Nutrition labelling news

Have you heard? The supermarket chain Hannaford’s has had independant analysis performed on much of their stock. They assign stars based on the nutritional content of the foods using a scale more stringent than the FDA pyramid (which is damn useless, IMO). Unfortunately, there isn’t a Hannaford close to my home, but I applaud their efforts to provide nutritionally accurate information to their customers.

As for me, I’ve maintained the 12-13 pounds I lost over the summer. I regained maybe 3-4 pounds over September and October, which I expected, but I seem to be maintaining my loss relatively painlessly. My hubby, currently approximately 50-60 pounds overweight, ran and finished the October Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. I am so proud of him. He did so well, with very little strain and injury afterward. My main goal was to rekindle his interest in once or twice weekly regular exercise. I hope I’ve succeeded.

His family health history is extremely scary- especially the men. Several of his male relatives have died of lifestyle related diseases younger than age 60. Cardiac disease, high blood pressure, diabetic complications, etc. His father had a major heart attack at 49. Now, they all smoke and most of them drink heavily. Hubby does neither and uses that as his out.

“I don’t drink or smoke, so my weight and lack of regular exercise isn’t as important.”

UH. Yes, it does matter. I’m worried. Unfortunately I’m turning into a nag, most likely. It’s hard to watch. It’s hard to comfort him when a relative dies of these problems. Not because I’m unsympathetic, but because I see myself slowly walking toward that future too. I want to shake him and say, “Please wake up. Please see what’s happeninig. Please come for a walk with me. Make us a salad. Broil some fish. Stop making excuses.”

I’ve got to figure out how to involve him and try to change his habits by stealth if I have to. Without nagging him to death. He often does things for me even when he isn’t interested or doesn’t want to, so maybe I can kind of lead him along until these things become an established part of his daily routine. Of course, all of this advice could be said directly into a mirror. I too can benefit from all of these things.

As for myself, I’m trying to get back onto the regular exercise routine too. The plan this week is walk Mon, Wed & Fri with Hubby if at all possible. Tues, Thurs & Sun I hope to do intervals or short jogs. Maybe I can get Hubby to come along for the Sun one too. Otherwise I’m planning to do it myself no matter what.

I’m trying to return to the journaling habit too. I’d kept a food journal all summer, with excellent success. Come late August it was all blown up. Now I’m trying to return to it. The holidays are coming up & I’d like to lose another 10-15 pounds and maintain again for a couple of months and resume losing. Slow and steady.

I saw a BMI chart yesterday which said I’m in the 30% Obese level I category. I knew that already. What surprised me is that to get to 25%, which is the highest normal BMI, I only need to get to 145 pounds. I’m 5′4″ BTW. Medium build. I was, am, shocked. I thought I’d need to be under 135 to get into the normal BMI range.

Now, I know that reaching even the tippy top of 25% I still need to lose 30 pounds. However, considering that in June I had nearly 50 pounds to get to the same place? I’m happier than I was then. Not satisfied, by any means. Happier counts for something.

Hiking- aka, the power of imagery

So, yeah, still here and all that jazz. Managing not to keep diet soda in the house. Remembering how much I really love ice cold water. Not eating all that healthy. Not exercising. Unfortunately found cinnamon ice cream, managed to share most of it.

Tired of beating myself up for it, but going with the flow of things. I’m doing the best I can. No more no less. It’s hard to remember that life isn’t all peaks. There are valleys too. Sometimes climbing up to the next peak is tough. Sometimes knowing the peak is there is enough even when you can’t see it and you’re tired and need to ’sit a spell.’

Reminds me of an image I saw in a book called ..gotta go find it. BRB Er. Hmm. Can’t find it right now, but the title is Eating By the Light of the Moon by Anita Johnston. Hum. What the author said is that people use certain behaviors as a crutch to get them through hard times. When circumstances change, some people hang on to and carry on with their habitual behavior to their detriment. It’s a fantastic book and I highly reccommend it for anyone who has behaviors, whether serious or annoying, food related or not, that they need to change.

Now my job is to try and change my habitual behaviors. Which is hard. At least I’m aware and fighting. Ok. Found it (the book I mean). I need to get up off my stump in the valley and start hiking towards the next peak. How about you? How are you doing? Are you hiking or resting?

Thursday 13- Body Image

Thoughts and commentary on body image and the media.Leave a link in the comments & I’ll link to you. Click here for a list of other Thursday 13 participants.

1.Revolution on the Catwalk

2.Models Seize the Eye

3.Men’s Impossible Dreams?

4.Body image as commodity

5.Definitions and information from an eating disorder referral site

6.From Wellesley College, unfortunately the link to body image over the decades won’t work for me.

7.A definition

8.A brief history of women and body image

9.Books that discuss body image

10.Bodyicon, an informative project from Columbia University. Tons of info

11. Female weight lifters

12.Examples of tampering with digital images. How are men & women being subtly influenced by altered images?

13.Adios Barbie, funny but based in truth

I feel like a slug. No motivation to do anything positive towards my goals. Stasis is BAD. I’ve basically jogged in place for the last two months. Somehow I need to dredge up the oomph to get off my keister & work the plan. I can talk a good game, but follow through is the problem. I suppose the fact that I’m not regaining is a plus though.

Ok, stasis is fantastic for maintenance phase. Except I’m way far away for my goals. There’s always tomorrow.

Bad Habits

I’m still here. Trying very hard to give up diet soda. Jeez. You’d think it wouldn’t be so tough, especially with the headaches. But noooo….It’s tougher than you’d think. I think it’s more of a habit than anything else. When I’m out & thirsty it’s automatic. I need to figure out how to break the cycle. Any ideas?

Don’t even ask about coffee. It’s my last vice (other than eating unhealthy foods). My favorites are cinnamon & pumpkin spice. The more the merrier. I did give it up about ..thirteen years ago. I think. Let me think now. Daughter was just over a year old- so..yeah. It lasted two years.

Kinda like the vegetarian eating. That lasted about two years. What a weakling I am. LOL Two years is about all I’m good for, seems like. I really didn’t miss meat, believe it or not. And I love me some cheeseburgers, people. I bought a bunch of veggie cookbooks & taught myself to eat soy products. Even my kids’ll eat tofu. Really.

Smoking though, I’ve managed that one. For nineteen years. I’ll tell you, the mental cravings were a bitch. Three + years of horrible cravings. Standing in the store arguing with the clerk. She knew I’d quit & she refused to sell them to me. LOL What a friend. If it wasn’t for them I’d've never made it.

Still trying to get back into the exercise groove. Once a week since Labor Day. If that often, now that I think of it. I did so well over the summer. Four or five times a week. I’ve got to change my routine for the better.

GO ME!