Laying in bed last night at around two, I was having a little bit of trouble falling asleep, which is pretty normal for me. To distract me from thinking about work, I started thinking about the food I'd tracked during the day. I was kind of hungry, but it was way too late to eat. I thought about what I'd eaten. A cup of tea, tuna salad, grilled zucchini, turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes. I suddenly realized why I thought that something was missing.
There was no dessert! There was no chocolate! How could I go to bed without chocolate in my stomach? When was the last time I'd done that? The night before I'd downed a bag of dark chocolate covered pretzels (it's healthy because it's dark chocolate, right?), but that night there was no chocolate.
Well, there was chocolate. In the living room, there was a bag of chocolate mini donuts. I could hear it calling my name, taunting me, making my mouth water. One little donut wasn't a bad thing, right? Even at two am, a little, teeny, weeny donut is not a bad thing right? I could totally have one and still be on track for the day! I even had left over calories when I tracked my food. I could have one and use up those calories and just reach my calorie goal. I wouldn't lose weight doing that, but hey, one day of reaching that goal but not going over wouldn't make me gain weight either! I'll be fine. I'll be healthy. I mean the added sugar wouldn't be so bad...
Okay that's a lie. Added sugar is so bad for you. I feel weeks ago I tried cutting out all added sugar from my diet and collapsed on the sixth day, failing so badly when I downed a bag of Lindt chocolates and a chunk of a Godiva dark chocolate bar. For days after, I kept trying to make up what I had missed: a handful of cookies here, a bag of Hershey kisses there. Even when I went back to school, I was still gorging on any chocolate I could find.
Tuesday was my busiest day and I only got back to the dorm after 10 pm, after which I nearly collapsed on my bed. I got into my pajamas, turned on a little Netflix, and got under the covers. Later, when my stomach growled, I was far too comfy to get up.
For once, laziness did a good thing. I went to get out of bed, kicking off the covers. The cold hit me and I bundled myself up once again. When I woke up in the morning, my stomach was still donut-free.
So I still crave chocolate and I still haven't gotten rid of all the sugar in my diet. I had two sugars in my coffee this morning, but it's the only sugar I've had today. It's a small step, but it's a step in the right direction.
The Pursuit of Healthiness
Your Guide to Getting Healthy
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Thursday, September 10, 2015
When Your Mood Changes with the Season
Lately, I've been feeling pretty lonely and depressed, which is kind of strange when you consider that I'm back to school. I'm constantly around people, a heck of a lot more than I was during the summer. But over the summer, I felt happy, laying in the sunlight, on my own, feeling the water of the pool all around me. Now that I'm crammed in a dorm room all the time, my mood has been falling steadily.
I've felt this for a long time but never really thought it was a big deal. As a sufferer of bipolar disorder, I just figured this was a part of it. But I decided to do a little research. Apparently, those with bipolar disorder are actually more prone to getting Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Like most forms of depression, SAD comes with a loss of energy, a loss of interest in things you like, having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, and weight gain. What I've been feeling lately is especially the feeling of worthlessness and hypersensitivity to rejection.
I had decided recently to stop seeing a therapist because I really disliked the one I was going to. He once told me that I was probably just sad because I was a teenage girl and I needed a boyfriend. He recently lost his license and I can completely see why. But I think I may try to find a new one. I could use someone to talk to who may help me get through this time again. But SAD isn't just for fall and winter. SAD can also appear in the spring and summer months, although the effects are slightly different. It's often accompanied with weight loss and loss of appetite as opposed to SAD during the winter months, where the craving for carbs becomes common and there's usually a weight gain.
In either case, going through SAD alone is never a good idea. You may be thinking, "Well it's just a couple months of misery," like I usually do, but it can get scary going it alone, especially considering SAD is often accompanied by thoughts of suicide. Don't get it alone. Getting healthier, mentally or physically, is a process and it's always better with help.
I've felt this for a long time but never really thought it was a big deal. As a sufferer of bipolar disorder, I just figured this was a part of it. But I decided to do a little research. Apparently, those with bipolar disorder are actually more prone to getting Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Like most forms of depression, SAD comes with a loss of energy, a loss of interest in things you like, having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, and weight gain. What I've been feeling lately is especially the feeling of worthlessness and hypersensitivity to rejection.
I had decided recently to stop seeing a therapist because I really disliked the one I was going to. He once told me that I was probably just sad because I was a teenage girl and I needed a boyfriend. He recently lost his license and I can completely see why. But I think I may try to find a new one. I could use someone to talk to who may help me get through this time again. But SAD isn't just for fall and winter. SAD can also appear in the spring and summer months, although the effects are slightly different. It's often accompanied with weight loss and loss of appetite as opposed to SAD during the winter months, where the craving for carbs becomes common and there's usually a weight gain.
In either case, going through SAD alone is never a good idea. You may be thinking, "Well it's just a couple months of misery," like I usually do, but it can get scary going it alone, especially considering SAD is often accompanied by thoughts of suicide. Don't get it alone. Getting healthier, mentally or physically, is a process and it's always better with help.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Better for You Breakfast: Gooey Smores Cookies
Sounds more like a dessert right? But with all the fiber in this meal, they are actually a pretty great way to start the day, keeping you full until lunch. Of course, if you want to have them for breakfast and dessert, no body is going to argue.
Recipe for three cookies
1 cup of Quaker oatmeal (I actually used one package of lower sugar Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal, which worked very well)
2 Hershey Kisses, grated
3 Jumbo marshmallows, chopped up, or 12 mini marshmallows
1/4 cup of skim milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the oatmeal and skim milk and add in the marshmallows. Scoop out the mixture in three rounded spoonfuls and put them on a greased pan. Then sprinkle the chocolate over top of the spoonfuls and bake for twenty minutes. Take out and let cool.
Recipe for three cookies
1 cup of Quaker oatmeal (I actually used one package of lower sugar Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal, which worked very well)
2 Hershey Kisses, grated
3 Jumbo marshmallows, chopped up, or 12 mini marshmallows
1/4 cup of skim milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the oatmeal and skim milk and add in the marshmallows. Scoop out the mixture in three rounded spoonfuls and put them on a greased pan. Then sprinkle the chocolate over top of the spoonfuls and bake for twenty minutes. Take out and let cool.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Better for You Dinners:Tangy Grilled Chicken Salad
Since I've been home, I've been in my chicken basically nonstop. I'm sick of takeout, my body's since of takeout, and all I want is a fresh cooked meal. And what's fresher than hearty salad on a hot summer day?
I cooked this meal with my mother last week and together it only took us about ten minutes total. Not bad, especially after a long day of work.
Recipe (serves two)
1 mango
1 avocado
2 chicken breasts
four cups of spinach
1 tbsp virgin olive oil\
1 tbsp of lime juice
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
Add salt and pepper to rub the outside of the chicken breast and grill the breasts until there is no more pink in the middle (this was between 7 and 9 minutes for us). Dice the mango and avocado and add them to the spinach. Cut the grilled chicken into thin strips and toss them into the salad. Mix together the vinegar, lime juice, and oil and drizzle the mixture over the salad. Toss the salad and serve.
I cooked this meal with my mother last week and together it only took us about ten minutes total. Not bad, especially after a long day of work.
Recipe (serves two)
1 mango
1 avocado
2 chicken breasts
four cups of spinach
1 tbsp virgin olive oil\
1 tbsp of lime juice
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
Add salt and pepper to rub the outside of the chicken breast and grill the breasts until there is no more pink in the middle (this was between 7 and 9 minutes for us). Dice the mango and avocado and add them to the spinach. Cut the grilled chicken into thin strips and toss them into the salad. Mix together the vinegar, lime juice, and oil and drizzle the mixture over the salad. Toss the salad and serve.
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| Enjoy your salad! |
Monday, May 18, 2015
Find Your Community!
You know that friend or family member who sees you take that second cookie and says, "Do you really need that?" I have one of those too (okay, I have a few of those) and I know that they are trying to help, but the problem is that they are actually not. I usually feel so self-conscious that when I'm around these people, I hardly eat anything at all. But that backfires because, after an evening of not eating anything, I feel sorry for myself, along with being massively hungry, so I indulge and gorge on whatever I want.
Apparently, I"m not alone with that. Studies have recently shown that having a friend or friends that treats you like this is very bad for your health and people who are trying to lose weight end up losing less or even putting on weight from having these bad influences in your life.
That's not to say that you should avoid these people altogether, but you may want to cut back and try to avoid meeting them during mealtimes. Try to arrange meetings when you know that food isn't really something you will be spending your time doing, maybe finding an active meeting place, like the beach or mini golf.
Some people though can be a real asset when you are trying to lose wait. I've actually found that not having people to talk to face to face helps a lot. When I have a real life workout buddy, I feel that we are always competing. I've never found a weight loss buddy in my real life friends because we are all at different weight levels and some of the things that they do, I just can't do yet. Which is why the internet is my weight loss buddy.
My favorite (and free) site is sparkpeople.com because you can not only track your weight, your food, and your exercise, but also talk on message boards and talk directly to your weight loss buddies. People can send you motivational gifts, ask you questions, and give you answers. And you can form your own support groups to give you more people to be held accountable to.
I would definitely recommend signing up, but if Spark People is not your thing, there are plenty of sites like it to track on. But definitely look for the community aspect. It can help more than you know!
Apparently, I"m not alone with that. Studies have recently shown that having a friend or friends that treats you like this is very bad for your health and people who are trying to lose weight end up losing less or even putting on weight from having these bad influences in your life.
That's not to say that you should avoid these people altogether, but you may want to cut back and try to avoid meeting them during mealtimes. Try to arrange meetings when you know that food isn't really something you will be spending your time doing, maybe finding an active meeting place, like the beach or mini golf.
Some people though can be a real asset when you are trying to lose wait. I've actually found that not having people to talk to face to face helps a lot. When I have a real life workout buddy, I feel that we are always competing. I've never found a weight loss buddy in my real life friends because we are all at different weight levels and some of the things that they do, I just can't do yet. Which is why the internet is my weight loss buddy.
My favorite (and free) site is sparkpeople.com because you can not only track your weight, your food, and your exercise, but also talk on message boards and talk directly to your weight loss buddies. People can send you motivational gifts, ask you questions, and give you answers. And you can form your own support groups to give you more people to be held accountable to.
I would definitely recommend signing up, but if Spark People is not your thing, there are plenty of sites like it to track on. But definitely look for the community aspect. It can help more than you know!
Friday, May 15, 2015
Better Breakfast: Sausage and Scrambled Eggs on Toast
This breakfast is so easy, has 24 grams of protein, and is only 400 calories!
Recipe
2 egg whites
.25 cup skim milk
3 turkey sausage links
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese
.25 cup spinach
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 tbsp butter
salt
pepper
Mix the skim milk and egg whites and scramble them on a greased frying pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the spinach. Then grate and add the cheese. Chop up the sausage links and add them in. Toast the whole wheat bread lightly and butter it. Slide the scrambled eggs onto the toast and enjoy!
Told you it was easy!
Recipe
2 egg whites
.25 cup skim milk
3 turkey sausage links
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese
.25 cup spinach
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 tbsp butter
salt
pepper
Mix the skim milk and egg whites and scramble them on a greased frying pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the spinach. Then grate and add the cheese. Chop up the sausage links and add them in. Toast the whole wheat bread lightly and butter it. Slide the scrambled eggs onto the toast and enjoy!
Told you it was easy!
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Better Breakfast: Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Muffins!
Hey all! I've got another recipe for you and the best part of this one is that it takes only twenty minutes and you have breakfast for two days! They're very moist, but if you want them more fluffy than moist, cut out some of the applesauce and add in a little more flour.
Recipe
1 cup Quaker oats
1/4 cup of skim milk
1 cup of white (or wheat if you really want a health kick) flour
2 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla
2 tbsp of applesauce
2 tbsp of peanut butter
Mix the oatmeal and warmed up milk together. Then add in the flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and applesauce. Put a dollop of the peanut butter on top of each of the muffins (or push the dollop into the middle of the mix for a gooey taste in every bite). Pour the mix into greased muffin tins and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for twenty minutes. When you take them out, put them in the freezer for five minutes until the peanut butter hardens slightly. Take out and enjoy!
Recipe
1 cup Quaker oats
1/4 cup of skim milk
1 cup of white (or wheat if you really want a health kick) flour
2 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla
2 tbsp of applesauce
2 tbsp of peanut butter
Mix the oatmeal and warmed up milk together. Then add in the flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and applesauce. Put a dollop of the peanut butter on top of each of the muffins (or push the dollop into the middle of the mix for a gooey taste in every bite). Pour the mix into greased muffin tins and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for twenty minutes. When you take them out, put them in the freezer for five minutes until the peanut butter hardens slightly. Take out and enjoy!
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