Friday, April 26, 2013

Heartaches and Hangovers






Have you missed me?!  I know, I know.  It’s been over a week since you’ve last received an installment from yours truly.  This semester of graduate school is winding down (2 finals to go!) and the last week has been filled with papers to write, discussion boards to complete and study guides to go over.  Needless to say, stress is on the rise.

Now if you are like me, stress can make you want to eat.  Sometimes a lot.  And things that are NOT good for you.  You know those late night college study sessions you had where everyone was noshing on Doritos, donuts and guzzling enough coffee to send their heart into a frenzy of flutters, PVC’s (premature ventricular contractions) and Tachycardia.  Now, I used to be that person.  The stress eater.  The sugar seeker.  The stressed out, donut cramming, fudge round munching, soda guzzling crazy in a pair of oversized sweat pants just praying for an Organic Chemistry miracle.  Every day was an endless cycle of bad eating and trying to visualize tertiary molecules until I was on the verge of tears.  Or insanity.  Or both.

I’ve come a long way in the stress management department and have made even greater strides in healthy eating.  I’ve replace the donuts and fudge rounds with apples and nuts.  I’ve replaced that high calorie, sugar laden soda with water and passion tea.  And my body has responded quite well (combined with exercise and enough sleep of course).
So you are exercising, you’re getting enough sleep yet that number on the scale isn’t going anywhere.  Now, you could genuinely be replacing pounds of fat with pounds of muscle OR… you could be sabotaging yourself by eating things you think are OK but really aren’t.  

So I’ve made a list of things to not eat when you are trying to slim down  AND get healthy (or ever really.  Because they are bad.  Bad, bad, bad)

Ever heard the term “excitotoxins”?  Let me tell you a bit about excitotoxins.  These substances (usually in the form of amino acids) damage or kill brain cells due to excessive stimulation (hence the term excitotoxin).  We have a naturally occurring excitotoxin in our body known as glutamate.  It serves as an excitatory neurotransmitter and is a key compound cellular metabolism (Sorry, the nerd in me is coming out… I promise I’m making a point).  Now, we need glutamate to function, but excessive glutamate (or any excitotoxin) can build up and lead to cell damage and death.
Now that I’ve given you a small anatomy lecture (which you thoroughly enjoyed… right!?), Let’s talk about some additives in your food that are excitotoxins:

1.  Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
2.  Aspartame (Still guzzling that Diet Coke?)
3.  Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
4.  Sodium caseinate
5.  Hydrolyzed oat flour
6.  Autolyzed yeast 

(4-6 are all different compounds containing MSG)  
 
Many of these things are found in the processed foods that you buy.  Now I’m not saying consuming these is going to send your body into excitotoxin attack mode and start immediately killing your brain cells but they have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders and have been known to exasperate the symptoms of disorders such as Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).   Don’t put these substances in your body and you won’t have to worry anyway.

“Listen crazy woman, I don’t need my brain in 80 years and I want to slim down, quit rambling about that and tell me what I shouldn’t be eating so I can lose weight!”
I know that’s where you are right now so… lets discuss another problem with food additives.  Food additives like Aspartame and MSG is they down regulate appetite suppression.  You will feel hungry sooner and you won’t feel as satisfied with a smaller amount (thanks Pringles… once you pop you can’t stop, right?).  The more you can avoid food additives, the less they will mess with your head and your appetite.  

You should also avoid added and artificial sugars.  They spike insulin levels to compensate for the glucose levels circulating in the blood stream.  Once all of the glucose is used up or eliminated, your body crashes into a state of hypoglycemia so glucagon is released to compensate.  It’s an endless cycle of ups and downs which can lead to insulin resistance, Type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (unhealthy/slow metabolism=problems losing weight).  The more sugar you eat, the more you’ll want to eat because you won’t be as satisfied after that crash.  

Food Additive Offenders:
Pretty much all fast food restaurants
Canned Soups (the sodium levels in these are ridiculous too!)
Frozen dinners (Yes, even those Lean Cuisine meals could be contributing to a rounder middle)
Pretty much all snack chips (although you’ve cut those out already, yes?)

Sugar additive Offenders:
Most cereals targeting children.  The sugar content is ridiculous (if you want a cereal, look whole grains, no added sugars, and fiber to fill you up.  Shredded Wheat, Wheaties, and plain Fiber One cereals are better options, although an egg breakfast will fill you up for more protein, no sugar and sustain that full feeling longer :D)
Granola bars
Canned fruits (they are bathed in processed sugary, syrupy liquid diabetes)
Most “healthy” protein bars (some have more sugar than a candy bar!)
Dried fruits (most have added sugars to enhance flavors)
Sauces and Salad dressings (read the label before you buy… learn how)
 “Flavored” Yogurts that try to mimic desserts like Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cake, etc.   (look for lower sugar and no artificial additives, like Yoplait Greek)
Soda (an obvious one)
Fruit Juices (if you must drink it, get fresh squeezed juices to avoid the flavor and sugar additives)
Alcohol! (That one broke your heart, didn’t it?)
Most Chocolate (Go for Dark, the more percent Cacao the better.  I personally prefer 85%)

Anything with “sugar alcohols” in substitution for sugar is a no no as well.  I won’t bore you with the carbonyl to hydroxyl reduction chemistry but needless to say… these are not a good substitution for non-hydrogenated sugar.  They aren’t readily absorbed in the intestines as sugar and can cause a host of “discomfort” and bloating (and by discomfort, I mean you should probably buy some Charmin, stat)

“So what the H - E - double hockey sticks- am I supposed to eat then!?”

Easy.  Keep it simple and whole.  Lean proteins (organic if you can get it, to avoid additives), lots of veggies and throw in a few fruits for sweetness.  Yogurts and Grains (if you do eat them) should be a compliment to your diet, not the bulk of it.  Think a salad with a side of pasta, not a plate of pasta with a side of salad.  

If you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not good for you. 

A cookie a month won’t kill you, but remember to not overindulge and don’t let that sugar crash send you back for more.  If you must enjoy a sweet treat on occasion (we are all human), keep yourself in check and prepare for the storm of cravings you will undoubtedly have not long after eating said cookie.   

Keep working hard.  Discipline.  Dedication.  Determination.  You can (and WILL) do this!



Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Happy, Happy, Happy




I have returned from my Old Kentucky Home.  I shared some love and laughs with those dear to me and brought back some great memories… and a full stomach.

Yesterday I stepped on the scale and weighed 139.6 pounds.  Now if you remember, that is exactly 3 pounds heavier than my pre-Kentucky weigh in last Thursday.  So am I genuinely 3 pounds heavier?  Highly unlikely.  I had not consumed bread or soda or dairy in over 3 weeks, and when I did that, my body has responded with some post-carb/dairy/carbonation bloat.

This demonstrates two things:
1. Those things genuinely were contributing to my plumped up middle  
2.  Your weight can fluctuate by a few pounds over a few days and you shouldn’t freak out about it.

What you eat, how much water you’ve consumed (a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds!) and hormone fluctuations can leave you pulling your hair out if you are constantly using the scale as a sole measure of your success.  I will even give you a weigh in a week from now to demonstrate that point.  Go by how you look, how you feel and how those favorite pair of jeans fit, not by the fact that you weigh 154 pounds today and 152.7 pounds yesterday.  It’s good to keep yourself in check but it’s important to take all factors into consideration when trying to slim down.


 My goal was (and still will be) to lose body fat percentage points.  So the all consuming question yesterday was whether or not becoming paleo made a difference in my body composition.

The results are in:
Beginning Body Fat Percentage:  29.1
Yesterday’s Body Fat Percentage:  27.0

Ladies and gentleman, I call this a success!  I am (pleasantly) surprised I was able to shave off 2 whole percentage points in this 30 day challenge. 
So where do I go from here?  No not down to the cupcake shop or Einstein Bagels…

I’m going to stick with the paleo lifestyle (because it has to be a lifestyle change and not a diet, remember!?), with a modification.

One day a week (as recommended by a great friend who has been doing this for over a year) I will allow myself to eat something not paleo if I so desire.  This includes things like rice or legumes which have been the hardest to cut out.  I may not choose to do it every week and I may sub in a piece of Garlic naan bread with my favorite curry but I’m definitely going to maintain a paleo style of eating for a vast majority of the time (mmmm… Garlic naan.  Sorry, where was I?)

Here is a list of things that I don’t care to ever have again and (surprisingly) haven’t really wanted to eat so they will probably be eliminated for good:

Regular Bread (Buns, slices, sandwich thins, etc)
Cereal (Even the granola kind)
Granola Bars
Dairy milk (although I will still use whey protein isolate for protein shakes)
Regular potatoes (sweet potatoes taste better anyway)
Soy milk (Almond milk and coconut milk are much tastier alternatives as well)

So, I’m feeling happy and healthy and determined with my new lifestyle choices.  I have also almost finished reading Inside the Box and am captivated by CrossFit. 

Next stop…

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Sue's, Swamp Water, and Stephen Foster





You know those foods that just remind you of something special?  You know, that cozy bistro where you ate on your first date or that greasy spoon cafĂ© you shared waffles and hash browns and countless conversations with your mom or dad, or the corner store where you would stop on the way home from fishing to grab a cold drink and a snack?  We all have those places.  Those places where it’s not just about the food, it’s about the memories and the experiences we tie to those foods.

In 24 hours, I will be on a plane “home”.  Not my physical home, but the place that will always have tiny pieces of my heart and will always hold the memories of childhood and first loves and fishing trips.  It’s where I learned to ride a bike without training wheels, where I caught my first bass and where I met and fell in love with the man I am thankful to now call my husband.  It’s where we had our first kiss, where we first said “I love you” and where we stood in front of God and everybody and promised each other forever.  When I first moved, it was hard to not still call it “going home” when we went to visit.  Now, after a couple of years and settling into this newer, faster paced life, I no longer use that term but the sentiment remains the same.  So even though I’m “going to Kentucky” to visit, there will be certain places and people that will never be recreated here at home (my new one that is).  

So why the trip down sentimental lane?  Well, like you, I have those places in Kentucky where I must eat when I go to visit.  Not just my Memaw’s or my mother-in-law’s, but those little restaurants and hole in the wall places that I can’t get anywhere else.  Those places where my parents would take me on the weekend and we would talk about how school was or what I wanted to do for the science fair.  Those places where good friends would gather around a picnic table outside Sue’s Hotdogs and share an Ale-8 and a laugh (I mean come on!  Any steamed, mushy, chili covered hot dog served out of a shack on a road called “Steam Shovel” has to be delicious, right!?)  Those places where you could escape college finals week for a brief moment for some pizza, pub fries and the best chocolate cake south of the Mason Dixon line (even better than Maggiano’s, if you can even imagine the possibility!?).

I know, I’m still rambling.

The point is, while I’m not going to go completely crazy on my trip and eat everything, there are a few things I may eat that 1.  Will not be paleo and 2.  Will not be healthy for me.  

Two things I know I will enjoy (in moderation of course) on this trip are an Ale-8 and food from Papa Leno’s in Berea, Kentucky.  

Now if you have never enjoyed this soft drink beverage known as an Ale-8, you my friend have not lived.  (Actually, you’ll probably live longer, since it’s chocked full of sugar, additives, secret ingredients and {as described by non- Eastern Kentucky natives} swamp water).  Anyway, I will have one (or two.  OK, probably three since I’m there until Monday.  Don’t be disappointed in me!)  because it’s something I grew up enjoying and it’s a drink I would share with family and friends.  Heck, it’s even the drink my husband and I toasted with at our wedding.  It’s exclusive to certain regions and I can’t get my Kentucky experience without it.

So then we get to Papa Leno’s.  This hole in the wall Italian restaurant is nestled in downtown Berea on the Berea College campus.  My beloved Alma mater is graced with beautiful architecture, blooming redbuds, dogwoods and majestic Ginko trees, all of which surround this little restaurant where I spent quality time while attending the college.  The smell of garlic, fresh tomato sauce and cheesy goodness wafts through the air, drawing you inside to sit amongst the local art that covers the walls.  It’s a happy place.  A place to get some great pizza, pasta and garlic bread that will knock your socks clean off (make sure you wash your feet!).  

So, now that I’ve had a trip down memory lane and probably made you hungry, my point is this.  I don’t get to visit those places often (I’m 900 miles away!), so even though I’m committed to being healthy and paleo, I’m going to enjoy my trip and eat the foods that I associate with the many happy memories of my life.  

My 30 days that I promised you comes on Tuesday, not long after I return so I’m sure the results may be a little dampened if I enjoy things this weekend that will undoubtedly give me carbo bloat.  For what it’s worth, I feel great and plan on continuing this lifestyle long after the 30 days (with perhaps a few modifications, but I’ll save those for another day) but I want to enjoy this trip so alas, I will be a cheater once again.

Anyway, just in case, I weighed in this morning so you had a more accurate picture of my progress so far and I will still weigh in on Tuesday, regardless of the number.  I’m a scientist, I can’t help but give you data, regardless of the outcome.

So…
Beginning weight:  139 lbs
Today’s weight:  136.2 lbs

Also, remember it’s not just about the number on the scale (Though I’m pretty pleased!), it’s about how your clothes fit, your health, and how YOU feel.  It’s about making a lifestyle change for the better, not going “on a diet” or being “skinny-fat”.  

So, I’m going off the grid for the weekend.  I will be in the land of more green, less asphalt, and no 3G (Gah, how will I survive without my smarty phone device?!).  

I’m heading to my Old Kentucky Home.