Garlic Mustard Pesto...yes, the weed!!

More nutritious than spinach, garlic mustard is everywhere in the spring as an invasive weed.  Pull it, and USE it!   4 cloves of garlic 3 tbs. garlic mustard taproots 3/4 cups parsley 1 cup garlic mustard leaves 1 cup basil 1-1/2 cup low-sodium olives 2 cups walnuts or pine nuts 1/2 cup mellow miso 1-1/4 cups olive oil or as needed

1. Chop the garlic and garlic mustard roots in a food processor. 2. Add the parsley, garlic, garlic mustard and basil and chop. 3. Add the nuts and chop coarsely. 4. Add the olive oil and miso and process until you've created a coarse paste.

Makes 4 cups

"I Am Loveable And Capable"

This week I decided to write about what I am thinking, rather than a specific tip.  And this morning, after not a small amount of wasted time and computer frustration, I am finally sitting down to put these thoughts down, and share them with you.

IALAC:  I Am Lovable And Capable.  This is something I was introduced to when I was a child, somewhere around 5th grade.  We had a particularly tough class, and so the Vice Principal brought in a guidance counselor to teach us the principle of the IALAC sign.  It's something like this:  You begin each day with a sign that says "I am loveable and capable".  Throughout the day, things occur;  people say things to you that make you feel good, or things that make you feel bad.  Maybe some computer frustration happens along the way (wink!).  The bad things that are said were nicknamed "cold pricklies" (remember, I was a kid, bear with me), and the good things that are said were nicknamed "warm fuzzies".

So each time someone says something that puts you down, or makes you feel bad about yourself, a piece of that sign (I am loveable and capable) gets ripped off.  And each time someone says something that makes you feel good about yourself, you get to put a piece back on the sign.  Let me go one step further.  Whenever YOU say something to yourself that is negative, a piece gets ripped off, as well.

Everyone is fighting some sort of battle, each day, whether you can see it or not.  Some are struggling with problems with their kids, some are battling cancer, others are fighting an addiction.  Not all of these things are visible to the naked eye.  Each day I try hard to add to peoples' signs and not take away, and that goes for myself as well.  Stop the negative self-talk.  And if we help each other to live more positively, we can more effectively work through our struggles with our signs intact, making us even more capable of dealing with whatever life throws at us. 

Remember the role exercise plays in all of this.  It helps to reduce your stress, increase those beneficial endorphins that make you feel better, and, of course, you look better and feel stronger.

No matter what you are dealing with, remember I am here for you, as are your friends and family.  I am always eager to hand out compliments (warm fuzzies).  Keep moving, keep working...it's worth it.

Do the foods you eat matter?

Does it matter if you have a burger or baked goods, or an apple with a cheese stick and veggies?  Do the types of food you eat matter, as long as the calorie count is the same?  Absolutely.  1200 calories of sugar, fat and carbs are not equivalent to 1200 calories of nutrients, fiber, complex carbs and lean protein.  Your body will function very differently with the better food choices, including but not limited to: your mental outlook (depression, mood), your overall health, and your energy level.

But you knew that, right?  Then why are you still eating those foods that you know aren't doing you any favors?  I'm not saying all burgers are bad, by the way.  By now, you know that I think you can incorporate your favorite foods into your diet with a few small modifications.  Still, coming back to our point...why are you eating foods that you know are not great for you?  Did you know that your body replaces billions of cells every day?  It replaces those cells with the building blocks (food) that you give it.

Ask yourself if you want to replace those cells with garbage, and get garbage cells that don't work well, and have a high incidence of malfunction (mutations!), or do you want to replace those cells with good quality fuel, so that your body has it's best chance at full function at the highest possible level?

And that's really what's important, right?  Giving your body it's best chance a full, high function.

Sabotage

Anyone who's ever tried to lose weight has encountered sabotage. There are in fact a couple of different types of sabotage that can happen as you navigate your way to a healthy lifestyle.  The first kind is usually encountered by people close to you. No, they generally don't mean to hurt you, but they are used to you the way you are. People are threatened by change. So, your husband who knows you are on a diet, brings your favorite high calorie dessert home, and you can't say no. Or your best friend encourages you to skip your training appointment to go out for lunch, instead, and then wants the fried onion rings and other unhealthy fare to share.  You might even encounter comments like (and this one is 100% true) "What size are you in now?"  "I'm now in a size 6!"  "Oh, you look more like an 8." Seriously?!  Or what about this:  "have you seen Melissa?  She lost even more weight!"  "Yes, but her face looks old now."  Yes, real people actually will say things just like this to you/about you.  Anyone who has lost a substantial amount of weight can assure you of this.  My weight loss is up to 165 pounds, and I'm perfectly willing to take the trade off of some loose skin to be healthy, strong, and comfortable in my body.

Whether they realize it or not, they are trying to undercut your efforts to change for the better.  Sometimes this happens because they are unhappy with themselves.  Ok, most of the time.  Try to let this stuff roll right off your back.  Or, as I do, you can let those comments be the fuel for your determination.  People are actually doing me a favor when they make comments like this.  It makes me even more determined to be the very best I can be, in every way.

Beyond what others say, though, we sabotage our own efforts to be healthy.  One client of mine (and this is certainly not limited to him) would come in every appointment and tell me that he ate horribly.  At every appointment.  We'd discussed food logging...he knew what he should be eating...he had a nutritionist...he had a therapist...and he STILL came in every appointment, weighing in heavier than the last, telling me all the horrible things he ate.  In two years, I can count on one hand the times he came in and had actually taken off a couple of pounds.  Inevitably, I can't make someone's choices for them, I can only make my own.  I can lead a person to the healthful way of eating and exercising, but if they are working against themselves, there's not much I can do.

You need to look deep inside for this one.  If you are constantly ruining your diet, or consistently missing workouts, you need to ask yourself why.  Are you afraid of change?  Are you hiding from something?  Are you harboring worries about weight loss that are groundless on the surface, but deep seated within you?  Are you worried that your spouse/friends/co-workers won't accept you healthier and thinner?  You need to get to the root of why you are working against yourself, and that will lead to fixing the problem.

But that answer lies in you. 

Exercise and Illness:

Exercise and illness-when you should call it quits, and when you should go work out-

Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. It may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.

As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this:

• Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all "above the neck" — symptoms you may have with a common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. Consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout, though, or you may feel worse. Instead of going for a run, take a walk, for example.
• Don't exercise if your signs and symptoms are "below the neck" — such as chest congestion, hacking cough or upset stomach.
• Don't exercise if you have a fever, fatigue or widespread muscle aches.

Let your body be your guide: If you feel awful, and the cold is severe, taking a day or two off won't ruin your exercise goals, or set you behind. If you are unsure, check with your doctor. Overall, the fact that you exercise regularly will afford you the benefit of staying healthy and fighting off most of the minor colds and viruses, so take heart!

And to avoid getting sick, consider washing your hands more often, avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes until you do wash up, and add healthy vitamin C rich foods to your diet during the cold and flu season, like kiwi, and citrus fruits. One of my best kept secrets is "Host Defense". http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-140291-fungi-perfecti-host-defense-mycommunity-extract-2-oz

This an extract of mushrooms that helps aid your body in fighting off infections. Of course, check with your doctor or nurse practitioner before adding anything to your regimen.

Have a great week!

The Very Low Calorie Diet

The VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet): 1000 calories or less=danger.

When you first began to consider managing your weight, were you surprised by the recommendations given to you by your doctor or trainer?  Did you feel frustrated that they said losing 1-2 pounds a week was what was reasonable?  Did you feel like if you just ate less than what was recommended, the weight would surely come off faster?  Were you tempted to try one of the many "crash" diets that are popular with starlets today?

You're not alone. Extreme calorie restriction is a growing trend, and not a good one.  Eating a diet well below the amount of calories your body needs to function properly can lead to losing muscle mass, going into starvation mode and losing fat that supports your organs, resulting in dropped organs, a life threatening situation.  In an effort to grasp how this can effect you, read this post about how extreme calorie restriction led to a harsh reality.

This is solely from my perspective, but to everyone that has asked, "why can't I eat <1000 calories a day for weight loss? I've seen the numbers on the scale, it's working..."
I've been there. Ten years ago I lost 65 pounds in about six months. For ten years I consumed between 700-900 calories per day. I started at 1000, but as I got older the weight kept creeping on even at that low amount, so I cut further to maintain. When I started eating 400 calories per day about six months ago, I realized it's not worth it. There are consequences for losing that quickly and in such an unhealthy way.
I have been put on new medication and doctors orders, 1600 calories per day. Not an amount that a person should gain on, but I am. I have put on fifteen pounds in an incredibly short period of time. When I finally balance out, I have a long road of weight loss ahead of me.
Starving like that has put me in a ten year battle with my weight that didn't have to happen. When done in a healthy way, weight loss can be achieved and maintained. Do it the way I did, and you are in for constant misery with the scale dictating your life. People would always say to me, "You're so lucky you're thin." They didn't know that I kept two food diaries (in case one was off), an exercise diary and an activity diary. I became a group fitness instructor so that I had a reason to exercise MANY hours a day. This is the path of starvation. This is what happens when you cut too drastically, and lose too quickly. It's still misery, it's just skinny misery.
I finish my medication in two weeks. I can tell you that I have been happier these last four weeks than I have been in years. I am not counting calories to the last degree. I am not constantly moving to burn more, and I'm not worried about what the scale will say next week (I only weigh once a week now instead of every day). I will drop some of these pounds, and I will do it in healthy way. I even increased my calories to 1850 to ensure that I can do it the right way. I can't go back to being a slave to the scale.
The next time you ask yourself if you should eat less calories than is wise, ask yourself if you are willing to give up eating and drinking with friends. Ask yourself what you will do as you age and can't maintain the loss anymore. Ask yourself what you will do when start driving everyone around you away because of your obsession with your weight. It's a road that is VERY hard to come back from.
Weight lost from starving CAN'T be maintained. What will you have left when the weight creeps up? It's not worth it. -end

Final Thoughts

Healthy weight loss begins with a determination to change your habits in a positive way.  Cut out foods that are unreasonable, like fast food and soda.  Add foods like vegetables, and fruits, and think about what you are putting in your mouth.  Will this help my body today?  Will this create better cells?  Will I be able to do what I want to do, and enjoy my life?  These are more important than strict calorie restriction.  That said, you can get a better idea if what you're doing is healthy, by healthfully logging your food.  Myfitnesspal.com (online and app) and Lose It (app) will both give you reports on what nutrients you are getting and which you are not.  This can help to guide you in a healthier direction.  I know this is hard.  Hang in there.

Are you discouraged?

I know I am.  This winter stuff does go on and on...and our vitamin D levels are low.  Check with your doctor if you are feeling down in the dumps, getting sick really often, or low on energy.  It could be as simple as vitamin D levels, or maybe you need to rev up your exercise.

Here's a new exercise to try, if you need something to get your mind off the grey day...

Come to me and ask for a demo...although I am going to try to do a video demo of this exercise:
1.  tie a band on something solid, about waist height.
2.  Stand with the band to your left side, and hold it in your left hand so that there is tension on the band.
3. Lift your opposite knee up, and bring the hand with the band, in to touch the opposite knee.  Do 5, and repeat on the other side.

Stay positive and proactive!