Tag: fitness

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

Pain in the Journey

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Pain.  It is a factor in your journey that will provide a frustrating stumbling block you will feel helpless to overcome.  When you are in chronic or severe pain from an injury, you may want to literally feed that pain.   They call this “maladaptive pain-related coping”.   The term “maladaptive” refers to behaviors or actions that hinder an individual’s ability to adapt or adjust to different situations differently.  ( I hope we have BOTH learned something new today!) 

Overeating in response to pain is basically just a coping mechanism.  It makes you temporarily feel better.  Psychologically, deep down, there is this primitive need to fuel up to replace the energies you are exerting as your body attempts to heal the injury.  

This leads, obviously, to over-eating, knocking you off the journey you’ve worked so hard on, landing on a plateau and falling back into a sea of frustration.  It can be a dangerous time for you as you risk falling back into old habits since your resolve is distracted by the pain.   

There are some things you can do to help. 

1.  Be careful and don’t hurt yourself.   I know, great wisdom coming from the Queen of Klutz.  If I am not injured then something is certainly wrong!   

2.  Don’t suffer through the pain. Get to a medical professional and get the help you need.  

4. Bulk up on the antioxidants. Fresh, leaf vegetables and fruits with complex carbs are much better than simple sugars.  

5. Keep moving as much as you can.  Depending on the injury of course.   Take frequent breaks. 

6. Get plenty of sleep.  Your body repairs itself quite a bit during those hours.  

Ice is your friend when it comes to injuries.  Inflammation is what is causing most of that pain and ice packs greatly alleviate the discomfort.  

Here are some foods you can partake of , that also reduce inflammation :  

Whole Grains :   whole grain bread, oats, brown rice, barly, quinoa, couscous, polenta,     bulgur, and rye bread.  Also stick with multi-grain or wheat pasta.  

Beans,nuts, seeds, pod foods :  peas, edamame, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas,        white beans,  hummus, walnuts, almonds, pecans,        peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pinenuts etc. :  

Fruits : berries, pomegranates, cherries. Darker colored fruits are especially good.  Avoid     fruit juices.  

Vegetables : yellow, orange and red peppers and tomatoes, Spinach, chard, kale, leaf            lettuce, romaine lettuce, arugula, mixed greens (focus on dark leafy greens)                   Purple and green cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, brussels sprouts,            cauliflower, radishes, cucumbers, green beans and green onions. 

Olive Oil:  replace butter and other oils with this for cooking. 

Fish : Go for cold water fish like salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines and mackerel. 

White Meat ;  chicken, turkey and other birds.  No frying or deep frying.  

Dairy: Eggs, natural cheese ( not processed ), low-fat milk, yogurt.  

Herbs ;  cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, garlic, rosemary, cayenne, pepper, black pepper. 

Honestly, looking at the list of “anti-inflammatory” foods, it is not much different than how you should be customizing your diet on a regular basis when you are not in pain.   

Above all, know that an injury does not mean your journey has come to an end.  This is just a setback.   The hard work is not in the physical, its in the mental.  You are going to have to mentally pick yourself up and get yourself back into the driver’s seat and start walking again.   How long will you sit on the side of the road using your pain as the reason you have failed?    

Day five – My Journey Phase 2  

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, intermittent-fasting

I am my own Enemy

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Does Fasting Work?   That’s the one question I am asked frequently.  My answer… its the ONLY thing that has worked for me.   I have tried many variations of fad diets, portion control and calorie counting, and it all ended with me being frustrated.  Honestly, even the Intermittent Fasting brought me to the point of frustration, and I had to sit down and have a hard look at things. 

All my life I have identified as the “fat girl”, the “chubby woman”, the girl with love handles and jiggly thighs.   That’s who I know and that is who society knows.  I am accustomed to a certain way of deference from others… subtle judging glances as I fill my grocery cart,  not so subtle stares as I chuff by in my shorts that insist on riding up the inside of my thighs forcing me to do the awkward pull and leg shake to fix the problem.  I admit, I am most likely only imagining most of this, people are very self-absorbed and have no interest in those around them while in public.   However, being out there, I have always been very aware of how large I am.    It’s like the times I’ve gone in the woman’s section to look at clothes and I just “knew” the women there were asking themselves why I thought I was going to find anything at all that would fit me in that section.  I was up here in the first class, and I needed to get my rotund butt back over to lower-class where the sold the clothes by square foot.   

I dropped 80lbs.  People were smiling more at me.   I was getting appreciative looks and direct eye-contact.    My cart had fresh veggies and fruits in it and not a single item of junk food or sugar.   I was still very aware of being out there, but now it felt amazing!  I was lighter and moving quicker and it was like being on a sort of natural high.    I was actually achieving a goal I had only dreamed of for decades!  

Then the self-saboteur came knocking.    She looks like me, the “old” me.   She told me things like, “Its cool to back off on the fasting a bit now, you got this” and she would look at the clock and shrug, “two scoops of ice cream at 9 pm isn’t going to kill you”.    I was oblivious to her tactics, I still felt good, although I admit my energy wasn’t quite the same.  Then I was watching more tv and finding excuses to sit down rather than get up and move around.    My weight loss stopped.   It went beyond a plateau, it came to a screeching halt, tires squealing.    I gave half-hearted attempts to return to my patterns but my “get up and go” was gone.     Jumping into the mix came a back injury, an excuse not to move much, but also a discovery that when i am in severe pain, I EAT.    

I wasn’t gaining, but I wasn’t losing.   Ten months down the road and I hurt my shoulder.  More pain and realization that things are not going my way at all.   This time I sat down and had a chat with my doctor.   It was obvious that I had lost my motivation and in our discussion we both agreed that I had sabotaged myself.    The question is WHY???   I don’t have the full answer, not yet.   I’m still working on that part.   I think part of it is that I suddenly didn’t know my part anymore.   After decades of being the “fat girl” , I wasn’ t her any longer and it threw me for a curve.    That’s something I’ll need to work on. 

In the meantime,  I am back on track with my Intermittent Fasting.   My doctor visit was the motivation I needed to get me back.   I don’t want to go back to where I was.  The only option is to pick myself up and keep moving forward.  

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Returned

Posted on by HeatherLynn

I took a little hiatus from the blog but I have returned.   The carnivore diet attempt (for me) was pointless.   I love fruits and veggies way too much to just eat straight protein and honestly, I was concerned about missing out on vitamins and minerals that are essential to my overall health.   Thus, I continued to plateau and fret about my lack of will power and motivation.   I knew I had a huge vacation coming up and I felt like attacking my plan too hard would be like sabotaging myself.  (Justification is an art, my friends).   

So here we are.   The big vacation has been taken.  I am back home and a few pounds heavier because who worries about diets when they are on a cruise?   I certainly didn’t let anything stop me from grazing and indulging and now I must face the music that I danced to.  

Let me first give thanks to the lovely stomach virus for kick starting my journey and shaving off some of the extra pounds.   It was unexpected, and horribly and living on the BRAT diet for a few days has sucked rocks, but it did motivate me in some weird fashion.   

While away, I never worried about how I looked.  My journey so far is responsible for that.  I was very comfortable in my own skin amidst literally, thousands of other people.  I was able to let go and relax, be myself and make some lasting memories because I wasn’t hung up on my body image.  This is a big win for me!     

I am not where I want to be yet, but this getaway showed me that I am well on my way.   I am once again inspired to hit the trail and rejoin my fellow travelers.   My fridge is currently bare and awaiting a grocery run.   My list is being made carefully along with a list of activities I must do that will keep me moving (even with a bad back).    Stay tuned for updates!  

Posted in Encouragement/Motivation

Brown Fat Keeping You Warm

Posted on by HeatherLynn

To say that its cold outside is vastly understating the extreme temperatures that have descended this week.   Once you hit single digits and negatives, it’s basically like being in a freezer with the fan on.    

Here is some good news though, you can still drop some weight despite the frozen fingers of the arctic scraping at your windows!   We are all born with something called “brown fat”, which is much different than your everyday white fat.  

White adipose tissue (WAT) is the standard fat that is commonly known. It stores energy in large fat nodules that accumulate around the body. The accumulation of this fat helps keep us warm by providing insulation for our organs. 

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) helps maintain body temperature when it’s too cold.  As newborns, we have a good pocket of this mostly behind the shoulder blades, because infants cannot shiver and this acts as a built-in heater. We lose most of it as we get older and form a shiver response to cold temperatures. 

Brown Fat is jam packed with mitochondria, the main energy molecule used by the cell and that is how it gets its color. When brown fat burns, it creates heat without the shivering in a process referred to as thermogenesis. It is during this process; the brown fat also burns calories.  

Everyone has some brown fat you’re born with, and this form is called “constitutive” brown fat. Another form of brown fat is “recruitable.” Meaning it can change to brown fat under the right circumstances. This type is found in muscles and white fat throughout your body.  

Some ways to increase that brown fat : 

  1. Exposing the body to cool/cold temperatures may help recruit more brown fat cells. A suggested 2 hours of exposure each day to temperatures around 66°F (19°C) may be enough to turn recruitable fat brown.  I’m not suggesting we step out into the arctic air for 2 hours, that feels a bit much to drop a few pounds.  Let’s get the outside temps more agreeable before we consider a two hour venture outside!  
  1. Taking a cold shower or ice bath.   While neither one sounds appealing, perhaps just slowing turning down the hot tap while in the shower and gradually working your way up to the cold would be better than just diving right under a spray of icy water.   
  1. Knock the temp down a few degrees in the house.   The electric bill will at least be lighter!  

Increasing Brown Fat is not a method suggested for weight loss primarily.  Consider it an add-on bonus to what you already have in play.  Acclimate yourself to the cooler temperatures, convert some of the white fat to brown fat.   Every little bit helps on the journey.   

Leave a comment

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

The Cult of 10,000 Steps a Day

Posted on by HeatherLynn

Walking 10,000 steps a day is the goal; this is more a guideline than a cold, hard fact.

An average American will walk 3,000 – 4,000 steps a day. Personally, I average around 4,300 steps per workday. I stopped using my fitness tracker for a time and recently have put it back in play. In my mind I’ve set a soft goal of 8,000 steps per day, but I accept it will most likely not reach that level without extra effort on my part. This got me wondering where the idea of 10,000 steps came from. Why not 7,000 steps or 9,000 steps?

It was a marketing campaign, of all things, that started this trend and over time it became a sort of mantra for anyone tracking their movement. Around the time of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan introduced the modern pedometer into their marketplace. They called it “Manpo-kei”, which translates to “10,000 steps”. It quickly gained popularity as Japanese walking clubs formed and the Manpo-kei was the minimum the members were expected to walk. It didn’t take long for concept to start spreading beyond the Japanese to the rest of the health-conscious walkers around the world.

There have been some studies done in which suggest the benefit in terms of mortality risk, levels off in the area of 6,000 steps to 8.000 steps for older adults and 8,000 steps to 10,000 steps for the younger generations. The takeaway is there’s evidence to suggest that moving even a little more is beneficial.

Walking has great side effects on mental health, creativity and the well-being. The very act of the activity gets everything going. Brain power, endorphins, emotions. Sitting on your couch, you don’t feel motivated to do much, but get up and start moving and suddenly, you are getting inspired.

During the cold months, its much more difficult to get outside and go for a walk, so I stick to the treadmill in the house and get my steps in trudging back and forth taking care of my chickens. In the summer, its easier to get out and walk ( albeit when the humidity isn’t trying to kill me ), but the bottom line is, I have to make the effort. No one is going to walk for me and since this is my journey, i have to push myself.

Some interesting ways to get your steps in :

Make the extra trips back and forth to carry groceries into the house.

Park in the furthest reaches of the parking lot and huff it in. Your car is actually less prone to getting dinged and scratched. ( I do not recommend this after dark, be safe of course! )

Return your cart to a cart corral that is a little further away.

Pace when you are waiting for your car to fill with fuel

Do two or three full laps , up and down every aisle, of the stores you visit. Not to purchase or browse, just simply to walk.

Take a nice day and go on a photography walk in the city. I’ve done this and found some very interesting pieces of architecture I normally would miss just driving by.

Find a safe walking trail and walk it. There are maps available online of all sorts of walking trails across the country.

Stairs, not elevator

Bike if you can. Its not much of an option for my situation as a rural dweller, there is quite a distance to cover to get to town and no public transportation.

Plan your weekends to involve things that include movement. Like museum tours, walking tours and such.

Three great reasons you can start today :

Walking is FREE. It will certainly fit in your budget.

Weather can be a hindrance but you can walk inside as well as outside.

You do not need special equipment or clothing to take a walk.

If you hit 10,000 steps, that’s awesome! Set your own goal, adjust it as you progress. Its not about the numbers, its about moving.

Leave a comment

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation

2025 The Pilgrimage Continues

Posted on by HeatherLynn

It is the final day of the year marking the end of one of the many legs of the journey to happier, healthier lifestyle.   To say it has been fraught with mishaps and complications would be dead-on accurate.   This journey, like life itself, will never be problem free and I accept that.  The unexpected will happen, the diversions, the temptations, the doubts and misgivings.   All that matters is that I have emerged at this end better than what I plunged in at!  

I am looking forward to continuing this journey.  Can I still call it a journey or is it something more epic now?  Should I call it more a like a personal pilgrimage?  Whatever I refer to this as, it is certainly a new way of life.     

What does the next twelve months have in store for me?  I honestly cannot tell you.   I can share with you my hopes, my goals, my intentions, and then life is going to step in and let me know what really is going to happen.   I accept that, this is why I do not make New Year’s Resolutions.   I understand there are just too many variables in my life that can throw me off track.  

This is what I’ll do :

  1. Recognize my weaknesses –   when I travel/visit relatives/ social gatherings   I have a lot of trouble staying on point with my eating habits.    I also found that I like to bake, but cannot resist the temptation of testing my results so I need to refrain from that activity.    
  1. Keep my Focus –   remind myself daily the reasoning behind my journey and the way I feel now verses the way I felt before starting.   
  1. Use the Apps – there are apps to help with Fasting, Tracking Exercise, Logging Food, and nearly anything you can think of.  USE THEM RELIGIOUSLY 
  1. Exercise at minimum 15-20 minutes a day.   This means a brisk walk if nothing else.   You should be trying to do more a few times a week, but the daily 15 is better than nothing at all.    
  1. Adhere to your schedule –  I drifted from my fasting schedule a few times and I’ve paid the price with a stubborn plateau.   Stick to your schedule.  
  1. Don’t let other people’s bad habits take you off course. –   If you live with someone who isn’t 100% supportive,  that is on them.   Stick to your guns and if they wish to eat and practice habits that do not coincide with your journey, do not enable them by getting them their “fixes” { junk food; processed food; candy; etc }  
  1. Look in the mirror every morning and give yourself a smile and say “Good Morning! Let’s do this! “  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

Leave a comment

Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Self-Destruction and Re-Learning

Posted on by HeatherLynn

I’ve been stuck on this barren plateau for nearly two months. Its frustrating and disenheartening, but I’m the queen of self-sabotage. I’ve cheated on myself several times. I ate outside my eating window. I ate things that I knew were not healthy for me and I over indulged. I didn’t exercise willpower at the store and I doubled up on portions when I knew I should have had one. I have no excuses. I could try and justify it but those who know me would see right through the veil of disguise. I have only myself to blame. I am responsible for my actions.

Knowing this, I must start over.. How shall I do this? The hard way, of course. Re-learn the basics.

  1. Cut back on carbs
    Yes. Cut back on carbs right as Carb-Season hits. Such an easy thing to do for a girl that loves bread and pasta and potatoes. This is where the willpower is needed but often lacking.
  2. Increase exercise frequency or intensity.
    Time Change. It doesn’t matter that you gained an extra hour of sleep, it does not help because it takes at least three days for your body to figure it out. In the meantime, its dark when you get home from work. Exercise feels “wrong” when its dark, I don’t know why, it just does. Your motivation wanes with the daylight. This is when you must push yourself and find that inner strength to go to the gym or do that extra 15 minutes of exercise in your living room. Every little bit helps.
  3. Track everything you eat
    Every piece of stolen Halloween candy, every time you do a “This once won’t matter”; every taste test when you’re cooking; it all adds up. Tracking is a major pain and using the available apps helps! It does help you visualize how much you are consuming.
  4. Don’t skimp on protein
    This is unwaveringly true. Protein sustains you for a long time and you do not get hungry near as quickly as if you had just filled up on vegetables alone. Proeins also boosts your metabolic rate which translates into calorie burning. Eat some chicken, eat some beans, treat yourself to some steak!
  5. Manage Stress
    This is the most difficult of all. Stress comes in many forms. Family issues, work issues, personal, and even national. Many of us handle this by eating. Its a normal response, but its one that has to be controlled, especially when you have chosen to lead a healthier lifestyle. Make sure your snacks are healthy, stay within your portion size, and if you are intermittent fasting, do not stray outside of your eating hours.
  6. Avoid Alcohol.
    During the holiday season. Okay, it is sound advice, after all, alcohol packs a lot of calories, it loosens inhibitions which may lead you to overindulging, and it can suppress fat burning. I personally found that with the weight-loss, I also have no idea what my alcohol tolerance is. If you do drink, limit yourself to one or two and switch out to water.
  7. Eat more fiber.
    Perfect time of the year for the hot cereals like Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat. There are many other sources of fiber as well. Chickpeas, barley, broccoli, and kidney beans just to name a few. The fiber fills you up and helps with your digestive track.
  8. Drink water, coffee, or tea
    If you are intermittent fasting, you are already doing this. Remember to avoid the creamers and sugars – this includes the fun flavored black coffees. Stick with Columbian Roasts or Jamacian Blends. Green teas are particular good to drink but don’t shy away from the black teas, they are just as tasty. Water is always your first option. Its fine to drink seltzer water, but check the calories on the can first. I’ve found that some companies produce both water without sweeteners and no calories, and they also produce water that has sweetener and run anywhere from 5 to 10 calories a serving. If its sweet and has a calorie, its going to break your fast.
  9. Get plenty of sleep
    This is difficult. Time change messes with your biorhythm to start you off. Then there are the fluctuating temperatures that cause sinus issues and often difficulting breathing at night. The cold virus can run you down quick. Set yourself a bedtime just like you had to do when you were a kid, and stick to it. If possible, take a nap during the day, but no longer than an hour. Have a cup of Chamomile tea before bed to relax you, or a nice warm bath. Stay off of your social media an hour before bedtime to avoid stimulating your senses.
  10. The scale is a dirty liar
    One morning it tells you that you’ve lost 3lbs.; the next day it tells you you’ve gained 5lbs. It is not a reliable source of information when it comes to your weight loss. The way your clothes are fitting is a good indicator. The way people respond to you, the compliments you get, your overall attitude… all good signs that you are on the right path. The scale is just a tool and should only be brought out once a week as a guideline.

Don’t feel guilty about what has lead you to this point. Brush yourself off and go forward. All is not lost, you merely stumbled in the road. YOU GOT THIS!

Leave a comment

Posted in Food Stuff

Holiday Food Season is Upon us!

Posted on by HeatherLynn

As the days grow shorter and we pull our jackets out for those cooler Autumn mornings, there is a hint of something in the air.   Festival season!   In Southwest Missouri there are plenty of them to see, from Chief Sarcoxie Days, Apple-Butter Making Days and the Maple Leaf Days, just to name a few.  With them come the temptations of carnival treats. We’re talking about corndogs, funnel cakes, homemade pies, pulled pork and the list just goes on and on.   

Not only does this time of year bring the festivals, it brings us the holidays and all the mouth-watering temptations that go with them.  Halloween treats, Thanksgiving delectables, and we must never forget the wide variety of Christmas sugary goodness that will pass our way.   

In essence, this time of year is a true test of will power and self-control.   I am never going to stand on a soap box and preach at you to avoid all those things.  You shouldn’t.  You should have some of the good things in life, but you need to practice control and the art of saying, “Just a small piece”. 

Its never easy.  No matter how well you have been doing, you’re core memories will remind you how great everything is and make you want it even more.   BE STRONG!  

Stick to your meal schedule.  It’s been working for you and deviating from it will spell disaster no matter what kind of promise you make to yourself.  “I’ll just fast an extra hour tomorrow.”  No, you won’t.   You say you will, but tomorrow comes and you want to stay in your rigid schedule.     Make sure your meal is balanced and nutritious.   Keep track of the extra bites you take during your eating hour; they still count as calories even if its only one bite.

Get your sleep.  That seems to be the advice I read all the time, and I know its easier said than done. Holidays bring a lot of extra worry and stress.  Do your best to relax and slip an afternoon nap in here and there if possible.  Set your bedtime to an hour earlier if you have any way possible, those nights of binge-watching can be put on hold.  Try to stay off your phone an hour before bedtime, its said that those happy little devices are stimulating and distracting, not in the least bit relaxing.  I must admit, I have been lured into the dark abyss of videos more than once and forgone the hour of sleep that would have made a difference to my day.

Make sure you are still moving.  Its easier to get less stringent about your exercise as it gets cooler outside and the idea of snuggling up on the couch wrapped in a blanket, balancing a cup of hot cocoa and watching movies sounds divine, now is not the time to slow down.   The heat of the summer is gone and the fresh air outside is invigorating!  Weather permitting, park a bit further from the door when you go shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a nice walk in the park, rake some leaves.  I just started playing golf and by no means is this a sport that is non-physical!  I have pulled muscles I didn’t even realize were there!

Choose satisfying and healthy snacks.   A bag of chips is not going to do the trick.  Instead go for an apple and a slice of cheddar cheese, frozen grapes, some trail mix.   Keep it healthy and fulfilling.  Yes, you’ll have a cookie or a piece of candy, but those should not be your primary snacks!  You’ll have to watch those “treats” with caution.   Instead of a full cookie, take a half.   Someone brought pie to the table.   You can be okay with ¼ slice and not throw your whole day to ruins.

Don’t be afraid of offending your family and friends if you don’t eat their creations for the family holiday meals and don’t allow them to enable you.    What do I mean by this?    These are the people who should be on your fighting side, supporting your decision to lead a healthier lifestyle.  Choosing to pass on the heavier calorie-laden dishes should not lead to an all-out guilt trip.    Telling you “Just one bite won’t hurt.”  Is not supporting your cause.  It is enabling you to fall back on your old unhealthy habits.    Be firm in your convictions.    Not saying you cannot have those things,  if you want them, have them with some control, but do not let the idea of hurting your Aunt’s feelings because you won’t eat her deep-fried butter on a stick, be the reason you lose control.

Holidays are certainly challenging, but you can do this!  

Leave a comment

Posted in Emotional Well-Being

The Art of Fat Shaming

Posted on by HeatherLynn

                 When I was a kid, our family physician described me as a “Meat and Potatoes” kind of girl, to my mother.  

As a teen, I had a guy tell me that if I did a few lines of cocaine, I could lose the weight and be pretty, and a classmate who often reference me as “elephant” as she passed me in the halls.

  As a young adult, I came out of the grocery store to find advertisements on the windshield of my car for a weight loss clinic and well-meaning friends, strangers and colleagues sharing unsolicited weight loss tips with me.

These are only a few examples of the fat-shaming I have personally experienced.   There are countless others, so many that it’s become more like a white noise in the background of my life.   I am not the first to be victimized by this type of “well-intended” advice that hovers on the precipice of bullying.    Fat-shaming has been around for decades.

Fat shaming is the practice of making a person feeling inferior, anxious, guilty or embarrassed about their body shape or size.   The thought process behind this act is the belief that it will inspire and motivate people to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.  When in fact, it does quite the opposite in most cases.   

There is no positive effect that comes out of such bullying and discrimination that hides in the form of fat shaming.   Often, it discourages action such as exercising or joining a weight-loss clinic in fear of judgement from others.   It makes the recipient feel bad about themselves and discourages them from being a part of the world around them because they have been targeted as being “not right”.  

Low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and suicide are all mental health issues that are put more at risk when the weight stigma is applied.    I wish I could tell you it was always outsiders doing this, but sadly it is not.  Family members, the people you are supposed to love and trust unconditionally, will sometimes have the strongest effect of anti-fat bias.   They are connected to you, so they don’t hold back or sugar-coat it as they would with a friend or a stranger.  Their words seem to hurt more.   There is one that is above all, your worse fat-shame bully. You.    The things you say about yourself to others, how you make fun of yourself or put yourself down.   All this negative commentary is the worst kind of Fat Shaming. 

The social stigma of obesity is a sort of silent fat shaming.   Instead of being spoken out loud for all to hear, its more implied through actions.   The weight stigma of an obese person being lazy, unintelligent, lack of willpower, unmotivated and incompetent, is present in many levels of employment.  This includes healthcare, education, politics and multiple media forms.   

An example of this silent bias is your Healthcare professionals.  It has been reported that if you have a larger body mass index (BMI) doctors tend to spend less time with you, give you less health education, seem less respectful, use harsh language to describe your body.    Fortunately, I have never experienced this.  Every doctor I have encountered has given me good sound advice and has not blamed my every health problem on my weight.    Nor have I been passed up for promotions (that I am aware of), and I have certainly never been let go from a job for my weight.  But it does happen to people, it’s not a story being made up.  

You cannot expect the world to change their opinion.  They will think what they want to think. You can make people aware of their bullying, “Fat-Shaming”,  even though it may be well-intended.   Call them out on the behavior, you are not less than a person because you are carrying some extra weight.   

You can learn to stop being your own bully.  Teach yourself to stop the negative self-talk.  You are not a joke; you shouldn’t be making jokes on your own behalf.   You should be shouting out your good qualities.   

  Stop pointing out everything you believe is wrong with yourself.   You can hear yourself talking, do you like hearing that?  No.   Start talking about the things you love, stop focusing on your body.  Your body is only a part of who you are as a person.

Learn to form a friendship with food rather than be in a hostage situation.  Food doesn’t own you.    If you want to lose weight, you need food to be on your side.   

Some things said to you will stay in your memory forever.   Like the examples I shared at the beginning of this piece.   Moments in time that meant nothing to the deliverer but impacted me for a lifetime.   I could let them define me or let them simply be a part of the story that created the woman I am today.    I still feel judged at times when I am out in public.  I don’t know if its really happening, after all most people are too absorbed in their own world to worry about what I’m doing.  I know my feelings are my own insecurities.   Those do not magically go away, but I have learned how to gracefully stop those who want to give me friendly “weight-loss” advice I haven’t asked for.  

“Oh, thank you so much!  Is that what you’re doing to lose weight too?”   This statement will shock the slender, fitter folks wanting to “help” and it will generally quiet them as well.

Here are a few articles you may find of interest :

Morbidly obese, perpetually hungry and unapologetically in love with myself (msn.com)

The Harmful Effects of Fat Shaming (healthline.com)

Effects of fat shaming on mental and physical health (medicalnewstoday.com)

Fat Phobia, Fat Shaming, Weight Bias: How to Respond (webmd.com)

Body Shaming: The Effects and How to Overcome it – HelpGuide.org

Leave a comment

Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Control of the Portions

Posted on by HeatherLynn

For the past 2 years I’ve been adamantly working on my perception of how much food is on my plate and how hungry I really am.   I was raised in a “Clean your plate” home and this has been a troublesome journey to say the least.   I learned quickly that my plates were too big and so I thought I wasn’t putting enough food on them.   I loved the plates, but the fact is I couldn’t make myself take smaller portions because it seemed like there was too much “white” space on my plate.  

I did some research and then made some changes in my life. Here are a few of the things I discovered:

Use smaller dinnerware – dessert plates will work but if you want a little more assistance, these portion control plates on Amazon.com work great!  Portion Control

Don’t eat directly from the package – it is far too easy to lose track of how much you have eaten.  Instead look at the suggested serving size and take the time to measure it out and then put that package away. 

Use a Food Diary – there are literally dozens of apps and websites available that offer the ability to log your food intake.  MyFitnessPal.com is a popular one amidst my circle of friends.   Logging your daily intake of food gives you a visual of how much you are truly eating, and it helps you stop the “oh just one won’t hurt” kind of mentality.

Understand your serving sizes – a serving size is what is listed on the package label; a portion is what you put on your plate.   Serving sizes vary from product to product and they have grown larger in the past few decades.

Use a portion size guide –   there are many out there.  You can use the hand method where your portions are compared to how much you hold in your hand; or use one that compares the portions to different objects.   I prefer the object method for myself.  I’ve printed one guide out  WebMD Portion Size Guide and pinned it to my kitchen cabinet so its easy to see as I’m preparing my meals.

Careful with the Carbs!  –  your plate should only be ¼ carbs.  Whole grains are good for your heart, but those yams, potatoes and corn are high in starch and not so friendly to the fat burning process. You can still have them, but you need to be careful on the portion. 

Go heavy on your fruits and veggies – These are going to be the bulk of your plate.  Try to avoid the canned variety and stick with fresh if possible.  There are many guides on the internet that can help you determine the portion sizes of fresh produce.

Avoid processed foods – do your best.  Fried food is not good for us no matter how yummy it tastes!  Fast food is quite expensive and portion controlling fast food is a nightmare; Avoiding the fast-food places is a good practice but if you do go, most have websites that have serving sizes and calorie counts of all their products available.

Restaurants – everyone deserves a night out, but it doesn’t have to derail your progress.   Take container with a lid with you.   Before eating, take at minimum, half of your meal and stow it away for another meal later.    It is not against the rules unless you go to a buffet.  Don’t do that at a buffet, they will charge you for that.

Meal Prep – some people like to prep for a week. Others are time constrained and prepping for a week of meals is out of the question.   When you make your evening meal, make enough to save for a meal for the following day.    Have a to-go container on your counter and as you are portioning out your plate, portion out a meal into the container as well.   Stick it in the refrigerator and in the morning, it is ready for you to grab and take to work for your mid-day meal.   No extra work involved.

Honestly, you’ll cheat somedays.  You’ll throw your hands in the air and just binge like there ‘s no tomorrow, but I promise, you won’t feel good.   You will for the moment, but your body will let you know that it doesn’t like it.   

Like Intermittent Fasting, portion control is a lifestyle change and it will take time to adjust and form the new habit.   Don’t be hard on yourself if you fall now and then.  Just get back up and keep trying. 

Leave a comment