The Limit to Will Power

The book, The Foodist, by Darya Pino Rose, changed how I view food and weight loss that leads to a healthier lifestyle. In this book, she begins by discussing how 'diet' is a 4-letter word and how if we look at the science behind food and our bodies, we can enjoy REAL food - food that is nutrient rich - and maintains a healthy weight all the while feeling great!

One main point from chapter 2 is that of willpower and how it fails us.  We've all been there.  You decide you want to lose weight.  You will yourself to follow a diet.  You lose weight in the short-term, but long-term results include regaining of some weight and a feeling of failure.

Roy Baumeister and John Tierney, in their book, Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, propose that willpower is dependent on blood sugar. Your brain uses blood sugar to fuel your will.  When you are hungry, as when dieting, blood sugar drops, and you lose some will to choose healthier options.  If you already have a life-long history of poor eating habits, then you are more likely to choose quick, nutrient deficient foods.

Baumeister's research further showed that self-control depletes your willpower.  Think about when you have a tough day at work.  Do you want to eat healthily or do you want to run through a drive-thru or order take-out?  Do you feel like eating a salad, or greasy, cheesy, fried food?  What about when you are tired?  I remember being in college.  Not only was I poor, so I bought cheap unhealthy food, but all-nighters meant I was up drinking coffee, and sticking with cereal, or mac and cheese as diet staples.  Being tired is another hurdle keeping us from making impulsive food decisions. Women, I won't even touch PMS.  You know how that is already.

  

To counteract this problem:

• Keep choices of healthy, nutrient-rich foods, ready and on-hand to eat when you need it  
• If you are hungry, drink some water and then eat a healthy snack- don't ignore your brain's internal satiety cues  
• Eat at regular intervals to help keep your blood sugar regular 
• Figure out ahead of time what days could cause trouble and make a healthy eating plan that is available when the time comes
• Make a plan for what you will do if you must eat out at a restaurant while at work or at a social event
• Surround yourself with people who are encouraging and can support your healthy eating habits
• Educate yourself about healthy eating

Bottom line- willpower cannot be trusted.  There are too many variables present to sabotage your healthy eating decisions.  Listen to your body, keep realistic nutritional goals, think and plan what you will eat so that eating becomes mindful and not a mindless habit.  Don't starve yourself and pick a healthy eating plan and foods that fit YOUR lifestyle- not the plan that worked for your best friend.

I hope this information is helpful. I know it was eye-opening for me.  I don't have to rely on my will. I know, now, that my brain will tell me when my body needs food, and my learning about healthy foods is how I best meet the needs of my body.  Making good food decisions all the time means that feeling good and weight loss will eventually be a logical result! There is much more information available in Chapter 2 of The Foodist.  This was just one portion that stood out for me!


Images from:
http://toyourgoodhealthradio.com/why-d-i-e-t-is-a-4-letter-word/
https://kathypro.org/2016/03/19/diet-is-a-4-letter-word/
http://www.plumpetals.co.uk/2015/02/22/that-4-letter-word-diet/
https://quacksfromastrangeduck.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-11-of-30-picture-of-something-i.html

6 Pound Loss Manifested

From June 22, 2017

It's more than weight loss. It's more than a number on a scale. Choosing health means you make better choices with food. It means that you are sick and tired of feeling sluggish and grumpy. You're emotionally over blaming the dryer for shrinking your clothes, and you are finished with your cravings and food controlling you. These thoughts started today over a single pair of skinny jeans.

I've lost track of how many days past my 30 Days to Healthy Living Challenge I am. I started May 8th and haven't really looked back. In 30 days, I may have only lost 6 pounds, but that 6-pound loss has manifested in many ways that even at day 45ish I am still figuring out.

One day, while vacationing in CO at the lake, I put on my suit to realize that my back fat was not hanging over the edge of my suit. When I took my before and after photos, I could tell my love handles were not spilling over my waistline as bad. I didn't even wear my armpit-to-ankle length cover-up this year. Now, my super white skin, I still need to work on, but I'l leave that for another post!

Back to the skinny jeans you thought I forgot about. As I was getting ready for Small Fry's swim meet, I decided to wear jeans because after the sun goes down, it gets chilly at the outdoor swim meets. Just out of curiosity, I took down a pair of skinny jeans that I'd been meaning to donate because I haven't been able to fit into them for about a year. To my surprise and delight, the jeans fit. I didn't have to shimmy in them. I didn't have to suck it all in to zip. It was amazing. This means that I lost 6 pounds, back fat, and love handle spillage, but I also shrunk my butt, hips, and thighs.

That 30 days of focus on quality Arbonne products and new healthy eating habits transformed my body from the inside out. Being healthy is more than being skinny. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Being thin is no fun if you're tired, sluggish, and grumpy. The number on a scale may indicate how fat or skinny you are, but better nutrition will transform your body from the inside out.

July is a week away. Summer is almost over. What will you do to make a change now? If you are interested in learning more about how to take back power when it comes to making better nutritional choices, please fill out the form at this link. I'm still on this journey and I'd love for you to join me in July!

The Density of Things...

People used to ask why I bought sweet potato tortilla chips.  I always explained that they are more nutrient dense- meaning more good stuff for your body and less empty calories.  Think about every time you go to your favorite Mexican restaurant and you "fill-up" on corn chips and salsa.  How many baskets of chips does the waiter bring until your food comes? How overly full do you feel after you eat those chips, salsa, and then your huge plate of food?  I may have been guilty of unbuttoning my jeans after a rather large Mexican meal...

This brings me to pancakes.  Yes.  Fluffy, yummy, carb-o-licious pancakes.  Monday night is BRINNER at our house.  I love breakfast foods.  I love pancakes.  My husband and Fries can consume mass quantities of pancakes.  What I don't love is the amount of empty, calories- no nutrients- just fluff entering the body that is of no benefit.  

I'm now 2.5 weeks into a 30 Days to Healthy Living Challenge and I didn't want to blow it with pancakes, so I set off to find a better way.  
I started on the back of the almond flour bag. Nada.  No pancake recipe.  I went to the ever faithful Pinterest and found a recipe to start with.  I say start with because I have a very picky Medium Fry who can sense the smallest of texture changes in his mouth.  I tread lightly with most recipes and do my best to mimic the unhealthy with my healthier recipes.  Some nights it's an epic fail.  Tonight, however, I celebrated a WIN!

Before I share the recipe, I want to remind you that my goal is nutrient dense.  If you have a picky eater in your family, then you can relate to feelings of, "Crap, the kid is eating empty crap, again."  It is SO frustrating when your kid avoids every healthy food known to man.  

So my secret ingredients are 2 fold- fiber and protein.  First I added 1 scoop of Arbonne's Fiber Boost.  You can read about the importance of fiber here. Second, I added a scoop of Arbonne's Daily Protein Boost. Both of these products are flavorless and do not change the taste or texture of the food, AND more importantly, the protein and fiber are from plant sources and do not contain any allergens at all. No whey. No soy. It's a win, win, win, win!

               

Paleocakes with Density 
Mix together:

• 4 eggs
• 1.5 C of non-dairy milk (I used plain, unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/3 C applesauce (I used a pouch of Go-Go Squeeze)
• 1/4 C honey (we like it sweet)
• 1/2 t vanilla

Then add:

• 1/2 C gluten free flour (otherwise the pancakes fall apart)
• 3 C almond flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 scoop Daily Fiber Boost
• 1 scoop Daily Protein Boost

Spray the griddle and cook.  Be gentle when flipping.  They are SOFT.  I put some fresh blueberries in some and we ate them with 100% pure Maple Syrup.

So, I held my breath as the Fries ate their pancakes.  It was a success.  Medium Fry said, "Mom, these are so good, but I can only eat 2 because they really filled me up!" AND "Mom, those were the best pancakes ever- they melted in my mouth."  Yay.  Whew.  Small Fry loved them, and Biggie Fry said, "Wait.  Were those *healthy* pancakes?"  He explained that he loved them (he ate 3 of them), but he might reconsider because of the health aspect.  Whatever 14-year old, whatever.  

The Fiber Boost added 12 grams of fiber and the Protein Boost added 10 grams of protein.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!  Happy pancake making! 


tobiekeown.arbonne.com

Vampires and One Star Reviews

Not long ago one of my Fries had a couple doctor's appointments.  This particular Fry had been dealing with some crazy stuff that hit him out of nowhere and so off to the specialist we went.  The specialist ordered blood work and I immediately froze.  She has no idea what she is getting us into.  

We had several weeks to prepare the Fry for the inevitable day.  Every. Single. Time. He growlingly refused and said he was not giving any blood.  I reminded him that this time, he was not to call anyone a vampire.  Yes.  A vampire.  

Flashing back a few months prior, Fry had a finger prick at his annual physical.  You would have thought he was being tortured.  It took 2 nurses and myself to hold him down as they painstakingly squeezed blood from his finger into a tiny vial.  The whole time there were threats, and intense squirming and yelling.  I didn't know if I should laugh or cry.  The nurses were not very happy until he bellowed out, "You all are a bunch of vampires!" "Vampires- stealing my blood!"  "You are not trying to help me!"  "This is my body and you can't take my blood!"  "You are all vampires!" Then the nurses burst out into smiles as they attempt to get one last drop of blood before leaving.    

The first blood draw went off without a comment about a vampire, but there sure was a lot of yelling, crying, and reprimanding us going on.  Things like, "This is my body." "You can't do this to my body."  and of course, "You all are a bunch of evil meanies."  Phew!  After this intense emotional ordeal, we all took a nap.

A few months later, we took Fry back to visit a specialist who, again, wanted to check his blood levels.  I asked for the "red juice"- you know the stuff that they give kids before surgery to make them loopy and "not care".  Well, there was no red juice.  We asked the nurse for the numbing cream.  I'm not sure the cream makes much of a difference when we are dealing with a kid with hypersensitivities, but it was worth a shot.  Her response was, "Well we will have to wait 20 minutes."  

Oh lady, I thought.  You better bring that cream in and you better not be the one to draw the blood. By now Fry was at his normal yelling.  Adam and I would cram a fruit snack or a sip of Sprite in his mouth in between each angry protest.  It was all the same sentences as before (minus the vampires) except this time he yelled, "This doctor is only getting a one star review from me!"  "No, wait.  She's not getting any stars!"  "She's nothing but an evil doctor." Adam was wishing for his ear plugs and I was wondering where I could get some red juice for myself. 

We didn't want him to scare the other children in the waiting room.  As we walked down the hallway, I reminded Fry to quiet down.  To which he replied, "Oh no, I am gonna tell all of them this place is evil- this place doesn't want to help kids- they all need to get out of here."  Fortunately, he kept those comments to himself.  When we got to the room in which the bloodletting would take place we were greeted by an angel with the name of Cindy.

Cindy greeted the Fry with a smile.  She remained calm and her words dripped with honey each time she addressed the almost-foaming-at-the-mouth Fry.  She explained what she was going to do, and if he calmed down she would only have to stick him one time in the arm. Fry tried to kick the other nurse out of the room and angelic Cindy said Fry had to trust her to be quick and gentle and she had to trust him to stay still. I positioned myself across his legs, Adam held back his swinging hand that tried to free his arm from the nurse and the inevitable needle stick.  Angelic Cindy had that needle in his arm and filled 6 vials of blood in no time.  While we waited for the blood to fill the vials, I could actually let up pressure on his legs.

When it was all said and done, orange band aid in place, Fry turned to Cindy and said, I can give you a 5 star review, but the rest of this place still gets just one star." Cindy laughed.  I hope she knows she deserves more than 5 stars because nurse Cindy never lost her sweet, calm composure in the midst of a blood drawing rage.  

How do your kids act with "evil" medical procedures?  How do you prepare them for it?  What tips do you have for making this an easier situation?

And to all the nurses (& phlebotomists) out there- Know that you are appreciated.  You work long, hard hours and deal with tough situations and even tougher patients.  During EVERY hour of your shift: 

‘May the Lord bless you

    and protect you.

25 

May the Lord smile on you

    and be gracious to you.

26 

May the Lord show you his favor

    and give you his peace.’

~Numbers 6:24-26~