Reading a Nutritional Label

When I first started tracking what I ate, I was rudely awakened to serving sizes. In fact, if I'm completely honest I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at first. Did you know that most cereals boast low calories per serving because their serving is less typically less than a cup--more like, 1/2 cup for most. I don't know about you but if my cereal wasn't teeming out of the top of the bowl, then I went back for more. Just the other day, my husband and I were looking at getting a 16 oz package of artichoke dip. With just 90 calories per serving, we were sold! Almost. The problem? The serving size was 1 oz, that means that if we sat down and polished off the entire (small) container we would have, together, eaten 1440 calories! This almost my entire caloric intake for the day!

So today I'm hoping to give you some tips and suggestions on how to read and thoughtfully consider all of the information available to you on a nutritional label. For the following information, I'll be using two bags of chips; Late July Sweet Potato chips and Lays Classic potato chips.

The label on the left corresponds to the Late July chips and the Lays Classic chips are on the right. 

Serving Size: Look closely, the serving size for either chip is only 9-15 chips, not the entire bag as I would have hoped in the beginning of my journey. I'm not sure who can sit down and simply eat 9-15 chips and be satiated. I cannot so I avoid them, knowing I am better able to eat my calories elsewhere. 

Calories: Foods that are high in calories are not necessarily awful for you but they need to be limited (example: nuts and nut butters) but foods that are low in calories don't automatically make them better for you. Under eating is as harmful as overeating. So what makes up the calories in foods? There are 3 macro nutrients that together make up the calories in all the foods you eat and they are: fat, carbohydrates, and protein. Each gram of fat is made of 9 calories and each gram of protein and each gram of carbohydrates are made of 4 calories. With this information, you should be able to calculate the calories in an item on your own--thankfully, you don't need to but it's a good bit of knowledge to have. 

Limit the following nutrients: All fats, cholesterol and sodium. Your diet shouldn't be high in any of these items. There are good fats: nuts, avocados, and certain oils to name a few but these should not be the main items in your diet. While cholesterol is necessary for cell function, too much cholesterol can lead to high blood pressure, strokes, and even heart attacks. Foods that are high in cholesterol are eggs, fish, pork, red meat, cheese, etc. Be mindful as you eat these foods. Sodium is the scientific name for salt. Too much salt can cause bloating, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. 

Carbohydrates: Contrary to popular assumption, carbohydrates are not awful little creatures who steal your gains and make you fat. Carbohydrates are an energy source for your body and when eaten properly, you can use them to help you make great progress when you exercise. Making wise choices is important. Think of things like fruits and vegetables and foods made of whole wheat. Remember that fiber and sugar are components in carbohydrates. Fiber helps your body maintain proper digestive funtion. Sugar is highly unnecessary in our diet and is commonly used to make us crave foods. Carbohydrates turn into glucose sugar that our bodies can use, added sugar is unnecessary and unhealthy. You'll notice to the right of every nutritional label there is a column indicating the percent of daily value of each nutrient makes up. There is not a recommended daily amount of sugar, and therefore, you'll never see a percentage there. Moral of the store, limit sugar. 

Protein: Protein is the single most important nutrient in your diet when it comes to wanting to build muscle. Protein also helps you to remain full longer, resulting in you eating less and can lead to weight loss. Some good sources of protein (aside from meats, which I'm sure everyone is familiar with) are: nuts, nut butter, grains, beans, and leafy greens among other things. For normal individuals, you should be taking in about 50-60 grams. For individuals hoping to build muscle it is recommended that you eat .5-1 gram per each gram of body weight. 

Ingredient lists: Did you know that the order in which the ingredients are listed on the label indicates how much of the item is in the product, meaning they are listed from most to least. Using our example from above, Late July Sweet Potato chips have more Organic White Corn than any other ingredient and Lays Classic chips are more Potatoes than any other ingredient. It is important to choose items that have the fewest ingredients. Doing so will ensure you're not putting unnecessary things in your body. Organic ingredients are preferred as well, meaning that no chemicals were used in the making of those ingredients--no chemicals on ingredients means no chemicals entering your body! Watch out for sneaky additions of sugar into your foods by using other names such as: aspartame, syrup, molasses, fructose, any type of juice, dextran, any type of malt, glucose, and many many others!  

Based on the two bags of chips above, using the knowledge we just discussed, the Late July chips are a better option. They are lower in fat and carbohydrates which leads to lower calories. The sodium is lower which is better for heart health and while the ingredients list is longer, it is full of organic and health conscious ingredients. 

Hopefully with this article, you feel better equipped to read a nutritional label and make educated decisions on serving sizes and what you're actually putting into your body. 

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have! If I do not know the answer, I will find out for you! 

And it all comes tumbling down

Sometimes the motivation that stems from deep within, the same motivation that has driven me to lose nearly 100 pounds, goes silent. Eerily silent. Occasionally, the voice in my head saying that I cannot do something is significantly louder and more convincing than that meek voice that encourages me to just keep moving. You'd probably assume that after 18 months of this journey that the voice of deception and defeat is quieter and the voice of confidence and encouragement is far louder. You'd be wrong. Honestly, the longer I do this, the louder the negativity in my own head gets, when I let it seep in.
A little insight into my week. My children were recently out of town for two weeks affording me the freedom to go to the gym whenever I felt like it. I was able to buy different (more expensive) health foods because I was only shopping for my husband and I. As much as I missed them, when they came home it felt like I got body slammed. Back to life, back to the reality of having to fit in workouts where I can, buying less expensive but still healthy foods. In the interest of being completely honest, I have only worked out one time since they got home a week ago.
So as I sat on the couch feeling lumpy and pathetic all week, I let that voice overtake me. "This cannot be done with a husband, children, and a job!" or "You're not going to succeed!". Logically, this makes absolutely no sense, but the feelings are still there.
This morning, I got up and felt lighter. I've been telling my husband about the feelings I've had and boy does that help! So I figured I'd share it with you too.
I have a sneaking suspicion that people give me a lot credit for "having it all together"--I don't. Maybe they assume that I never grow tired of this journey--I do. Maybe they think that if they lose motivation for a time, that it is all over for them--it isn't. I will pick myself up, dust myself off and continue down the path I've laid out for myself--and so will you! It's ok to feel defeated, tired, and overwhelmed. This lifestyle isn't intuitive for everyone (is it for anyone?) and it takes work. Remember, however, that you are so worth loving. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend. That voice inside your head is you. Would you speak to your best friend that way? Probably not. Are you not worth the same love and respect? I think you are. I think I am too.

So what do you do? How can you keep encouraged when times get hard?

1. Find a health buddy: This person or group of people can help keep you accountable and they understand your struggles. As much as your other friends want to support you, they can only take so much talk of weightlifting, cross-fit, running, paleo, or whatever your current schtick is. Cut them some slack.

2. Write it down: I've told so many people this--write down your "why". Why are you starting this journey? What do you hope to accomplish? Make sure to add both short term and long term goals to your list. Including things like "I want to be at my child's wedding" is important, but realistically, also include things like "I want to feel good in the dress for my best friends wedding in two months". Both are types of goals imperative to your success. Goals that are too broad or too far in the future will not help you in the pit of defeat right now. I have a friend who has made it a priority to treat herself to something fitness/health related as she attains her goals as a means to motivate herself to keep going. This is a wonderful and creative tool!

3. Measure and photograph: This is huge. If you do nothing else, do this. Take your measurements and pictures frequently. When that scale doesn't move (and sometimes, it wont for weeks!), you'll have concrete proof to look back on and realize that you are still doing ok! I took measurements from March of 2014 until now and the difference is astounding. I keep those measurements in my bathroom to look at often. Pictures also help you visually see where you are. I know that before my journey, I was always behind the camera. Hop in front of it darling, it is your time to shine! You'll be glad you did, the next time you hit a plateau. (Side note: If you're weighing yourself more than once a week, that's a problem. You and your scale need to break up. I try--although sometimes unsuccessfully--to not weigh myself more than that. Otherwise, you're going to go insane!)

4. Remember this is a lifestyle change, not a diet: It took me 26 years to create the bad eating and exercise habits I had before, it's only logical that it would take a while to really hone in this new way of life. Give yourself some grace, you're doing just fine. Do not define yourself by some fad diet, its better than that! This is a lifestyle change, correcting old habits with new, healthy ones. It takes time so don't expect everything to come together all at once!

5. See your doctor: Personally, I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I see an alternative doctor (he is a Kinesiologist) who has treated me for the causes of my thyroid condition and has improved my life tremendously. Through diet and healthy supplements, I can happily say I no longer take my thyroid medicine. I cannot recommend this enough but I would never suggest you take this path without a doctor's supervision! I could easily hide behind this diagnosis but I choose not to every single day. Feeling better than ever before, health-wise, keeps me motivated to just keep going.

So that's it. It is a new week and I have decided to just keep moving. Everyday may not be the best but you can certainly make the best of every day!

How in the World?

It is easy for me to sit here and tell you where I started and where I am now. What is tricky is how you can apply that to your very own situation. If you remember, I asked for questions in my last post to help navigate stumbling blocks for you guys. I'll answer them (and a few more I hear quite frequently) and I'm hopeful that will help relieve some of the tension that is keeping you from getting started. Also, at any point, feel free to ask questions on any blog post!

1. I would like to know how you make the transition to a vegetarian diet. 

Before I answer this, I KNOW this lifestyle is not for everyone! That being said, you'd be surprised at how much easier it is than you'd think. Personally, I have never enjoyed eating meat. You can ask my parents, I'm pretty sure it drove them crazy! As an adult I would eat chicken, some beef and that was about it. Even then, when I was asked by my insurance agency's life coach if I would consider giving up meat, I scoffed at her. It wasn't until last June when my husband and I were really analyzing our eating habits in light of the fact that I was making such big changes that we happened upon the documentary Forks Over Knives. It was that night, June 27, 2014, that my meat loving husband threw away all animal products we had in our house (except cheese--we love cheese!). After mourning the loss of the money we literally threw away, I was pretty happy about it. Navigating around meat in my diet has been a lifelong struggle for me. From that day forward we set out to  make vegetarian meals. Honestly, in the beginning it looked a lot like side items on a plate without a main course. Stick through it, it gets better. Our staples are rice, beans, grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc. There are a lot of cook books out there that can help make the transition easier! My personal favorite it Thug Kitchen (*disclaimer*- It is full of foul language but the recipes are amazing!). 

My husband and my children ate this way as well. Now, over a year later, while I still do not eat meat, they do occasionally but never at home. We just don't buy it. It's that simple. 

Also, if you do plan to become vegetarian, get ready to field questions from well meaning friends and nosy strangers who are suddenly dietitians. "What about your protein?!?" "Have you had your iron checked?!" I'm not sure why they find this appropriate--after all, I bet they wouldn't take kindly to me asking how their cholesterol levels were doing ;-). 

2. What shoes (brand and model) you use for Omnifit and running & do you use different ones for each activity?

My first ever running shoe was a Brooks Ghost 6. I love them! Soon after, I got a pair of Newton Gravity running shoes. Those have a learning curve. They have a piece on the bottom of the shoe that makes it so you don't run on your toes. I like them but would probably recommend Brooks before them. Look around your area for a specialty running shoe store. In our area it is, Love 2 Run. They have a machine to measure your arches, where you put the most pressure and they can check out your stride and make educated recommendations based off of that information. 

I use my running shoes for both running and Omnifit. As a side note, I did just get Converses for weight lifting that I'm pretty excited to use! They are supposed to be great for keeping you close to the ground and stable because they don't have the air pockets that running shoes have. 

3. How do you turn down free dessert?

This is hard! Sweets are my weakness. That being said, I'm also stubborn. I make short term goals to prove something to myself. Most recently I gave up all sweets (candy, cake, ice cream, cookies, pastries, etc) and at first I made a goal of one month. When I accomplished that, I lengthened the goal to three months (until my birthday). That works for me. Now that my birthday has passed, I'm finding it difficult to stay on track with them. 

Someone asked me recently if I planned to reintroduce those things, but in moderation. Honestly, I can't do it in moderation, so no. I'll continue to make short term goals of not eating that stuff until it just isn't a thing any more. 

4. How can you get the craving of sugar or sugary drinks from your brain?

In the beginning, I struggled with soda. I drank it every time I was near it. We eventually stopped buying it for the house but that didn't stop me from ordering it at restaurants or drinking it when offered by friends. Honestly, just like with sweets, I just had to stop. I tried to limit myself to one day a week when I knew I would be given free soda, Eventually that lead to me drinking it regularly again. Ultimately, I made it a goal to give up sugary drinks for a month. That was 7 months ago. Now it isn't a problem for me. Why not try to use Crystal Light, Mio, or real fruit to flavor your water? I constantly carry around a 32 ounce jug of water with me now but that was a big adjustment for me. Like with any dietary change, make little adjustments until you get to where you want to be. 

5. I have children and a job, I don't have time to do what you do. 

Yes you do. I have two children, we home-schooled the last two years, and I work 20-25 hours a week. Yes, you have time. There is never a time when I am not with my children or at work. The only gym I knew about at the time did not have childcare and with my husband working full time, the gym just wasn't an option in the beginning. Not to mention, I wasn't confident enough to go to the gym yet. I found a local walking trail that allowed me to take my kids and they would ride bikes or walk with me. This particular trail is a small circle and so they could play in the middle while I ran and I could still see them. Another trail I went, this wasn't possible so they learned really quickly to ride their bikes. I made it fun for them and guess what? On the mornings that Momma wasn't feeling it, they made me get up and go so they could have fun! 

Now, I do have a gym membership but I only got it in January, over a year after I started this journey. I still workout with the kids 3 days a week but make it a point to communicate with my husband to ensure I get some gym time during the week. It isn't easy but it is worth it. 

For those of you who work full time, I would try to carve out a window of time each day to get in your exercise. If that means doing it early before work or after you get out--make it happen!Are you a stay at home mom? If you have a local gym with childcare, utilize that! And don't forget, anyone can workout at home! I could have made a million excuses (and still could) but that wouldn't have gotten me to where I am today. Don't be your own biggest stumbling block. 

So what questions do you have that are getting in the way of you getting started or keeping you from continuing to be the best you can be?