Hey guys!

I want to share a study on weight gain conducted by nutrition and public health experts at Harvard University, published in The New England Journal of Medicine this past June under the title, “Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men.”
Oh, NEJM, you fancy, huh?

Here’s the gist: A bunch of health professionals were followed for a long-ass time (you like how scientific I am?) and it was found that things like eating junk, sleeping too little or too much, watching t.v. and gorging on alcohol every night all led to weight gain. Well, I think we all learned something new here!

Ok, but really…

From the report’s abstract, here, the sample group included “three separate cohorts that included 120,877 U.S. women and men (all health professionals) who were free of chronic diseases and not obese at baseline, with follow-up periods from 1986 to 2006, 1991 to 2003, and 1986 to 2006.” Overall dietary changes among study participants were based on the sum of changes in the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, refined grains, potatoes or french fries, potato chips, butter, yogurt, sugar-sweetened beverages, 100%-fruit juice, sweets and desserts, processed meats, unprocessed red meats, trans fat, fried foods consumed at home, and fried foods consumed away from home (via PDF of the study stolen from a friend who is a librarian. Pays to have friends in high places! lol).

The results? Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lbs with certain correlations being found between the dietary changes made and the person’s respective weight fluctuation (if any).

The most interesting thing about this study is the independent factors found most strongly associated with weight gain and most strongly associated with weight-maintenance or weight-loss. What I love about the results is that it debunks some annoying “facts” that get thrown around by people in the media who’ve obviously never dealt with a weight-related health challenge.

Here are some of the study’s findings that I deem the coolest, even if we’ve all heard them before. And over and over:

• In news you know but like to hear over incessantly: Intake of the following foods was most strongly linked to weight-gain: potato chips, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, unprocessed red meats, and processed meats. No duh, eh? Also on the list? 100% fruit juice. Yep, I remember doctors telling me, when I was a little girl, that drinking fruit juice would help me lose weight. D’oh.
• Conversely, intake of the following foods was most strongly linked to weight maintenance and weight loss: vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt. Hmm. I’m noticing a trend here. Vegetables are good for me? *Looks skeptical* And fried butter sandwiches…are bad?
  
• More info. on above: “Strong positive associations with weight change were seen for starches, refined grains, and processed foods. These findings are consistent with those suggested by the results in limited short-term trials: consumption of starches and refined grains may be less satiating, increasing subsequent hunger signals and total caloric intake, as compared with equivalent numbers of calories obtained from less processed, higher-fiber foods that also contain healthy fats and protein” (from the study)
• Yogurt? The study notes that some evidence suggests that changes in colonic bacteria might influence weight gain and that somehow yogurt might play a role in regulating this. Alternately, it’s “possible that there is an unmeasured confounding factor that tracks with yogurt consumption (e.g., people who change their yogurt consumption may have other weight-influencing behaviors that were not measured by our instruments).” I’d imagine that natural bacteria in things like fermented tofu and tempeh might do the same thing, but that’s a completely non-scientific hypothesis.* But whatever…the phrase “colonic bacteria” is not one I want to think about again.
• Sleep is a tricky lil devil. Get 6 hours or less and you’re more likely to put on the pounds. Sleep more than 8 and you’re more likely to gain. Makes sense though – if you sleep less, your satiety hormones have been shown to get wacked up PLUS you’re up longer (usually), which means you’re likely to consume more calories over the course of the day than someone who slept in a couple more hours. If you sleep more than 8 hours, well, you have less time throughout the day to work off the calories you consume. Kinda seems like a “well I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t” factor, eh?
• Watching t.v. and drinking alcohol were linked to weight gain. Especially if you do them at the same time while wading in a pool of butter. <– I made that last line up.
• Physical activity does not guarantee you will be thin and expend all excess energy (calories) to stabilize weight. Duh. I’ll just add though that physical activity has been shown increasingly to affect health in a positive way), so don’t use this as a reason to sit on your ass all day, k? This is a reminder that exercise cannot magically erase all extra calories: you run for 3 miles, let’s say, you burn about 300 calories if you’re my weight & height. You know how quick it is to negate that run? Eat a bagel and you’ve just added more than 300 calories back to your body.
• Stupid myths it does actually debunk: a calorie is just a calorie (I mean, yes, technically a calorie is a unit of energy, but the source of that energy MATTERS!); dairy milk helps you lose weight (false! It was shown to neither help nor hinder weight gain), “fat” in foods is intrinsically bad (false! Eat yo’ nuts, avocado, etc. – they’re good for ya!)
• Attests that “Eat less, move more” is a crock of …well you know. I detest that prescriptive nonsense.
• Concluding line from study: “Our findings suggest that both individual and population-based strategies to help people consume fewer calories may be most effective when particular foods and beverages are targeted for decreased (or increased) consumption. Aggregate dietary changes accounted for substantial differences in weight gain, with additional contributions from changes in physical activity and television watching, thus highlighting specific lifestyle changes that might be prioritized in obesity-prevention strategies.” Can I get an amen? This is why I support things like the CA Healthy Vending Bill.
• Things I wish I could find more info on – how exactly they defined “processed” and “unprocessed” meats, “sweets,” etc.; if they made any note of foods eaten in organic form (think obesogens); how psychology affects what and how we eat/work out. I would also like to know if the weight gain average would be consistent with a sampling of less-educated people (given what we know from this recent study about socioeconomic status & less income tending to mean higher weights). Also, these were health professionals — if any group of people is going to be knowledgeable and proactive in their own health, it’s these people. I mean they at least, hopefully, know what a calorie is. *Adopts teacher voice* Now turn to your partner and ask him or her if he/she knows what a calorie is. Doubt it. And, finally, how did these participants’ health measure up in relation to the weight gain (if any) at all? I think we’re meant to infer that weight gain automatically = worse health, but we all know that ain’t right!
• My final thoughts (I feel like Jerry Springer)? #1 – Pay attention to the five Ws & 1 H of/in your life (why did I eat this? How much am I exercising? How am I feeling? etc.) . And, repeatedly assess and reassess what is working and not working!

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. Check out the Feed Me, I’m Cranky facebook page I created today here (or access via the side bar)

*yes, apparently I’m right! Thanks, Diet Blog!

I was excited to see on yesterday’s post and on Facebook that quite a few of you are going to participate in the “Comps 10 Challenge” by doing challenges of your own! Yippey! It’ll be nice to have company So, despite the fact that the last thing I wanted to do was weigh and measure myself this morning (talk about a buzz kill), I did it anyway. And, to be honest, I was more than shocked. I had avoided the scale for a few weeks and today revealed a not-so-happy surprise. Let’s just say that I should have called this challenge the “Comps 15 Challenge.” Oy.

But…what are my options here? I can mope and whine and pity myself. Or, I can get my booty back to the gym. Seems like a simple enough decision at this point. (Can I still whine though? hehe)

Here are the numbers that I will use to gauge progress over the next two months (and posting this is actually way more embarrassing than I had anticipated ):

Body Measurements

• Bust (measured around the chest right at the nipple line..TMI?) – 37.5 inches
• Calves (measured around the largest part of my calf) – 13.5 inches
• Chest (measured just under my bust) – 36 inches
• Hips (measured around the biggest part of my hips) – 38.5 inches
• Thighs (measured around the biggest part of my thigh) – 21 inches
• Waist (measured a half-inch above my belly button) – 30 inches
• Upper arm (measured around the largest part of my arm above the elbow, below shoulder) – 12 inches
• Weight: 142.6 lbs (this is the highest weight I’ve been in two years )

Strength (consecutive reps until I have to stop)

• Body squats: 50
• Chin-ups: 1
• Crunches: 43
• Pull-ups: 5 <–hilarious
• Push-ups : 5 <–hilarious

As I was running my 6-mile route today, my internal dialogue sounded something like this:

Self #1: how could you gain nearly 15 pounds in one semester? Seriously! That’s insane!
Self #2: it was a small price to pay for recovering from an eating disorder and getting a master’s degree!
Self #3: shut up, both of you, and turn up Beyonce’s “Girls” – it’s my jam!

Then, I remembered something that made me smile and that shut up the entire discussion. Last week I posted on Facebook that I couldn’t wait to get back into shape and asked people to remind me of my excitement when I was contemplating ditching my 6-mile run to stay inside and eat Bon Bons instead. Lara commented: “If you can run 6 miles I’d say you’re already in pretty good shape!” Thanks, Lara, because that’s been giving me positive energy ever since you said it!

So, this is where I’m starting from and I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in two months.

For those of you who are doing your own challenges, what are the stakes? What do you hope to achieve in two months? And, just a reminder that it’s on Mondays that I’ll post a recap showing all the activity I did for the week prior as well as calorie/nutrition information.

<3,

The Cranky One

I got the news on Thursday — I scored an “outstanding” on my comprehensive exam (“the comps”) and thus officially have my M.A. It’s a nice warm and fuzzy feeling to know the relentless effort I put into preparation was actually justified.

The thing about studying for the exam, however, is that I literally spent day after day sitting on my ass studying and writing outlines. I’m sure I averaged about three days a week of hour-long exercise, which isn’t too shabby, except for the fact that I was eating the amount of food that only someone like Michael Phelps can justify. I wasn’t blind to the fact that I was doing this — years of weight loss and maintenance have ingrained the “inner calculator” voice, which means I’m always aware of how much I’m eating. However, I chose to allow myself to eat late night study snacks of pita and hummus, peanut butter toast, oatmeal, etc., even when I knew I wasn’t hungry. I wasn’t intentionally being careless, but I was also trying to teach myself to be more forgiving and accepting of my natural inclination to overeat, especially when overwhelmed. Acceptance of overeating? Does that sound crazy? Well, the alternative was to beat myself up and encourage an eating disorder relapse, so… I think you can see why I chose forgiveness

But – now that the exam is over, there really is no need for excuses or for sugar coating my own internal dialogue. I’ve got to get rid of the “Comps Ten!” You’ll see below that this challenge really is less about weight loss and more about reinvigorating myself with the zest to live intentionally and to thrive in treating myself well. I know I feel my best when I’m actively treating myself well by eating healthily and working out!

The original goals I had for myself nearly two years ago when I did my first 10-pound challenge (and succeeded) are still befitting today. I’ve tweaked and amended them a bit, but here’s what I’m aiming for this time around:

The “Comps 10″ Plan

This will be a two-month challenge beginning tomorrow, Monday, May 23 and ending Saturday, July 23. My concrete goals are to lose 10 pounds, gain muscle mass/lose flab, and increase the number of pull-ups, chin-ups, crunches, push-ups and body squats that I can do consecutively without rest. Concrete numbers will be provided tomorrow from which to gauge progress over the next two months.

My general approach?

Get ready to sweat every single day!

1. Approach my health with the same diligence with which I approached school. I am going to approach my health and fitness with the same relentless diligence and zest I had when approaching the comps. If I could get up everyday and study for at least four hours straight, I can certainly get up and run for one measly hour.
2. Exercise every day, every week. I plan to exercise with intention for at least one hour everyday. It can be any type of exercise as long as it’s intentional.
   
3. Keep things interesting and delicious. I want to try one new thing each week, either fitness- or food-related. In terms of fitness: I will be making endless dates with friends at the gym. I will be mixing it up and trying out new classes. Some things that I’m interested in trying include: Cross Fit, spinning (can you believe that I still haven’t tried spin?!), Zumba, and new DVDs. Got a recommendation for a fun or new way to exercise? Please send ‘em my way! In terms of diet: Get back into the kitchen and try new foods and recipes (no more living off of toast, cauliflower and oatmeal!). I love cooking and can’t wait to spend some of my free time creating and trying new recipes.
   
4. Journey to an Intuitive  / What’s Best for Bella Hybrid Approach to Eating. I have a love-hate relationship with IE. If you’re curious as to what that means, and my opinions on the matter, read here and here. However, while I have my doubts about IE as a theoretical approach, I do like some of its tenets. So, I will keep calories in mind, but will focus also on eating when I’m hungry and eating sufficiently. I’ve learned before that I can’t just allow myself a rigid amount of calories every day because if my exercise increases, so should my caloric intake.  I’ve lost weight before eating 2300 calories/day, but that was because I was running more than 6 miles/day.  It’s got to be give and take and based more on actual hunger, fitness and nutrition rather than any static number. But – actually finding and being able to listen to those biological hunger cues is a challenge in and of itself. But I’m game!
   
5. Stray From Processed Foods. Clean foods are better, end of story. I don’t really eat too many processed foods as it is, but I’m taking this opportunity to remind myself to keep up a good thing
   
6. Approach Health Holistically. Health is not just about the pounds or the body, it’s a holistic approach to life in which your mind, body, intellect, spirit – everything – are in harmony or striving to be.  I have to continue to grant priority to the things that make me happy, even if they don’t make me much money or even if they seem silly.
   

Tracking Progress

I will be weighing in and measuring my bust, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves, and upper arm every Monday. Talk about public accountability. Eek! I will also provide the prior week’s activity and calories log, like I did in my previous challenge.

By the way, if you want to see my previous challenge recaps, they make an interesting read because they’re like historical records marking how I lost those damn 10 pounds (the records of how I regained them are less interesting — Two words: peanut butter). The weekly recaps are linked here: #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9.

If you would like to participate in your own two-month health challenge, please tell me so in the comments section! We can help keep each other accountable. I also know a couple people personally who will be partaking in the challenge to lose 10 pounds and I’m currently working on cajoling them into sharing their progress updates on my blog (one of these people is my mom. Help me force coax her into sharing! )

Who’s with me?!

<3,

The Cranky One

Hey guys!

You know how I said I was “reframing” my approach to health? I wish I had done it sooner. But forcing yourself to achieve mental clarity is like forcing someone to love you. In the end you only get half-ass, or false, devotion meant only to appease you rather than set the stage for progress. I guess what I’m saying is I had to fall pretty hard to finally get to a place where I now feel I’m grasping the reins again.

[props to robayre]
Reframing: the chance to change, to start anew, to turn back, to simply see the world differently? It’s in your hands at all times!

If you’re not new to my blog, then you might have noticed that one of my favorite words to use when talking about my “journey” (I guess that’s one of my fave words, too) is evolve. That word is really important to me. The majority of my life — from childhood to undergrad college years – my approach to health was static: it was of the wish-I-could variety. I.e. wish I could get healthy, wish I could get skinny, I’m-too-passive-and-too-much-of-a-victim mentality.

Evolving is scary but freakin’ necessary. Evolving means you take active control. You start digging to find out why you do the things you do. You take chances and if things don’t work, you try something else. And, evolving doesn’t always mean you’re getting better – we all know my evolution took an ugly turn, but, in a way, it was kind of a necessary ugly turn that’s led me to a place of psuedo-clarity.

You know what else? Evolving is forever. A lot of us who have maintained a big weight-loss know that getting to a goal weight never means “done!” It’s simply the beginning of a different journey. So, what in the world am I trying to say? Find your own path, young jedis, and expect it to change and embrace the change.

Over seven years, these are some of the evolutions my journey has taken (to see my starting lifestyle, click here):

• Omnivore counting calories, working out 3xs a week (max) by walking on the treadmill. Emphasis on number of calories consumed, not on quality of calories (so ate a lot of low-cal, low-fat, artificially-sweetened, sugar-free, frozen SmartOnes, Subway, etc.; not regulating caffeine or alcohol) (approx. 2 years, lost about 120 pounds; starting weight: 280 pounds)
• Omnivore counting calories, working out at least 3xs a week by running on the treadmill. Emphasis on number of calories consumed, not on quality of calories, but began to eat less of the low-cal, low-fat, artificially-sweetened, sugar-free, frozen SmartOnes, Subway, etc., and make more of my own meals. Not regulating caffeine, but alcohol is limited. (approx. 2 years, weight fluctuated down an additional 15 pounds and then back up 15 pounds and maybe a few more gained; weight unstable)
• Vegetarian counting calories, working out at least 5xs a week by running both on treadmill and at beach. Some weight training and other forms of exercise such as group classes at the gym and rollerblading. Occasionally over-exercising to injury. Emphasis on learning more and more about the food consumed, calories still counted but emphasized healthy calories. Not regulating caffeine, but alcohol is limited. (approx. 1 year, lost 10 pounds to get to lowest adult weight of 128 pounds)
• Vegan counting calories working out at least 5xs a week by running both on treadmill and at beach. Some weight training and other forms of exercise such as group classes at the gym and rollerblading. Emphasis on learning more and more about the food consumed, calories still counted but emphasized healthy calories. Struggled with bulimia. (approx. 1 year, weight fluctuated up to 15 pounds gained)
• Now? Vegan cognizant of calories consumed but concerned predominantly with fueling body. Diet consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, beans, and living grains (sprouted grains). Caffeine is limited, alcohol is rarely consumed. Foods with artificial sweeteners and/or artificial preservatives are rarely, if ever, consumed. Focus on eating the Dirty Dozen all organic. Exercise consists of running, yoga, & weight training but the emphasis is on feeling good, so rest days are taken (this has been a hard concept for someone with obsessive tendencies). Emphasis more on mind-body connect. Meals mostly consumed at home. Bulimia in remission. (weight fluctuates a few pounds, but stays in the 128-133 range. Interesting that my weight has decreased in this new phase when I’m less stringent on exercise and calories, but makes sense!).
• What’s next? We’ll see! Being vegan has gone from something I did kind of on a whim to something that is integral to my well-being. There are three constants in each of these phases, however, and they are: learning, reflecting &, yep you guessed it, evolving. This is why I don’t really like telling people how they “should” eat/exercise/live their life because I feel like that robs them of the journey to evolve on their own terms, which is vital in order for someone to feel connected and accountable to their decisions.  If you figure out on your own that eating a vegetarian diet works for you, you won’t approach it with hesitation (or resentment) which you would if I forced it down your throat. And, the likelihood of you sticking through something that you’re doing on your own terms is much higher than if you’re depending on someone else to hold you accountable or shame you to change. That being said, I do love to share advice, so if any of you want to talk about your journeys, you know I’m your girl!

Interesting Stuff

• Oprah and 378 staffers go vegan for a month. Watch the show tomorrow, which will also show Lisa Ling going to a meat factory and Michael Pollan (*swoon*) will be a guest. [here]
• The Center for Food Safety is going to take the USDA back to court after their (the USDA’s) decision to “once again allow unlimited, nation-wide commercial planting of Monsanto’s genetically-engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa, despite the many risks to organic and conventional farmers USDA acknowledged in its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)” [source]. To voice your opinion against GE alfalfa, go to Democracy Now, here.
• A new documentary called “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” should be released this Spring [here]. Synopsis: “100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldnʼt end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasnʼt far behind. Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead is an inspiring film that chronicles Joeʼs personal mission to regain his health.” Trailer looks interesting and I want to see the film, but I’m highly cognizant of the fact that a health and wellness company, Reboot Your Life, is behind the film.
• The USDA released its new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The new focus? “…balancing calories with physical activity, and encourag[ing] Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains” [here]. Sounds like the same ol’ shit to me. I’m obviously distrustful because a) the USDA is the same “rouge agency” (as quoted by the Center for Food Safety) that will allow GE alfalfa, and b) the same agency that’s in bed with the dairy association and Monsanto, and c) the same agency that’s so f’d when it comes to labeling laws…so…here I go sounding like a little anarchist hippy!

Reminder of Free Stuff:

• A subscription to VegNews Magazine [here] ends Feb 1
• A free box of Me & Gogi cereal you design yourself [here] ends Feb 2
• $100 worth of Pearls from JCPenny [here] ends Feb 2
• A copy of “You Are Your Own Gym” [here] ends Feb 4

<3,

The Cranky One

A study, titled “Long-term weight loss maintenance in the United States,” published in the journal International Obesity on May 18, 2010 [abstract here] concludes: “More than one out of every six US adults who has ever been overweight or obese has accomplished LTWLM [long term weight-loss maintenance] of at least 10%. This rate is significantly higher than those reported in clinical trials and many other observational studies, suggesting that US adults may be more successful at sustaining weight loss than previously thought.”

Interesting to note — this study considers “long term” to be a year. It also considers maintenance to be having kept off at least 10% of the total weight loss, which, in my case, would mean that I’d be considered a success if I kept off 15 pounds. Which would mean, I’d currently be 265 pounds and considered “morbidly obese” with a BMI of 44.1 [even if BMI standards are questionable; see here] Yea…

Long-term weight-loss maintenance of at least 10% was highest amongst non-Hispanic white people, women, and those in the age bracket of 75-84. The funny thing is that we’re noticing that those predominantly overweight and obese in the US don’t fit into these categories, right?

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in July 2005 uses data culled from the National Weight Control Registry and gives six strategies for long-term success at weight-loss (they define success in the same way as above, 10% loss maintained for a year) and seem to address my skepticism when they write, “The 10% criterion was suggested because weight losses of this magnitude can produce substantial improvements in risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. Although a 10% weight loss may not return an obese to a non-obese state, the health impact of a 10% weight loss is well documented.” [See abstract here]. Ok, I’ll set aside my skepticism because they’re right — even 10% weight-loss-maintenance can translate into significant health-related benefits.

These are the six strategies uniting those who’ve succeeded:

• engaging in high levels of physical activity
• eating a diet that is low in calories and fat
• eating breakfast
• self-monitoring weight on a regular basis
• maintaining a consistent eating pattern
• catching “slips” before they turn into larger regains

These are also a pretty clear way to lose weight in the first place, eh? Do you agree with these? I have to admit that all of these have played key roles in my weight-loss and maintenance, thought not all in conjunction at all times.

In my own experience, the thing that has helped me keep most of the weight off these past 5 years is: thinking of maintaining my body as I would a relationship. Seems like marriage-success rates and weight-loss-maintenance rates are both pretty low, eh? A few of the parallels I’ve found between weight-loss maintenance and successful relationships include:

Adjusting to shifts in life. Like fitting in 30-Day-Shred between reading for classes, work, etc.

• Thinking long-term commitment. At first I thought I’d lose “the weight” and then everything would go into “cruise control” mode. I couldn’t have fathomed how much it feels that the weight-loss-maintenance journey has been far more taxing than the weight-loss goal. I guess that’s the point, no? Weight-loss is a goal with an end. Maintenance is a forever deal.
• Keeping things interesting and changing it up.
• Breaking bad cycles of habit.
• Accepting you will change and evolve. A lot.
• Rolling with the punches.
• Cutting yourself some slack, but not too much.
  
• Reaching out for help (group counseling, therapy, etc.) when you need it. Yep — the Cranky One over here doesn’t like to “brag” to Cyberworld (and employers and stalkers) that she’s been seeing a therapist, but, hey, if knowing that therapy has helped me in assessing and reevaluating negative patterns of thought, maybe it will encourage you to seek it, too, if you think it will help you.

Obviously there are a lot of differences between maintaining a weight-loss and keeping a happy marriage (no need to tell me, really) — we all know our  bodies will never mistreat us and will always reciprocate the goodness we give to it. Also, we have so much more to lose in not treating our bodies the right way…. Ya know?

And, clearly, I am still very much learning, evolving and working towards finding a healthy way to maintain the weight I’ve lost while continuing to reach other fitness-related and mind-set-related goals. It never ever ends. Ever.

What have been your trials and successes in losing weight and/or keeping it off? Do you agree with the 6 strategies given by the National Weight Control Registry? Do you agree with any of mine? Tips to share?

<3,

The Cranky One

Heather

• Blog: Heather Eats Almond Butter
• Story: Heather weighed in around 220 pounds in her undergrad years just like the Cranky One over here. When she decided to change her lifestyle, it was with small changes — like cutting out soda — but it was also with the mentality that she would try to find what worked for her body and happiness. The small changes added up and in two years she lost 100 pounds. What I love about HEAB’s blog is that we’ve seen her experiment with many different lifestyles (including raw-ish, vegetarian, almost-vegan, etc. — read more here) and activities (she’s a yoga-fiend these days, but used to run a lot). I love that she’s adamant about eating in a way that makes her feel good. Some cool things? HEAB’s blog was one of the first I ever read [see my little love-note to her here] and she’s currently expecting a little HEABlet!

Jasmine

• Blog: Eat, Move, Write
• Story: Jasmine’s “complicated love affair” with food, as she puts it, translated into reaching a high of 343 pounds at the age of 22. After a lifetime of ineffectual dieting and the imminent danger of carrying so much extra weight on her small 5’1 frame, Jasmine chose to undergo gastric bypass surgery. If gastric bypass surgery is a new topic to you, as it was to me before Jasmine explained it to me, I highly recommend you read about it here. After surgery, Jasmine had to learn, and struggle to learn, what living a healthy lifestyle actually meant for her and her unique circumstances. She’s lost 200 pounds and has gained endless insight into what is and is not a healthy approach to reaching her goals. Her story is truly movie-worthy — leaving a marriage and life in Indiana behind, moving to CA without knowing anyone, finding true love and now writing her first book! Not only is Jasmine’s blog-voice something I find comforting and relatable, but she’s also just as authentically sweet in person as she is online. Wanna know somethin’ cool?! She recently graced the cover of Obesity Help magazine [link]!

Lizzie

• Blog: Watching and Weighting
• Story: Ok, call me shallow, but I bloody love reading Lizzie’s use of English vernacular. If you know me, you know I have an affinity for the accent and vocab, so reading her posts puts me in a chipper mood. If only she posted more often (sorry, Lizzie, lol!). So, Lizzie’s story is that she was a “skinny minnie” who put on 40 pounds or so after getting married. We’ve read and watched as she’s tracked her Weight Watchers Points, exercised, and dealt with what a lot of us deal with when trying to lose weight — scale victories, scale miseries, realizing the scale is just a freakin’ scale, eating loads of crisps and trying not to feel guilty, etc. Lizzie’s reached her goal weight and has created a lifestyle that supports maintaining her svelte figure — she runs, works with personal trainers, and keeps busy doing musicals with the West Kirby Light Opera Society, in addition to her day-job, etc.! P.s. Lizzie, can I come visit you and put my awful English accent to use for your amusement?

Sheryl

See a higher res “before” pic on Flickr here

• Blog: *Bitch Cakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl’s Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures
• Story: If you can’t tell just by her blog name why I love her, then I don’t know what to tell ya! Ms. Bitch Cakes spent the majority of her life being overweight and pissed about being overweight (I hear ya, sister) and when she was going to hit 35, she reached enough and had her “final straw moment.” A serial Weight Watcher since 1989, Sheryl joined WW again in 2006 with the resolution that she’d ring in her late thirties in the best shape of her life. Well, she’s CONQUERED that goal by recently reaching her goal weight of 137 pounds. What I love about Sheryl’s blog is that she doesn’t just eat, run, blog, repeat (which is great, yo, but she really spices it up here!) — she does zumba, punk rope, and pretty much bikes across Brooklyn (ck out her bike tour recap, for one example). We’ve also seen her go vegan and take complete control of her kitchen. It’s great and inspiring to see how active she is (she often tracks her activity in these cool spreadsheets for all of us to see) and how much fun she has — she’s always smiling. Oh, and, uh, her underwear shots are an added bonus if you like to look at scantily-clad beautiful women!…Which, on occasion, I do

See part one of some of my favorite healthy-lifestyle bloggers [here]

Do any of these bloggers’ stories resonate with you? Who or what motivates you?

<3,

The Cranky One

Need some Monday motivation?

I’ve done post after post about what motives me, what motivates you and what to do when nothing motivates us at all; and I think the one thing sure to motivate anyone is seeing other people persevere to meet their goals. With that in mind, I want to highlight some (there are SO many amazing ones!) of my favorite bloggers who I’ve watched lose weight, conquer fears and evolve tremendously. Seeing their changes right before my very voyeuristic eyes has been life-altering! It’s comforting to know that linking all these bloggers together is their determination; however, they’ve all achieved, and continue to achieve, milestones in their own unique ways — a great reminder that when it comes to your health, you’ve gotta go after it on your own terms. In two installments, here are a few of my faves…

Amanda

• Blog: Another Prior Fat Girl
• Story: Amanda, like a lot of us, didn’t really learn the value of eating well and staying active until adulthood when a fast-food-diet coupled with a desk-job caught up to her, her waist line and her general sense of well-being. She got to a high of nearly 220 pounds and suffered from acid-reflux — not fun. After a trip with girlfriends to Mexico, and reviewing photographic evidence that she didn’t look or feel the way she wanted to, she joined Weight Watchers in May 2008. Since then, she’s lost over 70 pounds, gone (and stayed) vegetarian, ran two 5ks, become a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, and taken a liking to kickboxing. I love Amanda’s blog “voice” and I find her occasional “TMI” references rather hilarious (like the time she talked about us vegetarians and how, uh, well, we’ve got good digestive systems — that’s all I can say!)

Jen

• Blog: Prior Fat Girl
• Story: One of the reasons I first gravitated towards Jen’s blog was that her story was my story in many ways. Struggles with weight since early childhood? Check. Dependence on emotional eating to cope? Check. When Jen moved out on her own and hit an all-time-high weight of 240 pounds in 2007, she knew she had to do something, and the countless diets she had tried before were just not cutting it. She ended up at a weight-loss-surgery seminar with her dad by her side. She looked around the room and noticed she was the youngest one there. She gulped hearing the risks involved and how much shock she’d put her body through. Her “sugar coating not included” mantra was born — she was going to kick herself in the ass by being 100% accountable — no B-S & no hesitation — by working hard physically and emotionally and, this time, consistently. Her no-excuses approach was working wonders and in 2009 she was set to celebrate 100 pounds lost and her two-year bloggiversary. No one, especially Jen, could fathom that on that very day she’d lose her mother — her best friend — in a tragic accident. Jen’s readers saw her face the challenge of mourning and the desire to revert to remnant habits of coping through food. Jen continues her struggle everyday but still with her mantra in tact — she continues to kick ass and take names. Cool things we’ve seen Jen accomplish? She got her master’s degree, for one! She also once did a stair challenge against another blogger for 99 minutes [see here]; it was hilarious AND she’s currently training to run her first half marathon!

Lauren

• Blog: Team Giles
• Story: Lauren was kind enough to share her story with you guys in her own words (isn’t this already off to a great start?!)! “Growing up I was always the bigger girl, I never remember being thin. I remember when I was 9/10ish going to kids camp one year and all my friends wanted to go buy the same outfit so we could all match, because ya know we were super girly like that. All 5 of us went to the store with one of the mom’s and the girls went straight to the girls section… I went to the women’s out of a habit. See I wasn’t able to fit into a girls size… and there were no “plus size kids” anything. Trying to find matching outfits was a disaster, that ended with me crying. I realized I was different and thought I’d never change. I remember shopping for clothes when I was in high school, and trying on the size 18 — it was too tight… I had to buy a size 20. I realized I didn’t want to live this way. My weight loss journey hasn’t occurred overnight… or even over the course of one year. Its been many years… I lost weight, I gained weight, I lost weight and so goes the story. In 2005 I became a vegetarian. I tried every “diet” out there, why not this one. I ended up liking a vegetarian lifestyle so much, I’ve never changed from it. I kept a lower weight than I had in a long time and my weight stayed consistent. I didn’t lose a ton of weight, because my portions were still out of control. But I still stayed slimmer than before. In 2007, my dad passed away {at the young age of 58}; he wasn’t healthy at all. Ate all the bad foods, smoked and stressed far more than anyone ever should. Its breaks my heart that he died, and died so young, all from things that CAN BE prevented. So a new fire was lit in me to become healthier. Life is short and I want to take care of myself for me and my family. I began running, and did my first 5k in 2009. Since June 2010, I’ve been food journaling, learning about portion control and doing that running thing and, to date, I’ve lost 30.6 pounds. I’d love to be able to tell you my starting weight back in high school. Truth is, I don’t know. I avoided the scale a lot. I know that I was somewhere in the 240s. My journey isn’t finished and never will be. You don’t lose weight and then you’re “fixed” — it’s a daily battle to make healthy choices. I can finally say today, that I’m starting to understand what thin feels like, and I love it. But what I love the most is how healthy I feel, and I realize that I’m capable of doing anything I want to achieve.” Another cool thing about Lauren? She just booked her flight to run the San Francisco half!

Quix

• Blog: Adjusted Reality
• Story: Going from young gymnast to 265-pound couch-potato wasn’t the progression Quix had in mind, but it was reality at some point. While an unhealthy lifestyle of fast-food, packs of cigs a day and inactivity was the norm at one point, if we adjust reality to today, we’ll see Quix is a fit and healthy triathlete! I kid you not! She took baby steps, cut back on the cigarettes, tracked calories, ran, rode her bike, swam, strength-trained, and more, and she’s lost over 110 pounds. Quix’s chronicled this transformation on her blog, along with fun stuff like her wedding! Her quirky writing style and references to video games (since she’s a sweet-ass gamer chick workin’ in the industry) give the blog an added appeal. I love that Quix still drinks, parties and DDRs her way to health. She hopes to run her first marathon this year! (Cuz, her first triathlon obvs. wasn’t enough!

I love how apparent these bloggers make it that achieving health goals is an evolution, not an end-point — cuz it never ends! Can you relate to any of my fave bloggers’ stories? Who are some of the bloggers, celebs, &/or general PEOPLE, who motivate you?

Stay tuned for part II!!!

<3,

The Cranky One

Everyone needs a fresh start from time to time.

It’s tempting to wipe the slate clean every time we face a setback. We can just say, “ta-da!” and feel as though our lives have instantly changed forever. But we know better – change is gradual. It’s usually pretty brutal and requires a lot of patience and understanding. And it’s certainly no different when it comes to weight-loss.

It’s been over two months since I decided to make eating right and exercising a bigger part of my life. While I’ve had my ups and downs, I think there are lessons I have learned. I’ve grown, and as a result, I’ve changed a lot of the way I eat and work-out for the better. Let’s review:

• Drinking more water (staying hydrated is important for your body and for losing weight)
• Less coffee, more tea (tea has been shown to increase metabolism over time, as well as trick your body into making you feel more full)
• More vegetables by the pound (no, lettuce on a hamburger bun does not count as a serving!)
• More time spent outdoors (even walking around, climbing stairs, and leisurely strolls in public areas add up and keep you trim)
• Stay away from artificial flavors and preservatives (these things are made from nasty chemicals, not naturally good stuff, so why put it in my body?)

There are still plenty more lessons to learn, such as how not to overeat, how to snack properly, how to motivate myself to work-out more often, and so on. The point is, after two months, I’m beginning to see progress. And that, Cranky readers, is worth more than just starting over again.

How many times have you tried to reboot a diet or health-related plan?

Best Meal:

Gjelina’s in Venice: This restaurant that my friend recommended makes everything fresh from sustainable, organic farms nearby. As a result, we ordered three vegetables dishes: sweet corn, broccolini, and cauliflower, and all three were majorly excellent! Top it off with ricotta-stuffed raviolis that we shared and a butterscotch pudding with salted caramel that I devoured, and all in all this is one of the best meals I’ve eaten in a long time.

Worst Meal:

French fries: In a moment of weakness, I indulged myself. The thing is, I knew I would be dancing it off later. Not that this justifies it, but it does make it a little better, as I knew that the calories I consumed would be burned off.

Food I Didn’t Realize Would Be Bad:
[photo cred]
The Cranky One wants you to know that fast-food breakfast burritos typically have more than 30g of fat.

Breakfast burrito: Now, I’m sure many of you are thinking, “of course that’s bad!” But here was my logic: I figured, this is made with hash browns, eggs, avocado, cheese, and bacon. I will eat half of this right now, and save the other half for dinner – which I did. In retrospect though, if you have to save half of what you eat to spread the calories throughout the day, then perhaps you are eating the wrong thing. No more things stuffed into other things!

How I Worked Out:

More swimming, looooooong walks by the beach, and dancing!

What Did We Learn?:

Incorporating more fruits and veggies is simple, so long as you’re conscious of it. Some days, I got in more servings than others. However, knowing that I was trying to reach that goal pushed me to avoid eating certain foods and swapping them for healthier options.

This Week’s Goal:

As I continue to munch on more fruits and veggies, I’m going with another money-saving challenge: eating out the fridge!

I’ve bought a lot of groceries in the past, and while I normally have no problem eating everything in sight, I also know that I’m likely to pass over, say, a can of soup that’s been in my cabinet for a fresh meal out somewhere with friends. So this week, I’m challenging myself to eat as many meals as possible from within my kitchen, not outside of it. Let’s see what creative culinary creations I can come up with!

Start Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 140.8

End Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 140.2

Ask me and Ana questions on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah and at @feedmeimcranky1!

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You’ve lost a total of 10 pounds!!! And you seem to have mastered the ability to still eat the things you crave, drink moderately and dine-out with friends while not going overboard. That’s key in making your weight-loss long-term! Cool! I think you bring up an excellent question about “rebooting” a diet plan and starting anew. I think it’s actually a gift that we never really can start anew. Each time we re-attempt to achieve our health goals, we have the ability to draw from our previous experiences so as not to repeat mistakes and also so that we repeat the things that worked for us before. In that sense, jumping back on the wagon should get easier and easier. But it is about consistency, and the gap in time between one wagon and another certainly can make or break the effort. Things to think about!

To see Nadia’s first update, click here; her second, click here; her third, click here; her fourth, click here ; her fifth, click here; her sixth, click here; her seventh, click here; and/or her eighth, click here.

Can you relate to some of the lessons Nadia’s learned over these past 9 weeks?

<3,

The Cranky One

Hey guys! Please welcome Nadia’s fourth guest post detailing her progress with her weight-loss mission to lose 25 pounds and take over the world!
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“Cleanse” comes from the Middle English “cleansen” (oh, how ironic – what kind of cleansing was going on during the Middle Ages?), meaning to purify, get rid of impurities and clean by washing. In essence, a cleanse in the diet world is just that. You are washing away impurities from your body. And so, this week, I took four days and did my best to wash out the ickiness that resides in my stomach. Did it make a difference? As far as weight loss is concerned, not really. However, I felt better, and I’m a firm believer that if your soul feels better doing it, then it’s worth it. Here is what I ate, in varying stages of repetition, in no particular order (I promise, Cranky Ones, that when I have a tad more free time, I will develop a way more awesome version of this cleanse and re-test it!):

• Black tea (no coffee!)
• 1 oz. reduced-fat Laughing Cow string cheese
• 1 cup Pineapple
• 1/4 cup almonds
• Organic applesauce
• 3 oz. blackened chicken (olive oil, not butter, is used to grease the pan)
• 2 cups green beans
• 1 banana
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 veggie burger (Boca’s, then The Counter, both running around 200 calories)
• 2 cups organic greens
• 1 strawberry fruit bar

Mix up these lovely food combinations to create your own meal! If you’ve got any tips on foods I should add to this list as I compile the Nia Cleanse 2.0, let me know in the comments.

Best Meal:

Blackened Chicken:
[photo cred]
I love my blackened chicken! It’s one of the few things I can cook. Plus, it’s low-fat and low-cal. Instead of salt and butter, you use spices such as paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and more to grill the chicken. Add some green beans, and you’ve got yourself a lean protein and vegetable dinner for less than 400 calories!

Worst Meal:

Tortilla Chips: When you’re at a party, it’s easy to forget how much you’re snacking! I estimate that I ended up eating a lot more of these deliciously salty chips than I should have. [Cranky's note: Damn the ubiquitous tortilla chip -- it's at every freakin' social function!]

Food I Didn’t Realize Would Be Bad:

Starbucks Old-Fashioned Glazed Donut: Okay, hear me out. I really wanted a donut. I know from past experience that if I don’t indulge, I’m far more likely to eat more later, or eat something even worse. So I rationalized – I’ll buy a donut and split it with my co-workers. According to most calorie counting sites like Calorie King, a cake donut has roughly 250 to 300 calories. This one has 420! What the hell are they stuffing this thing with? Even splitting it with people made it terrible. [oy.]

How I Worked Out:

As promised, I did my best to amp out my workouts to every other day. I’m not sure that it paid off, but it did make me feel better. Exercise goes along well with a cleanse, as you’re literally sweating out all the impurities.

What Did We Learn?:

Staying away from salt really does help your appearance! I looked pretty good in that bikini. If you’ve got a big event coming up, lay off the saltier foods in your life, as well as anything else that could cause bloating, such as carbs and caffeine.

This Week’s Goal:

I wasn’t 100% on target with this plan, but it was the first time I’ve tried to stick to a more rigid eating plan. For this week, I’m going to give myself the exercise goal of working out five times this week. Now, this won’t be tricky when I have more free time. However, I’m choosing to make this the week’s challenge because I have two classes, a show, and a three-day weekend ahead of me. The idea is that no matter what’s going on in my life, exercise will just have to be the priority over something else. Wish me luck!

Start Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 144.6

End Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 142.6

In one month, I’ve lost EIGHT pounds. Huzzah!

Ask me and Ana questions on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah and at @feedmeimcranky1!
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Wow, Nia! You’re definitely making amazing progress towards your goal and I’m stoked you felt amaze-balls in your bikini! The motherly instinct in me (I’m 2-years older, I’m allowed to have it for you! ), wants me to remind you to make sure you’re eating enough since, typically, a 5-pound/month loss is the max that health professionals deem as “healthy weight-loss.” I know that a part of any cleanse is rapid weight-loss, so that in and of itself makes me a little anxious (& in doing a quick calc, I’ve noticed eating ALL the foods recommended for the cleanse in one day would still yield a tad less than 1200 calories — too low), but, I’ll concede, I have no personal experience with cleanses. And, I’m sure (and hopeful) you did some additional snacking on those days! Do any of my readers have experience with or insight on cleanses? Good luck working out 5 days this week, Nia — you can do it!!!

To see Nadia’s first update, click here; her second, click here; her third, click here.

<3,

The Cranky One

When Nia and I first met, we were both wee undergrads at UCI.

We were both chosen to be writing tutors for a pilot tutoring program assisting on-campus residents. We immediately bonded over love for indie music, literature, and film. It was like meeting someone who spoke my same snarky and sarcastic language. Many guitar jam sessions, concerts, wine dinners (that I can hardly recall), and years later, I’m stoked to introduce her here. So, obviously I adore her and know you will, too. Without further ado…
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Intro

Hello, friends. I’m Nadia, I’m 24, and my goal is to be a queen of comedy, with my own TV show that I write and star in (along with subsequent spin-off shows and rights to animated characters). This requires diligence, hard work, patience, and, unfortunately, a killer body. Therefore, I have made it my goal to lose 25 pounds by the end of this year – and to keep it off.

Why am I publicizing this? My dear friend Annabel challenged herself to lose weight, and completely changed her lifestyle in the process. Her journey has inspired me so much that I wish to follow in her footsteps. I may have different reasons, different goals, and a different methodology for losing this weight, but I hope that I can achieve this goal and let you guys – Ana’s beloved readers – in on the process.

I am a good listener and love being part of the conversation, so if you have tips, advice and words of wisdom to share, please help me out! Leave comments in the blog posts or follow me on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah.

Let’s drop these pounds like your loser boyfriend! Who’s with me?

Week 1 Re-cap:

What a week to start trying to seriously lose weight – it turns out that I’m being let go at my job! It’s not due to performance, but because one of our clients is choosing to move their work internally. Thus, there is not enough work to go around. Even though I’ll be working full-time until the end of the month, I’m out of work by the Fourth of July.

Now, this could have very well put me in a tizzy. I could have become a huge stress-eater for the past week, but I chose to stay strong and stick to eating within reason…except for the weekend. I slept in very late on Saturday and Sunday, causing me to skip breakfast and go straight for a big ol’ meal.

However, I did manage to stick to three days of vegetarianism – I’ve been practicing this for over a month now, so it’s become habit (Cranky’s note: Nia calls this “part-time vegetarianism,” which I love!). Still, I thought perhaps being stressed-out over looking for a new job would mean that I would be prone to not just overeating, but for also going straight for the meat!

Best Meal:

Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Baked Ziti – at 350 calories, this lower fat, lower sodium dinner was a steal – and a tasty one at that! I added a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to add flavor. I recommend a cup of broccoli also sprinkled with a lil Parmesan for some veggie love with flavor.

Worst Meal:

Del Taco Regular Taco – yea, if you’re on a diet, you should not make a taco run past midnight. But I limited myself to 2 of these regular tacos that are smaller in size (and less in everything else bad). Next time, however, I’ll make sure to eat a snack like almonds or yogurt before going out late at night. (Cranky’s note: Each regular “taco” at Del Taco has 130 calories & 7g of fat. These are actually the lowest cal item on the menu outside of a side of salsa, so you could have done much worse, Nia!)

Food I Didn’t Realize Would Be Bad:

I love the Veggie Burger at The Counter. However, instead of looking up nutritional info before going, I decided to take my chances. My veggie burger ended up being 840 calories! My recommendation: skip the bun and go for a veggie burger in a bowl with salad. That will shave off 270 calories.

How I Worked Out:

Please bear in mind that I’m not a weakling, but I have not been really physically active for quite some time (since my free gym in college, really). So, I am easing into working out regularly again. I went running twice combined with strength training exercises for my arms and legs, as well as danced around like an idiot working up a sweat with Girl Talk. Three times in one week – it’s a start! This week, I’m aiming to add another day to that…and I’m looking to get back into a pool! More on that next week…

What Did We Learn?:

Choose your dressings wisely! This is something I already knew, but when you slap a fancy name like “aioli” on something, how can you resist? I could have saved myself a couple HUNDRED calories by choosing barbecue sauce instead of the aioli! (Cranky’s note: The Chipotle Aioli alone has 180 cals & 20g fat. The Roasted Garlic Aioli? 340 cals & 35g of fat — Sweet lord of calorified darkness! Go for the vinaigrette or soy glaze for 25-45 cals & 0-1.5g fat!) The next time I order anything involving a dressing or condiment, I am doing one of two things: 1) if the salad has other fatty items, like cheese, I will choose a super low-cal dressing 2) if the salad is all green, with no croutons or other caloric disasters, I will allow myself the option of choosing a fattier dressing.

This Week’s Goal:

Given that I was able to weather the storm of losing my job (and the potential stress-eating that could have come with it), I’m focusing on another dieting vice: SLEEP! I don’t get enough of it, and I need it to make sure I choose my food wisely (instead of eating Del Taco *hangs head in shame*). This week’s goal is to sleep for seven and a half hours every night – no exceptions! And this is with performing, practice, filming, writing, and job searching…wish me luck!

Start Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 150.2

End Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 146.6

Remember, you can ask me or Ana questions on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah and at @feedmeimcranky1, or leave us comments below!
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Notes from The Cranky One:

Way to go, Nia! You lost 3.6 pounds in a week! That’s awesome! Make sure you’re eating enough and drinking enough water (yes, eating ENOUGH! You don’t want to drop weight too quickly – it could shock your body into holding onto all poundage (I speak from experience, eep!)).

Check in next Tuesday for Nia’s second-week re-cap and join her on her journey!

p.s. Not to sabotage anyone’s healthy eating, but today is National Jelly-filled Donut Day (who comes up with this stuff?!), and if you want to celebrate, I recommend these vegan ones you can make yourself — at 150 calories each, they’re muy bueno!

Anyone want to join Nadia on her mission to lose weight? E-mail me here if you want a platform of your own!

<3,

The Cranky One