Full Cirlce

I can't believe it's almost been nine months since I have last blogged. Well, lots has happened. Since then I took a course and passed both exams for becoming a personal fitness trainer. All I have left to do is get CPR certified, and I'm official. Next, I need to admit that I have gained weight. But for good enough reason. We are expecting another child! Another reason why the blogging and health tips have paused for so long. I am finally crawling out of many months of tiredness. Let's just say the first three months of this pregnancy I was found on the couch. If washing the dishes didn't make it into my capabilities for the day, blogging surely didn't even come close. But now that I am well into the second trimester, well, here we are again, with much more on the checklist of my mind to write about, as it has stockpiled for months.

Today was one of those full circle days. I don't think I have ever shared publicly about what it was that completely changed my life around when it comes to health and fitness. So I'll start there, and when the story is done, well, it will end on today and you will see the full circle.

There are so many details. And because of how amazing each part is, I would love to share it all, but alas it is but a blog, and not a book, so I will keep it simple.

October 30th, 2009, I was 10 weeks pregnant, and began to show signs of a miscarriage, and went in for an ultrasound two days later. The diagnosis, a very small baby, but no heartbeat. I was crushed, to say the least. I couldn't even get on the phone to tell those closest to us what we were told. My loving husband took care of PR that week. Yes, week. Have you ever felt like a walking coffin? As bad as that sounds, God kept my heart and mind that week. He led my husband and I to stand for the child, and we did with all our hearts and all our faith. I learned a lot about faith that week. The name we had for the child was Charlie. So we prayed and believed that Charlie's heart was alive and strong. Then in a week, I ended up at the hospital ER from complications with the miscarriage. My anxiety went from losing a child to worrying about losing my life. I think I had to go through more inner healing for what all happened at the hospital than I did for the miscarriage itself.

The next morning, a nurse came to wheel me to my ultrasound appointment 15 minutes early. So I had to sit in a hallway, feeling half alive from all the blood loss, and grieving, as an elevator door opens and a nurse is pushing a brand new baby out. The ultrasound showed no signs for need of a DNC and so I was released to go home and deal with not only the grieving but the questions in my heart.

I went into a time of grieving where I felt like I went from planning the arrival of a baby to nothing. I felt like there was nothing to look forward to in life. I was already overweight and felt like I would never get it off, so what was the use. I ate what I wanted when I wanted just to bring some momentary happiness. I would get lost in television or online for distraction. I was hurting and trying to "change the subject". Then one day as I was walking into my kitchen to once again try to find some kind of distraction, God gently whispered these words in my heart that forever changed my life... "If you need food, or a cup of coffee, or tv, or anything to make you happy, then I am not enough for you." My heart broke in that moment. I quickly found a place of prayer and asked God to forgive me. I saw myself just as the prophets in the Old Testament described God's people time and time again, unfaithful. I was trying to find happiness outside of Him. Something I've learned time and time again this year is that repentance opens doors. From there He began to pour in the information and motivation I needed to change my life.

When I read about the all natural eating and how when we eat things that are not all natural, how our bodies aren't able to function properly and we create an atmosphere for sickness, but when we eat naturally, the food that God has given to us, then we can be our healthiest. I saw how I had been like Eve. I wanted what was not intended for me, and it opened the doors to death in my life. It's like saying "God you aren't enough for me. What You have given me as my provider isn't good enough." It's like telling your husband that what he provides for you, doesn't satisfy you, and so you need to go to other sources for happiness. So for me, I began to see eating outside of what God has made as death. I want what He has. And let me just say, my health made such a drastic turn. With exercise and eating all natural, my hormones levelled out. I no longer was sweating, and hot all the time. The blemishes on my arms cleared up. And I was no longer sluggish and tired, but I turned into more of an optimist.

As my life turned around I saw that my child's life was not lost. I saw that God had used this short lived little life to not only change my life, but those that I will reach, as I have a dream to get into Holistic Health and be able to heal people with what God has naturally given us. I know that every life I touch, Charlie touches. If you have gained anything from my few blogs that has helped you, then Charlie has helped you. He was my open door for God to speak to me and free my life. And by the way, the name Charlie means "free man". God had named him with purpose.

So now, I am expecting another child. And today we went for the ultrasound. It was so amazing to see the child move, and kick, and stretch and yawn. To watch it's little heart beat so strong. My ultrasound took place at the same hospital I had the miscarriage at. During the ultrasound the technician asked me if I was delivering at home or at their hospital. I told her neither, and which hospital I would be delivering at. She commented how they usually want you to have your ultrasound at the hospital you deliver at. Even with so much healing and restoration from the loss of my child, God was not satisfied enough to leave it at that. He brought me back to a place of defeat, and turned it into victory.

Finally!

So I have been eying these babies for months now, and when the husband pulled out the laptop and credit card last week and said let's get 'em, well I have been waiting for the mail everyday since. And here they are... Vibram Five Fingers

So what are they, some of you may be asking... They are the answer to something called barefoot running.

There are lots of tests that are turning up to show that running shoes actually aren't so great for our health. And that running barefoot is the best way to run. GO figure, that God would create our bodies to be efficient. Hhhhmmm? If you are anything like me, you know what shin splints feel like every time you try to start a running regimen. The normal running shoe, that is padded everywhere, especially in the back on our heels, causes us to change our natural running gait. SO it forces our bodies to absorb shock in a fashion it wasn't intended to do. In the long run we get more than just shin splints, we get a whole host of ailments affecting our whole body, especially if we are tryng to vigorously workout or play sports in them. Don't believe me? Then read from some other sources...

Barefoot Running Laced With Health Benefits

TIME

Marathon & Beyond

And there are countless other resources on the web. Not much of a reader, then check these videos out...

The Barefoot Professor

The New York Times

The Heel Strike

Now these shoes are meant to aid the whole barefoot thing. You can go to vibrams website and they will show you how they are made aand meant to protect your feet while enabling you to run in a barefoot style.

Vibram Technology

I must say, putting these contraptions on is a bit of an Avatar experience. There not as easy as slip on and go, like most sneakers. I definitely have to help my toes find their right spot, much like putting gloves on my kids hands. Once they are on, it takes a little bit of getting used to, but as soon as you adjust, they are quite fun.

There are many different styles, and all of them depend on what you'll be doing while you wear them. There are a couple of pairs that are pretty good for almost anything. I encourage you to look more into them if you are quite an active person. They even come with socks! Check this out...

I didn't care for the socks today as it was quite warm. And the material that is used in them are perfect for running without socks. I know, just like with almost anything else, you have to give your feet and body tinme to adjust and can't just go barefoot running crazy. There are injuries surfacing because of that too. So I am giving my body and especially muscles time to adjust to the new change. I did an hour of cardio in them today, and also walked for about 40 minutes in them. All in all, they felt good. I can't wait to really start running in them.

Weight Loss Math

My women's weight loss group just loves me for all the math I make them do (insert sarcasm). Two weeks ago they could have killed me for every new problem we did, and the fact that we didn't have calculators. But, I think what they learned about themselves and how it is helping them to be able to win the battle of the bulge was worth the Geometry lesson.

In weight loss calories count! Repeat after me, "calories & content matter"... one more time, "calories & content matter"! SO just counting calories isn't enough. You can't be eating fewer calories and ingesting rubbish at the same time. It's all about watching your caloric intake & eating well. Now before you quickly close this blog and run away because you think I am about to tell you that you have to live on like 900 calories and will be constantly hungry, it's not true! Actually, the more I follow this path the less I want to eat. I don't find myself lingering in the kitchen trying to fill my time with mindless eating. I actually kind of get annoyed when I am hungry wishing I didn't have to eat so often. Plus, you probably need more calories then you are getting to be able to lose weight anyway. "WHAT!?" More calories? Yes Ma'am! If you aren't getting enough calories, your body isn't gonna let go of what you have stored. Your body is definitely fearfully and wonderfully made, and it is leaps and bounds more intelligent than any computer ever invented. Your body takes inventory of your daily routines. If you are exerting yourself, then it will catch that rhythm and compensate. If it finds that you aren't eating enough, it will go into starvation mode and hold onto what is stored to make sure you have what you need to live. If you want it to let go of stored fat you have to be hitting a certain number of calories, so that the body can say "OK. I am getting what I need and have no problem letting go of what I've been holding onto". Now the opposite is also true though. If you consume more calories than you burn then it is going into storage. So what we need to do is figure out what number your body is burning at and then adjust both your calories and fitness regimen to get your body to let go.

Now that we can understand a bit better about calorie, let' s touch content quickly. So back to the intelligent machine that your body is. Every food that you consume your body breaks it down and decides what to do with it. If you are eating un-natural things, for example, yogurt with artificial sweeteners, diet coke, 100 calorie little bags of crap, your body isn't going to function properly and even if it doesn't fully hinder your weight loss it WILL cause health issues somewhere. It's like putting diesel in a car that runs on gasoline. That car wasn't made to use diesel for fuel. That car is going to have some serious problems. Same with your body. If you are eating things it was not meant to use for fuel it's going to screw you up. Eat all natural! READ LABELS!!!

So back to our calories. And here is your Math Lesson that has been promised. First we must figure out how many calories, on average, that your body needs to live each day, which is your Basal Metabolic Rate, BMR. It is a pretty intense equation that is based on your gender, weight, and height. Instead of making you do the full equation (like I did to my weight loss ladies) here is a website that will tally it up for you... http://health.discovery.com/centers/heart/basal/basal.html

Got your BMR? Mine is 1722. I saw the winner of last season's Biggest Loser on a talk show, and he stated that when he went on Biggest Loser, they calculated their BMR's. His was a whopping 4,000 calories. The phenomenon in this was that he was eating enough calories to still be gaining weight. Crazy!!! Now that you know your BMR, it may be opening your eyes, and making you realize that you are eating more than you thought. Even if you have been trying to lose weight, and have been eating healthy, but have been flabbergasted as to why the weight isn't coming off! It's because you need to calorie count.

So now here is an example of where to go from here. My BMR is 1722 calories. So therefore my calorie intake goal is to eat between 1500-1600 calories. Without even exercising that can give me a caloric deficit of 122 - 222 calories everyday, without even exercising. So now, let us continue the math lesson. That's right, it's not over yet. Even though creating a deficit of a couple hundred calories a day sounds great. How does this calculate into how much weight I will be losing time wise. Glad you asked. :)

There are approx. 3500 calories in one pound of fat. So if I lose an ideal 200 calories by keeping close watch on my cals, then that means I would lose 1 pound every 17 days. That's where exercise kicks in on top of caloric intake to speed up our weight loss results. So if I add 500 calorie burning workouts on top of that, we're talking 700 calories in one day. At that rate I now lose a pound every 5 days.

A wonderful website that a friend showed me is www.caloriecount.com It can keep track of your caloric intake and output. You simply input your food journal daily and also log in what physical activity you have done. It also takes into account your BMR, and then gives you a fairly accurate estimate of what is happening for you that day. It also is able to give you the nutritional content for your recipes, so that you can keep accurate account of your calories even when cooking.

What pushed me over the edge this week to start calorie counting was three things. First, was when I watched Biggest Loser on Tuesday night, a contestant, named Koli, who is one of the hardest working people on the show admitted to not counting calories. For me it answered a lot of questions I had. Even though he was an outstanding contestant, each week his low weight loss numbers were baffling, because though the trainers would say "This doesn't make sense, he worked his butt off' it was because he wasn't calorie counting. He probably felt he didn't need to because he was eating so healthy. But calories add up. Especially if you aren't watching them. The chances are we underestimate what we are consuming, especially when everything we eat is healthy. The next thing was one of the girls in our weight loss group, who is seeing the most results, is calorie counting. And then when I lost only 2 pounds in two weeks, and I busted my rear end, I thought, something has got to give! So I counted my calories and physical activity on www.caloriecount.com, and low and behold, I consumed 2,000 calories. Even with consuming that many calories, my estimate burn was high enough to have burned up calories. Knowing I could have burned even more had I watched the calories has kicked me into action. Least to say my calorie counting is on!

Is it a lot of work? Yes! Is it as hard as it sounds? Not quite. Is it worth it? MOST DEFINITELY!!!

Note: Women should be getting at least 1200 calories when losing weight and men at least 1500. Again, it also depends on your weight and height, but those are the bare minimums, don't eat fewer calories than that.

Vitamin C, Super Workout Supplement?

So it's been a while and have been pondering what to blog next that would be useful information to those who are trying to lose weight. And my pick is the amazing Vitamin C. You definitely need to make sure you are getting an accurate amount if you are working out and trying to lose weight. If you don't have enough in your system you will have 25% less effectiveness in your workouts, no joke! Some articles suggest you are flushing your money down the drain by buying workout supplements, and that Vitamin C would be extremely cheaper and more beneficial.

Here is what I found at www.realage.com...

"Research shows that your body needs sufficient vitamin C to burn fat. And in one study, people who had low blood concentrations of vitamin C and walked on a treadmill for an hour burned 25% less fat than people with adequate C. But a dose of vitamin C brought fat-burning levels back up to par. Why? Seems C is essential for creating carnitine, a substance that turns fat into fuel."

So how much do you need in your system? The recommendation is 1,200 milligrams of C per day. This amazing vitamin is not only great for helping see better weight loss results, but is amazing for your skin. It helps fight the signs of aging, helps reverse aging in the skin and helps your elasticity in your skin which helps you stay younger looking. Also, if you are looking to lose a larger amount of weight, like myself, this boost in elasticity will help with the tightening of your skin so you aren't left with left over sagging reminders of where you stored your abundance.

Other bonuses of Vitamin C outside of weight loss and just your over all health are...

-Boosts your immune system (especially for those who are stressed)

-Lowers your chances of stroke significantly

-Attributes to healthy teeth and blood vessels

-Some studies have suggested that Vit. C also reduces inflammation and the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease

To make sure you get the positive affects of Vit. C for your workouts, eat foods that contain high amounts or take a supplement right before.

Foods that contain Vitamin C...

-Strawberries, 1 cup, nearly 100 milligrams

-Orange, 70 milligrams

-Red Bell Pepper, 152 milligrams

-Broccoli, 100 milligrams per a cup

-Brussel Sprouts, 52 milligrams in just 4 sprouts

-Kiwi, 70 milligrams

-Mango, 57 milligrams

Why You Should Be Drinking Chocolate Milk... Seriously!

Here is something new I learned this week, and wanted to pass along. I have been reading this so much in the health emails I have been getting that I thought I needed to share. Actually it is a change I made this week. I had been thinking about my Jillian Michaels' whey protein I have and wondering just how natural it is. Now I know Jillian is a stickler when it comes to natural and wouldn't put her name or face on something that didn't live by her standards, but, for me, seriously, how natural does protein powder look or taste to whole foods we find. With trying to examine everything under my new all natural glasses, I was starting to really reconsider my post workout drink. So with all the info I was now reading on chocolate milk being a better alternative to protein shakes, I thought, 'This sounds good'! So when I went to the grocery store I checked out all the info on the organic milks, and found that they all (Skim to Whole) had the same amounts of protein, just fewer calories as you lost the fat content. So I grabbed myself a carton of skim and a tin of Organic Dark Chocolate dry cocoa mix. It's all-natural, and not only does it add antioxidants to this lovely beverage, but also a little bit more protein. The only thing you need to watch is your sugar in take that day. It does give a bit of a sugar boost, but if you are drinking this after a good workout, your body is going to absorb that insulin for recovery, so you are set. I must say it is an excellent motivator to workout when you know you get to drink a great glass of chocolate milk after.

Here are a few articles to see for yourself what people are starting to say... Now keep in mind, many of them tell ya just to get chocolate syrup. Please don't. Don't ever ingest corn syrup or food coloring or any other fake junk. I will harp on these horrible ingredients another day. But anyway, since your muscles are going to be absorbing these nutrients ASAP after a workout, let's make them quality. Please go for organic milk, especially if you are in the US. Canada has higher standards on their milk, but the US still allows certain injections into the cows that Canada has out-lawed. And find a chocolate mix (liquid or dry) that is all-natural too.

So now for the websites...

http://www.tryingfitness.com/chocolate-milk-the-new-protein-shake/

http://ca.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/247_fitness_tip.html

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/8-perfect-fitness-foods?article=5&page=1

http://www.fitsugar.com/Chocolate-Milk-Post-Workout-1684610

So now go work out and reward yourself with an amazing glass of chocolate milk!

Eat Out, Eat Smart

So when you are trying to eat healthy or lose weight it may seem more stressful than enjoyable when even contemplating eating out let alone going to a restaurant. But it doesn't need to be. Just like every other aspect of being healthy, you just need to inform yourself. Knowledge is what will keep you in control of what goes into your body and let you have a good time without feeling like you have to ALWAYS get the salad. Which by the way, as I find out more and more about restaurant food, a lot of times the salads have way more calories than the meals. So here are a couple of ways to stay in control of what you are eating and still enjoy eating out.

The first is some wisdom that a friend of mine blogged a while back. She's a fitness trainer, and her words of advice was to choose what you were going to eat BEFORE arriving at the restaurant, and then never opening the menu. It's usually all the choices that get us in trouble. 9 times out of 10, eating right is a mental thing. So win the war before it ever begins. I have done this, and must say it really helps. If I haven't chosen exactly what I am going to eat I narrow them done. Like I know I am going to order grilled chicken, fish or steak, and that fried foods are NOT an option. And then I will look at sides only to narrow down which veggies I want. French fries are NOT an option for me. And just decide before you get there that water is what you are drinking. Now I must say, I do enjoy a good tall glass of iced green tea from Cheesecake Factory on occasion. Real brewed tea is great for you with the antioxidants, and all natural ingredients, but don't get refills, as you will intake too much sugar and too much caffeine. Give yourself room to enjoy but don't over do it. Stay in control. If you know that once you get that tea you won't be able to go back to water after one glass, then don't order it.

Now my next tool to help you in eating out is one of my new favorites. I am learning a ton from their email infos I get. It's the "Eat This, Not That". You wouldn't believe sometimes how many calories, fat and sodium can be in food. Well these guys will tell you. The Eat This, Not That Restaurant Guide is amazing! If you know where you are going before hand, I strongly suggest checking what they do and do not recommend. They will tell you all the nutritional info, which at times will probably shock you. Example, a BBQ grilled chicken wrap from TGIFridays contains over 1500 calories!!! Save yourself the added stress and the added calories and use their website info to make a choice before eating out.

Finally... FOOD!

What many of you have been waiting and asking for... RECIPES! And I am excited to finally post some up. So here are a couple. With plenty more soon to follow.

Grilled Shrimp Pasta

20 min (or less)

1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

4 Tbs. grapeseed oil

(can also use olive, canola, your preference really)

1/2 pint grape seed tomatoes, washed & halved

2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. chives

(can also use scallions/ green onions)

Sea salt, to taste

8-10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces

whole wheat pasta

In a medium bowl combine shrimp, 3 Tbs of oil, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic, chives & salt. Toss until everything is coated with oil and seasoning.

Boil water and cook pasta.

While pasta is boiling, Heat up a non-stick pan at medium heat. Once heated cook your shrimp mixture until they turn pink. About 5-7 min.

Once you shrimp are cooked add basil and last Tbs. of oil if there isn't enough 'sauce'. Stir. Allow basil to wilt while you drain pasta.

Place pasta and shrimp in a large enough bowl and stir until pasta is coated in oil and everything is evenly mixed.

Now for dessert...

Brown Rice Pudding

(easy peasy)

3/4 uncooked brown rice

(I use organic brown rice, but you can use any rice)

2 cups milk, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 salt

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs. powdered coconut

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. butter

1/2 tsp real vanilla extract

2 Tbs. shredded coconut (optional)

Cook your rice according to package directions.

In a medium sauce pan. combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups of milk, sugar, coconut powder, cinnamon & salt. Cook over medium heat until creamy. About 15 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 cup milk, egg & 2Tbs. of shredded coconut, stirring constantly. Cook about 2 min. more.

Remove from heat and add butter & vanilla. Serve warm.

If you like custard, you will really enjoy this dish. It was extremely yummy! I won't lie. The brown rice isn't mushy, but retains it's infamous brown rice firmness. I kept thinking "Man, this would be a stellar dessert if I had used sticky rice". BUT... it did hit the sweet spot for me and so I didn't want the crap later on and helped keep me fuller longer after supper too.

Brown Rice Lessons

So why the complex carbs? What makes them so much better for us other than the extra nutrients? Great question!!! I learned this recently and thought it great info. Definitely helps me with the brown rice switch. I never had a problem with whole wheat bread, but the brown rice was always a hard switch for me. But now that I understand the difference when I am eating it, it's not so hard after all.

When we eat the refined, processed white stuff, it digests way too quickly and your body absorbs those calories way too fast. With whole wheat and brown rice the digestion slows down, so you feel fuller longer, but not only that, your body takes it's time absorbing, first of all the nutrients. You know what happens when you take vitamins right? You get that bright, highlighter, neon yellow pee, because you got way more than your body needed at that time, so it took what it needed and expelled the rest. With our whole grains we are absorbing the nutrients slower so we are able to use them when we need them. Also we are getting them. The processed white stuff isn't good for much other than filling your tummy. The other thing is the calories. Not so much that you eat more calories one way or the other, but with the white choices because it digest so fast, less calories are burned by your digestive system. And also because you absorb those calories quickly, and if your body isn't burning them up then, yeah, it's gonna store it. What happens as well is the unused carbs turn into sugar. Married into the East Indian culture, I know it seems like may of the older generation is prone to getting diabetes. My assumption is it's not because of genes, but because of the large amounts of rice they eat with almost every meal, and especially at night. SO what has happened is all this rice has been eaten towards the end of the day and they aren't going to be used for fuel as one winds down at the end of a day and soon goes to bed, so these carbs are turned into sugar. Then on a deeper process the pancreas releases insulin to compensate for this high level of sugar it now has in the system, and eventually after a while of this the body becomes insulin resistant which is a precursor to, you got it, diabetes. Now this is my assumption, but it's logical.

Anyway. Always watch your intake. Eat in moderation and make healthy choices. Not only that but enjoy what you are eating, just don't do it at the sake of your health and life. Food shouldn't kill you, it should bring you life. It's how God intended it.

Let me know if you try the recipes, and how they turned out or any substitution/changes you make. Bon appetite!