Every day I feel like I learn something new when it comes to nutrition and exercise. There are so many tips and tricks out there, that at times, it can be overwhelming to process it all! New studies come out all the time about new ‘super foods’ or how much exercise we really need each day. Then, there are all the different types of diets out there with varying approaches to weight loss. How does one navigate through so much information? To me, it’s kind of like fashion trends. Every month I get a new magazine updating me on what’s hot now and what ‘must have’ items I should invest in. It would be expensive, time consuming, and nearly impossible to follow every single trend out there. The same goes for nutrition and exercise, there is a lot of great information to choose from, but it would be simply too difficult to incorporate every single tip and trick you read about. Just like with fashion, you find the trends that work for you. And the same applies to nutrition and exercise, you have to find the tips and tricks that work for your lifestyle. Even when 80s fashion is the BIG thing, I just don’t go there because it isn’t my thing, no matter how cool it may be. It's not that it can't be cute on others, I just don't think it's cute on me. Well, the same applies for something like tofu, it may be a great healthy food, but it just isn’t my thing. But, that isn't to say it may not work great for someone else.
I know sorting through all the information isn’t easy, but don’t let it overwhelm you! Just pick out the information you feel you can successfully incorporate into your lifestyle. As I’ve said before, what works well for me, may not work well for you and vice versa. We all lead very different lives and have different advantages and disadvantages going for us. For me, I’m very fortunate to currently have a gym in my garage. It makes it very easy for me to workout at any given time. I’m also fortunate that I only have to cook for me. I can only imagine that it would be much more difficult to have a family depending on me for meals. On the other hand, I have a busy schedule between working full-time and going to school part-time. Also, I’m always on a budget, so I just can’t splurge on groceries for the sake of trying new foods all the time. We have to learn to make nutrition and exercise work for the lifestyle we have NOW. Just like we have to shop for the clothes that work for our bodies NOW, not the bodies we hope to have in three months when we lose 10 pounds. So, take a look at your life. What advantages do you have that would aid eating right and exercise? What road blocks do you have to navigate around? The sooner you identify these things the sooner you can tailor a plan that works with your specific lifestyle. For me, because I am busy and on a budget, I buy a lot of the same foods over and over again that I know are quick and easy to make. As much as I’d love to be a Martha Stewart and cook fabulously, healthy meals with tons of fresh ingredients every night, that isn’t my reality. Two nights a week I’m eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner as I literally drive to school. Of course, it would be great if we all had personal chefs and trainers helping us stay healthy, but for most of us that is never going to happen. Nevertheless, don’t let your circumstances hold you back or the overload of information bog you down. Understand your advantages and disadvantages and incorporate the tips and tricks that best work with your lifestyle.
Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Put it in Writing
I was watching the Biggest Loser a couple of weeks ago when personal finance expert Suzie Orman made a guest appearance. Based on all the contestants’ finances, Suzie Orman predicts who will win the Biggest Loser contest for the season. She accurately predicted last year’s winner mid-way through the season. This year, she was going to pick one contestant based on his finances, but when she found out that he didn’t write down and track what he was eating every day while on the show, she decided to bet on a different contestant to win.
You may be thinking what does the shape of your finances actually have to do with whether you’d win the Biggest Loser? And furthermore, why is writing down and tracking what you eat every day such a strong indicator of your success with weight loss or management? I’ll address the first question now. Budgeting and weight loss or management actually require many of the same principles. If you don’t watch your finances, or what you eat the numbers can really add up, and quick. The more you watch and manage both, the more successful you’ll be. I know exactly how much money I have in any of my bank accounts at any given time. I have a spreadsheet tracking my income and expenses so that I know what’s left over each month. Whenever I log into my online banking, I am never surprised at what I see, I know exactly what to expect. If I spend a little more one week than anticipated, I compensate the following week and spend less. I use these same principles when it comes to managing my weight. Every day I write down what I eat (or if it’s the weekend, I at least tally it in my head). At the end of each day, I write down my total for the day. If I eat more than expected one day (i.e. a birthday dinner, weekend BBQ, holiday, girls’ night out, etc.), I compensate the following day by getting right back on track and eat healthy. Again, just like my finances, I’m never surprised with where I’m at and this puts my mind at ease. It is a much better feeling to know that even if you overdo it now and then whether it’s financially or with food that you have the ability to do so because 1. You’re fully aware of your situation and know that you can do so and 2. You’re responsible 80% of the time, so you can allow yourself to be “out of control” every now and then without risking your progress. I would much rather be aware of both my finances and food choices than ignore them and one day wonder why I’m in debt or gained 10 pounds. If you stay on top of both, you’ll never have to be in that situation.
As for the second question I posed about writing down what you eat, I believe (and apparently Suzie Orman does too) that this is ESSENTIAL to being successful in losing or managing your weight. Now, of course there are plenty of people that don’t have a problem with their weight and don’t write down what they eat. Lucky them! But, there are A LOT of people (me included) who need to write down what they eat to be accountable. I’m getting to a place where I am pretty in tune with what I’m eating that I don’t have to write it down anymore, but I still like to because it really does keep me accountable. If I write it down, I won’t want to eat an extra this or that because I know I’ll have to track and face it. If you’re not writing down what you’re eating and trying to lose weight, how do you know what the problem is with your diet? It’s much easier to eat a few chips, have a few pieces of candy, or a bite of this and that when you don’t have to write it down. If you had to write down all your little unaccounted for nibbling throughout the day, you might be shocked how all those little things can add up (just like how all those cups of coffee at Starbucks can add up at the end of the month). Also, I’m guessing if you’re not writing it down then you’re probably not measuring out what you’re eating or conscious of nutrition facts either. As I’ve said before, most of us don’t know how to eyeball a correct portion, or how much fat or calories are in some of the foods we eat. If you’re aware of what’s in your food, measure out correct portions, and write it all down, how can you not be successful in managing what you’re eating? It forces you to come out of DENIAL. It forces you to see your problem areas and address them.
My advice is this, if you’re struggling with either losing weight or maintaining your weight, write down everything you eat for one week without making any tweaks to what you eat for the week. In fact, write down what you ate yesterday too so you really can’t tweak anything. At the end of the week look back and reflect on your choices. What did you learn? Did you learn that you’re not sure if you ate a cup or two cups of cereal in the morning? Are you unsure how many calories are in your dinner? Are you constantly snacking on candy at work? If you really want to understand what to change, you have to first know what your problems are, just like your finances! I challenge you to write down what you eat because it truly will help you succeed in your goals. Also, understand that all your small decisions add up, so remember to look at the big picture. Let’s put it this way, if you buy a tall cup of coffee at Starbucks for $1.50 (doesn’t sound like much) five days a week, you’ve spent $30 on coffee for the month!! Think how much you could save each month if you just bought a $14 bag of Starbucks coffee and brewed it at home for the month? Same applies to food, if you find out that you’re eating 150 calories in candy at work every day that adds up to 3,000 calories a month. Personally, I’d much rather eat the 250-calorie bowl of ice cream once a week and save 2,000 calories than eat unsatisfying junk everyday at work.
So remember, the more aware you are the more easily you can address any issues that arise with minimal effort. Track what you eat, and you’ll never get on that scale and wonder how you gained 10 pounds. The more you know the more power you have!
You may be thinking what does the shape of your finances actually have to do with whether you’d win the Biggest Loser? And furthermore, why is writing down and tracking what you eat every day such a strong indicator of your success with weight loss or management? I’ll address the first question now. Budgeting and weight loss or management actually require many of the same principles. If you don’t watch your finances, or what you eat the numbers can really add up, and quick. The more you watch and manage both, the more successful you’ll be. I know exactly how much money I have in any of my bank accounts at any given time. I have a spreadsheet tracking my income and expenses so that I know what’s left over each month. Whenever I log into my online banking, I am never surprised at what I see, I know exactly what to expect. If I spend a little more one week than anticipated, I compensate the following week and spend less. I use these same principles when it comes to managing my weight. Every day I write down what I eat (or if it’s the weekend, I at least tally it in my head). At the end of each day, I write down my total for the day. If I eat more than expected one day (i.e. a birthday dinner, weekend BBQ, holiday, girls’ night out, etc.), I compensate the following day by getting right back on track and eat healthy. Again, just like my finances, I’m never surprised with where I’m at and this puts my mind at ease. It is a much better feeling to know that even if you overdo it now and then whether it’s financially or with food that you have the ability to do so because 1. You’re fully aware of your situation and know that you can do so and 2. You’re responsible 80% of the time, so you can allow yourself to be “out of control” every now and then without risking your progress. I would much rather be aware of both my finances and food choices than ignore them and one day wonder why I’m in debt or gained 10 pounds. If you stay on top of both, you’ll never have to be in that situation.
As for the second question I posed about writing down what you eat, I believe (and apparently Suzie Orman does too) that this is ESSENTIAL to being successful in losing or managing your weight. Now, of course there are plenty of people that don’t have a problem with their weight and don’t write down what they eat. Lucky them! But, there are A LOT of people (me included) who need to write down what they eat to be accountable. I’m getting to a place where I am pretty in tune with what I’m eating that I don’t have to write it down anymore, but I still like to because it really does keep me accountable. If I write it down, I won’t want to eat an extra this or that because I know I’ll have to track and face it. If you’re not writing down what you’re eating and trying to lose weight, how do you know what the problem is with your diet? It’s much easier to eat a few chips, have a few pieces of candy, or a bite of this and that when you don’t have to write it down. If you had to write down all your little unaccounted for nibbling throughout the day, you might be shocked how all those little things can add up (just like how all those cups of coffee at Starbucks can add up at the end of the month). Also, I’m guessing if you’re not writing it down then you’re probably not measuring out what you’re eating or conscious of nutrition facts either. As I’ve said before, most of us don’t know how to eyeball a correct portion, or how much fat or calories are in some of the foods we eat. If you’re aware of what’s in your food, measure out correct portions, and write it all down, how can you not be successful in managing what you’re eating? It forces you to come out of DENIAL. It forces you to see your problem areas and address them.
My advice is this, if you’re struggling with either losing weight or maintaining your weight, write down everything you eat for one week without making any tweaks to what you eat for the week. In fact, write down what you ate yesterday too so you really can’t tweak anything. At the end of the week look back and reflect on your choices. What did you learn? Did you learn that you’re not sure if you ate a cup or two cups of cereal in the morning? Are you unsure how many calories are in your dinner? Are you constantly snacking on candy at work? If you really want to understand what to change, you have to first know what your problems are, just like your finances! I challenge you to write down what you eat because it truly will help you succeed in your goals. Also, understand that all your small decisions add up, so remember to look at the big picture. Let’s put it this way, if you buy a tall cup of coffee at Starbucks for $1.50 (doesn’t sound like much) five days a week, you’ve spent $30 on coffee for the month!! Think how much you could save each month if you just bought a $14 bag of Starbucks coffee and brewed it at home for the month? Same applies to food, if you find out that you’re eating 150 calories in candy at work every day that adds up to 3,000 calories a month. Personally, I’d much rather eat the 250-calorie bowl of ice cream once a week and save 2,000 calories than eat unsatisfying junk everyday at work.
So remember, the more aware you are the more easily you can address any issues that arise with minimal effort. Track what you eat, and you’ll never get on that scale and wonder how you gained 10 pounds. The more you know the more power you have!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Measuring Cups are Your Friends!
No one really wants to admit they measure their food. No one wants to be caught counting out how many chips or cookies they are going to have. No one wants to be found reading nutrition labels before a meal. It’s funny that so many of us are ashamed of being aware. But, sadly, we all know how this looks from an outsider’s perspective; doing these things seems obsessive, unnecessary, and indicates you’re on a “diet,” which in their eyes is unfounded. Don’t feel ashamed if you do measure, count, or analyze nutrition labels because, honestly, most people have no idea what one cup of milk or half a cup of vegetables looks like.
In a society where everything is ‘super-sized’ and more is always better, we’ve lost our sense of what a reasonable portion is. Measuring things out helps us either re-learn what we’ve long forgotten or never learned. Thankfully, as people become more conscious of what they're eating, companies have FINALLY wised up by making smaller, healthier portions of items (i.e. 100-calorie packs). Between measuring cups and healthy, pre-portioned items you should have the tools you need to understand what a reasonable portion is and make educated choices.
I fully admit that I measure my food on a daily basis (unless, I am allowing myself to eat whatever my little heart desires). If I didn’t measure, one cup of milk would become a cup and a half, four ounces of chicken would become eight, and two tablespoons of peanut butter would become three or four. You’re probably thinking, “How could that be, doesn’t she know what a reasonable portion is by now?” Well, yes, I know approximately what a cup and tablespoon each look like, but I also know that I have the tendency to ‘super-size’ my portions because I love food. For whatever reason, we always believe we need more food than we really do because our minds react before our bodies have the chance to. Remember that it takes approximately 20 minutes before your body registers that it has had enough food. Measuring forces you to become aware of what you're taking in, understand what your body really needs, and ultimately, become accountable to yourself.
How can you truly be accountable for what you’re eating if you have no clue how much you’re eating? If you’re really trying to lose weight, know you’re not good with portion control, or have no idea what a recommended serving looks like, I suggest you start measuring your food until you understand what a reasonable portion is. It’ll change your attitude about the foods you eat when you realize how many calories are in each serving of your favorite foods.
Did you know the recommended serving for ice cream is half a cup? Dreyer’s Loaded Cookie Dough ice cream has 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat in half a cup. Not too bad, right? Now, do you know what half a cup looks like? It’s about the size of a tennis ball. Raise your hand if when you scoop yourself ice cream from the carton that it’s about the size of a tennis ball? Is your hand down? Mine is (this is exactly why I like pre-portioned ice cream)! This is a great example of why you should measure food. While most of us understand how many calories are in a portion, few of us know what a portion really looks like.
I’m not suggesting that you become so uber-conscious about measuring that you don’t eat something unless you know that food’s nutrition facts and portions. That’s a little extreme! What I am suggesting is this, if you don’t feel that you have a basic handle on correct portion sizes and nutritional information about the food you eat, you really should invest some time in measuring out and learning about the foods you love. Once you have a better understanding of these concepts, you’ll be able to make informed choices, which will lead you to making healthier decisions. It’s much easier to eat Cheesecake Factory’s Four Cheese Pasta when you have no idea when you’ve eaten one cup of pasta, or what the entire entrée’s nutritional content is. It’s much harder to eat that same pasta when you realize it's probably 10x the recommended serving size for pasta (which is half a cup) and a whopping 1,240 calories!
So please, don’t be ashamed of becoming more aware through measuring because you’re the one who will benefit from this information. Knowledge is power my friends!
For more information on portion control and weight loss, click here http://www.webmd.com/diet/control-portion-size
In a society where everything is ‘super-sized’ and more is always better, we’ve lost our sense of what a reasonable portion is. Measuring things out helps us either re-learn what we’ve long forgotten or never learned. Thankfully, as people become more conscious of what they're eating, companies have FINALLY wised up by making smaller, healthier portions of items (i.e. 100-calorie packs). Between measuring cups and healthy, pre-portioned items you should have the tools you need to understand what a reasonable portion is and make educated choices.
I fully admit that I measure my food on a daily basis (unless, I am allowing myself to eat whatever my little heart desires). If I didn’t measure, one cup of milk would become a cup and a half, four ounces of chicken would become eight, and two tablespoons of peanut butter would become three or four. You’re probably thinking, “How could that be, doesn’t she know what a reasonable portion is by now?” Well, yes, I know approximately what a cup and tablespoon each look like, but I also know that I have the tendency to ‘super-size’ my portions because I love food. For whatever reason, we always believe we need more food than we really do because our minds react before our bodies have the chance to. Remember that it takes approximately 20 minutes before your body registers that it has had enough food. Measuring forces you to become aware of what you're taking in, understand what your body really needs, and ultimately, become accountable to yourself.
How can you truly be accountable for what you’re eating if you have no clue how much you’re eating? If you’re really trying to lose weight, know you’re not good with portion control, or have no idea what a recommended serving looks like, I suggest you start measuring your food until you understand what a reasonable portion is. It’ll change your attitude about the foods you eat when you realize how many calories are in each serving of your favorite foods.
Did you know the recommended serving for ice cream is half a cup? Dreyer’s Loaded Cookie Dough ice cream has 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat in half a cup. Not too bad, right? Now, do you know what half a cup looks like? It’s about the size of a tennis ball. Raise your hand if when you scoop yourself ice cream from the carton that it’s about the size of a tennis ball? Is your hand down? Mine is (this is exactly why I like pre-portioned ice cream)! This is a great example of why you should measure food. While most of us understand how many calories are in a portion, few of us know what a portion really looks like.
I’m not suggesting that you become so uber-conscious about measuring that you don’t eat something unless you know that food’s nutrition facts and portions. That’s a little extreme! What I am suggesting is this, if you don’t feel that you have a basic handle on correct portion sizes and nutritional information about the food you eat, you really should invest some time in measuring out and learning about the foods you love. Once you have a better understanding of these concepts, you’ll be able to make informed choices, which will lead you to making healthier decisions. It’s much easier to eat Cheesecake Factory’s Four Cheese Pasta when you have no idea when you’ve eaten one cup of pasta, or what the entire entrée’s nutritional content is. It’s much harder to eat that same pasta when you realize it's probably 10x the recommended serving size for pasta (which is half a cup) and a whopping 1,240 calories!
So please, don’t be ashamed of becoming more aware through measuring because you’re the one who will benefit from this information. Knowledge is power my friends!
For more information on portion control and weight loss, click here http://www.webmd.com/diet/control-portion-size
Friday, April 9, 2010
BYOL – Bring Your Own Lunch (and snacks) to Save Calories AND Money
If you’re like me, working the 9-5 grind in an office, then you know what happens when noon rolls around – lunchtime! One really good habit I got into right when I started working full-time was bringing my own lunch to work. Let me explain why.
Every morning, without fail, I make a sandwich or wrap (I try to mix it up to keep things interesting) to take to work for lunch. If, I am really pressed for time, I’ll grab a to-go cup of Progresso soup, frozen Lean Cuisine meal, or an organic lowfat burrito. Most of the time, however, I try to avoid these things since they are processed and loaded with sodium. Pressed for time or not, I ALWAYS bring my lunch. And, when you really think about the cost of bringing your own lunch versus picking up something to eat at a local eatery, how can you not make the switch to bringing your own lunch, especially in this economy!?!
Let’s say I didn’t pack my lunch for work and I picked up a sandwich at Quiznos five days a week. Let’s say I always ordered a regular-sized Oven Roasted Turkey and Cheddar sandwich. This sandwich has 510 calories (and that’s without any condiments) and costs approximately $7 (including tax). You do the math - that adds up to 2,550 calories a week for lunch and $35 dollars. Now, let’s say I packed a turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mustard five days a week instead. My homemade sandwich has approximately 300 calories and costs $3 a day. Your savings in one week: 1,050 calories and $20…can you say pedicure (or if you’re a dude, a new DVD)?!?
In addition to packing my lunch for work, I also pack snacks to keep around so that I always have a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep me going. I can’t tell you how much money and how many calories doing this has saved me over the years. Yes, of course I am still tempted by the occasional piece of chocolate in the candy bowl, or the treats coworkers sometimes bring in, but more often than not I’ll always reach for my own snacks. Having healthy snacks around keeps me from ever feeling starved and rarely breaking down. So, what do I pack for snacks? Usually, a FiberOne bar, one or two pieces of fruit, 100-calorie pack of almonds, and/or a cup of Yoplait YoPlus yogurt. My snacks are definitely healthier and better for you than grabbing a bag of chips or pack of cookies from the vending machine! Plus, because my snacks are loaded with protein and fiber, I never crash at work from too much sugar or come home from work feeling famished.
The lesson here, packing a lunch and snacks for work not only saves calories and money, it’s healthier, keeps you energized throughout the day, and keeps you from raiding your refrigerator later. And, do you want to know the absolute best part about eating this way? Eating smaller meals throughout the day revs your metabolism versus eating only three larger meals a day. Who doesn’t want that? So, wake up 15 minutes earlier every morning and prepare a lunch and snacks for your work day, it is worth it!
Every morning, without fail, I make a sandwich or wrap (I try to mix it up to keep things interesting) to take to work for lunch. If, I am really pressed for time, I’ll grab a to-go cup of Progresso soup, frozen Lean Cuisine meal, or an organic lowfat burrito. Most of the time, however, I try to avoid these things since they are processed and loaded with sodium. Pressed for time or not, I ALWAYS bring my lunch. And, when you really think about the cost of bringing your own lunch versus picking up something to eat at a local eatery, how can you not make the switch to bringing your own lunch, especially in this economy!?!
Let’s say I didn’t pack my lunch for work and I picked up a sandwich at Quiznos five days a week. Let’s say I always ordered a regular-sized Oven Roasted Turkey and Cheddar sandwich. This sandwich has 510 calories (and that’s without any condiments) and costs approximately $7 (including tax). You do the math - that adds up to 2,550 calories a week for lunch and $35 dollars. Now, let’s say I packed a turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mustard five days a week instead. My homemade sandwich has approximately 300 calories and costs $3 a day. Your savings in one week: 1,050 calories and $20…can you say pedicure (or if you’re a dude, a new DVD)?!?
In addition to packing my lunch for work, I also pack snacks to keep around so that I always have a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep me going. I can’t tell you how much money and how many calories doing this has saved me over the years. Yes, of course I am still tempted by the occasional piece of chocolate in the candy bowl, or the treats coworkers sometimes bring in, but more often than not I’ll always reach for my own snacks. Having healthy snacks around keeps me from ever feeling starved and rarely breaking down. So, what do I pack for snacks? Usually, a FiberOne bar, one or two pieces of fruit, 100-calorie pack of almonds, and/or a cup of Yoplait YoPlus yogurt. My snacks are definitely healthier and better for you than grabbing a bag of chips or pack of cookies from the vending machine! Plus, because my snacks are loaded with protein and fiber, I never crash at work from too much sugar or come home from work feeling famished.
The lesson here, packing a lunch and snacks for work not only saves calories and money, it’s healthier, keeps you energized throughout the day, and keeps you from raiding your refrigerator later. And, do you want to know the absolute best part about eating this way? Eating smaller meals throughout the day revs your metabolism versus eating only three larger meals a day. Who doesn’t want that? So, wake up 15 minutes earlier every morning and prepare a lunch and snacks for your work day, it is worth it!
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