Ambassador of Wellness : life philosophy, diets

Feel Better About Yourself: Stop Reading Magazines

Eliz — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:32:49 GMT

Last month, Gary & I went on a short road-trip vacation. Because there wasn't a lot to do in the town (and I wasn't currently reading a book), I decided to buy a magazine - I think it was Redbook. It was a guilty pleasure because I used to read a LOT of magazines, but over the years have slowly weaned myself off of them.

Yes, I used to read a lot of magazines! It all started with Seventeen, and then I moved on to Glamour & Cosmopolitan. Then, when I started taking better care of myself, losing weight, and started bodybuilding, I couldn't get enough: Fitness, Health, Self, Oxygen, Women's Health, Fitness Rx. OMG! I think the list goes on & on. I was always looking for that little nugget of information that was going to flip the switch; make my life different, make me lose the weight I so desperately wanted to lose. I would devour every magazine from cover to cover & keep the precious magazines as a library: regarding the information as all so important & necessary that I couldn't possibly throw it away - almost as a bible.

I needed that information in order to be successful! The headlines told me I did:

Lose 10 lbs in 7 days!
Belly Flattening Foods
Jennifer Lopez Gushes About her Fulfilling Life as Wife/Mother!
Get the Body You'll Love

I need to know this stuff! I need to be better! I wasn't whole without it.

Eventually, I realized that there was no nugget of information that was going to jumpstart anything. I stopped buying magazines.

So last month, after I read my magazine on my vacation, I realized that magazines make me feel bad about myself: I'm not enough as I am; I need to be better. But wait. This isn't just about me. Magazines feed on every woman's insecurity about herself (and men too!). Those little things that we say to ourselves:

If I buy that lipstick, I'll be beautiful.
If I do the exercises that Jennifer Anniston does, I'll look like her, or have her life.
If I do those exercises, I'll be thin.
If I do what this article says, my family will love me & give me the respect I think I deserve.
If I buy this magazine, I'll be enough."

I already know that a lifestyle of eating healthy foods, limiting portion sizes, exercising daily, and all else in moderation is the key. I didn't need that pretty blue eye shadow because I already owned 3. And, why on Earth do I need to know what Jennifer Lopez does on a daily basis (and that's of course edited: only the good stuff, and none of the bad)?

The truth is that those little "informational" snippets that we read, (aka: magazine product reviews) are paid advertisements & that as far as weight loss goes, there really isn't a lot of new information out there. There might be a few articles of interest written by experts in their field. So, you're buying a magazine that is bombarding you with ads and information that you already know: Eat less than you burn. Eat whole foods; avoid processed foods & sugars. Exercise most days of the week.

If there's nothing new, then how do magazines keep us buying them? (BTW, if you think that you keep seeing the same headlines in magazines, Men's Health admits that they do rotate covers.) Well, we WANT the quick fix. We don't want to hear about eating vegetables and lean proteins. It's just not sexy. We want to believe the myth. They get us to buy magazine over & over & over again by feeding on our insecurities & providing misinformation. They print what we want to see:

It's easy to lose weight.
Buy these products and your mate will find you more attractive. (Or buy these products & you'll find a mate)
By doing what celebrities do, you can have the glamorous life of a celebrity.
You will have it all.

One of the biggest questions I get from clients is "What exercise should I do to work on my abs?" (Clients always want to work on their abs! FWIW, I rarely do direct abdominal work in my own strength training program.) I thought that it was clearly established that spot reduction is a myth. Why does this question keep coming up? A few days ago I was flipping through a magazine in a waiting area & saw "Whittle your Middle with these 4 Moves". GAAaah! Freakin' magazines perpetuate this misinformation to get readership! A-Ha! And people buy into it - they believe the myth!

In the time that I've stopped reading magazines, I realize that I've been much happier as a person. I'm not buying make-up that I don't need. Soaps, lotions & other commercial/chemical laden products have disappeared from my bathroom, AND my body image and self-esteem are much higher; I no longer compare my body to the air-brushed models and celebrities in the pages of the magazine. I don't care much about what celebrities do because it has no impact on my life. And I'm happier for it.

Next time you read a magazine, just notice how it makes you feel. Hopefully, you'll put it down & realize that you are enough just the way you are.

Question of the Day: Protein Drinks

Eliz — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:36:03 GMT

Today's Question is from Sarah:

"I would also like to get your opinion on protein drinks. What do you think of them? Do you recommend them or suggest staying away from them? I have heard lots of people talking about them, and one even came with my workout program (which I have been taking), but I'm not sure if it's the best thing to do. Any suggestions?"

Oy! Protein Drinks! Let's start with some definitions. Supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry. There are lots of "fitness" foods out there: Protein Drinks, Energy Drinks, Meal Replacement Powders (MRPs), Meal Replacement Drinks (MRDs), Protein Bars, Energy Bars, and Meal Replacement Bars.

Meal replacements are designed to replace a complete meal, and therefore have a nutrient formula similar to what that manufacturer believes should be the nutrient breakdown of a meal. It will have an adequate supply of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These are usually mid range in the calorie arena, around 250 to 300 calories.
Energy bars & drinks are designed to boost energy after consumption. These may have stimulants, such as caffeine, or other supportive nutrients, such as ginseng and white tea. They may pack an initial punch with just sugar, or they may go for sustained energy through an array of carbohydrates.
Protein bars & drinks is a supplement for adding extra protein to the diet. These are great for a quick protein fix.

Okay - so, I'm a nutritionist. I would like to believe that everyone can get the nutrients that they need from the foods that they eat & that no one needs supplementation. That said, I would be a hypocrite if I said that I had never ate or drank one of the ready made supplements. I used to, but I typically don't anymore. Here's why:

They're processed foods disguised as Health supplements: Look at the ingredient list on a bar or drink - there's a lot of sugar & other chemicals listed there. It's amazing! And it kills me that people who spend so much time at the gym & buying organic foods would look the other way when it comes to slurping down a bunch of chemicals just because it's marketed as being "good for you". In fact, many energy and protein bars are glorified candy bars. Read the labels - just like you would with products at the grocery store.
They don't really taste good to me: If I eat a bar, then that means that I have fewer calories to eat something that I really enjoy. Some bars and drinks are tastier than others (BE AWARE that the better they taste, more than likely, the more sugar and chemicals they contain), but why waste time, money and calories on something that I don't love?
I like to eat my calories: I really like to eat. I plan my meals & get excited to eat the foods that I've prepared. Eating isn't a chore for me; it's a luxury. For that reason, I don't have problems with getting enough calories into my diet. I have problems limiting the number of calories that I consume. Bars and drinks can contain quite a few calories. If I'm using up calories on that bar or drink, then I have to cut something else from my diet later in the day (that I probably would enjoy more).
They're not sustainable: When I reflect on my health habits, whether it's something that I eat, drink, or do, I ask myself "Is this habit sustainable?" Meaning, do I see myself doing this habit when I'm 60? Granted, there may be some things that we do to get ourselves to a certain goal (like working out 2x a day or limiting sweets, alcohol or calories), but being aware that this is just a temporary situation & not a long term solution needs to be acknowledged.

Bars and drinks are fine in a pinch - if you don't have time to eat, or if you're hungry & the choice is a Cliff Bar or a Snickers bar - but I don't plan them into my diet. If you want more protein in your diet, plan your meals around lean protein sources (chicken and turkey breast, pork loin, lean red meat, soy, egg whites, and reduced fat dairy).

Other articles I've written on supplementation

Veggie Burger & Sweet Potato Fries

Eliz — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:02:30 GMT

Ever since I've read the Omnivore's Dilemma & saw the movie Food Inc., I've been more aware of the quality of my food, where it's coming from & also the environmental impact of my diet. With all of that, I went online searching for veggie burger recipes & found a Houston's copycat version.

Houston's Restaurant has the best veggie burger EVER! It looks like a burger should (not like those lame frozen soy patties that you get in the grocery store), it has a ton of flavor & is just to die for. If you've never had a veggie burger, never had a veggie burger that you've liked, or haven't tried Houston's veggie burger, you need to go there & try it. (Gary even liked it & ordered one!)

Anyway, I'm playing around with the recipe. I think the flavor is there, but they're pretty loose - so I need to work on that.

In the meantime, I just posted my recipes for

The picture really looks like they're too good to be good for you - but they are! They can even be vegan if you want. Please Enjoy them!

Dieter's Tip

Oh - and in case you're wondering, a tip for reducing wasted calories is to scoop out the top part of the bun. I find that I want the concept of a bun, but I don't need all of that bread. By scooping out the top part (and sometimes the bottom - depending on how much is there), I reduce my bun calories by about 25% - Not bad!

Do you need to take Supplements to be Healthy?

Eliz — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:32:46 GMT

As a Health Educator, I receive countless offers from companies wanting me to offer their products to my clientele. Everything from whey protein to vitamins & Acai berry drinks. I do take supplements myself, but believe that with the right diet, my clients really don't NEED to take supplements.

So here's a list of the supplements that I currently take & why:

Multi-Vitamin - I do recommend that everyone take a good multi-vitamin. I don't recommend a particular brand. Just make sure that it has the Consumer Lab's seal of quality on it.
Calcium - Women between the ages of 24 & 50 have an RDA of 800/1000mg of Calcium for bone health. Calcium is best absorbed in quantities less than 500mg, so I take one tablet 2x daily. Although I do eat a lot of leafy green vegetables, I don't always consume dairy. This ensures that I have strong bones now & will (hopefully) prevent osteoporosis.
Glucosamine & Chondroitin - Science has not proved that Glucosamine or Chondroitin (sounds like Kondroitin) works for joint pain. I think it works for me. I used to get sore hips when I ran or walked long distances. Since I started taking it, I haven't had any soreness (not related to muscle soreness).
Vitamin E - Recommended by my physician for breast fibroids.
Fish Oil - Although I LOVE fish, the truth is that I don't eat enough. In order to ensure I get adequate amounts of Omega-3 EFAs, I take Fish Oil (at night).
Biotin - I take Biotin because it strengthens my nails.
Folic Acid - Women between the ages of 24 & 50 have an RDA of 400mcg of Folic Acid to prevent anemia & birth defects in pregnant women. The difference between Folic Acid & Folate is that Folate is found in fruits & vegetables, where Folic Acid is the supplement form of the same micro-nutrient.
Vitamin D - Helps with Calcium absorption, and I just feel "peppier" when I take it.

The purpose of a supplement is to aid, not correct. Therefore, a vitamin doesn't replace the need for getting your proper vitamins & minerals through your food, but ensures that you've gotten your Recommended Daily Allowance on the micro-nutrients that you may not get regularly through food. Meaning that you can't eat a diet full of junk food, pop a multi-vitamin & walk around feeling smug.

There was a time that I drank whey protein shakes, ate meal replacement bars, and took more supplements than I'm willing to admit. The truth is that if you're eating properly, you probably don't need much. Just a good multi-vitamin. The main reason I don't advocate large supplementation, is that it just isn't sustainable. When you look into the future, and you're 60+ years old, do you see yourself mixing up a protein smoothie? Maybe - if you do, by all means, go for it. If you don't, then use that image of what you see in the future as a guide for what you should be doing now.

As a service related business, I always want to offer my clients the best service possible. Often, if there are related products that can help, like the Bodybugg, I want to offer them. However, I will never partner with another company that I don't believe in, or use myself. Be weary of health advocates who sell supplementation too hard to their clientele.

8 Reasons Why You Keep Falling Off The Diet Wagon

Eliz — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:14:40 GMT

Guest Blog Post By Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

Clearly, we have an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. Yet, I propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you’re confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics:

According to a study from Oxford University published in the International Journal of Obesity, within 3 to 5 years, about 80 percent of all ‘weight losers’ have regained the lost weight, and often gained back a little extra.

According to research by the National Weight Control Registry, that relapse rate may be as high as 95 percent.

For comparison, relapse rates for drug, alcohol and tobacco dependency have been reported in the range of 50-90%.

This means that lots and lots of people have “successfully” lost weight. But not many have kept it off. Therefore, we don’t have a weight loss problem, we have a weight-relapse problem; we have a “not sticking with it” problem. Wouldn’t you agree?

In fact, the fall and subsequent weight-regain usually doesn’t take years. Many people have abandoned their new year’s resolutions within weeks. By the time the Super Bowl party rolls around, their diet is history!

If this is true, then shouldn’t we put more of our attention onto figuring out why you haven’t been sticking with your program, and what you should do about it?

I put together this new list (below) of the top 8 reasons why you fall off the wagon.

Rather than worrying about the minutiae of your diet plan, like whether you should be on low carb or high carb, Mediterranean or Okinawan, vegetarian or meat eater, I propose that if you simply focus on these 8 issues, you’ll start getting more lasting results.

How? By being able to stick with whichever plan you decided was best for you! After all, even if you have the best nutrition program in the world - on paper - it doesn’t do you much good if you can’t stick with it in practice!

THE 8 REASONS

1. No focus: you didn’t set goals, you didn’t put your goals in writing, and/or you didn’t stay focused on your goals daily (by reading them, affirming them, looking at a vision board, etc.)

2. No priorities: you may have set a goal, but you didn’t put it on or near the top of your priorities list. For example, your goal is six pack abs, but drinking beer and eating fast food on the weekend is higher on your priorities list than having a flat stomach.

3. No support system: you tried to go at it alone; no buddy system, training partners, family, spouse, friends, mentors or coaches to turn to for information and emotional support when the going got tough.

4. No Accountability: you didn’t keep score for your own accountability – with a progress chart, weight record, measurements, food journal, training journal, and you didn’t set up external accountability (ie, report to someone else or show your results to someone else)

5. No patience: you were only thinking short term and had unrealistic expectations. You expected 10 pounds a week or 5 pounds a week or 3 pounds a week, so the first week you lost “only” 1 or 2 pounds or hit a plateau, you gave up.

6. No planning: you winged it. You walked into the gym without having a workout in hand, on paper, you didn’t plan your workouts into your weekly schedule; you didn’t have a menu on paper, you didn’t make time (so instead you made excuses, like “I’m too busy”)

7. No balance: your diet or training program was too extreme. You went the all or nothing, “I want it now” route instead of the moderate, slow-and-steady wins the race route.

8. No personalization: your nutrition or training program was the wrong one for you. It might have worked for someone else, but it didn’t suit your schedule, personality, lifestyle, disposition or body type.

So there you have it – 8 reasons why most people fall off the wagon! Have you been making these mistakes? If so, the solutions are clear and simple: focus, prioritize, get support, be accountable, be patient, plan, balance and personalize.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

You Can't Fool Mother Nature

Eliz — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:32:00 GMT

Last night I saw this commercial for the Jenny Craig weight loss system. It's Valerie Bertinelli stating that for the first year in 20 years that she will not be making a new year's resolution for weight loss, because she has hit her goal & maintained it.

The commercial kind of hit a chord with me because I feel very similarly. For the first time since I've been on my nutrition journey, I feel like I'm not 'white knuckling' it.

People who know me probably want to smack me right now. They'd probably say, "What the h*ll are you talking about? You're not fat."

I was over-fat 10 years ago & came to my smaller resting size about 6-7 years ago. To the unobserving eye, although my weight has shifted in small increments (maybe not even enough to notice), I haven't had huge fluctuations; I am at a good size for my height. I seem to have my weight under control.

Over that time though, a LOT has been happening inside my head.

I went from knowing nothing about calories, or nutrition & eating anything I wanted
to becoming a lacto-ovo-pesco vegetarian because I knew that I wasn't eating the right things, but I didn't really know how to make those right choices.
to food journaling & counting calories. I severely reduced my calories to sub-healthy levels.
to following the Body-for-Life way of eating with a cheat-day. Okay - so this program is actually very good. However, with my mindset, I went waaaay overboard with the cheat-day; I would go to bed sick from eating too much crap.
to taking endless fat burning supplements & spending way too much money on them in hopes that this one would make me thin.
to becoming a bodybuilder & following a VERY strict diet & loving what I saw in the mirror only to be disappointed with my social life. What I did learn here though was that I could go to a party & not have to eat & drink to have fun; AND that no one was paying attention to or cared what I was eating or drinking. Very Valuable!
to eating whole foods, but not pre-portioning my servings.
to eating intuitively, but backing that up with a food journal & the bodybugg just to make sure that I'm on moving enough & eating enough (not too much) to support my activity.

All of the early techniques were ways that I thought I could fool the system. But the body knows. I was trying to short cut the inevitable; eating fake food (protein bars, shakes, & other 'healthy marketed' food substitutes), or cheat days where I would take in an excess of 5000 calories. I would just have to make good choices & move more.

What it comes down to is making sensible food choices & being active. Yes, there's room for treats, in fact life is about enjoyment. What would life be without a few cookies? The difference that this year makes is that I feel like I finally have my head on straight.

I've also come to appreciate ... what was that margarine commercial from the 1970's? You can't fool Mother Nature.

Why Vicky won't sustain her weight loss

Eliz — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:04:00 GMT

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I'm a HUGE fan of NBC's reality weight loss show, The Biggest Loser. I think Jillian totally Rocks!

Last night was the last pre-taped show before the season finale being held live next week. Although I am fascinated by the dramatic weight loss & transformations that the contestants go through, we assume that once the cameras & lights go off, that the contestants live happily ever after, maintaining their weight loss.

The truth is that although some have maintained their weight loss, many have regained some of the weight, and some have regained most of their weight. Why? Well, I suppose that there are a few contributing factors, and therefore ways to learn from their mistakes if weight loss is on your list of to do's in 2009.

Neither Vicky nor her husband Brady like vegetables. Last night she said that her kids won't even eat white potatoes!

Vegetables are my weight loss secret! You probably wouldn't know this from looking at me, but I love to eat food. I love to eat a LOT of food. Vegetables allow me to eat a lot without looking like I eat a lot. Veggies like broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc. have a high water content, lots of vitamins and minerals, and are high in fiber. They create a lot of bulk in my stomach for not a lot of calories.

Foods high in water content are excellent for losing weight because they're more filling. Example: Which is going to fill you up more: A) 20 grapes B) 20 raisins? Although both the grapes and raisins have the same number of calories, the grapes will fill you up more because they have more water, and therefore, they create more bulk.

I start the majority of my meals by eating vegetables, & I limit grains in my diet (grains are usually rather high in calories & don't have a lot of water).

Eating is a very emotional habit. It's HUGE! We've done it all of our lives & although exercise is a good start, we are the size we are because of our eating habits. You cannot change a habit in 12 weeks & have it stick. It's uncomfortable. Life long sustainable habits come from slow gradual changes, and our tastes just don't adapt that quickly.

When we're under stress, we go to those things that we know and are comfortable because we don't have to think about it, and it's easy.

One major reason that Vicky got to be the size she was is that she doesn't cook; She & her husband eat out a lot. When you eat outside the home, you have very little control over the calorie content of your foods. You have no idea how they were prepared, nor is there a quantitative way of knowing how much of each ingredient was used (even if you're looking at the calorie counter items on the menu).

I'm not going to say that you can NOT lose weight & eat out at the same time, but it's really really hard. In order to maintain a weight loss, you need to be in control of your calories, and the only way to be in control of your calories is to prepare your own food.

And you don't even have to give up your favorite tastes; just prepare them differently. Hungry-Girl is a favorite of mine because she makes-over restaurant foods all the time. I consider her recipes for folks who don't cook. Very easy using convenience foods at the grocery store.

My new favorite cookbook is The Most Decadent Diet Ever by Devin Alexander. Between Devin's cookbook & the Sneaky Chef, I'm able to prepare most foods in a healthier way. I am therefore able to eat lots of food without looking like I do.

I hope that Vicky proves me wrong. I hope she maintains her weight loss. These are the strategies that I use to maintain mine, and the clients I have use to maintain theirs, & I can't imagine it another way.

HFCS - It's a Four Letter Word

Eliz — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:27:02 GMT

I was watching TV last night when I saw this commercial & was stunned. It's a commercial promoting High Fructose Corn Syrup. Here's another one.

If you don't already know, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn. Production Excerpt from Wikipedia:

High-fructose corn syrup is produced by milling corn to produce corn starch, then processing that corn starch to yield corn syrup which is almost entirely glucose, and then adding enzymes which change the glucose into fructose. The resulting syrup (after enzyme conversion) contains approximately 90% fructose and is HFCS 90. To make the other common forms of HFCS (HFCS 55 and HFCS 42) the HFCS 90 is mixed with 100% glucose corn syrup in the appropriate ratios to form the desired HFCS. The enzyme process which changes the 100% glucose corn syrup into HFCS 90 is as follows:

   1. Cornstarch is treated with alpha-amylase to produce shorter chains of sugars called oligosaccharides.
   2. Glucoamylase breaks the sugar chains down even further to yield the simple sugar glucose.
   3. Xylose isomerase (aka glucose isomerase) converts glucose to a mixture of about 42% fructose and 50–52% glucose with some other sugars mixed in.

While inexpensive alpha-amylase and glucoamylase are added directly to the slurry and used only once, the more costly glucose-isomerase is packed into columns and the sugar mixture is then passed over it, allowing it to be used repeatedly until it loses its activity. This 42–43% fructose glucose mixture is then subjected to a liquid chromatography step where the fructose is enriched to approximately 90%. The 90% fructose is then back-blended with 42% fructose to achieve a 55% fructose final product. Most manufacturers use carbon absorption for impurity removal. Numerous filtration, ion-exchange and evaporation steps are also part of the overall process.

What I find funny about this excerpt is that under the USDA guidelines, the Corn Refiner's Association is allowed to call HFCS a "natural" product. Does that process that the corn just went through appear as a "natural" process to you?

No one really knows what the impact of HFCS has on the body. For some folks, I'm sure that the impact is more severe than others (as seems the case with everything; what is true for one may not be for another). For that reason, it's difficult for anyone to prove that HFCS is the cause of the rise of obesity & diabetes since 1960, when it was garnering more use in processed foods; and processed foods were becoming more popular in American homes.

What scientists have discovered is that HFCS seems to interrupt the signals that the hormone, leptin sends to the brain. Ghrelin tells the brain that we're hungry - so we eat. When we eat foods with HFCS in them, they interrupt ghrelin's counterpart hormone, leptin, that tells us that we're full. As a result, we eat more of the foods with HFCS in them than we would a truly natural sweetener, like honey or refined table sugar.

One of the commerical's claims is also that it's fine in moderation. That may be true - but how much is "moderation"? In my opinion, there may be times that I'm getting HFCS when I don't know it, and that's moderation enough for me. As a result, I don't purchase foods that have HFCS in them. I am willing to send a message to food manufacturers that I don't want processed crap and chemicals in my body. We as consumers have enormous purchasing power. We need to send the right messages to our suppliers: I don't want your crap.

Wellsphere

Eliz — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:09:00 GMT

I've recently gotten turned on to this new site called Wellsphere. It's totally in line with my personal philosophy & perspective. It's not about living the "perfect" life according to the rules: no sugar, no alcohol, no fat -- just green beans & grilled chicken. It's about living life and doing those things in your life that will allow you to enjoy your life for as long as possible.

I love that!

They've asked me to join their community as a health blogger & what could I say, but YES, Yes! So, it's a great site especially now because I'm a part of it.

Elizabeth Sherman

Healthy Living Community

I'm not going to feel guilty on Vacation

Eliz — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:19:00 GMT

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was on vacation last week; and I ate. A lot! So the next question you might ask is, "Did you wear your Bodybugg?" No, I did not. I wore it when I exercised - because I have the display device, and I wanted to know how many calories I was burning. There were a few days that I really wish that I had worn it because Gary & I were so active that I was curious to know how many calories I was burning.

The main reason I didn't wear it was because of the food. I was going to eat what I wanted to eat regardless of how many calories I burned; and also add to it that I was eating restaurant food, which, in my opinion, is more difficult to estimate calories than the national debt. I was on vacation, and I didn't want to feel guilty for drinking a beer at lunch. If I had logged my food, it would have ruined the enjoyment of sitting on the water with my husband drinking a beer, eating oysters & steamers.

Wearing the bodybugg without logging your food is similar to logging your food & not knowing your calorie burn; It's only half of the equation.Additionally, I only had web access part of the time while I was there.

For those reasons, wearing the bodybugg on vacation didn't make sense.

What I really like about the bodybugg is being able to make timely ad-hoc decisions about my food based on my activity level for the day. If you wear the device all day & eat what you want, but don't upload the data to the website (even if you have entered your food online - but even worse if you haven't), You could be way off track with your eating plan.

We all know that overeating will make us gain weight - the same could happen if you drastically undereat. For me, hunger carries over to the next day. So, if I undereat one day, I could be setting myself up for a binge the next day - and that's not good for anyone either. If you have a bodybugg, check in with your calorie alotment throughout the day - see how you're doing. If you've planned meals, see how they fit in with your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Ideally, you want your calorie consumption to mimick your calorie burn as the day progresses (meaning that the time of day that you burn the most calories is ideally the time of day that you consume the most calories). Although, research has proven that timing of calories doesn't make a difference in our weight management, you do want to make sure that you have enough energy (calories in your system) to fuel your activity.

Copyright Elizabeth Sherman. Purchase a Bodybugg through Elizabeth Sherman.

Eat Without Abandon

Eliz — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:16:00 GMT

This week I was on vacation. My husband, Gary & I went to Boston for his sister's wedding, and while we were there we spent a couple of days in Newport, Rhode Island.

Now, my attitude towards vacations is this: When I'm on vacation, I do everything that I can't do at home. That definitely includes eating; I eat whatever I can only get locally. I don't eat foods that I can get at home because really, what's the point? Since I was in Boston & Newport, seafood (specifically shellfish & lobster), italian food and good bread (because we can't find those here in Austin) were on the menu.

I follow a 80/20 rule: 80 percent of the time I make food choices that are "clean eating"; or foods that my body needs to function properly. The other 20 percent of the time, I relax my guidelines a bit, and eat foods that my brain needs to stay sane. Vacation falls into the 20%, although because I have lost the craving for high fat & sugary foods, the foods that I crave or tend to order on restaurant menus are still pretty healthy.

I teach a lot about making good choices in restaurants. Eating healthy when traveling takes work. Not only making good choices and knowing how to place your order, but also knowing when to stop eating since portions can be so large. Because I was on vacation, I wasn't so concerned about my vegetable, fiber, or portion intake. If I was traveling for business, I would have been. I ate what looked good to me, and I did so without guilt. I know I gained a few lbs, however it doesn't bother me too much because I know that once I continue normal eating and exercise routine, I will be back to my comfortable size.

So, when thinking "What Would Elizabeth Eat?" The answer may not be as simple as "carrot sticks & celery stalks". I consider myself a foodie & love to eat good food that is good for me. For the most part, "good for me" means nutritious food that fuels my body. Occasionally it means food that nourishes my soul.

It's Very Freeing

Eliz — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:37:00 GMT

I really love my bodybugg! I love it because I am so close to achieving my goal. And that's exciting. It's exciting to know that as a personal trainer and nutritionist, I'm not a failure at losing weight -- I just didn't have the proper tools before. And it's amazing to me how easy it is.

As I've said before, I've always had a rather clean diet, and I've journaled my food for years -- nothing new there. I don't think I'm exercising more either. I haven't given up carbohydrates, and I still pretty much eat chocolate every day. I have become more aware of my hunger, and I try to eat to that, however whenever I had tried to eat according to my hunger cues in the past, it had led to eventual overeating. I think there were days that I certainly didn't eat enough for my activity level, and then the following day I would be ravenous, practically eating the drywall off the walls.

Since I've started using the bodybugg, I really haven't had any major swings in appetite. I'm rarely hungry because I'm eating an appropriate amount of food to fuel my activity; and I feel more energetic too!

So, the bodybugg tracks how many calories I burn in a day. By keeping my calorie intake just below my calorie burn, not only am I rarely hungry, but when I am, it is so slight that I am able to control the urge. By knowing how many calories my body needs, and controlling that threshold of the calorie deficit, I'm able to break free of the cycle of under-eating, over-eating, guilt, even more under-eating, and so on...

I am now finally in control of what I eat instead of my diet controlling me!

Copyright Elizabeth Sherman. Purchase a Bodybugg through Elizabeth Sherman.

The chemical free diet

Eliz — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:45:00 GMT

Yesterday, Jenny McCarthy & Holly Robinson Peete were on the Oprah Winfrey Show. They both have sons with autism. Jenny McCarthy has just published a book titled: Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism where she discusses her journey to reverse autism in her son. Yes, you read that right - reverse autism.

What I find fascinating about this topic is that she was able to do it through food. Within 2 weeks of eliminating dairy, wheat, and artificial flavoring and dyes from her son's diet, he had doubled his vocabulary. That's HUGE! For those of us who are healthy, we don't really consider how food affects us - maybe a bit in reference to our weight, but to realize that there are foods out there that are toxic to us -- foods that may be fine for someone else, but for a child it clouds the brain, slows down his central nervous system and even interrupts his emotions. To be able to see such gains in such a short amount of time by simply eliminating those toxic foods is fantastic.

Excerpt from the Autism Society of America:
Autism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2007). Roughly translated, this means as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. And this number is on the rise.
Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. At this rate, the ASA estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade.

This quote begs the question, "If autism is on the rise, what is causing it?" Looking back on her own experience, Jenny McCarthy realized that she saw changes in her son's behavior at about 1 year; when he received his vaccinations. There is no conclusive evidence that she is in fact right, however the Center for Disease Control & Prevention is investigating the link between autism & childhood vaccines.

So what are we putting into our bodies? Why is it that we believe that food manufacturers have our best health in mind when they market food to us? I think we believe that both our government (CDC, FDA, USDA) have good intentions, however I truly believe that these organizations have changed paths to a political agenda as opposed to one that has the best interest of the people at hand.

And then there's doctors. Why is it that when a doctor says "take this pill" that we do it without questioning "why"? Long gone are the days of the country doctor who makes house-calls. My doctor appears so busy that I feel like I have to lock the exam room door just to ask general questions about things that are going on in my body. Doctors too often treat symptoms and not the cause - because it's easier to treat symptoms; and treating symptoms means taking more drugs.

Instead of consuming more chemicals, maybe we need to consume less in order to reach optimal health. Our bodies are incredible machines that really only need water, protein, carbohydrates and fat in order to survive - and in fact, not only survive, but excel. Live as close to nature as possible & your body will thank you by allowing you to live a long healthy life.