My Addiction 7/25/13

What makes a fat person fat? Why can't that person just stop eating bad things or large quantities of foods if they know it's bad for them? Well, they're obviously just lazy, right? Not necessarily. Far too many times have I heard this excuse/blame given to overweight people - that they are fat because they are lazy or they simply don't care about or respect themselves. Sure, some people don't give a shit and just like to eat food because it tastes good... and then there are people that DON'T want to eat the food, but have a huge struggle between what their brain knows and the power of what their brain wants, and don't always win the battle. I am one of those people. I am an addict.

Food addiction is a real thing, my friends. I have struggled with the beast my entire life - and will continue to do so for the rest of my existence. Science has proven that, in certain people, certain types of foods can cause the same brain reaction as a highly addictive drug like heroin or cocaine. As with the drugs, the foods trigger increased transmission of 'feel-good' chemicals such as dopamine in the brain, which gives the immediate urge to eat again. And again. And that urge is strong. I've spent my entire life over-eating and not understanding why. Not understanding why my brain would focus so hard on an item of food and not allow any thought to overcome the desire for that food until I ate it - and the feeling that happened in my brain once I ate whatever it was (and this is regardless of whether or not I was actually hungry). Not understanding why everyone else could just have "a bite" or "a taste" of a piece of cake, and my brain would almost hurt if I didn't finish the entire thing. I would cry myself to sleep at night because I hated who I was and what my body had become/was becoming, but I felt completely powerless over what was happening. Being a teenager sucked. As I grew older and I became more knowledgeable about this topic and started to understand more about myself and my addiction, I quickly realized how hard I was going to have to work for the rest of my life to overcome this obstacle.

Food addiction is a tricky thing in a few ways:
  - Food is the most widely available drug in the world. Unlike any other controlled substance, it is something that can be attained nearly anywhere, by anyone, in any quantity and is constantly pushed in your face by advertising. Especially in America, the land of plenty, it is often used as a marketing tool or incentive (complimentary meals/food items, etc), not to mention it is a means of celebration.
 - You have to have food to live. It's that simple. Unlike most of the other common addictions, to quit cold turkey is an option. To remove yourself from an enigmatic environment is an option. Not with food. This is the most tricky (and irritating) part of this addiction - for myself, at least.

My relationship with food is interesting, to say the least. I have learned that I must instill certain restrictions on myself in order to no longer allow the food to control me, but rather I control the food. Two years ago I transitioned into veganism. This choice wasn't made because I care about furry animals, it was made because I wanted to feel better. By going vegan, I kind of set a trap within my body. If I eat shit - I will feel like shit. If I give-in to the temptation of a cookie or unhealthy/conventional food, I will be punished for that poor decision almost immediately with a giant headache, nausea and sometimes even slight tightening in my throat. While this may sound extreme to some, it works for me.  True to my masochistic ways, I have chosen a career that challenges my addiction every. single. day. I have chosen to be a chef and surround myself by my drug. So often I'm asked the question, "how do you not eat everything you cook?!" Well, because I know I can't. Because I know I don't want the 'dairy hangover' that comes within 10 minutes, and follows through to the next morning.

Don't get me wrong - I don't have this thing all figured out. As with any addict, I have my good days and my bad days. Yesterday was a bad day. I was tired, I was upset, I was not in control of my mind. I ate a bunch of shit I shouldn't have eaten and then I woke up this morning feeling like I had been hit by a truck and couldn't remember WHY I did that to myself. I have accepted the fact that days like these may come, but I intend to be as prepared as possible.

Why did I write this? I didn't write this to provide an excuse for myself - or for anyone else, for that matter. I wrote this because I know there are people out there that have never even considered that this is an actual thing. That this addiction even exists. Because I have encountered so many times in my life when people very close to me have said "then just don't eat it." as if it were that simple. I have accepted and feel that I have a control over my addiction and have no problem speaking about it. I also wrote this because I know that there are people that struggle with the same issue, but are too embarrassed to speak.

Roughly two and a half years ago I began my Losing Path and through discipline and determination, have managed to lose around 110 pounds, despite this obstacle. Has it been easy? Hell no. Am I happy I'm doing it? Absolutely. I hope to some day spend my life helping other people do the same

Update :) 6/25/13

Oh heeey! I know it's been a long time since my last post but I'll tell ya, it's hard out here for a pimp! Not really, I'm just busy :) As I mentioned in my previous post, I started a new job at a fantastic catering company and working there on top of school plus spending the time that I can with Nora and everything else in life has me pretty well occupied! I just happen to have a spare 40 minutes or so, so I thought I'd throw an update together!

I've gotten myself into a really great routine with my workouts! I was going strong for a solid month without missing a workout and even getting in a few 2-a-days when time permitted but, alas, the week of my birthday I slacked a bit and missed quite a lot. I was disappointed with myself for that but it also gave me an opportunity to take a step back, look at my goals and what I was doing and create a new workout plan. So I did! My new schedule is as follows:
Monday: Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders
Tuesday: Quads/Glutes
Wednesday: Chest/Shoulders
Thursday: Back
Friday: Hamstrings/Calves

I had my Monday workout yesterday (obviously) and did today's workout and dammit I feel AWESOME! I pushed really hard and I'm really proud of myself. I love waking up in the morning and being sore, knowing that that soreness is progress. I'm still struggling a bit with cardio, but I know I am just going to have to force myself into it. I just love lifting so much! But I'll never get this layer of fat off of my beautifully developing muscles if I don't do it, so I'm going to get back into a solid cardio routine. At least it's nice outside so I can go run! As I'm sure you've all seen, I've gotten into the habit of posting all of my workouts on Facebook and Instagram - not just for me to 'show off' but to use as a source of accountability for myself and hopefully motivation for someone else. :)
Nutrition has also continued to be a point of difficulty. The summer months always present so much temptation with all of the cookouts and delicious cocktails and I would be lying if I said I haven't given in to the temptations around me a few times. I am an avid believer of enjoying your life as you go on your journey to health/fitness... but I may be taking advantage of that belief a bit too much :/ which is also on my list of things to work on. My biggest issue right now is my schedule... Being in the culinary industry, we don't get standard breaks while working or whatever and I spend the majority of my time in a kitchen.. so I end up just snacking on whatever I'm cooking (leftovers, etc) when I'm at work, and it's not always the best option. I'm working on something to try to make the best of the situation but it's still a struggle at this point. I think it's mostly in my brain... I just need to lock it up.

Here's a current photo:

Anywho, it's about time for me to run to class! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.. I don't have any specific recipes on hand to share BUT if anyone has any recipe requests or questions about anything, feel free to email me at thelosingpath@hotmail.com or via Facebook at Ali's Losing Path!

Thanks for stopping by! Be happy and healthy, my friends! :)

Getting Summer Ready! 4/25/13

So, a few weeks ago, the beautiful miss Akilah posed a very good question: what do we need to do to get our bodies right for the summer?

While I’m a firm believer that there is no healthy or permanent ‘quick fix’ for any physical aesthetic issues we may have and also that one should maintain a healthy body year round, I know that this is a question that comes to the majority of women this time of year.  

First and foremost, I’d like to reiterate what I’ve already said about nutrition – it is single-handedly the most important part! You can go to the gym and sweat your ass off for two hours a day but if you come home and eat like crap, your body will still look like crap. Here are a few easy changes to make:

Sodium: Watch out for it! Sodium (salt) will make you retain water and look/feel bloated. You’ll find a load of this stuff in any pre-packaged or processed foods. This includes soups, instant pasta dishes, frozen meals, pre-mixed spices (aside from those made without salt), sodas etc. I don’t have to mention chips and stuff, right? Just don’t do it. Dining out can also be a big issue. There are tons of hidden calories and sodium in restaurant food… just think of where the food is coming from when the restaurant prepares it – are they using fresh ingredients or are they taking things from a can/bag/box and mixing them together? My rule of thumb for dining out? Don’t. While I love enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant just as much as the next foodie, it’s much easier to control what goes into your body when you are preparing the food.

Carbs: Oh, the dreaded carbs. While carbohydrates are absolutely essential for a healthy life – be mindful of how much you’re eating and where they’re coming from! Simple carbs like white rice, white flour, white potatoes (are you seeing a trend here? [hint – white]) basically turn to sugar when they process in the body and, when not burned, sugar turns to fat. Yuck, right? SO when you’re eating your carbs make sure that they are complex carbs and as whole as possible! I love to use quinoa (a complete protein as well as complex carb), brown or black rice on the occasion (black rice is a super food and is delicious!), and beans (I prefer black, again a great protein as well). Aside from the issue of simple carbs eventually turning to fat in the body, they will also make you bloat and retain water if eating too much. I like to keep my carbs at about ¼ of my total food intake. This is lower than the official suggestion of 60%, but with my goals, 25% or less works for me.

Fats: Okay, let’s get something straight – fat is not all bad. There are good fats and there are bad fats, we obviously want to stick with the good ones. Good fats can be found in extra virgin olive oil (make sure it’s extra virgin and of good quality!!), nuts (almonds, walnuts etc – be cautious of cashews, they’re like the French fries of nuts), good quality fish (if you eat it) like salmon, avocado etc. Stay away from anything that is ‘Fat-Free’ when shopping for foods. When they take out the fats, they supplement with extra sugar (in most cases) and you certainly don’t want that. Go for ‘Low-Fat’ instead although, honestly, I haven’t bought anything that needed to be ‘low-fat’ in QUITE a while. I’ll speak more on this in a minute.

Sugar: Stay the hell away. White sugar is the devil. It turns to fat and has been proven to cause cancer. Need I say more? While some foods (most fruits, for example) have natural sugars, you want to avoid added sugars. If an ingredient list reads any of the following: sugar, sucrose, corn syrup, glucose etc – don’t buy it. Especially if it’s one of the first things listed. Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that food packaging lists ingredients in order of proportion. So if sugar is the first thing listed, that means that that food item is mostly sugar. And you don’t want it. Also try to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible! That’s just like throwing a bunch of chemicals down your throat. If I absolutely need a sweetener for something, I go for raw agave nectar or brown rice syrup or something along those lines. Again, I avoid it like the plague but if I’m going to use it, it’s going to be from a whole, natural source.

Water: Drink the hell out of it! Seriously. Just don’t stop drinking it.

In general: I always always always recommend that you keep with a natural, whole diet. Eat as many fresh (organic, if possible) veggies and fruits as possible! Fill up on these naturally low-fat and low-sugar foods, then get your energy from whole and healthy carbs and proteins like quinoa, black rice, beans, or fish, lean poultry and egg whites if you eat it. When I said before that I haven’t had to buy anything ‘low-fat’ in a long time it’s this simple: the majority of the food that I purchase doesn’t have a nutrition label. If you were to see my grocery cart, you would see that it is 85% fresh produce. Aside from that, you’ll find beans, quinoa, sprouted grain tortillas, nuts, etc. Fresh, whole, healthy. J

OKAY – I’ll get off of my nutritional soapbox now and move on to fitness! There’s a common misconception that if you just go run for an hour, you’ll lose weight. Studies have proven that shorter bursts of higher-intensity cardio sessions will burn fat much faster than longer, lower-intensity sessions of cardio. This is called High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. I absolutely LOVE this kind of training. Is it hard? Yes. But it works. Not to mention the fact that your cardio sessions are much shorter, and who doesn’t love that? I’m certainly not saying to NOT go take a long walk or a jog  or bike ride or whatever your pleasure may be – I’m saying to add-in some HIIT to ramp-up the fat-burning. A good addition to a routine is a Tabata. Tabatas are only 4 minutes in length – 20 seconds at max intensity, 10 seconds rest for a total of 4 minutes. Who doesn’t have an extra 4 minutes? Take caution though, it may sound easy enough but it is difficult and I recommend that you do some research before trying. J

In addition to cardio, you’re going to want to do some sculpting. There’s no reason that you have to go to the gym for this, you have your own weights between your face and your feet! Bodyweight resistance can be just as effective when your goal is to tone what you have. Here’s a sample circuit:

10 pushups

20 crunches

30 second plank

30 second wall sit

10 tricep dips

20 squats

10 lunges each leg

Repeat 3x

This shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes or so and can easily be done anywhere!

 

If you know that you have trouble areas that you want to focus on for the summer, then go for it. Worried about your arms? Start doing pushups, tricep dips and planks. Legs? Squat and lunge it out, girl. Abs? Planks, crunches, high-knees, leg raises etc. (all of this in addition to cardio – cardio burns the fat off so the toned muscles can be seen J)

 

I know this is a lot of information but what it all boils down to:

Eat healthy

Drink Water

Move your body

 

Really, it’s that simple. Any questions? Just ask. J

 

Picture Day!

Remember when it was 'Picture Day' in school?  I looked forward to and planned for that day for like weeks in advance.  I always loved having my picture taken!  Unfortunately, I was usually disappointed when I got the photos back.. the silly school-hired photographer never quite got my good angle.. :)

So today is picture posting day!  I will say in advance, I'm pretty happy with the results shown!  I'll post a side-by-side with last month's photo for comparison (I had to pull up the old one for myself after we took the new one!)

I didn't make it to the gym this morning, I got no sleep last night and was just way too tired.  I'm hoping to go bellydance in Rabbit Hash tonight to make up for it but if that's not an option, I might try to do Zumba at home (if Nora will let me!).  I haven't been to the gym since Wednesday and I'm totally pissed about it.  I was going to make up some time this weekend but at the last minute Branden had to go out of town for a family thing so it was just Nora and mommy this weekend.  We had so much fun together!  I loved getting to spend all of the time with her :)  Saturday, Nora and I went did all of the laundry, had Subway for breakfast, went home so Nora could nap and mommy could shower then met Andi and Mama Sue for lunch at Chili's.  I don't know if I've mentioned before but I absolutely rave over Chili's kid's menu!  They have like 10  different protein options and 10 side options including a bunch of different veggies and fruits plus a drink for only $4.95!  I love that they have healthy options for kids! After that, Nora and I went to Louisville to shop in the Mall St. Matthews with my sister (big ups to Aunt Krispy for helping chase Nora around the store!) and we had dinner then Nora and I came back home.  Yesterday, Nora and I went to Walmart then just came home as she desperately needed a nap.. then daddy came home so mommy and Ya-Ya went to Old Navy then I met up with Sarah and we went grocery shopping together!  We had a pretty busy weekend but it was definitely a good one :)

Okay, food today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb/Sugar Yogurt (carrot cake flavor, yum!)

Lunch:
1can Tuna w/ 1tbs Miracle Whip, 1tsp Mustard, squeeze of lemon juice and diced pickles
Protein Mousse (recipe below)

Snack:
Weight Watchers String Cheese
12 raw organic Almonds

Dinner:
Chicken and asparagus.. not sure how it's going to be cooked, I'll update tomorrow :)

Recipe:
Protein Mousse
24oz Fat Free Cottage Cheese
2 small boxes Sugar Free/Fat Free Chocolate Pudding
3 Scoops Choc Protein Powder
2cups Boiling Water

-Bring Water to a full boil, add pudding powder and whisk until combined, remove from heat and let cool 5-10 minutes.
-While water boiling/pudding cooling, put cottage cheese in a blender and whip until smooth.
-After pudding has cooled a bit, add pudding and protein powder to cottage cheese in blender and blend again until combined
-Refrigerate overnight - should have a mousse-like consistency in morning!

I'll be honest - it's not the most amazing thing I've ever tried - but it's pretty good!  And for being really low in sugar/carbs/fat, you can't beat it!  I think it will be best served really cold with a couple of dollups of fat free/sugar free cool whip :)

OH and I made a really yummy Taco Salad Thursday night for dinner!
Recipe:
Taco Salad
Romaine Lettuce
Red Onion
Tomato
Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless)
Lime
Guacamole (recipe below)
FF Greek Yogurt
Salsa
Black Bean Salsa (recipe below)
Cilantro
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese
Mexican Seasonings (cumin, chili powder, garlic, paprika - or pre-made taco seasoning [this will have a lot more sodium])

-Season thawed chicken with mexican seasonings and grill over medium heat until cooked through (juices run clear, or you can always slice open the thickest piece.  Let rest 5 minutes then chop into bite-sized pieces.
-Chop Romaine Lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put into a large bowl.
-Chop red onion, tomato and cilantro and add to bowl. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lime over lettuce mix
-Add Black Bean Salsa, chicken and cheese to salad and toss to combine
-Serve with a scoop of salsa, dollup of greek yogurt and guacamole (or however you wish)
-Enjoy! 

Guacamole Recipe:
3 Avacados
1/2 Red Onion
2 Limes
1/2 bunch Cilantro
1tbs Garlic, minced
S&P

-Scoop out avacados, chop and put into a bowl. Squeeze a little lime over it to prevent from browning.
-Dice Red Onion and Cilantro and add to avacado.
-Squeeze in the rest of the juice from first lime and mash together with a potato masher
-Add garlic, season with S&P and taste.  Add more lime juice/S&P if necessary (I LOVE lime, I used juice from 2)

Black Bean Salsa Recipe
1 can Black Beans
1c corn kernels(I used frozen, thawed in bowl in microwave with a little water then drained)
10(or so) cherry tomatoes, diced
3tbs diced cilantro
1tbs garlic, minced
1 Lime (zest and juice)
S&P to taste

-Drain and rinse Black Beans
-Combine all ingredients in bowl, taste and adjust seasonings/lime juice to your liking


Okay, PICTURE TIME!

Above: April 15th, 2011

Weight: 284lbs

Above: May 15th, 2011

Weight: 276lbs - 3lb loss from last week!

8lb loss from last month.

Voila!  I think the poundage loss is not quite as impressive as the visible results.  I'm super happy with the way my waistline and chin area are thinning!  Definitely glad I decided to do the picture thing lol.

Well, this has been a very long post and I thank you all for reading!  The support that I've gotten from my friends/family/strangers has been a huge help and motivation to continue on my 'Losing Path.'

Until tomorrow!