Resolutions Revisited

As usual I totally agree and totally disagree with Iceman. I love resolutions. This is my favorite week of the year where I plan out my goals for the next year, determine what I would like to accomplish in the coming year and what I will do to accomplish those goals. But I appreciate that many people do get briefly excited about resolutions only to fail. Maybe the pressure of this one important moment in time is just too much.

I think the difference might be in the word "resolution" vs "goal". To me a resolution is something you "resolve" to do but doesn't necessarily include alot of planning, instead it is accomplished by sheer will. A goal requires planning and is accomplished with a slow stead plodding forward. If I simply resolve to "eat healthier" in 2010 there is no plan with that, no way to know if I am accomplishing my goal and therefore no motivation and nothing to do but fail. If, on the other hand, I decide to drink 8 glasses of water a day by filling up a pitcher at the beginning of each day and putting it by my sink and not going to bed until it is empty then I know what I need to do to accomplish this task and will know if I am successful or unsuccessful in meeting this goal.

Creating a plan to be better in my life gets me excited. And statistically people who have goals tend to accomplish more than people who just simply let life happen to them. Of course I don't accomplish all my goals but if I never had a dream or a plan I would probably be living in a cramped 2 bedroom apartment with my family because we never would have risked some of the career tracks we have been on, I might not have been able to stay home with my children and we certainly would not have taken a mission trip across the world to Africa. As I told my husband a few years ago when he was resisting goal setting talk, "this life did not just happen to us. I planned it!" He has since come to appreciate the difference goal planning makes in our lives even when we don't quite reach a goal. I would rather try and fail, I always end up further ahead than I started no matter how it ends.

SO...Here are a few things I am tossing around as goals for the new year:

I had been toying with training for a fall marathon to commemorate my 40th birthday but am unsure I am willing to commit to the training. Goose suggested an Iron Girl at her place in June and I suggested the same up here in September. This might be a better way to ring in 40 at this point in my life. Maybe I will put the marathon on my 45th birthday when my 4 year old is in school all day.

I recently read about a runner whose goal is to run 1000 miles this year. Not sure I want to run that many but like the idea of deciding on a number of miles I will go this year. It seems like something I could track all year and broken up would give me a sense of how much I needed to do each week. If I got behind I would need to catch up so I could still meet the goal at the end of the year. I might do this one.

I am also considering some ideas for meal planning this year. Creating a system which I am motivated to follow week in and week out is a bit challenging for me. It is easy to come up with ideas but hard to stay consistent with following them. I love it when I come across books where people have challenged themselves in some arbitrary way for a year. I read one about a couple that decided not to buy any consumer items for a year, no new clothes, books, home decor, etc for a year. There is an article in Women's Day this month about a woman who strove to do something to make herself happy every day for a year and of course the movie Julie and Julia about a woman who wanted to cook all the recipe's in Julia Child's cookbook (haven't seen it so I don't know if that was within a year or not but seems like the same idea). So I have been imagining what it would be like if my family committed to not eat out for an entire year. Realistically I know it isn't going to happen but it has me thinking if maybe we could put some parameters around our eating out habits and see what happens to both our health and our budget.

These are just a few thoughts I am having. Of course I can make changes as I see fit, it is my life, my goals, I can do whatever I want. And although I am not going to put Goose's detox plan for next week in my 2010 goals that doesn't mean I am not going to do it. Actually I have already planned out all my meals for January and have excellent choices to go with a detox diet on the list.

I am looking forward to an exciting and healthy 2010 challenging and being challenged by Iceman and Goose.

Happy New Year!

My New Year's Resolutions

I usually shy away (O.k. run away, shrieking) from New Year's resolutions. (For years I have dreaded my local fitness club in January, I have to endure the onslaught of all those New Year's Resolutioner's and then go on to enjoy my workout's for the rest of the year.) I've always thought that they are a waste of time. Why choose a date, that comes around only once a year, to start/ re-start a new habit or goal? So, if I fail, does that mean that I can't start over again until next year? What happens if I decide to tweak the goal/ habit. Am I, in-effect, still failing at my habit/ goal because I didn't accomplish what I had originally set out to do?

Plus, I avoid, like the plague, to do what other people are doing. Why do something that a BILLION other people have tried and failed at? (For instance, being a rock star groupy. There's nothing to set you apart and make you special if you're just another adoring face in the crowd.) Same with New Year's resolutions... I refuse to be a Resolution groupy.

ALSO I know it's the beginning of a new year. But, truly, what is that date the beginning of besides an arbitrary date on a paper calendar?! I can think of much more notable beginnings. The 1st day of school, the 1st day of the new week, the birth of a child, the start of a new day, graduation from highschool, the start of a new job,etc., etc., etc.

So, suffice to say, I won't be making any New Year's resolutions on a cold snowy day, smack dab in the middle of a cold and blustery winter.

Now, not to say that I don't make goals and resolutions. Au contraire! I think that they are quite important and needed in life. This is especially true in MY life.

I'm a stay-at-home Mom. The reality is that I NEED to do very little. I only NEED to make sure some calories are going in my children's mouths and that they have adequate shelter. The rest is a practice in self-discipline. I don't have a boss ready to fire me if I don't get my work done, I know, Mike, but that just proves my point. (He's way too sweet to every fire me) I need to be a self-starter, a self-disciplined, goal oriented person all-by-my-self. Which, unfortunately, I am not. I wish I was one of those self motivating people, but I am, simply, not.

This is where my goals and habits are so important to me. Homeschooling happens because I have a goal. I exercise early in the morning because I've worked on that habit. So I like to make my resolutions weekly, or even daily, sometimes hour-to-hour. For two reasons: One, so I can quickly jump back on that horse. And two, so that I can feel accomplished with just a little amount of work. :)

I, actually, AM looking at and revising my resolution's this time of year. But I am doing this all year long! So you won't catch me calling them my New Year's Resolutions. I just call them "my resolutions" and that gives me the freedom to visit, re-vise, and start over again, all-year-long.

--- Iceman Out---

a title for maverick

Goose here.

Back from our Florida Christmas vacation. The weather was not HOT and SUNNY, but it was pleasant enough. Since I could not languish at the pool all day like I wanted to do, I ended up being a walking and running machine, getting out a couple times a day. I ran the sidewalks, I ran the beach, I power walked the beach, I did sit-ups and push-ups. AND I hit my goal of 10 lbs lost by Christmas! :) yay me.

I am moving into that crappy week in my cycle when I want to eat everything in sight, so our drive home on Sunday I did not do too well eating. We ended the drive picking up Zaxby's chicken tenders and fries, which I heartily devoured. I also did not do too well on Christmas Eve when my MIL put out a buffet of nibbles which included specialty cheeses...my weakness. And then my husband made pure lump crabcakes. I gave in to temptation and ate much more than my fair share of cheese and crabcakes.

So Monday morning, despite the 35 degrees and wind, I doned my fleeces, scarf and gloves and headed out for my 3 mile run, and then did the Shred. After not doing the Shred for a week while in Florida, I felt I had definitely lost my mojo, my groove. I need to get back into it.

I am thinking that after New Years Day I should do another detox week blitz...anyone in? Hard core like the first two weeks when I began this journey. Only just for a week. I have 6 more pounds i'd like to lose. I'd take 10, but will definitely settle for 6. I am realizing now that I have been at this for almost 2 months, that my cycle really drives how successful I am on any given day or week. I may have to start a simple journal so I can better track my mood and energy during the month.

I have started to incorporate much more "normal" living habits, which is good, because that will be crucial to being able to maintain, but I am still in active lose mode so don't want to become too complacent just yet, which is hard when I am feeling so good and 10 lbs is significant and everything is fitting and looking good. I have caffeine a bit more regularly, and I have been having a bit of a sweet tooth in this week of my cycle so having more sugar than normal, which isn't normally my issue. I just need to keep the mindset that I've had the last couple months. New Years is a good time to regroup and keep steady the course.

Today is freezing here...29. I hope it warms up so I can get out for a run, I really prefer 40, but discovered yesterday that I can survive a 35 degree run.

So...how is my team?

__goose out__

I heart Salads

Now that Maverick is IN I know you are all wondering "how is she doing?" Well it has been a week since my food hang over and although I have not been perfect I definately sense a shift in my attitude and thinking. I managed to get in 4 workouts this week, my yoga video at home plus 2 at the Y where my friend Julie is almost done with her guest passes and one at my old work where I boldly asked a former co-worker to bring me as a guest so Isabelle could play with her friends in the child center while I, bonus, got to work out and shower in peace.

Food wise I ran across a few mine fields but I believe made it out without much injury. I was out of the house for 2 entire days 9-4 on various activities and Christmas shopping tasks. One day Isabelle was begging for a grilled cheese sandwich and I was told they sold them at Dairy Queen. I managed to order a small wrap sandwich with grilled rather than breaded chicken. I was very proud of myself. I am not going to lie I had a bite or 2 of Isabelle's fries and ice cream sandwich but overall felt good leaving. The second day out I found a place where I could make my own salad. It was a little more expensive than I had anticipated but was tasty and I felt real good about it. The rest of the week we ate at home meals I had planned ahead. I have not started trying to eat on the Endo diet but am starting to think about my choices from that perspective and think I will be ready in January to try it out again for a couple months.

Since the rest of the Top Gun team has shared some of their favorite healthy meals I thought I would share mine today. The tried and true Salad. I love salads. I used to love them smothered in blue cheese, you know where I really only tasted the blue cheese, then when we cut out dairy I had to find new dressings and use less. In the processI learned that the ingredients in a salad are good by themselves! The various greens in salads have different tastes and are good even plain and the variety of toppings to add to lettuce is endless. The fun is in finding the perfect combination. I do still like dressings though and after trying several different store bought ones I have discovered that the best and healthiest ones are the ones I make at home.

Here is an example from today's lunch. I started with red lettuce. I think my favorite is butter lettuce but the heads are small and they are a little pricier. I often will mix a few kinds together and keep them ripped up in a large bowl in the fridge to eat for a week but today all I had was half a head of red lettuce that I ripped up in my bowl.



Next I added my cut up red onion. I love red onion so I put it on many things. If you don't like it use something else. Whatever makes you happy. Red onion makes me happy.



I have found that if I just put veggies and lettuce in a bowl with some dressing I am hungry pretty quickly after lunch. I really need some protein and a little better fat to keep me going. So I add some sort of meat. I try to use left overs whenever possible. Whatever meat we ate the night before I am always excited if we have some left over that I know I will toss on my salad the next day. Just cut it up and put it on cold. If you don't have left overs you can always buy canned meat. The canned chicken is pretty good, Salmon can be good too but I have recently discovered a love of Tuna. My dad doesn't like it so we NEVER ate it growing up. Although I had never tasted it I made the decision that I did not like it and only in the last couple years even tried it. As I have had success each time I have embraced it more and more until I can tell you that I like Tuna.

For a second serving of healthy protein and fat I like to add nuts. Their crunch also replaces my desire for lots of croutons on my salads. The almond/cashew/craisin mix from trader joes is my favorite but I also love soy nuts on salads and have a mix in the pantry that is spicy which adds a fun element to my salad.

Finally I add my dressing. The basic recipe is olive oil, balsamic vinegar (a little more oil than vinegar) and a squirt or 2 of Dijon mustard. I also like to add a little raspberry vinegar and honey sometimes to the mix. You can also add garlic or shallots or any thing you want. There are no rules in creating your own recipe. My SIL recently gave me this little dressing bottle for my birthday. It was as if she had been peaking in my kitchen because the one I had been using for years broke literally a week before and I was feeling lost.

I also added a little goat cheese to this salad. If you are a goat cheese lover buy it at Trader Joe's, it is literally half the price of the local grocery stores. I buy a couple when I go and they last a long time.

Other things that are fun to add: left over roasted veggies are good, I have a pasta topping that has artichoke hears, tomatoes and black olives that I have been known to put over lettuce. Or left over pasta over lettuce. Frozen peas, don't even defrost them just pour a little right out of the bag onto your lettuce, they add a fun pop to the mix. I just had beets for the first time a couple weeks ago and they aren't too bad. I am thinking of picking up a can to try out at home. Oh the options are endless.

What are your favorite lettuce toppings?

Keep Flying

-Maverick

Still In Flight.

Goose here. Thought I'd better check in to let you all know I am still well in flight even though quiet around here during the busyness of the holiday season!

I rang in another year 2 days ago. I am now 37 and so far so good. Had I not started my flight training one month ago, I think it would have been a much more depressing birthday. But I can see that old version of myself slowly starting to emerge as the layers peel back like an onion. I actually thought my shoulders looked a little "ripped" the other day! I love Jillian! hahaha.

I am trying to learn how to be more consistent than strictly regimented. So I have taken a day off here and there from the shred, and even took 2 days off in a row of exercising last week.

My husband and I got away for a weekend and, although I ran both days, I indulged in all the yummy food we brought up to celebrate...king crab legs, roasted veggies and potatoes, chicken tortilla soup, dark chocolate, wine, popcorn. I need to know that I can have a celebratory weekend without thinking that I've ruined the whole program. So I didn't go overboard, but I did enjoy.

After a 2 week wall of no weight loss, but definite inches, I checked again and finally broke through the wall with another 3 lbs. So 8 lbs total in a month, I think that is very good and healthy. My goal was 10 lbs by Christmas and I think I can still make that.

The biggest amazing difference is what the Shred video has done for my body. The running is great but I was realizing yesterday that I would not have had the same results yet if all I had been doing was running. Strength training is really key to go along with the cardio stuff. I am now a believer! I used to think I could just do cardio. But Jillian makes it so doable with an intense 20 min workout every day. I always tell myself, its only 20 min, you can do this!

So tomorrow my crew and I take flight (actually take pavement) to south Florida for the week. I will be running every day. Don't think I can bring the Shred as I have no desire to shred in front of my inlaws. :) So I think I am ready to add another mile and do 4 miles, and I think I will bring my little weights and just do the exercises Jillian makes me do, on my own.

Keep flying, my partners! We are already ahead of the game for the new year!

__Goose Out__

Might as Well Face It, I'm addicted to...

Since my families sickness last week, I have not jumped back onto the bandwagon of going off, cold turkey, sugar. But on Sunday night we were at a Christmas party and one of the husbands there looked noticeably thinner and said that he had decided to purge sugar from his diet and that's all he was doing. His example renewed my interest in my own sugar detox. Then, just to drive it all home, when I looked at my email that night, this article was in my inbox. So I'm going to take another stab at my sugar detox!

Here is the original article: Original Article

Why Do We Crave Sugar?

There are many reasons why we go for sweet things.

That appetite may be hardwired. "Sweet is the first taste humans prefer from birth," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a dietitian and American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come in other forms, too, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

The taste of sugar also releases endorphins that calm and relax us, and offer a natural "high," says Susan Moores, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant in St. Paul, Minn.

Sweets just taste good, too. And that preference gets reinforced by rewarding ourselves with sweet treats, which can make you crave it even more. With all that going for it, why wouldn’t we crave sugar?

The problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that’s easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including breads, yogurt, juices, and sauces. And Americans do overconsume, averaging about 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 for men.

How to Stop Sugar Cravings: 8 Tips to Use Right Now

If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.

• Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you’re craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and ADA spokeswoman. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied. Try to stick to a 150-calorie threshold, Neville says.
• Combine foods. If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too. "I like combining the craving food with a healthful one," Neville says. "I love chocolate, for example, so sometimes I’ll dip a banana in chocolate sauce and that gives me what I’m craving, or I mix some almonds with chocolate chips." As a beneficial bonus, you'll satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.
• Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough," Gerbstadt says. Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.
• Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave Grotto, RD, LDN. "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings," Grotto says.
• Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers, LCSW, CAS. "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."
• Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, walk away. "Take a walk around the block or [do] something to change the scenery," to take your mind off the food you’re craving, Neville suggests.
• Choose quality over quantity. "If you need a sugar splurge, pick a wonderful, decadent sugary food," Moores says. But keep it small. For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, then "savor every bite -- slowly," Moores says. Grotto agrees. "Don’t swear off favorites -- you’ll only come back for greater portions. Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and [healthier] options."
• Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Moores says. Instead, eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you "avoid irrational eating behavior," Grotto says. Your best bets? "Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce," Moores says.

But won't eating more often mean overeating? Not if you follow Neville's advice to break up your meals. For instance, have part of your breakfast -- a slice of toast with peanut butter, perhaps -- and save some yogurt for a mid-morning snack. "Break up lunch the same way to help avoid a mid-afternoon slump," Neville says.

How to Stop Sugar Cravings: 5 Tips for the Long Term

One of the best ways to manage sugar cravings is to stop them before they start. To help you do that:

• Skip artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners may sound like a great idea, but "they don’t lessen cravings for sugar and haven’t demonstrated a positive effect on our obesity epidemic," says Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.
• Reward yourself for successfully managing sugar cravings. Your reward could be large or small. Remember why you’re working on it and then reward yourself for each successful step.
• Slow down. For one week, focus on your sugar cravings and think about what you’re eating, suggests Chambers. Diet mayhem often results from lack of planning. So slow down, plan, "and eat what you intend to eat, instead of eating when you’re desperate," Chambers says.
• Get support. Many people turn to sweet foods when they're stressed, depressed, or angry. But food doesn't solve emotional issues. Consider whether emotions are involved in your sugar cravings and whether you need help to find other solutions to those emotional problems.
• Mix it up. You may need more than one strategy to thwart sugar cravings. One week you may find success with one tactic, and another week calls for an alternative approach. What’s important is to “have a ‘bag of tricks’ to try,” Gerbstadt tells WebMD. To tame sugar cravings, you really need to "figure out what works for you," Neville says.

Lastly, go easy on yourself. It may take time to get a handle on your sugar cravings. "It’s difficult to shift any system -- whether it’s the world economy or your eating," Chambers says.

The Hang Over

Maverick has not been making good choices.

I have a food hang over. Last night I went to the "Buena Vista Social Club" holiday party, (that is the fancy name the neighborhood women have given to our monthly get togethers.) We all brought either an appetizer or a dessert, put them on the center island in our hostess's home and stood around it for 4 hours mindless popping food into our mouths while chatting. I sat in front of fritos and 3 kinds of dip, a plate of Christmas cookies, a plate of chocolate truffles, cheese puffs and more. I also walked over to the other side for more goodies like the asparagus wrapped in cream cheese and meat as well as my offering of homemade vegetable won tons. (I did bring something healthy.) Add a couple glasses of wine and I went home with a bit of a tummy ache. And I was really thirsty. I downed a full glass of water and went to bed only to wake up at 4am feeling miserable, thirsty, back pain and acid stomach. As I lay there willing myself to fall back to sleep I realized something, I am not taking this flight school very seriously. I really need to pull it together.

Last January I made the decision to do an "endo diet" which I followed from the first of the year to about Easter. I am starting to see why it came to a head last December motivating the change, this is a horrible eating time of year. As this year comes to a close alot of the issues I was having last year that motivated that change are starting to return and I am wondering if I don't need to return to that diet again this winter. While I told many people I couldn't wait to be off the diet I would in the same breath acknowledge the fact that it was working. I could tell within a few weeks that it was making a difference in my energy levels, how I felt and my ability to manage my pain during periods. I even had a couple months this past year (after Africa where I ate little more than rice, beans and cabbage for 2 weeks) where my periods came and went with so little fanfare that I almost felt cured.

It is often in misery that the catalyst for change is born. I quit caffeine years ago because of bad stomach issues I had, after falling off the wagon and having them return I now diligently avoid caffeine (plus I am no longer immune to its powers to keep me up all night). When dairy went so did the low level nausea I had been experiencing for years. If I cheat too much that comes right back reminding me why I drink almond milk and use rice cheese. And so here I am a year later trying to tell myself I do not need to completely live the endo diet but struggling.

Today I wake up with my food hang over ready to change. Ready to take charge. Ready to work toward going to the top of the class in this Top Gun flight school.

In my mind I keep thinking I am mis-named as Maverick but really maybe it is right for me. Because of my past successes I tend to think that I am better with my diet and knowledge and therefore don't need to put as much effort in as others. In the mean time everyone else is shooting past me while I get stuck in a rut. (and then kill Goose with my cocky attitude...I'll try not to actually do that)

With Christmas less than 2 weeks away I still have plenty of time to make lots of great choices before the holiday meals descend. I don't have any more parties on my calendar (except the one today with Iceman, I assume she will provide some appropriate choices for us,) so I will feel great on my way to the various Christmas gatherings. I pulled out a 40 day book I did with Iceman several years ago called "Extreme Makeover" something, something. Anyway, the author has you eating a diet pretty similar to the endo diet by the end of the book but still acknowledges that we can't be perfect all the time and allows for what he calls "vacation meals". So I am going to work hard for the next couple weeks and then allow for a couple vacation meals over Christmas and New Years before returning "home".

Let's get started!

Maverick finally IN