Bag of Fat Burning Tricks

I was reading an article in a men's fitness magazine (yeah, I'll read anything!) and came across an article about 50 fat burning tips. I didn't agree with all 50 and after all, I am NOT a man, but some of them sounded pretty sound to me, so this is the list I came up with:

1. Lean protein
2. Whole grain carbs
3. Good fats, especially Omega 3's
4. Add eggs and grapefruit to your diet
5. Apples are good for you
6. Spice things up - eat hot peppers
7. Go nuts for almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts
8. Eat organic whenever possible
9. Drink green and black tea
10. Drinking a couple of glasses of cold water temporarily boosts metabolic rate
11. Whey protein
12. Eat fish high in Omega 3's
13. Make some weight lifting workouts heavy weights
14. Mix up training by lifting lighter with more reps some of the time
15. Rest less in between weight lifting sets to burn more and faster
16. Tuning in to music while working out can boost your workout level and intensity
17. Do cardio after lifting weights
18. Stagger tough workouts. Two 30 minute sessions of working out may help you work more intensely than one 1 hour session.
19. Working out between 5 and 7 pm boosts metabolism while you are resting (sleeping) later
20. Get up and stretch at least every 20 minutes while at the computer or watching TV
21. Get a minimum of 7 hours sleep every night
22. Chew gum
23. Walk or ride bike instead of driving any time you can

Running

Another segment I found quite interesting from the Jillian Michaels' radio show was about running. Jillian stated she does like to run, but does because it is great exercise. I started running about a year and 1/2 ago, but have to confess...it hasn't gotten much easier!

Here are some tips Jillian shared about running:

1. Wear the right shoe. Have feet and "strike" measured at a good running shoe store. A running expert there will be able to steer you toward the best shoe for your strike pattern. (Strike is how your foot hits the ground - rolling inward, rolling outward, hitting the ball of your foot versus the heel, etc.)

2. Have good running posture.

• Head up looking at the horizon
• Shoulders back and steady
• Body vertical - not leaning forward
• Shorten strides
• Hands below heart level
• Heel of foot should strike under your hips, not way out in front or behind

3. Work with a running coach for a couple of sessions.

Perfect Weight Loss Day

I have been listening to the Jillian Michaels' radio program. It airs on Sunday mornings, but you can access it by logging in to Jillian's website at www.jillianmichaels.com and listen anytime during the week.

One of Jillian's segments this week was to describe a "perfect" weight loss day. Here is the gist

1. 60 minutes of intense exercise per day. 2 30-minute sessions are ok.

2. Eat every four hours - protein and good carb

3. Caffeine - up to 200 mg. a day, but not after 3pm

4. 60-80 oz. of water

5. Move around as much as possible. For example: stand when talking on the phone instead of sitting, get up every 1/2 hour from the computer and stretch, take stairs instead of elevator, ride bike instead of driving the car a mile or two, etc.

Allergies!

I am allergic to grass. I just happen to live in the "grass seed capital of the world". Grass is pollinating right now. I am miserable!



I know, I know...I say no excuses when it comes to weight management. Let's just say, I have done the best I could for the past three weeks.



I am not sleeping but three or four hours, then have to get up because I am so stopped up I can't breathe.



It has been hard to go to the gym - one reason, no sleep = no energy, but the other reason is I can't breathe there either. I have gone on the days I could...only twice this past week. Better than no times...given the circumstances.



I HAVE had control of my eating and have continued to eat clean, healthy, organic food. I have been mindful of my dairy allergies and know that if I have any dairy during this time, my allergy symptoms will only be worse. So...not even a morsel of cheese for me during the past three weeks.



What I have been doing for the allergies:



1. Eating a teaspoon of local honey every day. Supposedly, local honey has the local pollens in it (makes sense when you think about it) and a small dose every day helps your immune system to adjust to those pollens. I don't like anything sweet and boy, it that honey sweet! So, I mix it with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. I remember my mom giving me that as a child for coughs.



2. Extra Vitamin C. I drink a cup of hot water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon squeezed in it every morning. In addition to that, I am using the juice of another 1/2 lemon with the honey (see #1). I am also eating lots of delicious local strawberries right now, which have lots of Vitamin C.



3. Stinging Nettle. I found from several sources researched that Stinging Nettle taken in capsule form twice a day will help alleviate allergy symptoms. It helps if you start taking it before the allergens hit you. I already have a note on my calendar to start taking it during the middle of May next year!



Whether it is in my head (no pun intended) or all the home remedies are actually helping, I don't know, but I do feel a tad better. I am ready to be back to "normal", sleep a good night's sleep every night and do my regular workouts.

If you have some other natural remedies for allergies/hay fever that works for you, please let me know. Thanks!

Good Healthy Dinner Last Night

Grilled salmon
Crispy garlic potatoes
Stir-fried cabbage

Indoor grilled salmon seasoned with Cajun seasoning and grilled for 8 minutes.

Crispy garlic potatoes - Garlic, dried thyme, salt, pepper and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the ingredients and coat the potato pieces by stirring with a spatula. Bake on baking sheet in oven at 475 for 20 minutes, stirring once at 10 minutes.

Stir-fried cabbage - Cabbage shredded and stir-fried on medium-high until crisp-tender, seasoned with salt, pepper and a sprinkle or two of Mrs. Dash's spicy.

Beaching it for the Weekend

My husband and I went to the beach last weekend for three days and nights. The first night we got there in time to take a long walk on the beach.

Then I ran on the beach every morning...about three miles, I think.

We also took our bikes and did a lot of cycling. Where we live is rather flat so riding around the coastal village was more of a challenge to us.

Running on the beach hardly seems like exercise.

Update for the Week

Great week! I went for bike rides or ran every day this week, plus a couple days of lifting. I got a massage on Monday...long overdue and felt wonderful!

Today I just got back from a new bike route. 13.2 miles. The way I know this is to route your runs and rides with www.mapmyrun.com. My sister told me about this website a year or so ago. It challenges to me to walk and ride further, then come back and map it to see what I have done. Try it. Very cool!

Today's Eating Plan

Pre-workout: 1/2 cup Cheerios

During workout: 1 liter ice water

Post-workout/Breakfast: 2 pieces of pizza toast using mozzarella cheese, a spoonful of marinara sauce and Ezekiel bread.

Lunch: Grilled organic BBQ chicken breast, grilled organic cauliflower, lettuce slaw - finely shredded organic lettuce with a small dollop of mayo, 8 organic pretzels.

Snack: Organic pear and strawberries, cut up and a small handful of walnuts

Dinner: Organic roast beef (cooked in crockpot all day) and fresh organic green beans (cooked in the 2nd crockpot all day)

Glass of unsweetened iced tea with breakfast and lunch, ice water with dinner and throughout the day.

Starting off the week

Today is a pretty day. I started at the gym lifting weights...working on back and biceps. Then I came home and jogged/walked outside for my cardio. 2.7 miles. I have a massage appointment this afternoon at 2:30pm - the first time in over a year! I am going to ride my bike there and back - 2 miles round trip. If I am not completely noodle-ized by the massage, I may ride longer afterward.

I also have some chores to do outside - weeding a flower bed, washing window screens and trim a few low limbs off the trees in front. Tomorrow is back to cool and rain so need to get all that done today.

First Race at Age 49

I listened to a speaker, Dr. Tim Hindmarsh, in March 2008. He does 24 hours of extreme sports to raise awareness about the diabetes problem in the U. S. His website is http://www.actalivenow.com/ and is definitely worth checking out.

Dr. Hindmarsh inspired me to become a runner for the first time in my life at age 49. I used the free training as outlined on his website and entered the local town festival 5k run last May. My goal was to finish...which I did. I had planned to run in Dr. Hindmarsh's 5k as well in July, but had an injury. I had committed to the run though so I walked, (well, limped) it and still finished. I am still running. I am not a fast runner nor an endurance runner, but I am a runner now.

Thanks, Dr. Hindmarsh!

Update for Last Week

Boy, time flies! Last week was mostly gym work with a couple of bike rides taken in between rain showers.

I found and added more organic foods to my eating plan this week. I have been doing a lot of research about organic foods, beauty products, etc. Interesting research. More to come about it later.

The scales were down 1 1/2 pounds! Yay!

Saturday, we took a hike with BLT (Build Lebanon Trails) http://www.lebanontrails.com/ up Peterson's Butte. The weather was nice, although some of the hike was muddy due to all the rain last week. It was a great hike...lasted about 2 hours.

Update for this Week

The weather has not cooperated this week, but Steve and I did manage to get two bike rides in after supper on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Thursday I also rode the library...about two miles or so. The rest of the week was gym work in the mornings...weight lifting, stair climbing and doing hill climb intervals on the treadmill.

I have eaten well this week...in terms of portions and quality. Most of my veggies and fruits were organic. I tried a couple of new recipes that we really liked that were very healthy and tasty, too.

I was down two and 1/2 pounds on my weigh-in this morning. Overall a very good weight managment week!

So Sad about Tea

I am Southern. I was raised on sweet iced tea. I warned my husband, who is from Oregon, when we went to North Carolina to visit the first time, that his tea would be sweet unless he specifically asked for unsweetened and then he would get strange looks.

When Splenda was invented, I stopped using sugar in my tea and started using the Splenda. I loved it. I got my sweet tea with no calories! I didn't like any of the blue or pink package types of artificial sweeteners.

And as any Southern cook knows, good sweet tea is sweetened when it is made, not by the individual glass anyhow.

I have been reading and doing a great deal of research about eating organic foods. Some of the research I have discovered says that using ANY kind of artificial sweetener tricks our bodies into thinking we are eating something sweet and causes us to crave sweets just like eating sugar does.

So...in keeping with my desire to eat as healthy as possible, I have decided to eliminate all artificial sweeteners from my diet.

Today is my fifth day of drinking unsweetened tea. Let's just say I am tolerating it. I haven't reached the point of enjoying it yet. I AM drinking more water because the tea just isn't as appealing.

I'll let you know when it becomes enjoyable.

Jillian Michaels Radio Prgram

I listened to Jillian Michaels radio program on the computer the other day. Anyone that doesn't know who Jillian Michaels is...she is one of the trainers for the NBC TV Show Biggest Loser. She does a Sunday morning radio talk show in LA, but you can listen to the prior shows through her website at www.jillianmichaels.com.

One tip that Jillian gave on the show I listened to was Stop Counting Reps. She said that we get in our head we are going to do 10, 12 or whatever and just stop when we get to that number. She said a better way to train was to lift until tired, then do two more.

That is a good tip for me. I get caught up in counting the reps rather than thinking about my form and doing the movement correctly. I am going to try it!

Getting Organized for Weight Management

(I am a professional organizer and wrote this article for my weekly newsletter a few months ago. Thought I would share it here with my blog readers. )

I released 42 pounds in five months and have kept it off for over a year now. People still ask me how I did it, so I wanted to give you some tips on organizing your weight management.
1. Change your thinking. Instead of thinking about losing weight, think about releasing weight. Losing something implies that it is only misplaced and will eventually be found. But, when you release something, you let it go.
2. Organize your kitchen. Clean out the cabinets and the fridge. Get rid of the stash of candy, the sugary cereal, the refined foods, the high fat cheese, the cookies, the crackers, etc. If it is not there, you can’t eat it. An example of this for me is crackers. I love crackers…any kind of crackers. I can’t eat just a few. I don’t stop until I have eaten half the box. So, I just don’t buy crackers….problem solved.
3. Stock the pantry. Stock the pantry with whole grain pastas (spelt pasta or brown rice pasta are my favorites and the closest in taste to the refined kind we all grew up on). Stock up on dried or canned beans and fruit (choose fruits without sugar) for those times when you are too rushed or tired to cook. Stock up on some healthy snacks for those times you just have to have an extra snack. I keep light popcorn, various soups and Cheerios on hand for those occasions.
4. Plan your meals. Leaving your meals to chance helped contribute to the extra pounds. Plan ahead, do your grocery shopping, and cook ahead on the weekend, if you don’t have time to cook during the week. For example, I have been very busy this week, so I made a big pot of brown rice spaghetti, a healthy spaghetti sauce, a turkey breast in the crockpot and cut up a big container of salad. We have had plenty to eat all week without cooking. (I’m heating up a plate of that spaghetti as soon as I finish this article!)
5. Schedule your weight releasing activities. Whether it be a book to read about weight release, a tape to listen to, seeing a therapist about emotional eating, or especially exercise, schedule those activities into your day. Make them a priority and don’t skip!
6. Quit making excuses. Cut out the excuses for your weight woes. You know the ones I am talking about…
“I don’t have time to exercise every day!”
“I am too busy to cook and plan my meals.”
“My mother made me clean my plate so it is her fault.”
“I have to keep refined foods in the house for my spouse and/or children.”
“My parents were overweight so my problem is genetics.”
You have a choice as to what you eat and how much you exercise. Excuses don’t accomplish getting rid of your household/office clutter or getting rid of your body clutter. Eating healthy and exercise do. That is how I accomplished it and so can you.

I am Such an Outdoors Girl!

I loved the nice weather the early part of last week. I did all my cardio outside rather than in the gym. It seemed to take less time and effort, not to mention giving me a sunnier disposition!

But...all good things come to an end and sunshine this time of year in Oregon is a rare thing, so it was back to the gym for me yesterday. Did a good 30 minutes of weight lifting and 20 minutes on the stairstepper at a pace that sweat was dripping off the end of my nose onto the stair treads! Yeah...good workout!

Today is my rest and recovery day although Steve and I may take a bike ride this evening after dinner if there is a break in the clouds.

Missing!

We have had nearly five days of rare sunshine so I have been outside and not even thinking about being near a computer! I have been going for a run/walk for 2.7 every morning and riding bikes with Steve every evening. We have also been doing yard work. Planting flowers, digging holes, spreading mulch, building a fence section, laying landscape blocks, planting herbs and pepper plants on the patio...etc. Fun stuff as I love to garden and do yard stuff, but boy, does my back ache. Thank goodness I have a chiropractic appointment for an adjustment next Wednesday!

I have only been to the gym and lifted weights once in the past five days, but it is supposed to turn cloudy and start the rain again this afternoon and tomorrow. I'll have plenty of time to hit the gym the remainder of the week. Being outdoors and feeling the sunshine just makes me feel good!

I have been too busy to think about overeating much...a very good thing!

Yesterday, Steve took me to lunch at a new Thai restaurant in town. I am not a big Thai food fan, but their food was very fresh and tasty. I had Spicy Prawns...which really wasn't that spicy. 6 shrimp and veggies, including green & red peppers, onions and bamboo shoots. Of course, they only have white rice, so I ate all my shrimp and veggies and a very small portion of the rice. I love most Asian food and I wish they would give the choice of brown or white rice, but none around here do.

Off to a Good Start Today

It was 41 degrees and cloudy this morning, but at least no rain, so I walked/jogged outside on my 2.7 mile loop.

Yesterday afternoon the sun made a rare appearance so Steve and I rode to the hardware store on our bikes. It is probably about a 5 mile round trip and we didn't push, but had a nice ride. Steve hasn't been exercising at all for awhile so 5 miles was a good start for him.

Friday Weigh-in

Well, well, well. Today was weigh-in day. I gained two pounds since last Friday. Why? Two reasons:

1. Not making the best food choices.

2. Pull a muscle in the back of my calf on Monday and didn't go to the gym Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

The pain in my calf was gone this morning so I headed back to the gym. Did 20 minutes of weight lifting, 25 minutes on the treadmill...walking at 4.0 speed at no incline. (I think walking backwards with a 4.5% incline is what caused the injury.) I did walk 5 of the 25 minutes backwards today, but no incline. I also did 5 minutes on the bike flat out as hard as I could push.

I felt bummed for awhile about the gain, but it is what it is. Back to the gym, back to better eating choices.

My Story

On October 17, 2007, I weighed 199.5 pounds. I am 5 feet, 5 inches tall. On April 22, 2008, I weighed 159 pounds. I lost 40.5 pounds in six months.

How?

I was counseled by a hypnotherapist, who specializes in weight loss and quit smoking therapy. During our one hour weekly sessions, we talked about my issues with weight, she hypnotized me, and gave me homework to do during the week. Homework consisted of guided meditation, setting goals, answering some questions about my emotions and listening to CD's.

I exercised, I ate healthier and I ate less. So I lost weight.

In the past I tried

• Weight Watchers
• South Beach
• Conway Diet Center
• Water Pills
• Diet Pills
• Optifast
• Acupuncture
• Richard Simmons tapes and diet plan
• Denise Austin show
• Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Book
• Biggest Loser website
• Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book
• Book about eating for your blood type
• Flex magazine diet plan
• Muscle & Fitness diet plans
• Naturally Thin book
• Diet's Don't Work book
• Mediterranean diet given to me by a doctor
• Nutritionist (recommended by a doctor)
• A whole host of other books, magazines and websites that I have long since forgotten

Why did hypnotherapy work when nothing else did? Because we got to the issues of why I overate.

The Purpose of This Blog

Hi. I am Beryl. I have a love/hate relationship with eating. I set up this blog talk about my struggles, triumphs, failures and successes with managing my weight.