Healthy Habits For Ponies! Take 2! ~Update last challenge, pg 99!!

[JazzMatazz]

oi worst timing ever... I'm moving to campus this summer.. only 13 miles away! Just dropped a heavy board on my foot, so much for lots of walking at this point :/ not sure if its just bruised or I broke a toe. Hopefully I'll be better and ready to go for this weekend!

[Candy_Bang]

I like reading everyone's recipies and food advice, it's helping give me fresh ideas for enticing meals. I may also try graze.com if I get bored of snacking on fruit or kids' breakfast bars.

The mascot idea sounds cool. G1 Skippedy Do has skipping ropes and her rearing pose looks cheerful, but I like the winged heart symbol idea too. Maybe on a pegasus (soaring to a better existence?) or an earth pony (learning to keep our feet on the ground?) would work?

Also... does anyone have any advice on how to be realistic about food? It's nearly 5 here and I've eaten a breakfast bar, a banana, two strawberries and a yoghurt... but I'm feeling guilty. Realistically I know that's not a lot to an ordinary person, but I find it easier to accept eating a normal serving of cereal or a sandwich, and a piece of fruit or breakfast bar, so that I've only visited the kitchen twice. If I've got a migraine or I'm really tired I can't always be bothered to even make a sandwich or cereal, hence just grazing like today. What is the best way to teach myself that multiple food items doesn't mean that I've eaten excessively?

To end on a higher note, I ate pretty well (two slices of toast w/ peanut butter, a kid's portion of bran cereal, homemade chicken curry with rice and bread, and a yoghurt) and exercised for an hour or two yesterday.

[Yurusumaji]

Also... does anyone have any advice on how to be realistic about food? It's nearly 5 here and I've eaten a breakfast bar, a banana, two strawberries and a yoghurt... but I'm feeling guilty. Realistically I know that's not a lot to an ordinary person, but I find it easier to accept eating a normal serving of cereal or a sandwich, and a piece of fruit or breakfast bar, so that I've only visited the kitchen twice. If I've got a migraine or I'm really tired I can't always be bothered to even make a sandwich or cereal, hence just grazing like today. What is the best way to teach myself that multiple food items doesn't mean that I've eaten excessively?

Remember that snacking is a good thing! Eating several small meals instead of 3 large-ish ones is actually way better for you. My husband uses this method to avoid weight gain, so whenever we eat out he always has to get a take-out box for the leftovers. Several small meals a day will build up your metabolism and it also makes it so there's less fat just sitting in your system at any given time, so your body won't absorb as much of it.

When I worked out using EA Active, it tells you that you should eat a small "meal" every 2 hours. If you wait, your metabolism slows down and you're more likely to have a harder time losing weight.

[Candy_Bang]

Thanks Yurusumaji Part of that kind of helps

[TexasGal]

Karate tonight....DH is off work so he is coming along too!   Got some yoga done last night after the movie (Ellie wanted to see a movie instead of bowling...) and DH and I have been trying to eat smaller portions and get more fruits and veggies in.  Kinda hard when we are busy as we are, but we are doing better.

[BrightSide]

I'm really struggling ugh.

Yesterday I did well.. I had a few spoonfuls of hot food for the first time in months (25 likes on bookface ) but I've slid back to how I've been for weeks.. nothing but pureed baby food (the fruit ones) and cookie crisp. I won't take my supplements, I'm losing weight and I'm sure to be in very bad books for Friday's review with specialist and dietician.

The one positive is that I've recieved my gym membership! I need to go get it confirmed with my college acceptance letter (so they can give me the student discount), and after that's done I'll be able to go to the gym and Zumba classes for a discounted price. Can't wait. :]

Thinking of doing Wii Fit and / or yoga tonight also.

[TexasGal]

Hey Bright, how about you do some yoga "with" me.  =]  Doing it together a couple hundred miles apart.  Is there something you do like to eat that would seem more appetizing?  Perhaps we could help tempt you with some yummy recipes? 


Or do you want a bite of my strawberry yogurt?  =D  You aren't backsliding at all honey, just a bump in the road, cause we all know you can do this! 


Yay for gym memberships!  Good luck with Zumba!


Do you like milkshakes?  There is a great product you can get that helps build muscle (I used it and loved it, and it actually tasted good) is called Muscle Milk.  So good and it's good for you.  Doesn't taste nasty like some protein powders, and it makes for a delicious milkshake.  My favorite is chocolate, and I put kefir in it.  That is good for you too, gets all your innards in line.  xD 


What can we do to help you out girly?

[SurfStar]

Here is a quote that I often find inspirational when I'm feeling down and depressed about things:

Dont look at the big picture constantly, it gets over whelming really fast. Go day by day, you do badly one day there is always tomorrow. Also, it's only food. It only has power if you let it have power over you. Make small choices every day rather than all at once. It takes longer but its much more effective and healthier.  You can do it!

Make daily goals. It feels great to look back on your day and be able to say, yeah - that I DID that. I ROCKED it. All those little goals can help you get to the bigger ones.

I've noticed that there have been a couple of posts about consistency and struggling to maintain it. I'd like to post some stuff, I added this to my tumblr, but I'm pretty sure I can't link to it so I'm going to just c/p my post from there.

I get bored. I get stuck. I get tired of my ‘routine’ and I start slipping and backsliding into the land of weight gain and unhealthy eating. This time around I’ve found a way that’s really helped ME be able to plan ahead but stay fresh enough that I don’t get bored (also, the only real time sink was the set up!). I'll be honest, I hate doing the same things day in and day out, I hate doing something that takes me more than 10-15 minutes to plan out. I wanted to make my life easier and get away from being hyperfocused on  FOOD. Anorexia for me was about control, getting healthy and losing weight right is also about control. Just a different type of control. I certainly didn't want to replace a food based anorexia with an exercise based one. However, I also knew I couldn't be one of those people that counted my calories, wrote a journal, and basically acted like Food Gestapo when it came to my eating.

Research studies have found time and time again that people who successfully lose weight are able to plan ahead. Make healthy choices. Here's how I do it.

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Each one of the colors there represents a different category for me (from yellow to neon pink: Snacks, Dinner, Dessert, Breakfast, Lunch, Drinks, and Exercise - not pictured is my obnoxious neon orange ones for 'Eating Out). It has the ‘recipe’ when needed otherwise I just list the entire meal. Off to the side I have listed the number of Points (since I often use the Weight Watchers counting system, it's easier to remember I have 10 points left in a day than say 982 calories.) as well as the Calories, so I can keep track of them at the end of the day. The number of cards I have in each category varies and when I find something new that I really like, it’s as simple as making a new card. I also have my exercise stuff all planned out! This way there is no excuse for not fitting it into my schedule.
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I color coded everything so it would be easier for me to pick cards. Sunday night I sit down and pick out the cards for Monday’s meals, then Tuesday etc. This way I can have a LOT of variety in both my food and my exercise. Not being bored with something, generally means that I’ll stay on track. Additionally, the less time I have to spend “planning” something, the better I feel! I have a dry erase board on my fridge where I write what I'm eating for meals, usually when I snack I try and pick fruits and veggies. But if I want something else, it's as easy as walking over to my storage box and picking out a new card. So generally, every single Sunday, I can tell you each day of the week how many Points each of my days are and what my calories for those days are as well. No journaling, no obsessing. Just simple. I like keeping things simple. This also allows me to make sure I'm getting a good balance of carbs, fruits, veggies, etc. Even if you're vegan/vegetarian it's important to remember to get all the nutrients your body needs during the day.



The idea behind weight loss is having a 500 calorie deficit each day, so by the end of the week you should hopefully lose one pound. Some weeks might not reflect a loss (I know if I'm heavier on the strength training that week, usually I stay the same). If you were looking to gain weight, the principle would be the same but in reverse, add about 500 calories to your day.
The starting point of most weight loss should be getting your basal metabolic rate (BMR) - once you have your BMR you can then determine your deficit or surplus in order to gain weight.

http://www.bmr-calculator.org/ <-- this is a pretty good site.

For example, utilizing that site, when I put my stats in I get a BMR of 1,674, which means my body will burn that many calories even if I do nothing but lay in bed and breathe all day long. So without exercise, I would need to eat 1,174 calories each day to lose 1 pound each week, even if I do nothing. However, rarely and only when supervised by a doctor, would I suggest eating less than 1,200 calories a day. Less than that and your metabolism is going to turn into a snail. So at a certain point, that's when you exercise. Those calories you 'burn' exercising get added to your BMR.

So for example, my BMR is 1,674, but I also went jogging with my dog for 20 minutes so I burned an extra 120 calories. So really that day my body would burn 1,794 calories -> meaning that to keep losing my 1lb I would need to eat 1,294 calories. IF you wanted to lose faster, and I don't recommend more than 2 lbs per week ever!, then just keep your calories at around 1,200 per day. However, the more you exercise the more fuel your body needs. If you're VERY active, you need to be eating more than that or you'll be hurting rather than helping your body.

For weight gain, the principle remains the same. If my BMR is 1,674 and I wanted to GAIN weight, then I would simply consume 2,174 calories each day (without exercise!) to gain 1 pound each week. If you are exercising the goal is always to consume MORE calories than your body is burning. You want to do it slow though for a couple of reasons -> no stretch marks. The slower you gain, the more your skin can keep up and you want to be making healthy choices that you can sustain once you are at your goal weight later on. So clearly, you don't want to gain weight by eating cupcakes since you would be trading one problem for another.


Post Merge: June 12, 2012, 11:02:47 AM

I'm really struggling ugh.

Yesterday I did well.. I had a few spoonfuls of hot food for the first time in months (25 likes on bookface ) but I've slid back to how I've been for weeks.. nothing but pureed baby food (the fruit ones) and cookie crisp. I won't take my supplements, I'm losing weight and I'm sure to be in very bad books for Friday's review with specialist and dietician.

The one positive is that I've recieved my gym membership! I need to go get it confirmed with my college acceptance letter (so they can give me the student discount), and after that's done I'll be able to go to the gym and Zumba classes for a discounted price. Can't wait. :]

Thinking of doing Wii Fit and / or yoga tonight also.

First a big  ! I agree with TexasGal, it might be a momentary pause but we are here to help you. =) I have a couple of amazing shake recipies that are cold. I don't often enjoy hot foods, especially when it's hot out so I find myself eating less.

My first question is, Why won't you take your supplements?

I've found Zumba to be very fun, and I would definitely do some Wii Fit/Yoga with you and TexasGal later this evening/afternoon =)


*hugs to all* I'll do some more responses and update the thread properly here in a bit.

[BrightSide]

^ That sounds like fun! :] My silly father isn't going out tonight, so I can't have the TV to use.. maybe I'll wait until late tonight in our time and use it as a cool down / chill out. Major (and final) exam tomorrow.. a nice composed mind and body should be fantastic. 

I hate pretty much everything :') I adore cooking, but I'll cook for everyone else and not eat it myself. I'm crazy about learning new recipes and late night baking missions! Same goes for milkshake, unfortunately.. The dieticians said I could live on the milkshake Ensures, but I actually hate milk and won't touch anything with it in.

I am such a silly kitten. At least there's the exciting prospect of Zumba.. eek, and I want to try a treadmill too! And cross trainers are awesome fun, I hope my gym has them!

Thank you ever so much for being so lovely, sweetheart Together we'll all get healthier.


Oh, and SurfStar, my dietician taught me a lot about Basal Metabolic Rate! You're absolutely spot on with what you said about it.

Everyone really needs to cover their BMR, as it's what you need to function in daily life. You even need calories in order to sleep. But if you're wanting to lose weight, as SurfStar mentioned, exercise may burn off excess calories so you can slowly and safely reduce your weight: as long as you're consuming enough to do so, though.

DO NOT DRASTICALLY REDUCE YOUR INTAKE. Your metabolism will actually slow down, and store all intake calories as fat, because your body will fight to retain as much as it possibly can. Do not in any circumstances take in less than 1200-1500 calories a day. That's the minimum someone biologically female needs. If male, you'll need more: around 1500-1800 calories a day minimum.

If like me you need to gain or maintain your weight, you need to consume your BMR and if you're doing any extra activities like sport and exercise, you need to take extra on top of that so that the calories you burn will be covered.

For example, my assigned 4 Ensures a day total around 1200 calories. This would cover my BMR: as I'm already pretty underweight, my metabolism has slowed and I can sustain a weight at a lower calorie number than non-sufferers. I would actually maintain or gain weight at the calorie rate that others would lose it (I used to survive on less than 500 calories a day). If I wanted to go to a concert with a mosh pit, for example, I would have to consume something on top of those 4 supplements to cover what I'd burn off doing the activity.

As I'm a silly and do not do what I am told, I lose weight, because I take in less than my calculated BMR.

I don't take my supplements because ana simply can't comprehend taking in 1200 calories just like that. Liquids are easier for me to manage than solids, but I don't drink them at present because of ana (she's a big nasty meanie).

TL;DR: make sure to take in your resting minimum amount of calories, which is no less than 1200-1500 for ladies.

[Yurusumaji]

That notecard idea is really ingenius. You could also pick up a color for recipes if you're here for those as well.


One quote I always liked was, "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch." If you don't do it now, time won't wait up. Just keep swimming!

[SurfStar]

BrightSide 

I did forget to mention that it should be a gradual reduction


Clearly though, I can see that we both have amazing dieticians. That was one of the first things that got drilled into me


Yurusumaji - Thanks! Note cards make fantastic recipe cards too, I agree with that entirely.

Post Merge: June 12, 2012, 11:17:57 AM

I don't take my supplements because ana simply can't comprehend taking in 1200 calories just like that. Liquids are easier for me to manage than solids, but I don't drink them at present because of ana (she's a big nasty meanie).

I was wondering if that was it, I had a similar problem. Have you talked to your dietician/nutritionist about it? When I expressed my concerns mine allowed me to work on just gradually adding calories back into my diet. I couldn't add less than 200 each week, but she was able to let me move a bit slower pace since wanted to make sure that I didn't relapse.

For me food/calories were 'THE ENEMY' so to have to add that much food back to my system at the beginning was very distressing. Maybe try talking with yours and see if she will help you come up with a more gradual plan that will be 'easier' on you mentally.

[BrightSide]

^ Although I love my dietician dearly (no sarcasm, she's amazing <3) the one thing she is firm with me about is ensures. She says she honestly doesn't mind if I don't eat anything more than a bowl of cereal a day, but I can't not take my supplements. It's either that, or I replace them with a food equivalent.. i.e a meal. She knows how tough solids are for me, so she's actually done what's easiest for me by saying I don't have to eat (which many others wouldn't consider).

In the hospital it was worse.. They'd make me have 4 ensures a day, plus a snack, lunch, dinner and candy in the evenings, and when I had my NG tubes I'd have that on top of it.. and more NG fluid (Jevity) added for anything I refused. It was so tough, I had really intensive support which I wouldn't have done it without. I still actually have hospital food charts, but I no longer fill them in as even they reinstate feelings of anxiety.

I think I seriously need to work something better out with my medical team.

[TexasGal]

Hrm...  *puts on thinking cap*  well, what is something that you do enjoy?  And I love milk, but my bestie hates it...Dh isn't even fond of it unless it's chocolate xD 

What about kefir?  Not milk but a type of dairy that is closer to yogurt?  It's tart though (the homemade at least...not sure about store bought) Or have you ever tried Horchata?  It's sooooo good and it's made from rice.   I had a friend who made it homemade, but he went home to Mexico before he gave me the recipe.  x.X 


Brighty, dear, how about this...I can pm you my phone number and I can remind you about supplements and you can yell at me to take my own xD  I need someone to help me do it cause I forget and don't think about it...nor do I like them, but I need to be better about it.  Plus, you can text me any time if you need anything, to talk, fuss, cry, ask for a joke, anything at all.  I want to help support you as much as I can. 


On the off topic area:  it's pouring, thundering and lightning, and I can't go get my mail...and I'm convinced I got something good today.  xD 

[BrightSide]

^ Nothing much :') food is such a trial.. I seem to have a sweet tooth, but at the moment even candy isn't appealing.. just Cookie Crisp.

I don't like most dairy products or anything much which is creamy. I am an absolute nightmare.. I'm extremely specific about what I will and will not have, and the things I won't tolerate vastly outweigh what I will.

Ooh, do you think that'll work with regions and thingies? :] I think my mobile has multiple bands, but I don't know how that applies to my silly contract! If you have the bookface or any social networking thingies, I'm really happy to be a contact on there - I answer inboxes more quickly than anything else. If we both support each other, maybe it will be better and easier for us both.

[babystarz]

I'm running into a problem I've had before - consistency! I'll do so well on my diet one day (maybe 50 calories under the threshold) that I'll pig out the next day. I need to stop thinking that doing well one day gives me an excuse to abandon my eating plan the next. Especially because I notice the difference in my body. When I stick to my eating plan, especially cutting out starch and fats, I feel so much better! More energy, less aches and pains and digestive upset, better sleep. I think I need to work harder on preparing meals in advance

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time, babystarz.  I don't count calories as such so I'm probably not much help, but are you sure you are having enough calories per day?  If you go too far under it will make you feel deprived and will encourage you to blow out.  I've been losing weight gradually but still having two pieces of chocolate a day.  That way I don't feel like I'm missing out too much.

I think you're probably right kiwi, also I have ADHD and take a stimulant medication that wears off around the evening. Stimulant medications suppress one's appetite, and when they wear off they can make you suddenly feel super hungry. Combined with not quite enough calories, this sends a message to my brain to EATNOW and I tend to go overboard. This is an ingrained habit for me at this point, because it's been happening since I was a kid. It's the worst time of day to eat a big meal (right before bed), so I'm messing around a bit with my food schedule to see what keeps me at a good blood sugar level around then. I think I need to start saving a good snack for that time and sticking to the right portion size. It seems there's a delicate balance for me between not enough calories and just the right amount. I'm averaging about 1300-1400 per day, but it's not spaced out very evenly throughout the day, so I think I'm contributing to the problem by allowing my blood sugar to spike and crash too much >.<


SurfStar, I love your notecards! I think organizing my stuff that way will really help me out with planning, which I need to do! That and I would like to start making big pots of soup to freeze in individual portions so I can plan out my meals far in advance.