Special K

I am a chocolate lover, as I've previously mentioned. I also love cereal. These two foods are obviously not the best things to be addicted to when you're trying to watch your weight, but thanks to Special K's Chocolatey Delight cereal I can enjoy both without the guilt.



I love this cereal. Not only is it yummy, but it isn't overwhelmingly filling. The flakes are lightly sweetened, and in my opinion would be fine just by themselves. There are also little chocolate bits that make each bite a little better. I usually enjoy a small bowl of it after dinner or for a snack when I get home from class.

I'm also a big fan of the blueberry cereal they offer. It has blueberry flavored clusters and wheat flakes with blueberry flavoring as well. This is my healthy version of Muffin Tops cereal, which is just about the best stuff around.



If cereal isn't your thing, Special K also offers a variety of shakes, protein and snack bars, and crackers. In my opinion, they offer the best figure-friendly snacks, as far as flavor goes.

Beer Guts

As any college student living in these Facebook times, I've found myself spending too much time online browsing photos of my fellow peers. One disturbing thing I've found is the overwhelming number of young girls with beer guts and double chins. Now I'm no pre-med student, but I don't think it takes a total braniac to figure out whats making these girls fat. Alcohol. Whats even more upsetting is that they truly feel they can hit the gym a few times a week and lose the weight they've put on. The missing element to their brilliant plan is a healthy diet plan. They continue to be photographed bonging beer and pounding cheeseburgers at tailgates, but still think they're taking the necessary steps to getting those six-pack abs. Think again, ladies.

Alcohol, like anything that your body won't break down easily, should be consumed minimally when trying to lose weight. This is a common fact that you will find in almost every diet book. Although some would dispute that alcohol consumption is directly related to weight gain, it cannot be denied that overeating is associated with the actual consumption itself.

So what can girls do? Stop binge drinking.

Okay, so chances are most of these girls will not stop drinking, but they can take a few steps to help the binge eating when they feel the need to drink excessively.

1. Do away with the temptation. At most of these functions where heavy drinking takes place, there is sure to be not-so-good-for-you food. Take a tailgate for instance. At most of these you can easily find hotdogs, hamburgers, cookies, etc. Now these don't seem TOO horrible, however when these party go-ers drink a lot, they stop thinking about how many hours at the gym those 3 hotdogs and cookies are going to cost them. They start thinking about how good the food smells, and how much they would enjoy grabbing just one more fistfull of chips. So if you know you're going to be at an event like this, take your own healthy food that you know you can afford to munch on. For instance, trade in the homemade chocolate chip cookies for oatmeal with dark chocolate chips or swap your greasy potato chips for veggies and lowfat dip or hummus. These switches are a sure fired way to help you from popping a button on your cutoff jeans.
2. Only allow yourself a certain amount to drink. If you know you won't be able to resist the snack table, cut back on the drinking or switch to a drink that will satisfy whatever you are craving.
3. The final tip would be to keep yourself active. If you are in a social situation where heavy drinking will be involved, keep yourself moving around. You'll be more tempted to snack if you're sitting around with a drink in one hand and a free hand just dying to clutch a cheesburger.

Also, something else to keep in mind, ladies. With every passing year it gets harder and harder for the pounds to come off. So keep that in the back of your mind whenever you're planning to attend your neighbors keg party. You will regret it later. Promise.

Blogging Blunder

Well, as you can see, my brilliant plan to blog more often has failed miserably. I have started back to school since the last post and have found myself knee deep in homework almost every night. In fact, for the first time in my life, a few Saturday nights ago I found myself writing note cards. ON A SATURDAY.

Last Wednesday in my reporting class we were asked to browse a few blogs and come up with a story idea. As usual I found myself navigating my way around a fitness blog, when I discovered something I'd never heard of before. Orthorexia Nervosa. For those who have never heard of this eating disorder, you are not alone. Apparently it is a disorder that's fairly new to nutritionists and specialists. I was stunned to discover the symptoms were eerily similar to the very lifestyle I lead. Here are a list of the "warning signs."

According to Steven Bratman, MD, (the man who coined the term) orthorexia may look like anorexia nervosa, but it has significant differences. Maintaining an obsession with health food may cause a restriction of calories merely because available food isn't "good enough." Those with orthorexia may lose enough weight to give them a body mass index consistent with someone with anorexia (i.e., less than 18.5).
Eating only the "right foods" (and perhaps only at the "right times") can give those with orthorexia a sense of superiority to others. Relationships suffer as they become less important than holding to dietary patterns. (http://eatingdisorders.about.com/od/othereatingdisorders/p/orthorexia.htm)

Now, I realize this disorder is healthy eating at its most extreme, but this got me a little nervous about my own obsessive eating habits. Let's just say I'll be a little less restrictive when it comes to my caloric intake from now on!

Beans: They Don't Just Make You Toot

Last night I met up with some girlfriends I went to high school with. They are really the only people I went to high school with that I really try to stay in touch with. It's so difficult for us to see each other these days because of our busy lives, but we always try. We had dinner and decided to watch a movie after so we could utilize as much of our time together as possible. We decided to see Julie and Julia, which was an excellent choice. Not only did it motivate me to start posting more, but it also motivated me to start experimenting more with my diet.

I've tried for several years to maintain healthy eating habits, but it wasn't until recently that I really started exploring my dietary options. For instance, I've started straying as far away from red meat as possible and substituting beans, mushrooms, and other "meaty" vegetables in it's place. I've also made it a habit to order fish at almost every meal. I reserve chicken for salads, and try to even go vegetarian at least one day a week.

Since I've started eating beans more, I've noticed that I feel fuller longer and I don't feel weighed down, like when I eat breads and pastas. Not only are they good, but they are relatively easy to prepare. Most beans that come in a bag can just be added to water and simmered for an hour or two. Plus, they're cheap! Garbanzo beans or chickpeas are also another great option that don't even have to be cooked if bought in a can. They are also a nice crouton substitute for salads. Now let's not forget the really great part about garbanzo beans...hummus. Throw a few handfuls of these little beauties in a food processor, add your favorite flavors, and voilà! You have a great batch of hummus that is perfect for dipping.

So why make an entire entry about beans? Well according to whfoods.com, black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and when combined with whole grains, like brown rice, they provide a tasty meal that is high in protein and extremely low in fat. This is ideal for someone like me who is trying to blast fat and build lean, long muscles. Check out the link below for more details.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=2

In closing, I'd like to leave you all with this simple concoction I just discovered today when I was trying to spice up my lunch. It left me full, satisfied and didn't blow my diet.

Hispanic Mediterranean Salad

2 handfuls of spinach leaves (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups)
2 1/2 tbs of black and red bean/brown rice mix, cooked
1/4 cup of garbanzo beans or "chickpeas"
2 tbs of red pepper hummus (see additional recipe)
3-5 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken strips, cooked
salt and pepper

Combine the rice, beans, chicken, and hummus on top of the bed of spinach leaves for a tasty mediterranean/hispanic inspired twist on chicken salad.

Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 fresh lime, juiced
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

In a food processor or blender, mix the garbanzo beans, olive oil, red bell pepper, lime juice, water, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth.

Taking It Easy

On Tuesday I had my wisdom teeth removed. I assumed that I'd be back to my old workout routine within two or three days. Boy was I wrong!

This got me thinking about letting myself go and how easy it would be to fall off the wagon. Since it has been a week since I've worked out, I've noticed a big difference in my body. I haven't gained any weight, but I have noticed that I've lost definition. It makes me wonder how people can let themselves go and not feel guilty. I feel terrible because I haven't been able to do cardio and it isn't even because of lack of motivation! I just can't imagine anyone stopping simply out of laziness.

So how do we stay on track and not fall off the wagon? Well first I would suggest to anyone to keep track of their workouts. I myself keep a journal with every workout session I've done in a span of two or three months in it and it helps me track my progress. It also helps me see which days of the week I am my most active. I have a better chance of success if I know exactly how much effort I am putting in week to week. Another suggestion is to have a buddy. I used to run with a girlfriend of mine who was in amazing shape and she was such good motivation. When I would feel like walking, she'd push me to run a little further. Now that we both are busy with our own routines, we don't get to workout together as much, so now my boyfriend is sort of my buddy. He is in amazing shape and has been for years, so I push myself extra hard when I run with him, just to show him I can keep up. My final suggestion for staying on track would have to be keeping goals. When I first began working out, I was only running a little over a half of a mile and I told myself at the time that in the next month I would be running over a mile, with no breaks. It's been a year now and I can run over three miles with no stops. Had I not kept pushing myself to run a little further, or to do a few more situps, I wouldn't be in the shape I am today.

So because I've been off my game this week, my goal is to be back up on my feet, 100%, by Wednesday. Today, I'll start with a brisk walk and then hopefully be running my normal pace by the middle of the week.

Food Journal Post 2

Monday 7-13-09
Breakfast: 3/4 packet of oatmeal and two slices of toast with butter
Lunch: side salad
Snack: piece of pound cake
Dinner: open face portabella mushroom sandwich with red peppers, tomato, and cheese, sweet potato fries, and few bites of brownie dessert
Snack: Weight Watchers fudge bar and handful of chips
Tuesday 7-14-09
Breakfast: 2 eggs (1 with yolk) and two slices of toast with butter
Snack: Special K bar
Lunch: 5 pineapple chunks, two tbs of cottage cheese, and one slice of turkey on a wheat cracker
Dinner: chicken salad with lowfat Italian dressing
Snack: 4 pineapple chunks and 3 dark chocolate Kisses
Wednesday 7-15-09
Breakfast: 2 egg whites with asiago cheese sprinkled on top and one slice of toast with butter
Snack: 1/2 an English muffin with peanut butter
Lunch: 2 tbs of fat free cottage cheese, 1/2 can of tuna on 1/2 an English muffin, and two wheat crackers
Snack: raspberry smoothie from Carvel
Dinner: 2 crackers and stir fry with low sodium soy sauce
Dessert: 1 cup of yogurt, 3 pieces of pineapple and 1 dark chocolate Kiss
Thursday 7-16-09
Breakfast: 1/2 packet of oatmeal with 1 tsp of maple syrup and one slice of toast with butter
Lunch: chicken salad with 1/4 piece of bread
Dinner: 1/2 small turkey wrap on multigrain tortilla, Special K bar, and 5 small pineapple chunks
Snack: 4 crackers with peanut butter and 1 cup of yogurt
Friday 7-17-09
Breakfast: 1 egg white with asiago cheese, 1 slice of toast with butter, and 1/2 English muffin with peanut butter
Snack: 5 saltines with 1/2 can of tuna, 1/2 Special K bar, and 3 tbs of cottage cheese
Lunch: 1 slice of turkey, 2 wheat crackers with peanut butter and 1/2 cup of broccoli
Snack: Special K bar
Dinner: 1/2 side salad, 1/4 piece of tuna with grilled veggies, and 1 piece of bread
Snack: cheese and crackers ( about 2)
Saturday 7-18-09
Lunch: 5 dark chocolate Kisses, 3/4 turkey sandwich on wheat bread and a small bowl of Wheaties cereal with skim milik
Snack: 1/2 Special K bar
Dinner: chicken salad, 1 breadstick, 1 Hershey Kiss, and 5 pineapple chunks

Busy Time of Year

Although summer is still technically in full swing, it seems to be flying by for me. This time of year is always my most busy and it seems to be the best time for me to focus on my diet. Around this time of year I'm on the move a lot, which keeps me off my couch and out of my cabinets. It's also the time where everyone around me is scrambling to squeeze in a last minute summer vacation and needs to be in bikini ready shape. Although this isn't the case for me, I still use a great workout DVD by Shape magazine called "Ultimate Bikini Body Workout." This workout video features a 30 minute total body workout, a 10 minute leg toning workout, a 10 minute ab toning workout, and a 10 minute cardio blast workout for girls on the go.

This video is one of the most intense videos I've ever done. The 30 minute workout works every part of your body and does so in a short amount of time. I usually like to do that workout 2 times a week and then on days when I'm not wanting such an intense workout I do the three ten minute sessions. I have noticed results since I've started incorporating videos into my workout routine for when I can't make it to the gym.

I found this DVD at Barnes and Noble and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to mix up their workout.