Alright stop, collaborate and listen

I know my last post was only a few hours ago and as I said before if there is something in particular you would like me to blog about I'd be more than happy to do so. This morning was a little bit hard for me to get around. With all these snow days I've been waking up on my own without an alarm around 8 a.m. Today I had to wake up at 6 a.m., but I really just didn't want to get around. I've got a feeling that today is going to feel a little long...lol. Not so much because of work or class, but probably this afternoon when I need to catch up on homework. You know if I had been smart during all those snow days I would have worked ahead, instead I did a whole lot of nothing. I did however kick it old school and watch the first four seasons of Friends. You know it's the little things in life ;)

As you all know I get a newsletter from Beachbody, the company who sells the P90X program. I love to read the articles because often times they have some very insightful, inspirational and helpful stuff for me. So I felt the need to share the article with all of you and hopefully it will do a little something something for you. This article was written by Steve Edwards. Originally he called this his six week transition diet in 2001 and after revamping it a little bit in 2005 it went from six weeks to eight weeks. I'll break it down for you. Like I've said before one of the biggest parts of weight loss is eating more healthy, working out is great, but you need to get a healthy diet to get your best results. Here is a week by week breakdown according to (and in the words of) Edwards.

Week 1

No junk. Eliminate junk food from your diet. That's it, just junk. Other than this, you can eat whatever and whenever you like. Now, how hard can that be? Guess this depends on what I mean by "junk." But all I'm concerned with this week is the obvious stuff like potato chips, candy, ice cream, cake, etc. You may be stricter if you'd like, but for Week 1, don't be too hard on yourself. For many of you, this step alone will reap huge benefits.

Cheat Days: 2

Since no one's perfect, you get 2 days to cheat. That's right, 2 days where you can eat anything you want! A trick on these days (and, yes, this means there will be more) is to listen to your body. At first, it'll probably tell you it wants whatever you've been denying it. However, over time, it'll start to crave nutrients you're deficient in. Learn to read your body's subtleties. If you're craving ice cream, you may be short on essential fatty acids. If you crave a hamburger, your diet may lack protein. This way, you can make better food substitutions. It's a way of getting in tune with yourself that will benefit you for your entire lifetime.

Weekly focus: Water. Not swimming in it, though that's good too, but staying hydrated with it. You should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Diet sodas and such are no substitute, because they contain a passel of ingredients that live right at the bottom of the junk heap. Drinking a glass of water when you feel hunger pangs coming on will not only keep you hydrated, but will help stave off your hunger to some degree.

As for other drinks, juices and sugary sodas also (obviously) fall into the junk category. And alcohol should be kept to a minimum. We tend to forget (purposely or not) that alcohol has calories. A lot of them: 7 calories per gram. Mixers can be even worse—not only can they add calories, but sugary calories influence the way alcohol reacts with your body. When you do drink, red wine is the alcohol of choice, with natural beer running second.

Week 2

Each week's rules are cumulative, so the "no junk" rule from Week 1 will apply until the end, as will each subsequent week's rule. Remember that this is a learning and conditioning process. It's like you're in a school and the subject is your own body.

Eat small, eat often. Eat four to six small meals a day, and don't eat anything for about 3 hours before you go to sleep. Following these rules will keep your blood sugar levels more static and your energy level will stay consistent. Try to keep each snack or meal balanced. Keep a 30 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrate, and 30 percent fat scale in mind, though you don't need to worry too much about it. Just realize that you need a bit from each macronutrient group. Eat based on what you'll be doing for the next few hours (if you're working out, eat a little more; sitting at a desk, eat a little less). The 3-hour-before-bed rule is important, especially for fats and carbohydrates. By allowing time for all the carbs you eat to get into your bloodstream, your body will sleep in fat-burning mode, rather than in calorie-storing mode. This is important because undigested carbs in your stomach at night are stored in adipose tissue (fat).

Cheat Days: 2

Weekly focus: Carbs are not the enemy. Your body needs them, just like it needs proteins and fats. The trick is to choose the right carbs. As a society, we eat too much refined sugar. Complex carbs, like whole-grain breads, whole-grain rice, sweet potatoes, and legumes are outstanding foods. Even fruits, which have simple carbohydrates wrapped in fiber, are very good for you and hard to overconsume. While you don't want a diet based on nothing but carbs, making the right carb choices will maximize your body's potential. Try to avoid white rice and flours. Read labels, and try to avoid ones that use the word "enriched," because this means these products have been stripped of their natural nutrients, overprocessed, and then fortified with a few random nutrients

Week 3

Eat some colorful, low-density food at every meal. These are foods that take up a lot of space without a lot of calories. Veggies are the most obvious example. You can eat a salad bowl overflowing with lettuce and veggies and you most likely won't exceed 100 calories. By eating low-density foods like veggies and fruits, you'll keep your portions under control naturally, because they have very few calories for their size. Conversely, high-density foods, like chocolate and butter, are loaded with calories in even the smallest amounts. So beware of salad dressings and other things you add to salads and veggies. Only add enough for flavor; don't fill up on them. When it comes to live foods, the richer the colors, the fresher the products tend to be. Try to eat a variety of colors in your diet. This simple and somewhat random act will help ensure that you're covering your bases, nutrient-wise.

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Protein at every meal. This becomes even more important as you eat more low-density food, because protein tends to be high-density. Many veggies have a lot of protein, but the quantity you must consume starts to become prohibitive. Try to get some protein—meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, or legumes—each time you eat, especially when you're working out hard, because you need to repair broken-down muscle tissue. Frequency of protein consumption is even more vital for women, who aren't able to digest as much protein at one time as men are. It's almost impossible to get all your necessary protein at one or two meals, so try to get 10 to 20 grams of protein each time you eat. Reading labels is a simple way to learn how to estimate your protein intake, but if you eat natural foods, most of which don't have labels, you can look at online nutritional information guides to determine the amount of protein each serving contains.

Week 4

Cook at home. One of the best ways to control your eating is to prepare all your meals yourself. Eliminate all fast food (which should have been gone in Week 1) and most other restaurant food. You may still eat food from certain restaurants where you can be sure of the ingredients (most will be savvy enough to make a point of how healthy their food is). But avoid all fast food chains, even ones that claim to be "healthy." Restaurants need their food to taste good, so they'll often use compromised ingredients, even when they list low numbers on fats and/or calories. Fast food can contain many hidden evils in addition to calories. For example, next time you see one of those nutrition charts, check the sodium levels; most fast foods use ridiculously high amounts of salt. Avoiding fast food alone will often bring your body closer to homeostasis; its desired state of balance. This can be hard for many of us because we now have to plan our meals and prepare ahead of time, but try and treat it like vocational school—you don't learn new a new "job" without a little retraining.

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Fat is essential. Remember that fat is a vital part of your diet, not just something that makes you fat. What is not vital is a lot of saturated or trans fats. Trans fats are mainly those that are artificial, and hopefully they've been eliminated from your diet by this point, since they're generally only found in junk. Saturated fats are found in dairy products and meats, and you don't need too much. For cooking, try to use olive oil when possible. Also, the addition of either flaxseed or hempseed can have a pronounced effect on your health. These seeds are loaded with essential fatty acids, omegas 3 and 6. Be careful about that amount of fat. It is dense and has 9 calories per gram, opposed to 4 for both carbs and protein. A tablespoon goes a long way!

Week 5

Reduce starchy carbohydrates. Starches include rice, bread, potatoes, corn, beans, and other legumes. While many of these are in no way bad foods, most people tend to consume far too many of them. So what you want to do this week is cut way down on them, if not cutting them out completely. Then add them back in when your body feels like it needs energy, which it will at some point if you're exercising (and why wouldn't you be?). But don't add a huge plate or bowl of pasta; instead, add a small single serving. Starches are great energy food, but if you eat too many, they turn the tables and make you sluggish!

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Sugar is only beneficial after a hard workout. Your body doesn't need processed sugar. But if you really enjoy it and can't avoid letting some sneak into your daily diet, the 1-hour period after you exercise is the best time to indulge. During this window, your blood sugar is low, because you've used it up to finish your workout (assuming you pushed yourself), and sugar during this time will help you recover faster because it speeds into your system and initiates the recovery process. Adding a little protein, but not too much, will enhance your recovery even further. The best ratio is 1 part protein to 4 parts carbs, as in P90X^® Results and Recovery Formula^®. You should avoid fats during this immediate post-workout period, because they slow absorption—a good thing most of the time, just not during and immediately after working out.

Week 6

If man makes it, don't eat it. This is likely to be the hardest week of your diet. You want to eat only whole foods and eliminate all processed foods, even good ones, for the week. This includes breads, most salad dressings, all cereal, luncheon meats, cheese, dried fruits, anything with preservatives, and alcoholic beverages. What you can eat are whole foods such as fruit, raw or steamed vegetables, meat (sans any type of sauce), natural whole-grain rice, poached eggs, etc. Since your eating habits have been slowly changing, this shouldn't be that big a shock to your system, but keeping in focus that you only have to do this for 7 days will make it easier. (Although each week's rules are cumulative in the plan, Week 6 is more of a "cleanse" or "reset" week where you avoid all processed food; after Week 6, you can go back to the occasional processed food, but chances are you'll take what you learned this week and tend to make healthier, smarter choices.)

Cheat Days: 1

The "cheat day" mentality isn't a bad one. Rewards like decadent desserts, a night at the buffet, or drinking with friends are good for you as long as you keep them in perspective. These are rewards for a life well lived and you should be able to feel good about doing them. Plus there's some method to this madness as well in that you still tend to crave nutrients you lack. So if you're cutting down on the calories to lose weight, allowing yourself a cheat day will give your body a chance to take in what it needs to avoid being malnourished.

Weekly focus: Nuts make great snacks. A handful of raw almonds or cashews is a quick and easy snack that goes a long way. Don't be put off by the high fat count of nuts, because this means it takes fewer of them to satiate you. Nuts are loaded with important phytonutrients, as well as good fats, proteins, and fiber.

Week 7

Be yourself. No rules—just try and eat as healthily as you can and do it by feel. Trusting yourself might seem like a lot of responsibility, but by now you'll be up to it. Learning to eat by feeling what your body needs is an important step in your transformation. Consider the way you've been eating over the last 6 weeks, but don't worry about what you should and shouldn't do. Just fuel yourself. The point is to take a mental break. Relax and allow yourself to eat in a way that feels normal. You may be surprised to find yourself craving something healthy instead of a candy bar or soda. You'll be better at listening to your body because it'll tell you what it needs to eat, as opposed to what you're used to eating. Your body should feel somewhat transformed. Does it?

"Reward for a Life Well Lived" Days: 1

Weekly focus: If you're so hungry at night that you can't sleep, try a protein shake (like Beachbody Whey Protein Powder) before bed. When it's real, and not habitual, hunger means you lack nutrients your body needs to repair itself as you sleep. You want nothing but protein powder and water. No carbs or superfluous calories. But protein at night, especially whey, will help the body repair damaged tissue and enhance the natural growth-hormone spike that you get while you sleep.

Week 8

Eat a perfect diet. Now it's time for a real challenge—are you ready? The perfect diet is strictly individual, as there's no one diet that suits everybody. So who better to choose the perfect diet for you than you? Our bodies are all different, and the key to your own perfect diet is learning about how your body reacts to different foods under different circumstances. Your journey over the last seven weeks should have brought you to a new understanding of how food affects your body, both for good and for bad. Now it's up to you to put it to the test. See how well you can eat for a week. In fact, see how well you can eat for the rest of your life. Live and enjoy.

Reward Days: 1, of course!

Weekly Focus: Don't bonk. Bonking is a state where your body runs out of stored blood sugar for energy. If you feel like your workouts are going backwards instead of forwards, this is a likely culprit. Use your energy level as your gauge. As soon as it starts to drop, start adding carbs back into your diet until you feel energized all day long. When you feel energized during your workouts and not sluggish throughout the rest of the day you'll know you've found the right balance between carbs and other nutrients. Also, remember that as you body puts on more muscle, you will need to eat more. Muscle weighs much more than fat and as you gain muscle and lose fat you will shrink at the same weight. You will also require more calories in order to maintain your muscle. So when you're working out hard, don't be afraid to eat more carbs than you do otherwise.

Have a happy Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tutti Fruiti

As my break comes to an end I would like to say that I did everything I was supposed to do, but I didn't. I had some great memories and good times. Sometimes that's just as important. I'm getting older and I know that I'm not going to get to see those people in my life that I am oh so close to now as much the older we get, that's just how it goes. Heck I don't even know where I'll be after graduation in May so who knows how often I'll get to see family and friends at all. The big start to my last semester of graduate school starts Tuesday and that is both awesome and scary!
Another scary thing is getting my butt back on track. This break thing is over. I'm pretty much healed up from my surgery and now it is so on. I got my little P90X newsletter and it talked about six exotic fruits that are amazing for you and will also make you look super fancy if you are out and about and bust them out. I'll break it down for you so that you can be up to speed on these fruits that make me want to go hang out on a tropical resort and lay out on a beach. That may also be because I've been freezing my booty off for days and water weather is pretty much what I live for...lol. Here is your list of fruits for you by Denis Faye:

***A note from me about today's post:*** Anything in quotation was taken directly from Faye's article and the authors words should be given credit to the themselves. I didn't really feel a need to change up a lot of what Faye said as the information seemed to be pretty solid stuff and said pretty well in my opinion.

not really sure why there is star fruit in the picture, but the rest of it is legit, oh and minus the orange too I suppose...lol.

1. Pomegranates. I am so excited about the pomegranate faze that has exploded in the last few years. I myself am a hug fan as anything pomegranate is super yummy! The name pomegranate is Latin for "seeded apple," which is funny because the only thing that apples and pomegranates have in common is that they are both part of the fruit family and they both grow on trees. Beyond that you got natta.  

"Pomegranates have a hard, inedible red and yellow skin. Inside, you'll find clusters of seeds protected by sweet, pulpy little deep-red pouches called arils. (Does this sound anything like an apple to you? I have no idea what the Romans were thinking,)" said Faye."Arils are the part you eat, seed and all. Despite their alien appearance, the chance that they'll sprout in your stomach and take over your consciousness is slim."

"Half an average-sized pomegranate (about 4 inches in diameter) has 117 calories, a gram and a half of fat, 2 and a half grams of protein, 26 grams of carbs, and a respectable 5 grams of fiber. It has 24 percent of the RDA for vitamin C and 13 percent of the RDA for folate. You'll also find vitamins E, K, and B6, and thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. For minerals, you get 9 percent of the RDA for potassium and 11 percent of the RDA for copper, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, and selenium."

"There are a host of studies showing that pomegranate consumption can potentially help with everything from heart disease to dental plaque to cancer to the common cold. I'd take these studies with a grain of salt, but at the same time, there sure are a lot of them, and until someone figures out their accuracy, it's not going to hurt you to eat pomegranates."

2. Kumquats- OK so as far as this one goes, I personally am in love with the name...lol. How funny would id be if someone walked up to you and was all like, "hey what is that" and you tell them a kumquat, they simply wouldn't believe you, or they'd just laugh. I know I would haha! My new favorite word for today is kumquat (it was swagger for like a month...lol). Despite it's funny  and according to Faye its "questionable name", this fruit is great for an entire family (which fruit isn't?). Kumquats are from south Asia and are considered a citrus fruit that resembles the likes of a tiny little orange. The difference is that this little citrus fruit can be eaten in its entirety. That's right! Skin and all.

"If you choose to eat a kumquat, prepare yourself for an experience. The outer skin is tasteless, but once you bite into it, the bitter juice explodes in your mouth and your face distorts into a pucker the likes of which no lemon could ever match. At this point, if you spit it out, you'll have that taste in your mouth for a while, so commit to your kumquat. After a couple of seconds, the bitterness gives way to the taste of the sweet pulp and skin and you're fine."

"Ready for another?"

"Most people settle for getting their kumquats in the form of jams and jellies, but in my opinion, that's the gutless option. Real men and women eat their kumquats whole."

"Surviving an eight-kumquat odyssey will earn you 104 calories, 1 gram of fat, 2 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of fiber. You’ll get 112% percent of the RDA for vitamin C, as well as a little riboflavin, vitamin A, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese."

3. Asian pears - "You may know this fruit by many other names, including sand pear, nashi pear, or—if you're feeling all scientific—pyrus pyrifolia. They come from (obviously) Asia, and they basically look like big, firm apples with pear-like skin. Their flesh is crispy, grainy, and juicy. They're pear-like in taste, but not texture. They're very nonconfrontational, a great new fruit to introduce to fussy eaters." I may actually like these because I do like pears, the way they smell and if something is pear flavored, but my personal problem with them is the tecture. It's too gritty for me and kind of ruins the entire experience.

"One medium-sized fruit (about 2 and a half inches in diameter) has 51 calories, 1 gram of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of fiber. Asian pears aren't exactly micronutrient powerhouses, but they're better than a stick in the eye. That one piece of fruit contains 8 percent of the RDA for vitamin C and 7 percent of vitamin K. You also get some vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and pantothenic acid. For minerals, there's 4 percent of the RDA for potassium and manganese, as well as some magnesium, phosphorus, and copper."

4. Kiwifruit- I love me some kiwi! No really I do! I use to get excited when my friends and I would go to the Kettle to get breakfast buffets because they had kiwi on the fruit bar and not everywhere does. Faye says that, "Kiwifruit only became kiwifruit in 1962. Before that, these brown, fuzzy little fruits went by a variety of monikers, two of my favorites being the Chinese gooseberry and the hairy bush fruit. (I have no further comment on those names.)"

"A ripe kiwi will be firm with just the slightest give. While the skin doesn't seem all that welcoming, it's actually completely edible and loaded with fiber. That said, it's hairy and chewy, and it's understandable if you decide to skip it. Just cut your fruit across its equator and spoon out the yummy green flesh within, seeds and all."

"One medium skinless kiwifruit (about 76 grams in weight) has 46 calories, 1 gram of protein, 11 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of fiber. It packs a real vitamin C wallop, with 117 percent of the RDA. It also has 38 percent of the RDA for vitamin K, as well as lesser amounts of vitamin A, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and pantothenic acid. For minerals, you'll get 7 percent of the RDA for potassium, and lesser amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese."

"I don't have the nutrition facts for the a kiwifruit consumed with the skin on, but suffice it to say you'll get everything listed above plus a bunch more fiber."

5. Figs - "While just about everyone has had Fig Newtons^® at some point in their life, few people have tried the fresh version of the fruit they come from" ( I certainly have not, but like those that Faye is refferring to I have had the cookie!). "Surprising, considering that every year, more than a million tons of this fruit are produced internationally. While dried figs (and Fig Newtons) are available year-round, fresh figs are in season in summer, sometimes into autumn. There are more than 150 varieties of these weird, dangly-looking things, and they're highly perishable, so eat them within a day or two of buying them. Keep them refrigerated. A good fig is plump with a little give, but not mushy. If they smell sweet, that's also a good indication that they're ready to eat."

"One large raw fig has 47 calories,12 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of fiber. You'll also get small amounts of pretty much every vitamin and mineral around, except vitamins E and B12, selenium, and sodium."

"Figs also have a laxative effect, so if you decide they're the fruit for you and you go on a little binge, try to do so close to a restroom."

6. Persimmons- I had never heard of these until this article, but here is what I found out. "Another colorful contribution to the fruit rainbow from Asia, persimmons are commercially available in two varieties. The most readily available is the hachiya, which is shaped a little like an acorn. You need to wait until they're super-ripe and soft before they become edible."

"Conversely, fuyu persimmons resemble tomatoes in shape and are slightly orange in color. They're edible (and delicious, I might add) while still firm."

"Both varieties are typically autumn fruit."

"And here's a little fun fact for you: Persimmons, like tomatoes, are technically considered berries. Who knew? They also contain small amounts of lycopene, an essential phytochemical thought to decrease the risk of cancer."

"One hachiya persimmon has about 118 calories, 1 gram of protein, 31 grams of carbohydrates, and 6 grams of fiber. It'll give you a hearty 55 percent of the RDA for vitamin A and 21 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. There's also 8 percent of the RDA for vitamin B6, 6 percent for vitamin E, and smaller amounts of vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. On the mineral front, there's 30 percent of the RDA for manganese, 9 percent for copper, 8 percent for potassium, and lesser amounts of everything else but sodium.

It may take a little searching, but most of these six exotic fruits are available at your local grocery store. If you're lucky, you might even find a few of them at your local farmers' market. So put down that apple, get your exotic on, and enjoy!"

I have had a few of them, but as a fruit lover I'm sure I'll tackle on the rest. Especially now that I know all of the amazing benefits of them. Have you tried them out? What do you think about them? Let me know and I'll let you know what I think about them as I try them out!

Half Their Size

So yesterday when I was getting ready to leave Norman I stopped at the 7 Eleven by my place and while I was checking out I saw a People magazine under the register. They were very smart for placing it there because I ended up purchasing it, but I purchased this special double issue because it had something on the cover about people being half of their size. I thought, wow that's a pretty amazing accomplishment so I wanted to read more about it and last night I did so I am totally going to share that with you today :)

The first story was of Christina Cores a 22 year old woman who originally weighted 240 lbs and now weights an astonishing 118 lbs, making for a total of 122 lbs lost. She said she overate because her father had passed away when she was in the eighth grade and that her mother moved her to a different school where she didn't know anwone. Food was really truly her only comfort. Her turining point was when it came time for homecoming she couldn't find a dress that would fit her. So she decided that it was certainly time for a change. She said that she started taking turkey sandwhiches to lunch and skipping on the cookies and ice cream when she got home. She said she worked out at Curves and lost over 100 lbs. She also said that when it came down to her last 10 lbs she really needed some kind of a suppoet system so she turned to the online wight loss community sparkpeople.com. Cores claims that this was very inspirational to her. Her best tip for those wanting to make a big change is that on nights when craving a cookie, instead she would grab a bottle of water and go online to read success stories.

Next up is mother of two Denise Giesbers who lost a whopping 152 pounds. This 32 year old woman was originally 304 lbs and got down to 152. Pretty amazing stuff right?! Giesbers claims that her weight was always something that she had struggled with. She was over 220 lbs with her first pregnancy and got up to 280 lbs with her second. She said her vice was salty, fried food and that she constantly had a craving for french fries and chips. Her turning point came in August of 2008 when her husband told her how conscerned he was about her health. He said, "I'm afraid you're going to die on me." That apparently was the wake-up call that she needed because according to this article the next day she got on Medifast. By learning how to preplan meals and transitioning from regular soda to diet she was able to have a miraculous transformation. Giesbers best tip is to stash protein bars in a purse or in your car that way you have something to fill up on if you are out unexpectadly. Being prepared is what it's all about.

Josephine Reed a 34 year old nurse went from 270 lbs to now a fantastic 114 lbs (this is good becaus she is a shorty coming in at only 5'1"). Reed says her weight gain began in college (most of us have heard of the freshmen 15). She said it was all the late night munchies and pizza she consumed. The big moment that Reed had that made her realize that she needed to change things up is when she went to the doctor. She had been feeling miserable at her highest weight and the doctor told her he was going to have to put her on high blood pressure medicine. Reed says that she went to Jenny Craig the next day and that the first week was the hardest, she said she sat in her car and would cry about how hungry she was. The weight loss changed her life. Before she was embarassed and would avoid people, now in her own words she seems to be a self proclaimed "social butterfly". Reed lost a total of 156 lbs and said that journaling is what seemed to work for her. By writing down what she ate and how she felt before and afterward was really benifical to her for meeting her goals.

Hawaii resident, husband and father of two Dallas Carter hit is highest weight at 365 lbs. This 28 year old lost a total of 188 lbs and now weighs 177 lbs. He claims to have gained weight by cheating with food. His wife would make him breakfast in the morning and he would eat it, but would not feel satisfied so on the way to work he would stop at a drive-thru and get a whole lot more (like up to 3 breakfast sandwhiches). After dinner he would tell his wife that he had a second job to work at but instead would go load up on white rice, macaroni salad and chicken. The big aha moment for Carter when was his daughter was born (his first child, who is now four). He said that he would hold her, but couldn't get her very close because his body was in the way. Carter started eating five small meals a day and working out with the P90X. His tip that he said helped him in terms of food was that when he would eat if he still felt hungry he would allow himself to have a plate of salad.

The biggest loser from this article was Sheri Cameron who lost 204 lbs. I wish you could see these before and after photographs. It is insane. Cameron went from weighing 349 lbs to now a very svelte 145 lbs. She said that for years she just ate what she wanted, whenever she wanted and how much she wanted. This caused the pounds to continue to pack on. Simple daily tasks like walking up stairs was hard and she claims to have even broken three plastic chairs. In 2007 she couldn't take it anymore so she joined Weight Watchers. Through portion control she lost 4 lbs in her first week and kept losing at a steady rate. Now she does all kinds of things she never did before and would reward herself while losing weight. After she dropped her first 50 lbs she bought a tennis racket so she could play the game. When she was under 200 lbs she bought a bike and once she got to half her size she took dance classes with her husband. Camerron says that there are days that even she doesn't recognize herself. Her tip is to find someone to work out with for accountability and encouragement.

All of these stories with photos included are in the most recent issue of People, that would be the January 10, 2011 issue that will remain on stands until January 17, 2011. You really should just look at the pictures if anything, they are very inspirational. What this really told me is that you have to A.) really want this to be successful and B.) find what works for you. Have you found what works for you? Go look at these before and after pictures and tell me what you think.

I need to get ready to meet a friend for lunch and have an oh so fun wedding show to go to tomorrow. More stories to come tomorrow!

Confusion

Sorry sorry sorry about today's late post. It's not because I was flaking out or waiting for Grey's Anatomy to go off (I didn't even get to watch tonights episode...yet). The reason for today's delay is due to the fact that I spent all day on the road. This morning my friend had a procedure done at the OU medical center (early this morning and let me tell you how much fun it is to go 20 mph in a 65 mph speed limit, NOT! I-35 traffic was complete hell this morning!). She had to go under anesthesia and was released at 11:30. I then had my second post op appointment down the road at 11:45 (talk about cutting it close). So fun doctor day in Oklahoma City for me!

On the plus side I was told that I was healing great and this may just be it :) I was oh so very excited to hear this news so really all the hanging out I did in the hospital today was totally worth it! While I was at the doctors office today I was weighed (which I was very scared of) and to my surprise I had not gained what I thought (as I have not been doing great about watching my caloric intake or being that active over this winter break). I only put on two pounds from the last time I had last weighed myself. Of course my goal was by no means to put on weight as I am trying to lose, but trying to take off two pounds is not as big as trying to take off the 12 that I have lost.

After everything was done in OKC today I had to go back to Norman. I let my friend go sleep off her drugs in my bed and I cooked lunch for my friend who rode down to the city with me. He and I ate lunch and I finally got him to watch Pretty Woman because everyone in the world should see it...it is a must ;)

My original plan for today's post was to watch The Doctor's and talk to you about the 17 Day Diet that they were going to talk about. I saw the preview for it yesterday and thought what a great topic to introduce in today's blog, but obviously I didn't get to see it. Now I am back in Tahlequah and I researched what I could about this new fad and came across a Web site that talks about the diet.

It says that the reason it is successful is because it causes metabolism confusion (this sounds to me a whole lot like what the P90X promises to do for you in terms of fitness with what they call muscle confusion). Apparently the new fitness fad is to confuse ourselves. Well heck I can do that easily all the time...lol.

This is what I found out about this 17 Day Diet:

Created by Dr. Mike Moreno, the diet program has four different phases which are as follows;

• Cycle 1: Accelerate. Encourages rapid weight loss, cleansing and fat burning. Discourages fat storage.
• Cycle 2: Activate. Resets the metabolism.
• Cycle 3: Achieve. Develop good eating habits, re-teach yourself how to eat carbs.
• Cycle 4: Arrive. A combination of the first three Cycles. On weekends, enjoy your favorite foods.

There is also a 17 minute workout routine. Apparently good ol' Dr. Phil has jumped on the bandwagon and is trying out this new fad too! The Web site says (directly quoted):

"Dr. Moreno's The 17 Day Diet is a cycled eating plan that alters the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats you eat every few days. Divided across four phases, each is designed to accomplish a different objective: burning fat, resetting the metabolism and teaching you proper portion control and hunger signs.

This clean eating plan avoids sugar, processed foods, fried foods and other heavy dishes, but it does teach your body to crave and nourish itself through healthy eats like turkey and asparagus spears and other cleansing vegetables".

"Dr. Moreno also shares tips to avoid holiday weight gain: He encourages you to pre-diet, which means to eat a healthy dinner before you attend holiday parties or other festive occasions that are food-focused. And when you're at the party, choose only two to three of the healthiest appetizers. You're also encouraged to stay away from the buffet table and say no to festive desserts and candy.

Some of the meal plans look like this":

Cycle 1:

• scrambled egg whites with grapefruit and green tea
• large green salad with tuna and balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with green tea
• grilled chicken with steamed or raw vegetables, with green tea

Cycle 2:

• Dr. Mike's Power Cookie, fresh peach, and green tea
• chicken salad, brown rice, sugar-free fruit-flavored yogurt
• grilled salmon with steamed vegetables

Cycle 3:

• whole wheat toast, hard-boiled egg, grapefruit, green tea
• grilled chicken caesar salad, whole wheat toast, fresh fruit, green tea
• roasted pork tenderloin, mixed salad, green tea

Cycle 4:

• scrambled eggs, grapefruit, green tea
• grilled salmon on lettuce bed, green tea
• ribeye steak, caesar salad, baked sweet potato, two glasses red wine

There is also a list of pros and cons, listed as follows:

Pros:

• Cycling what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat has shown promise in helping to accelerate weight loss
• Features a very clear and organized eating plan
• Promotes eating clean and healthy foods

Cons:

• Difficult book to access or purchase
• Cannot be purchased in stores, only from the book's site
• May just result in short-lived weight loss success
• Cycled eating has the potential to result in irregular eating patterns

Did any of you watch The Doctor's today? Have any of you heard of this diet or even tried it? Yesterday is the first time I've heard anything about it. This certainly is something that I would consider doing, if it were effective. What are your thoughts? If you are reading this blog please please please tell me what you are thinking. It has been several days and I've received no comments. Are you still out there? Let me know and I'll keep writing and working. Talk to you tomorrow. In the meantime keep thinking on the bright side :)

Read more: 17 Day Diet | Dr. Mike Moreno's Diet | As Seen on Dr. Phil and The Doctors http://www.dietsinreview.com/diets/the-17-day-diet/#ixzz1AJc9sgom

Carb Crazed?

Some people have what I consider a food kryptonite or a weakness when it comes to certain things in the kitchen. This is why dieting becomes an issue. The individual going through it feels like they are being deprived of something that is important to them and even end up being cranky. The effects are sometimes comparable to someone who is going through nicotine fits when they quit smoking. I know I've talked about this before in earlier posts, but hey guess what it still applies, which is good because that means that everything I've been posting is pretty legit (yay!!!!).

I came across something in my P90X newsletter written by Whitney Provost. Her article is entitled The Carb Lover's Diet: 4 Tips for Losing Weight without Losing Your Mind. Provost talks about how she is torn between wanting to be lean and fit and wanting to eat warm breads and cinnamon buns. It is possible to have both according to Provost and she gives the following 4 tips for just this!

Carbs are essential for the body, but like everything else they should be done in moderation. Carbs fuel muscles and cells in the body so that the body can function. Low carb diets are certainly a great way to jump start weight loss, but for some of us this is never going to be a great way for us to live (Provost and myself too would agree!). Provost says that when she goes low-carb she is "murderous within a week" and since we can't be having none of that this is what she suggests:

1.) Eat plenty of good carbs:


First, be sure that the majority of the carb intake consists of the "so-called good carbs", which would be things like oats, brown rice, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and beans (some of Provost's favorites). She also says that she eats "plenty of vegetables, and even fruit (OMG!)". These foods contain high ammounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and protein. They cause you to have a lot of energy because they are energy boosters! Thus making you feel full longer!

"I'll be the first to admit that I'm not immune to the lure of cookies and candy, but I've learned through a lot of trial and error that these things don't make me feel very good once the initial sugar rush wears off," said Provost.  "Since I'd rather be alert than snoozing at my desk in the afternoon, I just can't eat like that too often. Besides, too many treats and I don't fit into my pants. Not a bonus."

2.) Eat most carbs early in the day and around workouts- This is a great way to start one's day because they normally just make you feel better.

"When I start my day with some satisfying carbs and protein, I just feel better", said Provost. "Oatmeal with a little protein powder added at the end, and I'm off to a pretty good start. I also like to eat some carbs around my workouts. If I'm hungry, I'll eat a piece of fruit or some berries with fat-free Greek yogurt about an hour before I train. Afterward I'll have a whey protein shake with fruit. Dinnertime usually means chicken and a large salad, although I do love pasta with marinara sauce, or even cheese, crackers, and fruit. So whatever choice I make, I just eat it and enjoy it. The next day, I'll probably eat more vegetables and protein to balance things out a bit."

3.) If you feel like you have to eat it, then just do it!- What??? This is absolutely crazy right? Not according to Provost she talks about how if she is craving a hot fudge sundae then she eats it.

"I'm serious—when I decide I simply must have ice cream, I eat enough to be satisfied and then I move on. The difference is that I usually substitute that treat for whatever healthy meal I'd eat around the same time. So if the only suitable dinner choice is a hot-fudge sundae, so be it. (For obvious reasons, this cannot be a frequent occurrence. Besides, it tastes soooo much better when you really want it),"said Provost.

4.) Is it possible to eat what you want and still lose?- Of course it is so long as you are burning more than you are consuming. The only thing is like I've talked about in the past it is important to realize that certain foods assist you in your workouts and energy levels and some work against you so obviously you don't want to eat bad all the time because it's just not beneficial to you and your goals. Provost says in her article when she needs to lose weight she eats the same as before, just watches her portions. She says that way she still gets everything she desires without the feeling of deprivation. She said she also pumps up her workout so that she's burning more calories.

If you are bumping up your workouts it is beneficial for you to have consumed good goods and not just junk. Where I see what she is saying it is also important to know that if you are not following a good diet it will take longer to see results, but it may help you keep your sanity so it is important for you to figure out what works for you.

"If you're like me, you love to eat all kinds of carbs," said Provost. "But I know that in order to be as lean as I want, I need to make good choices most of the time and keep up with my workouts. As much as I'd love to eat bread and butter all day long, I wouldn't look or feel very good. I often stop and ask myself what's more important, this bowl of pasta or fitting into my skinny jeans again? One decadent meal will not derail a week's worth of healthy eating. It may slow down my progress, that's true, but I'll get where I want to be eventually. And even better, I'll be healthy, happy, and sane!"

How do you feel about Provosts ways of dieting? Do you think this is something you could do? Let me know.

Eating more is the key

Everything I've read talks about how we must eat more to lose weight. This is all because of our metabolism. We must keep it going all day because that is the key to weight loss. In my P90X newsletter I read an article entitled "Eat More, Lose More (Really?)", written by Justine Holberg. The article starts out with how we work out and see the scales going down, but then we hit some kind of plateu affect and the numbers on the scale are not going up nor are they going down, this is when we start to restrategize what it is that we are doing. Holberg says we start second guessing ourselves, thinking we are eating too much and not working out hard enough. Before calling it quits Holberg suggests that we ask ourselves a few questions and try to change it up the opposite way. Instead of lowing your food intake and uping your workout, try it vice versa, eat more and work out the same as before (so vice versa, kind of).

Ask yourself are you eating enough. Contrary to much belief sometimes you need to eat more to lose the weight. Here is why according to Holberg's article.

1.) Metabolism is the key to weight loss
"If you don't eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism slows to a crawl and weight loss becomes more difficult, especially when you're exercising. That's why skipping meals isn't a good idea if the goal is to shed pounds."

Tip: Make sure you eat breakfast, that is going to kickstart your metabolism and be sure to eat mini meals to keep it going throughout the day.

2.) To keep your metabolism up, you have to eat.
"Conventional wisdom dictates that when you first start dieting, the less you eat, the better. While it's true that you often should eat less, eating too little can backfire over time. As your body composition changes, your body will think it's starving, which can make it hold on to fat. (The process actually has to do with excessive release of a hormone called cortisol, but you don't need to know the details, so we'll just call it fat.) To avoid this, most experts agree that over time, you shouldn't eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day for women, 1,500 for men. If your daily diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more."

Tip: Keep a food diary to track calories.

3.) You need more calories when you work out.
"If you're exercising while following a low-calorie eating plan, you'll need to take into account the calories you're burning. That's because it's now easier to enter starvation mode. Let's say you're burning 400 calories and only eating 1,200 to 1,300 calories per day. This means you're really only taking in 800 to 900 calories per day before you begin to calculate how your body composition is changing. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so as your body changes, you need to eat more to keep the weight loss coming."

Tip: "Drink an after-workout recovery drink like. After hard workouts, its calories are utilized so quickly by your body, some people refer to them as "free calories." They aren't, but they will ensure your muscles; hence, your metabolism will recover quickly." Also remember this: "Figuring out to what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat isn't easy. That's why people often refer to losing weight as a journey. It takes a few different paths to get there. Sometimes you have to adjust your ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to start losing again. Or adjust your calorie level, which can include eating more to lose weight."

One thing you might be wondering is this, why is it that I know skinny people who barely eat anything? Well the answer to that is simple, they are starving themselves. And it's true you too can lose weight by not eating eventually, but you will be starving yourself and ruining your metabolism in the process so instead of being win win, it is more like lose lose, you lose weight you're going to gain right back and ruin your metabolism. "Reduce calories enough and your body will start breaking down its muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss," said Holberg. "However, it makes your body increase its emergency hormonal responses, which also causes your body to be stressed and hang onto fat, making it very easy to gain the weight back again."



Holberg finishes the article by suggesting that we take into consideration what she has said.

"So I hope you take you take this thought away with you today: The idea is to keep your metabolism revving and running. This will help you get healthy and stay strong. Eat the right amount of food to help your body continuously burn calories and you're more likely to shed those unwanted pounds."

I haven't eaten as much as I should since I've had this surgery and part of that is because the antibiotics that I have taken have made me throw up so I've lost a lot of the calories that I've taken in. I took the last of my antibiotics yesterday so now I can hopefully eat more normally than I have been since Nov. 29. So last night I had a boo boo, but a slight one. I was starving because I hadn't eaten hardly anything all day. It was late and I needed to take my last pill, but I knew I would have to eat something or I would get really sick so on my way home from doing laundry I stopped at Braums and got a sixth pound hamburger. I know it isn't something that I can do all the time, but I figured I did it better than normal. Instead of getting the combo (with the soda and fries) I just got the burger and I also did not add cheese. One more thing in most of the the combo meals it is a 1/3 pound hamburger and I got the 1/6 pound.

Finals are this week and I am kind of stressed out. I normally exercise a little to get rid of the stress, but I can't do it this week until after my stitches are out (which is Thursday and my final is Wednesday). So if you have any healthy ideas about how to unstress please let me know.