LOVE THOSE SHORTS MAN!!

So many of you know that Chris and I ran the Vulcan Run this past weekend. It was great!! We both did better than we expected to do and plan on running a half marathon in March. But I wanted to relay something that I thought was funny. After the race we went to Boutwell to see the after party. Chris decided to get a little bit of food before we were leaving. He was standing in line and the guy in front of him turns around and says " Dude, I love your vintage Umbros, they must be from like the early nineties!" Chris completely straight faced instantly replies "yeah they're really hard to find." Never mentioning the fact that he probably has had them since the early nineties and runs in them all the time, never thinking that they were "vintage." Moments like these you can feel really good having just finished a race in a time better than expected, but then realize your old when you find out your clothes are now "vintage."

4th 5k

Well today Lindsay (my SIL) and I completed our 4th 5k in 4 months (Chris did it today too, this was his 2nd in a row.) We've done one a month every month since March. Well today it was AWFUL. It was around 85 degrees when we started the run at 8 am this morning!! I twisted my knee about a quarter of the way into the run and it was aching for the rest of it. So I guess I didn't do too bad all things considering, but if I do any more 5k's or 8k's this summer they will be in the evening!!! I didn't like not having a good time. Previously I have improved my time each 5k I have done, but the heat was unbearable. But this has also helped me have a new mindset. One of the main reasons we have been doing the 5k's is to help keep us accountable in our running. We are going to do the Vulcan 10k in November and then I plan on doing the Mercede's Half Marathon in February. So having a small event each month gives us short term things to work toward and helps us not slack off even when our main races are a long time away. But I have really wanted to set a PR each month, trying to get faster and faster. But at the end of June in Alabama that is really not feasible, and things are going to happen like a twist in your knee, or an untied shoelace, or having to go to the bathroom, that is going to make some 5k's not your best time. So I have to keep the mentality that I am continually working toward a goal and to just enjoy the journey. I also need to remember my progress. My first 5k back in March I was so proud and happy to have finished the 5k having never walked, jogging the whole time. Now I am over a minute a mile faster than my first 5k and am up to running a long run of 7 miles. I have to remind myself that every time I'm out there it is better than not having done it at all!!

Random events...

I've been so busy lately that 1) I haven't made time to blog (notice I didn't say I didn't HAVE time) and 2) so many things are going on that I haven't known what to blog about! So I decided to do a little of everything.

DANCING
We had Jolee's dance recital weekend before last. She was beautiful and she danced wonderfully. If a little girl can have a passion about something then for Jolee it's dance. She loves it!! Not only does she love going, but she practices and dances ALL the time. She will stand in our foyer by herself pretending she is on stage, she will then make up songs and dances to perform. Here are a couple of pics from the recital.




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RUNNING
I've still been running about 5 times a week. I am slowly making progress of getting a little bit faster. Here is a picture of my SIL and me before our last run which was about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I am very excited because Saturday we are going to do another one and a couple of our other family members are going to do it with us! My husband Chris and another one of our brother in laws is running and Carter and Jolee are going to do the fun run - what fun!!



Drumming
Carter had his 7th birthday a couple of weeks ago. We had numerous celebrations with his baseball team, bowling, family parties etc... His biggest present was a drum set. He started his lessons two weeks ago and here are some pictures from his first lesson!





FIELDING
I was in charge of field day at Carter's school this year. It was a very big job since it was for his entire elementary school, but I think it turned out great! Here are some of the good times:

Breakfast.... just try this it may work!

So many people I know don't eat breakfast. Or they eat so little that it doesn't make them feel satisfied. For years I didn't eat hardly anything for breakfast. Breakfast for me consisted of a 90 calorie special k breakfast bar. Or if I was really hungry or had extra time then I would eat a 100 calorie bagel with sugar-free jelly. I did this because I didn't want to waste my calories first thing in the morning. I thought that it would help me not to consume as much and I would actually gain weight if I ate more because I would still want to eat the same amount for lunch and dinner. The problem was this: First of all I was never consuming protein. The things I was eating, breakfast bars, bagels, cereal, etc... were all simple carbs that my body broke down quickly and left me feeling ravenous by lunch time. I might have at least got my metabolism going by eating something, but I never satisfied myself so I always overate at lunch time.

So I would like to challenge all you non-breakfast eaters or you who eat very small amounts just to say you ate something. Just try eating a substantial breakfast for a month. But here are the facts and this is why I challenge you:

Research shows that individuals who eat the most calories before noon actually eat the fewest total calories over the course of the day. It seems that eating a hearty breakfast reduces appetite in the afternoon and evening. In a recent Brazilian study, obese women who ate a large, 610-calorie breakfast every morning lost 21 percent of their body weight over an eight-month period, while obese women on a low-carb small breakfast diet lost only 4.5 percent of their body weight. The women on the big breakfast diet reported less hunger and fewer cravings throughout the day.

This study says, as a general rule, try to consume eat least 25 percent of your total calories for the day within an hour of waking up. Here is what I want you to think about if breakfast has never been a main meal for you... what would it really hurt to just try this for a month?? You can always go back to not eating it, but it may help you begin to lose weight, feel better, and put you on a track to a healthier life!!!

Run to your happy place (or pace whatever the situation may be)

Here is a picture of my sister-n-law and I after a 5k we ran recently in the pouring rain which was mostly on trails in our local state park. Were we miserable? Heck no!! We felt great!!! A number of recent articles I have read talks about this great feeling. I recently read an article about a great runner named Christopher Bergland. He has won 3 triple ironman competitions and earned a Guiness World Record for the most distance covered on a treadmill in 24 hours (153.76 miles- WOW!!) Bergland attributes his ability to enjoy exercise and appreciate what it can do for him - increased energy, stress reliever, sense of purpose, kinship, etc.... as the secret of his success.
But here's the cool part....
Bergland's dad, Richard Bergland, was a one-time chief of neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. Bergland said " My father had spent his life researching the effects of pain and pleasure on the hormonal levels of endorphins, and it rubbed off on me." He believes you can wire your brain to enter a state of euphoria or bliss while running. Bergland went on to say " I started to do tons of reading on brain science and talked to my dad for confirmation while fine-tuning my athletic process. The treadmill served as my petri dish, where I put what I learned in the library to the test."
The article I was reading in Runner's World said that tons of research has been done on exercise-induced neurochemicals, which have been proven to produce feelings of elation, inner harmony, and peacefulness. This "runner's high" released with exercise produces it says a similar effect to a marijuana high. Also contributing to this euphoria is epinephrine the surge that comes with getting excited for a race, which also has the power to boost confidence and kill pain. Add to that serotonin and dopamine, two other feel-good brain chemicals, and you've got a physicological cocktail that can transform a workout into happy hour. And we lll have these neurochemicals flowing through us. What makes Bergland different is he has developed ways to tap into them and use them on demand. He is able to do this by what is fancily called neuroplasticity. This is the brain's ability to change its structure and function by expanding OR strengthening certain neural circuits while shrinking or weakening others. Bergland says postive thinking builds positive neural pathways. The more you think optimistically about something, the more apt your brain is to choose that path. Bergland says to go from one positive thought to another while running and push way negative ones. This makes your mind think of exercise as a pleasurable experience. Think of it like a trail in the woods the more hikers take it the more worn it gets and the more likely it will be taken in the future. You can reshape your brain to think and behave like a better athlete. SO go find your happy place!!

Fit to be Tied

How often do you get excited about shoelaces??? Well yesterday I went to get a new pair of running shoes. I ended up at Trak Shak getting a pair of Mizunos since they fit my flat narrow feet with narrow heels where one foot is bigger than the other the best. But I tried on several pair including a pair of New Balance as well. The New Balance had the COOLEST shoelaces!!! They say the laces don't loosen up during workouts and they stay tied. These just might be the answer to my narrow foot's prayer. They are called bubble laces. When I tied them they had the greatest grip, I just can't explain it, they were awesome! I am ordering some because I liked them so much.

*Most New Balance sneaks come with the new lace design, but if you're not due for a new pair of sneaks then try http://www.nbnorthshore.com/new-balance-shoe-laces.html to find replacement laces. They run about $2.00 a pair, or you can visit your local New Balance store.

It's Bacon Time

A couple of my friends were talking the other day about bacon. A number of them had seen an episode of Oprah where the guy who wrote the book "Eat this, Not that!" Said that regular bacon was better or the same for you as Turkey Bacon. So I started to do a little comparison shopping.

TURKEY BACON
My husband and I have been eating turkey bacon for a long time so I knew alot about it already. Most all turkey bacon has 25 calories a slice, except for Jenny O turkey bacon which only has 20 calories a slice. However the really good part about turkey bacon is where these calories come from. It only has .5 grams of fat. That's 3 grams of protein a slice.

PIG BACON
Now normal bacon has 35 - 45 calories a slice. This is just any regular package you pick up. The thick cut slices are obviously more. However there are two kinds of "pig" bacon that are lower in calories.

Gwaltney bacon makes a bacon that is 40% less in fat. It has 60 calories of 3 pieces (or 20 calories a slice.) HOWEVER, those three pieces have 4.5 grams of fat with 1.5 grams of that being saturated fat. Also you are only getting about half the grams of protein per slice (5 grams of protein in all 3 slices.)

Oscar Mayer fully cooked Bacon is the lowest calorie bacon. It has 70 calories in 4 slices. But it has a total of 6 g of fat in those 4 slices, 2g coming from saturated fat. Also it has the slowest grams coming from fiber with only 5 grams of fiber in all 4 slices.

SO I guess what it comes down to is this, some people don't like the taste and consistency of turkey bacon. It is an acquired taste. However after eating turkey bacon for so long now, my husband will not eat regular bacon anymore, he actually spit it out. For one it shriveled up to about half the size it started as, and it was so greasy!! There was grease just covering the paper towels and our bacon tray. With turkey bacon it remains the same size it starts off as, and there is virtually no grease at all after cooking it, my paper towel that I cover it with remains dry. So I guess if you just can't stand turkey bacon go with one of the two lower calorie pig bacons. But overall the Jenny O bacon I would say is the best. It has 80 calories for 4 slices giving you 12 grams of protein, with only 2 grams of fat and none of that is saturated. Hope that helps in your bacon shopping!!

Negativity

I REALLY want to be a positive person. I think one of the main reasons I want to be positive is I CAN'T STAND it when people are always complaining about something. I truly want to remember "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all!!!" I fail at this so many times, but I realized today that it has to start with your head and heart first. You have decide what kind of influence do you want to have in someone else's life. Do you want to be viewed as a negative person or a positive uplifting person? Do you want to be a joy to be around, or a source of negativity?

I was reminded of this today when I went out to run. I have started running the 5k cross country trail at Veteran's Park this week. Well the first two times this week I ran it just the way the trail leads you, but it was really hilly on the back end and I could barely breathe when I finished it. So I decided today that I was going to run it backwards that way I would be going downhill more than up. Well you know what? There was just as many steep uphills doing it reversed. The reason: I only focused on the negatives the other times I was doing it. There were many times I was going down hills the first two times I ran but I didn't pay attention to them. I only noticed the things I didn't like! And that was all I was focused on!!

Well in life I've got to get my focus off of the things I don't like and stop focusing on hills. ESPECIALLY if I can't change them and all I can do is complain and bring negativity into my life and the life of others. Because if I begin to use my mouth to spread negativity then I am the one causing damage, causing others to have to run up hill.

One thing I am determined to do is to make progress in my life. I read a book recently that REALLY struck me. It talked about a man that had been at a church for 20 years. This man said he was a christian, that he lived for the Lord, that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. But you never saw this man's spirit grow. This man constantly complained. He would send letters to the pastor continually because he didn't like things that were said in his sermon, he would complain about people at the church, he would complain about the music, he would complain about everything. Here's the thing, the man was exactly the same from day 1 when he entered the church as he is now 20 years later. There was not one change in his demeanor.

I PRAY (literally) that I am and will continue to be constantly changing. I want when you to see me 10 years from now for me to have grown in mercy, to have grown in compassion, to have grown in patience. I want to be ever maturing. I hope that I am not the same person that I was 10 years ago. I feel like I have grown, but boy do I know that I could have made more progress!

So I encourage you to change your focus. Look for opportunities to encourage someone else, and not just the people that it's easy to uplift but the ones that it's not so easy as well. Be grateful and thankful for the down hill slopes and know when you see a up hill coming that it's no big deal, just get over it!

Love or Money

I know this is off the topic of health and fitness, but it really caught my attention, so I wanted to talk about it. Yesterday I was listening to Dave Ramsey in the car while driving the kids to yet another activity. I love Dave Ramsey, he is so practical, and I just love his approach of delaying instant gratification so you can live well later.... But yesterday he really surprised me, and even though I love his frugality I loved his answer which was kind of against his norm in my opinion. The caller on the program was a young guy who said he and his wife have about $50,000 in accumulated debt. They just got married, actually they had only been married one month. Together they made about $70,000. This guy was a fire fighter and had recently been offered a one year contract. The contract would require him to go to Iraq to be a fire fighter. He would be able to come home for 10 days every 4 months and then he could return to his old job after a year. With this contract he would make enough to pay all their monthly bills and in that year he'd be able to pay off all their debt, so after a year they would be debt-free. He asked Dave Ramsey if he thought he should do it....

I thought Dave might say yes because it was only a year or no because of the danger of being in Iraq. But here was Dave's answer, He said if you were my child, I would never recommend for you to give up your first year of marriage of being together for $120,000. Unless you are in the military and have to leave your wife, I would never recommend doing it for any amount of money. Over time you can pay that debt off, but you can never get back your first year of marriage.

Wow. I really hope I can retain this wisdom throughout the rest of my life. I hope in my life to focus on what really matters and give the same advice to my children. Make smart financial decisions, be practical and don't spend your money on trying to measure up to others, but in all decisions put the welfare of your relationships and family first. Love it!

Who is fat? Who is too skinny?

Since I have really gotten into health and fitness over the past six months or so, I've dropped some pounds. Lately a couple of my friends and family have made comments to me that maybe it was time I slowed down and taper off so I wouldn't lose anymore weight. Well, I'm not telling you what I weigh, but I will show you this,



According to this chart, which is from the USDA (metlife is the other weight to height most used guideline which is very similar if not exactly the same), I am somewhere in the middle, maybe even above the middle, of the healthy weight range for my height.

Here is another chart, from Rush University Medical Center. It is even more stringent than the first:

Determining Your Ideal Weight

Male Female
Height Ideal Weight Height Ideal Weight
4’ 6” 63 - 77 lbs. 4’ 6” 63 - 77 lbs.
4’ 7” 68 - 84 lbs. 4’ 7” 68 - 83 lbs.
4’ 8” 74 - 90 lbs. 4’ 8” 72 - 88 lbs.
4’ 9” 79 - 97 lbs. 4’ 9” 77 - 94 lbs.
4’ 10” 85 - 103 lbs. 4’ 10” 81 - 99 lbs.
4’ 11” 90 - 110 lbs. 4’ 11” 86 - 105 lbs.
5’ 0” 95 - 117 lbs. 5’ 0” 90 - 110 lbs.
5’ 1” 101 - 123 lbs. 5’ 1” 95 - 116 lbs.
5’ 2” 106 - 130 lbs. 5’ 2” 99 - 121 lbs.
5’ 3” 112 - 136 lbs. 5’ 3” 104 - 127 lbs.
5’ 4” 117 - 143 lbs. 5’ 4” 108 - 132 lbs.
5’ 5” 122 - 150 lbs. 5’ 5” 113 - 138 lbs.
5’ 6” 128 - 156 lbs. 5’ 6” 117 - 143 lbs.
5’ 7” 133 - 163 lbs. 5’ 7” 122 - 149 lbs.
5’ 8” 139 - 169 lbs. 5’ 8” 126 - 154 lbs.
5’ 9” 144 - 176 lbs. 5’ 9” 131 - 160 lbs.
5’ 10” 149 - 183 lbs. 5’ 10” 135 - 165 lbs.
5’ 11” 155 - 189 lbs. 5’ 11” 140 - 171 lbs.
6’ 0” 160 - 196 lbs. 6’ 0” 144 - 176 lbs.
6’ 1” 166 - 202 lbs. 6’ 1” 149 - 182 lbs.
6’ 2” 171 - 209 lbs. 6’ 2” 153 - 187 lbs.
6’ 3” 176 - 216 lbs. 6’ 3” 158 - 193 lbs.
6’ 4” 182 - 222 lbs. 6’ 4” 162 - 198 lbs.
6’ 5” 187 - 229 lbs. 6’ 5” 167 - 204 lbs.
6’ 6” 193 - 235 lbs. 6’ 6” 171 - 209 lbs.
6’ 7” 198 - 242 lbs. 6’ 7” 176 - 215 lbs.
6’ 8” 203 - 249 lbs. 6’ 8” 180 - 220 lbs.
6’ 9” 209 - 255 lbs. 6’ 9” 185 - 226 lbs.
6’ 10” 214 - 262 lbs. 6’ 10” 189 - 231 lbs.
6’ 11” 220 - 268 lbs. 6’ 11” 194 - 237 lbs.
7’ 0” 225 - 275 lbs. 7’ 0” 198 - 242 lbs.

So according to this ideal weight chart I am definitely at the upper end of my ideal weight for my height. I could lose quite a bit more weight and still be in a normal weight range.


Here is a link for calculating your BMI, which is your Body Mass Index. This lets you know around what your body to fat ratio is in your body based on your height and weight. Mine falls in the normal range but is closer to the top number than the bottom. If your BMI is over 25 you are considered overweight.

All that to say, I think America, in general, has fat glasses on. There is no other country in the world that is as fat as us. Right now statistical analysis tells us that 65% of Americans are overweight. They estimate by 2020, that it will have climbed to 85%!!!

Because of this I think some people now have a hard time distinguishing what is healthy and what is too little. I guess, if 65% of American's are overweight sometimes anyone who is in a healthy weight range is considered little.

I want to look like that woman in the top. Some of you, who may never have been into athletics may not like muscles showing, but I love it! It's not bodybuilder over the top, but it is lean and strong. I want to be sculpted with muscle tone, healthy and fit. I want to be strong! I want legs that I can go hiking with, I want arms to where if I want to do rock climbing I can do it, and I want core muscles that will give me endurance is running! This to me is the epitome of a healthy body.

Lose weight while you sleep Zzzzzz.....

Substantial medical evidence suggests some fascinating links between sleep and weight. Researchers say that how much you sleep and quite possibility the quality of your sleep may silently orchestrate a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your appetite.

Studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body's metabolism, which may make it more difficult to maintain or lose weight.

Sleep loss appears to do two things:

1. Makes you feel hungry even if you are full. Sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite. As a result, individuals who lose sleep may continue to feel hungry despite adequate food intake.

2. Increases fat storage. Sleep loss may interfere with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates, which leads to high levels of blood sugar. Excess blood sugar promotes the overproduction of insulin, which can lead to the storage of body fat and insulin resistance, a critical step into the development of diabetes.

In fact, have you ever experienced a sleepless night followed by a day when no matter what you ate you never felt full or satisfied? If so, then you have experienced the workings of the hormones, leptin and ghrelin.

Leptin and ghrelin work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the brain when you are full.

So what's the connection to sleep? "When you don't get enough sleep, it drives leptin levels down, which means you don't feel as satisfied after you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food."

It was in the Stanford study, however, that the more provocative meaning of the leptin-ghrelin effect came to light. In this research -- a joint project between Stanford and the University of Wisconsin -- about 1,000 volunteers reported the number of hours they slept each night. Doctors then measured their levels of ghrelin and leptin, as well as charted their weight.

The result: Those who slept less than eight hours a night not only had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin, but they also had a higher level of body fat. What's more, that level of body fat seemed to correlate with their sleep patterns. Specifically, those who slept the fewest hours per night weighed the most. HOW MUCH ARE YOU NOW WISHING YOU SLEPT 8 HOURS LAST NIGHT!!!

So what should you do? Most of the research I have read says the average person needs 7 1/2 hours sleep a night. But to find out exactly how much you need this is what you need to do. Figure out what time you need to wake up in the morning. Get in bed 8 hours prior to this (WITH NO TV OR COMPUTER!!!) and try to go to sleep in the next 30 minutes. If you can wake up consistently that week without an alarm clock then you are getting now adequate sleep. If not then you might need more than that and should start going to bed a little earlier. Another thing that studies suggest is having a normal bedtime routine. Whether this is light reading in bed, taking a warm bath,etc... This allows your body to go into relaxation mode and helps it start to go into rest.

Diet Drinks are making you fat

I have rebelled against this statement for a long time. One of my favorite things has been my Diet Dp's. But I have finally cut my addiction. I have officially not had ANY caffeine now for 56 days and counting.

I have long known there was nothing good about Diet Soft Drinks. I knew that it had been linked to short term memory loss. I knew that it caused you to retain water and be more bloated unlike water which has the opposite affect. But until recently I did not accept this fact: It causes you to eat more.

I have tried to get around this by drinking caffeine-free Diet Dr. Pepper, but that does not solve all the problem. Both caffeine and artificial sweeteners have been linked to causing weight gain!!

Here are the findings on caffeine:

This chronic state of increased stress caused by caffeine is associated with a markedly increased tendency to overeat. Caffeine consumption increases the tendency of people to overeat or binge. Also coffee or soda drinking increases physiological measurements of stress, and although this effect is greater with increased caffeine levels, decaffeinated coffee may also influence stress as factors other than caffeine in coffee are associated with stress. Elevation of stress hormones leads to fat cravings. Also elevated levels of cortisol increases your appetite. And when cortisol increases that is what causes BELLY FAT.

But if that is not enough here is the findings on artificial sweeteners, this was published in Science Daily:

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2008) — Want to lose weight? It might help to pour that diet soda down the drain. Researchers have laboratory evidence that the widespread use of no-calorie sweeteners may actually make it harder for people to control their intake and body weight.

Psychologists at Purdue University's Ingestive Behavior Research Center reported that relative to rats that ate yogurt sweetened with table sugar, rats given yogurt sweetened with zero-calorie saccharin later consumed more calories, gained more weight, put on more body fat, and didn't make up for it by cutting back later, all at levels of statistical significance.

The article went on to say a lot more but the simple gist was this, when your body has an artificial sweetener it is waiting for the calories that go along with it. When it doesn't get them, it cannot regulate itself and still craves those calories. Therefore you will then go look for something sweet to eat. So basically artificial sweetener is a stimulant to MAKE you want to eat something sweet. I know it sounds crazy but actually an artificial sweetener does the exact opposite of what it is supposed to do.

Now here I think is one of our main problems: We think that because it was made, advertised as diet, and just basically accepted by the world for so long that it can't really be bad for you. That something so universally accepted as being good for being on a diet has to be ok, and that anyone contradicting this is just too over the top. Well.... that's up to you to decide.

Personally I am trying to stick to water 90% of the time. I still love Diet DP. But now I am trying just to "treat" myself to a caffeine free Diet DP just every now and then, not having 4 or 5 a day like I have done in the past. Giving up something that is SO a part of your daily life is very difficult, but who said being healthy was easy?? But I promise just like everything else the longer you go the easier it gets!!

Revving it up

Remember that for the most part, every diet ends up being all about the calories. They can say well we are not eating sugar, or limiting our carbs, or doing low-fat, etc... And while each diet may help your health in one way or another differently, when it comes to losing weight it still about not eating as many calories as your body is able to burn. Now that means there are 2 factors to this, one is how much you are putting in and secondly how much your body is able to burn. I want to help my body out as much as possible (especially since the older you get your metabolism slows down already.) So not counting exercise (which I'm not talking about right now) the only other way to help it burn more is to make sure that my metabolism keeps working at a constant pace. This has been a big focus of my eating in the past month. I eat something within 30 minutes of waking up and then I have been eating something every 2 to 3 hours. Now obviously I am not eating huge amounts. For the most part I am sticking to 100 to 200 calories a time. And I have with my current eating plan been sticking to mostly high protein low fat options (1 cup of fat-free cottage cheese, or 100 calories of turkey bacon, or a protein bar, or a banana with a tablespoon of pb) These things keep me feeling satisfied, doesn't raise my sugar levels too high where I have highs and lows needing pick me ups, and most importantly keeps my metabolism at a high rate where it is constantly burning calories but not having eaten too much where it has to store things away.

This carries into my lunch and dinners where I am now eating a lot less at these meals because I am not as hungry nor can I eat as much because my body is not accustomed to just having smaller portions. I don't feel deprived because I am eating something all the time it seems, but just never a huge amount at any one time. I am very happy with this. So I hope this helps you become a grazer too! If you think about kids this is how they are... they eat a little and then come back later when they want never having the mentality that they need to eat until their plate is clean, that is the parents warping them to do that!

Health, Fitness, and Frugality

Well I might not always practice what I know, but I feel like I know about Health, Fitness and Frugality more than any other topics. I certainly seem to think about these three things a lot during the day, research and read about them, and it just seems my general interests revolve around them.

So I decide for awhile my posts will be on giving random tips from these topics. I feel like I have lots of little random knowledge and helpful hints stored up in me so why not share them?! Most of my friends and family that read my blog are on facebook, so I have been lately posting pictures and talking about family things there.

For those of you who know me well and are around me a lot you know that I have been very "into" fitness lately. One of my friends actually yesterday sent me an article that was about "how to know if you are exercising too much." HAH!! I don't think I have to be worried about that yet, and that will definitely not be one of my first discussions!

I have always compared health and fitness to christianity. How you may ask? Well with both things there is so much literature. There is constantly books, magazines, and speakers talking about how to "do better" or "new insights" on both of these subjects. The reason for this is no one really wants to hear the truth. The truth is this: Everything boils down to 2 things: In your christian walk the way to grow closer to God is talk to him and listen to him (pray and read your bible.) In health and fitness it all is just about eating good and exercising. We can do different devotions, read fitness magazines, read books about how to study the bible better, etc... but unless you talk to God yourself and actually read His word, and unless you actually eat right and exercise you will not be healthy,lose weight, etc...

So remember I may be telling you things I know, healthy tips, etc... but they are always going to boil down to one of those 2 things.

So tip #1.

I know you have heard it a thousand times, drink your water, but I am going to tell you a helpful tip you may not have thought of before. You have probably heard all the reasons for drinking water, if not just send me a comment and I can tell you MANY reasons of why it is good for your health and how it can help you lose weight.

Here is my practical tip for the day. In dieting or weight loss or just in continual healthy living there is always gonna be a time when you are going to "have a cheat meal." For example I know that it is possible to eat decent when you go to a mexican restaurant but how probable is it for most of us? Sometimes you just want to eat things that taste really good but are very bad for you. So in times like this, when you've already decided it is going to be one of those meals here is my suggestion. Fifteen to Thirty minutes before you eat grab you a big bottled water. And drink it all. It also wouldn't hurt for you to eat a small snack (a piece of fruit etc...) You will still be hungry when you get to the restaurant but you will not be as hungry. Also your stomach will have been filled up a little from your water and you will not eat as much as you normally would have. You still feel satisfied from eating your fattening food, not having continually deprived yourself, but you might have saved yourself 500 or so calories from not having finished those last 4 or 5 bites of that burrito or wanting another basket of chips.

Feed your kids breakfast or they'll want to have SEX

How's that for an attention grabber huh??

Since at church tomorrow at A2 we are going to be talking about Sex I thought this would be a great article to show you all. How great is it that people can make random corralations like this?!?! I'm figuring Pastor Chris won't mention this in his sermon tomorrow...By the way if you want to hear more about sex you can stop in to a2 church tomorrow at 9:45





Teens Who Skip Breakfast More Likely To Have Sex Earlier

You know that business about breakfast being the most important meal of the day? You probably heard it as a child and are now repeating it to your own child. Good for you! Breakfast is important . Studies show that kids who skip the morning meal are more likely to be tardy and miss more days of school than their breakfast-eating peers. And teens who eat breakfast maintain a healthier body mass index and tend to be more active than kids who don't.

But if all that that doesn't persuade you to make sure your kids eat before heading out the door each morning, maybe this will: A new study finds that teens who don't eat breakfast tend to have sex at an earlier age than kids who do.

It's that one extra responsibility you have in the morning after walking the dog, showering and dressing. It's a necessary fuel to make it through the day, but for some, it's a nuisance that they simply can't be bothered with. Find out all there is to know about the most important meal of the day.

It kicks your brain into gear

Whether you're bleary-eyed or full of energy in the morning, eating a nutritious breakfast jump starts "critical thinking mode." In a study conducted on elementary school children at Tufts University, it was found that "when children consume breakfast, performance is enhanced on measures of vigilance attention, arithmetic, problem solving tasks, and logical reasoning." It's not just school; these skills translate to the work environment, too. A healthy breakfast can also help tone your memory muscles. In the same study, researchers found enhanced spatial and short-term memory improvement.

It's an easy way to get your daily recommended whole grains

We're supposed to eat five to 10 servings of whole grains per day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If you're not a health food fanatic, this sounds like a daunting task. Luckily, "cereal is a major source of whole grain in American diets," according to research conducted by the Bell Institute. If you're not a fan of whole grain pasta and you'd prefer not to scarf down half a loaf of whole wheat bread, chow down a bowl of cereal for breakfast, snack, whenever.

It helps you lose weight

Skipping breakfast can be counterproductive when dropping pounds. You're not saving calories, you're merely delaying them. Breakfast eaters are leaner than those who skip the morning meal, according to Harvard Health Publications, with one study reporting that missing breakfast was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity. Consuming a healthy, filling breakfast can also help you reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even intestinal polyps and colon cancer -- not to mention that a variety of fruits and nonfat milk will stave off hunger until your next meal and provide many essential vitamins and nutrients.

It fights depression

Although we like to think we have full control over our behavior, our moods are often dictated by how we feel physically. Studies comparing school children who did and did not have breakfast found that the breakfast eaters were less depressed, anxious and hyperactive. Don't skip your therapy session in favor of a hearty breakfast, but it could serve as one tasty step towards well-being.


It's packed with essential nutrients

You may not feel like you're missing much when you skip your morning meal, but your body certainly will. Breakfast "may provide one-quarter of our daily nutrient needs including Vitamin C, calcium, iron and folate," according to the University of Wisconsin Extension. Nutrient-packed drinks like fruit juice and milk are primarily downed at breakfast time, along with whole grain toast and fruit, which may help explain why "breakfast eaters are more likely than non-breakfast eaters to meet the USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommendations for dairy food, fruits and grains." Besides missing out on the benefits of all these essential food groups early in the day, people who skip breakfast are often unable to compensate for the nutrients they missed at breakfast with other meals.

It can lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels

The heart conscious will be thrilled to learn that breakfast can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke by decreasing the level of LDL in the body, which can clog arteries and lead to a number of serious health concerns. A 2005 study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that of the women who were studied, those who ate breakfast had significantly lower levels of LDL in their bodies. They also displayed less sensitivity to insulin, another large contributor to heart disease. Keep in mind, though, eating a breakfast of croissants and donuts won't produce positive health results.

It keeps your sweet-tooth in check

Engaging in a candy binge or eating a seven course dinner completely defeats the intentions you had when you skipped breakfast to avoid calories. Unfortunately, researchers at the University of Minnesota found that kids who skip breakfast tend to have higher BMIs than those who ate a daily breakfast. The researchers believe this may be because without breakfast, children grow extremely hungry by lunch time and are more willing to overeat, or eat unhealthy, easily attainable foods. Children aren't the only ones affected by this phenomenon. Cut your daily trips to the vending machine and fatty-but-filling lunches by filling up on a healthful breakfast before you get to work.

You'll exercise more

The energy you get from breakfast can propel you into an active day. According to the University of Southern California, the same researchers that concluded that breakfast-eating adolescents have a lower BMI than their counterparts, also found that "breakfast eaters consumed greater amounts of carbohydrates and fiber, got fewer calories from fat and exercised more." This coincides with the commonly held belief that eating a healthy breakfast can inspire nutritious eating habits for the rest of the day's meals and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

It can prevent morning platelet activation often associated with heart attacks and strokes

Morning is a crucial time for heart health. "Most heart attacks occur between 7 a.m. and noon, possibly because the cells that help blood clot, platelets, are stickiest then," according to Houston Health Pulse. Fasting overnight and then skipping breakfast increases the platelet activity that can lead to a heart attack. Although it may be time consuming or unpleasant for you to eat early in the morning, the chore of eating breakfast daily is miniscule compared to the suffering that accompanies a heart attack.

The study, conducted by the Japan Family Planning Association, examined the lifestyle habits of about 1,500 males and females aged 16 to 49. They found that those who regularly ate breakfast as teens were an average of 19.4 years old before they had sex for the first time. Those who didn't eat breakfast had sex almost two years earlier - at an average age of 17.5 years old.

"The fact that people can't eat breakfast may show something about their family environment," says Kunio Kitamura, executive director of the Association. "Before blaming individuals for having sex at an early age, it may be necessary to look into the sort of homes they are from."In other words, it isn't the breakfast itself that makes teens wait to have sex, but the fact that the child who is fed each morning is most likely benefiting from better all-around parenting than the child who isn't.

There is nothing really earth-shattering in that revelation but it does raise a question in my mind. Does just feeding the kid count or do you actually have to sit down and eat breakfast together? Apparently that depends on how much your teen likes you. That same study found that teens who said their mothers were annoying were also more likely to have sex at an earlier age. Those teens reported having sex at an average age of 16 -- a full three years earlier than those with non-annoying moms!

So, here's the bottom line: If you want to encourage chastity in your teens, insist that they eat a good breakfast each and every morning. And try not to be annoying about it.

Does your family sit down together for breakfast? Or is it more of a grab-and-go situation?

Oh and by the way it was MY MOM who sent me this article... I guess wanting to make sure I keep making pancakes for my kids every morning.