Kleenex!

I recently got two full size Kleenex samples from Crowdtap!

Happy unboxing!

The first sample is the Anti-viral tissues. First assumption is that the tissues would be moist or would have a strong sanitizer oder; in fact the issues are odorless and super soft!

I honestly believe that with this tissue and constant hand washing that you'll cut down on either catching a cold or your symptoms from getting worse!

The Anti-Viral Tissues have three soft layers, including a moisture-activated middle layer that kills 99.9% of cold and flu viruses within 15 minutes. Virucidal against Rhinoviruses Type 1A and 2; Influenza A and B; and Respiratory Syncytial Virus; in the tissue within 15 minutes.

The second sample is the Kleenex Tissues with Lotion!  It's perfect for delicate skin and cares for your sniffles and sneezes with the extra soothing softness. I honestly believe this will be perfect for allergy season! If you ever visted Georgia in the spring, you'll notice thick yellow dust on everything. Pine pollen is produced when the trees reproduce in the spring time. Symptoms of pine pollen allergies are much like "hay fever", and It hits me pretty badly each year!  I always get itchy eyes and a runny nose with sneezing sneezing and congestion.

With regular tissues, they tend to irritate my nose pretty bad with continual use. With the lotion tissues it really as bad. I do get some irritation, but its a lot more tolerable!

August 7th 2014

After being MIA from working out for a week and a half, I am finally back! I did a quick workout this morning and instantly felt great. My stomach is still weak and my energy is low, but I felt great to get the endorphins flowing.

I joined the Walgreens fitness rewards program. Still not sure what will come out of it, but hey, can't hurt right? Lol.

I am finally down one pant size. I can fit into my size 12s now and it feels great. I am slightly annoyed because I have to buy new jeans now. I didn't really get to wear my nice jeans I bought on my Texas jeans for long. This is when consignment shopping comes in handy. Trade in my name brand 14's and get "new" Jeans.  :)

Here's more food porn!  :

Ginger Chicken with Rice noodles and lightly cooked veggies

Homemade Jalapeño popcorn

Snazzy cookies that I didn't buy. They sounded delicious though! 

stomach virus? no big deal!

So I've been having an issue with a weak stomach/ stomach virus since last week. I haven't been able to exercise properly since then and it has a bit frustrating.  I have, how ever been able to eat good.

I slipped back into eating not as healthy but staying within my calorie limit.  I switched back to eating clean and smaller portions. I feel better, and hopefully soon I will be well enough to get back into working out. I miss running and lifting.

But I am super close to my first private goal and my first over all goal!

And here's some food porn:

Try it, you might like it!

Nopales

Nopales are a veggie from the pads of prickly pear cactus. They are very rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Nopales have been known to help control blood sugar. The benefits from them are endless!

When I first tried this veggie, I was very skeptical. I thought I wasn’t going to like it. Boy was I wrong. I absolutely love nopals. In fact I put it in almost everything from Eggs, tacos, and even chili. It’s a great way to add texture to your meal.  I like to add it to my meals like I would pickled jalapenos. To be honest with you, it might kind of creep you out. They can be slimy sometimes, but it’s not that big of a deal.  Just think of it as a canned French green bean and that’s pretty much the texture of it.

You can find it in a variety of ways. Fresh, canned or pickled. I prefer the pickled version of it.  You can even find it in some salsas.

Here are a few websites that offer wonderful information about the mighty nopal:

www.diabeteshealth.com - nopals

Wiki -Nopal

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Nopalitos con Huevos

(I have never been good with writing down my recipes; I tend to just eyeball it)

3 large eggs (I normally use just eggs whites)

Pickled nopales (you can add as much or little)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Whole stewed tomatoes (I tend to use 2)

Few dabs of Texas Pete hotter hot sauce (optional)

Your favorite salsa

Extra virgin olive oil

Flour or corn tortillas (I prefer corn tortillas)

Prep:

-          Heat your tortillas. If you are using store bought corn tortillas suggest patting them with a little bit of water before you heat them up. They tend to be dry.

-          Chop your noaples and whole stewed tomatoes in large chunks and set aside.

-          Whisk your eggs, seasonings, hot sauce, noplaes and tomatoes in a bowl.

-          Heat your pan to medium and lube with  the olive oil

-          Once your pan is heated properly, pour in egg mixture. Stir gently and cook to your desired doneness.

Serve your eggie goodness in to your tortillas and top it off with your favorite salsa.  Really, you can top it off what whatever you like; Cilantro, jalapenos, fresh chopped onions, black beans or even cheddar cheese.

 Yesterday, my husband and I made chicken tacos and added a ton of noples to the mix. It was amazing. Your diet doesn’t have to be boring. You just have to be willing to try new things.

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Come to think of it, I also like them in my grits…. Lol. It is very simple to make and perfect for any time of the day. If you do not know what grits are here’s a link that can help explain it: Wiki -Grits

Grits, Egg, and Nopalitos :

For the grits-

Grits (your desired serving size)

Smoked paprika

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Cumin

Smoked cayenne powder (optional)

Chili powder

For the egg mixture-

2 large eggs

Salt & pepper

Chopped nopales

                Prep:

-          Follow the instructions on how to cook the grits on the box. Once the grits are almost done mix in the spices.

-          Once the grits are cooked, set aside and let them cool. While it’s cooling cook up the eggs like the Nopalitos con Huevos recipe

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My husband loves to eat his with cheese and a lot of hot sauce.  I on the other hand just like it the way it is. Lol.  Hopefully I typed this out to where it makes sense. I’ve never been the type of person to write/type down what I make. Normally everything that my husband and I do in the kitchen, we tend to just wing it. Believe me, this is one habit we need to break. My husband has made some bad ass meals in the past, but we could never recreate them because we didn’t write them down. lol

Created a weight loss group on facebook, anyone is welcome to join!

Weight Loss Support Group

|| Workouts ||

I really haven’t posted a blog with workout routine yet. I am shocked that I actually never took the time out to type it out. I honestly feel like I could be here all day typing everything out, so I will post a few of my favorite work outs. The “easy” ones. Normally I tend to alternate upper body and lower body works outs every other day. My upper body work outs just tend to deal with dumbbells and doing curls. Lower body work outs tend to deal with squats and the “mule kicks”.


I always start every work out with pushups and end the work out with a few set of crunches.

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Stretching and “warming up”

Before you engage in any kind of work outs, it’s always good to stretch. Stretching can improve your flexibility and after awhile flexibility will help prevent any injuries from working out. Below is warm up tips and stretching tips..

Stretching:

Neck: Sit or stand with your arms hanging freely on your sides. Turn head side to side, hold for 3 to five seconds for each side. Repeat 3 times.

Shoulder and back of upper arm: Stand or sit and place right hand on left shoulder. With left hand, pull right elbow across chest toward left shoulder and hold 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat on each side 3 times.

Stretches triceps, top of shoulders, waist: Keep knees slightly flexed. Stand or sit with arms overhead. Hold elbow with hand of opposite arm. Pull elbow behind head gently as you slowly lean to side until mild stretch is felt. Hold 10 to 15 sec. Repeat on other side

Warm ups:

My favorite warm ups are :

Jumping jacks


Push ups

Crab walk: works your whole back side with emphasis on your triceps

Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent in front of you. Place both hands, palms down, on the floor at your side and lift your butt off the ground. Now start “crab walking” forwards or backwards.

I like to warm up by crab walking around the living room. It feels and seems utterly ridiculous but it really feels good to do these before I jump into the work outs below.

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Two of my favorite easy work outs are:

Mule kicks: works your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

Get down on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart, back strait and knees bent at 90 degree angle. Slowly kick your right leg straight back and up as high as possible. Keep your hips fixed squarely in place. Hold this peak position for about five seconds, then bring your leg back down to the starting position. Then do the same with your left leg.

Do 3 normal sets and then on the fourth set hold your leg out on the last kick for as long as you can hold it. I admit, it hurts like freaking hell. It’s damn well worth it.



Squats: works your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back and hip flexors.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. With your head up and eyes forward, bend your knees until your butt is a couple of inches above the floor. Lean your upper body slowly forward as you go down, until your shoulders are out over your knees. But be sure that your knees do not protrude past your toes. Then, keeping your heels on the floor, slowly stand using only your legs to lift you.

At first, try practicing these facing a wall with your toes 4 to 6 inches from the wall. This is a great way of correcting technique by ensuring that your knees are not going too far forward. Also if you feel that a full squat is too difficult at first, lower your body only as far as you can, until you develop strength and flexibility needed to lower your body all the way down.

Cholesterol

Yesterday my mom sent me a text that she has to change her eating habits. The doctor told her she was at risk for diabetes and high cholesterol.  It’s hard to change your views of food so sudden, and I feel kind of bad. She is the kind of person who loves her fried chicken and dairy queen. Lol.  I myself was a fried chicken dairy queen loving person too.  If I could completely change my views on food I know she can. 

What is Cholesterol you ask?......

“Cholesterol is a waxy steroid of the fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes and is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. In addition, cholesterol is an important component for the manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones, and Vitamin D. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals; however, small quantities can be synthesized in other eukaryotes such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes including bacteria. Although cholesterol is important and necessary for mammals, high levels of cholesterol in the blood can damage arteries and are potentially linked to diseases such as those associated with the cardiovascular system (heart disease)” - From Wikipedia

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I gave her some tips that might help her lower her cholesterol:

Olive oil

The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can sauté vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Olive oil is high in calories, so don't eat more than the recommended amount.

Nuts

Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy. 

According to the Food and Drug Administration, eating about a handful a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Just make sure the nuts you eat aren't salted or coated with sugar. 

All nuts are high in calories, so a handful will do. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.

Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death. 

Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in:

• Mackerel
• Lake trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna
• Salmon
• Halibut

You should bake or grill the fish to avoid adding unhealthy fats. If you don't like fish, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed.

You can take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the benefits, but you won't get other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes. 

Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.

Nothing is Something Worth Doing

I did a little bit of journaling whenever I had the chance. I didn’t have internet access for a good bit, and really didn’t feel like hauling my lap with me to find a free wifi hotspot. I didn’t journal as much as I would have liked, but something is better than nothing. :)

December 19^th 2010 – The key to a happy life is to keep experiencing new things. To learn who we are deep inside is a lot easier than you would think.  You cannot have any success with weight loss if you don’t dig deep in yourself and keep putting yourself down.  Changing the way you think is the first key to any thing you are setting your mind too. Everyone’s goal in life is to experience new things.  Don’t think of weight loss as a tedious task… just think of it as a new experience. once you start to realize that you can do anything you set your mind to, you’ll learn that losing weight really isn’t as hard as it seems. Just don’t keep obsessing on the weight, keep your mind on how you feel. 

December 20^th 2010 – I have been drinking a lot off Izzy Sodas lately. Even though it doesn’t have “sugar” and it is all natural, fruit juice is still a sugar. I need to slow down or cut it out completely before I start getting addicted to it. Lol. Being an ex-hardcore soda drinker, this is the last thing I need. I don’t need anything to replace the addiction to soda. 

December 26^th 2010 – We have been here in Georgia since the 3^rd.  I have been doing a lot of emotional eating. In this case it’s nostalgic.  When I first met my husband back in October 2004, it became almost like a ritual to go out to eat in Downtown Savannah. We would find new things to try and discover what we liked and didn’t like. It’s pretty nice to be here and follow almost the same footsteps. I can feel deep in my soul that I am genuinely happy. I haven’t been too worried about my weight, but I have been focusing on what’s healthy. In diets, it tends to be really strict and sometimes I feel like you are not allowed to have fun with your food. But what I just discovered in these few weeks is you can make eating healthy pleasing to the soul. We as humans, tend to follow the same footsteps that will lead us to remembering the good times. What if we started a new ritual, what if we tied healthy food to good times? In this case, I have a strong obsession for an avocado sandwich from the brighter day health food store near Forsyth Park in Savannah Georgia. It has slices of avocado, veganaise, sprouts, red onions Swiss cheese on gluten free bread. I don’t know what is about this sandwich, but I cannot get enough of it. I am always extremely happy when I have this sandwich.  Also, one of my favorite things to do on the weekends here was to grab a sandwich from Publix, Lenny’s, or Larry’s Giant subs. There’s just something about a good sandwich that just makes me weak in the knees. Lol. I guess it’s just the whole experience in grabbing a sandwich and enjoying it on a beautiful day.

January 3^rd 2011 - So it’s the New Year’s… people always use this time of year to start something new, to change and to improve themselves. I personally don’t care about New Year resolutions.  The only good thing about the New Year is that gyms often offer discounts and department stores offer their exercise equipment sometimes for half the price.  I wish that I had the time to join a gym. Right now my husband and I are in the process of renovating our new place. If I am lucky, I can get an exercise machine and maybe rebuy the weights I left back in Texas…. Oppsies.  

Today I compared a picture I took on the 1^st to that picture from January 2009… you can see a huge difference. Looking back at it, I can’t believe that I had gained so much weight, and that I lost it.

Almost There. Close to the first weight loss goal.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

 

I know that I said that I wasn’t going to blog before I moved, but this is so special that I couldn’t keep it in. lol.  I just realized that I am 3 pounds away from my first weight loss goal.  To this day, I have lost a grand total of 47 pounds. I am pretty fucking happy. I can’t believe that by hopefully the end of the year I have lost 50 pounds.  

It wasn’t an easy process. I had to fight through crazy food additions, learn what to eat, and force myself to exercise.  With this big move on the way, I am a little worried. I tend to eat out of boredom. But luckily for me, my husband cannot stand fast food, hates sugar and is gluten free. we basically have the same diet, so it’ll be a lot easier to pack things to eat. 

Also because of this big move, i really haven't had a chance to work out. As soon as we get to Georgia I plan on getting a gym membership, hopefully my sister in law will join me. I am excited for what the new year brings.

Hummus

Today, I decided that I would blog about my favorite snack in the whole wide world….. Hummus. I fell in love with hummus when I first tasted the roasted red pepper hummus from Jason’s Deli.  Ever since then, I could put hummus on everything. Lol. I also use hummus as a post workout snack! 

Incase what you are wondering what hummus is:

Hummus is a Levantine Arab dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It is a popular food throughout the Middle East and elsewhere.

Hummus wikipedia

Hummus is a great source of fiber, iron, protein, vitamin c, vitamin B6 and many other minerals. If you are Vegan or Vegetarian, this would be a great addition to your diet.

 Hummus makes a great replacement for dip and great as a condiment. I personally love to spread on my gluten free turkey sandwiches at Jason’s Deli.  It comes it a lot of different flavors like artichoke spinach, roasted red bell pepper, tomato basil, garlic hummus, roasted eggplant, black bean hummus, and many many other flavors.  

Here is a few recipes for hummus:

Spiced Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red peppers
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In an electric blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas, red peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Process, using long pulses, until the mixture is fairly smooth, and slightly fluffy. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor or blender in between pulses. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The hummus can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.)
2. Sprinkle the hummus with the chopped parsley before serving.

Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup garbanzo beans
• 1/3 cup canned jalapeno pepper slices, juice reserved
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• crushed red pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, mix the garbanzo beans, jalapeno peppers and reserved juice, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with cumin, curry powder, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth.

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons tahini paste
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika (optional)

Directions

1. Place garlic, salt, tahini, and lemon juice into a food processor; process until smooth. Pour in the garbanzo beans and 1/2 cup olive oil; process until smooth again, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Once smooth, add the sun-dried tomatoes, and pulse until they have been chopped to very small pieces and are incorporated into the hummus. Finally, add the basil, and pulse a few times until mixed in.
2. Spread the hummus into a shallow serving dish, and make a few decorative grooves on top. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with paprika before serving.

Word of Advice:

• Hummus would be a great addition to your bento box or lunch box.  Just pack  hummus instead of other fatty dips.
• skip the mayo in your sandwich, use  your favorite flavor of hummus.
• try different flavors.
• skip the tortilla chips, use veggies or hell even some fruits to dip.

Bento boxing it up….

Photo courtesy of Hailey Dallaire

“Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops, train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.”

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bento

Photo courtesy of Hailey Dallaire

We know that it can be hard to follow the demands of a healthy lifestyle when you are busy with working. Bento is the perfect way for you to keep your is a perfect way to stay healthy. Forget the fast food and forget packing your lunch in a brown sack, the bento is a fun way to get creative with your food. The possibilities are endless with what you can pack.  

Photo courtesy of Hailey Dallaire

I swear by the bento. I used to work in the food industry. I know how tempting it can be to just cook up a fast meal while you have a quick break from a lunch rush.  It’s not the healthiest thing to do, but at the moment it’s the easiest thing to do. After awhile I just got tired of eating fries and cheese steaks. I randomly stumbled across a page dedicated to people professing their love for the Bento box. Even though I didn’t have a credit card to buy a cute nifty box online, I bought a little Tupperware container to keep my food in. the next day I came to work with a little box filled with strawberries, celery, carrots, rice, and grilled chicken. I felt so much better and had a lot more energy to work.  This was back in 2007. I didn’t care about losing weight, but I did care about the food I ate. Going Bento for work helped me not gain weight. 

If you are thinking about going Bento, here are a few things to follow:
 

Photo courtesy of Hailey Dallaire

• Food has to be edible at room temperature.
•  Stay away from the junk food. Packing cookies and Debbie cakes might be tempting, just pack fruit instead.
• Change things up each day. You don’t want to get bored eating the same stuff each day.
• Get creative; Bento boxes are a day brightener!
• Leftovers are a great addition to your bento! 
• You can pack your bento the night before if you want to.
• Bacteria thrive on moisture and protein at room temperature. Use an ice pack and an insulated lunch bag when packing perishable foods that will be unrefrigerated for more than two hours. 

Here are a few websites if you want more information:
http://lunchinabox.net/
http://www.laptoplunches.com/


where to buy bento boxes:
Amazon
http://www.jbox.com/

(via CNN) 'Dirty dozen' produce carries more pesticide residue, group says

By Danielle Dellorto, Senior Medical Producer

June 1, 2010 1:31 a.m. EDT

 (CNN) -- If you're eating non-organic celery today, you may be ingesting 67 pesticides with it, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group.

The group, a nonprofit focused on public health, scoured nearly 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine what fruits and vegetables we eat have the highest, and lowest, amounts of chemical residue.

Most alarming are the fruits and vegetables dubbed the "Dirty Dozen," which contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving. These foods are believed to be most susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides.

Read more >>>

Where to start when dining out.. partie deux

Let’s say you are a working lady and it’s time for lunch break. What are you going to eat for lunch? Chances are you’re going to the nearest fast food joint to grab a quick lunch…. The only problem is, you started a diet. What do you eat now? 

Lucky for you, most restaurants have jumped on the healthy food band wagon!!!! Is it too good to be true? Yeah, it probably is considering that salads they have are loaded with SODIUM, FAT and CALORIES…  yowza!

Read more>>>

Monthly photo progress November

click to enlarge

I’m really excited with the results. I still can’t believe that I am doing so well with this diet, and I can’t believe that I lost 43 pounds! It’s insane, and seeing the progress inspires me to keep going. I still have roughly 57 pounds to lose before I meet my overall goal of 100 pounds. On my post yesterday I said I was really impressed with the weight loss on my back. If you seen me right before this weight loss you know that my problem areas were my lower stomach and my lower back. Well, I still have a little bit of a gut, but my back looks amazing. I’m still a little hesitant to show my pictures, but part of this blog is to grow into a different person and gain confidence. I never thought that losing weight could be this easy. It just shows that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Read more>>>

Eating Disorders

In my last entry I talked about how I considered Crash diets as a type of eating disorder. An eating disorder is extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.  From doing research on diets, I saw that it is easy to get sucked into the self destructive web of eating disorders.  Most eating disorders start off innocent. It might start out as just eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spirals out of control. I felt like it is important to blog about eating disorders because it is a serious issue. Eating disorders can cause serious health problems and can even lead to death. It’s important to educate yourself about the risks before you go into starting a diet, just so you know the healthy way to approach losing weight.  Sadly, I’ve know people who thought It was okay to starve themselves for a period of time, binge on food and purge afterwards, or even fast after bingeing. It is never okay to resort to this for losing weight. If you feel like you might have a problem, then you should get Psychological and medicinal treatment. Eating disorders are a treatable disease. 

There are 3 main eating disorders; 

·         Anorexia Nervosa – some people with anorexia restrict the amount of food that they eat in an extreme manner. They might try to lose weight by excessively exercising.  Some vomit after eating (much like bulimia) or misuse laxatives, diet pills or enemas.  Many people with anorexia see themselves as being fat when they are clearly malnourished. They typically weight themselves obsessively.  People with anorexia are 10 times more likely to die as a result of their illness compared to those without an eating disorder.

Symptoms of Anorexia may include

• osteoporosis
• brittle hair and nails
• dry and yellowish skin
• growth of fine hair over body
• mild anemia, and muscle weakness and loss
• severe constipation
• low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse
• drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time
• lethargy

·         Bulimia Nervosa – Bulimia is frequent episodes of losing control over eating. Then it is followed by throwing up, misuse of diet pills, misuse of laxatives, misuse of enemas, fasting, and/or over exercising.  Unlike Anorexia, a person can appear to be normal by falling into normal range for their weight and age.  People with Bulimia almost always do the bingeing and purging secretly, because the person feels disgust with their problem.

Symptoms of Bulimia may include:

·         electrolyte imbalances,

·         gastrointestinal problems

·         oral and tooth-related problems

·          chronically inflamed and sore throat

·         Swollen glands in the neck and below the jaw

·         kidney problems from diuretic abuse

·         esophageal reflux disorder

·         severe dehydration from purging of fluid

     Binge- Eating Disorder – On the other end there is an eating disorder that is caused by over eating. I firmly believe that Binge eating disorder is one of the many causes for childhood obesity. For some families it is common to show signs of affection and love through food. Parents also use food to sooth children.  Binge- Eating is when a person loses control over what they are eating.  It is like bulimia with the losing control over food, but different because the person doesn’t purge.   As a result the person gains an excessive amount of weight. It is often lead by guilt which results in more binge eating.  People with binge eating disorder do not use vomiting or laxatives to purge as a way to control weight. Binge eating can be genetic; can be triggered by emotions, or learned from childhood. 

The Risks of Binge Eating include:

·         Type 2 Diabetes

·         Hypertension

·         cardiovascular disease

·         risk of stroke

·         increased risk of caners

·         increased risk of fatty liver disease

·         increased risk of gallbladder disease

·         breathing problems

·         Health risks for expectant mothers and baby

·         Premature death