I did. I brought my lunch to the field trip instead of buying greasy food.

cleaningout:

This question comes to you from my mother, and a lot of people who send me asks. My mom WAS a yo-yo dieter, and every diet she’d ever been on recommended fruit and vegetables in excess…except some diets swore off “high carb” vegetables. She wanted to know what the deal was with this, so I thought…

1. There is no such thing as a zero calorie or negative calorie fruit/vegetable/food/etc.

I think this is one of the biggest myths. The rest of the info is great, too.

kimijoy:

When my phone rang last week, a strange number on the display, I almost didn’t answer it. But then I did. And I was surprised to hear who was on the other end.

It was Gretchen, from the Michigan Fitness Foundation. She was calling to congratulate me for being named an honoree for a …

Kimi deserves this honor so much. I’m so glad to “know” her.

oxygenmagazine:

How Safe is Your Food?

You can’t see them, but they’re there. Microscopic stowaways like Salmonella, E. coli and Norwalk virus could be lurking in your mouth-watering meal. Don’t gamble with your food – an upset stomach may be the least of your worries.

Read More >

how2runfast:

This must be the real reason why I’ve never liked bananas…

kimijoy:

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about health and fitness and losing weight and gaining confidence, it’s that no one’s going to do it for you.

I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating. Your health and fitness journey is yours and yours alone. Yes, a support system makes…

Great advice, Kimi!

withloveminusthehandles:

So I have been so inspired and supported by all of you lately. I cannot describe how thankful I am for all the kind and encouraging words I receive from all of you. I want to thank you all in giveaway form. 

These are two of my favorite things. I subscribe to Runner’s World Magazine. This month’s issue was very relevant to those of us losing weight, so I went out and bought one off the newsstand. Jay Robb’s vanilla protein powder is whey protein powder made out of all natural ingredients and stevia instead of sugar. This is just a single-serving sample, but it’s worth trying. It tastes absolutely delicious and contains 25 grams of protein per serving. 

So those are the prizes that one person will receive along with a handwritten note from me. 

There are rules of course, but they are easy and standard. 

• Since this is in gratitude for my fellow weight loss, running, and fitness blogs you must have a blog in one of those categories in order to win.
• You also must be following me. 
• You can reblog this post once a day until the giveaway closes - that’s six chances!
• The giveaway will be closing Monday, March 19, at noon CT.
• Then I will use random.org to choose one winner.
• The winner must have his or her ask box open so that I can contact him or her ASAP. 
• The winner then has until Wednesday night to contact me back with a mailing address.
• I will ship internationally. 

Those are the rules. You have a chance to enter up to six times! So have fun. 

XOXO Lovely followers

High weight: ~170 lbs

Start weight (Aug. 2010): 147.8 lbs

2012 Start (1/1/12): 133.2

Last Week: 133.4, waist 25 7/8”, stomach: 32 7/8”, body fat: 20.0%

Today: 135.2, waist 26 1/4”, stomach: 33”, body fat: 20.7%

so, yeah. I need to make sure I’m actually hungry before I eat. I think I also don’t need to eat as soon as I think I’m hungry. I need to give it time to make sure I really am hungry.

That’s all. At least my hair is awesome. Or it was when I left the house.

After stepping on the scale this morning as seeing 136.0 again, I think I had a realization.

It kind of goes back to this quote and the article from which it came:

You can lose all the weight you like, but until your self-image catches up with your new, thinner body, you’re in danger of gaining it right back.

I keep getting to a size/weight where I want to maintain. I’ll hold pretty steady for a couple of days, then sabotage myself and wind up back at 136.0. Always that number. Before I’ll reign it in a few days, be back where I want to be within a week, and do it all over again.

I still see myself as being big (trying to avoid the “f word,” but that’s what’s in my head), or on good days as being average (which is not a good thing in America). Then, I eat like a big person. I don’t know why I do this. Do I just want an excuse to lose weight again? I think that’s part of it. Seeing photos of super-fit women and before and afters where the before looks like my after make result in me feeling like I still have too much fat. (I phrased it that way on purpose.)

Since I said I wasn’t going to lose more weight, I gain a couple pounds and then lose it again. This isn’t how maintenance is supposed to work, though.

It’s also not good for my body to keep putting the junk in it like this. Eating junk now and then is fine, but not a whole lot at once.

So, when I say “I don’t know how to maintain,” that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the mechanics of it. It means that my screwed up thinking is getting in the way.

femme-enforme:

The Spartan Warrior: The Truth Behind 5 Food Myths by Alan Aragon

thespartanwarrior:

It goes like this, a client looking to lead a healthier life hires me, a nutritionist, to help him improve his diet. I analyze what he’s been eating, factor in his food preferences, and together we create an eating plan that fits his lifestyle and goals.

Soon after, he’s noticeably leaner and more energetic a happy customer. That’s when the trouble starts. After a coworker asks him for the details of his diet, my client suddenly finds himself in a heated interrogation. Doesn’t your nutritionist know red meat causes cancer? And that potatoes cause diabetes? Shouldn’t he tell you to eat less salt, to prevent high blood pressure?

The upshot:

Myths just made my job a lot harder. That’s because nutrition misinformation fools people into being confused and frustrated in their quest to eat healthily, even if they’re already achieving great results. Thankfully, you’re about to be enlightened by science. Here are five food fallacies you can forget about for good.

Myth #1: “High protein intake is harmful to your kidneys.”

Back in 1983, researchers first discovered that eating more protein increases your “glomerular filtration rate,” or GFR. Think of GFR as the amount of blood your kidneys are filtering per minute. From this finding, many scientists made the leap that a higher GFR places your kidneys under greater stress.

What science really shows:

Nearly 2 decades ago, Dutch researchers found that while a protein-rich meal did boost GFR, it didn’t have an adverse effect on overall kidney function. In fact, there’s zero published research showing that downing hefty amounts of protein—specifically, up to 1.27 grams per pound of body weight a day—damages healthy kidneys.

The bottom line:

As a rule of thumb, shoot to eat your target body weight in grams of protein daily. For example, if you’re a chubby 200 pounds and want to be a lean 180, then have 180 grams of protein a day. Likewise if you’re a skinny 150 pounds but want to be a muscular 180.

Myth #2: “Sweet potatoes are better for you than white potatoes.”

Because most Americans eat the highly processed version of the white potato—for instance, french fries and potato chips—consumption of this root vegetable has been linked to obesity and an increased diabetes risk. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes, which are typically eaten whole, have been celebrated for being rich in nutrients and also having a lower glycemic index than their white brethren.

What science really shows:

White potatoes and sweet potatoes have complementary nutritional differences; one isn’t necessarily better than the other. For instance, sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin A, but white potatoes are higher in essential minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. As for the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are lower on the scale, but baked white potatoes typically aren’t eaten without cheese, sour cream, or butter. These toppings all contain fat, which lowers the glycemic index of a meal.

The bottom line:

The form in which you consume a potato—for instance, a whole baked potato versus a processed potato that’s used to make chips—is more important than the type of spud.

Myth #3: “Red meat causes cancer.”

In a 1986 study, Japanese researchers discovered cancer developing in rats that were fed “heterocyclic amines,” compounds that are generated from overcooking meat under high heat. And since then, some studies of large populations have suggested a potential link between meat and cancer.

What science really shows:

No study has ever found a direct cause-and-effect relationship between red-meat consumption and cancer. As for the population studies, they’re far from conclusive. That’s because they rely on broad surveys of people’s eating habits and health afflictions, and those numbers are simply crunched to find trends, not causes.

The bottom line:

Don’t stop grilling. Meat lovers who are worried about the supposed risks of grilled meat don’t need to avoid burgers and steak; rather, they should just trim off the burned or overcooked sections of the meat before eating.

Myth #4: “High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is more fattening than regular sugar is.”

In a 1968 study, rats that were fed large amounts of fructose developed high levels of fat in their bloodstreams. Then, in 2002, University of California at Davis researchers published a well-publicized paper noting that Americans’ increasing consumption of fructose, including that in HFCS, paralleled our skyrocketing rates of obesity.

What science really shows:

Both HFCS and sucrose—better known as table sugar—contain similar amounts of fructose. For instance, the two most commonly used types of HFCS are HFCS-42 and HFCS-55, which are 42 and 55 percent fructose, respectively. Sucrose is almost chemically identical, containing 50 percent fructose. This is why the University of California at Davis scientists determined fructose intakes from both HFCS and sucrose. The truth is, there’s no evidence to show any differences in these two types of sugar. Both will cause weight gain when consumed in excess.

The bottom line:

HFCS and regular sugar are empty-calorie carbohydrates that should be consumed in limited amounts. How? By keeping soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices, and prepackaged desserts to a minimum.

Myth #5: “Salt causes high blood pressure and should be avoided.”

In the 1940s, a Duke University researcher named Walter Kempner, M.D., became famous for using salt restriction to treat people with high blood pressure. Later, studies confirmed that reducing salt could help reduce hypertension.

What science really shows:

Large-scale scientific reviews have determined there’s no reason for people with normal blood pressure to restrict their sodium intake. Now, if you already have high blood pressure, you may be “salt sensitive.” As a result, reducing the amount of salt you eat could be helpful.However, it’s been known for the past 20 years that people with high blood pressure who don’t want to lower their salt intake can simply consume more potassium-containing foods.

Why?

Because it’s really the balance of the two minerals that matters. In fact, Dutch researchers determined that a low potassium intake has the same impact on your blood pressure as high salt consumption does. And it turns out, the average guy consumes 3,100 milligrams (mg) of potassium a day—1,600 mg less than recommended.

The bottom line:

Strive for a potassium-rich diet, which you can achieve by eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. For instance, spinach, broccoli, bananas, white potatoes, and most types of beans each contain more than 400 mg potassium per serving.

(source)

cleaningout:

This broke my heart, because I am the Queen of eating every few hours. Initially I was really only hungry 3 times a day, but in every magazine I read it said to eat small meals every 3-4 hours. Now I need to eat every few hours or else I feel like I’m starving. But enough about me, let’s talk…

Eat when you’re hungry.

I like how this study actually measured hormones & stuff.

I didn’t finish my last post last night until 8:45 & my computer curfew is 9, so I just waited until today to write it.

• You reassessed yourself after looking at January goals. How did you do?

I did well on everything but my work-related goals.

• How will you look to improve in February?

I want to try to get a better handle on my eating. It’s been kind of random lately.

My specific goals are here.

• Planks and pushups improve?

I held one with my legs on a stability ball for 6 minutes. I think that maybe I have the ball too close to my body. I’m going to start building back up with my lower shins on the ball instead of my upper shins/knees. Then I’ll find another way to make it harder.

• How did your fitness goals work out this week?

I got in all my runs and my 2 strength workouts.

• What about your partner? Kept in touch, I hope.

Yes, I did. Faith did so many awesome things this week, including sponsoring the dips4stjude challenge Monday & Tuesday!

Decided it was time for another before & after.

I thought I looked really nice that night. I was not at my high weight yet.

Oh, and days that I do a long run (and happen to count calories) I eat over 2,000. Just so ya’ know.

So I took a picture and put it on my progress blog. (I don’t have a comparison one, though.)

Kind of proves my point, doesn’t it?