I just did a Google search a minute ago for "how I lost weight by...," and the endings I got to that search were horrific. Ten options immediately came up, and of those ten, five of them were a derivative of "starving myself." As a culture, we have got to change our mentality of weight loss as something that is only achievable if we deny ourselves food and nutrients. That is certainly not a healthy way to approach this! Ask any nutritionist!!
For years, I've been a victim of this mentality. I've tried fasting all day on Tuesdays (followed by binge-eating Wednesdays), drinking 160 oz. of water a day (my bladder was never more angry at me), and only eating rice cakes (the diet of the 90s). While there is nothing wrong with fasting for spiritual reasons or drinking plenty of water or occasionally eating rice cakes, we have got to end this idea that starving ourselves for a time produces long-term results. Well, I suppose it does: we (literally) will become a skeleton!
Our bodies need -- crave! -- adequate nourishment. I love food. I really, really do. Among my favorite restaurants is Olive Garden, with its buttery, herby breadsticks and amazingly cheesy pasta dishes. Given the choice between the Five Cheese Ziti and a bowl of spinach, I'd take the Olive Garden route any day. Unfortunately, my brain and my body crave two different things. My mind says, "cheeeeeeeeeese" (in a super creepy tone), while my body says, "Vitamin A! Iron! Protein!"
The good news about a lifestyle change involving new foods is this: if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. If I had to live the rest of my days eating only rice cakes and onions, I wouldn't be a happy camper. I'd be a very depressed and malnourished camper. Fortunately, I'm learning ways to love the new foods that I'm trying and to avoid the things that I don't like. For instance, I found a great idea on Pinterest that involved making raw Apple Cider Vinegar more palatable. The site listed all the benefits of drinking Apple Cider Vinegar, and I was sold on the idea. Unfortunately, the drink tasted terrible. Nothing could mask the fermented taste of the drink. Barf, barf, barf!! So instead of forcing myself to drink it (as I may have done in the past), I poured it down the drain, guilt-free. I found my own recipe for drinking the stuff (which included 1 part water, 1 part apple-grape juice, and 1 tsp. of ACV). That worked. Learning to make accommodations -- rather than giving up entirely on something -- is how this is going to work from here on out.
Let's just not starve ourselves. That is the most unhealthy route of all.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Life Without Red Meat or Dairy
After my initial diagnosis with absurdly high cholesterol, I have made some significant changes. The first being that I need to add (and have added) more fruits and vegetables into my diet. Already, I have lost three pounds without even trying. That's a great start, but it's not the end.
In addition to adding more to my diet, I have also decided to cut out red meat entirely. That's actually not a huge sacrifice for me because I don't eat it a lot anyway, and usually it makes me feel like crap, sooooo...problem solved. Much more difficult for me to give up is chicken and fish. I loooooove fish in particular. Being the daughter of a fisherman and all, that would be the biggest hindrance to me going entirely vegan.
I also love dairy, but I recognize the dangers/consequences of eating too much of it. Cheese, which I adore, is high in fat -- and not the good kind of fat. Cow's milk is often full of crap like rBST and whatnot. Ice cream (the love of my life) is high in cholesterol. In all honesty, I don't think I could give up on dairy entirely -- I really, really don't -- so I have resolved to merely cut down on it when possible. I think that's reasonable. I bought coconut milk and almond milk today for the first time -- I've never even tried it. The verdict: LOOOOOOVE!!!! I'm pretty sure I love coconut more than life itself, so that was an easy alternative for me. It is high in saturated fat, but, being coconut, it's a "good" type of fat. The almond milk was surprisingly rich and creamy, very thick, but it was good. Very nutty, of course. I liked it less, but I still liked it. Double-win!
Other things I have added to my new lifestyle: a daily multivitamin and a 3x daily dose of "Hair, Skin, & Nails" vitamin. The latter I have chosen for several reasons: 1) each of the body parts mentioned in the name are brittle, dry, and damaged on me; 2) the vitamin contains 25 mg (or 125% DV) of niacin, a natural cholesterol-lowering element; and 3) it contains 3 mg (or 1,000% DV) of biotin, an element that has weight-regulating properties in addition to its aesthetic qualities (of making hair glossy, clearing up skin problems, and strengthening nails). Overall, I see this combo as yet another win!
To be frank, I thought I would have a much more difficult time with this transition that I have had. The hardest part has been not eating bread. At some point, I think I'll add bread back in, but I have found that most grainy foods give me severe heartburn. I mean, get-me-some-milk-now, put out the flames type of heartburn. So I'll forgo it for now, until I figure out what the issue is. For the time being, I'm loving my array of broccoli and fruit that I have piled up in the refrigerator.
To boot: I feel my depression lessening. I have felt a lot less anxiety and worries over the past few weeks (could also be that I'm on vacation from work...), but I am encouraged by the changes that I see. Here's to a healthier, happier 2013!!
Weight: 183
Cholesterol: (In transition...going down)
In addition to adding more to my diet, I have also decided to cut out red meat entirely. That's actually not a huge sacrifice for me because I don't eat it a lot anyway, and usually it makes me feel like crap, sooooo...problem solved. Much more difficult for me to give up is chicken and fish. I loooooove fish in particular. Being the daughter of a fisherman and all, that would be the biggest hindrance to me going entirely vegan.
I also love dairy, but I recognize the dangers/consequences of eating too much of it. Cheese, which I adore, is high in fat -- and not the good kind of fat. Cow's milk is often full of crap like rBST and whatnot. Ice cream (the love of my life) is high in cholesterol. In all honesty, I don't think I could give up on dairy entirely -- I really, really don't -- so I have resolved to merely cut down on it when possible. I think that's reasonable. I bought coconut milk and almond milk today for the first time -- I've never even tried it. The verdict: LOOOOOOVE!!!! I'm pretty sure I love coconut more than life itself, so that was an easy alternative for me. It is high in saturated fat, but, being coconut, it's a "good" type of fat. The almond milk was surprisingly rich and creamy, very thick, but it was good. Very nutty, of course. I liked it less, but I still liked it. Double-win!
Other things I have added to my new lifestyle: a daily multivitamin and a 3x daily dose of "Hair, Skin, & Nails" vitamin. The latter I have chosen for several reasons: 1) each of the body parts mentioned in the name are brittle, dry, and damaged on me; 2) the vitamin contains 25 mg (or 125% DV) of niacin, a natural cholesterol-lowering element; and 3) it contains 3 mg (or 1,000% DV) of biotin, an element that has weight-regulating properties in addition to its aesthetic qualities (of making hair glossy, clearing up skin problems, and strengthening nails). Overall, I see this combo as yet another win!
To be frank, I thought I would have a much more difficult time with this transition that I have had. The hardest part has been not eating bread. At some point, I think I'll add bread back in, but I have found that most grainy foods give me severe heartburn. I mean, get-me-some-milk-now, put out the flames type of heartburn. So I'll forgo it for now, until I figure out what the issue is. For the time being, I'm loving my array of broccoli and fruit that I have piled up in the refrigerator.
To boot: I feel my depression lessening. I have felt a lot less anxiety and worries over the past few weeks (could also be that I'm on vacation from work...), but I am encouraged by the changes that I see. Here's to a healthier, happier 2013!!
Weight: 183
Cholesterol: (In transition...going down)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Military Weight: Now and Then
I just learned this from the film "Food Fight," by Chris Taylor: in WWII, many soldiers were unable to fight because they suffered from malnourishment. This makes sense, since many of them were born and raised during the Great Depression. If you think of it, 1929 was "only" 83 years ago -- the end of WWII was "only" 67 years ago. And from that time till now, the human body seems to have "evolved" in an extremely grotesque way due to industrialization of the food market. Have a look at this article for a historical view of the malnourishment of WWII soldiers:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/underpants/146
Today, however, military.com tells us that 20% of male recruits and a whopping 40% of female recruits are overweight. We've moved so drastically from being malnourished to being overly nourished to the point of illness. Read on:
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/weight-loss/troops-too-fat-to-fight
This is ridiculous. We are a culture that is now defined by the way we eat. We are a culture that is now dying because of the way we eat. I refuse to die from an all-too-preventable disease.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/underpants/146
Today, however, military.com tells us that 20% of male recruits and a whopping 40% of female recruits are overweight. We've moved so drastically from being malnourished to being overly nourished to the point of illness. Read on:
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/weight-loss/troops-too-fat-to-fight
This is ridiculous. We are a culture that is now defined by the way we eat. We are a culture that is now dying because of the way we eat. I refuse to die from an all-too-preventable disease.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Confessions of a Heart-Unhealthy 28 Year Old Woman
I'm starting this blog for myself. Really. If you want to read along, that's fine, and I hope you learn something if you do, but since writing is my "thing," I'm hoping that this will motivate me in my new journey.
I have struggled with my weight for pretty much my entire life. This is not something that is easy to talk about, and quite frankly, I have lived in denial of being overweight and addicted to crack. I'm sorry, what? You're addicted to crack, Sarah? Well, sort of...sugar is like crack. Only now am I beginning to see that its consequences are severe, like those of a drug addict. Being addicted to sugar and living in denial of my health problems (which have been right in front of me all along) are what have brought me to this point.
Lately, I have been watching a lot of food documentaries. What got me thinking about my own health was when I started watching this show called "Freaky Eaters." I watched one episode about a woman who was addicted to putting tartar sauce on everything (and I mean everything -- yuck!!). The nutritionist criticized her for being "morbidly obese." To me, that woman did not fit my standard conception of "morbidly obese." She was heavy on top, but not huge. Aren't morbidly obese women at least 400 pounds??
So I did a little research. I searched online for what constituted being overweight, obese, and morbidly obese. Turns out that, to be considered obese, a person needs a BMI of 30. I looked up what mine is, and was shocked to discover that my BMI is 29.7. OMG. That's borderline obese. I've always been overweight, but I didn't think that I was getting close to *that* danger zone!
Appalled, I scheduled an appointment to meet with my doctor. I stepped on the scale and...holy crap...there was a number I had never seen before. It was an evil number. I hated it instantly. I think I even flushed when the medical assistant said it out loud. After that, I avoided eye contact with her. After all, she knew my weight, and it wasn't pretty.
At the end of the appointment, I asked my doctor if I could get my cholesterol checked. I hadn't had eaten or had any coffee, so she sent over a request, and I got pricked by a needle (which I hate). A few hours later, the medical assistant -- remember, the one who knows how incredibly FAT I am?? -- called me with the news. Not only do I have high cholesterol, I have dangerously high cholesterol. She gave me the overall number: 262. My LDL is 158. I looked those numbers up online. Holy helga, Batman!!! The score of 262 wasn't even on the first chart that I saw! On the second one, it was on the high end of the red zone that was so dark it was nearly purple! My score of 158 on my LDLs was on the border of "high" and "dangerously high."
I knew I needed to make a change. So I went out, and bought a juicer. That brings to me where I am with the conception of this blog. I need a place to chronicle my steps on this journey. I am allowing myself -- for once! -- to be completely vulnerable...even if it's only to myself. In a way, I hope it's only to myself. In the next few posts, I want to share the following things I have learned:
- Sugar is an addiction, like crack
- Documentaries to watch
- What I've learned about juicing
- Misconceptions that I have had about nutrition and health
For now, I'll leave you (read: me) with some devastating and frightening facts:
Height: 5'6"
Weight, as of 12/10: 185
Weight, as of 12/11: 191 (fully clothed, at the doctor's office)
Weight, as of 12/17: 183
Cholesterol: 262
LDL: 158
I want to see each of those numbers (with the exception of my height, pretty please) go down over the next few months. This will not happen overnight. This is a process. And I am doing it for my heart, my overall health, and my life.
I have struggled with my weight for pretty much my entire life. This is not something that is easy to talk about, and quite frankly, I have lived in denial of being overweight and addicted to crack. I'm sorry, what? You're addicted to crack, Sarah? Well, sort of...sugar is like crack. Only now am I beginning to see that its consequences are severe, like those of a drug addict. Being addicted to sugar and living in denial of my health problems (which have been right in front of me all along) are what have brought me to this point.
Lately, I have been watching a lot of food documentaries. What got me thinking about my own health was when I started watching this show called "Freaky Eaters." I watched one episode about a woman who was addicted to putting tartar sauce on everything (and I mean everything -- yuck!!). The nutritionist criticized her for being "morbidly obese." To me, that woman did not fit my standard conception of "morbidly obese." She was heavy on top, but not huge. Aren't morbidly obese women at least 400 pounds??
So I did a little research. I searched online for what constituted being overweight, obese, and morbidly obese. Turns out that, to be considered obese, a person needs a BMI of 30. I looked up what mine is, and was shocked to discover that my BMI is 29.7. OMG. That's borderline obese. I've always been overweight, but I didn't think that I was getting close to *that* danger zone!
Appalled, I scheduled an appointment to meet with my doctor. I stepped on the scale and...holy crap...there was a number I had never seen before. It was an evil number. I hated it instantly. I think I even flushed when the medical assistant said it out loud. After that, I avoided eye contact with her. After all, she knew my weight, and it wasn't pretty.
At the end of the appointment, I asked my doctor if I could get my cholesterol checked. I hadn't had eaten or had any coffee, so she sent over a request, and I got pricked by a needle (which I hate). A few hours later, the medical assistant -- remember, the one who knows how incredibly FAT I am?? -- called me with the news. Not only do I have high cholesterol, I have dangerously high cholesterol. She gave me the overall number: 262. My LDL is 158. I looked those numbers up online. Holy helga, Batman!!! The score of 262 wasn't even on the first chart that I saw! On the second one, it was on the high end of the red zone that was so dark it was nearly purple! My score of 158 on my LDLs was on the border of "high" and "dangerously high."
I knew I needed to make a change. So I went out, and bought a juicer. That brings to me where I am with the conception of this blog. I need a place to chronicle my steps on this journey. I am allowing myself -- for once! -- to be completely vulnerable...even if it's only to myself. In a way, I hope it's only to myself. In the next few posts, I want to share the following things I have learned:
- Sugar is an addiction, like crack
- Documentaries to watch
- What I've learned about juicing
- Misconceptions that I have had about nutrition and health
For now, I'll leave you (read: me) with some devastating and frightening facts:
Height: 5'6"
Weight, as of 12/10: 185
Weight, as of 12/11: 191 (fully clothed, at the doctor's office)
Weight, as of 12/17: 183
Cholesterol: 262
LDL: 158
I want to see each of those numbers (with the exception of my height, pretty please) go down over the next few months. This will not happen overnight. This is a process. And I am doing it for my heart, my overall health, and my life.
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