love what you eat and eat what you love

Eating Out

eatingEating Out

I’ve spent the last month literally on the road between moving, a speaking engagement and a conference. I faced many eating challenges, but my greatest challenge was eating healthy when eating out.

Meals

Generally, when I’m traveling I eat out, but it’s only a couple of meals—usually dinner or lunch. Breakfast, I tend to bring food to eat and many times for lunch, too, but my last trip, I had no way to bring an ice chest.eating Not only is it expensive to eat all my meals out, but I find it difficult to eat healthy. There are only so many salads I can eat, and honestly, even those can… Read More

Post Thanksgiving Review

Post Thanksgiving review starts with this quote, “The best laid plans of mice and men…”exercise

Cooking and Exercise

I had intended to try Rebecca J. Clark’s, author of The Checklist Diet suggestions for cooking and exercise.
  • Calf raises—whenever you're stirring something on the stove.
  • Side leg raises—while stirring/mixing away from the stove.
  • Stand on one leg—while washing your hands (don't forget to switch legs).
  • Arm circles—while waiting for the pot to boil.
  • Deep breathing—while chopping vegetables (in through the nose, pause, out through the mouth)
I’d also planned to play plenty of music and dance while I was cooking, but all I managed to do was a couple of calf raises. And the outdoor exercise I’d planned, never got off the ground. Of all… Read More

Fitness At Any Age

I’ve exercised all of my life, but I haven’t always been physically fit. In my late 30’s I was out of shape. I didn’t do much aerobic exercise, and it showed. After hiking short distances, I was winded and exhausted. It wasn’t until my mid-40s that I really got serious about exercise, and it was for two reasons. First, I found losing weight was not as easy as it was in my 30s. In fact, it was darn near impossible without exercise. fit Mountain biking at Mt. Shasta California Second, I was losing muscle tone and didn’t like what I saw. Since I’ve always been an avid bicycle rider, I started riding more. At the same time, I began… Read More

Blended Vacations

Blended Vacations

exercise Mountain biking Spense Mt. in Klamath Falls, Oregon In recent years, my husband and I are taking blended vacations. We do some sightseeing, eating out and relaxing. We also look for ways to explore the areas where we vacation by biking, hiking, kayaking or whatever exercise strikes our fancy. In the past, I’ve found eating out while on vacation a challenge. I want to splurge all the time, especially if we’ve been exercising. But if I’m listening to my body, that’s not always what it wants.exercise The two important takeaways from The Checklist Diet by Rebecca Clark that I keep… Read More

Hunger Signs

Hunger signs—what are they and how do I know if I’m having them? This is a question I’ve struggled with since I lost the weight two years ago. Eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. It seems like such an easy concept when I can define my hunger.hunger My brain says I’m hungry, but my body shows no signs of it, so which part of my body do I listen to?

Signs of Hunger

Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat lists these signs of hunger:
  • Hunger pangs
  • Growling or grumbling in the stomach
  • Empty or hollow feeling
  • Gnawing
  • Slight queasy feeling
  • Weakness or loss of energy
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Light-headedness
  • Slight headache
  • Shakiness
  • Irritability or crankiness
  • Feeling… Read More

Finding a Weight Loss Plan That Works for You

Weight Loss

Diane Carbonell recently posted on Fit to the Finish Why I Accept Other Peoples Diet Choices. weight Image courtesy of Marianne Oliva (c)/www.123RF.co I’ve been discussing weight loss for the past several weeks, and after reading her blog I wanted to clarify some points. I’m not a dieting expert. I’m a cheerleader, a motivator. I’ll be there when the burden feels too heavy, when you think you can’t take another step, when you think you will never lose the weight. I’m the one who will hold your hand, offer you encouragement, believe in you when you can’t. I don’t have answers, but I’ll be sharing what I'm learning. I am not a believer in fad diets. Not because you can’t… Read More

Savoring Food

Savoring Food

I’ve mentioned in previous posts I’m searching for answers about how to maintain a healthy weight. I need to alter this slightly. I’m searching for answers to maintaining a healthy weight without being obsessed about food.savoring food In my search for answers, I've found a book that speaks to me. It’s not a diet book. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle that includes weight loss and savoring food. Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat, by Dr. Michelle May has given me several ah-ha moments. I’m learning that I can be in charge of what I eat and eat ANY food I love in moderation. The author calls it mindful eating.

Mindful… Read More