Let's Get Healthy in 2010!

[always2late]

Originally Posted by Medusa

Hey all! I am loving everyone's "Get Healthy" lists!

I was about to post that I have sucked lately at cutting back on the sodas but when I really think about it, I have done better than Im giving myself credit for. For instance, yesterday I had half a can of coke in the morning and half a can last night. That was IT all day long. I had some sparkling apple cider with Jack when I got home from work and my nightly cup of hot tea.

I am definitely not drinking enough water so cutting back on the Cokes needs to equal more water for me.

Today, I drank half a Coke before leaving for work and am now swilling away on a Diet Mountain Dew. These are wonderful but chock full of caffeine so I wont have any more soda today once Im done with it.

Water Water! I need more water! I am going to take the suggestion about the iPhone app from Linus and try to track my water

Best of luck to all of us. Little changes along the way can mean BIG results later.

XO

I was a TOTAL soda addict since my teens (I even kept a couple of 2-liter bottles of diet Pepsi in my room). And although I don't really drink soda anymore....I had a hard time with the whole water thing. I'll drink water if nothing else is around...but it was never my first choice

AND THEN!! Just when I had given up hope that I would EVER get my daily water requirements in....I discovered Totally Light Tea2Go in those handy little water bottle sized packets. It is WONDERFUL!! I get the sugar free green tea with honey and I love it! 0 calories, 0g of carbs, sugar, fat, sodium, etc...AND 100% vitamin C. It also doesn't contain aspartame (which also makes me happy).

I am now a water drinker! I can have my iced tea indulgence and get my daily water in (I've even started drinking "plain" water between the tea..gasp!).

Hope this has been helpful

Ooops had to come back and edit....I was so busy waxing rhapsodic about my tea that I forgot my list!! lol

My goals for 2010:

Lose the extra pounds - I don't care how I look and I like me...but I am starting the feel the extra weight as I am getting older, and I don't like how it feels

Get rid of the clutter - for example..the magazines that I keep for the ONE recipe in them that I keep telling myself I will someday make...but which have been sitting on the bookcase for, oh, about two years now.

Deleting the negative - its time to get rid of the negative influences in my life...family, friends, acquaintances, exes....whoever brings negativity and useless drama into my life. Sounds harsh, but at this point its just a matter of emotional and mental survival.

Green up - start recycling more, choosing better products and companies which actually support the environment, making the house more energy efficient, etc...

Think that's it for now

[Gemme]

For those who want/need more water, there ARE options other than the sedimentary kind of stuff we remember from childhood. Now, we have filters for the faucet and fridge (Brita) as well as bottled water (although keeping landfills and recycling in mind, that's not the 'best' option) and flavored packs of yummy goodness!!! Oh, yes, oh, yes!

I love the generics just as much as Crystal Light too. There are Kool Aid packets as well as punch flavored, grape, white grape (my personal fave!), juice combinations, ginseng infused packets, white/green tea packets, and a plethora of other flavors. I highly recommend this. They come in sugar free too for those concerned with sugar levels and are typically 0-10 calories per 16 ounces. A note to remember if you'll be using them at work and like and/or are required to be 'professional' in appearance....reds and purples STAIN...fingers, tongues, lips, etc. That is all.

Also, you may be getting more water than you think you are. Keep in mind water comes from our food too. So, if you only drank 8 ounces of water but also had juice and a bunch of grapes and some ripe oranges or....you get the picture. Water is in nearly everything we eat. I like the idea of the app Linus was talking about, though I don't have the phone.

[cara]

I water, thank Goodness. Every once in awhile, I attempt to drink some of those sugar-free water flavorings, but more often than not, they mess with my stomach and give me wicked cramping.

Do any of you track your food/calories on www.thedailyplate.com? It's pretty cool and I find it so much easier to keep track of every teensy little calorie. I need to get back to eating better and exercising more. Every day I try to do a little better. Like PapaC says: Three steps forward and a few steps back.

Cheers!

cara

[Linus]

Originally Posted by cara

I water, thank Goodness. Every once in awhile, I attempt to drink some of those sugar-free water flavorings, but more often than not, they mess with my stomach and give me wicked cramping.

Do any of you track your food/calories on www.thedailyplate.com? It's pretty cool and I find it so much easier to keep track of every teensy little calorie. I need to get back to eating better and exercising more. Every day I try to do a little better. Like PapaC says: Three steps forward and a few steps back.

Cheers!

cara

I've actually used it before and even have the app for it. I think I'd need to get back into that habit again to track everything so I can see when I do good and when I need to redouble my efforts. Changing a bad habit into a better lifestyle does take a bit of work.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

I water, thank Goodness. Every once in awhile, I attempt to drink some of those sugar-free water flavorings, but more often than not, they mess with my stomach and give me wicked cramping.

Do any of you track your food/calories on www.thedailyplate.com? It's pretty cool and I find it so much easier to keep track of every teensy little calorie. I need to get back to eating better and exercising more. Every day I try to do a little better. Like PapaC says: Three steps forward and a few steps back.

Cheers!

cara

I went. I liked. I signed up. I knew it was going to be icky for today, but...other than the sugar and carbs being out of control (which I expected)....the rest was actually GOOD. I'm kinda, sorta proud of myself today!

For the sake of transparency, since my profile there is private, my fat came in at 49% of the rda, protein was 114%ish (I can't remember exactly), fiber was 97%, cholesterol was 82%, calories was about 119% rda, and I'm missing one. I just can't remember what else it monitors. My brain hasn't clocked in for the whole day today. *rueful smile*

The things I have to work on the most aren't a big surprise for me. My carbs were 160%-something of my rda and the sugar came in at 461%. Nope, that's not a typo and no....I'm not diabetic. But yes, it does run in my family. It was my last few servings of Circus Peanuts that did it. I just could NOT throw them away. So, I finished them off and will do better tomorrow and the next day and the next....

I did workout today, however, so that's over 500 calories DESTROYED!

*maniacal laugh*

We take the good wherever we can find it.

[cara]

Nice job, Gemme! One other thing I like about dailyplate is that you can add in your fitness, no matter how small, and it will take those calories from your daily total. It takes all the guess work out of it.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

Nice job, Gemme! One other thing I like about dailyplate is that you can add in your fitness, no matter how small, and it will take those calories from your daily total. It takes all the guess work out of it.

I definitely like it being easier than I am.



Hey...serious question! Does sex count? I forgot to look and this is my last entry for the evening. Hmmm......

[Diva]

Today is my first day to go caffeine free.



We'll see how THAT goes!

[Linus]

Originally Posted by Gemme

I definitely like it being easier than I am.



Hey...serious question! Does sex count? I forgot to look and this is my last entry for the evening. Hmmm......

Yes. Both the act leading to it (foreplay) and the actual act (intercourse) do burn calories. For an idea as to how much see here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

[purepisces]

Originally Posted by cara

I water, thank Goodness. Every once in awhile, I attempt to drink some of those sugar-free water flavorings, but more often than not, they mess with my stomach and give me wicked cramping.

Do any of you track your food/calories on www.thedailyplate.com? It's pretty cool and I find it so much easier to keep track of every teensy little calorie. I need to get back to eating better and exercising more. Every day I try to do a little better. Like PapaC says: Three steps forward and a few steps back.

Cheers!

cara

Thanks for this link cara. I just signed up and I love it. I took the "eat more fruits and veggies" dare.

I quit eating all meat except for fish in December and I hope to remove fish from my diet in the coming months. I’ve flirted with vegetarianism off and on for years, but 2010 is the year it becomes a permanent lifestyle for me! I’ve been trying to do it right this time and not just live off of bread, potatoes and sweets. So, I’m learning to use fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Even though it’s been only a few weeks, I can see a difference in my energy level and my skin. I love it!

Eating this way definitely takes a lot more time and preparation. To make sure I don’t have a lot of produce going bad, I’m making trips to the store several times a week now. And I have to actually prepare a meal instead of just picking up fast food on my way home from a long day. The pull of “quick and easy” is the hardest urge for me to fight at the moment.

I like the “You Are What You Eat” books by Gillian McKeith. You can also see the show by the same name on BBC America.

I need to get back to the gym; it’s been too long. It seemed like I was always too tired after work before. But, hopefully, this increased energy will help me get back on track! It’s great to have a group to support the positive changes we are all making.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Linus

Yes. Both the act leading to it (foreplay) and the actual act (intercourse) do burn calories. For an idea as to how much see here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

I know that it all burns calories. Just sitting, breathing does that. I was actually referring to the site Cara mentioned and whether sex is listed as one of the fitness options. I'm sorry; I should have been more clear.

Edited to note: I checked and sex comes in many forms at thedailyplate.

[cara]

Originally Posted by Gemme

I know that it all burns calories. Just sitting, breathing does that. I was actually referring to the site Cara mentioned and whether sex is listed as one of the fitness options. I'm sorry; I should have been more clear.

Edited to note: I checked and sex comes in many forms at thedailyplate.

Gemme-Sorry for the late reply. It does, indeed!

[Logicaly]

So I am a little late coming to this thread, however I was having a very similar discussion with my girl right before the new year and I need to stop talking about it and just actually do it. That being said, here is what I would like to see me accomplish for myself this year....

Soda - Much like everyone else, I drink it, and a lot. All the sugar and caffeine, not good for me in the least bit. So by the end of the year I would like to have cut all soda from my drinking habits completely.

Water - As my girl will agree, and often remind me, I do not drink enough water, I try, its just, there is no flavor. I know all about the crystal light packets, and what I need to do, is stop being afraid to try new flavors, and just do it, to help increase my water intake.

Exercise/Weight - I need more of it. I have a job where I sit at my desk all day, and loathe getting up, because I won't lie, im lazy. I want to get myself on a schedule of working out, at least 5 out of the 7 days a week. I want to lose some weight as well, while I am not that over weight, I am slightly over weight. I need to lose about 30 to 40 lbs approximately and would like to accomplish this. Along with this, I want to tone up as well and start getting alot more muscle definition.

Money - At the age of 27, and for the first time in my life, I am at a point in my career where I can actually afford to spend a little, and oh do I spend. I want to manage my money better then I currently do. I need to learn to start saving, but still balance it with my feeling like I am rewarding myself for my hard work. I need to find and accomplish that fine balance. I also need to incorporate saving methods in to my day to day life, through the use of coupons, energy saving, etc.

Education - I want to continue it, in all the things that make me passionate. No more half assing it. I have this habit of starting to learn something, and then letting it dwindle out, but not this time. I need to stay focused and force myself to buckle down and actually learn the things I am wanting to learn because I know I will be a better person in the long run because of it.

Clearing Out the Riff Raff - I am a pack rat, I like to keep things that I shouldn't, and while I have been good so far with clearing things out, I need to continue with it. I need to sell off things that I have no use for, and will most likely never use.

Confidence/Negativity - I need to work on this. I have a really bad habit of putting myself down, not being confident with myself, and being overall negative about alot of things. I need to stop being negative, try and be more positive, and also try to be more confident about myself.

Follow Through - I need to follow through, in all aspects of my life, whether it be by creating to do lists to keep myself on track or something. I set alot of goals, alot of things I want to do, and I never follow through and complete them and leave them hanging, this needs to change.

See The Sun - There is a life outside of these walls and I need to experience it, ideally I would like to get out for a few hours at least one day every weekend, and enjoy nature in some way, shape or form.

So there we have it, my goals for the year, what I want to see myself accomplish, and hopefully by the end of the year I can look back on this post and say yes, I accomplished all these goals.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

Gemme-Sorry for the late reply. It does, indeed!

No worries! I was musing out loud.

Originally Posted by Logicaly

So I am a little late coming to this thread, however I was having a very similar discussion with my girl right before the new year and I need to stop talking about it and just actually do it. That being said, here is what I would like to see me accomplish for myself this year....

Soda - Much like everyone else, I drink it, and a lot. All the sugar and caffeine, not good for me in the least bit. So by the end of the year I would like to have cut all soda from my drinking habits completely.

Water - As my girl will agree, and often remind me, I do not drink enough water, I try, its just, there is no flavor. I know all about the crystal light packets, and what I need to do, is stop being afraid to try new flavors, and just do it, to help increase my water intake.

Exercise/Weight - I need more of it. I have a job where I sit at my desk all day, and loathe getting up, because I won't lie, im lazy. I want to get myself on a schedule of working out, at least 5 out of the 7 days a week. I want to lose some weight as well, while I am not that over weight, I am slightly over weight. I need to lose about 30 to 40 lbs approximately and would like to accomplish this. Along with this, I want to tone up as well and start getting alot more muscle definition.

Money - At the age of 27, and for the first time in my life, I am at a point in my career where I can actually afford to spend a little, and oh do I spend. I want to manage my money better then I currently do. I need to learn to start saving, but still balance it with my feeling like I am rewarding myself for my hard work. I need to find and accomplish that fine balance. I also need to incorporate saving methods in to my day to day life, through the use of coupons, energy saving, etc.

Education - I want to continue it, in all the things that make me passionate. No more half assing it. I have this habit of starting to learn something, and then letting it dwindle out, but not this time. I need to stay focused and force myself to buckle down and actually learn the things I am wanting to learn because I know I will be a better person in the long run because of it.

Clearing Out the Riff Raff - I am a pack rat, I like to keep things that I shouldn't, and while I have been good so far with clearing things out, I need to continue with it. I need to sell off things that I have no use for, and will most likely never use.

Confidence/Negativity - I need to work on this. I have a really bad habit of putting myself down, not being confident with myself, and being overall negative about alot of things. I need to stop being negative, try and be more positive, and also try to be more confident about myself.

Follow Through - I need to follow through, in all aspects of my life, whether it be by creating to do lists to keep myself on track or something. I set alot of goals, alot of things I want to do, and I never follow through and complete them and leave them hanging, this needs to change.

See The Sun - There is a life outside of these walls and I need to experience it, ideally I would like to get out for a few hours at least one day every weekend, and enjoy nature in some way, shape or form.

So there we have it, my goals for the year, what I want to see myself accomplish, and hopefully by the end of the year I can look back on this post and say yes, I accomplished all these goals.

It looks like you've put a good deal of thought into this. I know that when I think things through, I tend to follow through better. Good luck.

[cara]

Originally Posted by purepisces

I like the “You Are What You Eat” books by Gillian McKeith. You can also see the show by the same name on BBC America.

I that show!!! So sad I don't have cable any longer so I can't watch it. Didn't realize she had books. I must check those out when I next have some spare cashola.

[purepisces]

This www.thedailyplate.com site has been really eye opening for me. I have been really out of touch with what I’m eating! I can see why they say keeping a food journal is helpful. Being accountable for what I’m eating makes me stop and consider if I’m really hungry or if I’m bored/stressed/sad, etc. Even so, I’m far from perfect in the choices I make, but I’m definitely making better choices.

The thing that has been the most surprising to me is how much sugar is in fruit. Today I had an apple, blueberries and blackberries for breakfast and I’m already at 50% of my recommended sugar intake for the day!

I am still enjoying feeling more energetic since cutting meat out of my diet. I would say that I am eating fish, maybe, 4 times a week. My goal is to gradually keep reducing that until I’m completely vegetarian.

[amiyesiam]

Well in 2008 we both quit smoking
and at the beginning of 2009 we cut out most fast food. Some times we still get it but it is really rare. We decided we could cook at home what it was that we wanted to eat out. It has worked pretty well.
we haven't really discussed 2010 other than we both feel we need to move more and keep trying to eat more and more healthy.

I think that because we work well together and support each other that we are able to get things done in a safe and supportive enviorment.

and god only knows if you have ever tried to grow and change without support at home ya know how important this is