30-Day Transformation: Diet

Getting motivated to, and actually working out has never been a problem for me. Well, since leaving high school and losing all the weight it hasn't been a problem. So I have that (significant) portion of the weight management and fitness challenge under control.

 

One thing that has forever plagued me (in terms of being as healthy and "in shape" as I'd like to be) are my eating habits. I subscribe to the "I work out hard so I can eat what I want/when I want" philosophy, which isn't a terrible way to live, but it's also not super productive when it comes to achieving goals once you reach a certain point in you fitness evolution. Goals like cutting body fat, gaining muscle mass, and generally being less "mushy" become very difficult to achieve when you eat brownies/cake/ice cream/chocolate every night (and at all times of the night). And yes, "mushy" is an official term.

 

Caveat: I'm a happy person. I'm not too obsessed with anything, I don't think. My muffin top does not make me feel like a bad human.

 

I eat, therefore I muffin. However, I am still a good human.

 

 

I'm also a person who loves a challenge, especially when it comes to something that has dogged me for so long and stands in the way of achieving a goal. So, here we go ... yes, it's bit gimmicky and yes, in naming it this way it sounds like an ABC reality show, but allow me to introduce my "30-day Transformation: Diet" undertaking.

Before I dive in, I learned in my fitness education that when setting goals, one always needs to be sure they are SMART goals. SMART = Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time-bound. (You will see different variations on the acronym/words, but the approach is always the same). So, I am going to try and structure this project in the SMART fashion.

 

It's not going to be easy. I am not 100 % sure where to start. And, because of that, I'm not going to try and fix everything at once.  But, I am going to try and fix a few things in the next 30 days... and here they are:

• Achieve a significant drop in refined sugar. It's disgusting how much of it I eat, and how big of a portion of the "bad" calories sugar accounts for in my diet. Mostly it comes from desserts, which is where I have to start. How can I make it measurable? Dessert no more than twice per week, no candy during the day, milk instead of creamer in coffee.
• Stop eating at night. This will be - by far - the most difficult part of this process. I can't begin to describe how long I've done this, or all the different things I've done to try and stop it. Like, basically, everything on this list. However, I'll try again, and I think the focus this time needs to be on the water, the hard candy, and the "warm beverage" approaches. With a lot of the "psyche yourself for the battle" worked in there.
• Eat a bigger lunch. I know one of the reasons I eat so much later in the day/night is because I'm not eating enough during the day. So, with the start of my new full-time job, I can see no better time to work on eating more well-rounded, filling lunches. A meat, whole grain and vegetable will be the goal at least 3-4 days per week.
• Drink more water and less soda. I already drink a ton of water everyday, but I also drink more soda than I would like. One can or glass of soda per day, period.

I could probably put another 2-3 goals on this list, but I'm going to do what I advise to clients and that is to keep things (relatively) simple in the beginning and adjust as things progress. I'll be tracking my progress on the blog for a while; hopefully my process/insight will help you achieve your fitness goals!

 

If you have any tips for me on any of the things I talked about above, please share them. And thanks for reading my blog and being a part of my fitness education and improvement!!

 

 

 

 



NPR Weighs in on Weight

Real short post today, but it's a good one. I talk a lot here about nutrition, and am always on the lookout for good information to share. This NPR blog post definitely applies ... take a look to learn about recent Harvard research findings about foods to eat to avoid weight gain, foods to avoid, and some interesting theories as to why products like yogurt help prevent packing on pounds (bacteria activity?).

Eat healthy today!

Almond Theft

I have a confession to make. I steal Almonds from the Kiel's buffet (my name for the bulk food aisle) without shame. I feel like because I shop there on an almost-daily basis, it gives me the right to snack at my leisure. The guys that work the produce aisle don't even bat an eye anymore when I come calling. Immoral? Perhaps. Mortifying to my wife? Absolutely. Filling? Definitely.


I also steal almonds from any buffet at any store - I don't discriminate based on location. Years ago, I used to snatch Mike and Ike's, jawbreakers, something chocolate or something else sugary and delicious. No mas. 


Why, you ask, the change in heart in my buffet pilfering choices? It's pretty simple, actually: my switch to a career as a health pro has affected my diet in some ways more than others, and snacking is one of the most impacted. And my almond theft is really just an extension of my fondness for snacking. Also, once I tried including almonds in my diet, I found that I 1) love the taste of just about any variety 2) had no idea how nutritionally dense -- and generally awesome for you -- they are. 


Anecdotally, I have to say that I have never found a food that "fills me up," in the same way as whole almonds. I can eat just a handful or so, and truly get the sense that I've eaten more. For a person that eats more than the average two people combined, this is very beneficial.


Some specific things we should all know about our friend the almond:

• They're low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones; they're also high in fiber
• They're high in vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer
• They have 8 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, which is about a handful; not a fantastic source of protein, but not bad, either, considering the lack of prep time and ease of consumption
• Eating almonds helps lower LDL (the bad cholesterol), and gets the body higher amounts of antioxidants, which are awesome for many reasons

Do you have to steal them? No. Should you work some into your diet, for the reasons listed above and because they're super tasty? Probably. Dig in!

What type of almonds are your favorite? Personally, I'm a smoked kind of guy, but also enjoy the sea-salted. 

The Fit Nation

I like to try and be a resource here, so I figured I'd share something with you that I really like. I'm online all the time trying to find good info, and I love how CNN.com has set up the "Fit Nation" section of its Web site.

Check it out here

They have all kinds of information on proper diet, workout types, exercise, weight loss, etc.  Tons of helpful, easy-to-read articles and plenty of videos and interactive elements. I trust CNN as a news source and I think that the majority of the stuff I've read on this section of the site has been on point and worth my time. I hope you check it out and agree!

I'll continue to bring you things I find interesting ... including other resources! Suggestions? Do you turn to any specific places for information on fitness/diet, etc?