Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Exercise Makes ALL the Difference

Waiting at the bus station for our bus to Monterrey, Mexico.

First of all, what better way to blog than to blog on the balcony of a beach-get-away condo?! Currently my friends and I are on a two week vacation in Cancun. I couldn’t sleep so I decided to take this opportunity to get a little blogging in. Now on to the true point of this blog…
First day in Cancun.

Last week I weighed myself at the gym and I am now officially the slimmest I have been since I graduated high school. It feels so good! I am now more confident in my body than I ever have been. My question is, “What has made the difference.” The answer in my experience thus far is, “Exercise!”

I enjoy eating and do not take pleasure in restricting myself from eating the things I want to eat. We all know that in order to lose weight one must burn fewer calories than they consume. Therefore, I must burn calories in the form of exercise in order to create a daily caloric deficit. Over the last three weeks I have been training for my first sprint triathlon. Therefore I have been swimming, biking, and running at least two times a week. On top of my triathlon sports training I have been having dance practice for the talent show (see video below), going to the occasional Zumba class, and strength training at least three times a week. Needless to say, it’s no wonder I am the healthiest I have been in quite some time.



Has my eating changed that much? I would say a little, but not as much as it could. Here’s a typical day’s meal:

Breakfast
1 Yakult
1 banana
1 granola bar

Lunch
½ prepared bag of Caesar Salad
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 string cheese
½ cucumber
1 diet coke

Snack
1 cup edamame

Dinner
½ prepared bag of Caesar Salad
1 cup of white rice
3 scrambled eggs
8 cherry tomatoes
chopped green onion

Some of the biggest differences in my diet would be an increase in vegetables and a decrease in processed foods and sweets. I have learned that I cannot say that I will never eat another sweet nor processed food ever again because this is unrealistic. Also, when I restrict myself from eating the things that I want to eat I then binge on those foods. But, if I allow myself a little here and there I am less likely to binge.

Another part of my healthy habits lately is my ability to control my compulsive overeating. I am not hiding food. I am not binge eating. I am not starving myself. I am not obsessing about food. I am eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full. When I go out to eat I do not finish my plate just because it’s there. Will I never have to worry about compulsively overeating again? No. But, can I go into the future confident that I am now more educated and prepared to deal with my compulsive overeating? Yes.

I am in the best shape of my life and am enjoying every moment of it. For the first time in a long time I can confidently walk on the beach in my swimsuit knowing that I have worked hard to look like this and I look good. Will I ever be the skinny gal flaunting her thong bikini? No, because it’s not in my genes to be skinny. (Also, I would never wear a thong bikini.) But, will I continue to look good and look even better when I get to my goal weight? Absolutely!

Finally, I know that God has played a big part in helping me to become the “healthy” me. It is Him who has helped me with my compulsive disease. It is Him who has given me the motivation to work out. It is Him who is helping me to feel more confident with myself. God plus exercise = health. Thank you God.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Before and After

"Before" November 2009
 I stepped on the scale yesterday at the gym and was elated.  I currently weigh the same that I weighed back in October 2006 when I lost about 25 pounds very rapidly in a very unhealthy way.  This time around I have lost 38 pounds and have done it slowly just with exercising and trying to be smarter about the food that I put into my body.  I am currently the healthiest I have been in my adult life.  I am very proud of myself!
"After" February 2011

Monday, April 4, 2011

Chinese Influence

What have I taken from China?  A lot.  Tonight's Chinese influence, however, came in the form of food.  One of my favorite meals while living in China consisted of scrambled eggs and tomatoes over rice.  There was a fast food place about five minutes from my house.  I would go and order this meal at least two times a week.  Tonight I made it myself, changed it up a bit, and it was SO delicious!  I used cherry tomatoes which gave it a bit of sweetness.  I even asked my roomie to snap a picture of me.  And yes, I did indeed eat with chopsticks.