brenty

It's easy to overlook things that happen in slow motion, but the other day when someone complimented my ability to resist overindulging, it hit me: I've been building discipline! Okay, so the brain may not technically be a muscle, but you can strengthen it by exercising it. Just as pushups get easier the more I do them, saying no to junk food, Desserts, and even extra helpings of healthy food gets a little bit easier every time. I used to eat whole pizzas in one sitting (and breadsticks! and pasta!) multiple times a week. It felt like a compulsion. I still have my pizza nights, but now it's because I want to, not because I can't resist. Just some "food for thought". lol

That's awesome! Routine definitely helps. I always tell people to try different things for variety, but if you've found something that you really enjoy and look forward to, stick with it! Okay, so here's my speech: I was the same way! I hated, hated, HATED exercise and dreaded it. But I kept experimenting with new things until I found something I could tolerate (Wii Fit boxing), discovered something that I really didn't mind (cycling while listening to audiobooks), and then finally found something that I really enjoy (running with my wife). There is so much out there that if you're determined and you're willing to try new things, eventually you can find something you not only don't hate, but that you like doing! If only I had the money to spend on hockey equipment... Right before a serious workout, I really don't feel like doing it; during the workout, I want to die; but AFTER the workout, I feel like I can fly or something! Once you get used to exercising, the reward can really drive you. Gotta love those endorphins!

The important thing about breakfast isn't loading up on calories, it's jumpstarting your metabolism and fueling yourself with nutrients you need after a (hopefully) restful night without food. As long as you're getting a good helping of everything your body needs (protein, Vitamins, and minerals) you'll be off to a great start! Personally, I can't stand having much more than a shake when I first get up anyway. I don't want to feel sluggish while my body digests something too 'involved' at the start of the day. To this day, I still get that guilty feeling from time to time.

Unless you're immobile, your resting metabolic rate is almost certainly above 1200. If your body burns more calories than it consumes, you will lose weight. The tricky part is that your body can and will consume muscle tissue for energy 'as needed' -- which is what 'starvation mode' is about. Protein is super important, but it is even more critical that you consume enough in your diet while restricting to lose weight so that you're losing fat and not muscle. A person who is trying to maintain their weight needs approximately a half gram of protein per day per pound of body weight. But when your body is operating on a limited calorie budget, 1.5 to 2 times that is needed to ensure that your muscle mass is maintained. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns daily even without exercise, which is a beautiful thing if you ask me.

I think it's important to remember that, while we have a lot in common, everyone is unique. What 'clicks' for me may not hit the spot for you. My wife smoked for 15 years and tried to quit at least 5 times that I'm aware of (and I haven't known her all that time!) My struggle with food and managing my weight is the closest I can come to understanding what that must have been like for her, but in the end we both did it. Never give up! You just have to keep trying until you find what works for you. It is worth it. YOU are worth it! Personally, it was a matter of changing my unhealthy habits to healthier ones over time. If I moved too quickly, I just got frustrated and ended up back at square one. Weighing myself every day and logging my food and exercise allowed me to identify patterns -- both good and bad -- and make adjustments to get more of the results I wanted and avoid setbacks as much as possible. This was a lot of 'two steps forward, one step back', but over time I could see that I was getting somewhere...which motivated me to try even harder. Sure, I'd screw up sometimes. I still do. But I don't have to do it every day. I know that if I mess up today and eat too much of things I shouldn't that I just need to try harder tomorrow and the next day. We all lose some battles, but if we keep at it and we'll win the war!

Coffee is good in moderation. Just keep in mind that every cup you drink dehydrates two cups of water from your body. In the summer especially, this can really add up, so just make sure you're getting enough water with your coffee!

Chobani Pineapple is my favourite! I haven't seen Aldis anywhere. Just keep in mind that the flavoured ones generally have a lot more sugar. You can get plain and mix it with fresh fruit for taste. Lowfat string cheese is a handy Protein snack; soy nuts are my favourite though -- crunchy! I wish I could stand cottage cheese. I'll have to try hiding it in things to see if that helps.

25 pounds is some serious progress! That's great! I know exactly what you mean about nutrition and food choices. As hard as it was to get into exercising regularly, I struggled with that even more. It is so much more crucial that we get the nutrition we need, but it can be so much harder in a low-calorie diet. Having fruits and vegetables handy and eating a lot of soy (high Protein and low fat!) in all forms really helped, but like Jeani said, nutritional supplements (multivitamins, etc.) can help take a lot of the guesswork out when it comes to Vitamins and minerals -- which allows you to focus on putting good things into your body. When I got on my nutrition program it made a huge difference in my energy, and saved me a lot of headache. It is also really helpful if you use a food logging tool like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal. If you're consistent with logging, it will show you what you're doing well and where you need to improve when it comes to daily food and nutrient intake.

Logging is a tool we can use to get (and stay!) on track, but it's okay to not be a slave to it if you've got it under control. I feel like I am pretty good about eyeballing my food and being consistent, but I still use Lose It! It keeps me honest, especially when I cheat.

Exactly! It's a great way to get quality feedback about the effect your diet has on your progress, and then make adjustments. Oh wow! I always forget about the scanner. That is a huge benefit! I LOVE Lose It! Been using it for two years or so now, and it's really helped me. I almost wish it had time logging though, because I bet if I had that data it would be useful as well...but that could get to be a pain. Anyway, send me a message if you want to friend me up...and then I'll have to figure out how.

I get super bored walking or running most of the time, so I've found that listening to audiobooks and podcasts really passes the time and keeps my brain engaged. On the other hand, walking to GET somewhere at least feels purposeful (and there can be nice scenery!) so I try to walk everywhere I can to try to sneak in some extra exercise. Especially if it is sunny and breezy!

My condolences! Ours stopped reading discs late last year. We eventually got a new one (good deal at Walmart), but it was interesting doing our imaginary Wii Fit in the mean time, since at that point we had been doing it for so long we had almost everything memorized!

If it's not something your body is used to, there can be a lot of pain and discomfort as your muscles rebuild and recover to prepare for the next onslaught. It gets easier, though! Just be mindful of your body and learn the difference between productive and destructive pain. And when in doubt see your doctor and personal trainer!

Really it is a matter of personal taste and your goals. My wife and I try to work out every day, and then we skip as exceptions are needed -- which is more often lately with our schedules. When I started getting serious, I was shooting for 3-4 days a week. That's what many medical and fitness advocates recommend. I think, though, that this is partially to avoid turning off inactive people completely: to go from 0 to 60 is daunting; it is much more palatable to ease into a more active lifestyle. So when my wife and I work out 7 days a week, that isn't to say we're busting our butts. For us, it's just a matter of routine. When we were less consistent, we were SUPER inconsistent. If we make it a habit, we're much better about keeping it up. It's like brushing our teeth. Regarding recovery, super athletic people I work with don't really struggle with this. There are a couple ways to recover. Over time your body will repair itself. That's a given. But the other option is to lessen the recovery time needed, almost to the point of being negligible -- depending on the scenario -- by giving your body extra vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and -- most significantly -- protein to rebuild muscle tissue. It's like a brick house. If you demolish it, you can rebuild it by making more bricks yourself and repairing the structure; or you can stockpile bricks ahead of time and then move them into place as needed. It isn't 'no recovery' exactly, but it really makes a huge difference.

I haven't found a ready-mixed shake that was as affordable as a powder that you mix yourself. Besides, I like to experiment with mine. It's just more fun that way!