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mindgoesmad · 5 years

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October 23rd, 1992 - 8:00 p.m.

“Atticus!” His Mother Helena yelled from the kitchen, her voice echoing into the living room where he sat. The small boy lifted his head and looked over curiously in her direction. Even at five years old, he knew that tone of voice all too well. She was about to tell him it was his bedtime, and quite frankly, he wasn’t ready just yet. Ignoring her call, he continued to play with the Hot Wheel track that was scattered across the floor. If he absolutely had to choose a favorite, it wasn’t some sports car or muscle car; it was his 1950s Oldsmobile. He received it as a gift from his Grandfather Aleksandar last Christmas – a spitting image of his own car. The navy-blue color, the white wall tires, Atticus absolutely loved it. Anything his Grandfather gave him was his favorite. They were best friends from the moment he was born, and it would continue to be that way until his death 16 years later. Aleksandar was the ultimate badass, and he looked up to him so much; always wanting to stay right by his side any time he was around.

“Oprostite, mladiću…” Helena was now standing right behind him, hands on her hips with a dishrag in one of them. “I know you heard me calling for you. It’s time for bed.”

Atticus groaned and his small eyebrows furrowed together. “I’m not tired.” He stated defiantly.

“I don’t care, and I didn’t ask that.” His Mother said firmly, starting to get a little irritated at this point. “Don’t make me go get your Father.”

With that statement, Atticus slowly rose to his feet, standing at a short three foot, two inches tall. Who would have thought this five-year-old would grow to be almost six feet tall by the age of eighteen? He was always relatively small for his age in his younger years, but that didn’t hinder his attitude in the slightest. Huffing and puffing, he grabbed his car and very sassily headed up the stairs – his Mom standing at the end of them, smiling, and making sure he went all the way up before she walked back towards the kitchen.

8:30 p.m. –

After accomplishing the typical nighttime duties, Atticus laid in his bed in the dark; staring up at the ceiling. Teeth were brushed, toys were put away, and his Spiderman thermal pajamas covered his tiny frame. For someone so small, and so young, he was so incredibly aggressive and gutsy. He never wanted to go to bed when he was told, and he certainly did not appreciate anyone telling him what to do – parents, or otherwise. Eventually, he would comply… but not without putting up an argument first and thinking he could get out of it. A long, exasperated sigh escaped his lips, and his frown grew deeper with each passing minute. “I don’t want to go to bed…” He mumbled to himself, turning onto his side and now facing his bedroom window. As headlights quickly illuminated his room, he sat up and quietly stepped out of his bed – curiosity always got the better of him. When he saw his Grandfathers infamous blue Oldsmobile outside, a grin smeared across the boys' face. Sleep? Who needed sleep? Not him. Not with Grandpa Aleksandar around.

9:00 p.m. –

Atticus had managed to quietly creep down the steps without hitting a single creak in the floorboards. That was something that he had mastered over the countless times of him sneaking downstairs. Sometimes he wanted a snack, or three, when he didn’t finish his dinner like he was supposed to. He could faintly hear the muffled voices of men talking hastily from the kitchen, but the doors were closed. All he ever wanted was to hang out with the men in his family, but sometimes they would shoo him away and tell him ‘adults were talking’. That made Atticus so mad. He couldn’t wait to be an adult someday and be able to be apart of everything. If someone were to ask him how he felt about that stance now though, he would say he wished he had gotten more of a childhood and that he was a stupid child.

The back door had shut, and the kitchen grew silent. The small boy was laying on the floor trying to look through the crack at the bottom of the door to see if they left. Once he didn’t see any feet, he popped back up and slowly twisted the knob of the door that lead from the dining room to the kitchen. The room was completely empty, and a disappointed grunt escaped him. ‘Hungry…’ Atticus thought to himself, making his way to the pantry. He pulled the doors open before hearing footsteps on gravel right outside the back door. Frantically, the boy shut himself in the pantry and peeked into the kitchen through the slotted doors. He made a game out of it, pretending to be a ninja when he snuck out of his bedroom. Getting caught meant he lost, and he was competitive. Naturally, he would do just about anything to not get caught. Punishment was also something that helped him stay as sneaky as possible. The last thing he wanted was his Father Ivan smacking him upside the head for being so unruly.

9:30 p.m. –

Atticus had tried to keep quiet the best he could, but the things that were happening right before his eyes were far too much for his young mind to comprehend. Ivan, Aleksandar, and his Uncle Leon had dragged an unconscious man into the backdoor. A dirty rag was stuffed in his mouth, his body limp, his hands and feet tied together with very thick rope. The boy couldn’t rip his eyes away. He was entranced with it all, and of course, he always let his curiosity get the best of him. Atticus really knew now that if he was found, he would be in so much trouble that he’d regret it for weeks… but he had forgotten about his game that he always so innocently played. He wasn’t a ninja anymore – just a curious child in a place he should not have been.

10:00 p.m. –

The prisoner was now strapped to a chair but was fully awake and scanning the room in a frenzied state. Aleksandar, Ivan, and Leon went back and forth from speaking in Croatian, to English. Atticus only knew some Croatian, but by no means was he fluent. Picking up bits and pieces was the best he could do, but even then, his young mind could not wrap around some of the things that were being said.

“You think you could just rip us off, Jakov?” Atticus’ Father spewed. He had never seen him this angry before. Red in the face, sleeves rolled up, and tie loosened – he looked like a madman.

“I didn’t! I swea-…” Leon backhanded the man now known as Jakov in the mouth, and blood slowly began to drip out from between his lips.

“Let’s just get this over with, please.” Leon said, looking over at his Brother Ivan before they both looked to Aleksandar. Neither of them did a thing without their Fathers say so. He was in charge – the leader of a large crime family in Croatia. Atticus’ family. Something that he would learn in the years to come.

Aleksandar was always a very reserved man. He was someone who liked to watch and soak everything all in. Never making impulsive decisions, never losing his cool; a true businessman through and through. That did not mean, however, that he would take treachery lightly. He was a man of his word, and he handled things with grace and tact. The two sons he had under his wing though… They acted on anger. They were always quick to jump the gun and answer any form of disobedience with severe consequences. As they looked to him for an answer, his response was pulling a cigar out of its case and lighting it. The room was quiet. The tension in the air was unbearably thick.

“Did you steal from the compound, Jakov?” Atticus’ Grandfather asked calmly, taking a drag from his cigar and blowing it into his face.

“Y-yes…” Jakov started. “But it was only to take care of my family! I would never lie to you, Mr. Petrović…” Jakov was shaking in his seat, eyes pouring tears down his face and blood coating his busted lips.

“Ah… but you did lie to me, Jakov.” Aleksandar stated before smashing his cigar out in the ashtray next to him. “You know the consequences of something like that. I cannot trust you anymore.” The old man’s voice was raspy and deep, obviously affected by the years of smoking. Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, he pulled out a large bowie knife and removed it from its case. “Your family will still be taken care of… but we have no use for you anymore.”

Atticus’ little heart began to pound in his chest as his eyes watched everything unfold from the pantry. His eyes had to have been the size of saucers from everything his young mind was trying to take in. He had seen movies and tv shows, but that was about the depth of it all for him. The movies he did watch that held inappropriate things for a 5-year-old, caused his Mother to yell at his Father every single time for it. She always tried to shelter him and baby him. He was her baby, after all. Her only child. Helena did not want him tainted with the ways of the world, but she knew deep down that was inevitable given with what she married into. Atticus began to grow up at the age of five.

Aleksandar handed the knife over to Ivan, Atticus’ Father. Ivan was a harsh and angry man. He never hesitated with anything, and was purely emotion driven – dangerous, but someone that would get a job done no matter how heinous the act might be. He gripped the handle of the knife and approached Jakov until he was standing right before him; somewhat shielding Atticus’ view from the pantry.

“P-please…” Jakov began to uncontrollably weep and beg for his life. “You don’t have to do this, Ivan. We grew up together! Please!” Ivan just stood there and didn’t budge; standing as still as a statue. He didn’t respond with words, and he had no patience for begging thieves. Pulling his arm back somewhat, he raised the knife and brought it up to Jakov’s throat. Before the man could say another word, Ivan grabbed him by the hair and slashed him with an unmatched ferocity. When he stepped to the side, Atticus could see Jakov now. His Father had lacerated his throat so deeply, that he almost decapitated him. The males limp head tilted backward and exposed the gash even more, and all he could see was red. The brief gurgling sound, and the wetness dripping against the floor rang in the boys ears. In that very moment, Atticus let out a cry; eyes filling up with confused tears. He felt such an overwhelming sense of fear.

The three men feverishly ran over to the pantry and pulled the door open, only to see Atticus’ small frame standing before them. He looked up at them, face splotchy and eyes bloodshot. The expressions on their faces were that out of a horror movie. All three met him with petrified faces, and the room was filled with silence once more. Aleksandar picked Atticus up, pressed his face into his chest, and took him out of the room – leaving Leon and Ivan to clean up their mess.

“Shh…” Atticus’ Grandfather whispered to him. “You are a Petrović… We do not cry over those who wrong us."

10:30 p.m.

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crystal-in-nagasaki · 2 years

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arrival and settling in

Hello! I have officially arrived in Japan and am on my second day of quarantine. In this post, I’ll share a little about my flight, going through the airport, settling into my hotel, and my online job orientation.

I departed from DTW at around 12:20 pm on November 13th. The flight was 12.5 hours long and arched over Canada, through Alaska, and down the Russian coast into Japan.

I arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo at about 3 pm on November 14th. During the flight, we were served three meals. Below are pictures of two of the meals. All of the meals tasted very good!

On the flight I watched two movies, read a book on my kindle, played games on my phone, chatted with other JETs on the flight, and tried to sleep. Unfortunately, I slept at most for 20 minutes the whole flight.

After arriving at the airport, it took about three hours to get through all of the procedures and board the bus to the hotel. We had our documents checked at several stations, then were directed to take a COVID-19 spit test. In the booths, they had pictures of food in order to get you to salivate for the test, which I found very funny. Unfortunately, the picture of the lemon in my booth didn’t do much for my dry mouth. After turning in our samples, we waited in a seating area for about 30 minutes until we received results. Upon receiving results, we were given a slip declaring us negative to show to future airport personnel. We then received our foreign residence cards, picked up our luggage from baggage claim, and went through customs declaration. We were then free to board the bus to the quarantine hotel.

We arrived at the hotel at around 9 pm. Like many others, I had been awake for over 24 hours and wanted nothing more than to take a shower and pass out. Unfortunately, we had to sit in the ballroom and receive another half an hour of instruction before we were free to go to our rooms.

Once in my room, I did indeed take a shower and pass out.

My room is a small, fairly standard hotel room. I have a bed, desk, TV, refrigerator, and bathroom. My window faces a small forest, and I’ve enjoyed opening the window and enjoying the fresh air.

The morning after arrival, I got to work reading the huge stack of documents and instructions issued to me. We are to keep a rented phone on us at all times which records our location and video calls us once a day to confirm we are at the quarantine hotel. We must also record our temperature daily. We are not allowed to leave the quarantine hotel, but we may leave our rooms to go outside to the small garden or to the convenience store in the lobby of the hotel. We must wear our masks and social distance when outside of our rooms. During the 2 weeks stay, we will take two more COVID tests.

We get three meals a day, delivered to our door and often cold. Despite being cold, they have been quite tasty and healthy. We also have access to the convenience store in the lobby of the hotel, where we can buy snacks and drinks if we get hungry. Here are some pictures of some of the meals I’ve received:

For orientation, we have a schedule of informational videos, course modules, and occasionally live Zoom conferences. These shouldn’t take more than 4 or 5 hours to complete, but my lack of attention span has caused me to spend all day on them. They can get kind of tedious and repetitive, but ultimately have some good information in them about Japanese schools and effective teaching techniques, laws in Japan, natural disaster measures, etc.

There is also time set aside to meet over Zoom with my contracting organization, so in the afternoon of my first day, I met my three coordinators and practiced introducing myself in Japanese (I will need to do this several times when meeting coworkers and Board of Education members). They were very nice and also answered many questions that I had about my schools and my apartment.

I have just finished up my second day of orientation modules, and waiting for my dinner now. I’m feeling very sleepy, and am hoping my body will return to a regular sleep schedule soon since my body has been waking me up at 5 am every day.

Thanks for reading my post about my arrival in Japan! I will probably make more posts as quarantine goes on before my arrival in Nagasaki. See you then!

Crystal <3

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leightonshea · 3 years

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My Elimination Diet Journey

When that thick grey cloud of brain fog floated into my mind, daily, around 1 or 2, it stayed until around 8pm. And I could and would work against the fog, forcing myself to be present, energized, and attentive. But the fog was there, nonetheless. I was aware of this, that it was not my birthright, to say. As a mama this brain fog can be debilitating because all I want is to be present with my babe. To play with them, teach and learn with them. Presence and energy is ‘primordial’ in motherhood.

Thus sparked my interest even more in food sensitivities, and an elimination diet. I have felt a steady improvement in my physical health since switching to ancestral foods (which I referenced in my previous blog post). I no longer suffer from blood sugar drops, the constant need to snack, skin issues, infertility, etc. I am heal[ing]. Now the next mountain to cross is called ‘Brain Fog’. And the ascent begins in the stomach, and the gut. To first figure out which foods are not being digested properly, which proteins aren’t breaking down and ultimately entering into my intestine un-digested, causing irritation and finally, and an immune response. I won’t go into details on this process. I will just say that my personal intention upon embarking on this journey was to learn which foods my body, as unique as it is, is not fully digesting and are causing systemic and local inflammation.

I developed my investigative plan is four phases. How fun?

Phase 1, eliminate problematic suspects for 28 days: dairy, sugar, gluten, soy.

Phase 2, reintroduce foods, one-at-a-time, with two days for each reintroduction. Starting with fermented dairy, then moving to unfermented dairy, soy, and gluten. I generally avoid sugar already so I will not reintroduce sugar formally. If the food causes some sort of reaction, I will not consume more of it.

Phase 3, repair. In this phase (which I will continue for about 3 months formally) entails lots of gut healing bone broths, homemade ferments, extra grass-fed gelatin elixirs, and some good thoughts and lovin’ towards my gut.

Phase 4, try the irritating food once again, but only in their whole-unprocessed forms. This is to see if I have been able to heal my gut to the extent in which I could consume these foods again.

I am currently in Phase 3 of the Elimination Diet journey. I feel loads better mentally, and have even lost 5 cm of inflammation from my waistline. My experience has been many things, but a positive gift of self-love more than anything. And that is thought I most kept present with me throughout the journey: this is an act of self-love. Oftentimes diets are born out of dislike for our bodies or self. In the conspiracy of this Elimination Diet, I was sure to plant the seed deeply within self-love. A desire to feel better because I deserve it. Not because I was castigating myself. Because of love.

February 1st.

Day One of Elimination diet. I feel motivated, and energized. I slept relatively well (for a baby mama) last night, and awoke early with the sun, although I would have like to sleep longer and deeper. I ate left over garbanzos with garden vegetables for breakfast, however I still felt hungry afterwards. So I made a little smoothie of banana, coconut, kale, maca, and water. Now I feel good and satisfied. I measured my waist today, to take some measurements, and it was 81cm. This is my first day of a 30 day Elimination Diet: no dairy, gluten, corn, soy, or sugar. Later in the day I had some very strong cravings for dairy. I ate nuts to fill the hole, which didn’t feel totally great. In the evening I had strong sugar cravings. I also ate a plethora of legumes, which mixed with the nuts was an ‘irritating’ experience for my tummy.

February 7th.

I eat eggs for breakfast. And I know how complete and delicious that food is, but my body is asking for a creamy, honey sweetened thing. Withdrawal baby. I sort of love it because this feels like the first mountain of this elimination. The rest of the day was good, I ate very well. And my sugar and bread cravings were strong, to say the least. But I resisted and that is empowering! For dinner I had eggs with kale and brown rice.

February 8th.

Today I ate eggs with swiss chard and tomatoes for breakfast. I feel like I want sugar, or just sort of sleepy in general. And the feeling I have inside is empowerment. It’s rewarding how difficult it is, its climbing a mountain. Yesterday we got together with friends and made focaccia. I could not eat it, but I prepared it in good company, and that was enough of an enjoyment to me. As well, usually upon preparing and eating focaccia with friends, I would feel lousy afterwards. So the ´gusto´ was actually greater in abstaining from eating it. I am on a positive road towards change. Towards lasting, duradero, change. In the evening time, I went to Ibañez to water my greenhouse and harvest fruit. And fruit we did harvest. A colorful juicy bounty of apples, pears, and apricots. Ilio and I enjoyed filling our bellies with this delicious summertime harvest, and I couldn’t help but think that THESE are the moments to indulge. To drink in. The fresh fruits of summer on a hot sunny evening. We came home and I made a little tea-time meal for the family and our neighbor who joined us. I ate sautéed cabbage from my garden, drank a little glass of white wine, and to bed.

February 9th.

It is 8:30. I am awake before the babe. I am sitting on my front porch with my mama cat, and the sun is just peeking out its bright golden rays onto my legs. Grateful. I am drinking mate, and I hear the stream, and birds. Yesterday I was studying a little more about hypothyroidism. The theme has returned to me again and again through my personal health journey, and through my professional research. I have heard of Hashimoto’s, and various other forms of thyroid dysfunction, and I have also heard from many friends that they are taking hormone replacement pills for their hypothyroidism. It has been a subject on my list of things to research, to say the least. And now, in my own quest to help (which truly has been ongoing for years), the theme returns, flashing its feathers. Hypothyroidism is actually a very common disorder. Our society relies so much on sugar to function (in many forms, from excess candy to bread and pasta consumption). The body truly only needs 1-2 teaspoons per day. We are biologically evolved to consume MUCH less, and even from time to time change our fuel source from glucose, to ketones, a process called Ketogenesis. But with all of the food technology that has befalls us since the dawn of agriculture, sugar consumption has skyrocketed and seldom if ever do we enter into this fat-burning mechanism of ketogenesis. SO much sugar consumption causes our hormones to fire tirelessly—but over time they tire, oh yes they do. And in comes thyroid dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut etc. etc. The diagnosis have become the background music of our generation. Present, quietly accepting, not fully noticed, normal. The background music. That has been my epiphany. I am not sick, I am a generally healthy woman. Active, healthy weight, muscular in places, curved in others. A mother. I function “well”, I would say. However, I still feel like it is my birthright enjoy a better health. Mental and physical. My symptoms of intense fatigue, irritability, occasional anxiousness, apathy, brain fog, super thin nails, hair that easily breaks, have all bed accepted as mild enough, as normal. But, could these all be symptoms of food sensitivities I never knew of? Or symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, caused by toxins and sugar consumption? These are all questions we ALL need to ask ourselves. Because I am learning that it’s not just about eating healthy, it’s about getting to know our bodies with a deep and intimate understanding. Experimenting. Taking foods our, putting others in. Eating simply, taking notes, and being patient. My health journey right now is this elimination diet, which I have now decided that I will follow with a sugar detox and even more gut healing foods. And this is my grand gift to myself. For lunch I ate a garbanzo bean salad with farm fresh vegetables and olive oil. Then I ate some fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs for a snack, and sausage with kale and broccoli for dinner. Delicious, colorful, and satisfying.

February 10th.

A 7am wake up, to red water colored hills and a milky blue sky. My tummy feels good, and very un-bloated. Late last night, it was around 11:30 pm and my little Ilio still wouldn’t sleep. And he was just screaming. Sometimes it´s just a self-expression scream… but ear piercing none the less. And terribly painful and tiring. In this moment, I imagined some food that I would love to eat, as if it would be a sweet sanctuary. I imagined cream with dulce de leche, quince scones, chocolate cookies… delicious foods that I know exist. And in this late night moment of stress, I just thought about how I wanted these foods, then slowly deconstructed the craving. I really only crave food in moments of stress, when I feel that I cannot control the situation. Sweetness for taste buds is the sweet escape from the roughness of the moment. And due to this promise to myself and gift to myself, I let these craving be thoughts. Exist because they needed to exist, and float away. I ate odd things for breakfast, cucumbers with hummus, and a pear. I couldn’t poop in the morning, which never happens. And as a highly sensitive person, who appreciates a good poop (who doesn’t), I fasted until around 11 and then snacked on these things until lunch time. For lunch I made a roast of carrots, beets, cherry tomatoes, and some horse meat (all of our own production). Satisfying, but my body is still getting used to significantly less carbs, and bread. Then I snacked on some sunflower seeds and pears. Dinner was a seaweed-cabbage frittata. Nourished. I made myself a bedtime tea of lemon balm, Saint Johns wort, with gelatin and a little stevia, and this treat made all the difference. A reward. I have been programmed to reward myself with food, but upon listening to my body, I learn what is truly the gift my body craves.

February 11th.

This elimination diet has been coupled with intense research, and I feel so personally identified with hypothyroidism, not quite Hashimoto’s, but in that ballpark. Putting a name to a slew of symptoms that have made me feel less than great for such a long time is liberating. The wave function collapses. There is a “cure” (according to who you ask, but YES, there is). It’s an early morning, 6:45. I feel energized, my tummy feels flat and un-bloated. The sunrise is red, and the air is warm. I drink mate with my love outside as the kids (Ilio and his brother) play in their dreams. I feel empowered and energized by the change in diet, and my personal diagnosis. Turns out hypothyroidism can also be a result of pregnancy, elevated estrogen, and stress. All realities for me and my body. For breakfast, I ate the seaweed frittata leftovers, and a pear. Lunch was yellow split-pea soup cooked with garden herbs and tomatoes and a bit of sheep lard. My husband cooked up some little steaks to accompany the soup, and I made a fresh kale salad. I felt very satisfied after lunch but a few hours after those sugar cravings came back, so I ate some raisins. I think I could have better resisted, but context always changes ones strength. My baby was holding out for his second nap and really just needed all of my energy, and abracadabra … that stress transformed into me looking for some sweet release. Interesting how that works. We went down to town in the afternoon, and I harvested vegetable to deliver. It was a hot, windy day in Patagonia. Upon returning home I cooked up some fresh sausage with the seaweed leftovers. I served that with the same soup from lunch and enjoyed it all wrapped up in a cabbage leaf. Delish.

February 12th.

Day twelve of elimination diet. I don’t know if it’s the early morning sun peaking between the mountains in my bedroom window, or this change in eating, but I just feel so good in the morning. I feel like I have digested all of my food from the day before, I feel energized, inspired.

February 15th.

I awake energized, early, and mentally in a good place. I eat mackerel croquettes for breakfast with my sundried tomatoes and sauerkraut. Lunch was made by my saucy lover who in his previous life, before he was a rugged horse trainer, was a chef. He cooked up zucchini, carrots, potatoes (all from the garden), with sausage and sesame. Everything was cut in long strips and was esthetically VERY pleasing. Also delicious. After lunch I went to the stream with the kids, played in the sun, and went for a long run. I haven’t run in a while, but that felt so so good. I got past the first mountain of tiredness, then I felt good. Light on my feet. It was nearly golden hour, and I was alone with the forest and mountains. Aloneness feels extremely delightful and potent at this time in my life. I came home and cooked up lentils with lots of fresh tomatoes in bone broth, and made some mutton steaks. We all ate a late dinner together in the fleeting light of dusk. Nourishing, delicious. A day of activity, sun, and lots of yummy food.

February 16th.

Finally a good day of pooping. Perhaps it was that gelatin rich bone broth with lentils last night that my body DEEPLY enjoyed. It was one of those existential pleasure foods. Now I feel reset. I awoke at about 6:45 today. Every day it seems that I get up a little bit earlier, and I feel more energy throughout the day. Early morning I prepared maca with gelatin and a little stevia. It was a calm morning, the boys playing outside while I got my studying done. Breakfast was a small bowl of dinner leftovers with sauerkraut. Lunch was homemade tomato soup, made with a bine broth base, accompanied by some garlic sautéed swiss chard. In the afternoon we made some toasted sunflower seed butter to eat with pears and apples. Super delicious and Vicente and Ilio LOVED this one. I always put some flaxseeds in with the seeds while I process it. After that, we took a short nap, did the evening chores (fetch the sheep, feed the animals, and water the garden). I still felt satisfied from the snack, so dinner was just the same as lunch, and I felt satisfied. Most days I prepare different foods for my husband and the kids. Mostly because Vicente, my step-son, has a super different diet when he is isn’t with us, so I like to accommodate his diet a bit in my home. I am only commenting in this journal the food that are for the elimination diet, in another entry I will post a full on food diary/family meal plan.

February 17th.

I was up to a sweet pink sunrise. Sleeping babes, mate, a short stretch session. Simple delicious delights. I love not feeling bloated or heavy in the morning. I love this energized feeling I have. This morning is chilly and the Patagonia Autumn is whispering to me that she is on her way. The romance of our wood stove is oh-so-lovely on mornings like these. I feel grateful. A few notes on symptoms. My skin is generally blemish free. In my younger youth I struggled quite a bit with acne, but that was a past chapter of my life. In these past few days I have gotten a few blemishes. I feel as if my body is in the detoxifying process. I would like to sweat more to speed up this detoxification, and perhaps drink some herbs to support this process. For lunch I prepared some soaked brown rice and bean, cooked in both broth. Served with a swiss chard salad and roasted tomatoes. A really nourishing meal, however I felt extremely fatigued after and intense brain fog. In the evening time I made some whole-wheat ginger bread for my family, which obviously I am choosing to not enjoy right now. So I roasted some sunflower seeds, and processed them with cacao and a tiny bit of honey to make a DELICIOUS nut butter treat. I served myself quite a bit of this delicacy with fruit, perhaps more than my body needed. I felt a little too full, however I didn’t not feel that post-meal fatigue.

February 22nd.

Yesterday I didn’t follow this daily routine I have been carving out for myself, and that made me feel quite out of balance. I struggle to keep my certain healthy habits for me and my son when we have visitors. I was listening to a podcast from Mark Sisson, founder of the PrimalBluePrint. He talked about flexibility, in all sense of the word. I feel strongly that my body requires more healing before I can reach that point of flexibility in my schedule and diet. Right now I thrive off of routine, with intermittent adventures. Yesterday I woke up suuuuper late, like 10:30. We ate breakfast at noon (mutton chopped up super-fine with garlic and cabbage leaves). Lunch was at 4:00. It was a stew of mutton with fava beans, green beans, and squash. Served with raw carrot and cucumber salad. Dinner was a sort of tea time snack at 10:00pm. I made some 100% oat flour cookies (oats, flax, banana, honey, butter, baking soda). Not technically a gluten-containing food, but if I am honest with myself, it is. The rest of the family and visitors had homemade bread with cheese. Now it is the morning time, I woke up at 7am, didn’t sleep too well. I had quite a bit stomach pain and bloating in the morning, most definitely a product of the oat consumption. However, my mind is clear. What I really want to cure is the brain fog, forgetfulness, mood swings, etc. I want to feel good in my BRAIN. Breakfast was leftover cazuela. Lunch was the same followed by like three maca-cacao-honey drinks. Some sort of a nervous-ish thing. Dinner was Tripe curry with carrot salad and pickles. That felt great and all of the cravings stopped with this nutritious meal.

February 23rd.

Today I awoke around 7:50. Alone. I still had some stomach-colon issues like yesterday, but it was much better. As of now I feel good. But this is always the hour when I feel the best. Today I am back on the train. I would say thus far in my journey, I feel MUCH better and happier. Today my waist measurement was 76.5 cm. In my notes I can see that on January 1st, my waist size was 81cm. So I have lowered 4.5 cm. Breakfast was two eggs, cooked in sheep lard, with garlic, oregano, and swiss chard. Then I ate a small pear. Lunch was sautéed zucchini, mackerel, and garlic. All wrapped up in a lettuce leaf. Then I drank two cacao-maca-honey drinks (sugar cravings began). Dinner was leftover tripe curry. Then I all of the sudden had strong desires for sugar again. I made cassava flour crepes with honey. I think that was a mental craving more so than a physical one.

February 24th.

I was thinking last night how it really has been difficult preparing foods that I cannot eat. Sometimes it feels empowering, other times it’s debilitating. I think I would like to prepare Elimination-diet-approved foods for Roman as well. Vicente leaves today with his mama, which I think will be a big help in terms of food preparation. My honest beliefs are that gluten, sweeteners, and many grains are NOT good for us, so why do I feed them to my family? That’s my primary thought for today.

So there you have a bit of my overly-personal Elimination Diet journey. I have chosen to just be 100% honest in sharing my experience, because I feel as if that is the gift I can share with you. I believe that a lot of us neglect to say some things due to shame, when that very things could deeply connect us! So there you have it. It is now March 10th, I feel as if I went from a 6 to an 8.5 since I began this Elimination Diet Journey. Now I am eating lots of broths (so beautifully coinciding with the fall time), homemade head-cheese (an amazing anti-inflammatory gut healer), more organ meats, homemade ferments (kefir included), and herbs to lower inflammation and soothe the gut. Perhaps cooling my Pitta, but a fall-time version. Cheers to self-love, delicious food, and the healing journey.

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lalka-laski · 4 years

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1. Do you ever go back and look through all the surveys you’ve taken? Are there any answers that make you cringe, or that you’d answer differently next time around? I do that occasionally. There are certainly answers that make me cringe which is why all my former Facebook surveys are now PRIVATE. But it is fun to read through old ones. They’re little snapshots of my life at any given time, like journal entries. 2. What is something most everyday people don’t know or wouldn’t be able to guess about you? I love reading the profiles on WriteAPrisoner.Com and then researching the inmates’ crimes. I’ve never actually sent a letter to an inmate but I *might* consider it someday. 3. If you could have someone make you breakfast every morning, what kinds of things would you want them to make? As lovely as that sounds, I’m not much of a breakfast eater. I love breakfast food, but I’m rarely hungry in the mornings. Buuuut if someone wanted to serve me a mimosa every morning well, I wouldn’t mind ;) 4. Where is the scariest place you’ve ever been? What made it so terrifying? See, when you have crippling anxiety like me, ANYWHERE can be scary! 5. Did you celebrate Easter? Are there any holidays you are more inclined to celebrate than others? If so, which? My family celebrates Easter in the commercial sense in that we fill baskets with candy and have brunch etc. It’s actually one of my favorite holidays. I was so bummed this year when all the fun holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Easter were smack-dab in the middle of quarantine!

6. If you’re on the internet, what are you most likely to be doing? Scrolling Facebook or Twitter, or Googling the bizarre questions that pop into my head throughout the day 7. When was the last time you experienced a pleasant surprise? I don’t know, for some reason the pizza we ordered last night was like OUT OF THIS WORLD. It was our regular Domino’s order but it was tastier than anything we’ve ever had. 8. What were your favorite parts of the previous week? Do you have any plans for this week? Last week was go-go-go but it ended up but it was mostly fun stuff! Tommy visited for the weekend so we tried to pack as many activities into the weekend as we could. We hit up a lot of restaurants, shops and bars, plus a cemetery and a cidery! It’s hard to narrow it down to one ultimate favorite because the whole weekend was a blast. Although I am looking forward to a quieter weekend/week ahead to re-coop! 9. What was the last thing you deleted? The previous person’s answer to this 10. What colors make up the majority of your wardrobe? Is there any color you like, but don’t wear often? Despite my affinity for light colors and pastels, I own mostly black clothes. I guess just because they’re slimming and flattering? As for colors I don’t often wear: I try to steer clear of anything that’ll make me look even paler than I already am, so grays, beiges and yellows. 11. When was the last time you were in any amount of pain? I had slight cramps today. Although I wouldn't describe them as necessarily *painful.* Then again, women are tough as nails and we normalize this shit. 12. Do you have any unusual habits or preferences when it comes to food? I’m not a picky eater at all but I might have some unusual preferences. I prefer hot foods to be served at room temperature, particularly pizza. I like it when the cheese has solidified just a bit. If a pizza is delivered to me still piping hot, I’ll pop it in the fridge for a few so that the cheese can harden. 13. Tell a fact about the last person you spoke to. She’s a savior in my workplace (and my personal life, TBH). I really look up to her and I don’t tell her enough. 14. What is something you tend to carry with you everywhere? My phone, of course. But don’t we all? 15. What was the last thing you completed? The previous survey. LOL, what a productive work day I’m having! 16. Do you take pictures often? What are the main subjects of your photography? Definitely. My camera roll is comprised mostly of food and babies. 17. Post a picture of one of your favorite memories and tell the story behind it? 18. If you’re reading a book, how close are you to finishing it? Do you have any idea what you’ll read next? I was in the middle of a really gripping book a few weeks ago but life got too hectic for me to sit down and read. I really want to finish it but one of its main themes is death and I’m not sure if that’s a little too raw for me right now. So we’ll see.

19. Is there anything you’ve been more optimistic about lately? My job prospects. I don’t want to go into further detail though because I’m afraid of jinxing it. 20. What does the sky look like right now? I couldn’t tell ya because I’m in a dungeon (aka the lower level of my office, which happens to be windowless). 21. What was the last thing you snacked on? I had soup for lunch but that wasn’t really “snacking.” 22. Do you prefer fruits or vegetables? I definitely buy/eat more veggies but I do love fruit! 23. When was the last time you had to ask for help? What about the last time someone asked you? I needed help stringing lights on my Halloween tree the other day. It’s funny because I told Glenn that I’d put up the tree entirely on my own. He knew that really meant “I’ll need lots of help” aaaand he was right. He was a great sport about it though!

As for the last time someone asked me for help uh... I’m blanking. Ha! What does that say about me? 24. Where was the last place you went? How long will it be until you leave the house again? I’m at work currently so I guess this is the last place I’ve gone. I’m heading home in an hour and I don’t plan to leave again ‘till tomorrow morning. 25. What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed inside? How about outside? I’ve stayed inside for several consecutive days before but I’m not sure what my record is. As for outdoors, uhhh only a matter of hours. A full day but no more than like 12 hours I’d say. 26. Who was the last person to hug you? Do you hug this person often? Glenny bear and yes of course, multiple times a day. 27. What are you most likely to argue or debate about? Silly, unimportant things. 28. What was the last show you watched? Have you seen it before, or is it something you’re watching for the first time? Catfish last night. Even though it’s been on for years I only started watching it a few nights ago. And I enjoy it as my bedtime show now. It’s perfect for that because it’s not too loud or action-packed, and it doesn’t require a ton of focus. It’s good to fall asleep to.

29. How would you describe your taste in clothing? What would a dream outfit look like to you? If money and time weren’t factors, my dream wardrobe is classic and feminine. I’d wear skirts and dresses everyday. But I’m lazy, tired and broke so I usually settle for jeggings or leggings most days. It’s kind of sad, tbh. I DO have good taste and a sharp eye for style but I feel I never get the opportunity to showcase that. 30. How has your day been so far? Pretty damn good actually! And I’m going home in less than an hour so it’ll only go up from here :)

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gastro-nomique · 6 years

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236 Holiday Recipes You Won’t Believe are Allergy-Friendly

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The post 236 Holiday Recipes You Won’t Believe are Allergy-Friendly appeared first on Modern Parents Messy Kids.

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24hourchampagnediet-blog1 · 5 years

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DAY BY DAY - Midland Reporter-Telegram

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/day-by-day-midland-reporter-telegram/

DAY BY DAY - Midland Reporter-Telegram

Healthy habits keep these Midlanders on the right track

Updated 4:21 pm CDT, Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

In recent years, Midland seems to have been claiming its healthy side. For every big box gym such as TruFit, Planet Fitness and the soon-to-be open Crunch Fitness, there are even more specialty and boutique gyms and studios. Health food has made its way into the restaurant and food scenes with meal prep services, food shops and menu options.

Whether it’s the influence of transitional residents to the area who may come from health-conscious cities such as Austin or Dallas, or just a natural trend to embrace heath and wellness, Midland is increasingly steeping into it. A healthy community can mean a healthy city, and there are so many options.

These Midlanders have incorporated daily habits that have led to healthy living. They’re not trainers or super athletes, either. Fighting the daily grind of work like most everyone else, they show that a healthy outlook can be a good thing.

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet…

ERICA MANN, health coach

Erica Mann, 44, may offer craft cocktails at her lounge, the Blue Door, but her healthy outlook is far away from maraschino cherries and sugar syrup. Before her days as a business owner, the Houston native was a high school counselor at an at-risk charter school and ESL tutor for adults. She is also an advocate for the spaying and neutering of cats in the community. She is in the process of becoming a health coach, but at the same time enjoys a bourbon old fashioned, a bold cabernet or a reposado tequila with Topo Chico.

A MENTAL START LEADS TO A HEALTHY DAY

Mentally, it is important that I start my day with calm and intention. I make a cup of coffee, sit down, and allow myself 30 minutes to an hour to sip, read whatever interests me in the moment and go over my goals and plans for the day.

I eat primarily paleo, mainly filling my plate with quality protein, vegetables and healthy fats. I keep my fridge and pantry stocked with nutritious items that make these quick meals easy and convenient to put together.

I also attend spin and weight-lifting classes at the YMCA four days a week. Choosing a healthy lifestyle that works for me has elevated my energy levels in ways I never thought possible; I have more energy at 44 than I did at 24.

EARLY HABITS STICK WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS

I grew up in a house that valued a healthy lifestyle, and I was an athlete through college, so it has always been part of me. However, what I view as healthy has changed over the last four years. I grew up during the non-fat, grain heavy, margarine-is-better-than-butter, fake-sugar era. This approach to health left me exhausted, bloated, anxious and prone to shaky hands and blood sugar swings. Once I switched to a diet based on real food, that welcomed protein, good fats and loads of vegetables, everything about the way I felt changed. Once you feel good after feeling so bad, going back isn’t an option.

MAKING IT WORK WITH TIME MANAGEMENT AND PRIORITIZING

As far as meal times, I take an intuitive approach to eating, and only have a meal when I’m hungry. There are many times when it is technically “time” for my first meal of the day, but if I’m not genuinely hungry; I push it off until I am. I’m able to do this on a consistent basis by planning out my meals in advance and focusing on dishes that will only take 10-30 minutes to prepare.

I schedule workouts into my day, just as I would an appointment, work, or happy hour with friends. Doing this signifies that my physical health is just as much a priority as every other “to do” on my list.

CLEAN EATING IS SIMPLE MATH

I cook at home for almost all my meals, but I typically keep it very simple and quick. Protein plus veg plus fat, is my usual motto, but if I am physically craving a carb, I’ll add something like half a potato or a plantain. I cook without recipes much of the time, but when I do use them, the blog Defined Dish is my favorite source.

What I choose when I’m eating out depends on the circumstances. If it is a special night out, I pretty much order what looks good to me, but I’m mindful not to select something that will make me feel terrible. While a big plate of pasta might taste like heaven, I know that I will feel awful later; instead, I might order a side of gooey mac and cheese and split it with the table. I still get the yum, without sabotaging the rest of my night.

For a regular random day of eating out, my go-tos are bunless burgers or big salads topped with some sort of protein. You can get them almost anywhere, and I never feel like I’m missing out; both options are delicious and filling.

CHEAT? NEVER!

My philosophy is that if you eat nutrient-dense foods most of the time, then an occasional plate of Tex-Mex or a big chocolate brownie isn’t a cheat; it is just food. No need to feel guilty or punish yourself on the treadmill tomorrow; enjoy it, then do your normal thing the next day. A friend said it well: that there are always foods and sometimes foods.

HAVING AN INFLUENCE

My approach to food and working out has been influenced most by Mark Sisson who wrote “The Primal Blueprint” and “The Keto Reset Diet.” Based on the feedback I get from my health-based Instagram account, I have even influenced others. I believe this so strongly that I have become a certified Health Coach and a 21 Day Sugar Detox Coach so that I can begin helping on a wider scale.

LAURA METZGER, martial arts practitioner

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Actor Laura Metzger has worked as a stage combatant and fight choreographer, which align with her interest in martial arts.

Actor Laura Metzger has worked as a stage combatant and fight…

I wake up early before the rest of the house gets busy and I do a focused study. I read my Bible and I also read inspirational and motivational literature and select a portion I can apply to that day. Maybe not so quick to react? Which comes in handy in current Midland traffic, or how can I better someone else’s day?

I’m a list-maker, so in the morning I create a list of daily goals in order of importance, and as I go through the day and tic off my list, I feel accomplished:) My “sigung” (technically a master’s master) Monica Morse of Matthews Martial Arts taught me the importance of continuous goal- setting. I wouldn’t be wearing a third-degree black belt without it.

YEARS IN THE MAKING

My son and I began on a journey in martial arts almost a decade ago, I was spurned to do so because I missed doing stage fight choreography and was seeking an activity my then-young son would love. We started doing the martial art Kajukenbo as an activity and the dojo (school) became our family. He now has his black belt, and my 9-year-old daughter is a green belt.

We get a ton of physical activity, but the mental activity is just as gratifying. Martial arts is kicking and punching but it’s also mental control. When you have to put your fist or foot through a board, you have to believe you can. When you have to take down a person twice your size you have to know the technique and believe you can.

Our art has a saying, “Nothing is impossible to a willing mind,” and it’s true. The body is capable of doing anything if the mind allows, so we get a double workout, mind and body!

FINDING THE RIGHT CHANNEL

When I started martial arts, I had no clue how to channel my energy. After years of training, I’ve learned from my sigungs Monica Morse and Jason Matthews how to eliminate the things that were pulling me away from my goals and well-being and stay focused on my vision for my life. What a concept.

MAKES TIME TO GIVE TIME

Ultimately, martial arts are fluid. You can train twice a week, or you can be up there every day.

I use 30-45 minutes for my morning preparation, and I’m currently training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at our dojo every Monday for an hour to hour and a half. Then I give back, which is super rewarding. I teach our “little dragons” throughout three 30-minute classes ranging from age 2 to 7 years old. Then, if I can make it, I like to hit the ladies’ martial arts class on Wednesdays.

Many times, I find myself walking through a form, or kata, while waiting for dinner to cook, or my kids might go through self-defense with me. We recently confronted a bullying issue and precepts of martial arts helped me guide my child through it. It’s this physical and mental marriage that’s also an individual and family activity for us.

BURN THROUGH THOSE CALORIES

I have tracked my food since college, but nowadays I track my food and water intake. I cheat just like everyone else, but the best part is, I can go spend time at the dojo and it doesn’t seem like a workout and it burns huge numbers of calories.

I could always do better with snacking, but my recent addiction is Skinny Dipped Almonds. They’re a desert and healthy snack in one.

We are a busy family, so we do get takeout; however, but with my tracking app I can figure out my healthiest options. We love to use the grill or small smoker for less fried foods. If I just want to indulge, I love Luigi’s. The restaurant is a staple here in Midland and they have a killer White Russian — and I love a good White Russian.

FROM DOJO TO STAGE

For my influences, Sigung Monica Morse taught me how to prioritize my life and keep doing so, while Sigung Jason Matthews taught me how to fight for what I want.

CAITLIN MILES, dancer

Caitlin Miles, 30, is a human resources representative for Kinder Morgan Inc. Originally from Post, she grew up in Midland. She is a graduate of Lee High School and West Texas A&M University with a degree in musical theater. She and her husband, Jared, share their home with two cats and one golden retriever. She’s active on stage and choreographing with Midland Community Theatre and Summer Mummers. Dance has helped with her theater pursuits and has been a foundation for her physical fitness.

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Caitlyn Miles has been dancing since she was 2-years-old; last year she incorporated yoga into her exercise regimen.

Caitlyn Miles has been dancing since she was 2-years-old; last year…

A NEW EXERCISE IS NOW A REGULAR THING

Yoga has become a huge part of my healthy lifestyle. I had taken classes intermittently for years; however, I chose to make it a regular part of my exercise regimen last year. Not only has it benefited me physically, yoga has helped me alleviate stress and promote relaxation and peace of mind.

A YOUNG START DEFINED MILES’ NEEDS

My mother put me in dance classes when I was 2 years old, and it’s been an important part of my life ever since.

While I played other sports like volleyball, basketball and softball, the artistry of dance truly spoke to my soul and kept me motivated to keep pursuing it. I minored in dance at West Texas A&M University. I’ve continued it with shows at Midland Community Theatre and taken adult dance classes offered at Midland Festival Ballet and Dance Elite.

Because I grew up with an active lifestyle, I have a built-in need for physical fitness. But, just like with sports, regular exercise classes and machines can’t hold my interest. Yoga has been a great substitute and supplement for dance. It combines fitness, flexibility, and the movement and flow of it is beautiful and dance-like.

MELTING AWAY DAILY STRESS

Yoga has definitely helped me reduce tension and stress from work and life, in general. Yoga gives me a chance to step away from my phone, focus on my breathing and follow a guided meditation session at the end of each practice. I’ve tried different types of yoga styles, from Yin Yoga to Vinyasa Flow, and I always feel refreshed and revived after every class, no matter the intensity.

DAILY GOALS HELP WITH AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Sometimes it’s hard to justify making time for exercise. I have to tell myself that if I have time to binge-watch a show on Netflix, then I definitely have time for healthy habits. It’s easier to manage when I make health an integral part of my day. Plenty of studios and gyms offer classes throughout the day to accommodate anyone’s schedule. I aim to do some sort of physical activity every day, and that might mean that I go to a class right after work or during lunch (I just can’t wake up early enough to go to a morning class; kudos to those who do!). I also don’t skip weekends. When I’m dancing in Summer Mummers that is a good workout and covers the weekends. Midland Yoga Works has fantastic classes during the weekends. I love their Vinyasa Flow classes and Aerial Yoga.

A COOKING COUPLE KEEPS FOOD ON CHECK

My family loves to cook, and I grew up eating a lot of home-cooked meals. I’ve always been able to bake; however, I didn’t think I had inherited the cooking gift. I could make pasta, but I overcooked or burned a lot of other dishes. Recently, I decided that I wanted to improve my cooking skills, and a work colleague suggested that I try Blue Apron. My husband and I have so much fun making dinners with home delivery meal kits. We love having all the ingredients we need delivered directly to us, and we’ve made a variety of meals that I never would have attempted on my own.

We don’t frequent restaurants often, but, when we do, I see them as a treat. If I’m craving a burger or pizza, I’m going to eat what I want. I’ve found that if I deny myself something I want because it’s “unhealthy,” then I’m only going to desire it more and make myself miserable in the end.

THE RARE FOOD COURT INDULGENCE

I love Stir Fry 88 at the Midland Park Mall, and it’s so perfectly placed near the Great American Cookie. My favorite thing to grab is the Mandarin Chicken with half rice, half noodles, and a fudge brownie for dessert.

FRIENDS INDEED

I don’t mind working out by myself, but I love when I can go to class with my friends. I’ve gotten some of my friends into aerial yoga, and I love laughing with them while hanging upside down from silk hammocks.

I also find that working out is much more enjoyable when I get to participate with my husband. He doesn’t mind trying some of the less intense yoga classes with me, and we both participate in Summer Mummers. We also just started playing golf, and it has been really fun struggling with learning a new sport with him.

CHRIS STONEDALE, super dad

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Chris Stonedale, resource development director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Permian Basin, works out daily and eats a healthy diet so he can keep up with his kids, daughter Harlowe, 6, and son, Burke, 3 months.

Chris Stonedale, resource development director for the Boys &…

Chris Stonedale, 36, serves as the resource development director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Permian Basin. The Arlington native moved to Midland more than a decade ago and has been involved in nonprofits either on staff or on boards and committees. While he works to raise funds and awareness for Boys & Girls Club, he also is a coach at Midland Christian School. Health and fitness are a daily habit for Stonedale and his wife, Cassie, but mostly, he sees it as a tribute to his family that includes his daughter Harlowe, 6, and son Burke, 3 months old, and two dogs.

ROUTINE IS CRUCIAL; TEAMWORK HELPS

That is one of the most important things for me regarding staying active and with my food choices. My wife and I count our macros and limit ourselves to a calorie count each day. That forces me to make each meal and snack deliberate; it also keeps me from accidentally polishing off a whole can of Pringles in a sitting.

Being active is also a super important part of my day. The older I get the easier it is to be more and more sedentary. I try and spend my lunchtime at the gym rather than eating out. This allows me to recharge both physically and mentally at the midpoint of the day and allows me to come back strong in the afternoon.

At the end of the workday my wife and I then work out together. We motivate and keep each other accountable in our fitness goals. The couple that lifts together, stays together. It’s also very important to me to spend some time at the end of the day in prayer and silent reflection. Just taking that moment each day to get your mind right, think about all your blessings and forget about all the trivial things that pop up is paramount to mental and spiritual health.

FAMILY LED HIM TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE — AMONG OTHER THINGS

Old age and old injuries had started to catch up to me. Add in bad eating habits, and I was seeing my mobility and energy levels suffer. I realized I didn’t want to be that dad and husband watching his kids play and have fun, but rather be out there running and playing with them. I owe it to my family to be as active and healthy as I can.

HEALTHY LIVING HAS REAPED BIG REWARDS

I have seen that even as I get older, my energy level has stayed pretty high. I love the opportunity to run around with the kids at work and do fun things with the family. The diet and the counting calories aspect are awful, but a routine makes it easier. We also have gotten involved with our fitness community like working out at TruFit and being part of a macros-counting community on Facebook. That has made everything easier and fun.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

You absolutely have to make time. As my wife constantly reminds me, you make time for things that are important. If that means going to the gym late at night or early in the morning because you have a scheduled lunch meeting, then that’s what you have to do. With a newborn baby in our house, we have had to do some pretty imaginative scheduling. But it is important for us to keep ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually healthy.

DINING OUT? NO PROBLEM

Unless we are deciding to cheat on our diets, which will happen occasionally, we use websites to plan out what we are going to get before we arrive. There are so many sites and available resources now that you can plan your macros and calories for almost any local restaurant.

HOME IS WHERE THE INFLUENCE IS

The biggest influence for me has been my wife. She truly pushes me to be the best possible version of myself. That doesn’t mean she expects me to be 2 percent body fat or have an amazing physique. She expects me to be healthy, live a long time, and be good example of spiritual and mental health for our family. In that aspect, we push each other. It’s definitely important to have that kind of mutual understanding for the importance of healthy lifestyles.

JASTIN TAYLOR, pro wrestler

By day, Jastin Taylor, 36, is an adviser with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. By night, or rather on certain dates, he’s body slamming opponents in the squared circle. Jastin “The Living Proof” Taylor is also a professional wrestler who has worked locally with OSW Wresting as well as with World Wrestling Entertainment. He has wrestled in Canada and throughout the U.S. He has to keep his body strong and in shape for those matches, which requires him to pursue a life of fitness and strength.

SIMPLE HABITS

I drink a gallon of water a day. I exercise five to seven times per week. And I always try to end the day with something I like doing whether it’s playing video games, watching a film or catching up on America’s current events.

Jastin Taylor is a professional wrestler. His daily routine includes working out and drinking plenty of water.

Jastin Taylor is a professional wrestler. His daily routine…

THE RIGHT CHOICES

Speaking from the perspective of a professional wrestler, you have to have a good amount of athleticism, power and stamina to perform at a high level. So, for me, the healthier choices are necessary for me to accomplish my goals.

Plus, it’s about the quality of life. Life is harder when you are fatigued, stressed and have no outlets of release. A healthy lifestyle allows you to combat those things with activity, stress-relief and the positivity of knowing that you accomplished something daily.

MAKING A COMEBACK

Not too long ago, I was in a darker place, I lost a special person in my life and things weren’t quite going my way as far as wrestling is concerned. My eating habits got worse, and my time in the gym lessened. For that two to three months, I noticed a real difference in my mentality. I secluded myself from others and invited negative thoughts into my world. As a result, my body suffered, and my confidence waned. I know from experience how much harder life is when you live like that. Now that I have rediscovered that part of my life, I feel more motivated and stronger than ever. It’s really amazing how much of a difference physical and mental health make.

LIVING LIFE IN THE FASTING LANE

I am currently using a technique called “intermittent fasting,” which means I have a limited window of time to eat my meals for the day, and then the rest of the day I’m fasting or not eating. Based on my fasting schedule, I can’t have my first meal each day until 2 p.m. It definitely affects my entire schedule at work, and I go almost my entire work day without eating. Since most people lunch around noon, I still can’t eat at that time. But, that allows me to utilize that break to go to the gym instead. Every day I can at least hit the gym once because I know that is basically a free hour for me. That small change has led to gym consistency, which is really something you need to stay on track.

MAINTAINING COOL WITH FOOD

At home, most of my food sits in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. I don’t know about anyone else, but when I was unhealthy, that was the opposite. Since I am cooking most of the time, my salmon, chicken, veggies and steaks completely fill my freezer. My fridge, on the other hand, just contains water, liquid egg whites or fruits. It’s sometimes a pain to have to cook all the time, but the Foreman grill at least makes it easier!

When I go to restaurants, I try to pull from the healthier options. I try to do a sweet potato if I need a carbohydrate, and I tend to stick with steaks or salmon dishes. I also will order an unsweet tea and a water for my drinks, that way I can add stevia or something low-sugar to the tea and I have a water there to limit the number of refills I ask for at the table. For me, it wasn’t about making drastic changes, but you make small changes and build upon that. It’s getting a regular meal instead of a supersize meal, doing a can of soda instead of a big bottle. Practicing these habits helps when you go to restaurants or stores as well.

CHEAT MEALS ARE WELCOME

I’m constantly traveling for wrestling, and Midland doesn’t have this restaurant called Raising Cane’s, which serves primarily chicken fingers. I absolutely love to go there and will often save my cheat meal for when I can get to one of those. The better question might be: what won’t I eat on a cheat day? I’m a typical American guy. so I love pizza, burgers and chicken fingers.

PEER PRESSURE

If anyone has influenced my choices it would just be wrestlers, celebrities or just people who have gotten to better places with their consistency. It’s inspiring to see your peers working hard and showing discipline to be where they are. Just when I think I can relax, I see someone posting about a workout or flexing in a photo and I will immediately say to myself, “I guess I could be doing more.” Staying motivated is key when trying to change to a healthier lifestyle. m

Source link Keto Diet Drinks

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fuckyeahtattoogirls-blog1 · 5 years

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DAY BY DAY - Midland Reporter-Telegram

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/day-by-day-midland-reporter-telegram/

DAY BY DAY - Midland Reporter-Telegram

Healthy habits keep these Midlanders on the right track

Updated 4:21 pm CDT, Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet consists of vegetables and proteins

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door and a health coach, normal diet…

ERICA MANN, health coach

A MENTAL START LEADS TO A HEALTHY DAY

EARLY HABITS STICK WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS

MAKING IT WORK WITH TIME MANAGEMENT AND PRIORITIZING

CLEAN EATING IS SIMPLE MATH

CHEAT? NEVER!

HAVING AN INFLUENCE

LAURA METZGER, martial arts practitioner

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Actor Laura Metzger has worked as a stage combatant and fight choreographer, which align with her interest in martial arts.

Actor Laura Metzger has worked as a stage combatant and fight…

YEARS IN THE MAKING

Our art has a saying, “Nothing is impossible to a willing mind,” and it’s true. The body is capable of doing anything if the mind allows, so we get a double workout, mind and body!

FINDING THE RIGHT CHANNEL

MAKES TIME TO GIVE TIME

Ultimately, martial arts are fluid. You can train twice a week, or you can be up there every day.

BURN THROUGH THOSE CALORIES

I could always do better with snacking, but my recent addiction is Skinny Dipped Almonds. They’re a desert and healthy snack in one.

FROM DOJO TO STAGE

For my influences, Sigung Monica Morse taught me how to prioritize my life and keep doing so, while Sigung Jason Matthews taught me how to fight for what I want.

CAITLIN MILES, dancer

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Caitlyn Miles has been dancing since she was 2-years-old; last year she incorporated yoga into her exercise regimen.

Caitlyn Miles has been dancing since she was 2-years-old; last year…

A NEW EXERCISE IS NOW A REGULAR THING

A YOUNG START DEFINED MILES’ NEEDS

My mother put me in dance classes when I was 2 years old, and it’s been an important part of my life ever since.

MELTING AWAY DAILY STRESS

DAILY GOALS HELP WITH AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

A COOKING COUPLE KEEPS FOOD ON CHECK

THE RARE FOOD COURT INDULGENCE

FRIENDS INDEED

CHRIS STONEDALE, super dad

Photo: Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

Chris Stonedale, resource development director for the Boys &…

ROUTINE IS CRUCIAL; TEAMWORK HELPS

FAMILY LED HIM TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE — AMONG OTHER THINGS

HEALTHY LIVING HAS REAPED BIG REWARDS

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

DINING OUT? NO PROBLEM

HOME IS WHERE THE INFLUENCE IS

JASTIN TAYLOR, pro wrestler

SIMPLE HABITS

Jastin Taylor is a professional wrestler. His daily routine includes working out and drinking plenty of water.

Jastin Taylor is a professional wrestler. His daily routine…

THE RIGHT CHOICES

MAKING A COMEBACK

LIVING LIFE IN THE FASTING LANE

MAINTAINING COOL WITH FOOD

CHEAT MEALS ARE WELCOME

PEER PRESSURE

Source link Keto Diet Drinks

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getoutoftheweeds-blog · 7 years

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DIY Nutrition Plan - A Baseline Study of Yourself.

Since the last article went up, we have had several questions about how exactly I started losing weight. Below is a basic outline I followed to get me going and keep me going down the path.

In case you didn't know, I used to be pretty fat. When I stepped on the scale almost 5 years ago, I was about 100 pounds heavier. Truthfully, I was obese. I was “active” and mostly did things that were considered “healthy,” but I kept putting on weight. Part of the reason I was so chubby were circumstances that I thought were out of my control. Part of the reason was that I was ignorant. Part of the reason was that I was ignoring the obvious. However, I was able to get a plan together that helped me to not only lose weight, but get my life on the track I wanted it to be on. The key for my success was getting my personalized health/nutrition plan dialed in.

Before we go too far, I want you to know that I am a regular guy, writing to regular people. I’m not giving out advice to athletes or elite performers. I’ve never won a race or graced a podium. I’m no gifted athlete, but I’m also not trying to be one. I’m focused on winning at life, not some event. Reality is I’m just a dude who used to be fat and got his act together. I know what it is like to be overweight. I know what it is like to wish for a better way to live every day. It is my desire to help regular folks live a healthy life. Trust me; if I can break away from the chains of my old overweight life, you can, too. You just need a plan.

There are four things you have to take responsibility for before you begin this process:

1) You are in charge of you. Only you can figure out what is best for you. You know the dynamics of your situation. It is your responsibility to figure out how to make this happen in your particular circumstance.

2) Leave your assumptions behind. If you assume you have no assumptions, you are wrong. You will be challenged in this process. Have the ability to be flexible.

3) Things change. You are going to discover some things about yourself along the way. Some are strengths, some are weaknesses. It is your responsibility to take it in stride, change what needs to be changed and continue forward.

4) You get to define what success looks like. What does progress look like to you? One or two pounds? More energy? The ability to play with your kids or grand-kids (or great-grand-kids) without tiring out? You set the standard and work towards it.

With that out of the way, how do you develop a case study of yourself to figure out how nutrition, health and fitness information applies to you specifically?

Here is how I did it:

1) Take at least a week and log all the food you eat to determine how many Carbs (keep up with sugar, too), Proteins and Fats you are consuming. Be honest. Are you sneaking a snack here and there? Are you eating extra helpings at supper? Also note how much caffeine you take in each day. If you can spare the time, an even better option is to log your current habits for two weeks. I use the free MyFitnessPal app from Under Armor. You can use whatever you like. You will start to see your patterns emerge. A good analogy is reading a map. If you know where you want to go, the next most important thing to figure out is where you are at. Without that information, you will never be able to figure how to get to where you want to go. That’s what you are doing by logging your food.

2) Log your workouts and how they make you feel immediately after, hours after and the next day. Workouts provide a good stress to the body. But you have to keep in mind that the overall level of stress you will face during this endeavor is pretty high. During this process, I found it was best to keep the workout intensity low. It is advisable to do things like walking, easy bike rides and other similar low intensity activities. You can up your volume for these activities, but keep it at an aerobic pace. If you don’t know what that really means, a good rule of thumb is work out at a slow enough pace that you can have a conversation. If you have to breathe through your mouth, you are working too hard. Remember, the point of this study is to figure out what fuels you best in day-to-day life. The added stress from hard, anaerobic workouts will be self-defeating. That being said, if you are going to lift weights, shoot for maintaining where you are now, not gaining. Your body will be going through a lot, don’t set it up for failure by forcing it onto a blood sugar roller coaster. There is plenty of time after this test to ramp up your workouts. The whole point of logging workouts is to start to accurately identify the normal feedback your body is giving you. You’ll discover some cool stuff.

3) Log how much time you are sitting, or otherwise not moving. I was astonished at how little I was moving throughout the day, especially on days I worked out. I was an active couch potato. You don’t want to be an active couch potato. I realized my one hour of working out is not enough to offset 9-10 hours of sitting around. It’s better to walk a lot throughout the day than burn yourself out in an hour and have to lounge around the rest of your waking hours. You need to be aware of your daily movement habits.

4) Log any information your body is giving you. Do you have a headache? Did you get phlegmy after a certain meal? Are you tired in the afternoons? How much sleep are you getting? You feeling anxious? Why do you think these things are happening? These are all clues you will use as you figure out how to best fuel your body.

5) Take at least 2 weeks and consume no high glycemic foods (sugar, grain, starch, dairy or processed carbohydrates). Before you start this part, pull up a glycemic chart. That is super handy when you go buy your groceries for this part of the test. There have been books that came out recently that suggest doing this test for 30 days. That’s good, too. I went through this process before those books were written. Two weeks worked for me. The whole point is to let your body switch from primarily sugar burning to fat burning. You will feel it when this happens. If you are unsure you’ve reached this point after 2 weeks, go the whole 30 days. During my two weeks, I even avoided fruit and most nuts. I did eat a few berries though. Throughout this time, eat only real food. Nothing processed from a box or bag, even if it is organic or all-natural. Locally sourced, non-GMO, grass-fed, single ingredient, chemical and antibiotic free are ideal. Some folks call this “eating clean.” Stay away from sugar and anything with a high glycemic score; let your body switch over to burning fat as the primary fuel. You’ll be eating a lot of salads, but that’s ok. Also, it is important to note that I never let myself go hungry during those 2 weeks. When I was hungry, I ate. I didn’t limit the amount of calories I could eat either. I just stayed away from sugar, processed food and anything else with a high glycemic score.

6) After the two weeks (or 30 days if you choose), introduce different carbohydrates one at a time to determine how they make you feel. If they cause a digestive issue, blood pressure issue, or allergic reaction; don’t eat that particular carbohydrate anymore. Do they make you tired? Do they make you hungrier? You will feel a difference. If they don’t bother you at all, you’re good. Almost everyone has some kind of carbohydrate intolerance. This is how you figure out what yours is.

7) Experiment to figure out what combination of macro-nutrients (fat, protein & carbs) fuels you best. This means that after you have figured out what foods you have a negative reaction to (and thus avoid), it’s time to figure out your optimal nutrient ratios. I did this through trial-and-error. Since you are a food logging pro at this point, and you know what foods make you feel good, it is some simple tweaking. An extra salad here, a little less meat there, or even adding an extra avocado to your smoothie. This is where you really dial in how to best fuel your body every day. Simply sliding the scale on the amount of carbs, protein and fats made a huge difference to me.

So, I ask you: What is your personal health plan? Feel free to use this outline as a starting point for your plan. Go and do your own research. Experiment with your food and your body. Learn to read the messages your body is trying to send you. You may find yourself eating in pretty close alignment to some diet (Paleo, Mediterranean, whatever). There’s nothing wrong with that. But ultimately, what you have discovered is a way to determine what best fuels your body. You created a personalized plan that customized to your life.

If this process seems intimidating, you want more information, or you would simply like an update, please contact us. I know I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for the support of friends, family, mentors and coaches. If you need a little more help, let me know. I am passionate about helping folks live their lives the way they want.

If this is your first time with us, welcome! Here at getoutoftheweeds.com, we dive deeper into the various aspects of health, nutrition, wellness and family life. Sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of the latest and greatest.

Also, check in often for more information about our upcoming partnerships and other online endeavors to empower you to be successful. Lastly, if someone comes to mind who wants to get their life on a healthier track and could benefit from this information, please share it.

We are excited you decided to take steps towards your healthy future. We look forward to hearing from you.

#wellness #workout #Nutrition #back in the day #success

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news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 5 years

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13 delicious tweets for when you're overcome with hanger

There comes a dark dark time in our lives when we experience a little thing called being hangry. It's a truly terrible experience when you find yourself at the intersection of starving and pissed off.

Twitter is the ultimate platform for ranting about your emotions. So there are thousands of tweets about people being hungry, people being angry, and people who have the unfortunate pleasure of being both.

Hanger can be caused by a multitude of different factors. Most often hanger comes from getting angry over the fact that you haven't eaten in a while. But sometimes you can start off angry and become hungry, which typically only fuels anger. You can also be angry because someone has said something to ruin your appetite. Really, the possibilities are endless.

So sit back, grab a snack, and enjoy these beautiful tweets of people being both angry and hungry.

1. The Siren gets what the Siren wants

The Siren, age 6: I'd like three pancakes for breakfast. Me: How about two? In the past, when I've made you three, you haven't eaten them all. The Siren: Well, we're not in the past, are we?

— Alex Bledsoe (@AlexBledsoe) June 5, 2018

2. When you finally eat but it's not enough

3. The before and after pics

Me when I haven’t eaten all morning vs me when the first chicken nugget hits my mouth pic.twitter.com/j7EOwVAn5W

— peeta 🥖 (@lepeetah) March 20, 2019

4. Your aggressive side comes out

nobody: me when i haven’t eaten in 6 hours: i’ll smack the shit outta anybody in here

— ju (@juliette88o) March 22, 2019

5. When your stomach follows no eating schedule

me @ 6am: not hungry me @ 12pm: not hungry me @ 6pm: not hungry me @ 12am: aight i want pizza and banana bread and cake and normal bread oh and some mcdonalds and subway and vegan mac & cheese-

— 🍑小桃子🍑 (@ricecakejjk) March 25, 2019

6. Your aggressive side comes out pt. 2

Nobody: Me when I haven’t eaten all day: https://t.co/4dCHALvKaf

— R O Y A L E (@royalepains) March 2, 2019

7. Cue stomach making whale sounds

me @ my stomach when it makes sound bc i haven’t eaten: pic.twitter.com/xpgAcJPO79

— jake peralta fan account (@losergirl43) October 23, 2018

8. When your dramatic side comes out to play

Me when I haven’t eaten in two hours pic.twitter.com/xxtOLZP6S3

— Kayla D. (@Rxpectations) May 7, 2018

9. Grandma knows best

10. When someone says something that keeps you from ever wanting to eat again

Robbie asked me if the mini shrimps in my 2nd course reminded me of my daughters fingers when she was an infant. I haven’t eaten in 100 minutes.

— Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) May 31, 2018

11. When the panic commences

Me when I haven’t eaten in 30 minutes https://t.co/sDfkRDho4H

— Lauren Curtis (@Lozcurtis) October 26, 2017

12. Your aggressive side comes out... YET AGAIN

Me when I haven’t eaten 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/UXYeJKkluH

— LEBZA😎 (@_LebzaMokebe) August 4, 2018

13. When you finally, finally get food

This hungry bumble was so happy with the sugar water that she did a little boogie.#bee #bumble #bumblebee #spring #insects pic.twitter.com/iyom19IfmK

— Suzanne Moss (@Sue__Moss) March 24, 2019

WATCH: This robot can make sushi in seconds

#_category:yct:001000002 #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_author:Charlotte Roos #_uuid:7b4d763b-0dde-3958-8467-a79c5c9f2a8d #_revsp:news.mashable

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yeskhanzadame11 · 4 years

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5 Ways to Break Through Weight Loss Plateaus

Have you hit a weight reduction plateau? It's time to study why, and what you could do about it.

Fat was practically falling off your body only some weeks ago, and now you're questioning in case your scale is damaged due to the fact regardless of what you do, your weight won't budge.

What gives?

Why did your recurring all of sudden prevent running, and what can you do to push through this weight loss plateau?

Understanding Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss

"Weight loss" is a complex little devil as it doesn't differentiate between changes in fats, muscle, and water.

The goal, of direction, is to lose most fats and minimal muscle, and to maintain water retention at a healthy minimal. When you step on the size and sign in a pound lighter than the day or week before, you likely assume that you've misplaced a pound of fat; in case you weigh the same or extra, you possibly anticipate that you've lost no fat, or gained. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.

Nothing swings weight up or down as without problems as water retention, as an example. If you consume a variety of sodium and carbs, and drink little water, you'll preserve quite a chunk of water, giving you that puffy, clean appearance. This can easily upload three-5 kilos in an afternoon, which may be quite stressful if you show up to hit the scale on this kingdom. On the flip aspect, you eat little sodium and carbs and drink lots of water, your body will flush water out, providing you with a tougher, extra defined appearance, which may lead you to suppose that it become a extremely good day of fats loss.

The unpredictability of water retention is one reason why I simplest weigh myself once according to week, on the equal day, in the morning, naked. Weighing yourself more than one times in line with week, or worse, in step with day, will fast kill your confidence and mess along with your head.

I additionally advise that you pick a "weigh day" that does not contain a cheat meal, as this will regularly upload a pound or two of water as a way to come out by way of the give up of the next day (my enjoy, at the least).

What is a True Weight Loss Plateau?

A authentic weight reduction plateau is a state of affairs in which you are not dropping fat.

I recall that I've hit a plateau if my weight hasn't changed in weeks. As I'm only going for one pound of actual fats loss in keeping with week, no exchange on the dimensions after one week of dieting isn't always necessarily a cause for subject-I ought who've lost that pound of fat but manifest to be maintaining a chunk of water, or maybe my bowel movements were not as normal within the previous day or two. No alternate in weight after two weeks of weight-reduction plan tells me that I'm in reality stuck.

Some Fat-Loss Facts to Keep in Mind

Before I cowl how to break these plateaus, I want you to understand some things about losing fats.

1. Weight Loss Plateaus Are to Be Expected

Just about everyone experiences weight reduction plateaus. If you have no concept what I'm speaking about and are able to reach single-digit frame fats probabilities with entire ease, rely yourself lucky. It's very not unusual for human beings to hit numerous plateaus on their trips to a six percent due to the fact, nicely, the human frame is just cussed on the subject of shedding fats.

I've determined that I cannot get underneath 9-10% frame fats on weight loss program on my own (you could most effective reduce your energy a lot, or you begin to consume up muscle)-I should add in aerobic if I want to keep losing. When I bulk, I generally stop off around 14-15% frame fats, and I can diet off the first 5% or so, however then I hit a plateau that simplest three-4 days in line with week of cardio can therapy (20-25 minutes per consultation). Then, the following plateau for me comes round eight%. If I want to go decrease, I must up my aerobic to four days consistent with week, for 30-forty minutes in line with consultation.

Everyone I've skilled and in any other case helped has skilled the identical phenomenon, however the thresholds vary. I've known a few rare human beings that could diet decrease than 10% with out including aerobic, however the general public can not destroy double-digit frame fats chances with out a very strict eating regimen and everyday cardio recurring.

2. The More You Lose, the Harder It Gets

The leaner you come to be, the longer it takes to lose fat healthily (the key, as you need to preserve as a whole lot muscle and strength as possible while losing fats). If you are at 25% body fat, it's very possible to lose 2-three kilos of fats in keeping with week for the first numerous weeks. If you're at 10% body fat and are creating a run for single digits, but, 2-3 kilos of fats in step with week might be not possible with out dangerous tablets.

For me, as soon as I get beneath 12% or so, I'm very satisfied to look simply one pound of fats loss in line with week, and I ought to work for it.

3. Your Body Has a "Comfort Zone"

Although it might sound a bit bro scientific, it is the quality manner I can describe a phenomenon skilled via me and hundreds of thousands of other athletes round the arena. The frame seems to have a weight (and, accordingly, a frame fats percentage) that it's miles most cozy at. Your herbal appetite has a tendency to maintain this weight and in case you eat less than this, you sense hungry. If you devour greater than this, you experience quite complete.

For a few, this "comfort quarter" is fairly fat, at the same time as others settle right into a weight that is quite lean. For me, as an instance, I discover that my body is maximum secure round eleven% body fat (which would presently positioned me at approximately 200 lbs). I don't need to watch my calories too intently and I can cheat numerous instances in step with week, and I'll simply live round 11%.

Now, retaining a weight underneath this consolation zone calls for steady work inside the form of limiting calories and doing aerobic. Getting fatter than this requires everyday overeating, and if this continues for too lengthy, the comfort region creeps higher and higher.

5 Ways to Break Your Weight Loss Plateaus

Alright, now that you recognize the distinction among weight reduction plateaus and fat loss plateaus, right here are 3 surefire approaches to stoke your frame's furnace again to hold the fat coming off.

1. Re-Calculate Your Daily Caloric Target

Your metabolism slows down as you shed pounds because your frame doesn't want to exert as a whole lot power to keep its now-slimmer physique.

If you don't alter your energy to account for this, you may hit a plateau. The easy way to avoid this is to re-calculate your day by day caloric target after each 15 pounds of weight reduction. As you may see, the goal creeps decrease and lower.

There are many formulation obtainable for figuring out how a great deal you have to devour to lose weight, but here is a simple one based totally at the Natch Candler:

1.2 grams of protein according to pound of body weight

1 gram of carbohydrate in step with pound of frame weight

1 gram of fat according to 5 pounds of frame weight

That simple macro nutrient system will put you in a mild caloric deficit and permit for steady, healthy weight reduction. To turn it into calories, genuinely multiply the protein and carbs with the aid of 4, and the fat by using nine.

2. Control the "Hidden Calories"

Most weight reduction plateaus are due to not anything greater than "calorie creep"-that is, eating more energy than you watched. This, mixed with an ever-slowing metabolism, is a guaranteed formula for stagnation.

Calories can creep in from many places. Purposeless snacking, eating out at eating places (they load calories into food with butter, oil, sauces, and so forth.), overdoing it with condiments, and consuming alcohol are all not unusual ways to feature sufficient calories to stall your weight loss without making you feel like you're completely "off your food regimen."

The sad fact is an insignificant 200-300 calories too many per day can completely halt fat loss. To put this into attitude, it really is most effective a couple handfuls of nuts, some tablespoons of fatty salad dressing, or a small bag of chips. Yup, fats loss is that finicky. It's not very complicated, but it calls for absolute precision.

So, to triumph over the "calorie creep," you surely have to realize precisely what's going into your frame every day. You can hold a meals magazine, or you could do what I do: calculate what you need each day, smash it down into each day food, and devour the equal aspect each day, each meal. I don't have the time or persistence to paintings a group of range into my weight loss program, so I include the simplicity of choosing nutritious foods that I like, and eating them time and again.

3. Increase Your Cardio

If you understand that your day by day caloric target is right and you've got virtually no calorie creep, then you definitely need to increase your cardio.

You can upload every other day if possible (I do not propose extra than four days in keeping with week if you're also weight schooling), or add time to each day (I like to add 10 minutes to every consultation and spot how my body responds).

The idea is to simply tip the scales a little bit more within the path of fat loss and look at the results. If the first round of greater aerobic would not do it, upload extra (another 10 minutes to each session, as an instance), and you'll get there.

Oh and do HIT aerobic, please.

Four. Embrace the Cheat Meal

Yup, accept as true with it or not, the cheat meal absolutely allows you lose fats.

How?

Well, first there's the mental enhance, which maintains you glad and influenced, which ultimately makes sticking for your weight loss program less complicated.

But there's also a physiological raise.

Studies on overfeeding (the clinical time period for bunging on meals) display that doing so can improve your metabolic rate by using everywhere from three-10%. While this sounds correct, it really doesn't suggest a great deal whilst you consider which you could need to consume a everywhere from some hundred to a few thousand greater calories in an afternoon to attain this effect.

More important are the consequences cheating has on a hormone referred to as lepton, which regulates starvation, your metabolic rate, urge for food, motivation, and libido, as well as serving other capabilities on your frame.

When you are in a caloric deficit and lose frame fat, your lepton tiers drop. This, in turn, reasons your metabolic fee to slow down, your urge for food to growth, your motivation to wane, and your temper to bitter.

On the opposite hand, while you provide your frame extra power (energy) than it needs, lepton levels are boosted, that may then have superb effects on fat oxidation, thyroid interest, temper, and even testosterone ranges.

So if it is an increase in lepton ranges which you actually need, how do you first-rate achieve it?

Eating carbohydrates is the only way. Second to that is eating protein (high-protein food additionally improve your metabolic price). Dietary fat aren't very effective at increasing lepton stages, and alcohol surely inhibits it.

So, if your weight is stuck and you are irritable and demotivated, a nice kick of lepton is probably all you need to get the scales moving again.

Have a nice cheat meal full of protein and carbs, and revel in the raise in your lepton degrees. It can help your weight loss!

Five. Lift Heavy Weights

If you're acquainted with any of my paintings, you realize I'm a massive fan of lifting heavy weights. Well, a few of the many benefits of lifting heavy is the fact that it facilitates speed up fats loss.

A observe published by way of Greek sports scientists observed that men that trained with heavy weights (eighty-eighty five% in their one-rep max, or "1RM") accelerated their metabolic costs over the following three days, burning loads greater calories than the guys that trained with lighter weights (45-sixty five% of their RM).

So hit the weights and hit them tough in case you need to jack up your metabolic charge and in flip, accelerate your fat loss.

And if you need to score greater points, recognition on compound lifts like squats and dead lifts, because these are the types that burn the maximum submit-exercise energy.

Summary

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lokeanrampant · 5 years

Text

So. I apparently have a trigger. It’s an ugly one and it hits hard and it returned me to a very unhealthy place. Long post and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified ahead.

And thank you, anon, for your words. I hope you’re right.

I have recently been diagnosed with a few things and have medications which are helping, but this particular medication is having an amazing and GOOD effect on me. I am awake and aware, I don’t need to do three things at once to focus on something, I actually can focus, so much good stuff. But yes, it has an effect on my appetite. I have fantastic willpower and I generally really, really hate anything that fucks with my appetite cause that will generally lead to me not eating enough. So that’s what I’m dealing with here. I probably wasn’t eating enough, but I felt good and I was basically grazing, so I figured, okay, we’re still okay.

Only...the doc who prescribed pull that trigger fucking hard.

So the medication works for ADHD and though I have a sensory processing disorder, she can’t quite say I have ADHD. But she can put in her notes that she is prescribing it for “binge eating,” not because I have it, but because she thinks the med will help. And it has. I felt better than I had in years. So I’m on this for about a month and doing great. My therapist was THRILLED with my progress and we were going to really work hard on my BDD.

Then I had the follow-up appt. Where the doc kept harping on how well the med worked for my binge eating and controlling cravings and overeating. Like over and over and over.

Let me tell you a lil something about me.

I’m a stress-starver. It comes from my teens where I was constantly told that, being overweight and trying to lose weight, I ate too much, that I ate like a pig, eat less. This is from DOCTORS, mind you. Yes, doctors told me this. Constantly.

So I did that. I ate less. Still couldn’t lose weight. Same deal - “you eat too much.” So I ate less.

I was down to one meal a day: a sandwich. Two pieces of bread, some mayo, some chicken.

Guess what? Yep, “you eat too much.”

So I STOPPED eating. Food was the enemy. My body needed fuel, but I didn't want it and the docs assumed I ate and never stopped and kept telling me to eat less and less and less. Obviously, I was still eating too much, right? So hey, okay, I’ll eat less. Just enough to keep me standing...and sometimes, not even then. Super healthy, yo. Bodies don’t like to lose weight in Starvation Mode. But I was too fat for that and I ate too much, right? So I essentially stopped eating.

That's not binging. It's not binge/purge. It's punishment for being fat and ugly and self-harm by restricting food because I wasn't worthy of it and it was ultimately bad for me. If I had been a skinny bit, they probably would’ve diagnosed me with anorexia, but I just never presented with that low body weight or being underweight. Nope. Not me. There is now an atypical anorexia that doesn’t present the classic way, but who are not underweight after significant weight loss. And even then, I haven’t had significant weight loss in years.

So there we are - eating disorder NOS, atypical presentation that doesn’t match anorexia, bulimia, binging. It’s a much bigger diagnosis catch-all than you might realize.

It took me a long time to have a healthier relationship with food, and it's still not great, but it's okay. Ask anyone in my life and they will tell you the same, that I don't overeat. Even when I pms and actually crave a junk food? I don't binge and I normally find a healthier alternative anyway (because junk food doesn't make me feel great).

There is no secret or hidden eating. There can definitely be guilt and self-loathing for eating, especially if it's not low-carb, but it’s rare...or at least, it was. My food intake is not out of control. I almost never overeat (it doesn't feel good!). The only time I eat when I am not hungry is normally because I couldn't eat when I was hungry and then proceed to feel ill because my blood sugar has dropped. Then I have to eat. But it's not binging. It's not healthy, and it doesn't fit the major eating disorders, but it's still not binging.

Do I have major body image issues? Fuck yes. I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I have horrible self-image and will be sent into a major tailspin if I see photos or, gods, video. I will stop being able to look in a mirror. I have covered mirrors for days before. I will have trouble showering unless I do it with my eyes closed so I don’t have to see the hideousness of me and even then, I still have to touch it to clean it. I’m very self-critical and hate this body in which I feel trapped. But I still do things. I’m still working. I do theater. I garden. I DO THINGS. I also have an intense fear of gaining weight to be even larger than I am. Even if I know that I am not the heaviest person in the room, and I can know that, logically, even with sizes or measurements, I will still feel larger, heavier, uglier. I will feel like the largest, heaviest, ugliest person there even if I know someone is twice or more my size. My friend at work is probably a good 100+lbs heavier than I am and I just think she’s gorgeous. Her weight doesn’t matter. She’s attractive inside and out. But me? No. I”m fat because fat was taught to me as an ugly word. So I am fat, because it’s ugly. Other people aren’t fat because they aren’t ugly.

So what happens when you tell someone, who has already told you all this history about being told you’re fat because you eat too much and that you need to eat less....so YOU DID and that’s also why you stopped going to doctors because you were eating barely enough to stay standing and they still said that, so they obviously didn’t know a fucking thing, and that yet again, I apparently have NO. FUCKING. CLUE. WHAT FOOD I PUT IN MY MOUTH.

What happens when you tell someone like that that they are binging and eating too much?

Answer: I stop fucking eating.

I’m right back to being 18yo and crying because I’m hungry because food is the fucking enemy. Because apparently, even what I eat, which is definitely light for American portion sizes, but actually really fucking healthy portion sizes, is still too much.

Even though my sis has been concerned because the medication is altering my appetite to the point where I really don’t eat more than 4oz at a meal, if that...which I did when I was having extreme gallbladder pain at one point.

Even though she, several friends, and a friend/coworker know how I eat, what I eat, that I don’t overeat, that I can make a sub-in-a-tub style salad into multiple, low-carb, healthy wraps and have lunch for two or three days.

That I don’t eat or even LIKE much sugar (why the FUCK is everything so gods damned SWEET? Holy fuck.). I vastly prefer savory (spice is nice).

I don’t tend to eat breads or potatoes because they make me feel bad (bloaty, ewww...so probably a gluten intolerance? I don’t know, but I know I don’t feel well when I eat them, so hey, idea! DON’T EAT WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BAD. Crazy AF, I know, right?).

People who know me envy the self-control and willpower that I have regarding food. They don’t realize it came out of such self-loathing and self-harm mechanisms. I’ve made it healthier. I’ve gotten better with food and in a lot of ways, that was because it didn’t really matter what I ate after a point, my weight maintained. It wasn’t the food...or it wasn’t just the food.

There’s a fuckton more at work regarding metabolism and hormones and shit that just fuck up a body. And one medication stopped the bad thoughts from auto-play 24/7 and helped reduce stress to the point I was like, fuck, is this what I am supposed to feel like? And then this new one, that helps me feel awake, aware, and focused reduced that anxiety even MORE and it’s like another layer of fog is lifted? To realize how much CONSTANT STRESS AND ANXIETY I had that was literally non-stop fight-or-flight mode? Gods, no wonder I couldn’t lose weight. My body was always prepped for disaster and wanted to keep every fucking thing. I finally felt that I could maybe make a difference and not only feel healthier, but maybe actually get healthier, be in better shape, lose weight.

But to be told that I’m still a binge eater, when I fit only the “feel guilt or shame over eating” NOW, because you brought all that shit back by telling me that I still overeat and that’s why I’m fat and hey, this med is really controlling your binging?

Dinner last night was eight...yes, 8, cashews. It took me from 9:30 to about 2:30pm today to eat a Sargento’s snack pack (cheese, cashews, raisins in this one). I had a electrolyte water (36oz or so) and am working on my second bottle (fairly normal). I went out with friends tonight and managed to slow sip a beer over about two hours as someone was buying and really wanted to buy us a drink, so hey, I got some calories in the beer. Couldn’t eat though. The thought of eating today was met with instant recoil. Food becomes the enemy once again. It becomes a hyperfixation because it's too much, too much, it's bad for you, stop eating, yes even 4oz is too much, you don't need that much. And no, I don’t weigh myself or count calories/fat/etc for the same reason - it became a hyperfixation and an emotional minefield where any little (and frequently normal) fluctuation sends me into a very bad place. If I need to do something like that, measurements are easier for me.

And that’s not a place I want to be. I worked SO HARD to not be there. I KNOW the way I eat is healthy. I know the portion sizes are good. I know how to read labels (questionable reliability, but it’s what we’ve got). I can make good food at home. I can choose fairly healthy if I’m out and about. I had made my peace with food and while we would never be great friends, we at least weren’t enemies any more.

I am trying. I am. I, oddly, have some support around me. A friend really helped tonight, but it’s a serious work-in-progress. I managed to eat about 8-10 shrimp around midnight but I couldn’t do that with someone watching. It’s back to the high school cafeteria where it literally didn’t matter what you ate, if you were fat, you weren’t supposed to eat at all. It’s feeling guilty to be seen eating because you actually have the nerve to have a body that requires sustenance and they will judge you any bite you consume. The doctor created guilt around food I hadn’t had for YEARS. Admittedly, I still don’t like work lunch/break rooms, but I just don’t care to socialize with some people and I can keep my phone charged at my desk. Win-win. And I don’t generally have a problem eating at restaurants or with friends.

My friend tonight told me that i am NOT that person I was. And I’m not. I have changed so much since then. And since I know what the doctor said is false, it’s rather like someone yelling at me because they hate my hair for being blonde when it’s black. It makes no sense and what they said isn’t real; it shouldn’t mean anything. But it’s a whammy and when you already have a predisposition to fall into self-hate and self-harm, it’s a nasty, ugly whammy that lingers. It’s an old, well-worn pattern of badness that is only comfortable because you lived it for so long, you know how it works.

I’m upset. I’m angry. I’m furious. I’m hurt.

And I don’t know how long it will take to climb out of this.

#tw: self-hate #tw: self-harm #tw: eating disorder #tw: body dysmorphia #wheeeeee #long post #personal #feel free to ignore #I just needed to vent

0 notes

timclymer · 5 years

Text

How to Lose Weight Fast: 14 Things You Can Do Lose Weight Quickly!

Everyone wants to know how to lose weight fast. We know the usual “watch your diet and exercise regularly” routine. But if it is as simple as that, then there would not be so many fat people in this world!

Amidst all the lies and hype surrounding the weight loss industry, it can be hard to separate the hype and lies from the truth. That’s why in today’s article, I’m going to share with you 14 things you must do to lose weight fast. Following these 14 tips will help you to lose weight safely and stay lean all year-round.

WARNING: SOME OF THE INFORMATION YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ MAY CONTRADICT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 1: Stop eating only salads

This is a well-known habit especially among female office workers. You order a big salad with nothing but greens. Your colleagues see what you eat and applaud your efforts to lose weight. But before 2pm, you get hungry and start looking for cookies and chocolates to snack. How’s that for one step forward and two steps back in your fat loss attempt? While there’s nothing wrong with having salads for lunch, you should add some good clean protein such as eggs and chicken breasts and also good fats such as avocados or guacamole into your salads as well. Remember this: Every meal should have a protein element. These protein and fat make you feel more satisfied after the meal and will sustain your blood sugar levels for a longer period so you will not be looking for unhealthy snacks around the office right after lunch.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 2: Replace all the unhealthy snacks at home and in your office

Contrary to popular belief, snacking is actually productive for fat loss. Snacking on healthy snacks in between meals will help maintain a steady blood glucose level and also keep your metabolism elevated. Since people snack on convenience and the general availability of food around them, it is important to keep only healthy snacks such as dark chocolate, nuts, trail mixes, fruits or even beef jerky within easy reach. Throw all the others away. Or give them to a colleague you hate.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 3: Start a simple exercise routine

Every fat loss program needs to have an exercise component. It does not even have to an actual exercise like jogging or swimming. If you have never exercised before in your life, you can even start something as simple as brisk walking every day for 20 minutes and work up the intensity from there. The main objective is staying active and turning up your metabolism. As you get fitter (and you will), crank up the intensity and challenge your body to reach new heights of fitness.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 4: Stop the steady state jogging

If you have been jogging for some time and have not seen any significant weight loss results, then it’s time for you to move on to more challenging exercises. Jogging is a good exercise to build your cardiovascular endurance, but not the best for fat loss. To effective burn fat, you need a workout that elevates your heart rate to at least 80% of your maximum heart rate and burns the most number of calories in the shortest period of time. Full body exercises such as burpees, squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses and rows gives you the most bang for your time spent on exercising. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with a 30 second break in between for 3 sets before moving onto the next. Do this for 10 – 15 minutes a day and you will see results beyond what you have experienced from months of jogging.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 5: Do not avoid carbohydrates completely

When carbs replaced fats as the main contributor of weight gain, many people are avoiding all known types of carbs completely. I personally have a college who shuns carbs like the plague. Let me set the record straight. Not all carbs are bad. Our bodies need carbs to function properly. Carbs are our bodies’ main source of energy. In fact, our brain functions primarily on carbs. Depriving your body of carbs can have detrimental effects on your body. Every type food has its time and place to be consumed. As a general rule, you should only consume low glycemic carbs such as brown rice, dark leafy vegetables, multi-grain bread, oatmeal, etc. High glycemic foods such as bananas, juices, white rice, potatoes and other processed foods are best consumed only right after an intense exercise.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 6: Set realistic and measurable goals

A lot of people give up on a training or fat loss program after a week or so because they did not see the results they were expecting. First of all, you have to remember that you did not get fat overnight. So you should not expect a miracle weight loss to happen as well. Setting realistic and measurable goals will help keep you motivated and continue towards your ultimate weight loss goal. So what considered as a realistic goal? Losing 0.5-1kg (1-2 lbs) a week is a realistic. Losing half an inch on your waist after two weeks is realistic. Of course, you have to be completely honest with yourself when you are accessing these goals. Ask yourself if you are really following the exercise program religiously? How many times did you cheat on your diet?

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 7: Focus on building muscle

Some people may disagree with me that exercising and muscle-building is important for fat loss. To me, fat loss is all about changing our body composition – reducing the fat mass and increasing fat-free mass (muscles). Increasing fat-free mass will invariably contribute to the lower of fat mass. For each pound of muscle your body has, you burn an extra 35-50 calories a day. Fat on the other hand burns only 2 calories per pound. So the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be. And contrary to popular belief, having more muscles is what will give your body those sexy curves that the opposite sex desires.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 8: Invest in a whey protein or meal replacement supplement

Having 3 meals a day with 3 snacks times in between is not always easy to prepare. That’s why for convenience purposes, it’s recommended that you purchase a good whey protein or meal replacement supplement. Just add water or milk and you have one serving of quality protein.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 9: Make small changes and stick with them for 21 days

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Fat loss involves some behavioral and lifestyle change. Your current lifestyle got you to the state that you are now. Continuing down this path obviously is not the quickest way to lose weight. We all know behavioral change is the hardest thing. This is why we need to make little changes every day that is more acceptable to our bodies. For example, if you currently drink two cans of soda every day, cut down to one can a day. Then next week, cut down to one can every two days. You get the picture. And for any program that you decide to get started, stick with it for 21 days. Statistics have shown that any behavioral change takes 21 to accept and approximately 60 days to form into a habit. So no matter how much you hate a current diet or exercise program, persevere for 21 days. You will be glad you did.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 10: Surround yourself with like-minded people

Some people are very dependent on social support, while others not so much. If you belong to the former group, it is important that you factor this aspect of motivation especially when you are starting out on a fat loss program. During the initial 21 days, it is important to stay motivated and focused on the goals you have set for yourself. You are bound to encounter challenges and struggles as you go through the program. Such as days when your thighs are so sore after doing full body squats or even good news like when you succeed in losing an inch off your waist. If you have friends who are doing the fat loss program with you, great! Share your results and how you feel about the program with them. Talk to fitness professionals; join online communities or Facebook groups to share experiences and gain knowledge. Also, do not just focus on the fat loss part. Get into the whole health and fitness experience. Buy fitness magazines, visit fitness websites. Look at physiques you desire to achieve and set them as your desktop wallpaper. Do whatever you need to stay motivated.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 11: Train your legs

I’m not just talking about jogging here; I’m referring to doing heavy squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. If you have ever done squats before, you will know that it is one of the most demanding exercises in the world. You pant and sweat like a dog as if you have sprinted a mile. But it is also one of the best exercises for building overall strength and of course burning calories. Leg exercises such as squats are usually compound exercises and as such burns more calories. Even if you are not doing weighted squats, just doing body weight squats alone can be just as challenging. To be honest, in my first 5 years of training, I never once trained my legs. I always thought the upper body is more important and doing squats could stunt your vertical growth. That is all a fallacy. Ever since I started doing squats, my strength went through the roof and my body fat levels have remained consistently low all year-round. Now I do squats at least once a week otherwise my workout is never complete. If you have never trained your legs before, trust me, start your workouts with squats and you will be amazed by the results you see. And yes, you can thank me later.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 12: Keep a meal diary

Many people do not realize how many calories they consume every day. You think you are eating less by skipping a meal here and there. But you never consider those sodas, grande Frappuccinos or those cookies distributed by your collections that you so usually put in your mouth during the day. If you take down everything (and I mean every single thing including those mentos) that you eat into a meal diary, you will be surprised how many calories you are taking. Yes, I know it’s quite a pain to record down everything. But do yourself a favor and just do it for one day. It will be an absolute eye opener.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 13: Learn to love water

Perhaps the most overlooked causes of weight gain, the liquids you consume can deceptively pack on a ton of calories. Just a can of soda contains close to 150 calories. A grande mocha Frappuccino contains a whopping 420 calories. Drink a soda and a Frappuccino every day and you will gain a pound a week.

Because we can so easily and carelessly gulp down beverages without a second thought, liquid calories are more harmful. Fruit juices are no better. They all contain naturally occurring fruit sugar, fructose, which like all other sugars if consumed in excess will result in weight gain. One of the quickest ways to lose weight is to always choose water over all other beverages. Water has zero calories and is a natural source of hydration for our bodies. By simply replacing all your other sugary laden beverages with water, you will quickly be able to see weight loss results.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 14: Limit alcohol consumption

I know it is almost impossible to completely abstain from alcohol. But if your goal is to find the fastest way to lose weight, then you have to cut down on your happy hours. Alcohol is a toxic substance with absolutely no nutritional benefit whatever. What’s more, each gram of alcohol contains 7 calories. A few glasses of cocktails with its sugary mixers can easily pile at at least 1000 or more calories a night. You should also know that alcohol is an appetite stimulant. So do not be surprised if you feel hungry after a night of partying. Of course this leads to additional calories into your body that you do not need. If you are focusing on building muscle, excessive alcohol lowers your testosterone and increases cortisol levels (stress hormone) thereby reducing your body’s ability to build muscle effectively.

With so many disadvantages to your fat loss goals, do you still need another reason not to drink?

Source by Daniel MC Ho

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/how-to-lose-weight-fast-14-things-you-can-do-lose-weight-quickly/ via Home Solutions on WordPress from Home Solutions FOREV https://homesolutionsforev.tumblr.com/post/184159870950 via Tim Clymer on Wordpress

#Home Solutions FOREV

0 notes

brendalawrence1978 · 5 years

Text

How to Lose Weight Fast: 14 Things You Can Do Lose Weight Quickly!

Everyone wants to know how to lose weight fast. We know the usual "watch your diet and exercise regularly" routine. But if it is as simple as that, then there would not be so many fat people in this world!

Amidst all the lies and hype surrounding the weight loss industry, it can be hard to separate the hype and lies from the truth. That's why in today's article, I'm going to share with you 14 things you must do to lose weight fast. Following these 14 tips will help you to lose weight safely and stay lean all year-round.

WARNING: SOME OF THE INFORMATION YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ MAY CONTRADICT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 1: Stop eating only salads

This is a well-known habit especially among female office workers. You order a big salad with nothing but greens. Your colleagues see what you eat and applaud your efforts to lose weight. But before 2pm, you get hungry and start looking for cookies and chocolates to snack. How's that for one step forward and two steps back in your fat loss attempt? While there's nothing wrong with having salads for lunch, you should add some good clean protein such as eggs and chicken breasts and also good fats such as avocados or guacamole into your salads as well. Remember this: Every meal should have a protein element. These protein and fat make you feel more satisfied after the meal and will sustain your blood sugar levels for a longer period so you will not be looking for unhealthy snacks around the office right after lunch.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 2: Replace all the unhealthy snacks at home and in your office

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 3: Start a simple exercise routine

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 4: Stop the steady state jogging

If you have been jogging for some time and have not seen any significant weight loss results, then it's time for you to move on to more challenging exercises. Jogging is a good exercise to build your cardiovascular endurance, but not the best for fat loss. To effective burn fat, you need a workout that elevates your heart rate to at least 80% of your maximum heart rate and burns the most number of calories in the shortest period of time. Full body exercises such as burpees, squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses and rows gives you the most bang for your time spent on exercising. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with a 30 second break in between for 3 sets before moving onto the next. Do this for 10 – 15 minutes a day and you will see results beyond what you have experienced from months of jogging.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 5: Do not avoid carbohydrates completely

When carbs replaced fats as the main contributor of weight gain, many people are avoiding all known types of carbs completely. I personally have a college who shuns carbs like the plague. Let me set the record straight. Not all carbs are bad. Our bodies need carbs to function properly. Carbs are our bodies' main source of energy. In fact, our brain functions primarily on carbs. Depriving your body of carbs can have detrimental effects on your body. Every type food has its time and place to be consumed. As a general rule, you should only consume low glycemic carbs such as brown rice, dark leafy vegetables, multi-grain bread, oatmeal, etc. High glycemic foods such as bananas, juices, white rice, potatoes and other processed foods are best consumed only right after an intense exercise.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 6: Set realistic and measurable goals

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 7: Focus on building muscle

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 8: Invest in a whey protein or meal replacement supplement

Having 3 meals a day with 3 snacks times in between is not always easy to prepare. That's why for convenience purposes, it's recommended that you purchase a good whey protein or meal replacement supplement. Just add water or milk and you have one serving of quality protein.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 9: Make small changes and stick with them for 21 days

Let's be honest with ourselves. Fat loss involves some behavioral and lifestyle change. Your current lifestyle got you to the state that you are now. Continuing down this path obviously is not the quickest way to lose weight. We all know behavioral change is the hardest thing. This is why we need to make little changes every day that is more acceptable to our bodies. For example, if you currently drink two cans of soda every day, cut down to one can a day. Then next week, cut down to one can every two days. You get the picture. And for any program that you decide to get started, stick with it for 21 days. Statistics have shown that any behavioral change takes 21 to accept and approximately 60 days to form into a habit. So no matter how much you hate a current diet or exercise program, persevere for 21 days. You will be glad you did.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 10: Surround yourself with like-minded people

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 11: Train your legs

I'm not just talking about jogging here; I'm referring to doing heavy squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. If you have ever done squats before, you will know that it is one of the most demanding exercises in the world. You pant and sweat like a dog as if you have sprinted a mile. But it is also one of the best exercises for building overall strength and of course burning calories. Leg exercises such as squats are usually compound exercises and as such burns more calories. Even if you are not doing weighted squats, just doing body weight squats alone can be just as challenging. To be honest, in my first 5 years of training, I never once trained my legs. I always thought the upper body is more important and doing squats could stunt your vertical growth. That is all a fallacy. Ever since I started doing squats, my strength went through the roof and my body fat levels have remained consistently low all year-round. Now I do squats at least once a week otherwise my workout is never complete. If you have never trained your legs before, trust me, start your workouts with squats and you will be amazed by the results you see. And yes, you can thank me later.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 12: Keep a meal diary

Many people do not realize how many calories they consume every day. You think you are eating less by skipping a meal here and there. But you never consider those sodas, grande Frappuccinos or those cookies distributed by your collections that you so usually put in your mouth during the day. If you take down everything (and I mean every single thing including those mentos) that you eat into a meal diary, you will be surprised how many calories you are taking. Yes, I know it's quite a pain to record down everything. But do yourself a favor and just do it for one day. It will be an absolute eye opener.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 13: Learn to love water

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 14: Limit alcohol consumption

I know it is almost impossible to completely abstain from alcohol. But if your goal is to find the fastest way to lose weight, then you have to cut down on your happy hours. Alcohol is a toxic substance with absolutely no nutritional benefit whatever. What's more, each gram of alcohol contains 7 calories. A few glasses of cocktails with its sugary mixers can easily pile at at least 1000 or more calories a night. You should also know that alcohol is an appetite stimulant. So do not be surprised if you feel hungry after a night of partying. Of course this leads to additional calories into your body that you do not need. If you are focusing on building muscle, excessive alcohol lowers your testosterone and increases cortisol levels (stress hormone) thereby reducing your body's ability to build muscle effectively.

With so many disadvantages to your fat loss goals, do you still need another reason not to drink?

Source by Daniel MC Ho

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/how-to-lose-weight-fast-14-things-you-can-do-lose-weight-quickly/ via Home Solutions Forev on Tumblr

from Home Solutions FOREV https://homesolutionsforev.wordpress.com/2019/04/13/how-to-lose-weight-fast-14-things-you-can-do-lose-weight-quickly/ via Brenda Lawrence on WordPress

#Home Solutions FOREV

0 notes

homesolutionsforev · 5 years

Text

How to Lose Weight Fast: 14 Things You Can Do Lose Weight Quickly!

WARNING: SOME OF THE INFORMATION YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ MAY CONTRADICT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 1: Stop eating only salads

This is a well-known habit especially among female office workers. You order a big salad with nothing but greens. Your colleagues see what you eat and applaud your efforts to lose weight. But before 2pm, you get hungry and start looking for cookies and chocolates to snack. How's that for one step forward and two steps back in your fat loss attempt? While there's nothing wrong with having salads for lunch, you should add some good clean protein such as eggs and chicken breasts and also good fats such as avocados or guacamole into your salads as well. Remember this: Every meal should have a protein element. These protein and fat make you feel more satisfied after the meal and will sustain your blood sugar levels for a longer period so you will not be looking for unhealthy snacks around the office right after lunch.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 2: Replace all the unhealthy snacks at home and in your office

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 3: Start a simple exercise routine

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 4: Stop the steady state jogging

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 5: Do not avoid carbohydrates completely

When carbs replaced fats as the main contributor of weight gain, many people are avoiding all known types of carbs completely. I personally have a college who shuns carbs like the plague. Let me set the record straight. Not all carbs are bad. Our bodies need carbs to function properly. Carbs are our bodies' main source of energy. In fact, our brain functions primarily on carbs. Depriving your body of carbs can have detrimental effects on your body. Every type food has its time and place to be consumed. As a general rule, you should only consume low glycemic carbs such as brown rice, dark leafy vegetables, multi-grain bread, oatmeal, etc. High glycemic foods such as bananas, juices, white rice, potatoes and other processed foods are best consumed only right after an intense exercise.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 6: Set realistic and measurable goals

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 7: Focus on building muscle

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 8: Invest in a whey protein or meal replacement supplement

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 9: Make small changes and stick with them for 21 days

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 10: Surround yourself with like-minded people

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 11: Train your legs

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 12: Keep a meal diary

Many people do not realize how many calories they consume every day. You think you are eating less by skipping a meal here and there. But you never consider those sodas, grande Frappuccinos or those cookies distributed by your collections that you so usually put in your mouth during the day. If you take down everything (and I mean every single thing including those mentos) that you eat into a meal diary, you will be surprised how many calories you are taking. Yes, I know it's quite a pain to record down everything. But do yourself a favor and just do it for one day. It will be an absolute eye opener.

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 13: Learn to love water

How To Lose Weight Fast Tip # 14: Limit alcohol consumption

I know it is almost impossible to completely abstain from alcohol. But if your goal is to find the fastest way to lose weight, then you have to cut down on your happy hours. Alcohol is a toxic substance with absolutely no nutritional benefit whatever. What's more, each gram of alcohol contains 7 calories. A few glasses of cocktails with its sugary mixers can easily pile at at least 1000 or more calories a night. You should also know that alcohol is an appetite stimulant. So do not be surprised if you feel hungry after a night of partying. Of course this leads to additional calories into your body that you do not need. If you are focusing on building muscle, excessive alcohol lowers your testosterone and increases cortisol levels (stress hormone) thereby reducing your body's ability to build muscle effectively.

With so many disadvantages to your fat loss goals, do you still need another reason not to drink?

Source by Daniel MC Ho

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