O is For Oh Carbs!

Oh Carbs!

I remember a few years back. I tried this all meat diet that my friend was doing. You could consume as much meat as you want in a given day, but absolutely no carbs and with this diet, lose 10 pounds in a week. 

I was also going to the gym heavily at that time and would hurry from work to Ballys every night. But during the time, I was trying that very diet. 

I did my same daily routine: after work, hit to the gym, got on the treadmill and started running; only to be left feeling like I was about to pass out. The diet is a great idea if you need to lose pounds quickly and are not going to be physically active, but if you are, carbs are important to your diet. Gives you that needed energy. 

But I Gave Up Eating Carbs!

Okay, I admit it! I stopped eating bread, rice and pasta to achieve losing weight but there are more to carbs than just bread, rice and pasta. Are we forgetting that the nutritional food charts tell us that fruit and vegetable consumption are important parts of our diets? These are carbs as well and are important because they provide us with energy. So it was not so much giving up carbs; it was more about sticking to a low carb diet instead. 

So Here's an Idea!

It's summertime and we are all about to get into some heavy eating at barbecues and going to fish fries and other summertime gathering events. But you do not have to skip out on all the delicious food items our friends and families will have spread out on their tables. Instead improvise. 

Remember that too much of anything is no good. So to an all meat diet, I say not my thing because we get cholesterol from products made from animals. I do not want to ever suffer from cholesterol issues and be told later by a doctor, what I need to restrict in order to survive from unnecessary diseases caused by eating. It's a different world to do something willingly as opposed to by force or to improve health issues. So here's a thought; If you know you are going to four barbecues in the weekend, maybe you can skip on meat items during the weekdays and instead have other healthy proteins like beans, nuts, or soy. 

And yes,  I agree! Carbs do give us energy. But don't get it twisted that on a picnic table, the only carb you can add to a burger for the energy you are seeking will derive from bread. Then what are tomatoes? Aren't they carbs? Can the bread and instead, add your favorite toppings and enjoy! Still great; just without the high carb item. 

Here are Some Other Summertime Food Ideas That Might Be Helpful

1. For every other drink, let it be room temperature water. 

Ex. Wine cooler, room temperature water, frozen margarita, room temperature water, lemonade, room temperature water, iced coffee, room temperature water. This way, you stay not only bring refreshed with tasty drinks but also hydrated with this necessary element. I say room temperature because this is the temperature which water digests in our bodies. So if you ever come to a point where you are dying for water and are in need of some immediately, make sure to skip the ice for a quick reparation.

2. Juice is great, but choose juices that are 100% juice. If you are wondering why, read nutrition labels and compare the sugar content for a drink that is 100% juice to one that isn't. 

3. It's not too hot to get in your kitchen and do some good old fashioned cooking. And if it is, go outside and grill. More home cooked than store/restaurant bought food. Less fat and better quality eating.

4. Eat plenty of fruits. Grapes have lots of water in them. You want energy, energize with grapes. Good and tasty eat.

Links on Carbs

List of Carbs http://detoxdoll254.blogspot.com 

Naked Burger Paleo Diet http://thatpaleodiet.com/post/51908675072/naked-burger

How to Make a Bunless Burger http://www.ehow.com/how_2307860_make-bunless-burger.html

Benefits of Eating Carbs http://www.livestrong.com/article/504219-four-important-benefits-of-carbohydrates/

N is for Saying No to Things you Gave Up for Your Lifestyle

Negating alcohol from your diet means you are not having any, even if your family and friends all around you are.

For one, it is full of sugar and you want to cut down your sugar intake if taking your balanced nutrition seriously. Also it dehydrates you and somehow slows down the digestive system. Finally, one mixed drink has about the same amount of calories as one three course meal does, depending on what you are having. If you are trying to stick to a low calorie diet, that is definitely something meant to consider.

 But it's not the easiest thing to let go of. If you like alcohol, you probably drink it more than just socially. Cutting down little by little helps. But so does being strong and sticking to your decision. 

So here are a few ways to say no without seeming "obsessed with fitness"

So you gave up alcohol? Sure it tastes good and it is a great social drink. AHA even says a glass of wine a day is good for the heart. But you decide it is not in agreement with your lifestyle. And just then, a beautiful person who is used to seeing you as the life of the party, offers you a drink.

You could say 

A. Alright. Get me a cranberry and ginger ale mixed

Or

B. No thank you, I'm driving. 

You could say 

A. I no longer drink alcohol. But you could get me a bottled water 

Or

B. I'm already naturally potent. What good would alcohol do? And laugh . . .

Either way, you'd be telling the truth. 

N is for saying no to things you like. 

Alphabets of Fitness: M is For Staying Motivated

When it comes to trying to attain fitness, remember it is not an overnight thing. It takes time, persistence and true motivation. 

Keep going and never give up on your goals. 

Motivation means everything to a person seeking that one thing that is definitely something worth fighting for. 

With that in mind, here are some links you might enjoy to help you to stay motivated:

Fitness Challenges http://www.challengeloop.com/ideas/topic/health-fitness

My Journey to Fitness http://ilheartmyhair.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-am-changing.html

Blending Fitness Into Your Life http://fitbittwist.blogspot.com/2014/01/alphabets-of-fitness-b-is-for-blending.html

Thank you so much for reading my blog post. Have a wonderful weekend. 

Alphabets of Fitness: L is for "Living to Eat vs Eating to Live" (apoem)

To start off National Poetry a Month, this poem on health and fitness is dedicated to my friend.  

                                               

It is easier to decide to change your ways on your own than to be told you have to.  You have more patience with moving forward with your own intention than to be forced to make a step you never thought you'd have to. It is easier to eliminate something because you really want to than to be restricted from it because than you struggle to.

Trust me; I have been through it and I know it is not easy. But if you truly want to do the right thing for your own health; just do it! Prayerfully this poem will inspire as opposed to offend anybody going through food related health issues as I did. 

                                 Living to Eat vs Eating to Live (a poem)

                               

Live to eat

And live to see

The doctor screen

For unnecessary diseases

That you can avoid 

By making the choice

To eat to live

As needed

We can live to eat

And see our feet

Only when over bending

What our big bellies are covering

Trust me, I know

It was not long ago

When food controlled me

Got the best of me

But then

I decided that

When I got to bat

I had to combat

To get control back

For even if I love to eat

I won't allow food to defeat

My health to live

Because without my health, I have nothing 

So eat to live

Controllably

Portion control is

Eating responsibly

And following doctor's orders

For if they restrict for your chances

Of living another day

Don't let food take that possibility away

Instead change your habits

Add fruits and vegetables to your diet

Eat less fats and fried

And surely, exercise

For health is not for beauty

But meant to be taken seriously

Sure we might be okay as is

But you only have your own heart to win

So make sure to keep it pumping healthy

And keep your heart beating steady

And keep your plate looking balanced

And eat more salads

Not saying fun shouldn't be had

But if you live to eat fast

You might be headed down a path

That only controlling your eating can patch

I dedicate this to you my friend

And blessings and a prayer extend 

For power over your ailments

Yes you can

Even if you say you don't want to

Because the items doctors say are not you

Just know that God's got you

Don't let bad eating habits defeat you! 

Alphabets of Fitness: K is for Keeping up with Thine Own Health

("God Cares" written by Stephanie Jeannot & Mike LeShore) , (c) All Rights Reserved)

 

This month of February, like every February, is American Heart Month. Are you celebrating?

Remember, the heart is like the drum pattern in a song that without, the song and dance would seem irregular.  And with the perfect tempo, the rhythm flows naturally as God intended without having to be doctored to fix.

So what are you doing to show that organ that orchestrates the beautiful melodies that God enables to pace in each new moment of life?  Are you getting it pumping hard with passion?  By passion, I mean exercise.

If you love the beat of life, like the beats of music then, walk hard like you would to a funk song with a song in your heart like, “I want to thank you for letting me be myself.” If you are loving the simple fact that God woke you up this morning in new mercies, you are dazzled in red and those lyrics you groove to are then truth and you are definitely then, keeping up with thine own health; especially with the given fact that heart disease is the number one killer of women. As soldiers, we are equipped to win the battle over health and we definitely can conquer good health.

So what else can you do?

K is for kettlebells. Did you know that in 20 minutes of doing kettlebell workout, you can burn up to 400 calories?  Seems like a lot if you are sticking to a 1200 calorie diet. But if you eat a bacon double cheeseburger with large fries and a soda every day, you will only be burning off the calories from the fries.  Not so bad but if you love your heart, let’s eat a lil better to show it some true appreciation and love. 

K Is for kicking the carbs.  Did you know that the serving size of bread per person is really one slice?  Take a look at the nutritional facts on the bag of bread that you just copped from the grocery store.  What does it say about the serving size?  Am I right or was I just really kidding? 

K is for keeping the faith. Keep the faith and keep moving forward. We all stub our toes

sometimes and even if we fall, we were built with enough strength to stand back up and face the sun of yet another morning. So how are you keeping the faith?  Are you praying? Are you aware that there is more power behind you than any challenge that stands before you? 
Because moving towards a fitness goal is not easy at all; takes a whole lot of willpower. So don’t give up. Even if you decide to give up sweets or alcohol for Lent and all your friends flaunt red velvet cheese cakes or Long Beach Iced Teas in your face; if you made the decision to kick the habits, you need to keep the faith and stick with it because it is still your journey alone; even with your family and peers around you. Your true peeps will be your support team and will help you to stay motivated.

Finally! K is for Kill it.  Don’t sit around pinning workouts you want to try and never try them or have the tv on with Gillad doing his workout while you just sit back and watch without joining in the excitement and putting in the actual work. No, if you get a chain letter email that tells you to forward it to ten friends to lose 20lbs, you will not lose 20lbs by just typing names in the to box.  Also, don't use the excuse of not wanting to sweat out your perm and can't workout. Can't is such a disabling word. You can still look cute and workout even with your perm having sweat in it. Natural sweat actually helps hair to grow.  You would probably look sweeter on an assisted weight machine than laid up in a hospital bed somewhere from heart related illnesses. You gots to get with the program and do the job required to do what you are wanting to achieve.  If better heart health is it, do it. Walk for it. Run with it. Ride towards it. Kettlebell the inches off. Kut the krap and get your healthy heart-conscious eating and heart-pumping workout on. You can do anything you want so even if doubt comes to stand in your way, let your faith be the weapon that kills it and keep moving forward.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blogpost. Please leave feedback with tips or comments in regards to health and maintaining it because we can all use the motivation if you are willing to share. By the way, if you liked the song at the beginning of this post, you can find more original music on my Reverbnation page here: Stephanay JNote's ReverbNation Page

 

May God continue to bless you in abundance.  

Alphabets of Fitness: J is for Just Do it!

Just do it! You have it in your heart. You feel the temptation to get with the program. Your mind is filled with ideas of the what ifs.  But what if you just do it? What then?

I know, things do not seem so easy at first. You start and then a mountain of doubt tries to stop you from moving forward. But you have been equipped with all you need to continue upon the journey you started. So just do it!

Go out to the nearest park and do a brisk walk or jog. Go out there and shovel or do gardening. Lots of calorie burning there, in doing housework and some in cooking as well. How about doing some cleaning and getting rid of old stuff that are no longer necessary in your life?  Oversized clothes items that no longer fit or those Burger King coupons that you are no longer going to find use for because of your new eating healthy lifestyle. Letting out the old truly ushers in the new. So make way for the new you.

Choose the light butter over movie butter popcorn and say no to the extra cheese.  Choose turkey burgers as opposed to the beef and ask for whole wheat toast when ordering sandwiches.

One thing you must remember to do is to meditate and keep God on your mind and your mind on the matter. Prayer while you are on your way to reaching your goal is necessary. Do not turn back and give up. Let God guide you to exactly where you are striving to be and to what you are striving to accomplish. For he told us that we only need to stand still while he fights our battles for us. 

All that stands in the way will fade. Most of the time it is our own doubts and fears that stand in the way.  But why fear the very things you hope for?  Why doubt in your abilities to make things happen? Remember it took strength to start walking from crawling.

Finally, be happy about your decision. You started it, now smile about it. Be confident in any and all you are doing and that will lead you to the strength and the joy that was never anyone or anything else's to reckon with because joy is internal from God. Now carry that faith with you in your gym bag, wear your confidence like cross training sneakers and exercise faith wherever you go. Even if everyone else is wearing shorts and cut-off t-shirts and you feel out of place because you are all covered up; or you want to do chest presses and can only push with resistance at 10 lbs.

Who cares?  As long as you are doing it. For to not try is to fail. But trying leads to pushing harder. Isn't that the whole point of the new you attitude you decided to bring into your groove?

Alphabets of Fitness: I is for Independently

When we make a decision to start something new, even if our friends advise us or try to inspire us to do it, it is our very own selves who must make the step in order to independently overcome the boundaries of before, for the after.

So let’s see; yesterday you thought that. Is that right? And today, your mind is set on higher things for the present moment and for tomorrow.  Is that the case? 

Okay so that means, you independently have a goal that you’d like to accomplish that is yours solely.  I mean in all honesty, reading Fitness or Shape magazine won’t change your habit if you do not change your habit. 

In other words, your friend asks you to go to a Zumba class with her on Wednesday evening and you bring your stuff and you are all prepared but then something comes up at the last minute and your friend can’t make it. Do you go or not go? Were you going to please your friend or to also reap the benefits of the workout? How willing are you to be independently bold to choose a salad even if your friend chooses a burger or you choose to go to the gym even though your friend wants your accompaniment at the bar? It’s your decision independently. And if you started this lifestyle, the challenge is also yours independently. Just remember if the new you is that very way of thinking you want to be strong in and continue moving forward with, do what is necessary to make that a reality. For your friends can’t do the workout and healthy eating for you to lose that weight on your own body. All the work must be independently done by you.

The following poem was inspired by two things; Poetry Tuesday and how it feels when you feel alone because your peers get tired of you inviting them to the gym and call you obsessed or you eliminate things from your diet that people all around you are eating or everybody at the gym seems like a pro and you don’t even know how to turn on the stationary bike. If that is you, I know exactly what it feels like. This poem therefore, is dedicated to you. Prayerfully it motivates you in some way.

Independently,

I see!

My decision means;

it's all in me.

 

I won't make it

sitting down.

All the snow

has me bound.

Stuck at home

before the tv.

So, for the next few moments

it's popcorn and me;

and a soda to taste.

Maybe I'll mix it with vodka.

Oh man, I forgot my own decision

in my gym locker.

 

Independently,

I see!

My decision means;

it's all in me.

 

But I'm hungry for life

and working out ain't it.

Who cares about

being skinny or fit?

I'm great the way I am;

beautiful, it's true

and sexier than red velvet cake

to a man with a sweet tooth.

But then I noticed

all this sluggishness I have.

I find myself in struggle

to keep up with the pack.

They are running their three miles

and I'm running out of breath.

I even find myself holding up the wall

when I go out dancing with my friends.

At first I thought I'm getting old

and took it as fact;

but then I look at myself in the mirror

and realized, it can't be that.

For I'm young and vibrant

and ready for life.

But somehow I am being controlled

by the foods that catch my bite.

 

Independently,

I see!

My decision means;

it's all in me.

 

I feel heavy; so ready

to make a change for the better.

Must I really give up

on those cheeses of cheddar?

And what about my Popeyes

chicken and biscuits? Good to the last bite.

But here I start this new lifestyle.

And I'm ready for the fight

over healthier eating

and more controlled breathing

and dropping pant sizes.

And no more burnt up rubbed together thighs.

And to less weight to carry.

And to the fitness strategies.

And to low fat snacking.

And to the haters I'm attracting

Who would love to see me fail at this;

my fit bits with a twist.

 

Independently,

I see!

My decision means;

it's all in me.

 

My mind right with a half full cup

and ready to rock and roll,

like a star in the night sky

shooting across it with purpose glows.

For I started this lifestyle and it's mine

so I'm gonna keep it for life.

For what's style if it isn't me?

It's with my past editions of me which I compete.

And complete with a theme:

My goal strives are mine; independently!

 

 

 

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Check out the following links if you are interested

 

Full Length Workouts for Free From Fitness Blender

 

Tips For Eating Healthy When Eating Out

 

Lifestyle Changes to Help Prevent Heart Attacks from AHA

 

Downsizing Your Sweet Tooth

 

Diet And Exercise According to God

 

Before and After: How to Lose and How to Maintain

 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Hope to see you again soon for more Fit Bit twists. God bless you and have a pulchritudinous journey moving forward.