Visit Pamela's Healthy Pantry instead

Wow...I am getting blogged down with blogs...so I have narrowed it down to three. I will be removing this one as soon as I figure out how to delete it. All of the information that would be posted here will be on the Pamela's Healthy Pantry blog.

Enjoy

46 total pounds lost so far

Yayyy...I am down 3 more pounds for a total of 46 only 77 to go. But here's the deal...it is really just not about the weight. I feel so much better and I can actually walk down the stairs one foot per step. Only a select few will understand that feeling..but it is a good one!

I am going to be measured next week by Crystal, my personal trainer. I am a little nervous about that part. However, I have gone from a size 26 to an 18/20 so far. And I am wearing a couple of shirts that are 14/16. Yes, still a long way to go.

Here are the best parts though... My blood sugar spiked at 266 in March. It took me 4 days to get it down with diet and exercise. It was very scary. But, it has stayed between 85 and 105 since then and I feel fabulous. It is all about paying attention to what is going into my mouth!

Here is my theory; If what I am about to eat does nothing for my body except to add calories, why am I eating it? This question helps me evaluate the foods I am eating and gives me a moment to make a better choice. For example, a candy bar does not edify my body in anyway. It is nothing but sugar and fat. But, two normal sized plums give me a great energy boost and also provide nutrients and fiber, for about the same price as a candy bar. It only makes sense, doesn't it?

So, what conversations do you have with yourself about the foods you eat? I would love to hear your tricks and ideas.

Surviving a holiday in healthy style

It is Memorial Day. The gym is closed, the family is coming for a cookout which includes brats and burgers with all the buns, chips, mayonaise based salads and show off deserts! What's a girl to do?

Here are some tips to make Memorial Day a memory rather than a regret.

• Start the day with a long walk. If it is raining take an umbrella and memorialize being a kid. Remember when you actually enjoyed the rain?
• Eat a healthy breakfast including whole grain oatmeal. Add chopped almonds, rasins, cinnamon, xylitol or stevia and a bit of skim milk. YUM! The almonds add some protien to the oatmeal making this a very well ballanced breakfast at about 350 calories.
• Plan ahead for picnic time. Throw a few chicken breasts on the grill for those who may be trying to eat a bit healthier. If you marinate them in balsamic vinegar, olive oil and some herbs and spices that you love they will grill up tender and flavorful. Decide which side items are the best choices for you. I usually make sure that their is a platter of raw veggies to add to my plate. Carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and raw brocolli are great sides for grilled foods.
• Nix desert temptation by making sure their is a sweet watermelon on ice nearby. You won't be alone is choosing this natural desert over brownies and apple pie.
• If you love, love, love potatoe salad, eat some. Just not the whole bowl. Pick an item that you just don't want to skip and build the rest of your meal from healthy choices.
• After the meal play games with the kids. Show them that you can still hit the ball and run the bases after all these years. Don't worry, they will be so excited to have you play that they won't even notice that you can't slide into home.
• Don't skip supper or snacks. It is easy to think "oh, I will just eat a HUGE lunch and then skip everything else." That practice causes your metabolism to slow down and can actually reduce the number of calories you burn for the day.

Keep watching this blog for more tips and great ideas for progress in your healthy lifestyle.

Watch out for nutrition bars

One of the things that I have learned over the past several months is that I have to have options to fit my changing schedule. I don't always have time to cook oatmeal or even to sit down for a bowl of shredded wheat in the mornings. When I am out the door to teach a water aerobics class by 5:30 a.m. and can't come back home for breakfast I am forced to eat on the run. Which, of course, is not a recommended practice by the "experts". However, skipping breakfast is not good either...so what's a girl to do?

Ah yes, the nutrition bar. The greatest health invention since...well...okay...not the greatest invention, but they can be a good occasional alternative if you choose wisely.

Looking at the varieties available can be confusing. Just because they are labeled healthy, high protein or organic does not mean they are a truly the best for your health. Especially if you are trying to avoid sugars and fats. READ THE LABELS. Some of these bars are loaded with sugar, no matter how "special" they say they are. Others even contain trans fats and many of them have less than 7 grams of protein. Look for bars that have high protein. Some have up to 20 grams in a small bar. Next check the sugar and fat content. Lastly, use these bars only when you cannot stop for a balanced meal. They are not the cure all for quick meals. But they are better than running on empty for hours.

It's time to Get Real

Have you ever thought you should lose some weight, but didn’t? Me too. Have you ever lost a significant amount of weight, only to gain it back? Me too. Do you look in the mirror and think, “if only I were a foot taller”? Me too, but I am over six feet tall already, so I am not sure that being taller would really help me much. Did you decide 75 times last month that “today will be the day that I start getting healthy”? Me too, and on December 19th, 2007 it really was “that” day. Six days before Christmas and three days before a three week long trip, I decided it was time to do something about my weight and my health. And you know what; this could be your day!I know you are sick of celebrity commercials about how much weight they lost because a diet food company stocked their fridge and cameras followed them around. I am a real person…just like you. Well, if you are a post menopausal woman, over 40, with a prosthetic hip, a busy job, a family to cook for and more than 100 pounds to lose. In other words; if I can do this, so can you. Let’s get started, getting real about getting healthy together...