Staying motivated! Sticking with it!

Eating a healthy diet and exercising go hand-in-hand. One works well with the other. This rule applies for people who are diabetics as well as people who are not diabetics. While eating wisely is crucial for diabetics, it’s also very important for everyone.

I’ve always wondered, when people talk about someone they know who is overweight, they say, “She always struggled with her weight,” but don’t they really mean, “She’s always struggled with her willpower”? It’s not hard to find resources that tell us which foods are good for us. It’s hard to maintain a long-term relationship with those foods. Life gets stressful, or really happy, or really sad, and food (and drink) come into the affair. Unhealthy foods get associated with comfort. When I’m happy, I don’t want broccoli. When I’m sad, I don’t think about eating cauliflower.

Also, it’s easy to eat healthy foods during the week and then splurge on the weekends. Are there ways to stay away from the junk food? Are there ways to maintain a healthy diet and keep healthy foods in your kitchen? Sure.

The number one rule for me is: never bring junk food in the house. This works well for several reasons. First, if it’s not in the house, it doesn’t call to me to eat it (I’m not kidding!). Second, if it’s not in the house, chances are I’ll forget my craving and my desire for junk food will go away. Third, if I really can’t go on without some junk food, I have to get dressed, get in my car, go somewhere, buy it, and then eat it. That’s a lot of work. Not worth the effort. Bottom line: Don’t bring it in the house.

The number two rule is: go for a walk! Just getting outside in fresh air for a few minutes is a great way to clear your head and forget those junk food hunger pangs. Brisk walking is also known as ‘exercise’ and rumor has it that exercise is good for you. Give it a try.

Spring is knocking on the door and I’m waiting anxiously to open it. I’m ready for open windows, grilling out, and friends visiting. I’m ready for fresh vegetables and fruits from the farmer’s market. With options that good, who needs the junk?

Diabetes, Sugars, and all those chocolate bunnies!

I’m starting to think that Spring might not be too far away. It’s been so cold here for so long I’d forgotten that there would, eventually, be a Spring. Today I remembered.

Spring makes me think of Easter. Easter makes me think of many things and one of those things is sugar. Chocolate bunnies. Chocolate Easter eggs. Those little Peeps things that are, I think, pure sugar. Easter can become one more high calorie holiday if you’re not careful.

Everyone needs to consume less sugar. Diabetics especially have to watch their sugar intake. Too much sugar for a diabetic can be a bad thing. Fortunately, there are some sugar substitutes that can be used safely for diabetics, even in cooking.

The Mayo Clinic addresses this issue (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073) with this statement, “People with diabetes may use artificial sweeteners because they make food taste sweet without raising blood sugar levels. But keep in mind that if you do have diabetes, some foods containing artificial sweeteners, such as sugar-free yogurt, can still affect your blood sugar level due to other carbohydrates or proteins in the food. Some foods labeled "sugar-free" — such as sugar-free cookies and chocolates — may contain sweeteners, such as sorbitol or mannitol, which contain calories and can affect your blood sugar level.”

That website also reminds diabetics that, “Some sugar-free products may also contain flour, which will raise blood sugar levels. Also, remember that foods containing sugar substitutes may also contain calories that may undermine your ability to lose weight and control blood sugar.”

There are a lot of good websites to visit for all kinds of information on living with diabetes. Another site with a lot of information is: (http://destinationdiabetes.americandiabeteswholesale.com/Diabetes-Diet-Nutrition/Articles/Sugar-Sugar-Substitutes). When addressing the diabetes/sugar issue they cover it well here: “Whichever (sugar alternative) you choose, the FDA, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Diabetes Association consider all of them safe and effective replacements for sugar. When including any sugar alternative in your diet, remember:

• Carbohydrates and calories still count. “No-sugar” does not mean no carbs or calories!
• For sugar alcohols, you may subtract one-half the grams of sugar alcohol listed on the food label from the carbohydrates. (Less than 5 grams of sugar alcohol is considered “free.”)
• Be sure to eat foods with sugar alcohols in moderation, especially until you are sure of your personal tolerance limits. GI distress and a laxative effect can occur with excessive consumption. (Extra caution should be taken with children and sugar alcohol; erythritol has the least side effects for both kids and adults).
• Hot and cold beverages are perfect places to switch out sugar with sugar substitutes.
• When cooking or baking, be sure to use a “baking blend” or a sugar substitute such as sucralose (Splenda) that can withstand high temperatures.

Those little malted eggs are sure good, and one or two won’t break the diet bank. If I eat about 250 calories worth of sugar I’ll need to do about 45 minutes of vigorous housecleaning! (I found that here: http://www.am-i-fat.com/calorie_calculator.html). Knowing that, I can give up the sweets and think more about just being outside and enjoying the warmer weather. And isn’t that what Spring is all about?

Breakfast!

I may not have a perfect diet but I'm great about eating breakfast. I eat a very healthy breakfast every day. I never miss it. Most days I have oatmeal with some fruit thrown in, and some walnuts thrown in, and then maybe some turkey sausage and maybe some whole wheat toast. I'm usually really full and it lasts me for many hours. I like starting my day the high fiber way.

Interestingly, I had to do a 'cultural report' for one of my classes (I am taking classes in nutrition) and I was drawn to Switzerland. I don't know why. For some reason the voice of Heidi came to me and said, "Pick me, pick me!" So I did. Right off, you know there's Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolate. There's Swiss Fondue. There's Swiss steak. But what interests me most about Swiss food is....muesli. It started in Switzerland. Who knew?

A guy named Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, who was a Swiss physician was way ahead of his time (he died in 1939). He believed that instead of eating lots of meat, which was popular at the time, his patients should eat a diet of raw fruits and vegetables. He came up with a breakfast meal that consisted of a little bit of oats, a little bit of honey, and a lot of fruit. As Wikipedia tells it, "Bircher-Benner changed the eating habits of the late 19th century. Instead of much meat and white bread, he postulated eating fruit, vegetables and nuts. His ideas included not only controlled nutrition, but also spartan physical discipline. At his Zurich sanatorium off Bircher-Benner-Platz, the patients had to follow a somewhat monastic daily schedule including early bedtime, physical training, and active gardening work. His theory of life was based on harmony between people and nature. Some of his ideas originate from observing the daily life of shepherds in the Swiss Alps, who lived a simple and healthy life."

What a cool guy! "Bircher muesli." It's just fun to say.

Enjoy your breakfast!

The First Day of Food, and Balance

I've written about exercise. I've written about yoga. I'm studying food, so I'll write about food.

It's a cold, cloudy day in mid-February. I could be exercising. I could be eating a salad. I could be practicing some yoga asanas. Instead I settled for some comfort food and a marathon watching of the Winter Olympics. With 60% dark chocolate squares filled with caramel.

I'll start again tomorrow. Really, I will.

It's about balance. Keeping balance. Two days ago I had a hard workout. Yesterday I stayed busy but did not workout. Today I rested. Today I had a huge breakfast (Valentine's breakfast! Eggs, waffles, sausage!) and ate chocolates. I'll readjust myself now and find that balance that I know I can find: healthy diet, exercise, peace of mind. Perfect balance.

I'm also now part of a cool program (www.FOODPICKER.org) that helps diabetics with food choices, helps them stay in balance. Check it out. Even if you're not diabetic, it's a great site with a ton of nutrition information.

Keep your balance!