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.

Related posts:

1. Cutting a Watermelon
2. Making Healthy Food Appealing
3. Making the Best

In the beginning of the year I decided to make 2010 My Healthiest Year yet by working on one healthy habit each month. The aim was that by December I would be healthier than ever! This year I also went back to being vegetarian* so January was dedicated to Mexican Meatless Mondays. I made Black Bean Soup and Mexican Pizza.

Well, my original plan was to make February’s Challenge about Yoga, but I’m going to have to switch it up. I am a firm believer in making healthy changes one and at a time and I really need to focus all my attention on my worst habit this month = Eating after dinner (dun, dun, duuuuun). Yes, despite the fact that I made this one of my NY resolutions I am still falling into this habit.

My February Challenge: Stop Eating After Dinner.

The plan:

1. Brush and floss immediately after dinner

2. “Close the kitchen” by turning off the lights

3. Get to bed early so I won’t get bored or hungry and want to eat

Since I think everyone needs to write their own diet healthy living book please choose something you want to work on this month that is meaningful and helpful to you.

I am frustrated talking about this issue once again, but understand that this problem goes back years. My mom still has this issue and passed it along to me. It’s very difficult for me to stop after it’s so deeply ingrained. I have probably eaten after dinner since I was six years old or something!

Anyways, I ended my life of nighttime eating with a bang. And by bang I mean, Baked Apple with Chocolate Chips and Granola. Yes, it was as good as it sounds! I topped it with some greek yogurt for creaminess. Um, life changing.

Dinner was a veggie burger with cheese. For some reason Ben asked me to make this for myself for dinner so he could taste it. It was very random, but he was craving a cheeseburger and we don’t have any real meat in the house. I didn’t have any particular meal planned so I went with it. That white stuff is Laughing Cow not mayo if you’re curious. I’m running low on ketchup or you’d see it gushing out of here.

This afternoon I also enjoyed an iced coffee and half a muffin.

Anonymous Question: You clearly are an amazing runner and get a lot of cardio time in.  Have you considered adding strength/weight-lifting to your program?  It seems you don’t do much (any?) but maybe you do and don’t document it?

Monica: Thanks for the compliment And yes I  recently started working on strength training (like last week when I joined the gym). I have always been reluctant to do it because it’s not as much fun as running!

But…I know it’s good for me and my body responds very well. Even without doing much strength training at all (maybe a dvd every now and then) my arms looked like this when I was 10 pounds lighter… I’m hoping the new strength class I’m going to 1x a week + yoga 1x a week plus losing 10 pounds will get me there again. Okay, that pic is kinda far away, but you can kinda see it…

*Technically I am a pescatarian because I eat fish on occasion. I do not want to seem like a hypocrite or liar by calling myself a vegetarian, but I really only eat fish a few times a month and every time I call myself a pescatarian I get tons of questions about it.

Related posts:

1. Push-ups Challenge
2. January Challenge: Meatless Mondays
3. Food Challenge

I was a cheerleader in jr. high and high school and coached for a little while in college, so I have a big love for the sport. I came across this article today regarding how dangerous cheerleading is and the lack of regulations in the sport. I agree that it can be very dangerous and I have seen girls blow out their knees and have teeth knocked out from it – so I know first hand. But, it is very competitive and I also understand the love of it that many girls have. I know I would have been willing to risk my body to compete. It was my entire life for a long time and it’s scary to see how that can turn bad…
Cheerleading’s Risky Lack of Rules

No related posts.

I’ve decided that posting everything I eat after every meal is kinda obsessive and I need to get away from that kind of behavior. So, I will post what I ate each day at the end of the day or the next morning. I am trying to focus on intuitive eating. I want to really listen to my body and give it what it needs. I do believe our bodies tell us when they are hungry and what they need. I have bad habits of eating when I am not hungry, emotional eating and eating because it’s “time”. Now I am focusing in and listening to my body’s cues. This is not easy. If you are like me and have been on diet after diet you are convinced that if you just do what your body says you will be an unstoppable eating machine. I don’t think that’s true. I remember watching a 20/20 episode a couple of years back on how we train our kids to stop listening to their bodies. We insist that they finish all their food and/or force foods on them. They did an experiment where they gave one group of kids a high calorie drink with their lunch and a second group a no/low calorie drink. Both groups consumed the same number of calories. The kids in the first group listened to their bodies and stopped eating when it had enough. As we grow we train ourselves to stop listening to what our bodies are saying. I need to relearn these cues.

But, I am not at a place where I can completely let go. I am still going to track what I eat. I am trying to lose about 17 pounds, but I don’t want to go on another diet. I want to lose the weight through a healthy lifestyle. So, I will continue to exercise and eat healthy while watching portion sizes and snacking, making healthy choices and listening to my body. Amen.

Here is a link to the intuitive eating website. They define the term and have other useful information and a quiz.

Related posts:

1. Today I love … Chapstick
2. Today I love … greek yogurt
3. Today I love … dark chocolate