCOBY, brewed my tea, added some organic cane sugar and now I'm waiting. You have to use sugar. It's the SCOBY's food, and it helps it ferment. It takes about a week for it to "brew" and then you can save the mother and start a new batch. My friends from back in the day would usually brew several batches at once, since they drank it daily.

Fermentation row l-r kombucha, sauerkraut, fermented brown rice

Now that I'm making my own, I can too!

To make your own, you need:

Tea bags (I used earl grey & green)

2 c water

SCOBY

1/3 c kombucha 

1/2 c sugar (do not use sugar substitutes!!)

Boil water, then brew tea for 15 minutes. Discard bags (I save mine & use them to de puff my eyes). Add sugar & let dissolve. Pour into brewing jar. Add kombucha & SCOBY. Cover loosely. You need some air flow but not let anything get in.

Put in a safe place out of direct sunlight. It takes about a week to go. It should have a slightly vinegary smell. 

When it's done brewing, pour into bottles (I save mine) and refrigerate. You can take your mother & start letting her have kids & start brewing new batches. 

Naked Burrito

I love burritos. The love affair started at Bonneville Junior High, in Salt Lake City in the early 1980's. Sometimes, I'd get off my bus with my friend who lived at the other end of 6400 South, near 11th East. There was a 7-11 on the corner, and I had my first taste of a burrito.

It was love at first bite.

I still love them, even though they aren't the healthiest thing for me.

I've tried to find a way to make them healthier, but I hadn't had much luck.

Until now.

We've had some crazy weeks lately, between the Big Man being back in the hospital earlier this month,

Pinewood Derby 

and piano recitals

and competitions.

Then I got sick, causing an asthma flare.

As a result, lots of takeout and junk, which means feeling bloated and just plain yucky. In addition, grocery shopping was on the back burner, so cupboards were lacking the good stuff.

I was throwing together a quick dinner the other night, and didn't have anything jump out and scream cook me. It was like an episode of Chopped.  I had a sweet potato, some cooked kidney beans, a can of Rotel tomatoes, green onions, cashew cream, avocado, and some daiya shreds. 

Challenge accepted.

Time to make a naked burrito bowl.

What makes it naked is no tortilla. 

I cooked the sweet potato, then sliced it. I sprinkled some chili powder on it.

I reheated the beans with the tomatoes. Diced some green onions, added them. Heated them through. 

Diced some avocado and topped it all with cashew cream.

It was so good. 

The 12 Days of Christmas (detox)

I think I've been on a non stop binge since Halloween. It has been the first holiday season in 3 years that I'm not recovering from surgery. As a result, I've been baking and cooking up a storm. I'm still recovering from a broken leg, and very slowly getting back to exercising. I've over indulged with rich, creamy decadent foods. I have not drunk enough water. I feel very sluggish.

Every holiday season, between Christmas and New Years, I try to limit the damage of ho-ho-ho'ing for 3 months. The best way for me is to detox. What is that? It's a chance for my body to recover from bad eating and flushing out salt and toxins. I'm not recommending anything crazy, because that doesn't work and may in fact do more damage.

The most important thing I can do for my body is to increase the amount of water I drink. In fact, I've noticed that if I drink lemon infused water, I feel better faster. I also limit my salt intake and up the number of fruits and veggies I eat. I also make an effort to make healthier choices overall.


Another key component is upping the amount I move. It's not rocket science. Burn more calories than I take in=less bloating and better fitting in my clothes. I do a more gentle yoga practice every day, because it helps me get more in tune with my body. I make sure I get enough rest. I do things I enjoy. It's about balance going into the new year.

I am a spa junkie. I like my lotions, potions and scrubs. I will soak my feet. I will slather on the lotion and make my skin glow. I will do an at home facial. There are a gazillion ways to make my skin look good! The best thing however-lots of water and a healthy diet.

Tempted

Sometimes, our elf gives into temptation. He's not the only one! This time of year offers treats and indulgent sweets that can wreck havoc on our waistlines and our energy level.

It doesn't have to be that way.
Seriously.
You can do a few simple things to stay healthy this season.

First and foremost, despite the hustle and bustle of the season, you need to rest. Plan your meals. Take time for yourself.
Healthy snacks can be healthy AND easy.
Slice bananas and strawberries and make a candy cane.
Make a Christmas tree out of endamne, cheese and pretzel sticks.



Yoga can help you de stress.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Deelightful Dinners Menu for week of 7/29

It's the middle of the summer, the heat is on, and there are all sorts of great produce items blooming in the farmers markets to enjoy.

Sunday-pesto chicken over penne pasta, garlic basil biscuits, mock tiramisu
Monday-homemade pizza, antipasto salad, minted melon
Tuesday-chicken & black bean tacos, cilantro lime rice, Mexican chocolate Mini cakes
Wednesday-cheesesteak wraps, steamed fingerling potatoes with herb sauce, corn, healthy peach crisp
Thursday-stir fry over rice, homemade egg rolls, citrus salad
Friday-Chana masala, Bhaji potatoes, mango lassis
Saturday-burgers, sweet potato fries, corn on the cob, mylk shakes

Some really great breakfast & lunch ideas too-including peanut stir fry, green goddess smoothies and more!

To order:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/92603207/deelightful-dinners

Paradise

There has been a concerted silence lately from me regarding healthy eating and exercise. It's been by choice, as I've been struggling with reclaiming my life. Between vacation, my mother moving in, and the regular day to day stress, I've been focusing on taking it one day at a time.
The fact I had gained a tremendous amount of weight in a years time-effectively negating my post hysterectomy weight loss, and in fact adding to it-was due to two factors/ I stopped caring about what I ate, and I stopped exercising. That was it, and it's hard to start over.
But starting over I have done, again.
It gets harder as you get older.
But I am up for the challenge.
I'm making small changes, that are making me healthier every day.
One change I made was regarding snacks.
I love snacking. I need it. Seriously.
It's just making a good choice. Today I tried something new:

Graham crackers
Peanut butter (I used fresh ground from the co op)
Carob chips
Strawberries

Smear the cracker with peanut butter, top with chips. Microwave 30 seconds. Add strawberries. Eat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDCsc3CU5ww&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Pinning!

My name is Dee and I am a Pinterest addict. I do pin some useless stuff-snarky comments, wedding stuff even though I've been married for 10 years-but there are a lot of great things I've pinned that are great tips.
Here are a few of my current favorites:

Getting rid of that boy bathroom smell. I live with a bunch of boys (one big, one small and lots of friends)and keeping the bathroom super clean is an ongoing challenge. This pin has a simple solution that actually works!

http://m.pinterest.com/pin/47358233552218223/

I have towels that vary between 71/2 (when we bought our house) and 10 years ago (towels that we got for our shower & engagement), and needless to say they have taken a beating. I came across this pin, tried it and was shocked at how easy it was! My towels look brand new.

http://m.pinterest.com/pin/47358233552218217/

I'm always looking for an easy way to clean my bathtubs. I don't want to spend all day scrubbing. When I say I've tried everything, I have. Really. I don't like using a lot of chemicals, Nd many of these convenient cleaners are toxic. Who would have thought a simple solution of vinegar and dish soap would work the best?

http://m.pinterest.com/pin/47358233552191155/

I made these sliders for dinner last night. The Big Man thought they were a big hit!

http://m.pinterest.com/pin/47358233552211160/

I'm making a conscious effort to eat a healthy breakfast every day. One easy way to meet that goal is baked oatmeal. I instead added blackberries instead of blueberries and it came out cake like. Yum!

http://m.pinterest.com/pin/47358233552189913/

Are you on Pinterest? Do you follow me? Come join the fun: http://m.pinterest.com/mommydom/

Rush Rush

I have been soda free now for eight days. This has been an incredibly long eight days, believe me. This is not the
first time I've quit it, but I really need to make it stick.
It's over the last year, basically, that this has spiraled out of control. I went from an occasional can to 3-4 cans a day at work. I'm not going to give excuses, but I chose it over water consistently.
When I'd drink my coke, I'd get that sugar rush and be buzzing around. A little while later, there would be a huge crash and I'd be dragging. Then I'd get another soda and start the cycle all over again.
Talk about an error in judgement...it started innocently enough and has ended in a massive weight gain, as well as dealing with the sugar crashes. Since most of this was done during the workday, my family had no idea of the depth of my love affair with soda.
The healthier me is crying to be set free and vindicated.
The rush rush crash & burn cycle is wrecking havoc with my body. I am painfully aware of that over the last 8 days as I have avoided it. I've spent the last several nights crashing on the sofa as my body attempts to recover. It's amazing that one little 16 oz can of soda could be so bloody awful for me, especially with their jingle have a coke and a smile??
In order to replace my constant consumption, I'm drinking flavored water. My personal favorite is lemon mint, but there are endless options. In order to infuse you need:

Water
Fruit-lemons, oranges, berries, watermelon are all good choices, as is cucumber
Herbs-mint, rosemary or basil are the best

Add water to a pitcher, put in sliced fruit and herbs. Refrigerate for several hours to let flavors combine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IPbMVLZX6g&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Photo of mason jars courtesy of www.theyummylife.com via Pinterest

Heavy Cross

Its day 2 of "24 in the mirror". Who I am right now and who I thought I'd be right now have a lot of similar points but also a lot of divergence.
As recently as last year at this time, I was in better physical shape. Somewhere along the line, I lost my mojo and it's been really hard to get back. In fact, it's been pretty dormant. I *want* to work out, but there's a disconnect with actually doing it.
My body has been fleshed out. It's harder for me to do things, thats the bottom line. I'm more winded walking. It's harder to keep up in yoga class. It's a struggle to play with my kid. Cleaning the house is even challenging. Yet, I'm not really doing anything about it because it's even harder to start all over again.
I'm not a work out novice by any means. I know what needs to be done, it's just actually doing it. At some level, I feel almost like I'm punishing myself. It's like subconsciously sabotaging me because I don't think I deserve it.
It reminds me of the SNL skit with Stuart Smalley: I'm smart enough, I'm pretty enough and gosh darn it, people like me.
All of those statements are true.
There's a lot more excavation that needs to go on to get to the root cause of why I don't think health is my personal right. Some of it goes back to my teenage years, where my weight fluctuated it so much. I can still hear the mean girls in my head. Some of it is the isolation of working out at home. Some of it may be the guilt of "taking time" from others (from what sitting on the couch?). There's a lot of fear of "being noticed" too. There's a fear that I might be considered a traitor to the "cause".
On the other hand, there are all the benefits of being healthy. When I eat healthy and work out, my skin glows. I have energy. I have a rush of endorphins soaring through me. I feel strong and powerful. I can move mountains.
The problem is, I'm breaking out of my self imposed role by taking charge. It's been seared into my brain that I am supposed to be the wall flower, the one who isn't supposed to be assertive, the doormat who is desperate to be liked and would just say yes because of wanting to be part of the in crowd. I guess who you are as a teenager becomes an integral part of your psyche.
There are some folks who may tell me to just suck up and deal. Sure, that's an easy, knee jerk response. It's like archeology, exploring layer upon layer of why's and why nots, before reaching a conclusion.
Time to start digging.

Don't Give Up

I was looking at pictures from last Easter vs now. I was-wait for it-nearly 50 lbs lighter and almost 5 dress sizes smaller. I had more energy. I felt better about myself over all.
Somehow I wound up consuming a whopping 175,000 extra calories. That breaks down to approximately 3300 extra calories a week for the past year. 480 calories a day. That means even if I ate the same and did nothing else just drinking 3 cans of coke would do that.
I had a wake up call when my son asked if there was a brother or sister in my stomach. No honey, mommy is just fat.
There are a wide variety of reasons why I added a steady diet of soda and no exercise. The bottom line is the lack of self respect. I know what I need to do to be healthy-eat whole foods, drink water, get enough sleep, pray/meditate, move-and love myself enough to do it.
3 cans of soda daily. Was it worth it?
Not working out. Was it worth it?
Lying to myself. Was it worth it?
Luckily, I do get another chance to start over tomorrow. And if I need to, the next day, and the next and the next.
You get the picture.
Don't give up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiu6RMMNERs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

See How We Are

I have been thinking a lot about the one question in yesterday's Q&A that rankled me. If you work out and are vegan and practice yoga, then why are you still fat.
Ouch.
That still stings.
It did make me think about it though. I have all the tools and resources in my head to be healthy, strong and fit. However, in my daily practice that I don't implement it.
There are a whole host of reasons why, and each one painful. It all goes back to a sense of self worth. I know I shouldn't listen to the haters, but their voices are the loudest, and tend to drown out others who quietly offer support.
Looking back on the times in my life I was in fighting form, I had five things going on:
1. A strong spiritual practice
2. Focus and planning of my meals
3. Commitment to exercising daily
4. Time for me set aside daily
5. Routine, routine, routine
Quite honestly I have been scattered and all over the place for the past year. Luckily, I had a strong groundwork in place so there was a minimizing impact in some areas of my life.
In the last year, I added an extra 700 calories to my day on average, which translates to resuming my soda habit, and it resulted in a massive weight gain. What increased the impact was the fact that I wasn't working out. I have the type of metabolism that requires daily exercise. If I don't work out, I pay the price. I need to do cardio, I need weight training and I need stretching.
Planning out in advance what I was going to eat also helped me stay in control. It empowered me to make good choices and have alternatives to the vending machine. I felt in control and it felt great. Knowing what I was eating ahead of time allowed me to make better choices.
Having down time is important too. If you dont enjoy your life, what good is it? Doing things off my happy list helps, but it's not beneficial to have one and never use it.
Just like kids need routine, so do adults. People ask me how I can do it all, my answer is thanks to routine. Knowing what needs to be done and when helps me keep my sanity. Routine with cleaning, cooking, working out, "spa time", what to wear-you name it, I tried to have it as a no brainer. It just makes life smoother overall.
The final puzzle piece was a strong spiritual practice. I admit that I'm spotty at best with it for the past year. I can feel that empty space, and I need to go back to basics.
So in answer to that question, I run, do yoga am vegan and still fat. However I do intend to improve on who and what I am. See how that changes and how I am all along the journey.

The Change Inside Me

I am going to do something that I never thought I'd do...I'm going to run a contest, but for charity. I really need to jump start my healthy living goals and get back on track.
And my favorite charities will benefit.
Are you in?
I want to do something to benefit my three favorite charities: Feeding South Dakota, the Sioux Falls Humane Society and the Avera McKennan Foundation. These three fulfill my personal mission statement: feed the hungry, comfort the sick and take care of the least of us.
For each pound I lose, I will donate $1 to Feeding South Dakota. They can potentially get $100!!
For each mile I run in the next six months, the Sioux Falls Humane Society will get $1. They can get at least $250, which will take care of a lot of shelter pets. Each hour I logged, the Foundation will get a $1. That is a potential $170 donation by the end of September.
This is where you come in. Think of three charities that jazz you. Think of your health goals. How can both you and those organizations benefit? In the comments below, let me know what you are going to do to make your life and your world a better place. The change inside you can make the world around you change too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1T3FNGIDDk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

So emotional

I am an emotional eater. I admit it. I eat to stuff feelings, to drown my sorrows with 4 good friends: Ben, Jerry, Hagen and Dazs. From Mayo Clinic's website:

Although some people actually eat less in the face of strong emotions, if you're in emotional distress you may turn to impulsive or binge eating — you may rapidly eat whatever's convenient, without even enjoying it. In fact, your emotions may become so tied to your eating habits that you automatically reach for a sweet treat whenever you're angry or stressed without stopping to think about what you're doing.

Food also serves as a distraction. If you're worried about an upcoming event or stewing over a conflict, for instance, you may focus on eating comfort food instead of dealing with the painful situation.

Whatever emotions drive you to overeat, the end result is often the same. The emotions return, and you may also now bear the additional burden of guilt about setting back your weight-loss goal. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle — your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself up for getting off your weight-loss track, you feel badly, and you overeat again.

I know this cycle all too well. In the last year and a half, I lost 60 lbs and then yo yo'ed gaining back those 60 and adding another 20 to them. There, I said it. It's out in the open. I'm embarrassed, ashamed and disgusted by that. I vowed to never be unhealthy and I went beyond that.
I wound up at my heaviest and laziest I've ever been.

Starting over is so hard. Personally, stepping onto that scale, and struggling to zip up fat clothes was my rock bottom. Being winded climbing the stairs was a wake up call. I don't have energy to play with my kid.

I'm at the point where I know I need to do something to just end this cycle once and for all. I can either accept the fact that this is my life, and deal with being big and get on with it. Or I do what's necessary to change.

Change is hard. It stinks. It's painful. Staying the same on the surface is easy, but it eventually will wear you down. I don't want to be in the same position, on the couch, living like this 5 years from now. Or a year from now. Or 6 months from now. Or next week. Not even tomorrow.

So first things first. I need to get the mindless, emotional eating under control.
1. Find a better way to deal with my emotions. Eating them away isn't going to make it better.
2. Surround myself with healthy opportunities and take them
3. Stop being a martyr.
4. Pamper myself

It's not just about eating healthy or exercising. That's actually the least of it. It's taking care of me across the board. When I hit the wall and my stress level gets to the max, I freeze. I tend to have this horrific back pain. I'm just constantly exhausted (is it because I'm not exercising, eating healthy? Or is this why I'm not making better choices?) and there's nothing in the tank.

So, starting today since there's no time like the present, I'm going to take Mayo Clinic's advice and work on this roller coaster ride and turn it from Great Adventure's El Toro to a kiddie coaster:

Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.
Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass.
Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.
Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.
Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.
Take away temptation. Don't keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're sure that you have your emotions in check.
Don't deprive yourself. When you're trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip, or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Get enough sleep. If you're constantly tired, you might snack to try to give yourself an energy boost. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.
Seek therapy. If you've tried self-help options but you still can't get control of your emotional eating, consider therapy with a professional mental health provider. Therapy can help you understand the motivations behind your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills. Therapy can also help you discover whether you may have an eating disorder, which is sometimes connected to emotional eating.

Here's to not being so emotional.