South Beach

Oh! Hello, there! No, I haven't forgotten about you, I just have been eating very badly this summer. I don't know why. Not so much my lunches and dinners but the snacks. Oh, the snacks...someone save me from myself.

Hopefully that's about to change since my husband's orthopedic surgeon told him he needs to lose 20 lbs and suggested the South Beach Diet. He is going to have hip replacement surgery (I know, he's only 37. Crazy) within the next 6 months or so and can't do much working out other than swimming due to that bum hip. The doctor's wife is a nutritionist and has her own diet plan which is very similar to South Beach, so he suggested we look into that (his wife's plan is one of those where you have to purchase all the food and we just can't afford that). He actually lost 50 lbs himself so that's encouraging. I already have the book (psssst, the Kindle version is only $2.99 right now!) and have been looking at it periodically. And you know what? I don't think it's going to be as hard as I originally thought.

If you would have asked me to try this diet 5 years ago, I would have laughed in your face. But now that we've been adding more fresh vegetables and fish to our diet and now that I'm no longer scared of buying produce, the first phase (which is mainly vegetables and lean meats and eggs--no carbs or fruit) that lasts 14 days doesn't look that difficult to me. It's not going to be EASY because things get old after awhile and Hubby is used to lots of sweets, but I think I can handle 2 weeks worth of strict eating. And it's not like it's taking away everything tasty. We are allowed chicken breast, fish, salads, eggs, low-fat dairy, sugar substitutes, all the vegetables we can eat except for potatoes, and even coffee (although they suggest decaff, we are NOT going there). The next phase adds in fruit and healthy carbs (whole grains and such) and then by the third phase, you should be used to eating healthy that it's more of a lifestyle now than anything. They say you quit craving the sweets after the first few days on the diet and I believe that, because I've gone on successful sugar detoxes and after the first few rough days, it gets better. The problem is falling off the wagon by going on a binge and never getting back on. So, if we can keep from doing that, then we'll be good.

The great thing about this is that there is rapid weight loss in those first two weeks and it's mainly belly fat, which both of us struggle with. Now, I know that sounds hinky and too good to be true, but if you think about it, you're cutting out all the BAD foods and eating what's healthy and right, all the great things they eat in the Mediterranean and way back before we had so much processed foods. And it's not like Atkins where you just gorge on meat and meat and meat. I just don't even see how that is healthy. What I've been reading through this book is that this is a heart-healthy diet and can help prevent diabetes. That's always a great thing!

So, have any of you tried this diet before? Is anyone interested in doing it with me? I'm not sure when we'll begin, but the sooner, the better, in my book!

Reasons to stay Fit!

I had a great plan. I was gonna come in here, all serious like, with my serious cap on, and tell you all why you should stay fit. And then I was going to tell myself that I should do the same. It was a great plan.

I'm still going to tell you, but it's not going to be as well thought out as I had hoped. However, that doesn't mean it's not just as serious, and just as devastating.

Type 1 Diabetes is prevalent in my family. We are not obese, however this type of diabetes is as unfortunate as it's relative, and just as uncomfortable and deadly. My grandmother died of this last year. Genetically speaking, I'm very aware that there is a good chance I could also have this disease at some point... in thinking of this, and passing (luckily) my gestational glucose screening test last week, I started thinking about a type of diabetes that we CAN try to keep ourselves from getting... Type 2 Diabetes. Although this type is also genetic, there are ways that we can help ourselves, to avoid this unfortunate disease. And for those that try and cannot avoid it, I apologize for making this post seem like I have all the answers.

Now, ideally, I would have researched this all week, learning and sharing with you my findings. Unfortunately my life doesn't always allow for this luxury and this week, I couldn't quite get the ball rolling. (There was ALOT of tweeting to do people... do you know how much time that takes up?)

Instead, I will link you to the wikipedia page, so that you may have a read through, and remember why it is that it's important for us to eat healthy, and stay fit. Why it is important that we teach our children how to do the same, and why it is important that we nag the heck out of our husbands to lay off the crap.

And thank you. Without this blog, and my thoughts on an idea to help us stay fit, I would have never really thought as hard, or read up as much, on this disease. I really needed this reminder.

Type 2 Diabetes Information

we have a new start!

check it out, ladies! we have a new starting point!

as i was on south campus, eating lunch with a friend (chinese. i don't wanna talk about it), i saw a poster and thought i'd look into it a little more.

so there's this national start eating healthy day, sponsored by the american heart association. you can get more information by going to the walking site, which i don't get, because i couldn't find much more information (well, my computer is loading the internet really really slow for some reason. that's probably it). but anyways, we all have until this wednesday to eat junk food. but seriously, think of the timing. right after halloween, so you can devour all that candy you didn't give out (or that you stole from your little ones).

but then...
(insert scary music here)
it's the holidays.

you know what that means.
sweets.
potlucks.
food.
food.
fooooooood.

so here's what i need to work on over the next, well, forever, but i'll start with it over the holidays. eating less. if i want to try some of everything, grab a BITE. that's right, just a bite. and when i'm making things, i'll continue to make them healthier. like, adding applesauce instead of oil when i'm baking. and using seasonings to make things flavorful instead of salt.

i'll make it through this, no problem. i got it. and, i'm going to follow the AHA and start eating healthy.
on wednesday.

target heart rate info

(seeing as tamara posted a challenge about exercise, this is good timing for this post!-- also, i make really funny faces when i work out.)

So.
i exercise now.
and i exercise on fancy-pants machines at work that have heart rate measuring things that you hold on to and it tells your heart rate.
i don't know what this means.
i know what my heart rate gets up to.
i don't know anything other than that.

I researched it!
i found a ton of information. target heart rate is not based on body size, or height, or weight-- it's based on age. which really does make sense. whether you're skinny or fat, your heart should work the same to keep you healthy. i guess.

ANYways... i found a lot of stuff, and it basically said the same things. Here's my target heart rate:
119.4 (from Discovery Health)
98-146 (from Cancer.org)
98-166 (from americanheart.org)
my favorite site actually was thewalkingsite.com, which gave more detailed information on heart rate. I'll sum it up:
take 226 and subtract your age (226-27=199)
this is your maximum heart rate. now, depending on the kind of work you want to do, you have a different set of target heart rates.

warm up (50-60%) 119.4--> i have a high heart rate anyways, so my resting hr is about this (100-ish).
fat burning (60-70%) 139--> at this rate, you have benefits like lowering body fat, cholesterol, and blood pressure. 85% of the calories burned at this rate are from fat.
endurance training (70-80%) 159--> improves cardiovascular and respiratory system, and increases size and strength of your heart. more calories are burned, with 50% from fat.
performance training (80-90%) 179--> improves endurance and fights fatigue. burns more calories, but only 15% are from fat.

**keep this heart rate for 20-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week for maximum benefit**

so, you see, higher heart rate isn't always better when working out. i'd been keeping mine around 160, which looks like it works for me. i remember that it was way higher when i started working out, which meant that my heart was working too hard for my outcome. it meant my heart was out of shape, just like the rest of me. now that i'm getting healthier, my heart is also, so it's easier to keep it in the target range. for my needs (weight loss!) i'll stay in between the fat burning and endurance training ranges.

i'll also be practicing taking my own heart rate, for when i do my wii workouts. i do the boxing and i'm sweating up a storm, but i don't have a clue what my heart rate is during that time.

*disclaimer: this in no way substitutes for your own research, your doctor's suggestions, or what you should do. if you get your heart up to what i tell you to, and you have a stroke or a heart attack or any other kind of injury or illness, don't come crying to me for moneys. i don't have enough. it wouldn't be worth your time to sue me*

Heart Healthy Foods

On Sunday, my dad had a minor heart attack. On Monday, he had a stint put in. On Tuesday, he came home under strict orders to start a new diet, take some new medications and an aspirin regimen, and start exercising within the near future (his doctor will clear him).

So, I started doing some reading on heart health and heart healthy foods! I found that a LOT of my favorite foods are located on a list of foods that help promote good cardiovascular health... I only need to incorporate them more often! So, adding this foods into my diet will be one of my goals for this next week!

Obviously, one of the first things to do in a heart-healthy diet is to reduce the amount of sodium intake. Look for low-sodium or no-salt added options. For example, choose no-salt added canned mushrooms or low-sodium cream of mushroom soup for recipes. (Can you tell I have mushrooms on the brain?) It is important to reduce sodium intake because sodium can contribute to high-blood pressure, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Also, reduce the amount of trans- and saturated fats and cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic offers a "this not that"style lists to help you choose appropriate fats when cooking. I'll highlight them for you here and include the link to the article at the bottom of this post.

According to the Mayo Clinic, avoid butter, lard, bacon, gravy, cream sauce, non-dairy creamer, hydrogenated margarine and shortening, cocoa butter (found in chocolate), along with coconut, palm seed, cotton seed, and palm-kernel oils should all be avoided. Instead, use canola or olive oil, margarine labeled "trans-fat free" or cholesterol-lowering margarines such as Promise or Smart Balance (which is really good by the way!).

Also, increase your intake of fruits and vegetables but avoid coconut, vegetables with creamy sauces, fried or breaded vegetables, and canned fruits that are packed in heavy syrup (the ones packed in juice or water are still ok!). Choose fresh fruits and vegetables and canned vegetables labeled "low sodium" (or are low in sodium per reading the label).

There is also a whole list of protein to be avoided (all the *good* stuff: bacon, spareribs, cold cuts) and the proteins to increase in your diet. Rather than bore you with a few more lists, here is the link. ;-)

However, I do have one more list for you I got from MedicineNet.com (how's that for a legit-sounding name... they have "net" and "com" in their name!) These are the "best of the best" heart healthy foods. I will be starring the ones that I will be trying in the future and making bold the ones I like to eat and will be increasing in my own diet!

1. Salmon
2. *Flaxseed (ground)
3. Oatmeal
4. Black or kidney beans
5. Almonds
6. Walnuts
7. Red wine
8. Tuna
9. Tofu
10. Brown rice
    
11. *Soy milk
12. Blueberries
13. Carrots
14. Spinach
15. Broccoli
16. Sweet potatos
17. Red bell peppers
18. Asparagus
19. Oranges
20. Tomatos
21. Acorn squash
22. Cantaloupe
23. *Papaya
24. Dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa content)
    
25. *Tea

So, I already like 12 things (that's almost half!) of the list! I just need to start eating them more often... I think I'll start with the chocolate... ;-)