Potatoes -
What potatoes are "healthier" to eat? I know people say Sweet potatoes, but what about Red potatoes, and Idaho potatoes. In what order do they fall in? I have read that if you eat the potato, you should eat it with fats (cheese, sour cream etc) to slow down the speed in which the carbs turn to sugar (or something like that).
When do you exercise?
I am really struggling with finding the time to exercise. The morning is crazy, besides I'm not really a morning person, then my day gets filled up with work, and volunteer commitments, and kids stuff. The evenings, we are so busy running from one place to the next I tend to lose the hours of 5pm - 9pm on a daily basis as if they didn't even exist. By the time 9pm rolls around, I'm setting up my next day, figuring out what didn't get done in the current day that will now fill up tomorrow. I'm just really having a hard time fitting it in.
How often should you really exercise?
I have heard 3 times a week for an hour, some say 5 days for 30 minutes, is there a target to shoot for? I know lots of people work out daily, and I don't know if that is truly possible for me right now. I know that no matter the answer I need to do more. Last week I managed to squeeze in a 40 minute walk, and a one hour step class followed by 30 minutes on the stair stepper. Luckily I wasn't as sore as I expected to be. So I'm looking for tricks, ways to squeak in a workout, etc.
Top Tips -
Alright, I am really trying to get healthy, lose weight, be more aware of my food and what I ingest, and do it all the right way. I'm not looking for a 3 month get skinny quick type of thing. I'm in this for the long haul. I have no dilutions that I have birthday cakes, and pizza party's in my future, but if I make better choices, daily, those (in theory) should not throw me to out of whack for my goals. I don't want to feel deprived either, because I know myself well enough to know that if I deprive myself I will sabotage myself into cheating, or gorging on whatever it is I've deprived myself of.
So give me your tips, tricks, and secrets. If you had to tell someone like me who is really trying to do it right, what would you say? Would it be drink lots of water? Or never eat after 6pm? I'm sure there are lots I've never thought of, thus the reason for the question.
Thanks for listening to my questions, thanks for your ongoing support, and thanks in advance for your answers :):):)
hi misty-
ReplyDelete3 weeks ago, i got the word from my dr that my colesterol is on the borderline of too high. he told me he would give me 90 days to get the numbers down. i know a healthy diet and more importantly, exercise are what I need. i started going to the gym with a goal of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week in mind (this is what my doctor has been telling me for a couple of years). i am working with a personal trainer doing both cardio and strength training. i have been at the gym 11 of the last 14 days since i started. i have not stepped on the scale in 14 days but i have gone from 10 minutes riding a bike to 15 minutes on the elliptical & 30 minutes on the bike or 30 minutes of strength training everytime i go. i am amazed that i have not really been sore from all this exercise. i am quite sure that the personal trainer's guidance has made the difference here...i was doing absolutely nothing physical before this...other than walking to and from my car, sitting at my desk and up and down stairs a couple times a day at home...i am tracking all i am eating...good, bad and ugly. my trainer and my doctor tell me 1200-1500 calories a day... eating every couple of hours, to keep my metabolism up. i eat more protein and less bread, potatoes and unhealty carbs. I am used to only adjusting the food...not the exercise. this all feels really good...i am looking forward to my clothes fitting better...not focusing on the weight for a change. it seems to be working...i actually am starting to look forward to working out and truly miss it when i don't go! I work out after work m-f plus 1 day on the weekend. i have been struggling with my weight my whole life...i am sure my dr will put me back on the scale at the end of april when i have to go back for follow up. keep up the good work...you didn't put the weight on overnight...it might take a minute to get it off! more exercise...whenever you can get it feels like the key to me...now that i am getting it into my routine it is a lot easier! xo Lisa :)
Sweet potatoes are the best potato for you, but if you're going to eat a white potato, they recommend either a single red skin or half of an Idaho as the serving.
ReplyDeleteAs for exercise, you really just have to figure out what works for you. The only time they really recommend that you don't exercise is right before bed, because the exercise releases things in your system that will keep you awake for a while. (Although I don't know this to be true,I used to exercise before bed and fall right to sleep. Then again, I'm the person who could drink a pot of coffee right before bed and still fall asleep. So maybe normal things like that just don't affect me the same way.) As for number of times, I usually say shoot for every other day. Give your body a recovery day in between work outs.
Regarding your future.... find alternative desserts. Suggestion, Angel Food cake has almost nothing in it. Get sugar free cool whip and you really can't taste the difference. Strawberrys on top and you have a guilt free birthday cake. (or just regular desert) If you know that you're going somewhere there will be food, try to eat before you go. Take an apple with you, or baby carrots or whatever that you can snake on when you get the urge to splurge. When you do decide to give yourself a treat, make sure you do it in moderation. One of the best killers is to see a plate of cookies and say, "I'll only have one" and then 4 cookies later you're kicking yourself. There's nothing wrong with having a desert or carbs, but in moderation. You're right, don't deprive yourself completely... learn self control so that you can enjoy a treat without feeling guilty later.
Kick up the lean protein meals, fill up more on chicken or fish and make the sides smaller. (unless those sides are veggies, then eat away)
My two cents... ok... maybe three cents, it was a little long. :)
Yay Misty! :)
ooops... I just noticed that I told you to 'snake' hehehe... go ahead Misty, slithering can be the new exercise. HA! I meant - SNACK.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was losing all the baby weight I stumbled onto this show: http://www.zonya.com/about_zonya.html after sesame street one day.
ReplyDeleteThe website is helpful for recipes, tips, and motivation but the show is awesome. Check to see if you get it. In Michigan, it is on PBS.
Thanks all for your help and suggestions. I did join a gym this week. They had a special for 3 months for $99 so I'm going to go for it. I joined to make sure this is something I'll really use. I'm hoping they will have another special, cuz it jumps to $59 a month after the promotion which is not in my budget, but we shall see.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I thank you all for your help and support. I am working on doing things the right way, as this is my new life, not my weightloss plan.
Lots of love,
Misty