What's all the Hype about Fiber?

When I started on this journey, my main focus was to get healthy and be able to lead a more healthy lifestyle. Losing weight is just part of the transition.

I started trying to read everything I could get my hands on. What I like the most and could relate to was The Biggest Loser - 6 Weeks to a Healthier You.. It helps to explain what our body needs and why it needs it.

We have watched commercials about this food or that food is high in fiber. We have seen food in the store where the box states "high in fiber". It seems everywhere you look, foods that are high in fiber are the latest craze. But why? What does fiber do for our bodies? All I have seen on commercials is that it is good for your heart.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. Our bodies cannot absorb it, so it needs to be replinished. There are two types of fibers: Soluble fiber and Insoluble fiber. Each performs differently in our bodies.

Soluble fiber will dissolve in water and become a gel like substance in your digestive tract. Sounds gross, but this is important because it will help trap fat and cholesterol so can't get through the wall of your intestine and into your bloodstream. Therefore, the fat and cholesterol won't reach your heart.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and improves your digestion. (I'm sure you have heard people complain about constipation - they need more fiber).

How much fiber should we strive to add to our diet? The National Institute for Health recommends at least 5 grams of soluble fiber a day in addition to insoluble fiber. You should try and get 10-25 grams of fiber per day into your diet.

So how can you do this? What foods are fiber rich?

**For soluble fiber, eat plenty of fruits, beans and whole grains.
**For insoluble fiber, try some of these: cauliflower, brussellsprouts, cabbage, whole wheat breads, and wheat bran.

**Try and stay away from the "white stuff" (more on that later), such as white bread and white rice and go for their whole grain counterparts.

**With your veggies, make sure you are getting some raw veggies in your diet (especially those with skin)- they have the most fiber. When you cook these veggies, it could reduce the fiber content.

**Make sure that when you are increasing your fiber intact, that you are drinking plenty of water which will help to keep your digestive tract moving.

**Don't forget about those snacks! Try air popped popcorn, small serving of dried fruit, whole wheat crackers, or a small serving (2 tbsp) of humus.

All in all, eating fiber is an excellent way to help protect our heart from fat and cholesterol. Which is why on the Cheerios commercials you hear them say it will help to lower your cholesterol. Now you know why and how. It also helps aid in the health of our digestive system.

So the challenge for today is look at the foods that you are eating - are you getting enough fiber? Find ways to incorporate more fiber in your diet.

Letting it All Hang Out (Or should I say, tryin' not to)

We are going on a mini vacation soon. I haven't been in a bathing suit in years and decided it would be nice to be able to carry one on this trip. Seems simple enough...WRONG!

Since losing weight, my waist, hips and but have shrunk (which I am very thankful for) from a size 16-18 to a size 12. However, even though I have lost 6 inches in my chest froma 44 to a 38, my cup size hasn't budged. I am stil a DD bordering on a DDD.

Can you see my problem?

In order to fit me on top, everything else is too big. I decided to get separates. You know where you can buy the top separate from the bottom because they are not sold in sets. Seems like a solution, except the tops were marked from small to large and I found a couple that were marked D. The good news is that they did carry the kind of bottom I wanted - one with a skirt attached - I want something that will cover up my hiney.

When I got home, I searched online for DD bathing suits and was able to locate some that I liked. But, I just don't think I can bring myself to pay $80.00 or more for just a bathing suit top.

The search continues. Hoping I can find something that fits at a reasonable price.

I know this is a short post. Maybe I'll be able to post more later.

My Meeting with the Personal Trainer

My first meeting with the personal trainer went well, at least I think it did. Yes, my feet were swollen before I arrived. But I shoved them in my sneakers anyway. I was determined I wasn't going to let that hold me back.

He had me warm up on the treadmill for 10 minutes, starting out at 3.0 mph and increased to 3.5. This was all at an incline of 0. I'm used to an incline between 3.5 and 5 and speed of 3.0. So, this was pretty easy for me. He talked to me the whole time and I had to talk back so he could see that I was able to speak during this...it helps to determine if you are working too hard.

Next we moved on to the machines. When I go to the gym by myself, I am always intimadated by them because they have to be adjusted and I don't want to look like an idiot when I can't get them properly adjusted.

Today he wanted to work on push and pull techniques - alternating between upper body and lower body. Started with push on lower body, then moved to pull on upper body and continued to rotate in that manner. I have to tell you, I LOVE working on the weight/strengthening machines!

I learned that even though I have been working out with weights, that my upper body strength still sucks...but I'm gonna work on improving that.

I worked out about a total of 45 minutes and this was all done during my lunch hour!

I feel more confident that when I go back to the gym by myself that I will be able to adjust and use the machines without looking stupid. I will repeat this routine every other day. 1 day with a trainer and 2 days without. You are supposed to give your muscles a day in between to rebuild after breaking them down.

I will meet with the trainer again next Wednesday, same time. He said he is going to a bootcamp this weekend and wants to incorporate some of that next time we meet. So, we will see what surprises are in store next week.

All in all, it feels really good knowing that this is something that I am doing for me. And not only is it for me...but I'm the one making it happen!

Life is What it is - Unpredictable

Even the best plans and intentions can be thrown a curve ball when reality is standing on the pitcher's mound.

Remember my post yesterday about how you have some good days, some bad days, yadda yadda yadda....MMMM...I think that might have a been a premonition of things to come.

Yesterday, I come home from a crazy busy day at work. I was mentally exhausted. I needed to thaw something out in the microwave so I could cook dinner. The outlets in the kitchen had tripped - again. No power for the microwave, coffee maker, can opener...

So I thought, no problem, I'll carry the microwave over to my island where there is a plug that is not on the same circuit. So I pick up this heavy microwave, carry it over to the island. When I go to plug it in...the plug won't reach. So, again I thought, no problem, I'll get the extension cord. I go out to the garage and finally locate the extension cord and plug it in. I take the microwave plug and go to plug it into the extension cord - the microwave has a 3-prong plug....the extension cord is not made for a 3-prong cord. AGH!!! So by this time, my son is asking me if he and his brother can just cook a pizza. I said, "Go for it". I ate the salad that I had made for lunch, but didn't have enough time to eat. And that was that.

After checking the computer - facebook, email, blog, I decide to go ahead and change out of my work clothes into something to workout. While changing, I look down at my feet. OMG! My ankles and tops of my feet have swollen up like giant balloons! I immediately go get on the couch and put my feet up. My son brought me over the pamphlet for the antibiotics I started last Wed for the urinary bladder infection I had last week. Sure enough, one of the possible side effects/allergic reactions is swelling of the ankles. I make a call to the doc on call and explain the situation. His advice...immediately stop taking the antibiotic, stay off feet for a couple of days until the meds leave your body, ice it when you can, drink plenty of fluids and said I could take a diuretic if I wanted to help get rid of the excess fluid. Basically, what he was telling me is "no, you cannot ride your bike. no you do not need to get up and do aerobic excercise."

Once again, I was not able to get in a good workout yesterday. I feel like a giant water balloon. When I went to bed, I had to take my rings off because my hands had started swelling. This was a big deal that my rings started feeling tight because since I had lost weight, my rings have been very loose, almost to the point that I am afraid that they might actually fall off if I'm not careful. So, having them actually cut into my fingers is a little worrisome.

Here it is morning and some of the swelling has gone down in my feet because I have not been on them in hours. They still feel tight and I'm sure once I start moving around, I'll see the swelling agin. My hands feel tight and I'm sure to someone else, they don't look swollen at all.

I'm still going to go to my personal training session today, even if I'm a giant water balloon.

Tomorrow is my weigh in day, and I'm sure due to the lack of exercise and the additional fluids my body has seemed to want to retain, I will end up with a weight gain. We'll see. If I do, at least I'll know why and also know that the next week the additional weight should be gone and then some.

Don't let life totally derail you from the plans you made....you just might have to take a detour for a while.

One Day at a Time

*note added later - I forgot to mention that I met with the dentist to discuss the work that my son needed to have done to his teeth. I was in shock when handed a detail price summary for all the work needed for a (drum roll please) cost of $6,902.00 - and this is AFTER the insurance has paid.

What's on My Mind

So, I woke up this morning struggling about what I wanted to post this morning. I'm just going to say what is on my mind right at this moment.

Not everyday is going to be a great day. You just have to accept it. There will be ups and downs, wonderful days and sucky days, days you feel you can take on the world and days that you just feel defeated. It's all in how we deal with those less than perfect days that count. Do you turn to food? I know in the past, that was part of my problem. When I felt that I was being caught beneath an avalanche of stress and problems, I turned to food....whatever was in the house at the time; cookies, brownies, ice cream, potato chips - I mean anything. You know its bad when you seek out the chocolate can of frosting and after eating half way through the can, you try and hide it - 1. so no one else will get into it and 2. so no one will know your secret. It's a vicious cycle. Feel bad; eat(need that instant gratification); then feel even worse for eating what you just ate.

So now, I still have those days when I feel that everything in the world is wrong, when stress and pressure build up making me want to scream. But now I know that eating junk doesn't make the problems go away, or even make them better. In fact, it just adds to the problem and would make me feel guilty and depressed. When I have a less than perfect day, I now turn to exercise. It gets my hear rate up, it makes me feel stronger, it makes me feel more in control of me. I am in control of how I react to stress...I make the choices. Food is no longer in control...fear is no longer in control. Is there temptations to turn to food....sure! There are still sweets in my pantry along with the chips (sorry, but the frosting had to go), there is ice cream in the freezer. But, I am in control of the choices I make.

I told my family and others, one thing I would really like to have at home....a punching bag. I think it would be great exercise and a great way to let out built up stress and frustrations. Hmmm... I might just have to check in to getting one....SOON! (if you have teenagers, you can relate - and if your kids are still small, sorry, but whatever you are going through is nothing compared to the teenage years so brace yourself now!)

One more thing, I am taking another step outside of my comfort zone by going to meet with a personal trainer tomorrow. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. There are some goals that I have set for myself and I think by doing this, it will help me reach them. I want to run a 5K. This would be a really big deal for me because I have never been able to run. So, I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Happy Tuesday. Don't let food and fear control you!