We’ve all heard it, “Slow but sure wins the race”.  Well, my life right now is slowly but surely, which is just fine by me! 

Slowly but surely, this challenge is coming to an end.

Slowly but surely, challengers are dropping off.

Slowly but surely, the inches are going away.

Slowly but surely, the sizes of my clothes are getting smaller. 

Slowly but surely, the weather is getting colder, making “comfort foods” sound better and better, and making exercise  harder to do.

Slowly but surely, the holidays are coming, and cocktail party food and beverages are weighing heavily on my  mind (my mantras this social season are “do not give in” and “eat before you go”).

Slowly but surely, the new year will roll around and with it comes new resolutions and a new group of Subway Get Fit Challenges (have you considered being a challenger in 2010?).

Slowly but surely, friends come into your life, and friends fade away, only to make another appearance later.

Slowly but surely, the day ends and night falls and you prepare yourself for tomorrow, because after all, tomorrow is another day, Scarlett.

Until next time…….

Crazy things going on in my life these days.  I have a new position at work, I have had all kinds of out-of-town visitors this month, I have travel plans coming up, and worst of all, I have a very sick dog that has to be euthanized early next week; it’s weighing heavy on my heart and in my mind.  Right now, I’m dealing with stress and worry and worry and stress.  I don’t stress eat, and mostly I don’t eat at all when I worry.  I have to think about eating and make sure that I eat the right things and not reach for the most convenient, processed food.  I have to make sure that I keep cooking at night for my lunch tomorrow so that I don’t run out and get the quickest, most un-healthy thing I can find at the moment and just run my nutritional needs off into a ditch.  I have to remind myself to do these things rather than sit and stare off into space and lose all track of time and try to cram in a yogurt or some fruit or veggies before the day is over.   I also have to drag myself to the gym rather than head home to be with my sick “child” (dog).  I have so much support from my boss and co-workers and so much love and support from my friends and family.  I hope that some day I can be as supportive for them in their time of stress and worry.

This is sweet Holly, you might remember her from a blog I posted earlier this year talking about how clever she is and how she ran across the street in morning rush hour traffic to keep from going into the v-e-t’s office (my mojo was broken that day, and now my heart is broken).

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, and I go all out with decorations and I usually don a “subtle” costume like horns or fangs (this year, I’m a modern-day vampire, dressed like I usually do, but I’ll have bite marks and fangs and blood).  I decorate my yard and my living room and dining room, because the kids can see those rooms when I open the door to hear them yell “Trick or Treat!”, so my dilemma this year is this……what to do about Halloween candy?  Do I buy stuff I don’t like so that if I have any left-over candy, I can give it out without any temptation, or do I buy the “good” candy, the candy I like and hope it all gets handed out to goblins and ghosts and ghouls.  I usually give out good candy, and all the kids know to come to our house (I also decorate ALOT on Halloween) for good candy, but I also have a tendency to snack on that good Reece cup or Butterfinger or Snickers bar.   Decisions, decisions…….

BOO!

Current goal – to finish the challenge as a winner

Current struggles – food choices

Current weight – N/A

Current Mood – amazed

Wow!  I cannot believe we’ve only got eight weeks left in the challenge!  I’d better get busy    ……seriously, it has been an amazing journey so far, and I know the next eight weeks are going to fly by!  Next weekend, we’ll all get together again to hike Stone Mountain, and I can’t wait.  After that, believe it or not, Halloween, then Thanksgiving and then the December holidays, and then it’ll all be over.  Wow!  (Yes, it constitutes another “WOW”).

I’ve met some amazing people along the way, and had so much fun, and have learned so much.  My eating habits have changed for the better, my fitness levels have changed dramatically, my body composition is much different than it was in March, and I’m very much looking forward to the next eight weeks to see how much more I can cram in (and take off) before we part ways as Challengers and welcome a new group of  Challengers for 2010.  More than a  few of us have already agreed we’d do the three-day walk for breast cancer together next year, so I’m sure we’ll keep in touch even after the challenge is over.

It has, indeed, been (and will continue to be) MY year.  I’m so glad I’ve been here to share my journey with you.

Cheers,

Kim

I usually try to weigh myself once a week, or once every two weeks, just to keep myself on track and not have any surprises when I go to see my Emory nutritionist Julie.  My weight goes up two pounds, then down two pounds, then up three pounds, then down three pounds, then up five pounds, then down four pounds, and on and on and on………what is that?

I keep telling myself that my weight is just a number and is not important, and that as soon as I get over it, the weight will just fall off.   (hear those crickets?) 

Here’s what I don’t understand.  If I’m following Julie’s guidelines and eating within my range, and I’m working out and burning calories, how can the pound (or two or five) go down, then up, then down, then up?  How am I gaining and losing the same pounds week after week after week?  Seriously, I am not going over (too badly) my daily caloric intake; I’m averaging what I’m supposed to, I’m working out a least five days a week, sometimes twice in one day, yet 3500 calories (what it takes to gain a pound) is creeping up on Wednesday, but gone by the next Thursday, and I’m not doing anything different?  Again, I ask, what is that?  I know I can’t be the only one going through this kind of phenomena.  I wouldn’t call this a plateau, because I gain then I lose, then I gain then I lose (you know the drill by now).

Anybody?  Bueller?

Lately, it seems, all I can think about is food!  What is that?  I start craving my lunch about 10:30.  Normally I eat lunch about 2:00 so that I have something in my stomach when I go to the gym after work, and then I can eat when I get finished, and I won’t be hungry later on in the evening.  It’s a plan I’ve been on for a while, and up until recently, it seemed to be working out well.  Well, that is until my mind takes over and all I think about is F-O-O-D or as the Gary Larson Farside cows spell it: F-U-D

So, Julie and I discussed cravings during my last session with her at Emory.  Sometimes your body craves carbohydrates and sometimes your mind craves chocolate, so you have to distinguish the craving; is it “above the shoulder” cravings, or physical cravings.  I think my food “thinking” lately is “above the shoulder” cravings/hunger and not physical, so I really work on putting off the craving/hunger, but then, I just think about food all the time!  Wow!

I also try to separate ”habit” eating (mindless) and real hunger.  Julie told me to make my desk a “no snack” zone, and it has really helped.  I’ve had to put up a sign to remind myself, though, that I’m in a “no snack zone”, and then, of course, I think of food again!  When I make good food choices, I’m very pleased with myself, and when I make bad food choices, I think about what I’ve done, and what I can do next time to make better food choices.  Food, glorious food! Everywhere with the food!

I know that some folks who have never had an issue with their weight automatically think, “Well, why don’t you just quit eating?”.  Um…..you have to have food to survive!  Hello!  It’s the food choices that we make that make us fat.  Some people can eat whatever they want whenever they want and not gain weight, and for them, I say “Hooray for you”! and genuinely mean it, because I can’t eat whatever I want and not gain weight, I just don’t have that gene.

Everywhere you turn, there is food.  Ads on the radio, television and internet, food in the breakroom at work, at the gas station (even if you pay at the pump, there is a big poster of a hot dog hanging at the pump), fast food restaurants and coffee shops on every corner, and the list goes on and on and on.  Our society is inundated with access to food and I guess it has finally gotten into my brain, so that all I think about is food.

September 11, 2001 is a day in American History that every American who was ten years old or older will remember for the rest of their lives.  The company I work for (and I worked there in 2001 as well) lost 176 employees alone.  Other than the death and devastation of lives lost, families broken, and a country brought to our knees, two things I remember distinctly are that (1). this country came together like no one had ever seen before and opened thier minds and hearts to each other and embraced the fact that we were still alive and no group of thugs was going to take away our livelihoods so quickly, and (2) everyone realized that having a family and being a part of a family is extremely important so that we could all take care of each other like never before.  Part of taking care of your family means taking care of yourself first.  I know that may sound selfish to some, but think about it……if you don’t take care of you, then you won’t be around to take care of your family.  Now, I do not have two legged children, but I have a very loving, supportive husband, and I want both of us to be around for a very long time, and barring anotther terrorist attack, being healthy is going to keep us both around for a long time to take care of each other. 

We all know that taking care of ourselves means eating fresh and healthy, non-processed food, getting plenty of exercise and fresh air, and having a support system (whether it’s blood family or a group like us who are “family”) in place (so that you will have a soft place to fall if your nutritional and fitness goals run off in a ditch). 

I have the sweetest sister on God’s green earth.  No kidding.  Her name is Debbie, and she was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.  I nearly lost my mind with worry and grief, much like those families during the days following September 11th that could not get in touch with their loved ones that had survived the attack.  Thankfully, she had very successful surgery, the cancer was caught early, it was small and had not spread.  I’ve been harping on Debbie for years to please eat right and exercise, all to no avail.  Since this cancer scare (I also consider cancer a terrorist cell), Debbie has lost weight and has started a small exercise routine that takes her to her mailbox and back and using her Wii Fit.  She can’t do too much right now, but I have all the faith in the world that she will not gain her weight back, and she will continue to increase her exercise.  I believe that she knows now that if she doesn’t maintain a healthy lifestyle, she won’t be around to take care of her grandchildren.  Debbie will be my support system, and I’ll be hers, because we both know you have to practice what you preach.

Please take a moment to reach out to a loved one, whether it’s by phone, in person, via email or on Twitter or Facebook, and tell them you love them, and you want them to take care of themselves in a healthy way.

This is my year and it could be your year, too!

Until next time……….

Long story short…….I had to be in a hospital in Tennessee recently, staying with my sister as she had some very invasive surgery.  I personally wasn’t a patient, simply an overnight visitor.  For those of you who care, the surgery was successful, and my sister is in full on recovery mode (as I write this).  The nurses there were all very sweet and professional, and there was a constant stream of nurses, blood drawers (I believe they’re called phlebotomist or sampler), IV checkers, and folks that came in to check her vitals every four hours.  Those sweet nurses?  All fat.  Every last one of them.  Fat.  Why?  I’ve also noticed this at my doctor’s office, at the pharmacy, all kinds of places where one might encounter a nurse.  I’m not being judgemental here, as I don’t like to be judged myself, but then, I’m not dispensing medical wisdom.  Why are there so many  (I can’t say all, because I really don’t want to piss any nurses off; they’re definitly doing a job I wouldn’t or couldn’t do) fat nurses?  I’m talking from the level of me, which is considered overweight via my BMI, to morbidly obese.  Shouldn’t their doctors (bosses) be telling these nurses how to eat and to exercise?  Where are the hospital nutritionists when you need ‘em?  The hospital I was visiting didn’t have a gym on site, so for my exercise, I had to walk/run the greenway two blocks away, which was awesome.  This particular hospital is also located on a hill, so the climb up the hill really capped off my walk/runs.  Here’s a hint to those nurses…….park down the hill so that you have to walk up that hill every day to get to work.  That’s one way to lose 10 or 20 pounds.  Do most hospitals have gyms on site?  If they don’t, they should, if for nothing else to help those nurses get in shape.  How can a nurse get on to me if my blood sugar is high, or if my blood pressure is too high?  Really?  It’s hard to respect a reprimand about my health if the person dispensing that reprimand is fat.  Same goes for doctors who smoke, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog……

Just a few tidbits about things I love other than being a participant in the Subway Get Fit Challenge (although it is always foremost in my mind)……

Foods I love:

Fresh fruit and vegetables –  preferably local, in season and organic.

These tomatoes are in my garden this year, they’re of the heirloom variety

Fresh chicken –  always cruelty free, all – natural, preferably organic.

Fresh seafood – usually cold water oysters, line caught fish, wild fish, never farmed.

I hope this doesn’t make me sound snobby about my food; I’m really not.  I’ve seen too much stuff go on with animals, seafood and veggies (e coli) and have had my fill of bad chemicals on/in my food.  I am at a point in my life where I can make the decisions to have only natural chicken, pesticide free veggies and fruits, politically correct seafood, etc.  If you’re curious enough, you can find tons of information on the internet.  I’m not lecturing or preaching, and I’m not on a soapbox, so I will not give you the information here, but you can find it if you’re so inclined.  I do not eat poultry in public places unless I know where the poultry comes from, so this really limits my food selections while I’m eating out, which in turn helps me make better choices when I’m eating out, it sort of “forces” me to eat healthier.

I love to cook, and I would love to be a professional chef, but I would only want to cook what I wanted, when I wanted, and that is not conducive to having a career as a  professional chef, so I just do my thing in my own kitchen, and I have a husband and friends who truly appreciate my efforts.  I also love to watch “Top Chef” and “Top Chef Masters”.  Three Atlanta chefs are competing in “Top Chef” this season, and I truly hope one of them wins.  Atlanta has been stepped over too many times as an amazing culinary community, and we so desperatley need to be recognized for our local talent.  While I appreciate the big names coming in (Tom Collichio, Jean Georges, etc.), it is the local chefs that need the recognition.  “Top Chef Masters” showed true chefs showcasing their crafts, and I would give almost anything to work alongside Hubert Keller or Rick Bayless for just one week.  I did have the honor of working with Bayless’ daughter and wife a few years ago at Star Provisions, when they were appearing as part of a promotional tour for a book about women in the kitchen.  I’m fortunate enough to know how to cook wholesome, healthy meals, which is helping me so much in this journey.   I enjoy going to Farmer’s Markets to buy my fresh food, and there are some awesome local markets open on the weekends, and some select ones in the evenings through the week.  I do go to Your Dekalb Farmers Market a lot, for they have awesome poultry and seafood selections, and the produce is usually very fresh, even if it isn’t local (you just have to do the best you can, and if you’re able, go to various markets).

I love dogs.  I have Maltese dogs (I would insert thier photos here, but it takes up too much room; you can see Holly’s photo in the blog titled “My mojo might be broken”).  They’re little yap yap type dogs that most manly men don’t think about, but in our household, they don’t really yap too much, and my very masculine husband happens to love them as much as I do.  I detest anyone that is even remotely cruel to an animal, much less a dog.  I believe dogs bring so much happiness to a home, so much happiness to a depressed person, so much happiness to the elderly, and obviously so much life to a blind person, people with disorders that can cause seizures, etc.  You hear stories all the time about dogs saving lives when a house catches fire, or when someone has a life threatening attack of some sort.  Dogs are indeed (wo)man’s best friend.  They can save your life, too, if you walk them around the block a time or two every day and get your heart rate up as much as you can.  My dogs have little teeny short legs that make them walk really fast to keep up with us when we’re all walking.   Most of the time, we end up carrying one or two of them so we don’t have to wear them out.

I love to help people.  I may not always have financial resources to help, but I can always find time to help, so I like to volunteer for different causes, sometimes local, sometimes national.  I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, or working hard.  I’m participating in a 5k next month to benefit March of Dimes, and next year, I’ll be walking the 3 day with some of my fellow challengers to benefit the Susan G. Komen for A Cure Foundation for breast cancer.  I will also be doing a six hour spin/RPM session next year to raise money for ovarian cancer research, and  I’m lucky enough to be able to have volunteer opportunities that don’t necessarily require physical activity that also helps people, mostly local, that don’t have the means to help themselves.

So, this is just a little insight about my every day life, and things I love, and how they work into my “Challenge” lifestyle.

Until next time……..

So, a couple of sessions ago with Julie, my nutritionist from Emory, she suggested I visit a website called mindlesseating.com.  I went out and looked at it, and liked the website, so I ordered a book of the same name by the same guy that started the website, Brian Wansink, PhD.  I’ve read the book (and a couple of passages more than once), and wanted to share some bits that made me say to myself “Well……duh!” and I should have known these little hints, but didn’t. 

One of these gems is this:  If you want dessert, share it with someone.  The best part of a dessert is the first two bites.  Another one that I really like is:  Establish a Pick-two rule:  appetizer, drink, dessert – pick any two.  Now, don’t you say to yourself  “Gee, now why didn’t I think of that”? 

The book also talks about Physical Hunger (Builds gradually, strikes below the neck, occurs several hours after a meal, etc.) vs. Emotional Hunger (develops suddenly, above the neck e.g. a “taste” for ice cream, unrelated to time, etc.).  I know I should have thought about this, but I was always convinced that my hunger was real (ie physical) and not made up (except for those times when I’m watching a fabulous cooking show and drooling over Rick Bayless’ tamales).

While “Mindless Eating” goes into great detail about research and what causes mindless eating, snacking when you’re not hungry, guilt-eating, the size of restaurant portions, eating popcorn and candy during a movie, or in front of a tv, or while you’re reading, working on the computer,  etc., it also teaches you how to avoid mindless eating, tips on how to carve 100 calories from your daily intake, thre things to do to change your diet without making too much sacrifice, etc.  I’m not able to cover everything the book talks about, but I did want to share a few of the little things you might not have thought of, and it might help you the way I hope it helps me.  If you’re interested in reading more, I would suggest buying the book (off a website that offers used books at a discount), and reading and re-reading.  I’m sure I’ll keep it close for reference, especially if I find my self doing some mindless eating. 

Julie also gave me a couple of hints.  When I asked her why I (a grown, somewhat bright woman) continued to make bad food decisions, she mentioned that a decision is a choice, and before I actually make the choice of eating that bad snack/food, I should pause and ask myself two questions.  The first question should be “Is it worth it” and the second is “How hard am I going to have to work out to burn off these calories”.  Now, I’ve ramped up my exercise recently, and it’s wearing me flat out.  If I have to work out extra – extra now to burn off a peanut butter cracker or stale danish from the breakroom at work, I’m just not going to eat it.   Plain and simple.  I’ve had a few temptations since that conversation with Julie, and I’m proud to say I haven’t succumbed to them yet.

Current goal:  165

Current struggles: making good food choices (still)

Current weight:  180′ish

Current mood:  Happy, Happy, Happy!

 ”It isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish”  Thank you, Donna!

We recently met as a group to discuss personal nutrition issues we might have and re-visit our goals and our wellness plans with Julie and Jessica, our nutritionists from Emory.  It was an awesome meeting (as it is always wonderful to see my fellow challengers, and now that we’ve pared down, I appreciate them even more), and I learned a butt load about some non-dieting things we can do to keep up our momentum and keep the internal dialogue down to a low roar.  For instance, we learned a new relaxation technique (I thought I already had this part down pat from being in yoga, but you can never know too much about relaxation) that Jessica walked us through, we learned that this journey is about more than weight loss, we learned that you have to give yourself a gift (mine is good health), we learned how to see our future selves, we learned that we need to keep focusing on the positive aspects of this adventure and within ourselves, we need to measure non- scale victories, and we need to readjust our goals from time to time as we meet the goals we have already set for ourselves. 

Also, it seems that, by reading others’ blogs, that very few of us had a good July weight loss.  I know I didn’t.  I also knew I didn’t have a good weight loss in July simply because of the way my body was feeling, because of the texture of my skin, because I had very little energy, my attitude was all kinda cranky and grumpy for a few days straight in July, etc., and it was related to making crappy food choices.   My wake up call was two fold:  One, several of the challengers were released, another was getting on the scale.  I knew it was coming.   Nonetheless, I do not want to gain an ounce because of bad dietary habits.  If I’m going to gain an ounce, I want it to be muscle, not fat.  I have already taken the steps to improve my exercise by going longer, faster, adding more weight to my workouts and setting a personal goal to burn more calories each time I exercise.  I really need to work on bad food choices, and why I make those bad food choices.  I just don’t understand why, after all this time, and I know the consequences, I make some bad choices when it comes to eating.  I guess the temptation is just too much for me to ignore.  I truly need to get over this!  I’m going to talk to Julie a little more about that next time I see her (next week).

Another non-diet/lifestyle thing I learned……I knew Gary (Spencer) had a since of humor, but I didn’t know just how funny of a guy he is.  He’s wicked funny!