Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

So while watching Extra or Access Holywood or something with Mario Lopez or possibly Billy Bush there was a story on "Super Foods", the buzz word for foods packed with nutrients giving you the most bang for the calorie. Note: I do not generally get my nutritional information from Access/Extra/Hollywood/Gossip.

The list was typical: salmon, blueberries, pumpkin seeds. I was tuning out when I heard "chia seeds" and thought to myself "There must be something else called chia seeds, they can't mean the seeds you put on your terracotta bust of President Obama or Homer Simpson.

But surely enough they were in fact referring to chia seeds. Being a child of the 80's I had many a chia pet and while the idea first seemed ridiculous to me, I soon realized that the green leafy results of successful chia pet gardening are sprouts and sprouts and their husks are generally full of fiber and nutrients.

So off to the interwebs I went and sure enough there are tons of articles (dating back a few years) about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds. Here is one that had some useful nutritional information.

Most interesting to me in the article are the benefits of chia over flax seed which I have tried to incorporate in my diet. As the article states flax is most beneficial when ground up, but chia is better when taken whole (which I prefer) and chia has a better shelf life than flax (which makes sense since they are still trying to sell Chia Jerry Seinfelds).

I am all for upping my Omega 3s, my fiber and my antioxidants so why not? I will check out the rejuvenating effects of chia. What is the worst that can happen, my hair gets unruly? Oh wait...

Quick Fixes

Sure, dieting is supposed to be all about whole foods and organic this and raw that, but sometimes that is not realistic. Say for example, when you are working 12 hour days and you only get about 30 minutes to eat.

Sometimes we need a quick fix meal to get us through our busy lives. I grew up on Kraft Mac & Cheese, but the powdered cheese doesn't cut it for me any more. Now my go to mac & cheese is the Velveeta 2%. I am not deluding myself into thinking it is healthy, the cheese is a color not found in nature and it is shelf-stable, but it is lower in fat than almost all of the other macs & cheeses on the market and it is ready in 10 minutes.

Frozen pizza is another go-to. I absolutely love all of Trader Joe's frozen pizzas and although their fat and calories rival any other on the market they are all-natural and actually made with cheese. They are also ready in 10 minutes.

I read this article today on the worst grocery store foods. I am a sucker for the Eat This, Not That phenomena and David Zincenko is pretty cute. This is a good cheat sheet on some of the quick fix meals out there that are scary bad and gives you some better options.

I cannot imagine a day when I will not have to rely on convenience food for a small portion of my diet. Should I win the lottery and never have to work again I promise to never eat anything freeze-dried, shrink wrapped or frozen, ever.

Shopping Hangover

I went shopping this weekend. I had had a rough week and I had a couple store coupons that were expiring at the end of the month and some money I had saved from holiday gifts that I could legitimately spend without touching my budget.

Now I feel hungover and guilty about the spending. Should I have saved that money in case something happens? Did I really need those things?

Altogether I spent $200 and about $50 of that was on gifts for others which I could actually work into my budget. I bought a few items of clothing to fit my smaller body and some yarn for future projects. I didn't do much damage, but I did it quickly and with a mindlessness akin to eating 4 Cadbury Cream Eggs in one sitting.

I clearly have impulse control issues. Why? How do I reverse this cycle of binging and guilt?

Write it All Down

As I have come to realize over the past 7 months, I have to live like this for the rest of my life. I am not able to let go of this focus on my diet or my budget ever or both will balloon back to where I started.

One of the tools I have got to learn to embrace is a food journal. Every eating plan in history will tell you to write down everything you eat and I have numerous times over my life. Many of those journals I still have and I will consult them when I am looking for meal or snack ideas.

This time around I started with an online food journal and there are tons of them out there for free on the interwebs, but I only stuck with it for a couple months and then faded.

I realized this weekend if I do not write down everything I eat I will continue to sneak in too many treats and blow the hard work I am doing at the gym. So today I dusted off a journal I got as a gift and am going to start afresh.

I am going back to pen and paper for a couple reasons. First, I can carry it with me and write down my food any time. Also, I spend all day in front of a computer, I need time in the evening away from the thing, so sitting here logging my food does not appeal. For many the online options are much better than the old fashioned journal, to each her own. Just write it all down!

Friday Recap Month 3

Technically this is supposed toy be Month 3's recap, but due to work scheduling nuttiness I have not been able to do my monthly calculating and really there is another week of March, so look for next week's recap to be much more thorough. In the meantime...

Diet: Need to force myself to the gym tonight after a day of standing on my feet at a conference and sneak in a Sunday walk and I will be happy with the exercise portion. I was doing good with food until last night. After a whole day of fighting the urge to eat conference baked goods and exhibit hall candy I caved and had a not very healthy dinner followed by more than one Cadbury Creme Egg. I hope to right my food course this weekend.

Budget: I worked too much this week to spend much money. Did have my indulgence of sushi on Tuesday, but it was worth it. I have some gift money I intend to spend on clothes this weekend, woo hoo!

Mood: Too busy to notice. Very high stress level over all but trying to manage it with as few Cadbury Creme Eggs as possible.

Next week is all about work, oh wait, so was this week, ugghh....

Skinny Does Not Equal Fit

During my class on Tuesday I looked around the room and realized the skinniest people in the room were having the hardest time. They were taking more breaks, they were not doing all the reps, they were clearly more winded than I was. It made me happy for a couple reasons...

First, it means I have definitely made fitness gains over the past 6 months. I have much greater strength and endurance.

Also, it shook up the notion that skinny equals fit. There are plenty of naturally skinny people who are not fit out there. Remember that the next time you see an overweight person and think they are lazy, maybe they are incredibly fit and just have a really hard time with food.

She Sells Sushi by the Seashore

Sushi! Last night I ventured out from the basic to the slightly more-than-basic world of sushi. It was an exciting experience with some old friends (Hawaiian Roll) and some adventurous new ones (surf clam!).

The nutritional value of sushi varies depending on what it contains and how it is prepared. This website has a lot of info on the different types and their calorie counts. The fancier the rolls the more calories and fat you will add up. Obviously, sticking to sashimi is your best bet for pure protein and lower fat counts, but a roll with seaweed and avocado adds a lot of great nutrients, so consider the menu carefully. Sushi can be your friend on a diet.

We embarked on 4 different rolls, with lots of various ingredients, and then tried 2 different types of regular sushi (fluke and surf clam) and a scallop sashimi that tasted just like the sea. We were more than full at the end of the meal.

Like the calories the dollars add up too when you are ordering (especially when the menu has pictures). Sushi can be an affordable meal, but remember you can always order more if you are still hungry, so start easy and pace yourself. Sushi is not a meal to rush through, enjoy every bite!

I Want to Pump You Up

It isn't really breaking news that a balanced workout of cardio and strength-training is the way to go. Like a balanced diet, the combination of cardio and lifting works on different parts of your body, burning fat and sculpting muscle.

This article has 12 good reasons to pump some iron.

I am focused on my arms right now as that little dress my mother bought me hangs on the back of my closet door with its lack of sleeves mocking me. I am trying to get in 3 free weight sessions a week.

I also like the ideas of stress relief and increased memory as side effects, I could use a little of both!

Buying Smaller Clothes: Inspiration or Waste of Money

Last week while visiting my parents I saw a dress I really liked for spring/summer. It was sleeveless and would not be appropriate until at least the end of April (Easter) or later depending on the temps. I did not buy it as I wanted to wait and see what size I am at that point, vowing that if it was there and it fit me well at Easter I would buy it then.

Flash forward to this past Saturday when my mother came to visit me here in the city. She presented me with a bag containing the dress in a size smaller than I would ever have considered buying. I expressed my concern at successfully losing enough weight to wear this size (which I have not worn since high school) and my mother assured me that I could do it.

I am happy to report I can get the dress onto my body, but it will be much more comfortable and look much better when I lose some more weight. In the mean time I am choosing to consider this a motivating factor and not a waste of my mother's money.

In the past I have done this, bought myself things that don't quite fit yet and failed to ever wear them. I still have some of them and hope to get in to them this time around.

Friday Recap: Week 11

As I mentioned yesterday the clock changing tired me out this week, definitely sluggish over all, but so happy to have added daylight!

Diet: Overall pretty good. The last 2 nights I had small amounts of candy and not the best dinner choices, but overall in the right direction. Getting in my 4th good gym workout today and hoping for a nice long walk on Sunday.

Budget: Still overspending on food, already at the month's budget with 1 week left in the month.

Mood: Tired and kind of cranky, but excited for a nice weekend!

Next week I have a work conference. I do not have to travel, but will be off my normal routine, that is usually when chaos ensues.

Longer Days

We set our clocks ahead last weekend, one of my favorite events of the year! The older I get the harder that 1 hour switch is on my sensitive system though. I have been quite tired this week, but it is worth it to me to have the extra daylight at the end of the day.

With the temps increasing as well I am hoping to add to my cardio regimen with an extra walk or two each week. It is time to come out of hibernation mode and up the energy level. I want to push through this week's lethargy and start next week with extra enthusiasm at the gym.

Wait! Don't Buy That...

We live in a disposable society. We buy more than we need and we throw away the excess. When I am at my most frugal and environmentally-concerned I imagine the United States has already produced as many goods as we could use for many years and instead of buying new we should all have big yard sales and just recycle what we don't need or want any more.

This article on wisebread.com has 6 simple tips for helping your budget and a couple of them struck me as obvious, but surprising. The idea of a waiting period for a purchase was fascinating to me. We have all heard about waiting periods to purchase guns (although as Homer Simpson said "Waiting period? But I'm mad now!), but what if we used that same psychology before buying a new purse or a pair of boots? If after 30 days you still really want the item and you can afford it, go for it.

The last tip is also something I am trying to do more: assess your purchase after you have had it for awhile. Do you use the purse? Wear the boots? Are they comfortable? Good quality?

I did this with my e-reader. I bought my Nook and for the first month used it to play Sudoku. I was starting to think I had wasted $150 when I could buy a Sudoku book for $4 at CVS. Then I read my first book on it and fell in love with it. I saw the benefits to this trendy piece of technology and was thrilled I had used some of my Christmas money on this instead of candy and magazines.

For my whole life I have spent money when I had it, like this week after getting paid and paying all the bills I was so tempted to go out and buy something. I had nothing in mind, maybe some DVDs or a spring coat (neither of which I need). Reigning in the impulses and being more thoughtful in my purchases will take some time, but I hope I am on the road to recovery.

A Class Mentality

This was week 3 of Zumba (my how time flies when the weather is improving) and I really love it. Not just the exercise and the benefits of that, but the other women in my class and the guy who teaches it.

For so long I have worked out in anonymity, out of embarrassment or fear, but being in this class is breaking me out of my shell. The people in my class are so cool and nice and are so much more worried about how they look or which steps they miss to worry about me.

Being in a class also motivates me to try harder. I have always been good in a class setting, I excel at that, so I try harder than I might with a DVD in my living room. Also, my living room is on the 3rd floor and my neighbors might not like me jumping around for an hour, so the class gives me a chance to really let loose.

The next 3 weeks have me over scheduled on Thursdays, so I will only get my Tuesday Zumba fix and the class is not terribly well-attended (which I love as it gives us more room and more personalized attention) so I fear they may cancel it. Those of us that go are very vocal about how much we like it though. I am really making this a highlight of my workout week now!

Candy is Poison

My aunt works in a hospital. A drug rep or vendor of some kind brought a box of truffles and left them at the nurses station and a doctor threw them away announcing: "Candy is poison."

I was trying to keep that story in mind as I meandered the 4 aisles of Easter candy at the mega-drugstore chain the other day. Easter candy is, of all the seasonal candies, my favorite. There is something about chocolate shaped into eggs and bunnies and wrapped in pastel foil that makes it even more appealing to me than normal.

But, is the doctor's denunciation of candy over-the-top? There are studies that show dark chocolate has health benefits, but I'm talking Reese's Peanut Butter Cups here. Is it so bad for us that we should equate it to poison?

I think it is more in line with alcohol. Some people can handle candy in a responsible manner. These lucky people can have 1 piece and walk away from the bag. Others will binge until sick.

I don't think I can realistically imagine a life without candy at all. I am trying desperately to cut back. With Easter so late in April this year the temptations of tiny festive marshmallow treats will haunt me for weeks yet to come.

Friday Recap: Week 10

This week was all about re-establishing focus in many aspects of my life.

Diet: Finally had a successful food week. The key is to not blow the weekend. I am visiting my parents so I will not be as likely to just mindlessly graze as I have the past few weekends. Week 2 of Zumba was great, really good workouts the other days too!

Budget: Because I stuck to my meal plan this week there was much less money spent on take out and the like. I imagine the budget for the week will be much more in line. I also poured some time and focus into a potential money-earning plan.

Mood: Despite how stressful work is, good. I felt strong and healthy all week. I must learn to harness that feeling and use it to fight off the urge for pie.

Next week gets a little hectic again, hope I can hold on to the focus!

Bring Out Your Leg Warmers

This is not a fashion blog and I am not a fashion maven by any stretch, but I saw this article on Wisebread.com and it inspired me. Spring is coming, it may not feel like it today, but it will be here soon.

While I will, luckily, need to buy some smaller clothes I am not in a position to replace my wardrobe. The concept of buying simple, easily interchangeable wardrobe pieces and dressing them up with accessories is very appealing to me.

Even more appealing, I own a lot of accessories already and don't put them to very good use. So next week's challenge is to dig through the closet and the drawers for the cute bracelets, scarves, purses and headbands and put them in an easy-to-find spot.

I have a couple friends that are pros at accessorizing and I try to take inspiration from them. It is a very budget-conscious way to spice up your look. Accessories do not have to be particularly well made, if you can pull of a $2 headband from CVS do it, your hair won't fall out if it is plastic.

Another budget-friendly idea: Accessory Swap Meet. One girl's gaudy is another girl's gorgeous.

Everyone has that broach that your mother's friend gave you for Christmas. You have it tucked in the back of your jewelry box, too guilty to throw it away since it was a gift.

Or better yet, you impulse buy this giant ring with a big red glass stone that you love, but you have elfin hands and it looks like some sort of strange dermatological problem on you, but your friend with the long lithe fingers carries it off beautifully. Clean out your stash and offer up the unwanted, odds are it will look fabulous on someone else!

Hump Day

So it is Wednesday. And historically Wednesday has been a tough day for me diet-wise. If I get off to a good start on Monday and Tuesday I often reach a level of boredom on Wednesday that is palpable. I want a treat, I have earned it by eating carrot sticks and yogurt for 2 days.

Wednesday is the fulcrum on which the whole week rests. If I hold steady, keep the week even and balanced odds are it will be a successful week, if I give in and let the week slip it can come crashing down on me.

I am off to a good start this week. I have stuck to my meal plan (including both carrots and yogurt by the way), worked out twice (Zumba week 2, woo hoo!) and feel good about it. In the back of my mind though is my fear that tonight I will just break down and order pizza.

I have to push through this mid week slump so I can see some positive results to jump start my efforts.

The Ideal Body

I don't hate my body. Sometimes I hate myself for not having the self-control to manage my body better, but my body has gone through a lot for me. It has taken me on trips and gotten me through 18 years of education, it has allowed me to play with my nieces and hug my mom. I have nothing against my body, it houses my heart and my mind which are more about who I am than what I appear to be on the outside.

Keeping that in mind, I often wish I had Jennifer Aniston's body.

This month's Shape Magazine is all about celebrities. Normally this magazine is very realistic, but they have succumbed to Us Weekly reporting for the month and are showing you the celebs with the best features, talking about how they work out and what they eat (um, they're rich fyi).

It is fun to fantasize though. Who would you like to be?

Count Down

As much as I joke about wanting winter to be over I generally do not wish my life away. I try to enjoy the journey as much as the arrival at the destination. In an effort to focus a couple of my life goals I am setting up countdown calendars in my apartment. Every day I will rip away a number from 2 different calendars counting down to specific goals and try to reflect on whether or not I did anything that day to help or hinder that goal.

I can't take credit for this idea, it came from the MTV show "I Used to be Fat" where the trainer hangs a countdown calendar the size of a desk blotter on the kids wall. Mine won't be quite that gaudy, but I do like the idea of quantifying what I want to accomplish.

The professional goal is 56 days away and the weight loss goal is 145 days away (Bermuda here I come!).

This might seem like a silly time wasting project, but I have clearly lost my focus these past couple months and these two goals are helping me sharpen my resolve, I want to buy into that as much as possible. So I will dig out my craft supplies and make myself some calendars!

Friday Recap: Week 9

A busy busy week ...

Diet: 2 Zumba classes this week and 2 regular workouts made for a good workout week. Zumba was awesome and fun and made me hurt in a good way. My food is still way off the mark though, I cannot seem to pull myself back to the healthy meal plan, way too much junk.

Budget: Several nights out, but nothing overly extravagant. I also have developed my new get rich quick scheme...stay tuned...

Mood: Work stress aside, I felt good! Happy to enjoy longer days, looking forward to warmer ones too.

Announcement: Look for a change in the blog Monday when I replace Tip of the Day with Goal of the Day, a small manageable goal to achieve that day.

Next week is less busy and I really need to get the meal plan back in action. I am going on a tropical beach vacation in late July and I want to be significantly smaller than last year.

Six Months Without Credit Cards

Time, while a universal invariant (as I learned from Dana Scully), seems relative in a lot of ways. The 31 days in January seem a lot longer than the 31 in July. So it was with confusion that I realized last night that it has been six months since I gave up my credit cards.

I am happy to report that life has been going just fine without them. I survived Christmas and have really learned to reign in my shopping impulses. I am not perfect, but I am a lot better.

A few things helped along the way. First, having a debit card with a credit card logo allows me to do all the credit card fun things, like shop online, without wracking up the debt. I do technically have a credit card, it just takes the money from my checking account. Also, as I mentioned recently, gift cards are my friends. I have had the pleasure of some personal shopping thanks to gift cards from the holidays. I am far from deprived.

The only time over the 6 months when I truly noticed my lack of plastic was when I was traveling, particularly to Chicago in December during a snowstorm. I knew that if my flight was canceled coming home I was in trouble as I had very little cash prior to pay day and no safety net Amex in my purse. Luckily that did not happen and since then I have built up my savings enough that I would be able to access enough cash for a hotel in that situation now, but at the time it was a little tense.

I am really surprised by how easily I have lived without credit cards. The biggest reason for that is controlling my monthly spending, both on credit card payments through my DMP and my household budget. I have yet to feel really broke.

I wish the six month diet report was as glowing....

Zumba Take 1

Yesterday I took my first Zumba class at the gym. The class was taught by an adorable man from Costa Rica, so it had a very Latin feel to it. I know some Zumba classes have a more African feel to them, but this one was definitely more Latin.

The whole class was about an hour and 15 minutes and there were only 5 of us in the room. The moves were all doable, varied in intensity and covered every part of the body so I was never overwhelmed. The music was great and the teacher did a great job with a room full of beginners.

What is great about Zumba is that it is a full body work out (and I feel it in many different places today) and you can up the intensity without changing the routine just by exaggerating the moves or holding your muscles tighter. And you will get muscles from this work out.

I am going back tomorrow!

March On

It is March! When I think of my favorite months of the year, March is like #3 after July #1 and May #2 and December is #4. I like the 31 day months, gives me hope that something good might happen on that extra day.

Here, in no particular order, is why I like March:

• I love the smell of mud, seriously, I do.
• The days get longer, in fact on 3/12 we spring ahead and on 3/13 sunset won't be until 6:51 p.m.
• The birds and squirrels go crazy when they can actually access food.
  
• There are no fake holidays touting everlasting love and crap, just a good old fashion drinking party on the 17th. And no groundhog.
• Spring training baby! On the news last night I saw actual footage of a baseball game.

The first day of a month is full of so much promise. And after the months of hibernation following the holidays I am excited to get out and enjoy March. First step, Zumba class in 90 minutes...