FatGirl vs World

There really should be water in the glass. Sorry dairy lobby.

It's about time I got to talking about diet.  I've already written about my thoughts about the other parts of the puzzle:  1/5:  The Foundation and 1/5:  Exercise.  Just to refresh, I firmly believe that wrapping your head around being healthy can be split into a pie with 5 wedges and distributed as such: 

Monday:  After running 5 miles at the gym and doing some upper and lower body weights, I got a text from my friend around 7pm.  My friends had an extra ticket to see Dropkick Murphys at the 9:30 Club -- did I want to go? Heck yeah!  I shoved 4 leftover oven-roasted cracked black pepper chicken wings in my mouth and was there by 8.  I had two beers, which is showing a great deal of restraint considering it's an effing Irish band.


Tuesday:  4 miles at the gym, no weights.  [Colleague] couldn't make it to a hockey game with potential client, he gave the tickets to his assistant/my friend and she asked if I'd go with her.   Did I want to go?  Heck yeah! Beers consumed:  5.  My dinner was a delicious mess of chili mac from the Hard Times Cafe vendor.  Though I burned 3264 calories yesterday, I would consider the day as a whole a flop because of the massive pile of carbs and cheese that I inhaled.


Wednesday:  Hoping for a good run at the gym, do some ab and tricep work.  Amazingly, nothing planned tonight.  Will go home, clean up after the whirlwind that tore through my apartment the past few days.

Thursday:  Double Booked!! I'm in charge of hosting a retirement cocktail hour for a colleague.  On the menu: Old Bay spiced corn fried calamari with gribiche sauce; fries with truffle aioli; mini croque monsieur; beef sliders on mini brioche; mushroom, herb, fontina focaccia squares; tuna carpaccio BLT; bacon-wrapped scallops; chicken portabella turnovers.  Oh, and the cake? Chocolate cake, chocolate mousse filling, chocolate ganache on top.  And an open bar.

And then.... dinner with @MerbearMN (blog here) and @Mazzie (blog here) at Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons in DC.  Take a peek at the menu.  I gained 5 pounds reading it. I will be eating something delicious with something delicious in a wine glass to go with it.

Friday:  One of my closest friends' birthdays is this week, and he decided to celebrate both on his birthday (yesterday) and Friday.  He graciously didn't give me crap for going to the hockey game (though I did stop by the bar where the gathering was (it was on my walking route to the game) to wish him a happy birthday and to give him cupcakes he was supposed to have eaten 3 weeks ago, but that have been living in my freezer).  I'm going to try and be on my very best behavior and stick to seltzer water. 

Saturday:  ShamrockFest.  The weather is supposed to be rainy but warm.  This might put a damper on my willingness to spend all day at an outdoor music festival with a bunch of drunk and rowdy people. But there's going to be good music and food there.  And well, I do not like using Port-a-Potties.  That in-and-of-itself is a very good reason not to drink. So I'm going to focus on the music, the dancing, the fun and not drinking.  Feel free to tweet at me and hold me to my promise.

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The thing is this -- I really do agree with Alton Brown's 4-Lists, and that alcohol is a 1-time a week indulgence: 
This just happens to be a confluence planned and unplanned social events where alcohol is an omnipresent option.

In the past, I have given up alcohol for a few reasons:  (1) because of the medications that I was taking for my back issues (2) in solidarity (3) because of the negative impact it had on my body and workouts (4) I realized that I didn't need to drink to have fun and (5) I realized that I'd rather have quality over quantity most of the time.  In the past, I have also written about alcohol.

Alcoholism/addictive issues runs through the bloodlines on both sides of my family tree.  I used to be a bartender at an Irish Bar in Brooklyn (my dad helped get me the job because I told him that I wanted a skill that would guarantee employment anywhere I landed after college).  I have seen alcoholism up close and personal.  I know that it's not something that I want for myself or my body.

I also know how alcohol impacts my weightloss/health gain and vice versa.  On days where I have exercised, I feel the effects of alcohol much faster.  If I continue to drink, I am less likely to exercise the next day.  This is the main reason that I didn't drink on Friday nights when I was boxing -- burpees are terrible when hungover.

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Sunday:  back to 1 drink a week, but probably after I give my poor liver a break for a week or two...maybe a month.

For the holidays, my dad purchased me a Vitamix blender (I had asked for an older version that was much cheaper, but my dad is a sweetheart and opted for more power!).  You might've seen them in action -- they're the same blenders that you see at Starbucks, Jamba Juice, or Smoothie King, making smoothies and crappuchinos frappucinos.  A Vitamix isn't like a normal blender--it's a blender on steroids.  There are things that a Vitamix can do that a normal blender cannot. (Side note:  Vitamix cannot do your taxes...)
But now that I had one in my house, I was going to put my Vitamix to better use.  What do I mean by "better use"?  Let me use my favorite smoothie from Jamba Juice to illustrate: 

This looks like a pretty awesome day, right? Burned a lot of calories, got some exercise, didn't sleep well, but I've lost some of the weight I re-gained while my neck was rehabilitating.....


But the proof is in the details, right?  You would have never guessed that inside my "Calories Consumed" lurked this monster:


I bought them as I was coming home from work.  I know I shouldn't have.  But I wanted a cookie.  I wanted the crunch and the sweetness.  Of all the cookie options at CVS, this was one of the better ones.  4 Lorna Doones has 150 calories.  2 Double Stuf Oreos (my favorite) have 140 calories. I thought I was getting more bang for my buck.  I had the box open before I even got home.  The first four cookies consumed in the time it took to check my mail, go up in the elevator, and go to my door.

But then I continued.

And continued.

And continued.

Until I had eaten the whole box (thankfully I hadn't gone to the grocery store where they have bigger boxes). 

I sat at my computer feeling ashamed and weak.
I felt like a hypocrite. I felt like I had learned nothing over the past few years.  
I had just eaten the same amount of calories in cookies as I burn while running for an hour. 

Then I had the insane thought of "oh man, I wish I were a bulimic, that way the calories wouldn't count."
I fully admit that statement is one of the most backwards and fucked-up things anyone could say. 
Bulimia is a serious eating disorder, not a way to deal with bad choices.

And so I sat at my computer, and logged the 20 cookies that I had just devoured (not even savored).
I sat there saying to myself "it's okay" softly. Repeatedly.
I wasn't giving myself permission to have a binge, I was giving myself permission to learn from it and move on.

I remembered that I had been there before and lived to blog about it.  So I looked up the entry and re-read what I had wrote.  I realized that while I've learned so much in the past two years, that some issues will never go away, and that I need to be mindful/vigilant of them always.

So I titled this blog post "Sitting with It:  Mindful Binging" because most of us who have had experience with food addiction and binges know that the first response to a binge is usually some sort of panic/anxiety/shame/regret; we disconnect from the emotions that caused the binge in the first place.  I think the lucky people see it happening and feel powerless to stop it.  The unlucky people don't even notice it is happening. 

I believe that if we can be mindful of the binge -- that is, to know it is happening and why -- the greater the chances of stopping/curtailing it.  The slower we experience the physical action of the binge the more opportunities we have to allow the emotions to make an appearance.  Make sense?

I know why I was eating the cookies. 
It's more than just loving the crunchy texture and the buttery shortbread deliciousness.
I needed to sit with the feelings -- not the cookies.

The feeling? I turn 31 in a few weeks and I've yet to experience being in love.
And I don't think my grandpa will live to see me in love.
And that makes me sad.

(Article 1) (Article 2) (Article 3) (Article 4) (Article 5) (Article 6) (Article 7) (Article 8) (Article 9) 
Now, in the back of your mind, juxtapose this article with all of the Maury Povich episodes that featured obese toddlers with parents that said they had no control over what their kids eat, that they wanted to give their kids what they didn't have growing up, and that they were showing love by indulging/giving in to their child's demands.

In response, I want to focus on what I think the dialogue should be:   If a parent is, or learns to be, (mentally, physiologically, emotionally) healthy themselves, the greater the chance that they will be able to raise a healthy child, and have a healthy relationship with that child.  It's not perfect, and it's no guarantee, but I do believe it increases the probability of having a healthy kid.

Parents should be able to say "I have a problem with food/body image, and I needed to help myself so I can help my kids."  And they should have the resources (education, counseling, support groups) available to help make healthy and considered decisions for their kids.  Instead, I think we see some people having kids either before they've dealt with their own issues, or having kids as a way to work out their own issues.

Being a parent is not a right, it is a privilege that comes with responsibilities.  Among these responsibilities is making sure that your child is healthy.  I think the phrase putting your child "on a diet" sounds more pejorative than saying you're paying attention to and regulating your child's nutrition and health.  It's a semantic difference--between depriving them (of crappy food that has been making them sick) and giving them a life (full of emotional, physical, and psychological well-being).

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've talked about the issues my parents had regarding food and self image.  And hopefully you also know that, more than anything, I wish that their parents had done a better job of taking care of my parents.  But like Jack Kornfield says, "Forgiveness means giving up all hope of a better past."  I can't change those things, but I can do my best to understand and contextualize things.  I can also break the cycle.

That being said, as a child who had two parents with their own demons, I wish someone (a doctor, a relative, a teacher) had stepped in and said "do you realize your daughter has a weight problem?"  I wouldn't have wanted them to write about it in an international magazine, but I would have greatly appreciated them recognizing they were out of their depth and needed help. 

So that leaves me with a few questions: 
(1)   How are parents responsible for regulating what their kids eats?
(2)   Should parents openly talk with a child about the child's weight, nutrition, health?
(3)   Should the dialogue with a child be more focused about weight or health?
(4)   When should a parent be concerned about a child's weight?

I was a creative writing minor in college.  The #1 rule I lived by was "Show, Don't Tell."   For example, a book would be quite boring if it was all telling.  "She was in a church.  It was old.  It was night. She said "I'm cold and scared."  Versus "She darted into the sanctuary of the cathedral with only a sliver of moonlight to guide her.  The winter wind whipped around the joints of the building, finding a crevice to permeate the safety she thought she had found."  Get the picture?

It's the guiding principle behind most art -- to involve the reader or beholder as an active participant in the story or painting, instead of a passive one.  Trust that the reader or beholder is smart enough to make the connections and follow you.

What does this have to do with my FGvW mission statement?  Two things that are almost related, but not quite: 

1.  I think it's a cheap literary mechanism that so often if someone is overweight that they're assumed to be miserable, lonely, unloved, and own 39 cats.  If a person is overweight and 100% happy or 100% normal, the author has to work against that stereotype to say "but really, s/he loves his/her life!"  Though, I fully admit that I'm not the most well-read person out there, especially when it comes to fiction.  Does anyone know an example of a piece of fiction where a character never blames their body fat for their unhappiness at one point or another or that it's mentioned that the person is fat, and never brought up again?  It just seems that with fat people, their weight is almost a character (antagonist) onto its own.

2.  Magazines.  Ugh.  If you've been with FGvW for a while you know that I have a love/hate relationship with magazines.  The girly side of me enjoys looking at new makeup, fashions, or human interest stories.  The FGvW side of me abhors when they give out diet advice.  Why?  Because they so often tell, and not show.

Case in point:  How often have you seen an article for the 1,400 Calorie Diet! or the 1,600 Calorie Diet! or any similar article variation without a disclaimer about how to calculate your daily caloric needs.  Why 1400 calories?  I think that's how many calories the average coma patient burns.  Some doctors say it's the threshold between starvation and proper nutrition, but even then, it greatly varies for people.

Is it because *twirls hair* girls are dumb and math is hard?  OR is it because the average magazine reader searching for a miracle diet would rather remain blissfully unaware of the basic rule behind all weight loss success, that is, the number of calories consumed must be less than the number of calories expended.  Eat less, exercise more.  BUT, there is a caveat that they never really mention -- that if you restrict your caloric intake too far, and burn too many calories, a body (especially a woman's because we're genetically programmed to hold on to fat/calories in the chance we become pregnant) will start to resist burning calories (on top of all the other psychological and physiological effects of the starvation/malnutrition).

Ask any dietitian or doctor -- in order to lose weight, one must eat.  One must eat in a manner that fuels their weight loss (a diverse range of nutritious and unprocessed/minimally processed food).  That's a hard headline to sell on a magazine, eh?  The general magazine reader would balk at a headline that said "The 1,800 Calorie Weight Loss Diet."  But for me, that's my sweetspot.  That's what I need to eat in order to grant my body the permission to burn calories.  It's different for each person, and this is why I suggest working with a dietitian or a doctor.  This is also why I don't publish my food log or diet on my blog because I don't want anyone blindly following my path without knowing what is best for their body.

I highly recommend using a BodyMediaFit device that measures (not approximates) your activity.  There are also devices like the FitBit that don't measure (i.e. they do not measure the heat coming off your body), but rather approximate calorie burn.  Some people love them, but I'm a bit dubious.  If you cannot afford one of these devices, I recommend doing the math -- (Basal Metibolic Rate) x (Harris Beneditct Factor) = Caloric Expenditure.  Or if you are afraid of math, use a handy dandy web calculator like this one, or like this one. 

And then just DO THE MATH.

1 lb = 3500 Calories

If you're dieting for 7 days a week (i.e. no "cheat days," which I think are a bad mentality), you need to average a 500 calorie deficit a day to lose 1 lb a week, average a 750 calorie deficit a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week, and average a 1000 calorie deficit a day to lose 2 lbs a week.  The CDC claims that people who lose between 1-2 lbs a week are most likely to keep the weight off in the long haul.  (Flip the "deficit" to a "surplus" to gain weight.)

So next time you see an article like that, please don't rush to follow it (especially if it's called a "detox" or a "cleanse") without knowing what works for you.  Take the ideas, take the recipes, but don't take it as a diet tailored for your individual needs.

So... what will magazines have left to sell once an educated public is reading them?

I wanted to write a post about detox diets and cleanses, but I realized that I've already written it:

This is my Official FatGirl vs World™ Position: Why are you punishing your body instead of honoring it? What are you putting in your body that is so bad that in order to mentally rid your body of it, that you must starve yourself?


In other words, if you're eating a balanced diet full of fresh/seasonal fruit and veggies (in a multitude of colors), lean protein/fish (or beans/nuts/seeds if you're veggie/vegan), complex carbs (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc.), and lots of water (with the occasional visit to the dark side... sweets, alcohol, etc.) why would you need a detox/cleanse?

I guess I'm not saying this loud enough, so I'm just going to have to sound like a broken record:

I'm not a dietitian. I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a scientist.  But I will tell you what I believe to be true:  whole eggs are delicious, nutritious, and are a translation of all the goodness in the world.


I must qualify this:  I get my eggs from the farmer's market (Creekside Farm and Orchard in WV).  I'm not trying to sound all uppity about this, but industrialized eggs cannot even come close to the goodness found in an egg from a healthy and happy hen.  I've had the pleasure of meeting some of these girls.  They're broads.  Happy chickens full of attitude and spunk. 

Like I said above, eggs are a translation of all the goodness in the world.  If the sun is shining, the grass is growing, and the hen is free to go hunting for bugs, the sun, the grass, and the bugs will all be present in the egg in nutrient form.  You see, eggs are more than just sitting down and popping one out.  They require great effort to produce within the hen (25 hours from start to finish!).  Each layer of the egg is a commentary on the health of a chicken.  If she is healthy, the egg will be healthy.  It's really quite amazing.

Through the 1970s and 1980s (and even now) people were afraid of the cholesterol in eggs--that they weren't heart healthy.  As always, we love to vilify one type of food (carbs! fat! oh noes!!) without knowing the whole picture.  You see, cholesterol in an egg does not equal cholesterol in the blood.  And I've even read claims that chickens that are pasture raised (i.e. spend lots of time roaming in the grasses) have one third the cholesterol of an industrial egg (among other health benefits).


I pay $4.50 for a dozen eggs.  I know that not everyone can afford that.  I also know that the cost of a dozen pasture-raised eggs will be cheaper the closer you are to the farm.  So poke around and try to find them.  I beg of you -- support the deindustrialization of the chicken egg.  Not only will these birds live better lives, but we'll see the quality in our cooking and in our overall health.

And if you are afraid of carbs and love french toast, try putting a touch cinnamon in your scrambled eggs.  You can thank me later :)

First of all, I wanted to let you all know that this post is in response to a request from MeYouHealth in regards to their Blogger Well-Being Challenge promoting their Daily Challenge.  I agreed to it because their philosophy (small actions that make a lasting impact) fit in so well with what I've learned over the past year and how I'm trying to live my life going forward.

Today's (Dec. 15, 2010) Challenge:  Swap your mid-afternoon snack to save cash and calories.

How to do it:
Step away from the vending machine or corner convenience store! Instead of choosing a sweetened drink for your mid-day break, fill a reusable bottle with water from home or from the big-bottle dispenser at work. Also skip high-calorie snack or candy bars, pastries, and salty snacks in the machine. Instead, choose fruit, trail mix, or string cheese and get a better deal for your bank account and body today.

Why it Matters:
Loose change adds up. The cash you'll save each week by not buying vending-machine drinks or snacks (priced about $1.50 each) every workday could give you $100 or more in your wallet in just three months. By drinking water instead of one sweetened beverage during a work day, you could save 200-plus calories daily (many drink labels have calorie counts per 8 oz., when the bottles hold 16 oz. or more). That's a savings of 15,000 calories in three months!

Fun Fact:
The average cost of a serving of fruit or vegetable (fresh, frozen, and canned) is 25 cents per serving.

Unfortunately, this is a lesson I've already learned -- the hard way.  It's no joke that at my company people tend to gain the "Freshman 15" the first year they work there.  It's not just the snack vending machines or soda machines--all the candy dishes, all the cookies and cakes for random occasions, and on top of all that, most of us are glued to our desks and computers. 

I was no exception to the "Freshman 15" at the office.  I can break down my failures into two different categories:

1. Not eating lunch and eating something disastrous as a "snack"
2. Not planning my meals the day before, or even the morning before. 

I think these two things are problematic no matter where you live, work, study, or play -- whether you a bustling metropolis or in the middle of nowhere.  I work in the middle of a smallish city.  With that comes all the trappings of the city -- the fast food, the multiple Starbucks and other coffee shops, and a CVS, pharmacy, or newsstand everywhere you turn.  The only difference between my smallish city and the middle of nowhere is that I do not need to get in a car to make some bad choices -- they're next door!

When I didn't eat lunch, my blood sugar would crash and I'd make bad decisions because I was delirious.  When I didn't plan my meals the day before, and the day's stress would get the best of me, I would make choices based more on comfort and less on nutrition.  These choices were usually based on what was nearby and easy:







In other words, it was a caloric minefield and a nutritional wasteland.

I knew when I made the choice to make my health and well-being a priority it wouldn't be easy (it's not hard, though).  I'm am an unorganized organized person, or an organized unorganized person.  It's easy for me to plan certain things, but not my own food. I'm a highly moody eater.  This was part of my disordered eating pattern.  I would use my eyes to determine my hunger than my stomach.  Luckily, I have been able to work with a registered dietitian and together we have begun the dialogue between my mind and my stomach.

So where does "Emergency Preparedness" fit in to all of this?  Well just like the Boy Scouts, I've learned that I need to be prepared to deal with my stomach (and my moods) in a healthy manner.  What does this mean?  Having lots of healthy choices on hand to deal with hunger or thirst.

Not pictured, but often on hand (either in a cabinet by my desk, or in the shared refrigerator on my floor):

• (original) Fiber One cereal to add in to my Chobani Greek yogurt (the protein helps me stay fuller longer, and this is a tasty way to add some fiber to your diet)
• Old Fashioned Quaker Oats (add salt and hot water and let it sit or microwave for a few minutes and will taste much better than the instant stuff)
• Wasa Crisp'n Light crackers (in 7 grain or mild rye) to use with a Laughing Cow Light cheese wedge
• Baby carrots, celery, or zucchini and some hummus in a half cup Rubbermaid container
• Other whole fruits that don't need to be refrigerated and have a few days of shelf life -- like oranges or fruit canned in its on juice or water (not syrup)
• Cucumber, tomato and red onion salad with a little bit of white wine vinegar
• Almonds in an Altoid can -- it helps me not overdo it on portion sizes
• A hard boiled egg (the eggs I get at the farmer's market are delicious and so healthy!)

I'm also lucky that my company has a pretty darn good coffee and tea selection in the break room (and sadly way too many artificial sweeteners, but that's another story)-- along with a water filter that dispenses both hot and cold water.  This comes in handy because often when I've had a great breakfast and lunch and some hearty snacks, I will still feel hungry.  I've learned that this is actually thirst I'm feeling.  A quick trip to the water filter to refill my 72 oz mug and I'm back in business.

Yesterday there were cupcakes with green and red sprinkles everywhere.  I was able to walk away from them because I had a plan:  I knew what I wanted to eat, and it was ready and waiting for me.  If I had seen something that interested me, I would have been better able to make a value choice versus the making a choice based on my environment, my desperation to eat anything because I hadn't eaten in hours, or because someone else wanted me to eat it.

As I have mentioned in my last post (and many others), I have a dietitian in my weightloss/health gain arsenal.  I wanted to take the time to explain to you why I meet with my dietitian in the hopes that you might consider meeting with your own dietitian (I guess I can share mine...).*

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First of all:  there is a difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist.  A dietitian is a registered health care professional that has not only studied in their field and had practical in-the-field experience before being certified, but they have to take a nationally recognized certification test.  Nutritionists don't have the same certification requirements and are not licensed titles.  They can both be helpful, but I strongly suggest consulting with a registered dietitian.

Secondly, dietitians bridge the gap between doctors and (cognitive/behavioral) psychologists. A doctor might tell you that you need to lose weight, and you might know you're an emotional eater, but a good dietitian can help pinpoint the area where those two things intersect.  They can help you understand your biology, psychology, and behavior around food. 

Also, as many of you might already know, many doctors will tell you that you need to address your weight/diet but give you no direction as to how to achieve the results they want.  A doctor might tell you that you need to rework your diet to lower your blood pressure, a dietitian can tell you how.  A doctor might tell you that you need to lose weight, a dietitian can show you why you're not at a good weight right now.  Dietitians have the scientific know-how, the experience, and the time to help guide you whereas a doctor might leave you alone to figure it all out.

(Personal aside:  I've cried at my dietitian's office.  I don't think I really need to explain to 90% of you that food and weight issues are emotional for people that have been obese/overweight most of their lives.  Part of taking the leap to see a dietitian is recognizing that you don't know how to do something that seems so basic:  nurture yourself healthily.  It's hard to recognize that you've failed yourself and you need help.  Luckily, this humility and awareness is part of remodeling your life.  A dietitian will recognize this as a healthy step and hand you a box of tissues. Don't worry, things get much better from that point on.)

Thirdly, if you're a disordered eater (not just eating disorders, but someone who doesn't eat well as an instinct) a dietitian can help give you the tools to get back in touch with yourself and put you on track.

As I suggested above, many of us have lost or suppressed our natural instincts to feed one's self in a healthy manner.  Our diets are wrought with emotional complexities that never used to be there before -- guilt, shame, anxiety, loneliness, panic, etc.-- that often pushes us to the extremes of people restricting calories or people inundating themselves with calories. A dietitian can help you remove emotions from the equation, or at least put them in context.

And lastly, a good dietitian will help you kickstart your process as well as fine tune your diet once you are on track with food and exercise.  You might be trying to lose 50lbs, gain 15lbs or just feel better in general.  A dietitian will be able to look at your current eating habits and make suggestions to help you progress in your desired direction in a healthy manner (no tricks up their sleeve!).  They might even send you back to the doctor (as mine did) to get some follow-up tests or to get everyone on the same plan.

Please feel free to ask me questions about me, my dietitian, or the process in general. 

*I also wanted to raise this issue up again because of the Marie Claire article and its backlash.  While the fitness/health blog community can be helpful in giving suggestions and sharing their own story, nothing will ever take the place of you seeing your doctors, consulting your dietitian, and trusting your own instincts.  Please do not use my blog, or any other blog that I might provide a link to, as a substitute for common sense or as a justification for hurting yourself, your body, or your mind. 

I remember being at the Museum of Natural History, taking a class with Dr. Douglas Ubelaker when he was trying to illustrate a very important point -- we could use our formulas to determine what "race" a certain set of bones belonged to (I put "race" in quotes because it's archaic terminology that isn't accurate in describing ethnicity) but while our data might lead us to one set of conclusions, the reality of the situation might be different.  In other words, the amount of variation within any one "race" was greater than the variation between the "races":  we have more in common than meets the eye.

You might be thinking "what the heck does this have to do with weightloss/health gain."  Well, remember last month I posted a blog about jealousy and making assumptions?  Well a conversation I had today really drove this point home.  A coworker of mine is a beautiful woman, who wears probably a size 4, is french, and tall and lean.  We were at the gym together tonight and we got to talking about what we were trying to accomplish (she wants to lose the weight she added on in America, and I guess I could say the same).  She had gained 12lbs in the 4 months she's been here! I had no idea where she hid it!

I was surprised when she brought up the subject of emotional eating, or eating out of boredom.  I kinda did a double take.  This beautiful thin woman had the same issues I have.  She talked about her love and lust for ice cream and cookies.  She talked about her frustration of not being able to find fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch.  She talked about how food is omnipresent in our lives -- we can't escape the sights and smells of food.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  And I scolded myself a little bit for not thinking that she too could have the same weaknesses as I did.

But bless her heart.  We were trying to convert pounds to kilograms and I said that I weigh around 195lbs (I looked it up, I am actually 88 kg--so yay me for having a grasp on math!!) and she said in her cute french accent "Zat eez not pozzible!"  She thought I weighed 80kg or so, or 176 lbs.  So yeah, she's my new best friend.  Sorry Emily.  Sorry Nancy.

I have a very strong beliefs about our bodies and how to be healthy.  Some of these have made it into The New Rules with explanations.

Rule #2 is I will do no harm to my body.  This rule comes for a story about the singer Jewel dealing with her disordered eating.

"I decided that when it came to trying to handle my insecurities, I should adopt the motto of DO NO HARM. Yes, I was a little chubby, I was neurotic, and a bit of a mess, but I would just have to deal with it until I found a healthy way of handling it. Anorexia and Bulimia are not options, and they don't fix anything. They make things worse. I had to fix the problem: liking myself. No simple task."

Lately I've been hearing more and more of my blogging friends, Facebook friends, and "Real Life" friends talking about detoxes/cleanses.  Also there have been stories in the news about celebs doing various dextox/cleanse programs that border from ridiculous to dangerous.

This is my Official FatGirl vs World™ Position:  Why are you punishing your body instead of honoring it?  What are you putting in your body that is so bad that in order to mentally rid your body of it you must starve yourself?

In other words, if you're eating a balanced diet full of fresh/seasonal fruit and veggies (in a multitude of colors), lean protein/fish (or beans/nuts/seeds if you're veggie/vegan), complex carbs (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc.), and lots of water (with the occasional visit to the dark side... sweets, alcohol, etc.) why would you need a detox/cleanse?

I really think people say they are doing detox/cleanses because they aren't comfortable with accurately naming what they are doing to their bodies.  What they majority of detoxes/cleanses instruct is to STARVE one's bodies of vital calories, fats, and nutrients.  Under the guise of increased health, the real aim of most of these diets is to lose weight.   I mean seriously, let's call a spade a spade.  These are not medically prescribed elimination diets.

If you think you have done irreparable harm to your body based on what you have been eating in the past, why jump over the whole step of eating healthily to eating nothing?  So you've been eating porterhouse steaks and a six-pack every day for the past year.  At what point is the logical step to immediately switch to a cayenne pepper/lemon water cleanse rather than eating something like some fresh/seasonal fruits and veggies, a little bit of chicken, some brown rice and a nice cold glass of water?

So maybe I've gotten it completely wrong and someone could explain to me why these detox/cleanse diets are good for your body.  However, I highly doubt that anything anyone tells me will make me change my opinion of these detox/cleanse diets.  Fasting for a day won't hurt you, but these things will.

[[Edit: I am reminded of an off-handed comment I made about detoxes (to some @[magazine] post) -- saying that the same women women who do detoxes are probably the same women who douche because they don't believe the vagina is a self-regulating body part, or that douching actually causes harm to the good bacteria that prevent infections...]]

I'm a pretty even-keeled person. I try not to get into fights, I try to be constructive. But sometimes someone comes along that says something that I can't even reply to because it's so wrong.

Enter Facebook/The Internets.
I posted a status message on facebook:

FatGirl VsWorld Okay, what's it with people wanting "extreme weight loss" -- just a reminder that it's been proven time and time again that the slower you lose the weight (a la behavioral change) the more likely it is to stay off. Just sayin...

Which... if you know me, and have read my blog, you know I'm a proponent of healthy weight loss that is based not in gimmicks or fad diets, but maintainable behavioral change...

Then enter The Antagonist!
[Name Withheld] What does that [psychological issues] have to do with losing weight? If you stop eating unhealthy and exercise just a bit, you will lose weight. Unless you have a medical issue such as thyroid disease. I'm a nurse, I've seen all kinds. Mostly excuses and sob stories. Not trying to be rude or whatever, but it drives healthcare professionals crazy.

Excuussseeee me? 
You're a health care professional that things obesity is purely a physical problem?
How many people who read this blog would beg to differ?

Almost every and any person I know that's obese (not merely overweight) has some sort of psychological trauma (not just an issue, but a trauma) that they can connect to their obesity.  And if it's not a trauma, it's definitely a psychological issue (such as depression)

To me, that's kinda like her saying that all an anorexic needs to do is eat, all a bulimic needs to do is stop throwing up, all a cutter needs to do is stop cutting, and all a sociopath murder needs to do is stop killing.

I think Emily said it best:

As a soon to be healthcare professional, someone who lost 93 lbs and an honest person: most overweight people aren't so because they're happy. Robby is right. And even when you're not overweight anymore doesn't mean you won't struggle. It's repetition of habits that count in the long run. It's unfair to devalue someone else's struggle simply because its not yours and you can't identify with it. Everyone has their own, completely valid, issues and crosses to bear (some furrier than others).

But man... I'm pissed.  There's this nurse somewhere who will give second rate care to some obese patient because she thinks that it's only for lack of trying.  Her bedside manner is a punch in the face.

I might draw some ire for this one, but I really don't see the point in drinking skim milk.

I know some people prefer skim milk, as (1) fat is EVIL (skim is less than 0.5% fat) and (2) calories are TO BE AVOIDED (whole, 1% and 2% have more calories than skim because they contain fat), but to me it is joyless, soulless, and comparable to non-alcoholic beer.  Seriously, what's the point?

So say you're drinking 8 oz of milk a day...
Whole = 146 calories, 8g fat, 8g protein
2%= 122 calories, 4.2g fat, 8g protein
1%= 102 calories, 2.4g fat, 8g protein
Skim= 83 calories, .2g fat, 8g protein


I'd rather risk those 63 calories and drink some of the most delicious, wonderful, natural products on this green earth than drink some over-processed joyless crap.  I mean, my milk comes from cows that I could go meet.  They are milked once a day, get to eat lots of grass, and are fed very little grain.  They aren't given antibiotics (unless they get sick, which is rare) and they aren't given hormones ever.

I would rather drink those 63 calories in butterfat (which contains some healthy unsaturated fats as well as unhealthy saturated fats) rather than rationalize getting those 63 calories from something else that might be harmful (i.e. all the unnatural, processed crap that is pumped full of Nutrients! and Minerals! and Health! to suit the science and fads of the time).

Worse, though, are the people who are not lactose intolerant/sensitive (sorry guys) can't ever imagine drinking regular milk, but love soy milk, rice milk, or nut milks.  Seriously?  I don't understand why milk from a cow, goat, or sheep is so bad in their eyes.  Sure, I've tried them, but they just aren't as refreshing (to me) as a nice cold glass of milk and a dish of strawberries or peaches.

Don't tsk me when I order my hot chocolate with whole milk.  Don't think my ass got fat from drinking milk.  It's part of me getting my health back.  I rarely drink soda, I rarely drink fruit juices that don't involve eating the flesh as well.  I don't drink coffee.  Let me have my milk.

You might ask, FGvW, what brought this on?  Well I was at Whole Foods and had the pleasure of meeting Warren Taylor of Snowville Creamery.  He's like me, or rather, I'm like him.  He believes that industrialization has ruined the beauty and natural goodness of milk, and that deconstructing that process can restore milk to its former glory as an integral part of our diets.  His milk tastes just like the milk I get from Clear Spring Creamery at the farmer's market:  fresh, pure, and delicious.

Just give milk a second chance, please?  For me?

1.  I'm kinda surprised that there weren't more comments/questions left with my interview with Registered Dietitian, Rebecca Scritchfield.   (Any feedback would be great!)   I know the information isn't flashy "How to lose X lbs in Y days" but it's the information you will need to make a lifelong change that lasts.  This isn't a sprint.  It's an ultramarathon.

2.  Like I said to Emily, I only want to do this once.  I want to remember every ache. I want to remember every bite.  I want the imprint of this journey to remain with me... so I never gain the weight back ever again.

3.  Speaking of aches and pains... my left hip is killing me....

4.  Because... for 5 glorious minutes of my day, I was one of those people... you know, those people who run in a pack formation on their lunch breaks.

5.  There are days when i eat so much healthy stuff that by the time I put it into the BodyMedia Fit activity manager, I'm way under my calories needed... and yet I feel stuffed. I feel like a hypocrite, especially b/c I'm always on people about not starving themselves...

6.  For some added humiliation and/or TMIness -- here's my online personal ad.  What do you think? 

In celebration of my 100th follower (the lovely Frannie Dee), my wonderful dietician Rebecca Scritchfield has agreed to answer five question that hopefully will help you on your journey to becoming a healthier you!  She's helped me identify areas where I need to be more mindful and can improve.  I've lost 13 lbs since first meeting her!

So a hearty thanks to her on a personal level, but also for answering the questions below for all of my blog followers.  First, get to know a little about Rebecca!

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First, let me explain something about nutritionists. Technically, anyone can hang up a sign and call themselves a nutritionist because it is not a real health professional term. This is important because there are for-profit companies that offer weekend and online courses in nutrition and provide a "certification," but it's not actually anything that let's people legally provide nutrition services in Washington, DCt and many states.

I think anyone can benefit from a visit with a nutrition expert. Look for a registered dietitian (RD). These are health professionals who have completed the minimum criteria of graduating with a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university, an accredited dietetic internship, and passed national board examinations.

I specialize in healthy weight management and sports nutrition. I help people fuel with good food to meet their lifestyle needs whether they get 2 hours of exercise a week or 20.

[Rebecca has 3 main areas in her practice:  sports nutrition; weight management; and medical nutrition therapy.]

First off, how many people actually see a general practitioner once a year? Most doctors will weigh their patients, but they fall short of talking to them about their weight, nutrition habits, and exercise schedule. In fact, a March 2010 survey of physicians showed that 72% of doctors said that nobody in their office is trained on dealing with weight management problems.

Enter the nutrition expert. That's our expertise. We have a nutrition care process for accurately assessing and diagnosing nutrition problems and working with clients on a plan for making behavior changes. We're also on top of the latest scientific evidence and research on weight management and we follow trends in the culinary and food industry worlds as well.

I've been on and off diets since I was 12 years old and if there's one thing I learned it's that they are a total waste of time and energy. In fact, UCLA research has even shown that people who diet are worse off than people who don't.  They gain all the weight back -- and more! I don't diet anymore and I don't let my clients diet either. We talk a lot about healthy nutrition, hunger/fullness, and emotional eating. We also talk about exercise and stress management. It's much harder to commit to exploring the barriers to achieving a healthy weight, but the rewards are worth it.

"Quick and easy" depends on the person's perspective. For example, I can say "don't drink your calories, switch from soda to water or calorie free beverages", but some people may find that to be a hard change. Maybe they could try to cut their beverage calories in half to start.

The best thing I can suggest to everyone is don't do anything you can't keep up the rest of your life. That's why I tell people to pick a "small change" and commit to one week or even one day of trying it out. You may decide to eat two fresh fruits a day as a small change. After the first week, you're willing to try it again... and again... and before you know it, it's your behavior.

The second best thing I can suggest is eating 3-4 times a day and moderate portions. Many people eat only twice a day and it's just not possible to get the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and balance of nutrients in only 2 meals a day. They might meet your calorie needs, but it is not just calories that determine your health.

When I do a nutrition assessment, I analyze their current usual eating habits and compare that to their estimated needs. I'll figure out the differences between where they are and where they should be to reach their goals. Calories are definitely involved, but I really try to make sure we're not spending our time in sessions talking "numbers" because it is behaviors that matter.

If someone is under their calorie needs it could be a lack of knowledge  -- people want to eat healthy, but they are being too restrictive. They're undereating and won't lose weight because the body is resistant. It could also be an eating disorder, which has a whole other set of signs besides inadequate calorie intake.

If the calorie intake is excessive, usually the biggest barrier is not enough of a balanced plate, where 1/3 to 1/2 the plate as fruits or veggies with the meals. Fruits and veggies are low in calories and full of nutrition. Usually people are going for quick grab-and-go foods they don't make and the calories from the prepared foods add up very quickly.

If people want to meet their nutrition needs, they should invest in themselves and have a nutrition assessment done with a registered dietitian. They will get custom and specific advice for eating healthy based on where they are at right now. It's information that can help them for the rest of their lives.

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I highly suggest you follow Rebecca on Twitter -- as she always has some great information.  Til next time, my loves!

**does a dance**
100 followers, not lbs lost, silly!!

I'm so excited!
Tomorrow morning at 9 am, I'll post Rebecca Scritchfield, RD's long awaited answers to the following questions:

Question 1:  Who should see a nutritionist/ can you break down your patients into a few categories?

Question 2:  What insights might a nutritionist have that the average GP/internist might not?

Question 3:  How does your own weight loss struggle inform your practice as a nutritionist?

Question 4:  Do you have a few quick & easy changes people can make to improve their diets?

Question 5:  If someone isn't meeting their caloric targets, what's usually the suspect? How should they meet their target in a healthy way?

And who knows... maybe if everyone is nice and receptive, Rebecca might do this again (with your questions)......

My funk seems to have a temporary reprieve -- but the forecast for next week makes me worried that there will be many migraines to come :(  I'll just have to deal with things as they arise.  No use in worrying about the future when there is so much I can do now.  Like finish up my Starbucks Vivanno Banana Chocolate Shake with 18 grams of protein, let my stomach settle, and then go to the gym for weights & a good run.