Discipline Takes Practice

Paulin Nordin

Oh how I do struggle with this issue. Some days I am completely good about staying far, far away from the foods that I grew up loving. While others I find myself giving in to the temptation and pull of a food simply because "it tastes sooooooooooo good".

Of course I immediately feel guilty about it and punish myself with a killer workout the next day—reinforcing the notion that I should have left it alone in the first place—but the penance I pay only lasts until the next slip-up undoubtedly happens and then...BOOM!

Well, today was one of those days. I didn't eat well because I simply wanted to go "off the wagon" and eat something delicious and hearty for a change. Lifting, circuit-training, biking, etc. is all good for this body of mine but it also means I spend a great deal of my day looking for my next meal. And, did I mention I absolutely love food?

Inasmuch as I've gotten away from meat—tofu and soy are infinitely more desireable options to me at this point—and eschew most things dairy (although I don't know that I'll ever leave cheese), I do have my weaknesses. And when life gets ridiculously busy, I turn to those vices by the boatload.

When this happens, I start looking for ways to get myself back on track: a fellow woman-in-training, a photo, a quote, a song...or a simple blog post written by someone whose life is all about what I'm trying to become—the very definition of fit.

I found that inspiration today via Muscle and Fitness Hers; it was in a blog post written by Pauline Nordin—a fitness fanatic who has conditioned and trained herself into a fighting machine. Here's what she had to say about those days when the cravings seems to overwhelm your good intentions:

...when you cheat on your diet, you condition your brain into believing that it’s okay to give in. So when the urge to eat crappy food is strong enough, that’s it -- you will give in. To break this habit, you have to be consistent in saying no to the craving. When you are consistent, you give that response strength and you know that there is no damn way that cookie craving is going to derail you from your plan.

I read that and a light bulb went off for me because so often I just feel like—man...what did I just do here? LOL.

But reading that post reminded me that discipline takes practice and the destination I'm trying to end at won't come without setbacks.

So, today I lost, but as Scarlett O'Hara would say, "...tomorrow is another day".

Truth in Individualty

I can be a tough woman to please. My mood shifts on a dime, I'm constantly obsessing over something that to most people would seem petty, and I'm never altogether certain if I'm where I want to be–emotionally–on any given day of the week.

Exercise, for me, offers a way to remain connected to my body (and hence myself) long enough to figure out what my goals are and where I need to refocus my attention in order to meet them.

However, if I make the mistake of going astray from my food diet or not getting the sleep I need the night before–often leading to a lackluster workout—then I'm prone to regress into bad habits as willingly as any other.

Simplicity comes easily only if you're life isn't complicated or cluttered. And if the only person you have to worry about is yourself, chances are it'll be easy to step away and not be as accountable for your misgivings because there won't be anyone there to call you on it.

That said, if you're presenting your life to the same people on a daily basis, any mistakes or missteps you make will undoubtedly be on display. You can try to run from their critiques for a while but, eventually, you will be forced to endure the opinion of that person who feels the need to "keep it real" with you.

The thing I've tried to learn from my numerous trips down the road of imperfection is that I'm likely always going to be my own worst critic. As such, the bar I've set for myself is one that has to be flexible, realistic, and open to success and my failure.

Truth in individuality is the key to becoming better as a person and more focused as a woman/man of good health (both physical and mental).

Take the three steps forward as a sign of progress and any regressions as your personal message that no improvement can be complete without first revisiting where you began.

What To Do When You're In Fast Food Hell

It's tough to be healthy all the time—let me tell you. I've recently returned from an out-of-town trip where food options were relatively slim and it occurred to me yet again just how much the food service industry caters to the avid meat-eating crowd.

The town I spent the last several days visiting was blessed with six restaurants—McDonalds (of course), Bojangles, KFC, Subway, Zaxby's and Wendy's—and while all offered a "healthy" alternative to eating a cheeseburger or fried chicken, none offered what I would call a sustainable option for a person whose diet is 85-90 percent devoid of meat or meat-products.

Now, I'll be honest and say that by this point in time I have grown accustomed to such dilemmas in traveling to smaller cities and towns—vegetarians and vegans are still in the minority for the most part where major food chains are concerned—and I usually combat such issues by packing my own snacks and meal options (I typically also opt for hotel chains that offer fully stocked kitchens where I have the option of preparing my own meals if necessary). However, this wasn't a planned trip and, as such, I was left totally unprepared.

As a result, my days were spent eating veggie subs from Subway and tossed salads from wherever the smell of hot grease didn't overwhelm my delicate nose sense.

So what can you do when you find yourself in fast food hell? My best advice is to stick to the side of the board that seems most friendly to your heart and hips. Here's a hint: if you have to think too hard about it, then it's probably a 'no'.

Second, if you find that you don't have many options—and you're not averse to eating meat—try eating burgers minus the cheese and mayo, stick to chicken that's grilled, and the less fare you order on your salad the better (i.e., skip the cheese, ham, croutons, sunflower seeds, and dressing).

And it goes without saying that anything fried is a no-no.

Start there and then just use your good sense the rest of the way and you'll be fine.

Related articles

• The Most Unhealthy Meals Served By America's Fast Food Chains (247wallst.com)
• Study shows what kids eat at McDonald's (fooducate.com)
• 10 Fast Food Favorites Made "Healthy" (thedailymeal.com)
• Survive a Long Day at the Mall with these Healthy Food Court Picks (prweb.com)

The FDA Needs More Money, Not Less, You Ridiculously Stupid Politiciains

Have you ever watched the documentary Food Inc? Well, I have—twice—and it's disturbing to see the lack of value the federal government appears to have in policing the quality of the food that comes across our kitchen tables every night.

So, when it came to my attention that some of the geniuses responsible for passing laws in this country were putting the wheels in motion to not only renege on the promise of more money for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but to cut them back another $87 million, I was a bit perplexed—quite frankly outraged—by the sheer irresponsibility of it all.

Here is a snippet of an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle which explains the initial plan, the subsequent take-back, and the logic behind the new plan:

Budget cuts proposed by House Republicans to the Food and Drug Administration would undermine the agency's ability to carry out a historic food-safety law passed by Congress just five months ago, food-safety supporters say.


The legislation, passed in December, is the first major change to the nation's food-safety laws since 1938. It calls for the FDA to significantly step up scrutiny of domestic and imported food and devise a new system to prevent the kind of contamination that sickens 1 in 6 Americans every year.


The law, which received bipartisan support, followed years of cutbacks at the FDA and waves of national food-borne illnesses linked to foods as varied as spinach, peanuts and cookie dough.


To carry out the new law, President Obama is seeking $955 million for food safety at the FDA in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.


Last week, the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the FDA pared back that amount to $750 million, which is $87 million less than the figure the agency is currently receiving for food safety.

...the agency will not be able to meet many requirements of the new law, including increased inspections of food manufacturing plants, better coordination with state health departments and development of the capability to more respond quickly to food-borne illnesses to reduce their impact.

Richard D. Saunders, deputy director of Virginia's Division of Animal and Food Industry Services, questions the wisdom of passing the law " if you're going to turn around and cut FDA's funding ... FDA has never had enough funding to begin with."

I don't give a flip what party you belong to, you have to wonder about the genius behind any think-tank that feels we, as American citizens, can get by with less where food safety is concerned. It's just idiotic as all heck to believe we are okay with the status quo when there are increasingly more outbreaks of E. Coli, salmonella, and various other food borne illnesses around the globe.

If anything, they should be giving more to the cause, not less.

Perhaps the House subcommittee needs an outbreak to come there way at one of their lunch sessions so that they can grasp the urgency of this matter because it seems to me that they aren't taking any of this seriously enough.

Ay yi yi. Here's an idea for those morons we've entrusted to help "run this country", how about you actually start making laws that protect us, eh? I mean, I know that the money from all those big corporations help fund your yearly vacations, but I would like to be able to go into a supermarket, pick up some romaine lettuce or peanut butter and know that I won't die.

Just a thought.

Related articles

• Food Safety Overhaul Faces Defunding (opencongress.org)
• Be Smart About Food Safety (everydayhealth.com)
• You aren't what you eat: GOP challenges healthy eating rules (capitolhillblue.com)

Healthy Food Choices: Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

I'm sometimes offended when people make the assumption that eating healthy means eating foods that don't taste good or offer much in the way of substance because that is simply not the case.

Back in the day, when there weren't as many options aside from what one could grow or catch on his or her own, we didn't have the wealth of resources (farmers markets, whole food stores, organic growers, etc.) available to us that we do now. So, it was easy to believe that a diet that wasn't based around meat was filled with an overabundance of leafy vegetables, beans, and granola—and, I'll admit, most people aren't ready to get on board with a diet that, presumably, has that little substance.

However, now more than ever, we are exposed to an endless amount of food choices that offer those who are willing to shun meat a more filling diet based around not only fresh foods like the above-mentioned greens, beans, and nuts—and for the record, I'm not a full-blown vegetarian just yet, but I have found that my desire to eat meat lessens with each meal I don't choose to use it as an option—as well as some delicious meat-alternatives like tofu, tempeh, and tofurkey.

No, I'm not kidding. 

Just the other day I enjoyed a Gyro made with tempeh, as opposed to lamb or chicken, and it was delicious! Of course I was later questioned if such a thing it can actually be called a Gyro if it doesn't contain the signature Greek staple of lamb meat but I can say, without question, that I didn't miss the meat one bit and I enjoyed every bite.

Now, to be honest, most of these foods are an acquired taste. Going from eating a diet filled with chicken, beef, and pork to one that is mainly based around soy, tofu, and beans is not something that can be done overnight. It's a process that takes time and most people will need a few weeks, or even months, to get their bodies used to such a change. However, in the long run, you'll feel so much better.


Anytime you  make a decision to fill your body with foods that are made from fresh ingredients, you feel better (both mentally and physically) because you are no longer burdened by the overall weight that processed, heavily saturated, foods often leave behind—put simply: fresh is better.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do still occasionally enjoy meat dishes, but it's less than I did six-months ago and, if given the option, I will often now choose the dish without meat.

Still, though, take note of the preparation of said foods before partaking in any of them. There are a number of unhealthy vegetarians and self-proclaimed "health nuts" running about who aren't paying attention to moderation and preparation where their diet is concerned—a black bean burger can be a delicious alternative to one made of angus, but don't fool yourself into thinking that you can over -indulge in such dishes simply because it's not made from a meat source.

Always use moderation, watch the amount of salt and oil you use in preparation, and be aware of serving sizes—those rules apply to everyone!

Your body can't function at it's best if you only allow bad stuff into it and while I'm not advocating vegetarianism, veganism, or anything else (I'll leave that to Kathy Freston), I do support your taking a healthier approach to what you choose to eat each day. The choice can be as simple as selecting grapes over a bag of chips or drinking a glass of water as opposed to a soft drink.

It's the little things that make the difference.

Related articles

• Vegan Curious (fitnessnyc.wordpress.com)
• A Vegetarian Livelihood - Healthy and Satisfying (blazingminds.co.uk)
• Tips on cooking more nutritious meals (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

'GMA's' Diet Food Challenge Emphasizes A Common Problem With Weight-Loss Programs

Good Morning America (or GMA as some have come to call it) did a diet food contest in hopes of finding out what both chefs and everyday people thought of the foods most often associated with the three major diet programs—Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and NutriSystem.

You can click the link above to see the results, but here is my overall opinion of all of those programs: they work so long as you are using them in a manner that suits your lifestyle, but it seems counter-productive to only use pre-packaged food items to reach your goals.

As much as frozen and shelf-stable (which is what brands like NutriSystem are considered) can be a great way to start getting acquainted with portion-control and and calorie counting, they can also become health hazards if they are not appropriately monitored by the user.

For instance, if a meal states that it is under 500 calories, be sure that it offers enough vegetables to help you reach your dietary goals for the day. If it doesn't, plan to add to your meal by preparing a small salad or adding a side of steamed veggies. Furthermore, be cognizant of the nutritional label of every frozen or shelf-stable food item you choose to purchase—how much sodium does the item contain? How many grams of dietary fiber does it offer?

While it's easy to get addicted to eating frozen meals as a means of losing weight, you should really begin working towards the preparation of your own—fresh food based—meal planning. In the end, a diet based around pre-packaged snacks and foods is not one which will be valuable over the long haul because what happens when buying 15-21 meals a week (at $4-6.00 a pop) is no longer viable?

In most cases, if a person has not learned to prepare his or her own meals, they will revert to the old way of doing things—much of the time resulting in unhealthy purchases.

My humble advise, as always, is to use whatever plan you choose to follow in a sensible way by taking advantage of the supplemental services each offers (i.e. personal coaches, chat rooms, and weight-loss support meetings) but start working towards becoming your own personal chef and finding great, naturally grown, foods that will both enhance your life and your health.

Related articles

• Jenny Craig diet beats rivals: Consumer Reports (cbc.ca)
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Do You Know What You're Eating?

Many people haven't the slightest idea how to read a nutritional label—ya know, that thing on the side of the box that lists 'servings', 'serving size', 'fat', etc? Well, that little box is your best supermarket friend because it gives you the facts about the item you're purchasing.

When making a decision to buy any item you haven't grown or raised yourself, it's important to take note of what exactly has gone into producing it and how said production makes that particular item good or bad for your overall health.

I typically examine three basic elements when reading a nutritional label:

1. Dietary Fiber (per serving): Fiber is your friend. I won't go into the medical benefits (find a great article about that here) of what it can do for you but, I can tell you this much, it certainly helps keep my body feeling toxin free. I tend to look for foods that offer 3 or more grams of fiber per serving, but the more the better. 
2. Fat content (per serving): Where fiber is your friend, bad fats (foods high in saturated and/or trans fats) are your enemy. Stay away from chips and other packaged snack items that are fried in peanut or vegetable oil. Even more, if you choose to indulge in said items, note the serving size—most potato chips are meant to be eaten 10-12 at a time. If you're eating half a bag of Lay's a day, you could be hurting yourself. 
3. Sodium (per serving): The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for sodium, per day, is 24-2500mg. If that sounds like a lot, it's not, that's about a teaspoon per day. If frozen dinners are a staple in your daily diet, there's a good chance you are well over that allowance after eating just one meal. Pay attention to this element the most as it's the easiest to go overboard on and the hardest to track. 

Other things worth taking a close look at on a label are sugar content, carbohydrates, and calories.

Too much sugar can put you on a fast track towards diabetes, bad carbohydrates (particularly the ones you glean through consumption of white rice, soda, and white bread) can lead to heart disease and weight gain, and too many calories will topple any healthy living plan. Try to keep your caloric intake reasonable and make sure that the majority of that intake comes from fresh, not processed, foods.

My general rule of thumb when carting it up at the grocery store is to buy fresh (organic if possible) foods made from lots of whole grains. I stay as far away from prepackaged dinners and meals as possible and focus on maximizing fiber intake with every purchase.

It's my way of telling my body 'thank you' for not breaking down on me in a pinch.

Good fuel typically results in good mileage where the body is concerned. Fill yours up with as much good stuff as possible and you'll be surprised at the difference it makes.

Related articles

• Eat for a Healthy Heart (everydayhealth.com)
• How Fiber Helps Ease Constipation (everydayhealth.com)
• Nutritious Frozen Meals for Families (brighthub.com)
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