Welcome to Run Eat Repeat. I am Monica and I am using running and healthy eating to lose weight and stop dieting! Subscribe to my RSS feed or Email Me for healthy tips.

S-t-r-e-t-c-h and Making Health the Goal

by runeatrepeat on March 6, 2010

I rarely stretch, but my IT Band issues are making me realize that I should incorporate a good stretching program into my daily life (at least after running!).

I found this video on Sparkpeople that shows some good stretches. The moves in this video are for the lower body – just where I need it. But, I think we all know how to stretch – it’s just a matter of actually doing it!

I usually only make time for a certain amount of running. I will wake up and give myself just enough time to get my run in and shower before I need to head out the door. I don’t plan time for stretching.

So, I think I’m going to have to re-work my exercise and make time for it. It’s definitely worth a few minutes every morning if it will help heal my IT band and keep me injury free.

The Religion of Thinness – I came across this article today and love this quote from it:

Indeed, a $60 billion a year diet industry would have us believe that aspartame is a “healthier” choice as a sweetener than a calorie-laden whole food like honey or maple syrup. In this eating disordered paradigm, a box of “non-fat” cereal, whose second ingredient is high-fructose corn syrup (that cheaply made sugar substitute, which is heavily processed after being produced by land-destroying industrial agricultural methods), is better for you than a bowl of plain oatmeal and raisins.

When weight loss is your only priority it’s easy to choose the lowest calorie choice without consideration of what it’s doing to your body. In that case you may pick the Special K bar over a piece of whole grain bread with PB as a snack. When all you care about is losing weight whole foods may be sacrificed for lower calories

But when you want to feel healthier above everything else you will probably choose more whole foods. Ideally, these whole foods will keep you fuller and give you more energy. When you feel healthier you are often more satisfied and can be more active.

And I believe as you get healthier your weight will settle into a healthy range

Dinner:

I was really craving beans and rice for dinner – but not the usual beans and rice. I specifically wanted brown rice and garbanzo beans.

So, I made some rice, nuked some frozen veggies and threw it all in a bowl with ICBNB and salt. Simple and dee-lish. (I also had some cheese bread because I love it and was making it for Ben’s dinner.)

Questions, Comments, Complaints…

I haven’t done a video post in a long time, but have a bunch of ideas for them. Before I do the work, I want to make sure you are interested in it.

1. Would you like to see a video of the hip strengthening moves my PT gave me?

2. Would you like to see a make-up application video? Most of the time I look like a homeless, but when I wear make-up I get questions on how to do it.

3. Any other video ideas? Ben and I arm wrestling? Me singing to myself while cooking dinner (I also dance around with the spoon as a mic)? My rendition of Lady Macbeth’s “Spot” monologue?

“Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants” - Pollan

Here is an old article by Michael Pollan from a few years ago. It’s pretty long (read: I haven’t finished it yet) but looks interesting.

Supplements:

Do you take any supplements hoping for some health benefits? This graphic shows which supplements have scientific evidence and which ones you should pass up.

I love natural remedies and supplements so it’s interesting to see which ones may work versus old wives tales.

Question: Do you take supplements? If so, which ones??

Me: I take a regular multi-vitamin plus Vitamin C and Glucosamine when I remember (which is a few times a week?). I keep hearing good things about Vitamin D and omega 3 too, but haven’t gotten around to adding anything else yet. I also want to start taking bee pollen I’ll let ya know if I do.