Obligatory New Years Post: Post Baby Body Plan

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is enjoying these first few days of January. Something about the start of a new year, a new month, is so refreshing. I know everyone makes fun of the false promises made in a New Years resolution, but I completely understand that mentality.

Don’t we all enjoy a fresh start?

I actually don’t quite feel the same way this year since I’m still pregnant. I feel that the start of 2012 is more of a continuation than a new beginning and the “new beginning” will occur at the end of January/beginning of February when my daughter arrives.

Still, I thought I’d offer up some obligatory New Years resolutions in the form of my Post Baby Body Plan.

Up until recently I haven’t thought too much about “getting my body back”. Well, okay that’s a lie- I have thought about it, but I’ve also been in denial about the work I may have ahead of me. It would be great to believe that I will be one of those people that will lose all of the baby weight quickly, but I’ve never been one to lose weight quickly, so I think it’s going to require some serious work on my part.

But how am I going to find the time to commit to working out and eating right ? Lately, all I hear from everyone is that my life will be impossibly busy and I’ll be so exhausted that I’ll be lucky if I remember my own name. It’s discouraging, but I know I’ll find my own way. I also don’t have extreme goals of running a marathon by summer or getting back into my pre-pregnancy jeans after a month.

My Post Baby Body Goals:

1. Be Kind to Myself- This is number one for me. And I think it will actually be the hardest of all of my goals. I tend to be really hard on myself and critique my body more than I should. I look at pictures of myself pre-pregnancy and I’m now just realizing that I like what I see. Wish I could have been more appreciative of my body at the time. Also, pregnancy has showed me how absolutely incredible my body really is. I need to respect and honor it, give it time to heal and recover. I will have goals and expectations, but I am going to treat myself as I would a friend…with kindness and understanding.

2. Join Weight Watchers

Yes Jennifer Hudson, you’re a good spokesperson. But more than that, I think Weight Watchers will be a good plan to help me lose the weight because it’s based on eating real food but it still provides structure and guidance. I think it is going to be hard for me to get back into a routine of counting and measuring, but I know I need to do so in order to lose the baby weight.  Not only do they have a plan designed for nursing moms, but they also have an online program and there is a child friendly express meeting in my area. I think I’ll start with the online tool and then attend meetings when I’m leaving the house more.

3. Get exercise in whatever form works

I don’t have any specific fitness goals for right after the baby is born, except that I want to move more. At this point I have not been working out for at least a month and these days I can barely walk without discomfort. I can’t wait to be able to move without pain.  Once cleared for exercise, I plan to get walks in with the baby (at the mall, or wherever), do on-demand short workouts at home, join Stroller Strides, perhaps join a Zumba class through the township, and ease my way back into short runs on the weekend when Joe can watch the baby (I’ll have a running stroller thanks to my sister, but I have to  get an adapter and also wait a little to run with an infant, especially in the winter). Long term I’d like to try out P90X or P90X2.

So there you have it. My post baby “get my body back” plan.  I look forward to sharing with you how things turn out.

What are your goals for the New Year?

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Do You Dislike your Thinner or Fatter Self?

The other day Joe was scrolling through my blog as I was sitting on the couch. He came across a picture I posted and said, “Wow you look really good in this picture”. Instead of saying thank you, my first thought went to…”I must look terrible, now”.

In no way, shape, or form did Joe ever reference my current body, he was just giving me a simple compliment.

 

At that moment I realized…I’m jealous of myself. In the picture Joe was referencing I was at the healthiest weight I had been at in years. I was doing things a healthy way too (eating right and running a lot), so I should be proud of who is looking back at me in the picture. Instead, I kind of hated her.

 

This has also happened to me with pictures of my heavier self. I  recently came across a picture of myself in college at a really high weight. Probably my highest weight to-date. I instantly looked at it and was disgusted. I didn’t want to acknowledge that it was me.

After thinking about both instances I knew that I needed to reflect. Ultimately all of those pictures are of the same person. The only thing that changed from the thin picture to the fat picture was the number on the scale. At either point in time I was the same person with the same warm heart, the same sense of humor, and the same wonderful life.

I always thought that at some point I would find that happy place with health and diet and leave all of my insecurities behind. While I know I’ve made progress, I am starting to realize that until I can accept myself for who I am and not what I look like, that I will never find release from the emotions attached to my physical appearance.

I think that being pregnant has really challenged me to love myself no matter what I look like on the outside. While I am certainly trying to be a healthy pregnant lady, there is no doubt that my body is changing and that I am getting a lot bigger on the outside. But on the inside, my body is performing miracles. At times when I’ve been upset about my lack of self control or the fact that my weight gain that is higher than the charts say it should be, I just stop and ask myself what the heck am I doing?!

Do I want my daughter to ever sense that her arrival made me stressed and upset? Would I want my own daughter to feel the same way about her body that I do about mine?

How to you feel about seeing yourself at a lighter or heavier weight?
Do you accept who you are at any point?

What have you done to increase your level of self acceptance?

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Meal Planning- Yay or Nay?

If you asked me some of my best tips for losing weight- after telling you to exercise and eat healthy foods (duh), I’d tell you to meal plan!

This is what has worked for me in the past because the structure has not only kept me “on track” but it has also forced me to put the time into thinking about what I’m going to eat before that moment arrives.

However, I think that meal planning is important for not only those of us who want to lose weight. Recently I haven’t been sticking to a plan at all, and I’m realizing now that I need one. Here’s why.

 

Benefits to Planning Ahead

 

Makes Dinners a Breeze

Thinking ahead can be helpful for a number of reasons. The first is that meal planning gives you a sense of what groceries you will need for the week. I find this especially helpful for planning dinners. Honestly, the last thing I want to do at the end of the day is go to the grocery store. I’d much rather come home, assemble some ingredients and call it a night.

Additionally, I find that in the evenings I’m much more likely to grab things that are convenient or less healthy because I’m tired and hungry. If the meal is already planned and the ingredients are purchased, then I know that I have to use them so they don’t go bad.

 

Helps Your Creativity

I don’t know about you guys, but when I don’t plan snacks and meals, I find that what I grab on the fly to be very boring. No lunch planned? Ok, I’ll grab a yogurt, some crackers, and a piece of fruit. That may sound fine in the morning, but then around lunch time when everyone is eating sandwiches and salads, I feel kind of sad. This might lead to me wanting to go out and grab a replacement lunch. Usually the replacement lunch is not the healthiest choice, and then I’m out $5-$10 bucks.

When I take the time to plan my food, I’m more likely to come up with good ideas for what to eat. I can create inventive and healthy snack ideas instead of just going with what is convenient. I can look up recipes online or page through a cookbook for inspiration. When I dig into a lunch bag that is planned versus one that I haphazardly put together, I KNOW the difference. And ultimately those planned days leave me more satisfied and with more energy.

 

Meal Planning versus Intuitive Eating

Often I’ve found myself trying to go the more “intuitive” route when it comes to eating. Furthermore, many of the books I’ve read about overcoming emotional and binge eating advocate this kind of approach. (Geneen Roth for example). While I believe that intuitive eating is an important step in finding a healthy balance, I still think that there can be a place for meal planning.

Since I’ve become pregnant, I’ve become an intuitive eater more than ever, but I also haven’t been a very good planner. I basically just eat what I feel like eating and I don’t give myself a hard time about it because most of my favorite foods are healthy for me and the baby.

Yet, lately I’ve found that my lack of planning is shooting me in the foot. I’ve started to end up with meals that are less balanced and less nutritious. This usually happens because I didn’t make sure to have good ingredients in the house, or I didn’t get creative in my snacks and ended up grabbing something packaged. Now that I’m working full time again, I really need to prepare ahead of time in order to ensure that I can put together healthy, balanced meals.

The New Plan

As of today, I’m going to start writing out my meals again to help eat better and plan better. I’m not counting calories, and my meal structure is mostly based on the times of day that I typically get hungry. As of now I’ll be eating 3 meals and 4 snacks (the last snack of the day is usually my dessert). I also am not worried about veering off this plan, it’s really just there to help me, not to tell me what to do.

 

When I go to grocery store, I’ll have more of a plan, but this will certainly not stop me from picking up random items and treats if I want them.

This is actually one of the most fun things I’ve allowed myself during pregnancy. For example, yesterday I picked up a box of delicious spice cookies (like gingersnaps) that I always see come out around this time of year. In the past I wouldn’t let myself buy them, but now I say yes to keeping more treats in the house.

 

Are you a meal planner? If so, how do you do it?

If you’re not a meal planner, can you share how your daily meals come together?

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That voice inside

If you’ve read my About Me page, you know that I’ve been through the ringer when it comes to diets.

 

So for the past couple of months, as I found my way to a lifestyle that worked for me- I must admit didn’t do it alone.

Even though I still relied on myself to pick and choose foods that made me feel good- I was still following some sort of "diet" guideline or plan.

 

I’d also track food using a journal, or some other tool. Which I think in general, is not a bad idea. And if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s especially helpful.

 

But then I asked myself- what am I trying to do?

The surface level answers are:

• Feel good
• Look good
• Be healthy
• Be happy
• Live life joyfully

When I probe deeper though- I hear a voice that still says:

• LOSE WEIGHT. Your number one goal always and forever will be to be thin enough to accept yourself.

 

Wow.

 

Unlike years ago, the voice is no longer the loudest one in my head. And for the most part, I don’t really hear it.

 

The strange thing is though, that I hear it most when I’m not following some sort of plan. 

Recently, I decided to give myself a "tracking" and "rigid planning" break. And overall I’ve felt fine- except for that voice. I feel like when I drop the planning, it gets louder because I get more fearful and uncertain about what is going to happen to my body if I’m not regulating foods as closely as I was before.

 

During my tracking break I’ve had my ups and downs.

 

Some days I thought I wouldn’t make it through, that I have no self control, and that a DIET was going to be on the agenda for the next day.

Some days I was amazed at the excellent choices I made without thinking about it, and how awesome it is that my body knows exactly what it wants.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m tired of all of the planning, rules, and formalities I place on myself when it comes to eating.

 

I’d like to become an intuitive eater.

 

I’d like to trust myself and my body to know what’s best for me.

 

But I’m afraid of the process.

 

Do you always "track" your food even if you’re not dieting?

Have any tips for me on my road to intuitive eating? Have you been though a similar process?

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Empty Calories

Ah..empty calories. Your diet’s worst enemy.

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These are the calories that come from things you eat or drink that give you back little nutrition and satiety.

 

Things like:

• high calorie soft drinks
• alcohol
• junk foods like candy and chips

Lately though, I’ve noticed that a lot of foods that are considered healthy (not empty) are actually empty calories to me. Yes they might have nutritional value, but I can usually get those nutrients from another food source and be more satisfied. 

 

I became more aware of this as I started packing more food on the go.  In order to help myself (and maybe you as well), I’ve decided to make a list of those foods and some substitutions that might be better for me.

 

Empty Food for Jamie- Dried Fruit

Although dried fruits can pack a lot of fiber and antioxidants and other vitamins, they also pack a lot of sugar and I cannot EVER stop at just one serving. Kind of like candy for me.

A possible substitute: Fresh fruit done in a more creative way like frozen grapes and mango, or a mixture of freeze dried fruit (less nutrition but less calories and sugar) mixed in with yogurt. Fiberful fruit leathers from Trader Joe’s with less sugar and more fiber.

 

 

Empty Food for Jamie- Pretzels and Crackers

Whole grain, full of seeds, whatever…they still don’t fill me up. And they just make me want cheese.

A possible substitute: For crunch and portability, maybe raw veggie sticks with laughing cow cheese? Pistachio nuts, edamame?

 

Empty Food for Jamie – BARS

Lara, Luna, Clif, Power, Thin Thin, Pure Protein, granola bar, oat bar, fiber bar, you name it, it’s not satisfying to me in the long run. I do sometimes keep them in my bag though for emergencies.

A possible substitute: Actual oatmeal? Any other ideas?

 

Empty Food for Jamie- Cold Cereal

I could eat multiple bowls of cold cereal and never feel full or satisfied. The lack of staying power just makes the calories not worth it.

Possible substitute: If I want a quick cold breakfast I’ll put cereal on top of yogurt with fresh fruit. Otherwise I prefer something like pancakes or eggs to keep me satisfied all morning.

 

 

What healthy foods are empty calories for you?

Any good subs for snack/protein bars?

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Holiday Weight Woes

There is SOOOOOOOOO much information out there about holiday weight gain.

It’s ridiculous isn’t it?

 

Or maybe it’s not?

 

Around this time of year, I find myself feeling conflicted. I don’t want to be deprived of treats and delicious holiday foods, but I also don’t want to feel bad about myself throughout the holidays because my clothes feel tight.

 

Both choices have the tendency to leave me feeling distracted from what is most important- spending time with family and cherishing the special moments.

 

When the holidays come around, I am usually traveling. So I’m out of my normal routine and I am rarely the one preparing the meals.

 

This year, I really want to enjoy the holidays and find a balance that works for me.

 

 

So here is my "10 Ways to Feel Good through the Holidays" checklist

 

10. Always pack running/workout gear even if you’re packing light. Fitting in some exercise will make a world of difference.

9. Focus on healthy goals that are easy to achieve even if you’re not in control of the food served. Can I still aim to drink 8-10 glasses of water? Sure! Water is always available

8. Try and get 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily (fruit tarts kind of count)

7. At big dinners/meals, have what you want, but stick to 1 plate. It’s just a dinner, afterall.

6. When eating dessert, don’t eat anything standing up. Put all cookies, chocolates, etc. on a plate and sit and enjoy with coffee or tea.

5. Don’t drink too much booze.

4. Only eat stuff you like. Just because it’s out doesn’t mean you have to eat it. I always find myself eating things like cashews because they are out. I don’t even like cashews.

3. Remember that 2 not-so healthy weeks isn’t the end of the world. And having control over food is not going to make you a better person, or more deserving of love, affection, or anything else.

2. Be nice to yourself. Look around and you’ll see that 95% of people are indulging around this time of year. You don’t need to be a healthy eating robot all the time.

1. Clear up space in your mind to focus on family and friends. Enjoy conversation, or just observing. Being around those you love is the most important thing.

 

Wishing you all the best this holiday season!! 
 
Love,
Jamie

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Similar but Different

Hi guys!

Thanks for the nice feedback on the vlog.

I’ve been cooped up studying science stuff all day, and I really needed a break!

I thought I would share a yummy lunch combo I ate today that was very satisfying and delicious. I got the idea from my friend Audrey.

 

I ended up using two of my recipes to make a new one. It’s similar to the other recipes, but it’s different too!

The recipes I referenced were my baked tofu and Bulgur with squash, mushrooms, chickpeas and lemon.

First I cooked up some bulgur with chicken broth.

Then I sautéed a few veggies in a pan -  onion, mushrooms, zucchini. This time I omitted the chickpeas and the lemon, and I added a little chicken broth to the pan.

 

The tofu I had made the other day and just reheated. (Does anyone else think tofu tastes better after a day or two?)

I had marinated this tofu in soy sauce, red pepper flake, garlic powder, and a tsp. of toasted sesame oil. Also put some sesame seeds on top. (follow the prep and baking instructions in this recipe )

Once everything was done, I put it all together and topped it with a little more soy sauce. YUM!

I had a little reading material on the side

Kelly Osbourne looks really fit!

 

However, I just hate how celebrities are such a big deal when they gain or lose weight. It’s like Kelly finally MADE it now that she’s thin, and nothing else she ever did before really mattered. (Not that she did that much?)

I think it just hits a personal chord with me. I remember when I lost a lot of weight one time, I felt like people treated me differently. Like as if I finally figured out my life or something. I felt like they assumed that losing weight was the most important goal I had. What about the bigger and more important things I accomplished? Why does this matter so much?

On a brighter note…I also wanted to add that I’ve been doing well with my goal to drink more water.

Thanks to this new cup

Isn’t it cute?

I’ve been putting a little crystal light in it (1/2 a packet) and I’ve managed to drink 40 more ounces of water a day! WOO!

 

Okay, time to finish up studying. TEST TONIGHT!

 

What do you think about celebrity weight loss in the media?

What are your tricks for drinking more H20?

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Voluminous Veggies and a Side of Perspective

Today for lunch I knew exactly what I wanted. A huge portion of veggies.

 

Ok wait!!! Did anyone sort of roll your eyes at the statement above? Did it signal some red flags with you?

source

I get that. Sometimes when people say that all they want is veggies, it might mean that they are struggling with restricting food.

I know that when I was battling my ED I would only ever eat at the salad bar in the dining hall. Anything other than salad (veggies) was considered “bad”.

So I’d now like to address a few things that might have run through your head when I made the loaded statement to start of this post.

 

“What? All she wanted to eat was veggies? What about protein and fat?” – Well I didn’t end up only eating veggies, but yes, mainly. My craving was sort of along the lines of when people say they are craving a salad, but I don’t really like salad that much. I used to think that I could only find satiety in fats and proteins. This was back when I was monitoring every carb that crossed my lips. Now I find that a variety of foods keep fill me up and make me feel energetic.

 

“She’s full of shit, no one really only wants to eat veggies.” – Sometimes, people do. Certain vegetables, cooked in a flavorful way, such as roasting, really are comforting, filling, and an easy go-to meal. I actually do often eat vegetarian lunches. I crave protein more at dinner. And eggs w/breakfast are often on my menu.

 

“This is an obvious attempt to eat in mass quantity with few calories” – That is not completely false. Like I said before, I have been really hungry lately. So I am trying to eat more, but I’m also trying to maintain my weight so I am trying to make smart choices in which foods I eat in large quantities. There is nothing wrong with focusing on maintaining and losing weight if you are in a weight range where that makes sense. I am at the top of the BMI range for my height. I am healthy but even if I lost a few pounds in a slow and gradual manner, I would still be healthy and strong.

 

I think that sometimes in the blogosphere it is seen as a no-no to talk about weight loss. It is however acceptable to gush over treats and junk-foods and be proud of one-another for allowing such foods into their lives. And I agree with that as well! Allowing “bad”foods into your diet can be an important part of finding balance.

 

Basically what I’m saying is that we all have different goals and we are all on our own path to find balance, health, and a positive self image both inside and out. Since I’m putting my journey out there for all to see, I just wanted to clarify where I’m coming from.

 

So anyway, here is the plate of food I inhaled for lunch today

Roasted eggplant, carrots and brussels sprouts with some red quinoa. I also squeezed blaze all over the eggplant, and everything else too after the picture was taken.

 

It was delicious. It was healthy. It was mostly all vegetables. And I feel pretty darn good about it.

 

 

 

Thoughts on this?? Please share.

Also don’t forget you can ask me anonymous questions HERE. I’d like to do a future post where I answer them!

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I don’t want to start over again

When I say I’ve been on a lot of diets in my life, I MEAN IT.

Here’s a sampling.

Atkins

Weight Watchers

Jenny Craig

10 Day Fat Flush

South Beach

Sugar Busters

Clean Eating

Low fat high carb

Low carb high fat

Vegetarian

Grapefruit

Cabbage Soup

Starvation

You get the point. And that doesn’t even include the supplements and other gimmicks I’ve tried.

I just want you all to realize that I’m serious when I tell you that I understand the challenges of finding balance and a healthy lifestyle that works. For most of my adult life, I’ve been on some kind of journey to lose weight. It might last a week, or a month, or a year. But I’m always working towards something that has to do with my body.

Last year, for the first time, I tasted a Philly Cheesesteak. I’ve lived in Philadelphia since 2004. That is almost 7 years that I’ve lived in this city and never once tasted a cheesesteak. I said that out loud to a few people and realized how crazy it was. During all of the visits we made to Pat and Geno’s, I was always on some strict diet. And therefore I didn’t have one. Not even a taste.

Did I binge on things that would have added up to the amount of calories in a cheesesteak? Yeah. But that’s not the same.

The truth is, that restriction and deprivation aren’t the answer. Neither is overindulging in secret.

What is the answer? I don’t really know. But I do know that I’ve finally been making some progress that I’d like to share with you.

Lately I feel like I can hear my body tell me what it needs. Maybe it’s because I’m finally listening. And I’m not trying to shut it up or quiet it down until I’m alone.

Lately I workout because I enjoy it. I no longer feel like I have to do anything I don’t want to. I’m moving, I’m sweating, and that’s good. I don’t want to do squats and walking lunges with weights. And no one is going to die if I don’t.

Lately I can make healthy choices when others are not (and I don’t feel mad about it.) I know that I can have whatever I want, but that I do have a CHOICE. I don’t HAVE to eat a salad if I don’t want to. I’m an adult and if I want to eat french fries, I can. But I can also choose to eat the foods that make my body feel good.

Lately I find that if I give in to some indulgences, I don’t suddenly think I am a terrible, fat, and weak person. I no longer stew over bad choices and punish myself by making more of them. I move on. I FORGIVE myself. If I don’t, who will?

I’ve veered off of the path I was taking that I used to call my “weight loss journey”. That path had way too many booby traps and hills and ditches and rocks.

Life is the journey. Weight loss can be a part of that, but it will never be the only part. I realized that I don’t want to start over to create a “new me”. I like who I am NOW.

Are you willing to STOP starting over?

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Sweet Saturday

Good morning! I love Saturdays where I don’t have anything to do. This morning I was fortunate enough to wake up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee. I set the timer last night so that it would be all ready. And I just put on another pot. We drink a lot of coffee in the FoodIRL household.

Between Joe, myself, and my father-in-law who is visiting, we finished a 12 cup pot before 9am.

Don’t judge us.

Today the guys will be working on a shelf building project in the basement and watching college football. I on the other hand will be taking a trip to the mall to buy some new clothes.

I start a lab in a school next week and I really need some professional clothes to wear. All the ones I have are from 2006 when I actually needed to wear business casual to work. After that I worked at an online company where we could wear whatever we wanted. Then I was a nanny, and now I’m a full time student, so..the business wardrobe is lacking.

The good news is that the 2006 clothes are all way too big now. So I’m excited to get some new work basics that actually fit.

Breakfast this morning was inspired by some fresh figs that my father-in-law brought from his fig tree.

French Toast with Warm Apple and Fig Compote

Ingredients:

1 sandwich thin (or whatever bread you want to use)

1 egg white

1 splash skim milk

cinnamon

pumpkin pie spice

vanilla extract

1 small/medium apple (i used a macintosh)

a few fresh figs

maple syrup (I used the chemically sugar free version and I’m not apologizing for it)

 

How To:

Beat the egg white, dash of milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, dash of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.

Add the bread and let it soak.

Meanwhile, dice up the apple and slice the figs

Heat a non stick pan (medium heat) and spray with a little PAM or use a little butter

Add the apples to the pan and let them start to break down

After a few minutes, move the apples to one side of the pan and add the bread

Cook the bread for about 3 min on each side

Once the french toast is almost ready, add a splash of syrup to the apples, and a dash of cinnamon.

Toss the figs with the warm apples right at the end

Put the french toast on the plate and top with the fruit

 

Pour a little more maple syrup on top (optional but highly recommended)

Enjoy!

What is the dress code at your job?

What are your plans for this weekend?

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