Wine About It, Why Don't You?

With all this talk of fall, it seemed painfully appropriate to discuss alcohol (hardy har har).  Though I don't recommend drinking while grading, as I once had an unfortunate mathematical situation while grading midterms and drinking wine...most of us like to relax with a glass or two of something, time and again.  Again, in my opinion, all things in moderation--your favorite adult beverage being no exception.

Now, you may have noticed that on most "diet plans" there is no room for alcoholic drinks.  True, most pack extra empty calories that are all too easy to drink down without really thinking about it, but if you're careful in what you're imbibing in, you can enjoy a round with your friends and not fall totally off the healthy living wagon.

Here's what you've got to do:  Foremost, avoid the sugary cocktails.  If you can't "taste the alcohol" it's probably being concealed by some artificially fruity flavor drowned in sugar.  Stick to the classic 1950s cocktails if you must--gin and tonic (get diet tonic water!), Manhattan, or the classic martini (Franklin Roosevelt's favorite drink!).  These drinks were far more simple than today's assortment--"sex on the beach," "broken golf cart," and "bloody Aztec," indeed.  The reason?  People partied with class in the 1950s--a cocktail party wasn't about getting wasted, but about "mingling" with your friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc.  Men wore suit jackets and women wore dresses--cocktail dresses!--and heels.  You couldn't get drunk while wearing heels--you'd be the talk of the town if you lost your balance after one too many at the Strazinski's luau party.

Also, there wasn't the plethora of preconceived mixes available for consumption in the marketplace.  My favorite cocktail, personally, is the classic margarita.  Do you know what it consists of?  Lime juice, triple sec, tequila, simple syrup, and ice.  A glass rimmed in salt is a nice touch too.  This doesn't require some fancy mix!  The calories in the original are minimal--it's not meant to be a super sweet drink.  In an effort to make the mixing quicker, easier, and more palatable to the American sweet tooth, however, margaritas have become a sugary-sweet neon green concoction.  Blech!

Not a mixologist?  Try scouting out the "low calorie" version of the necessary pre-made mixes--try Baja Bob's or Jose Cuervo's versions if you're a margarita fan.  "Skinny Girl" also offers up a variety of lower calorie options with the alcohol already included--admittedly, the margarita version was a little off-putting, however.  SG offers a lot of other choices too though, which I haven't tried yet.

Likewise, beer gets a bad wrap in the dieting world.  High in calories but typically low in alcohol content, prompting people to drink more of it, beer is a standard drink across America's college campuses.  Not that I condone this.  Beer is the number one cause of the "Freshman Fifteen" (or in some cases, sixty, ouch!)  I don't, in fact, even drink beer--but my graduate student comrades swear by the stuff--so how can you still enjoy a brew or two and lose weight? Or at least not gain any?  Choose wisely.

"I don't often drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." comes to

mind...what a great marketing campaign!  I love that guy.  But really--drink something of quality if you simply must have a beer--whether it be Dos Equis, Sam Adams, Bell's, or some other high-quality craft beer.  Same logic here as eating dessert--quality over quantity.  If you like the cheap stuff--and who am I to judge? (You know I'm judging you right now...) try the "light" versions. 

Finally, what about wine?  It's made from grapes so it's practically like drinking fruit, right?  Well, not quite.  Wine includes plenty of calories too.  I have a sticker that says "Will Run for Wine"--a poplar saying embellishing an assortment of running gear.  I've heard it takes about five miles of running to burn off a single glass of wine--maybe if you're drinking dessert wine.  Your standard whites and reds are right around a couple hundred calories per 8 oz, so that's still a couple of miles worth of running, but the calorie count is about the same for a standard 16 oz glass of beer, so choose your poison. 

Sister Bertha-Better-Than-You may tell you to avoid the intoxicating stuff if you're truly dedicated to losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle--but let's be real.  Alcohol plays a major part in American society.  Taverns were the places of politics in colonial days--temperance and prohibition formed a major debate for decades--and we've all heard what a great bargaining chip "white lightening" could be.  I say, all things in moderation, including your drink of choice.  

The Days Dwindle to a Precious Few...

Well, I've already mentioned that "Back to School Season" is upon us.  The last glimmering rays of August sunshine are about to stoke the energy of children who have laid bored for weeks upon weeks as they come to the realization, almost too late, that in just about a month, they'll be back in the classroom every weekday.  Bikes will be ridden, screams of glee will be heard in neighborhoods across America, and dripping ice cream cones will stand as the only embellishment needed for those cut-off shorts, flip flops, and tanks.

The thought of summer coming to an end is just as depressing for me.  Not that I don't secretly crave a daily schedule and being back to feeling like I'm doing something worthwhile with my days...but I do love  summer.  Mostly, I love the warmth and sunshine, and for me, the last few days of summer are always a bittersweet reminder of the chilly winter that will be back here in Michigan all too soon, bringing with it snow and ice.  Likewise, the end of summer makes me think about all the things I should have or still need to accomplish before the school year begins, which means STRESS.

August marks the beginning of my cram period.  Suddenly there are books to order, syllabi to update, lectures to revamp, clothes to fit and alter, and all the projects of summer to complete--refinishing that table, getting race letters out to the school for the Sawdust Days Dash, getting the chips in the 'ru fixed, etc.  And it becomes all too easy to say, forget about eating healthy or getting up early to run because "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That."

But as the days dwindle to a precious few I'm reminded of my old government/economics teacher from high school--the famous, or perhaps "infamous"--Bill.  Bill was known to use the "dwindle" quote near the end of the school year, but any time one season seems to wrap up and transition to the next, I'm reminded of him.  And now he's on Facebook, so it's all too easy to be reminded of him! (Check out http://site.hemlockrunner.com/ to see what I'm talking about non-Hemlockians!)

Despite the stress and things that need to get done, thinking of Bill makes me also think about running.  Bill was an avid runner--and was even known as "Marathon Man" by the locals for a time--until he slipped and broke his hip a few years back.  He's still out there though, walking and doing the "Agresta shuffle" around the HS track every morning chance he gets, however.  And here's the thing, when times are stressful is exactly when we need exercise and healthy habits the most.

Exercise has been easier to keep up with this last couple of weeks as the impending autumn has started to creep into my mind--luckily it has become a staple in my daily life.  Though I've cut a few of my runs short--I have managed to get out there most days, per usual, and have even done a couple of five mile runs with my friend Jacob, back in town from Virginia for a few days.  Though I would have preferred to have run a bit farther--cutting it short was worth it to visit with an old friend.  And while my mind told me "I don't have time for this," my body thanked me afterwards by feeling less stressed.  

Eating, however, has been kind of rough.  Busy means, no time to grocery

shop, which means, slim pickings to cook for dinner--or going out.  Also, I had to make sample cakes for the big Sam-Adams Affair (Read: Wedding) and ultimately consumed far more sugar and Crisco than I think I have in the last six months.  By this weekend, I was feeling it.  While eating "junk" may sound delicious from time to time, I have found that I simply can't do it like I used to.  That's a good thing--I'm more motivated to get back to healthy eating.  Which, hopefully starts today, as I scored some awesome green beans, zucchini, and peaches from the farmer's market in Midland.

So, although the days are dwindling to a precious few, don't use that as an excuse to go back on everything you've built up over the summer--working toward getting fit, eating better, and staying healthy.  Remember, despite the stress, it is a lifestyle change.  There are good days and bad in a "healthy world," but keep pushing yourself to have more good than not.  If all else fails, think about Bill--who ran, literally, everywhere for the last forty-some years of his life, and even after breaking his hip, is STILL out there.  I doubt your excuse to sleep in is better.

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"--Let them Eat Cake! And You can Too...

So, what with the recent arrival of the new little one across the pond, I've had royalty on the brain!  And the phrase that came to mind regarding royalty, as I was out running this morning, was "Let them eat cake!"--a supposedly snide comment made by Mrs. King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, of France back in the 1700s.  Historically--yeah, she probably never said such a thing (she was, after all, an intelligent and supposedly sensitive woman--at least a politically aware one!), but she will forever be synonymous with the catchphrase--and therefore, synonymous with royalty and food in my mind.

Perhaps a more fitting and TRUTHFUL historical anecdote would be the tale of

when King George and Queen Elizabeth visited the United States during the Franklin Roosevelt administration. (I was likewise reminded of this story while watching a rerun of Frasier last night where Marty gets a new grill and comments that it's probably the same one the Queen uses in England, to which Daphne scoffs that the latest postage stamp in England has her wearing grill mitts and tongs!).  At any rate, back in 1939, the King and Queen journeyed to Canada and made a road trip down to New York State.  Desiring a "typical American meal" Roosevelt--in true Roosevelt fashion--decided to serve them hotdogs and have a picnic at Top Cottage, his personal retreat on the family property in Hyde Park, NY.  Can you imagine the King and Queen of England sitting around noshing on a Kogel?


But I'm getting away from the topic at hand--cake!  An even older phrase highlighting this delicious meal-end might be, "You can't have your cake and eat it too."  Well, what in the heck does that mean?  We've all heard it applied to various situations in life, and according to the Internet (which means it must be true), it turned up somewhere during the 1500s.  It sounds bizarre, but we all seem to "get it"--you can't or rather shouldn't have the good things and still desire or partake in more re: life, relationships, food.

In particular, cake is generally something avoided in a healthier world--I mean, look at the basic ingredients:  Flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter.  Nothing inherently wrong with those things, but when mixed together and combined with leavening agents and flavorings they stand as a deliciously dangerous concoction that is, for some reason, used as the ultimate celebratory food across the United States.  Again, we're back to American culture and custom here.  I know no Ellison-family birthday would be complete without a "brown on brown round" (a round chocolate cake with chocolate frosting--and probably a few sprinkles for a "festive look.).

The problem with cake is that it has become a celebratory staple, not a regular meal staple--leaving us to often partake in too much cake when we do get a chance.  It takes time to bake a cake (despite the ease of boxed cake mixes) and effort to decorate one (even with the availability of canned frostings and decorations).  In the workaday, fast-paced lifestyle of Americans, they just don't bother with this unless there's something worth making it for--a birthday, anniversary, etc.  Combined with our modern obsession with dieting and "health," cake has lost its prominent place in everyday American life--but clearly not its status.  There was a time, however, when cake was a standard.

Ah yes, the 1950s, a glorious decade of cocktail parties, the Eisenhower administration, and the ice box cake.  Look back at any '50s Era cookbook and you'll see recipe after recipe for cakes!  Ice box, bundt, upside-down varieties, pound, angel, and devil's food...the list was never ending.  And, as every good housewife knew, you needed a variety of cake recipes because it was pretty common to have some sort of dessert at the end of every dinner--and especially when you needed to wow the husband's "boss." The good old days.

Now, I'm certainly not recommending you make a cake every day, but we have discussed eating dessert--maybe even a little every day (as my friend Christa suggests, the amount dependent upon one's workout for the day).  Cake gets a bad wrap overall though, which is why it has been relegated to once a year occasions.  I, however, love cake.  I love to bake cakes, I like to decorate cakes, and I like to eat cake.  

In fact, cake making is one of my many hobbies.  I sometimes dust off the old

pastry bag and turn out the occasional wedding or birthday cake for friends and family.  This is what I'll be up to this week as I make up some sample "cake tasting" flavors and decorations for my friends Adam and Samantha who are tying the knot in October.  I'm Best (wo)Man and also the cake lady for the nuptials.  Now, let's be real.  These cakes are meant to be a slice of decadence shared with friends and family on this once in a lifetime (hopefully) occasion--no one wants to eat healthy at a wedding, cake included!  After all, this is the point when the bride can start "letting herself go," right?

So, while I'll be making up the real deal this week for Adam and Sam, I recommend a "healthier" version of the cake for everyday affairs.  Let's bring back the cake. Long live the Cake! 

Just about any cake recipe can be "healthed up" as I like to say.  Replace the oil (or the majority of it) with a fruit puree (choose flavors wisely).  Cut the sweetener amount by a quarter to half and use half sugar and half Stevia in the Raw.  Replace the eggs with egg whites or egg beaters.  Replace whole milk with skim or water.  Right there, you have saved yourself hundreds of calories off the total cake.  You might even try replacing part of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour--you won't save yourself calories, but it'll add some extra nutrition. 

What about frosting?!  Who wants to eat a cake without frosting?  Try using sugar free instant pudding mix (flavor is up to you!) mixed with half the regular amount of skim milk.  Use this mixture to fill cakes (the goo between the layers) or mix it with half a container of lite or fat free Cool Whip for a light and fluffy frosting!  Yum and guilt free.  Ditch the cream cheese, this stuff is great on dense cakes too.

So you see, with a little know-how and a bit of creativity, the cake doesn't

have to be the King Edward VIII of dinner (Edward abdicated in order to marry American (and married AND once divorced!) Mrs. Wallis Simpson, making it a mega British scandal...or great love story, depending on your view) and can instead be something to be proud of...on any night of the week.  So you see, living a healthy lifestyle one can have their cake--and even eat it too!

Back to School Time!

Cue the Rubberband Man...(remember those awesome commercials?!) because it's back to school time!

Yes kiddies, I caught the first glimpse of 15 cent notebooks in the Sunday

advertisements--a sure sign that schooldays are just around the corner.  What does this mean for adults? Well if you're a parent, I always assumed this meant much rejoicing and jubilation.  If you're a teacher, it's a mixed bag of emotions, I gather.  If you're a professor, it means it's almost tweed season, so bust out the blazers and argyle because it's time to get back to the business of learning!

Reality check:  You've been working out and eating right all summer, which means you're probably due for some new clothes!  Even if you're not a student or teacher, everything magically goes on sale at this point in the year, so why not invest in yourself?

This is just what I was up to yesterday when I received a text from my Pennsylvania bestie, Rachel.  She brought up an all too typical dilemma--what do you do when you've lost enough weight that your current size is far too big, but you're not quite comfortably down to that next size, yet?  Since I don't recommend the angry route of starving yourself into that lower size (at least,

I would be angry if I attempted this) just to get a quick fit--I had to recommend she just wait it out until she worked her way into it the healthier way.  It'll happen sooner rather than later and you might even forget about it until all of a sudden you're below that next size down too!  I was hauling around a bunch of pants in smaller sizes when I first started my weight loss journey and by the time it got cool enough out to wear them, and I pulled them out of storage excited to fit into them--I had already under-grown them!  Keep in mind, however, I don't recommend you buy a smaller size until you actually fit into it--for me, anyway, there is nothing more depressing than having a smaller size lying around (especially in something new and fabulous) that you can't fit into.  Wait and make that purchase a reward to yourself for a job well done!


I also chatted with my friend Audrey on Facebook the other day about buying interview-appropriate attire for the steamy weather we've been having in Michigan lately.  She started out the conversation with "Remember when you were chubby..."  But buying a combination of heat-appropriate and interview-ready gear is difficult at any size.  As a professor, I attempt to look at least business-casual every day that I'm in the classroom.  Partly because I'm "not that old," though my students may disagree, and partly because I think this is an appropriate look for someone in my position.  I also think students shouldn't be allowed to wear pajama pants to class, but maybe that's just my radical side talking...

So what sage advice did I offer Audrey?  Well, life in the interview room is

pretty similar to life in the board room in that conservative blazers, skirts, pants, and heels still rule--but how to remake the black wool suit for summer?  I suggested she look for more modern jacket options--short sleeves or 3/4-length sleeves in a lighter color such as lime green (Ha!) Not really--my actual suggestion was gray or even white (it's still before Labor Day!)  And that she look for natural fabrics, like cotton or wool blends, that offer more breathability than man-made.  Not much one can do about the pants or skirt option--but we can take a hint from our southern sisters and leave the pantyhose at home on hot days.  I'm sure she looked "cool" whatever she wore, despite the heat.

So what about shopping in various size ranges?  Well, when I was heavier, I was at the top of the "normal" size range, and now I"m at the bottom.  It's not any easier.  Many manufacturers of professional clothing don't make sizes in either range!  Or I have to order my size off the internet (women, let's hear that collective groan about online clothing shopping).  And while I'm no fashion maven, I do know one thing.  It's all about "fit."  Whether you're heavy, thin, in-between, or still losing weight, buy what "fits."  You'll look better and you'll feel better--and we're better at whatever we're doing (taking over the world?) when we feel good in the clothes we're wearing!  Likewise, leave the platform shoes at home, and actually get your pants hemmed to an appropriate length--something I always have to do as a not-quite-petite, short person.  

Gentlemen--the same rules apply to you.  Buy clothes that fit, more than once every decade.  Though you may think you can still rock out that electric blue suit you bought in high school, the extra twenty-pounds you've gained since then and the fashion police sorely disagree.  Invest in a classic suit, quality shirts, ties, shoes, etc. that will last (especially if you don't wear these things in your everyday world) and remain stylish for years--but not ten years or more!  This also means avoiding "trends" like skinny ties, wide lapels, or slim cut or skinny pants (I cannot wait for this trend to go away for men).  And get something altered to fit you, why don't ya?  Maybe you're uncomfortable with the Ukrainian seamstress at Men's Wearhouse giving you the once over, but trust me, it's well worth it for all the hot chicks or cool dudes (whatever your preference) you're gonna pick up when wearing it.  In three years when you put it on again and you've gained/lost fifteen pounds--have it altered again or buy new.  Fit is everything! And just because you're wearing athletic shorts, a logo-ed T-shirt, and sneakers does not mean you're an athlete--especially when you're in your 8am US History course--how hard is it to put on a pair of jeans? Not very. Like Nike says, Just do it!

And finally, some words of advice for the student population out there

overall...I'm begging you, pick your pants up off the ground and put on a belt.  Leave the pajamas at home where they belong, and TRY to find something clean to wear to class every day--this may mean you have to do your own laundry from time to time.

Ladies, think about what you've got on before you leave your house, dorm, apartment--if your mom wouldn't let you out of the house wearing it, your teachers/professors/boss probably don't want to see it either (Jackie O. wouldn't have been caught dead wearing see-through stretch pants out in public!).  Those of us working to shape young minds appreciate it more than you know, and frankly, some of you need all the help you can get!

The Art of Hydration...

So, it's HOT this week in Michigan--more complaints, I know.  We complain when it's too hot and we complain when it's too cold, when there's snow, etc.  Hey, we're Michiganders and our whacky weather entitles us to a certain degree of complaining about it!

July decided this week, to not only crank up the humidity but also the temperature.  We haven't quite beat the record high for Michigan (In Mio, on July 13 of 1936 it topped out at 112'!), but with the heat index we're probably feeling close to it this week.  With bright, sunny days well into the nineties slated, it's important to think about how to keep cool and have a plan for your fitness routine in this type of weather. 

Foremost, DRINK!  Not alcohol and not carbonated and caffeinated beverages if you can help it either.  I'm talking about the generic wet stuff, water.  Drink a few glasses in the morning.  Drink a few glasses before bed at night.  Drink water throughout the day, and especially after you workout to replace all that sweat.  If you're a particularly "salty" sweat-er...drink Gatorade or some similar beverage boasting of electrolytes--you'll need to replace those too...but watch your calorie intake here.  Remember, most Americans walk around dehydrated, so drinking extra water can never hurt.  Avoid too much caffeine and carbonation because both can act as diuretics, and you want to try to keep as much fluid in your system as possible during these hot, hot days!

Get your butt up and out of bed! EARLY!  Today I was up and out the door at 6:00am.  I'd go earlier, but it's dark out and I live in the country where there aren't any street lights to run by!  If you have a headlamp, consider running before sunrise.  Extreme?  Not really.  Six is not that early--go to bed a bit earlier if you must to get in your beauty sleep.  It's cooler in the mornings and the dawn sunlight is far less-bright than the noontime shiny stuff.  Some runners prefer to run in the evenings as the sun is setting--it's a bit cooler then too, but after the heat builds up all day, it still takes some time after dusk before it really does cool down.  Try both and see what works for you and your schedule.  Notably, this morning, it was already 72 degrees outside with 100% humidity when I woke up just before six--you do not want to be out there at 1:00pm!  If you have to workout in the afternoon, hit up an air-conditioned gym.  Just because you sweat more does not mean you're burning more calories or getting a "better" workout.  It means you're overheating, and this can be dangerous!

Take an extra REST DAY or two!  Most runners run because on some level, it's addicting.  The same is true for those who work out religiously. You should be taking at least one day a week to CTFO (Chill the F--k Out).  My day is generally Sunday and I try to run some distance every other day.  However, when the weather doesn't cooperate--including because it's too hot--take the day off.  Or hey, go swimming instead?  Now, you probably don't want to take the entire week off--that can really throw a monkey wrench into your regular workout routine--but lessen your workouts (or length of your run), take your time (it can't be about time on days when the humidity makes it feel like you're wrapped in a wet towel!), do a cooler workout inside in the a/c or in a pool, or skip a day here and there (Society would probably benefit if you took a day to read a book instead, maybe at your library even--you know, those buildings with all the books!  What's a book?  iPad 0.0.)

Wear APPROPRIATE attire!  That's right, leave your three piece suit at home!  But really--wear the lightest, brightest workout gear you can.  For some people, it's about looking cute out there.  I gave up looking cute, when I gave up taking a shower before my runs so my hair didn't look out of control in the morning.  The reality is that when it's this hot and humid, it won't matter what you're wearing because you'll be drenched.  Aim for heat-appropriate instead of just cute.  Tank tops, shorts (get out the short-shorts!), ankle socks, moisture wicking bondi band with badass slogan (mine says "no one ever drowned in sweat"), visor, pith helmet (hey, whatever floats your boat), etc. etc.  Now is the time!  If you want to bare all and go topless, have at it--but don't forget the sunblock either!

Slather on the SPF!  Even if you run early and there isn't a lot of sun yet or if you figure you'll just sweat it all off anyway, PUT IT ON.  Even with SPF 45 I haven't managed to avoid the dreaded "runner's tan" so that goes to show it's brighter than it seems out there and you need some sun protection.    If you're worried about the sweat smearing it into your eyes during the run--wear a headband, bandana, etc. just above your eye brows.  Additionally, make sure you put enough sunblock on.  Get out the shot glasses...no, it's not time for cocktails...you should be wearing at least an ounce of sunblock--which is a little less than a shot glass (typically 1.5 oz).  Probably seems like more than you're used to, but I can't help it if you've been in the dark about this for the last ten years.  DO IT!  

Finally, eat wisely during hot days.  It's easier to pick something up than heat

up the kitchen cooking--or even to stand outside in the heat grilling!  Choose smart options, not only for calories-sake, but also for salt content.  Salt dehydrates you, so try to avoid too many salty foods during the dog days of summer.  (You may want to skip those salted caramel-dipped bacon-wrapped chocolate pretzels, in other words.) You also may not feel hungry due to the heat and humidity.  Remember to eat.  Your body needs food for energy.  Even if you don't feel hungry but it's been several hours, you probably need a snack. 

Lastly, DRINK MORE WATER!

Better Late than Never...

Sorry for the day late, dollar short post, but I have been exhausted this week dragging myself all over the Tri-Cities (Great Lakes Bay Region? Whatever fancy name they're call Saginaw/Midland/Bay City these days) in an effort to promote the Hemlock Sawdust Days Dash 5k Trail Run/Walk!  Today, however, I'm taking some time to relax and reflect on the healthy lifestyle issues that I've run across this week.  

Today's blog inspiration comes from my friend Lisa.  She's been running a lot lately and can tell her clothes

are fitting better, but the numbers on the scale don't seem to be budging--what gives?  Another friend of mine, Rachel, likewise, told me she had lost only a few pounds, but several inches off her waist--huh?

The key here is that a healthy diet and exercise promotes not only fat loss, but also muscle gain.  This explains the weight-loss plateaus that some go through as well during their get fit journey.  It also explains why people seem to lose a lot of weight quickly on extreme diets but have a hard time keeping it off--they lost fat, but never built up the muscle needed to maintain calorie burning.  Through my own personal experiences and that of my friends, I've determined that those with plenty of fat to lose, seem to lose fat first.  When I first started out, I lost a lot of weight right away--probably 10-15 pounds a month those first two or three months.  This was a great motivator!  But then, the inevitable stall comes along and the weight- loss slows...

The thing was, I could tell by my clothing that I was indeed getting more toned, though my weight may have stayed the same for periods of time.  I was building muscle.  One thing I definitely noticed was that my clothes fit differently than they had before.  As I've discussed before, most people are "built" a certain way--but exercise changes this unlike dieting alone.  As you build up more muscle, you also burn more calories more efficiently, and you start to lose weight a bit at a time again.

The interim time between muscle gain and fat loss can be frustrating for those in a hurry to lose weight, but trust me, the wait is worth it!  Here is a picture of my weight loss chart from LoseIt that shows the "staggered" nature of weight loss.  That's not a nice straight line (and still isn't!)

I had a friend ask me the other day if I've ever done a diet where you don't eat any bread in an effort to get a nice flat stomach.  I assume this is some offshoot of the Atkins/South Beach low-carb trend.  As I explained to him, this seems extreme to me.  People have been eating bread in some form, for thousands of years.  It is a main staple of sustenance for many of the world's peoples--why would someone diet by cutting it out?  Choose healthier, whole grain varieties instead and cut back on your intake of bread, but don't eliminate it all together--that just doesn't make sense.  And as someone who had done the low/no-carb thing before, it's just too hard to maintain and will wreak havoc on your metabolic system.  

Additionally, I'm a Midwesterner.  We're a meat and potatoes, hearty meal, put cheese on top of cheese, group of people--it gets cold here! So cutting out bread is simply absurd.  Yes, you might lose weight fast (these diets trick your body into turning to fat reserves for caloric energy because you're not consuming any carbohydrates), but you won't gain muscle.  You will also be extremely angry--I know from experience.  So, take a hint from common sense--the voice in your head, not Thomas Paine's version (well, ok, maybe both)--and eat sensibly and exercise regularly.  If watching the numbers on the scale is too frustrating, then don't do it!  Buy yourself a goal piece of clothing a size smaller than you normally wear, and try it on every now and again--it'll fit soon enough and you'll be glad you made it there the healthy way!

Fuggedaboutit, becoming a Foot Soldier in the (Excercise) Family...

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend and morning swim--er, I mean run.  Who can tell which is which with all this humidity?  (Ah, pure Michigan!) Today's post came to me after a few encounters this past holiday and today--with members of "The Family"--the running family that is.

One thing I always assumed before becoming an athlete (which, I still can't believe I'm saying), is that runners, for instance, were part of an exclusive club, only interested in other people who ran, and who scoffed at those who eat junk food or claimed to "jog" occasionally.  However, what I've come to find out is that runners are an amazing group of people, even a family of sorts, if you will.

Prior to the Volksläufe race in Frankenmuth, MI on July 4, I hadn't given the running family much thought.  Oh, I was already in it, for sure, having connected with the awesome people of FSARC early on, but I still mostly run alone and didn't really consider myself a part of any particular group, despite occasional runs with FSARCers.  But while warming up (ok, I was really contemplating why I signed up for the 10k race in the heat and humidity of July 4 while trying to catch a breeze off the Cass River in Frankenmuth) an older gentleman stopped to talk to me.  He suggested I pin my bib on my front instead of my back, which I usually do, but given my patriotic gear, I figured it didn't really matter that day.  We got to chatting about how I was fairly new to the running scene, etc.  He had been a part of it for quite some time and suggested a number of good events to run in.  He also talked about the Volksläufe and why it was a great race to be a part of, which caused another passerby, carrying a large American flag for the 10k, to chime in about his participation over the years.  The conversation ended with the older man welcoming me to "this great family of runners."  

This made me stop and think.  He was right.  Runners are like a family--at least, from my experience they certainly appear to be.  Running buddies keep you motivated when you're injured or maybe just willing to give up--when the weather isn't that great--or when you feel like you're just not getting any better.  Most runners like  to eat, so they're not judgmental either.  It seems they're all aiming for a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, but also run so they can splurge now and again too--hey, fuggedaboutit and move on!  Just before the 10k started in Frankenmuth last Thursday, I talked to another woman who told me about how she hadn't been running for about a year, but was just getting back into it.  After being pushed to run a half marathon, she felt like running had lost its "fun appeal," and she quit for a while.  We talked about how the most important part was the fun rather than the fast at this stage of our lives (Sadly, I probably won't make it into the Olympics anytime soon).  We parted with a "have fun" instead of a "good luck" or "run fast!"

Just today I ran into my mentor teacher from my student teaching days--Craig --at the Runners store in Saginaw.  We got to talking about how, thanks to Facebook, he had followed my progress with running and everything and asked how I liked it.  Admittedly, I'm a total running dork now--absurdly into it and even helping to plan a 5k Run/Walk this fall for Hemlock's Sawdust Days Festival (www.hemlocksawdustday.com).  While talking to Craig, I noted that I was surprised how many people were a part of the running family for all these years without me even realizing it.  There was lots of support out there from great people, but I didn't know where to look until I literally stumbled into it on my own! 
 
So, what am I saying?  Anyone can do this, and it's definitely easier when you don't have to do it alone.  Even if you're just starting out--look on Facebook for a local running club to join.  Ask around at your local gym, and stop and talk to those people you see running out there with you every day.  It's a family.  Take the plunge and become a "foot soldier"--pun intended.  Maybe the Family is not quite to the level of the Mafia, but once you're in it, you'll probably always be a part of it--which is not a bad thing. 

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

I’ve been successfully maintaining my weight loss goal for the last four months, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still struggle every day with making poor food choices, anxiety over my weight, and continual self-criticism of my body. There is a reason why keeping weight off is difficult. Weight loss is as much a mental change as it is a physical one and often the physical change happens much more quickly than the mental shift. Likewise, because your mental state doesn’t quite match up to the new body and lifestyle you’ve created for yourself, there is a dangerous period of time, just post-weight-loss goal, when it’s all too easy to slip back into bad habits. I’m struggling right now in this place.

Despite my best intentions for eating healthily and exercising regularly, there is still that holdover idea from American society that tells me, “You’ve made it, the diet is over! Eat whatever you want.” Now, the logical and reasoning part of me knows that this isn’t true—that I’m not on a diet, but rather am attempting to make a lifestyle change in how I eat. However, our social and cultural roots are strong and it’s sometimes impossible to avoid that voice in my mind—the “fat Me,” which tricks me into eating bad things from time to time. Every day is still a struggle.

So, how can I make the voice fade a little more quickly? In thinking about this yesterday, after catching myself eating a Milky Way Dark as a snack, I was reminded of something I once saw at a relative’s house. At the time, it was a little strange—even scandalous perhaps? But now, in retrospect, it made a lot of sense. No, I’m not referring to a ball gag or some ancient head-gear to keep your jaw wired shut, but rather a simple photo. The picture, placed prominently on the fridge, was of this relative in her underwear and bra—a little off-putting when guests come over to visit, no doubt. Its purpose? To remind the “model” to think about how she looked—and wanted to look--before she ate anything out of the fridge.

Now, I’m not sure about putting a picture of myself sans clothes on the fridge, but the concept holds some truth. Instead, I’ve placed a “before” picture of myself on the old Frigidaire to stand as a reminder of just how far I’ve come and to not slip back to those old ways. I mean, sometime over the past ten years, I managed to gain more than fifty unnecessary pounds simply by eating the wrong things in the wrong amount and not exercising. Gaining that weight was easy. Losing it was not.

So guest-awkwardness be damned! Post your pictures at eye level and take a good, long look. As a woman, I’m already paranoid about all those little parts of my body that exhibit the slightest imperfection in my mind (Aren’t we all?)—but looking at an old picture grounds me in the reality of where I used to be. It isn’t always easy for me to see it in myself, even when others tell me, but I look pretty darn good these days. And despite what fat Me says, it’s not worth ruining my improved physical self, and the developing improved mental self, for a stupid Milky Way.

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer...

Welcome to July!  Officially the heart of the three month "summer vacation" of which most American children and educators get to partake.  Of course, by now the kids are bored and mom and dad are counting down the days until school starts again--so families may be pressured to fill the lingering weeks with fun-filled activities, adventures, and trips!

Summer vacation can provide a whirlwind of fond family memories (remember when brother Andy hooked sister Jane's bikini top during the family fishing trip? or when Little Joey threw up Doritos all over the backseat on the 14-hour trip to Yosemite? Ah...summer...) but it can also be exhausting.  With so much time to spare, it's often difficult to leave yourself enough time to truly "relax."  

What do I mean? Well, I am notorious for itinerizing my trips down to the very last second--8:27am brush teeth while checking the weather on smartphone.  This can be very useful in mapping out one's adventure ahead of time and seeing the most while in a particular location, but the go-go-go nature of such a strict schedule can also be pretty exhausting for those less-inclined toward the itinerary (read: my husband.)  Likewise, it's important to leave yourself enough time to relax and to actually sleep during such summer vacation adventures--or your healthy routine might suffer.

With summer's expanded daylight hours, it is often difficult to convince oneself to get to bed when the sun is still shining outside, despite an early wake-up time the next morning.  This is true of those on vacation, enjoying a "stay-cation," or just living the American dream at work every day.  However, just because we might feel more energized in the summer months (thanks Mr. Sunshine!), doesn't mean we don't still need our beauty sleep--the requisite 8 hours as it were.

A lack of sleep can also impact your health.  When I'm tired, I feel hungry.  According to the US Department of Health and Human Services website, "Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested."  I've caught myself eating a snack to "try to stay awake" before when a nap wasn't possible.  Studies show that those who get less than 8 hours of sleep a night are more likely to be overweight or even obese.  Instead of a snack, take a nap!

Sleep is also important because it's a time for our bodies to repair and rebuild.  In children, it's a chance for their bodies to grow and develop.  In adults, it's a chance for muscles to repair themselves, for brain functions to improve, and for your immune system to fight off sickness.  Even with proper diet and exercise, we still need sleep to function efficiently.  In my running world, this means I have to take into consideration the benefit of a morning run over an extra hour or two of sleep.  If I've gotten less than 7 hours of sleep--sleep is more beneficial than that early morning run.  Snooze it is.

Moral of the story?  Enjoy the lazy days of summer by being lazy.  Get out the hammock, blow up a raft and float in the pool, enjoy sleeping-in a bit here and there.  Yes, it gets hot out in the summer, so you'll need to exercise outside earlier--go to bed earlier the night before!  Or wait until evening to take that long run--take advantage of that longer daylight.  Enjoy it.  The best memories are made in the summer, wouldn't you like to be around to remember them for years to come?