Because Losing Weight is a Bitch, and Gaining it Takes No Effort at All.
This blog is about losing weight for real. No gimmicks, no fast fixes, and no miracle weight loss stories. You won't read anything about losing 30 pounds in a month, but you will learn about losing weight for real, getting healthy, and changing your whole family's eating habits.
Think that Tony the Tiger is just a harmless breakfast icon? Think again.
Despite what big food tries to convince you, here's the reality:
Defenders of kid marketing claim animated characters are simple, harmless fun. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. These characters are not some random creation. Rather, they are a well-calculated assault on children. For any given character, millions of dollars has been spent on the following:
Researching the psyche of kids at each stage of childhood development
Learning effective emotional triggers to create kid engagement, trust and purchase interest
Understanding story frameworks to make sure they are interesting to kids
Testing and re-testing advertising concepts and final commercials to ensure they will drive increased consumption among kids
With the help of advertising agencies, research firms, and brand character specialists like Character LLC, Big Food companies launch advertising smart bombs, disguised as fun-loving characters, straight at kids.
It is truly amazing that when you do a side by side comparison of Frosted Flakes to an ice cream sandwich, you'd actually be better off giving your kids an ice-cream sandwich for breakfast.
And, as the blogger notes, the size of the Frosted Flakes portion is vastly undersized, so you're feeding your kid even more calories, sodium and fat.
As the author points out, Kellogg's spends nearly $20 million annually marketing just Frosted Flakes. Tony the Tiger represents big money, and it's not money spent in your kids' best interest.
The author says it well, "Kid's Marketing . . . It's Just Not a Fair Fight."
However, I didn't realize that if I did venture to eat one, I'd essentially be eating the same ingredients that are in my yoga mat. To wit:
These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous. But it's still a little disconcerting to know that, for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun. The compound is banned in Europe and Australia as a food additive. (England's Health and Safety Executive classified it as a "respiratory sensitizer" that potentially contributes to asthma through occupational exposure.) The U.S. limits azodicarbonamide to 45 parts per million in commercial flour products, based on analysis of lab testing.
I think one of the main ways the processed food industry is trying to grow and defend their business is by funding self-serving research. The goal of these studies isn't to uncover "the truth" or to improve public health. Instead, the research is carefully constructed to create sound bites and statistics to help market their products or combat potential regulation. This is one of the primary ways we end up with conflicting studies that confuse consumers on what they should eat or drink.
Is this purposeful misdirection? Intent is always tough to prove, especially if you don't have firsthand knowledge. Research tends to be the work of a select few within processed food companies, and I was never part of one of those groups. That said, if you dig into these studies and their methodology, you can usually find the telltale signs of how they have "stacked the deck" in their favor.
Yesterday was my first radiation treatment. I have to go in everyday, five days a week, for 32 treatments.
It was pretty uneventful yesterday, aside from the fact that I woke up with a fairly nasty cold, and could not breath through my nose for most of the day.
On my way out, the technician handed me a list of "do's and don'ts" which I thought I'd share with you, along with my thoughts on each one.
1. Do not expose the treated breast to sunlight. I'm a 50 year old woman, living in Connecticut, and it's NOVEMBER, what the hell makes you think I'll be sunbathing topless?
2. Wear Cotton only bras with no underwires. Well I guess my husband won't be getting any sexy lingerie strip-teases for a while.
3. Do not shave treated armpit. If I'm not shaving one, then what's the point of shaving the other?
4. Apply pure cornstarch to treated breast prior to treatment. Just what I want to do everyday, rub gravy thickener into my boobie.
5. Do not use any cream, lotion, cosmetics or deodorant on the treated breast. Do women actually use cosmetics on their breasts? Am I missing out on something here?
6. Do not apply heat or cold to treated breast. Again, am I missing something here? Do women typically go around with heating pads and cold packs on their boobs?
7. Do not scratch or rub skin on treated breast. Well, that wouldn't be very attractive now would it? Why don't you just tell me not to rub my crotch while you're at it?
What I found most distressing was that obese teen-agers turn to smoking as a weight loss aide. The second most distressing thing is that they don't understand that they can't have their sugary sodas and lose weight too. It's sad to think that young men and women may be turned off to exercise, thinking it does nothing for them, because they don't understand that they have to both cut calories and exercise.
The most effective way to cut calories, of course, is to cut out those sugary drinks.
It all comes down to education. Our young people are woefully under-educated in what it takes to maintain a healthy weight. They simply do not understand that if they spend three hours a day sitting playing video games and drinking sugary drinks, they are going to be obese.
Last night I made it back to Tai Chi for the first time since the Great Northeastern Halloween Snow Black-out. It felt so great to just breath.
Our power finally came back on Wednesday night after going out Saturday afternoon.
Needless to say, not having power for five days majorly disrupted my normal work-out and eating regime.
It was kind of like being on a vacation without the actual fun of being on vacation.
Did I mention that our town canceled school for THE ENTIRE WEEK??? So I've had a bored ten year old to contend with and a 16 year old autistic young man bouncing off the walls because his normal routine was disrupted.
Then, there was the whole cancer thing. I was dragging the kids, or trying to schedule sitters, so that I could make the rounds with my surgeon, oncologist and radiologist.
The shala were I normally practice was closed because there was no power, and I couldn't practice in my normal home yoga space because there was over a foot of water in it.
Plus, after three days of living in a cold, dark house were we couldn't flush the toilets, we finally abandoned ship and went to live with my girl-friend.
Now, with the kids out of school it was impossible for me to walk outside. I also couldn't utilize my treadmill because there was no power. Taking the kids anywhere to hike on Sunday and Monday was out of the question because there was snow on the ground.
With both my yoga shala and martial arts dojo closed due to lack of power, my usual exercise schedule was completely trashed.
I did manage to take a few walks with my girl-friend once I moved in with her and the snow melted, but she doesn't walk as far as I normally do. I also took the kids for a couple of walks in a park near her house as well.
So last night after getting back in my house, being able to go to the dojo and practice Tai Chi felt so-o-o-o good. I've been able to get back on the treadmill, take the kids for a hike and this morning I dragged the kids to the shala to wait while I practiced yoga.
What can I say about what I've been eating? Well, with no power it was hard to cook. I have a gas cook-top--THANK THE LORD--but for the most part we took the kids out to eat to get out of the cold, dark house (and use the toilets). I only ordered salads and grilled fish, but it was still probably a higher caloric load than I usually eat.
Did I mention the water in my basement? It came in handy to flush the toilets. Every day, several times a day, I'd don my rubber Hunter boots and walk down the stairs to the basement, fill the buckets with water, and go up to the bathrooms on the first and second level. I'd fill the tanks with the water from the buckets and flush.
We live in an early 19th New England Farmhouse. The plaque on the house says it was built in 1825. Whenever we lose power all I can think is that while I'm inconvenienced for a few hours, this was how people lived full time.
Well folks, I have to say. After having two extended power outages in the last 3 months, and living without electricity, heat and even running water, I know that I am SO-O-O-O happy to be living in the 21st century and not the 19th.
I have to admit that I was highly skeptical when a bunch of studies were touted a few months ago concluding that exercise does not help with weight loss. It just seemed to run counter to everything I've ever seen with my own weight loss efforts and those of friends and family.
Well, it turns out I had good cause to be skeptical. A new batch of studies indicates that weight loss DOES help.
Turns out that those pink ribbons plastered all over everything last month may have been a bit hypocritical. Here's the deal:
Avon and Estee Lauder make various products containing PEG compounds and other chemicals that undergo a nasty chemical process called “ethoxylation,” which uses ethylene oxide (a known breast carcinogen) during processing and often leaves products contaminated with 1,4 dioxane (a carcinogen and serious groundwater contaminant).
All three companies make products containing parabens and other chemicals that act like estrogen in the body, which is problematic because higher estrogen exposures are associated with higher breast cancer risk. A recent study found that methylparaben can interfere with the effectiveness of tamoxifin, a drug used to treat breast cancer.Revlon, Avon and Estee Lauder owe it to us to do better. As leaders in the pink-ribbon parade, they have a responsibility to stop buying carcinogens from the chemical companies, and they have the opportunity to be real champions for women’s health by using their leverage with the chemical companies to demand safer, non-toxic alternatives.
Instead, we get cute pink-ribbon products with an undisclosed portion of proceeds going to breast cancer research, almost none of which is focused on environmental causes of the disease such as cancer-causing chemicals and pollution. They want us to “hope for the cure” rather than having a serious discussion about how to prevent breast cancer – because prevention requires changing the status quo.
Just wanted to let you all know that due to the freak Eastern October Snowstorm I haven't had power, Internet etc since Saturday. We haven't gotten any estimates yet as to when we may see our power restored, so until then, I'm not sure what my ability to blog will be.
The battle to lose weight isn't easy, but the battle to keep that lost weight off is the bigger battle. A new study out of Australian shows how our bodies kick in hormones to make us feel hungrier after we shed weight.
Here's what it says:
In a small study published in the Oct. 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Australian scientists found that after overweight and obese patients followed a low-calorie diet for 10 weeks, their appetite and hunger hormone levels changed. While some hormone levels increased and others went down compared to before they dieted, nearly all of the changes favored the body's efforts to regain the lost weight.
The scientists used blood tests to measure levels of nine different hormones at the start of the study, at week 10 when the diet period ended, and again a year later.
The hormone levels did not revert to baseline values within 12 months after the initial weight reduction, said study senior author Dr. Joseph Proietto, a University of Melbourne professor of medicine at Austin Health in Victoria.
For example, in follow-up blood tests, one hormone called ghrelin, an appetite stimulator produced by cells in the lining of the stomach, increased after weight loss and continued to do so throughout the study. On the other hand, levels of the hormone leptin, which suppresses appetite, went down.
It's studies like these that I think demonstrate the most clearly why crash diets don't work. Your body just responds by doing everything it can to put back on any weight you lost.
Making gradual permanent changes to your diet--in the direction of eating less processed food, less meat and more fruits and vegetables--leads to longer term weight loss. It may take a year to lose 20 pounds, but the 20 pounds that comes off, stays off.
Call it the Tortoise diet. The Hare may take off weight faster, but it's the tortoise that keeps it off.
Having cancer is stressful. Even though I know the prognosis is good. I had a successful surgery and a great pathology report. I still have this huge uncertainty hanging over my head.
That uncertainty is my overall treatment plan.
So, when I have one of those doctors who is supposed to be helping me through this somewhat stressful time adding to that stress, it's not a good thing.
Let me digress. A few weeks ago my breast surgeon gave me the name of an oncologist.
Now the good news was that although my cancer was invasive, it was caught at a very early stage--stage 1A. My surgeon's opinion was that she did not feel that chemotherapy was necessary. Whether or not chemo was off the plate, however, had to be confirmed by an oncologist.
Needless to say I wanted to get into said oncologist's office ASAP to either confirm the good news (lifting a huge cloud of doubt over my head), or get the bad news and move forward.
Getting an appointment to see said oncologist, however, required more maneuvering than turning a cruise ship around in the high seas.
First there was the problem with actually getting the doctor's peeps to pick up the phone. I called the telephone number on the card my surgeon gave me, but was told that the oncologist my surgeon wanted me to see was in another office and was given Telephone Number 2 to call.
So I called Telephone Number 2 at 2 pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Although the message indicated that office hours were 9-5:30 Monday through Friday, no one picked up the phone. I tried several more times that day to get through to no avail.
So Thursday morning I started to try again, and I couldn't get through. Finally I called the Telephone Number 1, and informed them of my difficulties of getting any actual people to pick up the phone at Telephone Number 2. I got a receptionist who asked me to hold while she tried to get someone in the office.
After holding for a few minutes the receptionist got back to me and indicated that while their were receptionists, nurses, etc. in the other office, since the doctor wasn't in they decided to not pick up the phones so that they could get paperwork done.
Looking back, I now realize that I should have right then and there hung up the phone, called my surgeon and demand the name of another oncologist.
But, I'm a woman, I have cancer and I didn't want to make any waves.
Instead, I was told that the oncologist's office would get back to me by the end of the day.
I should of asked "Why not now?"
A few hours later the oncologist's office called.
Hip, hip hooray!!!
A nurse asked me a bunch of questions and then said that they would request my records from my surgeon and get back to me by Tuesday to set up an appointment.
Tuesday at 4:45 I still hadn't heard back. I called the office, and guess what?
They didn't pick up the phone.
I once again called Telephone Number 1, got a person, and asked what was going on.
Quote "the doctor wasn't in, so they decided to leave early."
Huh???? I started to think that this was one office where I'd really like to get a job.
I'm already really irritated at this point, and emotionally distraught since I'm dealing with cancer, kids, autism, work and all the other daily stresses of a a modern day, 21st century working Mom.
The receptionist at Telephone Number 1, however, assured me that she would see that someone would get back to me first thing the next morning.
At 11 o'clock the next day they finally called me (that's first thing?).
"Dr. X will see you at 11 am Tuesday, October 25th," the receptionist told me in a tone that seemed to indicate that she was setting up an appointment to let me see the Queen or the Dali Lama.
"I can't make that time," I told her, "I have another appointment with another doctor at that time."
"That is the time the doctor will see you," I was told.
I booked the anointed appointment, and cancelled the other doctor.
Well, today was the appointed day to see the oncologist, and guess what?
I got a call this morning. The appointment was canceled.
And, I was given a new appointment, Friday at 10.
"Um," I said, "I already have another appointment at that time. I have already cancelled one appointment to accommodate the doctor's schedule and I'm not going to cancel another one."
At this point I got a tirade about how this doctor was the "number 1" breast oncologist and that he has a very busy schedule and that I was lucky he was willing to fit me in.
All I could think about was that scene from Sex in the City where Samantha Jones is trying to get in to see some fancy oncologist and she has to deal with the snitty receptionist.
Well, I am not Samantha Jones. I'm not some single woman with no other responsibilities except satisfying my libido. I can't just sit around some fucking doctor's office hoping that at some point they will look down favorably on me from their exalted positions and deign to favor me with an appointment (or at least a telephone call).
I've got cancer, dammit and I don't expect to treated like some peon by some diva doctor and his obsequious staff.
Jesus, fucking Christ, am I really supposed to beg and be grateful for treatment????
Who the hell does this doctor think he is???
So I told diva doctor's receptionist what she could do with the appointment, hung up the phone and called my surgeon.
I got her nurse and explained that me and diva doctor were not going to cut it. This ship was sailing, and diva wasn't going to be steering it.
The nurse told me that it was understood and that she would ask the surgeon for other recommendations.
Well, long story short, I think I found a new oncologist. He's already deemed me worthy to speak to me directly on the phone, and his staff is working on getting me in for an initial consultation.
Where am I? Feeling a lot better these days. The post surgery trauma, aches and pains are pretty much gone, and I was able to both take a walk and do a full yoga practice today.
I am, however, sleeping quite a bit.
How much sleep? Well yesterday I work up at 8, took a 1 1/2 hour nap in the afternoon then fell asleep at 9.
I took another nap today.
So, you can say I'm sleeping my way back to recovery.
But, of course, just as I'm feeling better, stuff looms in the future that's pretty much guaranteed to get me feeling like shit again.
Tomorrow I see my oncologist and he'll tell me if I need chemotherapy.
Needless to say the idea of getting pumped full of poisons and chemicals and losing my hair doesn't make me want to jump up and down and yell "hooray!!"
My surgeon thinks I don't need chemo, but it's up to the oncologist to make the final call.
Wish me luck.
Chemo or no, I will need radiology, every day for 4-6 weeks. I'm seeing the radiologist on Thursday, and based on what the oncologist says, he'll tell me when and for how long I'll need radiology.
Radiology is also not something that makes me want to jump for joy. I have to go EVERY FUCKING DAY for 4-6 weeks. That alone is a drag, but I'm told that after a while your boob gets so burnt you can't wear a bra.
And, did I mention that I'm going to essentially get zonked with huge doses of RADIATION????
I've come to the conclusion that no real progress has been made in the treatment of breast cancer.
Huge strides have been made in detection, leading to fewer deaths from breast cancer. Huge strides have also been made in reconstruction. But the actual treatments are just as barbaric as they were 10, 20 or 30 years ago. When I talk to women who've had breast cancer in the past, the amazing thing is that what I'm going through is pretty much exactly what they went through.
The idea that a full mastectomy was still on the table for me boggles the mind, as is the idea that the only available post-surgery treatment options are still pretty much only chemo and radiation.
As always Marion Nestle has an excellent post on the latest corporate marketing drive directed at keeping you sick and fat.
It is not taking away YOUR choice to have Federal food safety regulations, so that YOU don't get sick after eating a slice of cantaloupe.
If you search down through the comments you'll see that the Washington Legal Foundation, which appears to be so concerned with individual freedoms, is actually funded by big corporations such as Pepsico.
Believe me, Pepsico couldn't give a shit about your freedoms, the only thing they're concerned about is profits. Corporate conglomerates don't give money to advertising campaigns promoting "individual choice" because its the warm and fuzzy thing to do. They do it because they're afraid that additional food safety regulations will cut into their profits.
Ads like the one Marion mentioned in her post generally never arise from real, individual, grass-roots concerns. They're corporate propaganda, pure and simple.
Over the weekend, the pain from the incision where they took out lymph nodes under my arm finally subsided. I am happy to report that I can once again move my arms up over my head without pain,and that ongoing low throbbing pain is gone.
But, I had to hit the Motrin again on Sunday.
It started rather innocently. On Saturday I went to my Tai Chi class and was grateful that my instructor focused the Qi Gong part of the class on developing lower body strength.
Now, Tai Chi is deceptive. You're doing what seem to be easy movements, slowly and repeatedly. You feel fine. You're not uncomfortable or tired at all while you're doing them.
But then, you wake up the next morning and can't move the area you worked because your muscles are in too much pain.
Sunday morning when I woke up, I realized that moving my legs was a problem because the muscles running down the front of my thighs were spent. Walking up and down stairs, actually just walking in general, was shear agony, and several doses of Motrin and a hot bath did little to relieve the pain.
I still hurt on Monday, and I'm still feeling the residual effects even today.
"If a "food" is flooded with so many preservatives that it can withstand a full year in both sub-zero and 100 degree-plus temps without decomposing, what kind of havoc might it be wreaking in my body?"
This was written about a package of Hillshire Farms Deli Meat left in the trunk of a car for over a year.
Here's the story:
Three years ago, the time came to sell my trusty red Mercury Cougar. She'd lasted me a full decade, ever since my parents bought her for me as a college graduation gift. At the Honda dealership, we were given a large garbage bag to empty out our trunk before trading her in. Back there, I found a Best of Britney Spears Beta tape, some old sports bras, a beat-up Locker Room Diaries manuscript and... a package of Hillshire Farms Deli Select sliced honey ham.
The expiration date on the ham was February of 2008. It was currently October of 2008. Now, fat-free packaged deli meat is generally so pumped full of preservatives that the expiration date tends to run about five months ahead, which means I had likely purchased said pork in October of 2007, a full year earlier, when it must have fallen out of my grocery bag without my noticing. It languished there during a Chicago summer, when the temps often climb to Bikram Yoga levels.
And yet, this ham was not moldy. It did not smell at all. It was perfectly preserved. My husband turned to me and said, "I hope you never, ever eat this crap again."
Today I did my first led Ashtanga practice since the surgery. Earlier in the week I went to my shala and did a self-led practice. My regular teacher, Val, helped me to adapt the vinyasas and asanas for my limited range of motion.
I'm still having problems with the incision area where they took out lymph nodes, and, according to my surgeon, will continue to have issues for a while. I can't follow extend my arm up over my head yet, and the swelling in the area makes it uncomfortable for me lie on my right side.
My stamina is also still not back. I'm tiring pretty easily, and finding that I've had to pull back on all my physical activities.
The Friday morning led practice at my Shala is the advanced primary series. Even though I had to adapt and modify the asanas and vinyasa pretty extensively, and even though I had to sit and breath while my fellows yogis did all the vinyasas during the seated portion of the practice, it still felt good to just breath and stretch in unison with my fellow practitioners.
I had the same experience in my Tai Chi class. Last night I went back to my first Tai Chi class since the surgery. During the early Qi Gong portion of the class it just felt good to stand and breath with my fellow students.
When we went into our Yang long form, however, I found I had to stop during the second part to take a break. My incision started to bother me from all the arm movements, and I just got plain old tired. I was able to rejoin towards the end of the second part (the entire form takes between 15 to 20 minutes to complete) and finished. I decided to forgo any practicing of my sword or saber forms for a few weeks, since my sword/saber arm is, of course, my right arm (where the incision is).
But, as in yoga, it was still just good to move and breath.
I don't have a lot of time to blog today but wanted to give the heads up to this interesting post by Marion Nestle on her blog about Congressional Hearings on nutrition standards for marketing food to children.
In commenting on the various governmental nonsensical maneuvering, Marion makes a good point:
"This, as I keep pointing out, is about protecting corporate health at the expense of children’s health."
As I always point out, be aware of marketing, and do not be a slave to it (and don't let your kids either).
I do not allow my children to eat any processed breakfast cereal unless it's a special occasion, e.g., we're on vacation. Never mind the character-driven varieties that are loaded with sugar, I won't even buy the "healthier" versions. They may have less sugar and overly processed ingredients then Frosted Flakes or Captain Crunch, but they still have enough to be a nutritionally unsound way for children to start the day.
And, you know what? My kids are fine with it. They get bagels, toast, eggs or oatmeal and they're content.
I have been pretty much going out of my way to avoid anything regarding Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I'm more aware of Breast Cancer than I really care to be THANKYOUVERYMUCH, and don't need to be bombarded by a barrage of pink ribbons.
But I have been somewhat obsessing about why I get breast cancer.
I've gone over the risk factors time and time again. There's really never been any breast cancer in my family. I don't smoke. I'm relatively lean and I eat a mostly plant based diet. And, while I like a glass of wine or two a few times a week, I'm not exactly guzzling down Martinis or Scotch on a daily basis (in fact, I pretty much don't drink hard alcohol and never drink beer).
So when I saw this article on foods to eat to avoid breast cancer, I thought I'd take a look despite my "avoid Breast Cancer Awareness Month" articles at all cost. Here's what they listed as the "8 Foods that Can Avoid Breast Cancer Risk," and how I stack up:
1. Plums and Peaches: Now I'm not the biggest fan of plums and peaches, but I eat a fair share of each when they're in season:
2. Walnuts: I love nuts, and was actually eating a salad with walnuts in it as I read this article:
3. Broccoli: I eat a ton of broccoli. It's one of my top favorite veggies. In fact, dinner tonight for me is a baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli.
4.Salmon: Another food I eat a ton of, generally at least once a week.
5.Olive oil: I'm Italian. Need I say more?
6. Parsley: I grow parsley in my garden every year, and it grows so abundantly actually go out of my way to add it to just about everything I cook. Whatever remaining parsley which doesn't go into my food immediately, gets dried and added to food until the weather warms up and the parsley grows fresh again.
7.Coffee: My morning cup of coffee is one of the highlights of my day.
8. Beans: See number 5 above about being Italian.
So, once again, the reason why I got cancer eludes me.
BTW, I guess the ultimate breast cancer avoidance meal would be salmon sauteed in olive oil with broccoli and beans and sprinkled with chopped parsley followed by a plum and walnut tart for dessert with coffee.
On a positive note, I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time since I was diagnosed.
I lost three pounds in the last few weeks without watching what I ate, and despite my not exercising at my regular levels.
Yesterday, I decided to make dinner for my family for the first time since my surgery. I prepared the food, cooked the food, and served the food. As I was cleaning up the kitchen my husband walked in and said "there's some left-over chicken, could you make me a sandwich for lunch tomorrow?"
I told him what he could do with the chicken.
I've been recovering fairly quickly. I pretty much slept the first two days, as the anesthesia worked it's way through of my system, but by Friday I was up and about, and took a long walk down by Long Island Sound, where it's flat.
On Saturday I took another Sound walk with my mother and kids, and did a brief treadmill walk at a 0 incline. By Sunday I was able to do my regular 3.5 mile "hilly" walk around my neighborhood, but it took a lot longer than usual. I also was able to do the first section of my Tai Chi long form.
The incision where they took out lymph nodes, however, is right under my right armpit and it starts to bother me whenever I move that arm about too much.
Yesterday I used the treadmill at a 5 incline, and my arm was feeling well enough that I was able to practice my entire Tai Chi long form which takes about 15-20 minutes. I'm not quite confident yet to wield my Tai Chi sword or Saber yet, but I'll get there.
Today I again took a Sound walk, this time with a girl-friend, and we added in a fairly steep hill so that we could get a fantastic view of Long Island Sound from the top.
I'm hoping to try an abbreviated, self-guided yoga practice tomorrow which will mark my one week surgery anniversary. That incision under my armpit, however, is still bothering me a bit, so I'm not so sure how much I can do at this point. Just to get back to the Shala, and breath with all my fellow yogis, however, is all I really need right now (although a little stretching would feel great as well).
Food-wise, I've never really been off track, but I haven't been completely on-track either. With my mother staying with me and cooking, I still managed to remain on fairly healthy diet, albeit a bit more meat-based than I usually eat. After she left, I began to work through much of the food my friends brought over, just grateful that I didn't have to cook.
I swear that after this is all over I don't want to see another bowl of chicken-broth-based soup for a long, long, long, time. Over the last few weeks, I've eaten gallons Jewish chicken soup, Italian chicken soup, Matzo bowl soup and even Wonton soup.
By last night, however, I felt that it was time to take control of my food again, and when friends call asking what I need, I tell them the greatest thing they can give me right now is their friendship.
On another note, I still haven't gotten my pathology report back, so it's still up in the air as to whether I'll need further surgery or chemotherapy on top of the radiation.
It's all rather disconcerting to have this hanging over my head, but I'm trying to remain positive. When friends ask about chemo I tell them that if I do have to go through it I'm getting a wig with the hair I always wanted but could never achieve. It's going to be the straightest, shiniest hair ever.
I always love reading the New York Times' Mark Bittman. He really appreciates good food, but at the same time knows how to blow bunk out of the water. This column on why junk food is not cheaper than "real food" shows how it is cheaper to cook then run to McDonalds. First he notes that it costs a family of four $28 to eat at McDonalds and then says:
In general, despite extensive government subsidies, hyperprocessed food remains more expensive than food cooked at home. You can serve a roasted chicken with vegetables along with a simple salad and milk for about $14, and feed four or even six people. If that’s too much money, substitute a meal of rice and canned beans with bacon, green peppers and onions; it’s easily enough for four people and costs about $9. (Omitting the bacon, using dried beans, which are also lower in sodium, or substituting carrots for the peppers reduces the price further, of course.)
He also has the same opinion of the "junk food is cheaper by the calorie" argument as I do--in a world were obesity runs rampant, people NEED to be eating fewer calories, so the "cheaper by the calorie" is nothing but pure bullsh!t:
Another argument runs that junk food is cheaper when measured by the calorie, and that this makes fast food essential for the poor because they need cheap calories. But given that half of the people in this country (and a higher percentage of poor people) consume too many calories rather than too few, measuring food’s value by the calorie makes as much sense as measuring a drink’s value by its alcohol content. (Why not drink 95 percent neutral grain spirit, the cheapest way to get drunk?)
Bittman also goes on to note that the poor can eat well, without resorting to organic, free-range, grass-fed, etc. The point is to get real food and cook it, not pick up ultra-processed foods on the fly.
David Cameron, the prime minister of Great Britain, backs a Danish style "fat tax." In case you didn't know, the Tories are the party of Margaret Thatcher, the equivalent of our Republican party but far more pragmatic.
As Cameron sees it, this is an fat is economic problem for his country. Unlike the US, Great Britain guarantees health care for all, having the largest single payer system in the world, and he knows that costs are going to soar if obesity soars.
According to the Daily Mail:
The tax – being considered at a time of rampant food price inflation – could put 25p on the price of a pack of butter and 8p on a packet of crisps.
Although no details have been worked out, the levy would target products such as milk, cheese, pizza, meat, oil and processed food.
Mr Cameron said drastic action was needed because by 2050 more than half of the population is predicted to be obese – so fat their health is in danger.
But many of his backbenchers will criticise the move as an example of the ‘nanny state’ his party is supposed to oppose.
If you didn't already know the Danes already has a fat tax, which Mark Bittman writes about here.
I'm home. A bit tired and sore, but home (which is always good). The surgery went well, but I won't know until next week if more surgery is needed (hopefully not), and what additional treatments I'll need (hopefully few).
This is breast cancer awareness month, which really, really sucks when you've just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Those damn pink ribbons are everywhere, so I can't even run into the grocery store to pick up a roll of paper towels without being reminded that I have cancer.
I guess that after this is all over I may take some comfort in this annual breast cancerthon, but right now it just plain old sucks.
I have taken comfort in two areas, however. First, I've surrounded myself with flowers (many courtesy of my friends who know I love flowers.)
Two, food. Now, I don't mean I'm gobbling down 7 layer chocolate cakes, but food can be really comfortingl, and you can be food comforted without breaking the calorie bank.
Last Thursday after seeing my surgeon for the first time I took my kids out for lunch. The kids had the day off for the Jewish holiday, so they tagged along while I discussed the how, when and where's of my surgery.
So, I'm sitting in this diner on the Post Road in Westport about to order my usual salad when my eyes focused in on the Mazto ball soup listed half a column up.
I had this enormous empty feeling inside of me, and the IDEA of Mazto ball soup just seemed so warming and filling. I got the soup and slowly drank in the broth while keeping up my happy front for my children.
I think I'll remember every spoonful of that one bowl of soup for the rest of my life.
The other "comfort food" I keep turning to is oatmeal. After an endless September of hot, muggy weather, we are finally getting Autumnal coolness here in Connecticut.
At night I go to bed thinking I'll just have fruit in the morning, but every morning I wake up knowing I need the warmth and comfort of a bowl of oatmeal.
BTW, my friends and family threw me this incredible party on Saturday. It was actually a "surprise" 50th birthday party, but it turned into so much more.
I did tell everyone, however, that they are never, ever to attempt to pin a pink ribbon on me.
My surgery for my breast cancer is scheduled for next Wednesday. The good news is that my tumor is very small-less then one centimeter. The bad news is that because of the kind of breast cancer I have--invasive Lobular--they have to remove a fairly large amount to make sure they get clean margins.
A plastic surgeon will be working with my breast surgeon to help reconstruct the breast. The first phase will involve "re-segmenting" the breast to prevent a collapse which will leave the overall breast smaller. They plastic surgeon compared it to the fanning out the segments of an orange. I'll have to "stuff" one side of my bra for a while so that I don't appear lop-sided.
The second part will happen about a year later. It's a technique called "fat grafting." They are going to liposuction one area of my body and then graph the fat into the re-segmented breast to even it out with the other one.
So the bad news is I have breast cancer. The good news is that it looks like I'll finally be able to get rid of my persistent muffin top.
Did I mention that numerous girlfriends have offered their fat if I need any extra?
A group known as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has posted this billboard in Wisconsin. They're claiming that eating cheese can make you sick and fat.
Now, this group isn't saying that eating an excess amount of cheese is bad, they seem to be claiming that eating ANY cheese is bad, and that feeding it to your children is tantamount to child abuse.
I did a bit of digging around and found at that PCRM is an organization that promotes, among other things, veganism that has in the past made dubious claims regarding eating hot dogs.
As anyone who reads my blog with any frequency knows, I like to come down hard on big food making health claims based on shady research that they've bought.
So, when I see an over the top fear tactic like this one by a group promoting veganism I'm going to come down just as hard.
I've written before that eating an excess of animal products, including cheese, will hamper your ability to take weight off and keep it off. Unlike the gals who wrote Skinny Bitch, however, I'm not going to preach that if you want to be thin you should be 100% vegan.
I myself, realized a few years ago that dairy products don't really "agree" with me anymore. Whenever I indulge I get bloated and excessively "bubbly."
Believe me, you wouldn't want to be in the same room with me afterwards.
My local school district a few years ago took steps to improve the food choices offered to students. After conducting some research, a new food provider was brought in to provide healthier food choices to students in the cafeterias, soda was banned from vending machines along with candy and sugary, salty snacks, and when pizza, pasta or bread was served, it was always made with whole grains.
I really, really, really loved and appreciated that these steps were taken. Granted, it's still not perfect, but at least if my daughter was eating pizza or chicken nuggets, I knew it was a better class of crap from the usual, dismal cafeteria offerings given to students across the country.
So, you can imagine my shock and dismay when I get a permission slip detailing a "field trip" for my 16 year old autistic son to go to, of all places, MCDONALD'S!!!
First, let me back-track. My son is somewhat overweight--something which typical occurs with people on the spectrum. The weight issue is due to his inability to self-regulate his food consumption. If he likes something, he will literally eat until he throws up. So, you have to limit his portions, and try to gauge whether or not he is actually hungry.
Now, because diabetes runs in my family, and my son is overweight, he has a pre-diabetic condition. Our pediatrician,therefore, has advised us to closely monitor his overall food consumption (difficult since he sneaks food), and make sure that he eats a proper diet (at least as much as you can get an autistic teen-ager to do so).
All this information has been conveyed to the school.
Let me also explain that my son loves to buy lunch at school. We have a debit card system and he just loves to go up, order his own lunch (which always includes fresh fruit thank God).
The first week of school I noticed that he was spending $12-14 a day on lunch. This got me concerned and I contacted the school and asked what he was getting.
I was told that he was ordering (and eating) 2 hamburgers, a side of bacon and 2 fruit cups a day.
I hit the roof and told the school that the aides with him were not monitoring his eating appropriately. They, of course, scrambled for an excuse, but indicated they would limit him to $8 a day, and make sure he made better food choices.
Now, the schools' program for my son is beyond lame (and I'm actually trying to get him placed in a private program), and they frequently go on field trips "out into the community." This is really nothing more than glorified babysitting done because they really don't know what else to do with the lower functioning sped kids. In the past they've gone bowling, to the zoo, etc.
So, you can imagine how I hit the roof when I found out that the next "field trip" was to McDonald's.
I mean--HELLO!!!--THE DISTRICT HAS A HEALTHY EATING POLICY AND YOU'RE TAKING A BUNCH OF COGNITIVELY DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE TO MCDONALDS?????
And, one of those kids you're taking has a pre-diabetic condition that you know about, and who, you've been told, needs to be on a low-salt, low fat diet?????
It's bad enough that because they can't actually teach these kids they have to go on these lame trips to begin with, but then to take them to a fast food restaurant???
My son still can't get dressed on his own, tie a shoe-lace, take a shower or shave, but the school thinks it's important for him to know how to order in a fast food place?
I really, really, really need to get my son out of that environment ASAP.
Sometimes even our best efforts to lead healthy lives get way-laid by, well, life. This morning I found out that I have invasive lobular breast cancer.
I've been in a flurry of trying to get tests and doctor's appointments scheduled.
Big food fights proposals by the UN to lower the rates of obesity and other non-communicable diseases. According to this Bloomberg piece, food companies are attempting to stop the United Nations from issuing a statement that says anything about how food marketing promotes obesity and related chronic diseases. Marion Nestle expands on the issue on her blog.
Nestle notes that the last time the UN looked into this issue, it caved in to the food industry. She's hoping for a better outcome this time, although I have less faith than she does.
I should officially name this Bat-Shit Crazies Week. Following my posts yesterday on nuttier then nuts politician Michelle Bachman comes this move by PETA--an organization that seems to be entirely composed of bat-shit crazy animal lovers.
What did PETA do? Well in attempting to convince more people to become vegetarians or vegans they registered a porn site and hired porn stars to promote their message.
I guess nothing quite says "end exploitation of animals" like exploiting women.
Now as anyone who reads my blog regularly knows, I'm all for eating a primarily plant-based diet, and even promote short periods of vegetarianism or veganism in the name of health and weight loss.
But, I've never advocated for entirely eliminating animal products from one's diet for a number of reasons. For one thing, I believe that we were meant to be omnivores and completely eliminating animal products from our diet is just as unhealthy as eating too much.
For another thing, I lack the animal compassion gene--I really couldn't care less if a chicken lost it's life to sit on my plate as long as it was raised organically. In fact, I have, in the past, participated in the slaughtering of animals prior to eating them.
Finally, I always thought that vegans and vegetarians were tremendous pain-in-the asses with a "look at me, I'm more virtuous then you" attitude. I put them on par with religious fundamentalists of all religions (they're all just as bad IMHO).
So, the message of "don't eat meat to be kind to animals" is pretty much completely lost on me, and I'm completely in the dark as to why PETA would think that somehow tying that same message to porn is going to change it.
Maybe I should go out and buy some fur to protest PETA's exploitation of women? I just bought a new Bogner Ski Jacket two weeks ago, and the sales lady told me I can separately purchase this adorable raccoon fur lining for the hood.
Every so often I get a comment on a posting that I just have to reply to. Earlier today I commented on a speech Michelle Bachman made. Well, someone who I guess has listened to a little too much talk radio and seems incapable of a single original thought of their own made this comment to me:
You weaken your position when you reduce an issue to name calling. This is my main problem with liberals - the arrogance. People with whom you do not agree are beneath your contempt, lack intelligence, and just don't measure up. I was discussing a topic with a liberal the other day and Sarah Palin came up. One liberal went for her hair style (made me wonder if her lipstick was OK) and of course the comments about intelligence. Both these women have degrees and have been elected to office. Their intelligence would probably at least match yours. A liberal the other day reminded me about Palin saying she could see Russia. Anyone ever say something like "deeper than the deep blue sea" or "over the rainbow" or "older than dirt"? Could Palin have been speaking rhetorically about how clear in was in Alaska and how far one could see due to large open areas? This person went on to say she was a quitter; I googled why she resigned as governor of Alaska - perhaps liberals should do that as well. Stick to the issue please.
Downsizers, what the????? I'm not exactly doing thoughtful political analysis here. I'm commenting on what I think about issues revolving around food, food politics, dieting, weight loss, healthy eating, women's issues, etc. I could give you in-depth, well thought out reasons as to why neither Palin or Bachman should be allowed anywhere near the reins of government, but I'm not. If I was going to do that I would start a whole new political blog and call it A Connecticut Bitch Talks Politics.
Oh, and BTW, I'm a Republican. I worked on both of Ronald Reagan's campaigns for President, and on Giuliani's first run for Mayor.
It's not just "liberals" who think that Bachman is bat shit crazy and Palin a very sad commentary on the downfall of our entire political system. Many people who fall on the right of the political spectrum think so as well.
If you're looking for thoughtful analysis of Bachman and Palin weaknesses without "name calling" I suggest you look to actual conservative commentators such as George Will and Peggy Noonan.
But here, if I want to call some politician bat shit crazy, then I'm going to call them bat shit crazy because it's my blog and I can do what I want to do here, and I don't need some Rush Limbaugh drone calling me a "liberal" just because I believe that both Palin and Bachman are about as crazy as crazy gets without being confined to the nut-house.
I understand that this crazy-assed, bat-shit nuts lady doesn't stand a rat's chance in hell of ever getting to be elected president (nor will her repressed homosexual husband ever get to be first dude), but Michelle Bachman is already a member of Congress. Therefore, it is truly terrifying to think that she actually believes that the food industry is over-regulated.
Hello!!! Michelle how many more people have to get sick and/or die from tainted spinach, hamburger, lettuce, eggs, cantaloupes and tomatoes until you feel that maybe, just maybe, the US government needs to do a little something extra to keep it's citizens from dying after eating a meal?
Yesterday, I harvested all kinds of great veggies from the garden. I got some tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, thyme and red onions.
It's like having a farmer's market in my own backyard.
BTW, how do you like my "harvesting basket?" We got a lovely fruit basket for Christmas one year, and the fruit was piled high in this basket. It's the perfect shape for gathering the harvest.
Right now the garden is overflowing and I'm making primarily plant-based meals every night to take advantage of the garden. I'm also cooking and freezing whenever I can as well (although I lost part of my frozen harvest bounty when we lost power for four days due to Hurricane Irene--BUMMER!!). My dehydrator is also running non-stop drying herbs I'll use over the Winter in my cooking and to give as gifts as well.
I thought because tonight is cold and rainy, a nice hearty tomato-based minestrone soup is in order. What's great about making minestrone is that I can double or triple the batch and freeze it for other rainy-night dinners.
Tomorrow I want to harvest the first of these incredible savoy cabbages I tried this year. I plan to saute the cabbage with pancetta and garlic and serve it over pasta.
Two days ago, I harvested a handful of fragrant scallions from my herb garden along with cilantro and poached cod in a broth of scallions, cilantro, ginger and soy sauce. I tossed additional chopped scallions and cilantro on top when it was done and served it over brown rice.
I'm also eating lots of salads to utilize the tomatoes and cucumbers (although tomatoes cooked down are great over pasta as well).
And, the garden bounty will continue. Yesterday I planted out red-leaf lettuce and broccoli raab for an Autumn harvest and sowed seeds for radishes and scallions. My Brussels sprouts still need a few weeks before they're ready to harvest, and the flavor improves with a few frosts, so I'll be harvesting those through the end of November!!
I've been spending a lot of time in the garden again. I have to admit that I'm a bit of a fair weather gardener. When the weather is beautiful, I'm out there weeding, planting, pruning and sowing for hours. When it's too hot, too cold, too damp, etc., however, I don't venture out into the yard unless I absolutely have to do so.
But, the weather this weekend was perfect gardening weather, and since I had no other plans, the bulk of the weekend was spent rehabilitating the garden.
What do I mean by rehabilitating?
Well, when I first moved into my house 17 years ago the yard was an overgrown mess. What had once been cleared farm land, had been left to go wild for the previous few decades so there was very little space to plant a garden, and almost no sunlight. An old chicken coop that sat a top the hill behind my house was not visible from the house.
So we started out just taking out trees. I bought a chain-saw and took down most of the saplings and small trees myself. Professionals were brought in to take down the larger trees. This opened up space and light.
Next, I turned to transforming my rocky New England soil into something that a garden would thrive in. If the soil was beyond hope I would just dig out big trenches, cart away what I dug out and then fill the trenches in with new topsoil. If the soil was salvageable, I worked in copious amounts of manure and compost until the soil was rich and dark, dark brown.
Then came the planting. I visited far-flung nurseries and scoured catalog to find just the right combinations of long-blooming, deer resistant plantings (although we did eventually surround the property with a deer fence.)
Every year I extended the gardens until I reached a point when I considered myself finished. Then I sat back, and admired my work (often with a nice glass of wine in hand).
There was up-keep, but the major work was done--or so I thought.
For the last few years, I've been noticing that the garden hasn't been performing as well as I would like. The plants are a bit too crowded, and when I go to plant new plants, the soil isn't as rich as it should be.
I've come to the realization that the entire garden needs to be rehabilitated. Everything needs to be dug up, nutrients worked into the soil again, and any crowded plantings divided.
So, I've begun digging up the garden, section by section, to do rehabilitation. I may take me a few years to get through everything, but it's just work that needs to get done.
While I was digging up a particularly crowded patch of iris this weekend, I once again thought of how gardening is like weight loss. It's constant work and you can't just sit back and rest on your laurels (at least not for long).
If you want a beautiful garden, or maintain weight loss, even when the initial hard-work is over, there's still constant upkeep.
And, after a few years, you may notice that, despite your best efforts, weight slips back on again so you need to do some hard work again.
But, in the end the work is worth it. And, that's what you have to keep telling yourself. Yes, it's hard work. Yes, it would be so much easier to just eat fast food and not cook. Yes, you'd like to just sit and watch TV instead of exercising. But, if you cook, and eat mostly vegetables and exercise, you'll not only be thinner, but healthier.
Then you shouldn't be eating in White Castle. A 290 pound man is suing White Castle because he can't fit into their stationary seating. Watch:
Is that or is that not unbelievable? I agree with the "right wing" guy who pointed out that the litigant here should be spending less time at White Castle and more at the gym.
Furthermore, as the mother of a child with an actual disability, I really take offense at this idiot making his claim for damages under the ADA. It's silly lawsuits like these that discredit the larger good that the act does in protecting the truly disabled.
We all know that one way to lose weight is to simply have the fat sucked out of us. That loose roll of fat on your tummy can disappear instantly with a tummy tuck, and those lines on your face can be erased with an injection. Think your boobs are too big or too small? Well, you can easily change that as well.
I've never gone under the knife for cosmetic purposes, but I will admit to having cosmetic procedures--including a laser procedure to erase some of the scarring on my face due to acne. I'll also admit to having "liposuction fantasies" to deal with those stubborn pockets of fat on my belly, hips and thighs.
But I've always viewed full blown cosmetic surgery or liposuction with some suspicion. I've also never had any "injectables" to fill in my wrinkles, or Botox to paralyze my face.
For one thing, I've always been concerned about the possible medical consequences of these kinds of procedures.
However, the artificiality of having lipo, etc., has always been a bigger hurdle for me to get over. Once you go in for liposuction, a tummy tuck or a boob job, you become less then real.
In our society women with boob jobs tend to be mocked by those who haven't undergone the procedure and on TV and in movies. And, how about all those liposuction and Botox jokes?
So I found this article rather interesting. The author, an academic, asks why cosmetic surgery should be viewed any differently then, say, plucking one's eyebrows or putting on make-up. Here's what the author has to say:
Even though cosmetic surgery has grown to become a multi billion-dollar industry, it is looked at with some suspicion. Many feel that there is something superficial and, perhaps, slightly desperate about undergoing surgery for aesthetic reasons. In academia, at least, although a hair transplant and a teeth bleaching might pass, chances are that a breast enlargement would raise eyebrows.
It is not be unlikely, however, that the eyebrows in question would be both plucked and colored—for we already do quite a bit to enhance our looks. We work out, try to dress well, shave, and go to the hairdresser. We make sure we get tanned during summer. Some of us are on a diet, wear make up, or dye our hair.
I have got to admit that I never thought of it that way. I do, after all, wear make-up, have my eyebrows waxed (otherwise I can do a good Frida Kahlo imitation), and my once monthly hair dying appointment is sacred.
So why do I wince at the idea of finally booking that liposuction session? After all, as the author points out, cosmetic surgery patients tend to be quite happy with their results, and it's not like I'm not already engaging in activities to artificially enhance my looks.
As the author notes, beauty may only be skin deep, but looking good scores you points in society. So why not look the best you can be even if it means undergoing the knife?
I'm not saying that I definitely will now book a session to slenderize my thighs at a local plastic surgeon, but my inherent reluctance to do so is something to ponder.
According to this the new normal is to be overweight, and the medically ideal weight for height and age is now being perceived as being underweight. The article says that this can lead to a worsening off the obesity epidemic:
This lack of reality around body weight and diet is considered to be one of the many barriers in the nation’s growing obesity epidemic. We’ve become more “numb” to overweight and obesity because it’s everywhere; a person who is of normal weight actually appears to be the one who doesn’t fit in anymore.
Back in April 2010 I blogged about how pictures of circus fat men and women from the early part of the 20th century didn't look all that freakish. The pictures showed overweight people that were so unusual for the time that people actually paid to see them.
These circus fat people don't seem all that unusual anymore. In fact, you probably see people just like them anytime you go to the mall.
That's because fat is the new thin, We've grown so adjusted to seeing overweight people, that people who are just slightly overweight are now considered "thin," and those who are at their medically ideal weight are considered underweight.
I've written before that good eating habits should be subsidized for the poor, so I was thrilled to read this. Philadelphia now offers its food stamp recipients a 40% subsidy if they buy food at Farmers' markets. Food stamp recipients can now go to Farmers' markets in Philadelphia which sell cheaper produce then supermarkets, AND get an addition $2 in food for every $5 they spend.
This is great news for the poor and great news for small farmers. It's a "win-win" situation.
The bad news??? It's only a pilot program and soon the money will run out. Philadelphia has yet to find funding to continue the project.
The other bad news? Well since it's been a success, big food will no doubt try to find a way to sabotage it. As the article's author points out:
The good news is that the processed food industry hasn't figured out how to lobby against healthy food subsidies, which appear to be the programs gaining the most traction with consumers. Or at least not yet: Big Food will no doubt try to devise a way to fight the intolerable desire consumers of all income levels have to find ways to eat better. We'll just have to fight back harder.
This morning I read about a new study which claimed that people lost more weight with Weight Watchers. Read about it here.
In short the article says:
In a study published today in the British medical journal The Lancet, people following the Weight Watchers regimen for 12 months lost twice as much weight as those who followed the weight-loss guidance of their primary-care physicians.
Sound good--right??? I've never done Weight Watchers but I have a lot of friends and relatives who have, and it always seemed to be a sensible way to lose weight.
But a little ways down in the article I read this:
The study was funded by Weight Watchers through a grant to the U.K. Medical Research Council.
Get that? Weight Watchers funded the freaking study which showed, of course, that you'd lose more weight on Weight Watchers.
Now, I actually do think that if you want to go with a "program" to lose weight, Weight Watchers is the only one that will actually work in the long run. They're not trying to sell you any pre-packaged foods, or miracle extreme short-term weight loss. When you sign up for Weight Watchers you get a sensible program which teaches you how to eat for the rest of your life (and group support).
So, for the life of me I do not understand why they have to participate in this guy of junk science, and, yes, when a company funds research that puts their company in a good light, it's nothing but JUNK.
I firmly believe that eating right and trying to be at your optimum weight should always be a full time focus.
But let's get real, sometimes one needs a little motivation to stay on course, or, even better, make some improvements.
Well, a few months ago I found out my husband was throwing me a "surprise" 50th birthday party. It's going to be October 1st (my 50th party is actually January 3, 2012).
I found out about it from my husband. He had become overwhelmed by the planning of the event, and realized he needed me to help.
However, because my mother, sisters and several friends where also involved in the party planning, he didn't want to ruin the "surprise" for them, and so I'm not supposed to know about it (even though I actually do know about it).
Well, knowing that there was going to be a major party for me, in which I was going to be the center of attention has been a MAJOR motivating factor for me throughout the Summer, to eat lightly, exercise frequently and avoid sweets and junk food.
And, knowing that there is going to be this major party for me was also an excuse to go out and buy a sexy MaxMara dress and a new set of black patent leather, peep-toed, sling-back, Jimmy Choos.
I'm still in my post-Irene phase here in Connecticut. We got our power back on Tuesday, but it wasn't until Saturday that I thought the basement dry enough again to begin moving all the boxes of Christmas ornaments, teaching materials, yoga mats, blankets, etc. back into the basement.
Preparing for the hurricane took two full days. I had to empty the previously mentioned basement (because I knew we'd lose power and when we lose power we lose our sump pump and then the basement fills with water.) Everything that was moved out of the basement was moved into the dining room. I also had to move our rather heavy teak outdoor dining room set inside, along with all the umbrellas we use to create shade in our outside dining and sitting areas.
Then there was the matter of surveying our two acres of property and making determinations as to whether or not something could be a "projectile" that could cause problems in 70 MPH winds. Many garden ornaments, watering cans, plant supports, etc. had to be moved into either one of the sheds, or our barn.
Then there was the matter of stocking the house. When we lose power, we lose our pump which means we have no running water. Tubs had to be filled to give us water we could scoop out with buckets into our toilet bowl tanks to flush our toilets (although on the last day I was actually taking buckets of water out of the basement and hauling them two flights of stairs up to the second floor toilets).
Gallons of drinking water also had to be bought and carried into the house.
Needless to say, while I didn't have a lot of time to exercise during the hurricane, prep, power outage and clean-up, none-the-less all the extra "activities" I had to engage in during the hurricane prep, power outage and clean-up, have no doubt burned quite a few calories.
Now if I could just find a chart somewhere telling me how many calories I burned, I'd be a happy camper.
When it comes to weight loss, actually losing weight is the easier battle. The real war starts the day you reach your goal weight. Fighting to not put the weight back on is, in it's own way, a harder and much longer skirmish.
I bring this up because there's a real good, no-nonsense piece in the Huffington Post about weight maintenance which you can read here. The article explains both why maintaining weight is such an uphill battle, along with how to maintain weight loss.
The number one rule in keeping weight off is that you can never, ever go back to your old eating habits. As the author explains, your fat cells are just dying to plump up again and looking for any excuse to do so. Start eating potato chips again, and those cells will start rounding out again.
I've used to go through the dieting yo-yo myself. I'd change my eating habits, lose weight, then go back to the old habits and the weight would pile back on again.
I've also seen dozens of friends lose 20, 30, or more pounds on The South Beach Diet, Atkins, Jenny Craig etc. and each and everyone of them gained the weight back as soon as they went off the diet.
I've managed to keep my weight off now for more than 4 years. I did so by never going back. I'll admit that now and then I allow myself an occassional "treat," and may even go off for a week at a time if I'm on vacation, but for the most part, my eating habits have changed for life.
I'll also admit to some long term "drifting." I'll go through periods where I start to slip and the scale starts to move upwards, but then I correct course again, and the weight will come off.
But, I've managed to stablize my weight for the most part at around 130 pounds. I'd like to be thinner, and when I really work at it I can get down to 125, but it never seems to "stick" at that weight.
I know it's been wa-a-a-y too long since I've had substantial blog of note, but as I described in an earlier post, for whatever reason Blogger wouldn't let me even view my blog for close to a week, and THEN I was on vacation by the time I actually could even attempt to post.
Then, all hell broke loose. First, we had a minor earthquake while I was at the Jersey shore, just south of Philadelphia. That actually wasn't too bad, and kind of interesting. It was, believe it or not, the first time in my life I ever experienced an earthquake.
Hell really started to break loose on Thursday, however, when an evacuation was ordered for Long Beach Island where I was vacationing.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Jersey shore, LBI is an island off the coast of NJ which is nothing more than an 18 mile long, 1 mile wide sandbar. There is one road that runs down the center of the island, one bridge to and from the island, and, at the height of the summer season 250,000 people on it on a given day. In the absolute best of circumstances, its estimated that it would take 22 hours to clear the island in an emergency.
With a history of severe flooding of the island and the bridge connecting the island to the mainland during tropical storms and hurricanes, the powers that be thought it best to start evacuating the island as Hurricane Irene made it's way up the coast.
So starting Thursday afternoon we went into "hurricane mode." Thursday we had to pack and leave the island, then Friday and Saturday were spent in "hurricane prep" back home in Connecticut. Sunday we lost power, and the power remains out.
My yoga studio is closed due to lack of power, as is my martial arts school where I practice Tai Chi. Luckily, yesterday and today I've been able to go for long walks prior to my husband leaving for work.
With no school, I've had to watch and entertain the kids for the last two days, and tried to work in some exercise for all of us, including a walk along the Sound this morning in Westport were we surveyed some of the damage the storm did.
Prior to the hurricane hitting, I stocked up the house with non-perishable healthy foods and foods that wouldn't spoil easily, including cans of beans, nuts and dried and fresh fruits.
Wish me luck in getting my power back, and once it does I'll be back to blogging regularly--I promise.
Sorry for not blogging in a while, but for some reason I couldn't access Blogger at all last week, and this week I'm on vacation. I'll try to blog later today or tomorrow.
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