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I did a copy / paste into word - and printed.
Thanks again Snoozie
Carol0 -
(From the "Hello Healthy" MFP tips:)
If you’re getting ready to kick-start your journey into fitness—whether it’s starting a strength training workout for the first time, finally lacing up your running shoes and hitting the pavement like you’ve talked about all these years, or taking a group fitness class like kickboxing or yoga—there’s likely a little voice in the back of your head giving you doubts.
The voice might make you wonder if you can really do this—are you really prepared? Do you really know what you’re doing? Will you really see success?
Very often, these doubts simply come from the fact that you don’t have experience with what you’re about to do and are worried there’s too much you don’t know.
To help ease these doubts and make the transition into fitness easier, here are a few of the big things I’ve learned throughout my 15-year journey to fitness.
There Will Be Days You Just Don’t Want To
First, let’s start with what you likely don’t want to hear: You won’t always be motivated. Inspiration comes and goes, even for the most fit individuals, and that’s completely OK. Normal even.
Embrace it. Realize that you can’t expect motivation to carry you through this journey. You need to trust the process and know that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, results will eventually come. In fact, your ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other during this time is what will make you stronger mentally—just as your workouts make you stronger physically.
Even on those days when you just aren’t feeling into it, do something active. Something will almost always be better than nothing (unless you really do just need to rest, and then it’s time to listen to your body—more on this later).
Finding Your “Inner Reason” Is Key
Why do you want to exercise? Does it make you feel more confident? Does it give you more energy? Do you want to be active with your grandkids?
Find an inner reason—something that isn’t about impressing others or looking good at your reunion. Those reasons just won’t stand the test of time.
Progress Won’t Always Be Linear
It would be great if your results were just a straight line that went up, up and up. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Understand that you’ll progress much faster at certain times than others. Again, this is natural. Don’t give up the fight. Just as things seem to slow, you need to trust that they’ll pick up again.
Learn the difference between slow progress and stagnation. If it’s been four weeks or longer without any results, it’s time for re-evaluation. Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different result. If after four weeks you aren’t seeing progress, then it isn’t coming.
Rest Is Key
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the great changes that are taking place, and you might want to work out every single chance you get. Unfortunately, this will likely result in slowed progress, burnout, illness or injury.
Rest is a vital component in the process of getting fitter. Learn this now or you’ll be forced to learn it later when you’re sidelined due to fatigue or injury. The choice is yours.
Periodization Is Important
Periodization, meaning focusing on different goals at various points, is also a must. During some months, gaining strength may be a goal. Over the next few months, you might choose to work on losing fat instead.
Change things up. This will not only keep you more mentally interested in your sessions, but also give your body a break from the repetitive nature of the exercise you’re doing.
Over the long run, this can go a long way towards preventing injuries.
Comparisons Will Never Help
One of the worst things that you can do as you go about this journey is compare yourself to others. There will always be someone out there who is fitter than you, leaner than you, stronger than you, and so forth.
Don’t pay attention to them. This is your journey so the only person you need to worry about is yourself.
Are you better than you were yesterday? That is the question you need to be asking.
Seeking Assistance Will Help
Don’t be afraid to ask others for support. Benefit from the experience of others, whether this is a personal trainer, friend who’s more fit than you, or someone you know online who is an expert in the area you’re trying to improve.
Failing to get the help you need could be the one thing that causes your progress to stagnate. Don’t be shy or embarrassed about it. Reach out and you’ll be glad you did.
Having Fun Should Be Prioritized
Finally, it’s a must to focus on having fun. If you don’t have fun during your workout, you’re unlikely to stick with it over the long haul. Nothing says you have to lift free weights or that you have to go for a run. If you don’t like it, don’t do it.
There are plenty of ways to get fit, so choose one that you’ll look forward to doing. When you enjoy the activity, it won’t feel like work and you’ll naturally want to exercise regularly.
Find something that brings you an inner sense of joy—something that makes you feel alive when you do it, and that’ll be the workout that changes the way you view fitness.
So keep these quick tips in mind. As a beginner, you’re forming the foundation upon which you’ll view fitness and everything involved with it. Make sure you make that foundation a positive one.
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Snoozie. ..
Thanks for always inspiring the team
Carol
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I needed this today of all days! How did you know? Thank you so much for speaking to my brain which seems to be in drain mode.
There Will Be Days You Just Don’t Want To
^This^ I am feeling this on a lot of days. That scares me. We have come so far to let it slip away. Grab it and hang on. There is never a day that I go wog and when I am done I say - Damn, wish I had not done that!! I always feel better -- sooooo, what's the problem? Don't Even know! Kick it and get it! I need to mix it up!
Thank you for the inspiration today.0 -
I really like the point about motivation. We seem to get told that it's all about motivation and willpower, when in fact we often just need to keep doing it. It's not like you go to work every workday because you're particularly motivated or have lots of willpower - you just do it.0
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Is a calorie JUST a calorie? (From the MFP hello healthy blog)
Interesting to note, specially re the fructose/glucose for me!
As the dietitian for MyFitnessPal, I’m often asked, “Is a calorie a calorie?” Well, according to the laws of thermodymanics, yes, all calories are created equal (at least on paper). But—and this is a big but—the way the body breaks down carbohydrates, protein and fat, the three main sources of calories in our diet (four if you count alcohol), and the effect they have on our bodies differ vastly. There are semester-long courses that explain just how our bodies break down, burn and store each of these four calorie sources differently (I know because I took one in graduate school), but since this is a 750-word blog post and not a 750-page textbook, I’ll try do my best to briefly explain why not all calories are created equal.
Fats
In addition to being a potent and flavorful source of energy, fats slow digestion, deliver important fat-soluble vitamins to the body, and provide important building blocks for every one of our cells.
All dietary fats provide about 9 calories per gram but, as you likely already know, some fats are better for our health than others. For example, polyunsaturated omega-3 fats, found in foods like wild salmon and flaxseed, have protective, anti-inflammatory properties, whereas artificial trans fats have been linked to increased inflammation and heart disease.
Protein
Protein also keeps us feeling fuller for longer by slowing digestion, but its primary role in the body is to maintain and build new cells. Protein needs are greatest during childhood, adolescence and pregnancy, when the body is growing and adding new tissues. But we now also know that protein is beneficial during weight loss, as it contributes to satiety and offsets the amount of lean muscle that is burned for energy, in addition to fat, during a calorie deficit.
All proteins provide about 4 calories per gram but there are higher quality proteins, which may reduce appetite and optimize muscle repair and recovery (think: fish or eggs), and lower quality proteins (think: hamburger meat) that are loaded with branched-chain amino acids, which have been linked to metabolic disease and insulin resistance. In this case, you get more nutritional bang for your buck if you consume 4 calories of high quality protein.
Carbohydrates
When it comes to differentiating calories, carbohydrates are by far the most complex (pardon the pun) mostly because our bodies use the different types of carbohydrates (such as fiber, starch and sugar) in very different ways.
Carbohydrates are used by the body as a quick source of energy, particularly for the brain, liver and muscles. All carbohydrates (with the exception of fiber, which our body can’t digest) provide 4 calories per gram. But just as there are healthier fats and higher-quality proteins, there are varying degrees of carbohydrate quality.
Though not a source of calories, fiber is considered a high-quality carbohydrate since it slows digestion (thus making you feel fuller, longer) and can moderate the absorption of other nutrients, like sugar. For this reason, high-quality carbohydrates typically contain fiber and are minimally processed. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Lower-quality carbohydrates almost always lack fiber (with the exception of dairy which contains natural sugars packaged with protein) and add little more than “empty calories” to our diets.
By now it’s probably clear that a calorie from fat is not the same as a calorie from protein or carbohydrate. But let’s take it a step further and compare calories from two different types of sugar: glucose and fructose.
Starchy foods like rice, potatoes and pasta, are predominantly made up of glucose, a simple sugar that that can be burned for energy by every cell in our bodies. It’s stored in our liver and muscles for a quick source of energy during exercise or while we sleep. Unprocessed starchy foods, like brown rice, potatoes with the skin on and 100% whole-wheat pasta, contain the food’s natural fiber as well as some vitamins and minerals.
Unlike glucose, which can be burned for energy by all organs, fructose can really only be broken down in the liver. It’s also the sweetest tasting of the three simple sugars which makes it enjoyable on the tastebuds. In nature, fructose is found in fruits bound tightly to indigestible fiber that, as we already know, reduces and slows its absorption. Unfortunately, the majority of fructose in our diets isn’t from fruits–it’s from calorie-containing sweeteners added to sweetened beverages and the majority of processed foods—including these 10 foods that might surprise you.
Here’s the main difference between these two sugars: While too many calories from glucose can lead to weight gain and accumulation of the less harmful subcutaneous fat, too many calories from fructose (found in calorie-containing sweeteners like sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup etc…) can overwhelm the liver, contributing to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance and more.
As you can see, a calorie of carbohydrate is not the same as a calorie from fat or protein, nor are all carbohydrate calories created equal. As a general rule of thumb, I recommend consuming the majority of your calories from minimally or unprocessed whole foods since, ultimately, the quality of what we eat determines the quantity of calories we consume, which impacts not only our weight but also our overall health and well-being.
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Vail and OWR - you were both spot on with your posts....
Vail I loved the analogy about going to work.... its so true!! Altho I enjoy my job very much, there are days I only drag my butt in there because I HAVE to! Its simply not a choice.. as you said it has nothing to do with any kind of motivation or want - so perhaps I simply need to change my mindset that eating well is the same thing... just do it cause I have to to be healthy!
OWR - I can talk myself OUT of even going for a walk faster than a speeding bullet, and yet when I DO go, like you said I feel great! I never feel like crap I wish I hadn't done that.. never! and that scares me too... the fact I can so easily slide on stuff, but especially the physical moving. I have been working on changing my mindset and not planning ahead to dislike it tho.... and this part of the post.... There are plenty of ways to get fit, so choose one that you’ll look forward to doing. When you enjoy the activity, it won’t feel like work and you’ll naturally want to exercise regularly.
Find something that brings you an inner sense of joy—something that makes you feel alive when you do it, and that’ll be the workout that changes the way you view fitness.
So keep these quick tips in mind. As a beginner, you’re forming the foundation upon which you’ll view fitness and everything involved with it. Make sure you make that foundation a positive one."
really resonated with me.. I went to that charity line dancing night and had an absolute blast... and my walks at the lake now that the weather is turning nice - I do find joy in them! so I think im finding for me as long as I find things I do actualy like it will help me a lot rather than feeling like I "have" to do this or have to do that... it's a learning curve for sure!
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Vail -- You are So incredibly right! There are not very many days when I wake up at 5 and say YAY I get to go to the office today!! I just do it - because it is expected, needed, my responsibility and well, they do pay me. I need to think of healthy eating and exercise beyond NEPA as my job! My job is to be as healthy as possible to enjoy this living thing in the best way possible for however long I am on this earth! Now, to figure out a way to get paid for that
Snooozie -- thank you for the calorie post. It drives me bat@#$% crazy when I read on the open forums that you can eat anything you want - anything as long as you do CICO.
Your opinion please on can I eat too much fruit? I realize and see how many carbs are in the different fruits I have been ODing on lately. Too many? Stop buying all those fruits at COSTCO? I'm backing off on how many bananas I eat in a week and trying to hit the lower carb fruits for all those other yummy nutrients in them. I really am wondering if perhaps too many fruits can be my problem of stagnant weight.0 -
OWR - this is just my own personal opinion (since you did ask lol) BUT... even tho fruits are very good for us, they are incredibly high in both sugar and calories; the sweeter the fruit the higher of both - I have friends who were on weight watchers which uses a point system but allows you all the fruit you want and several of them found they were stalling too from all the fruit like pinapple, bananas, melons etc.. While they absolutely have nutrional value and all fruit should be part of our regular intake, the nutritionist I saw years ago also said to stick with berries.... especially blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries.. well anything that ends in "berry" LOL... because they are much lower in the naturally occurring sugars, and they are higher in fiber. When I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes they said the same thing (they also said consider dempsters grain breads dessert!!! i'm like HUH? YEP marketing or what?? take a look at their ingred list some day)
So I try to follow that rule, stick to berries and use em in crisps topped with oatmeal and nuts occasionally, and save anything sweet like a banana or pineapple or melons as a "treat" instead; I used to slice 1/2 a banana and dip it in some melted dark choc and freeze the slices slightly... same with strawberries. one square of dark 75 or 80% lindt choc coats about 5 berries or 1/2 banana and they are yummy treats... (I also eat them plain btw lol... but life is better with choc and I have come to much prefer dark choc now).
Anyway...one other thing that nutritionist had for me was a kick start plan for when I plateaued.. i'd forgotten it til you mentioned yours.. it was pretty simple and only for I think 5 days.. which was simply to eat only protein and anything GREEN. yup I couldh ave unlimited veggies as long as they were green ha.... I think it's because green veggies have the least amount of carbs and naturally occurring sugars - I do remember by day 5 I ws craving a carrot like you wouldn't believe!! and turnip.. I desperately wanted turnip LOL. it's not meant for anything other than a few days to kickstart a bit of weight loss.. and I know I never gave up the cream in my coffee for those days! it was just a little kick to keep me motivated to keep going when I hit a long term plateau..0 -
Thank you for all the info! I've heard tell that some fruits weren't as good as others. Have read quite a bit on the carb level in some of them. I am going to try the lean protein and dark green veggies for 5 days (will have to decide which 5
) and see how that rolls for me. I had already given up a couple years ago breads and pasta and well most anything made with white flour. Still a work in progress though. I try very hard to be very limited in anything with those "whites" processed. Going to concentrate from here on out to take the "berry" information - which, luckily, I love! And oh my Yes and Yes to dipping in dark chocolate.
This week I am trying to give up my creamer and *gasp* coffee. Drinking green tea - straight and see how that goes. Gee, I wonder why everyone is avoiding me in the mornings around the office..... On day 2. I actually don't drink that much coffee - at most, 1 a day. I'm just trying anything to kick my stagnant self into gear. 0 -
ackkkkkkkkkkk on giving up the coffee and cream OWR lol...... I LOVE my coffee.. I have cut back a ton in the past two years.. from about 10-12 a day to about 3-4 depending on what shift i'm on... and I went from 2 creams down to one half of one cream... but I will never give up my lovely coffee lol... but good on ya for trying something new girl!!
as for the greens.. it doesn't have to be DARK greens.. just anything green! I distinctly remember eating a lot of green beans, a lot of salads with green onions celery and lots of sautéed green peppers lol.... along with chicken or steak chopped up... brekkies were eggs and cavon... and dinners fish chicken pork or beef with broccoli, cabbage ... and I cant remember what else!! oh and I tried sautéed collard greens. they were fabulous - just like a mild spinach; sautéed a slice of bacon and a green onion I think first then threw in the collards ribbon sliced..... was quite yummers! but no question I was jonesing for ANYTHING that wasn't green by the end of day 3 LOLOL!
AS FOR THE berries... I found a Balkan style vanilla yogurt by astro I think... gelatin free.. and i'm not a huge fan of yogurt in any form, but it was lovely having a spoonful on top of the berries with some nuts for a yummy healtlhy high fiber treat! hmmm might have to do a grocery run now!!!0 -
p.s. I love th idea of paying myself for any exercise LOL... I may start dropping a twoonie into my vacation mug every time I do a sustained 30 minutes of any exercise!! I could earn myself a nice little vacay for next winter!0
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Hey - good idea! Maybe everytime I get in a good exercise I should drop $$ in a money jar and I could treat myself (maybe husband, too) to something. My husband and I have figured out that we have not been on a vacay by ourselves - just us - not going to see family, family event, family coming here since our honeymoon in 1978!!!! Don't get me wrong we have been on some fabulous vacations with the family (Well fab to us) and love spending time with our kids and grandkids and all the other people - but, it would be great to go somewhere without anyone else and not have to do any events. Okay -- I know I'm just whistling into the wind. That is what happens when all our family lives elsewhere. My folks and sister are in Southern California - great place to go! One brother in Savannah, GA and another in San Francisco. Our oldest daughter and family are in Orlando, Florida and our son and family are in North Carolina now. Our middle daughter, getting married this summer is here in town. So, our vacation this summer will be hosting a wedding in our barn. Also, my husband's sisters and kids are in Chattanooga, TN -- so, we are always going places - just not any vacations! Perhaps by the time we get to go anywhere, I'll have saved Lots of $$$$!!.
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I think fruit is absolutely fine, but I agree with Snoozie - it's something to be careful with. In fact, because my calories are quite low (I'm not actually counting at the moment, but I know what they should be), I've more or less replaced fruit with vegetables. I regularly have a few blueberries and that's it - other fruit is just occasional. To be honest, I find fruit is often disappointing. At least it is here in the UK. Watery strawberries, hard peaches, sour grapes (ha ha!), etc. Cherries are fairly reliable and I love them, so do sometimes buy them as a treat.0
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I am trying to limit myself now to berries.... Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Oh, and grapefruits. The produce is exceptional this time of year and for the rest of the summer. Limit the bananas and other fruits. Up the intake of veggies. Will have to see how things roll for a while.0
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That's great that you can get hold of good quality fruit. If that was the case for me, I might eat a bit more. There is such a world of difference between nice fruit and not so nice fruit! The good stuff is worth the calories!0
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WOW! What a source of information, I am cutting and pasting to remember and share! I love all of it from smart to what the break down of the calories are.
Snoozie so a calorie is equal to any other calorie true but false after your reading!! So I have a Question? Do you think a walk is a walk for instance if I walk 2 miles in 20 mins as compared to walking 2 miles in an hour do you burn calories more walking faster? I hope that is not a dumb question. I always have walked fast but now I see that a step is a step since I have been on this app for step counting.0 -
Just going to put out IMHO after much reading and researching on this journey -- I learn something new everyday. Which brings me to: When I don't learn something in a day, I know I'm 6 feet under......
A calorie is a calorie, yes. But the nutrients in that calorie can be helpful to your body and fill you up or be empty calories that don't do a thing for you. The whole premise of MFP, from what I gather, is watching and recording the Calories In vs Calories Out. I'm trying to choose the calories that will fuel my body in the best way possible and keep me from grabbing and stuffing my face with empty calories that just turn into my MenoPot.
As far as the walking goes, when I started a couple of years ago. I couldn't walk even 1/2 mile without sitting down and huffing and puffing. After about a year, I invested in a Heart Rate Monitor and over the time, I have found that I have to kick it up several notches and walk as fast as I can to get my heart rate up or now, I "wog" for close to an hour (walk/run) and get a good sweat going and my heart rate pumping. They say your recovery time when you slow down is even more important than being able to get your heart rate up. In 2 minutes your rate should have dropped significantly and within 5 minutes back to normal. When I started really kicking it out and getting my heart rate up and sweating like a pig; I noticed my body responded to that much more. My leg muscles yelled at me for a time. Some days are recovery days after a day with a 5 or more mile run and I walk at about 3.5 for an hour and that feels good, too. But I know I'm not burning the calories as much.0 -
Totally agree with OWR's post re the walking; I was pretty horrified last week when I started back walking 5k down at the lake at how much stamina and speed I had lost sitting on my butt all winter..
and if I choose healthy, nutrient desnse food I can eat a heck of a lot more for 1500 cals than if I eat crap..
milove - I think it's a great question; wish I knew the answer!! IMO tho, from what I've read - a mile is a mile is a mile. A lot of research seems to indicate that HIT method (less time, much higher speed) is far better for weight loss, a 20 min HIT supposedly burns a lot more fat than an hour walking at a moderate pace.. however, walking for longer periods is better for cardio and building endurance if not so much for weight loss.
I walk at a moderate pace and am trying to get back to 5km a day with the goal being to help keep my blood sugars down level and for overall moving my parts.. i KNOW i should be incorporating strength training at this point in my weight loss too - the recomp of your body without any further weight loss can really be achieved thru ST, as well as it being super important at our ages to maintain and build muscle as we start losing it round about now.. but im having a really tough time with that with a lot of pinched nerves and muscle fatigue so hoping to get some advice from my doc in a couple of weeks.
Not sure if i helped at all with your question - but keep in mind a mile is a mile... whether you do it in six minutes or 60 minutes, youre still doing it!!0 -
Kinda just reminding me of the basics I started here with! Just a reminder for me that small changes do lead to big results!
Losing Weight after Menopause
As a “seasoned” women, do you chafe at the trials of losing weight after menopause? Weight control can be harder during these years, since the rate of women’s metabolism after 50 apparently decreases by roughly 5 percent each decade. Hardly seems fair, does it?
Fair or not, though, if losing weight after menopause is your goal, you may need to make some changes. But never fear: you can make those a step at a time.
No need for giant sacrifices; no need for prolonged and arduous physical effort. You can ease into all of this, instead.
Getting Started
As your first step, why not establish the approximate number of calories you need to maintain your present weight. Yes, I know you want to *lose* weight, but humor me, okay?
Use any of the calculators available online; once youhave your personal baseline. From that number, deduct 500 calories.
Those you must "ax| each day in order to lose one pound a week, which may not sound like much. But even a modest (and fairly painless) pound a week adds up to 52 pounds a year! Just another example of the big results you can get from small steps.
You can achieve that reduction by not ingesting those calories in the first place . You can also burn some through physical activity or perhaps use a combination of both. In time, you'll discover what works best for you.
More Yeggies
Another step? Add more vegetables to your diet. Although they require some preparation even for eating raw, veggies are one of the best foods around for losing weight. Fiber, vitamins, generally fewer calories: what’s not to like about these gems? Plus, by filling you up quickly, they can help you eliminate extra calories.
Smaller Plates
You might also serve your meals on smaller plates. That way you’ll be less able, and possibly less inclined, to give yourself larger portions than you really need.
But if, despite smaller plates, you find yourself with more food than you want or need, Do Not “clean up your plate.”
I know, I know… such a course may be difficult for you. Perhaps you've developed some guilt around food—possibly stemming from your parents’ or grandparents’ experiences during the Depression and/or post-WWII rationing, or simply from knowing that too many people go without. Thus, you may find it almost impossible to “waste” food.
Still, one of the secrets of losing weight after menopause is to behave (with food) in a way that your parents/grandparents and even you yourself might consider wasteful. But remember that you can always store that food as leftovers for the next day or to put into “refrigerator” soup.
Not So Many Bites
From your virtuous smaller plate, try removing a single bite-size bit of food. Toss it, give it to your companion, save it for the aforementioned soup—whatever. Just be sure that it doesn’t end up in your mouth. We’re talking just one bite here, which is not really such a sacrifice. Then, maybe work up to another bite or even another. If you don’t dwell upon these bites, you probably won’t even miss them.
See how these little steps work? With very little deprivation, they ease a lot of calories out of your diet. If you then add in some moderate exercise, you'll be on your way. Another win for the turtle!0
