Blog-Math

            As part of my quest, I decided to stop eating out over lunch or dinner break, and to only bring my meal from home. On a typical meal out, I would spend five to fifteen dollars, depending on weather I ate fast food or went to restaurant with my colleagues. For the purpose of my calculations, I am going to go right in the middle and say I spend ten dollars a meal. Working five days a week, times ten dollars a day, not eating out saved me $50 a week! Over the course of the 4 weeks of the quest, I saved close to $200! It is pretty ridiculous that I would have blown that much money just by eating out rather than taking lunch from home. Of course I would need to deduct some of that saving because I did have to pay for the food that I brought to work, which probably cost around fifteen dollars a week, for a total of sixty dollars during 4 weeks.

My total savings by bringing lunch from home: $140 in four weeks.

Trick or Treat

            With Halloween just around the corner, I can’t help but be tempted by the candy placed on every counter. As luck would have it, this month’s issue of Fitness magazine had the perfect article to help! According to Karen Ansel, “The trick is to not munch mindlessly. Enjoy a piece or two, but keep it to 200 calories” The article then goes on to list some possible candy combinations that will keep the amount at or under two hundred calories.

            First off was Three Musketeers. Three of these fun size bites count for just 190 calories! I, for one, LOVE Three Musketeers. They have always been so light and tasty, and they were my favorite candy growing up. Next up was York Peppermint Patties. One miniature patty is only 50 calories! I have always enjoyed the dreamlike mixture of chocolate and mint, so peppermint patties are a must. Jolly Rancher Lollipops were next, packing a mere 60 calories, and boasting zero fat content. Hershey’s Kisses scored next, with only 22 calories per piece. The real challenge with kisses is only allowing yourself one, so make sure to practice self restraint with these delightful bites. Last but not least, boasting a mere 14 calories a piece, comes Starburst. These candies are a fruit burst in every bite, making them delicious, plus the variety of flavors is always a plus.

            With these tasty treats, I am sure I will be able to handle myself this Halloween. And even though I would love to sit and munch on some Reece’s and Snickers, I must resist, for the name of fitness!  

Let's Talk About Health: Featuring Linda Fullmer

            In the words of the very intelligent Linda Fullmer, “You must make eating healthy your lifestyle, and not simply a diet.” If I can master a healthy eating routine, my quest to become fit will be very successful. My mother, Linda Fullmer, studied Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University, which made her the perfect candidate to interview. We sat down, and I picked her brain, searching for every possible suggestion that would help me to succeed in my quest to become fit in thirty days.

            My mother, Linda, went to school for Food Science and Human Nutrition in the year 2000. After graduation, she went on to get a job at Kemin Health. Kemin is a company that studies the vitamins in different foods, and analyzes the variety of benefits such vitamins have. To say the least, Linda is very knowledgeable on what foods are best to eat, and she gave me many suggestions on the types of foods I should be looking for.

            To start off, Linda talked about the four main groups of food I should try to incorporate into my diet. First up was fruit. Berries are the best because they are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, which are essential to a good diet. She also said that apples are a” powerhouse fruit” because they have the tons of good vitamins. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” apparently rings true. Not only do fruits taste delicious, but they are essential to a healthy diet. Second up were vegetables. Linda says the best way to know you are getting the necessary vitamins from vegetables is to eat a variety of colors. Dark green vegetables would include spinach and kale; red vegetables would include red peppers and tomatoes (even though tomatoes are technically a fruit); and yellow and orange vegetables would include squash, zucchini, and carrots. She told me, “It is usually the vitamins in vegetables that give them their coloring, so eating a variety of colors ensures you are getting several different vitamins.” Linda says that you should be getting between six and nine total servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be your first choice, then frozen, and your last choice should be canned. She also says it is acceptable to replace one or two servings with a drink alternative, such as tomato juice or a fusion drink, but she cautioned me to watch for the sugar content in these drinks. I do not want to cancel out the hard work I put into a balanced diet by taking in a bunch of sugar!

            Continuing the four essential food groups, Linda then started talking of the importance of lean meats. She said chicken is excellent, along with lean fish, such as salmon or halibut. She also says “non-fatty” pork cuts are good, such as pork chops or pork loin. “Stay away from bacon or fatty ham,” she exclaimed! Lean beef is also good, but if you cannot get 90% lean hamburger or better, ground turkey and ground chicken are great alternatives. Another good choice of beef includes beef filet, because it has very little fat marbled throughout. But watch out because these tend to be wrapped in bacon!

 The last of the four groups she wanted me to consider is whole grains. She said whenever possible, it is best to choose the whole grain alternatives to foods such as whole grain pasta and whole grain bread. A word of caution though; if foods say a good source of whole grain, that doesn’t really mean much at all. These types of food could still contain processed flour, which is what we are trying to avoid. So watch for foods that say 100% whole grain because these are the foods you want to choose. It is important to cover all the good food groups during your balanced meal because this ensures you are getting all the correct vitamins your body needs to run smoothly.

            Another bit of advice Linda gave is to always read the labels on food. She warned me to not only look at the daily values, but to also look at the ingredients. The ingredients on the package are listed in order from most prevalent to least prevalent. She said to stay away from processed flour and high fructose corn syrups, especially if they are listed in the top three ingredients. These foods are harmful to your diet because processing foods destroys the nutrients, making them unnecessary to eat. This is why, as mentioned earlier, canned fruits and vegetables should be your last choice because too much processing goes into canned vegetables, taking out almost all of the nutrients, while pumping in a lot of sodium. Sodium is another thing to look out for because it takes away from the vitamins that our body needs. It also can make us retain water, causing a bloating effect. This means you should stay away from cold cuts and sandwich meats because they have extremely high in sodium, making them unhealthy.

            In addition to keeping your meals balanced, Linda told me that counting calories is a good way to keep track of what you are eating. Reducing portion size can have a tremendous affect on your calorie intake, and keeping a food journal can help you realize how much you are eating throughout the day. She also warned me to watch out for foods claiming to be low fat or low in sugar, because such foods may be doing a “trade off,” meaning that sometimes when a food is low fat, it will be high carbohydrates, or if it is low calorie, it will be high in fat. This brings us back to always reading the labels, no matter what the front of the box claims.

            Talking to my mother, Linda Fullmer, was very informative. I had never really sat down and listened to what she had to say about nutrition, but it quickly became clear to me that she was full of useful information.  She had many great pieces of advice to offer that I am sure will help me be successful on my fitness quest. After sitting down and picking my mother’s brain, I now know if I can remember to keep my meals balanced with fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains; to watch my calorie intake; and to keep track of what ingredients are going into my body, I will have no problem becoming fit in thirty days.

Progress Report

             Two weeks of the quest are down, and so far so good! I have been slowly transforming my eating habits, becoming more active, and starting to feel better overall!

            As far as my eating habits go, I have been trying to make a lifestyle change, rather than just dieting. I have been taking my lunch to work every day, which usually consists of a sandwich (on whole grain bread) with a banana or apple, some baby carrots, and a bottle of water. This is a big change for me, since I used to eat out almost every time I worked. This has had a major impact on my quest because eating out can give you an entire days worth of calories in one meal! By taking my own lunch, I am able to control my calorie intake, and also control the types of food that I am putting into my body. I have also been doing better, cooking dinner more often, and trying to make it healthier while still tasting good. I love looking through magazines and cookbooks, trying to find new healthy recipes to try! Cooking Light is one of my all time favorite magazines, and is always full of so many great recipes! Eating healthy is a major part of my quest, and I believe I am making some major progress toward success.

            Another major part of my quest is exercise. I am still struggling somewhat to get into the habit of exercises regularly, but I am definitely getting better. Walking is my major source of exercise right now, simply because I love being able to get outside, and get away from my house. If I am exercising in my home, I typically sit there and think of all the things I could be getting done rather than exercising, which just makes my count down the minutes until I can be done. I think I still have quite a ways to go to completely make exercising a part of my daily regime, but I am on the right track. With a little more hard work and dedication, I know I can make this happen.

            Overall I think my quest is going pretty well. I am starting to notice results on the scale, and I am starting to notice myself make healthier choices in my everyday life. I look forward to continuing on, and with more hard work and dedication, I am convinced I will complete my quest.

Starting Anew

             Conquering a quest is all about refreshing a part of your life, and starting anew. To me, my fitness quest is refreshing my life in a major way. I am changing the way I look at food and fitness, not only for a diet, but for a lifestyle change. I am not looking to only lose weight; I am looking to start a healthier lifestyle that will continue on for years to come.

So far, one way I have started anew is by always packing my lunch for work. I have not once gone out to eat while at work, and I have eating a healthy meal at every lunch hour. This not only has saved me money, but it has also made my lunches more healthy and nutritious, which is a definite contribution toward my fitness goal. I feel better when I bring my lunch, and since I have not wavered from this goal, I have felt good about myself.

Another way I have started anew is by changing my exercise regime. I no longer dread working out, but I actually look forward to being able to blow off some steam, either by getting out of the house, or just working up a sweat in my basement by myself. Taking a new outlook on exercise has helped me to work toward my goal of fitness.

Health Magazine's Seven Best Fat-Blasters

Today while I was thumbing through Health magazine, I found one article to be particularly interesting and useful. It was titled “The 7 Best Fat-Blasters” and included seven different exercises they found to be the best a burning fat, and told me why.

1.      Inline Skating: Burns 425 calories in 30 minutes.

So I don’t know about you, but I found this astonishing! That is a crazy amount of calories to burn in such a short period of time, and roller skating is such a low impact exercise. I will definitely be looking into a pair of skates in the future!

2.      Running: Burns 374 calories in 30 minutes

Okay, this one was a lot less surprising. I know running is great aerobic exercise, but no matter how hard I try, I just cannot make myself into a runner! Maybe someday when I am in better shape, running will become more of a possible workout.

3.      Jumping Rope: Burns 340 calories in 30 minutes.

Jumping rope is a great exercise! Now I am not really sure that I would be able to jump rope for thirty minutes straight, but it would be a great booster to put into my daily routine, even if I only jumped rope for five to ten minutes. You work up a crazy sweat, and are toning your legs and butt at the same time! What could be better?

4.      Hula Hooping: Burns 300 calories in 30 minutes.

I have heard great things about hula hopping. Not only does it make you work up a sweat, but it is also great for your core muscles! It requires the use of many of your abdominal muscles, while also making you break out in a sweat, not to mention the fact that it takes me back to my childhood fun, which is always a plus! This is another must add to my fitness routine.

5.      Tennis: Burn 272 calories in 30 minutes.

I must say, I am a bit disappointed in the number of calories this burns. Over the summer, I started playing tennis occasionally, and every time I played, it kicked my butt! Of course, I think I was getting a bit more exercise than your average player because I spent most of my time playing running after the ball, rather than hitting it back and forth.

6.      Dancing: Burns 221 calories in 30 minutes.

I love that this made the list! Who doesn’t love to dance, even if it just around the living room while picking up? I know I sure do! The article mentions the key to this workout is that you must pick upbeat songs, and make sure you are moving your body a lot; otherwise you are not burning as many calories.

7.      Walking Vigorously: Burns 170 calories in 30 minutes.

Again, I was a bit disappointed in the number of calories burned, but I am still glad it made the list. Walking is a very manageable exercise, and pretty much anyone can do it, as long as they have working legs. Walking is a great way to get out of the house, and enjoy the nice weather!

Well, there you have it; the seven best fat blasting exercises according to Health magazine. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get out the roller blades, hula hoops, and Latin music and get to work!

Be sure to check out this month's issue of Health magazine!

The Skinny on Healthy Recipes

This week I have been exploring different options for finding healthy recipes. I have countless healthy cookbooks and magazines, but I get bored with them fairly quickly, and always want something more recent. So while surfing the internet this weekend, as if by fate, I stumbled across this awesome page!

I was totally inspired by all of her recipes, and I can't wait to get cooking. Fall is in the air, and she took a major breath of it! There are all sorts of great pumpkin inspired recipes, as well as recipes for every occasion. I surfed her blog for hours, devouring every recipe with my eyes! I look forward to trying some of these recipes out. 

The Quest

 To me, a quest is an adventure. It is mission that must be completed, no matter how much one might struggle to do so. There are no if’s, and’s, or but’s involved in a quest; it is do or die. One could, of course, pick a quest that is mindless, that involves no self restraint, a quest that is no real challenge; but I was determined to pick something meaningful to myself. My weight is something I have constantly struggled with, and I always have promised myself that someday, I would make a change. Recently, someone very dear to me made a very big sacrifice; he enlisted in the Marines, and shipped off to boot camp to endure thirteen of the hardest weeks I am sure he has been through in his life.  This has motivated me to finally keep my promise to myself, and get my weight under control. My quest will be to eat healthy, exercise, and over the course of thirty days, become a fit person.

Weight has been the subject of my continuous battle for as long as I can remember. I recall being about eleven years old, sitting in a dressing room at some department store, crying. My mom was knocking on the door trying to find out what was wrong, but I was too ashamed to tell her the truth. I was crying because I could not fit into any of the clothes I was trying on. I was a chubby little girl, and I hated it. As I headed into high school, I was determined to end my “chubby” days, and I changed my lifestyle completely. After about eight months, I had managed to drop sixty pounds and I felt like a whole new person. I was outgoing, made a bunch of new friends, and had a whole new attitude toward life. Since then, however, school, friends, and family has started getting in the way. I have since gained that weight back and succumbed to my old habits of eating unhealthy and not exercising enough. I want to make the change in my lifestyle again, and go back to the healthy woman I know I can be.

One major motivation for this life change is my fiancé, Xyander. Over the course of us dating, he has tried on a couple of different occasions to help me get into shape. He knew how unhappy I was, and he wanted to help me. Of course, I would always fall off the wagon. Old habits die hard. Xyander has recently enlisted in the Marines and he left for boot camp about a month ago. He is making a major sacrifice; leaving everyone he loves, everything he knows, to serve and protect our country. If he can sacrifice all of that, the least I can do is sacrifice the doughnut that calls my name at breakfast! He means the world to me, and I would love to be able to accomplish something I have struggled with by the time he finishes boot camp. I want to make him proud, because I am so proud of him.

Of course, there is a lot more involved in this quest then just ignoring the doughnut screaming to me from the kitchen. I will need to completely overhaul my bad eating habits. I’m not just talking about the easy, mindless, calorie counting; I want to reconstruct my entire diet! Increasing my fruit and vegetable intake is a must, along with lowering my sodium and carbohydrate intake. There is a much greater chance I will succeed if I change the way I look at food, and change the way I eat. Another major bad habit I have is eating out. The calories and sodium you consume in one meal from Chili’s would be enough for your entire day, and possibly even two days! Eating out is my guilty pleasure, especially over my lunch break. One part of my plan will be to always pack my own lunch for work. This way, I can control what I am eating, and also save a little money at the same time! Now, I must tell you, I am a HuHot junkie. I do not think it is attainable for me to completely cut HuHot out of my diet, so my plan for that is to change what I eat there. I will only allow myself healthy plates (which the HuHot website provides recipes for), and I will only allow myself one plate. This may seem like a minor detail, but believe me, it is actually a huge part of my diet. Changing my eating habits is only half of the battle.

The more difficult part of this battle for me is going to be exercising. Every time I have failed at weight loss, it is because I failed at the exercising part. I can never get myself motivated enough, or allow myself to have the time to exercise. For my quest, I am going to make myself exercise for at least thirty minutes every day. I figured I would be able to talk myself into thirty minutes a day since that is not a very substantial amount of time. I plan on exercising in three main ways; on the elliptical, with the Wii Fit, and with walking regularly in the evenings. One of my friends is training to walk a half marathon, so I thought walking at night with her would be a great way to get in my exercise occasionally. My main problem with exercise is that I get bored, so I figured a good way to keep myself motivated would be variety. I know this is going to be the hardest part for me, but I also know that with determination, it is more than obtainable.

There are many things I hope to gain from it upon completion. First and foremost, I hope to simply feel healthier. I want to feel more energetic, and happier, and just plain healthy. Self confidence is another entity I hope to gain. Lately, I have just been in a slump, and it would be nice to become more confident in myself so that I want to get out and do things. Put simply, I just want to feel better about myself overall. Completing this quest will help me to feel more accomplished. Losing weight is something I have been trying to do for a very long time, and to finally complete this goal would feel amazing. This is a promise I made to myself a very long time ago, and I am excited to finally make it happen.

This quest means a lot to me. I have struggled with my weight my entire life, and I continuously make the battle towards weight loss. With my fiancé gone for boot camp, I am determined to make the changes in my life that will help me succeed in the weight loss battle. If change my eating habits and exercises for at least thirty minutes every day, I know that I can reach my goal of losing close to fifteen pounds in the next thirty days.