How Carbs Make Us Fat- a Visual!

Hello everyone!

You hear it all the time- don't eat carbs! They make you fat! But how? For us visual learners out there, I came across this nifty picture which explains it all- why fat doesn't really make you fat and carbs do.

A direct link to this photo so you can see it better: Bigger version!

A warning about brown rice syrup

Hello everyone-


I came across an article on Yahoo this morning that is not necessarily about weight loss, but it IS relevant if you eat brown rice/brown rice syrup.

Click here for article


Recently, studies have shown that organic brown rice syrup COULD be a high source of arsenic, and the article also mentions rice itself having arsenic in it.  This just makes being gluten free even harder, if you don't want poison in your food.  And going organic won't change it much- the arsenic was found in organic brown rice syrup-containing foods. 


I actually have a jar of organic brown rice syrup that I think I might have to toss in the can after reading this. 


As far as I know, stevia is still safe to use for sweetening, so I think I will keep doing that. 


I really think the best way (at least for me) is to just avoid grains altogether, since everything seems so wrong with all of them these days.  I usually feel better when I do.




Have any of you tried to be grainless? How do you like it?

Grain-Free Comfort Food?

Hello everyone!




I am always trying to read up on things grain-free, and while chatting with a friend of mine about a book she had seen for vegan comfort food, the lightbulb went off in my head- Are there Paleo (dairy/legume/grain/gluten-free) comfort food books as well?


So, I went to my good old friend Amazon.com and typed in the search line "Paleo Comfort Food".


And then I got directed to this title:

Paleo Comfort Foods- Homestyle Cooking for a Gluten-Free Kitchen by Julie & Charles Mayfield

The good thing about this is that the recipes are free of anything I don't want to eat- grain/beans/dairy.  I downloaded the ebook to my Kindle Fire and I will be going over it during the weekend and let you guys know how it is.

My gluten/grain free ladies (and anyone else) any good websites, books, etc for gluten free recipes? Post below!

Have a great night!

An apple a day...

Hello everyone!




As you can guess by the title, I am going to make a positive step in my diet- eat one apple a day for breakfast.

I went to the Korean grocery store with the intention on buying a few apples, and happened to come across boxes of about 14 big, juicy looking, organic Fuji apples (my favorite).  And they were on sale. Always a plus.


I am not a big eater in the morning, so while it sounds paltry, it fills me up for a while.  I actually find that when I eat right, I find myself eating very little without being hungry. It concerns people but I honestly feel great when I eat healthy even if it's not very large portions. You do not need to be stuffed like a turkey to get enough food. You will know when you've had enough. If you are not genuinely hungry for dinner because you had a clean, wholesome lunch and breakfast, that is OKAY. You are not starving. You would feel it if you were. Now on the other hand if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, by all means- EAT!




It's time for bed now, looking forward to that breakfast apple!

To Starch or not to Starch

Hello everyone!




Today I had a completely grainless day. However, it was not starch free.


Breakfast:


4 hard boiled eggs


Lunch:


Beef vegetable soup


Snack (during class)


Kettle potato chips seasoned with sea salt (starch!)


Dinner:


An italian sub sandwich but instead of a bun, the meat and vegetables were wrapped inside a lettuce  leaf.
Mashed potatoes (more starch!)


So yes, while I did manage to not eat grains today, I ate starch from potatoes. Not very much, the total amount (the chips and the mashed) is smaller than my hand.


But here begs the question- Should I eliminate them 100%?  I don't think that is 100% possible, but I do want to try to keep my starch sources from potatoes (preferably sweet potatoes- lower blood sugar effect).


If any of you are grain free, do you still eat starch? Comment below!

2/26/12

Hello everyone!


Another decent day dietwise. No slip ups this time.  However, I do need to get used to eating Paleo. I am still craving processed junk, and I am not used to the taste of real vegetables and stuff yet.  Also, (TMI alert) my stomach is not reacting happily right now. Very gassy and bloated, and all kinds of stuff.  I do know this will pass but right now it's not pleasant.




I did move today- I played Dance Central 2 for about an hour and took the dog for a walk.  I will do TAM Meta tomorrow after work. I haven't taken my vitamins yet but I will after dinner.  I prefer taking my vitamins before bed and after a meal because they often upset my stomach.




I have also been doing more research on how to keep my costs down while eating well. 


Here's some helpful links:


http://whole9life.com/2011/01/paleo-poor-your-guide-to-the-grocery-store/


http://blog.modernpaleo.com/2011/02/how-to-eat-paleo-on-budget.html


http://www.leanmachinenyc.com/budget-paleo.html


I really hope I can do this on the cheap- if you guys have any other tips/tricks- post in the comments below!

Off to a decent start.

Hello everyone!!!




Day 1 of taking better care of myself has gone ok so far.


I didn't do my TA workout today, but I did take the pup for a nice half hour walk.  I also went to the mall today and walked around for a bit, also picked up a new body spray at Victoria's Secret. 


As I promised myself, I did also take my vitamins today and I plan on doing some treatments to my face tonight. 


Diet was about 80% paleo today, when I was out I did have 2 crunchy tacos from Taco Bell- I searched before hand and they do not have wheat in them, so I figured that was a decent choice. 


Tomorrow I will attempt to have a 100% paleo day.  I plan on getting a TAM workout in there too. Since I missed a few days I am starting level 1 early but I do not have a set rest day or anything. I would LIKE to get at least 6 TAM workouts in a week, with extra walks. 


So today wasn't a total bust, looking forward to tomorrow! (sorry for today's boring post!)

No More F****ing Around.

Hello everyone!




I have really decided to make some changes to my life. Before, I had my mind in the right place, the right intentions but I just didn't have the push to do it. I have been feeling sluggish and tired all the time (again) and I am very certain that my diet is primarily to blame.


FIRST off- I want to just stop fucking around with weight watchers and "diets" and go paleo again.  More later in the post.


SECOND- My goal is to get movement in every day. It doesn't have to be TA, it can be so simple as walking to and from school. No more elevators, escalators, etc unless there is no other way up or down.


THIRD- My skin is in APPALLING shape. I have hordes of under-the-skin acne all over my face and BLACKHEADS.  Anyone who knows me in person knows that I had wonderful skin my whole life... and now this.  I have been super lazy in doing my skincare these days, and I strongly believe diet is a big player here too.


FOURTH- I MUST start moisturizing daily. As in my body.  I have been also super lazy here and all I get is I end up suffering by clawing myself raw every  night.  It's not eczema right now, but I am ashier than a dirty chimney.  Flakes everywhere. Sick, right?


FIFTH- Taking a Multivitamin will probably do nothing for me but help. I want to start taking them daily. I have one with extra biotin in it, which is good for skin, hair, and nails, all of which need work.


So, these things really need to change. A talk with a friend of mine yesterday really made me realize I need to shape it up. She is also trying to do the same.


So every day, my goal is to make all of these things habit and not a chore.




Now, I want to start paleo tomorrow, but I cannot get to the grocery store until March 1 after I get paid.  Determined, I went foraging in my kitchen and found the following:


6 eggs
6 pounds of fresh sweet potatoes
1/2 bag of frozen organic broccoli
2-3 bags of frozen organic spinach
3 lb bag of raw walnuts
3 big cans of canned chicken breast
A plethora of various teas (green, black, lipton, cookie-flavored, strawberry, etc)
A bag of oranges
1 snack cup of organic applesauce


So, I will be trying to make this paleo-friendly food last until I can shop. Waste not, want not. 




Looking to get a good kick start this weekend- how about you?

Is eating sugar as bad as drinking a beer?

Hello everyone!




A few days ago I came across an article saying how some scientists want sugar to be regulated in very much the same way as alcohol or tobacco.


Click here for the article


The main argument they have for this is that they believe sugar to be "toxic" to the human body, especially the liver, when taken in large amounts.  Since food companies have been adding more sugar to everything, humans have been getting a lot fatter and sicker as well.  


Some say they should have a tax put on these foods to deter people from buying them, very much like how the government taxes liquor and tabacco. 


Of course, not everyone agrees with this.


Another article


This article spirals off into the direction of how the government shouldn't dictate what we can/can't eat, and how so many other things are dangerous in excess.


My opinion- if you want to have sugar or anything "bad" for you in your diet, moderation is key.  I don't think the government should make the rules about what you can and cannot eat and I don't think taxing for sugary food is necessarily the best way. Maybe put a health warning label on the food or something like cigarettes and liquor do in the US, warning consumers that this could damage your body, but you're welcome to it if you feel you must.




What do you guys think about this? 

Happy Holidays!!!

Hello everyone!






First, I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy, holiday, no matter what you celebrate.  Enjoy your holiday dinners and time with family. Even though it is Christmas today, I am still going to get my workout done. I also got my workout done yesterday, which was my cardio/abs day.  Today is another strength training day, maybe followed by some extra stretching. 


Another thing I am noticing- I have been wheat free for about a week now, and my appetite/desire to eat has decreased dramatically.  I am almost never "hungry" and I am pretty sure it is leading me to eat too little calories. Which comes to the next thing.


I have been weighing myself daily (Not obsessively, just once in the morning) and at first I saw the weight starting to come off, but the past couple of days my weight is INCREASING. This is worrying me a little but I will try to give it more time- 


1. I also started my period yesterday, this could be making me retain water.  
2. When you start harder strength training they say weight could increase a little from the muscle gain.
3. Sore muscles (like mine) retain water.
4. (The worrisome one) since I don't eat much because I don't have an appetite, they say too little calories also causes weight gain. I do eat when I am hungry, until satisfied and not stuffed. 


I am not taking measurements until I hit the 30 day mark, but I have been told I seem to be walking more gracefully and with better posture, as well as the sides of my face look a little slimmer.  I also think my legs are starting to slim down a little too but that could just be my eyes playing tricks.  It's only been 4 days (today being the fifth) so I guess I will give it some time.


On a side note. I MISS DOING MY TAM!!!!!!!  I really can't wait to get back to it.  It might be just in my head but I don't feel like I am shrinking quite as fast as when I was doing Meta.  When I was doing Meta, the scale and the tape measure both were going down, whereas now the scale is going up and I have no idea about the tape measure yet. Maybe I should take a 10 day measurement just out of curiosity.


Also, it has been suggested to me that I do both Power 90 AND Metamorphosis but I keep thinking "won't one workout undo the effects of the other???" 




I know exercise is exercise but sometimes I really wonder about this stuff. Hrm.

Still not feeling that wonderful.

Hello everyone-




After yesterday I am still feeling like a fat, tired, sack of lard that just wants to flop onto the couch and not move.


Pretty much like this: 

I am probably still going to get my butt up and do some exercise. Really not feeling like boot camp today so perhaps I'll do the mat video. We'll see.  As for cardio, not too sure because today my ankles are feeling a little sore.  Blah.


I did go to the store last night and picked up some ground sirloin on sale. If you plan on upping your meat intake (which happens sometimes if you do paleo) I have found that unless pieces of meat are on sale, ground is a good choice to save money.


Also, while they prefer someone to eat grass fed/free range, if you can't afford/get it nearby, eating conventional meat is OK too. It's better than having a plate of fettucine alfredo.   What I do with the meat is I weigh it out into 4 ounce portions, double wrap them (prevents freezerburn that way) so I have them to use whenever I need, for a little more than a dollar a serving. 


Alright, I guess I'll go work out now. Have a great day!