Better choices follow up

I saw this article from The Washington Post today and it underscored what I was trying to say in my post yesterday.

Yes, most of us know that being overweight can have detrimental affects on our health, but still it doesn’t hurt to be informed about some of the ways that extra poundage can hold us back.

Frankly the story gets at one of my fears: being old and infirm. We live a LONG time in my family. My Grandma turned 89 yesterday. And she still isn’t as old as her mama was when she passed away.

Anyway, give the article and my post a read and try to make better choices as I want us all to be shakin’ that thang at age 99+.

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Making better choices

Well, I haven’t lost any more weight BUT I haven’t gained any either. One thing I’ve really pushed myself on is making better choices. Now, that doesn’t mean I never eat higher calorie, lower nutrient things ever, it means, I try to make the best choice as often as possible.

Here’s an example: I was hungry and tired and on the way to the Home Depot for the 8000th time this weekend. I stopped at the 7-Eleven to get some sparkling water. There were rows and rows of junk I could have gotten in that store to eat. But, there was a little fresh fruit mix and I got that. It fought back the hunger, it was good for me and, hell, it *tasted* good.

Because I’ve been running to the house in the a.m. before work I haven’t been able to eat breakfast at home. We have a cafe in the building that serves some of the greasiest heaviest food you can imagine. Even in the pre-do better days I didn’t eat much up there, but now I pass by the muffins and get some fruit and/or greek yogurt.

The point to all this is, I have choices. I can choose to eat better, so that I can feel better, look better, live longer (hopefully) and enjoy life more OR I can eat junk, feel like crap, look like crap and — you get the point.

Are you making better choices?

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Love me in a special way — Debarge

Dear Friends and Family:

I appreciate all your well wishes and I am recovering nicely. I’ve been able to get out of the house this past week and do a few things, so I’m not bedbound.

However, when I entered the hospital on July 30, I weighed 18 pounds less than I did back in April. This is due to diet modification. That doesn’t mean I am on a diet that means I try to actively make better choices about what I put in my mouth everyday and stop eating at 8 p.m. for the most part.

I want to note that I did not move ONE STEP MORE and lost 18 pounds. That means, I was taking in too many calories. Eating too much junk. Being a glutton.

Once I am a bit better I do intend to take some more steps, several in fact, as that is the next phase of my lifestyle overhaul plan — becoming more active — but right now, I can only move slowly and in small spurts. Which means during this convalescence time I have to be even more cognizant about what I put in my mouth.

So please stop sending baked goods to this house. I don’t need them and my husband — I know he is skinny, but he has sugar issues that we have to keep an eye on — doesn’t need them either. And we are not going to eat them so your generosity is being wasted.

I know your hearts are in the right place, and frankly, in the past this would be exactly the way to make me “feel” better. But I’m trying to change and become healthier and I’ll need your help.

Yours always,

SingLikeSassy

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I’m in such a great mood today!

First, I went to see my primary care physician this morning to talk about all the various issues going on with me and he weighed in with his thoughts and recommendations.

I love having one doctor that is vested in me and my husband’s care (Mr. SLS started going to him back when we first started dating and loves him, too).

This doc has taken care of us as a couple and individually, knows us by name and has a great bedside manner. He also has the sweetest dog that comes to work with him and let’s me play with him and rub him (they asked me today if I wanted to take him home since we love each other so much), which is very calming when you’re having a stressful day. It makes all of the health care drama less drama-filled, you know?

And some of the best news is I lost 10 pounds this month! I have been trying to slim down, with no goal in mind beyond trying to eat better, move more and generally be healthier. To see the scale reflect those efforts encourages me to step it up.

I hope all of you are having a great day, too.

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"Yes, I Can" Be Healthier: Week 2

I hope we are all doing well with our sugar reduction challenge. Remember every day is a new one, so if you slip on Monday you can always do better on Tuesday.

Another prong of the “Yes, I Can!” Be Healthier campaign is exercise. We need to make better food choices and we have to move. To that end, I’ve invited TheStyleChild to do a guest blog this week to show the ladies how we can stay cute while getting our sweat on. Enjoy! And click on over to her blog when you’re done.

Disclaimer: I’m SingLikeSassy and I approved this message.

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Work It Out in Style

It’s getting closer to that time of year where we all make a list of things we vow to do better in the New Year. And for many of us –- especially the ladies -– high up on that list is getting fit and eating healthier. But when it comes to hitting the gym, do us all a favor and leave the raggedy t-shirts and sweatpants at home!

Just as you would think twice about what you wear to work or to hang out with some friends, the same rules apply. Why? You never know who you may run into –- even at the gym.

Nobody’s saying go out and spend ridiculous amounts of cash on designer stretch pants or sweat suits, but there are plenty of affordable and stylish options to choose from.

Perfect for a session at the gym and super comfy, check out a few suggestions:

From left: Women’s Piped Track Jacket, walmart.com; Women’s Piped Track Pants, walmart.com; Long-Sleeve Tee in Navy, target.com; Fitted Boot Cut Pants, target.com

And if you have to run a couple of errands immediately afterwards, you won’t feel self-conscious about what you have on. Some of your favorite retailers such as Kohls and the ones mentioned above stock lots of cute and affordable options.

But if you still need some inspiration? Check out one of my fave Beyonce songs below. I bet she’s always ready for a photo-op at the gym. Now go ahead and WORK.IT.OUT!

Beyoncé – New Music – More Music Videos

**TheStyleChild is a writer and blogger with a passion for fashion, who doesn’t believe in spending lots of money to look good. Her blog Stylin’ & Profilin’ serves as the urban girl’s guide to looking chic for cheap. Check it out http://thestylechild.wordpress.com/.

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Easing into exercise

So I’m up before 9 a.m. on a Saturday because I promised Mr. SLS I would go for a walk with him today and he likes to do this stuff at (what I consider) the crack o’ dawn. I’m very sleepy and really grumpy, but I’m up and about to get out and do it.

grumbling and mumbling under my breath

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"Yes, I Can" Be Healthier Campaign: Week 1

The first leg of my “get healthier” campaign kicked off today. I have decided to do a sugar break for the next two weeks. I’m limiting the things I eat and drink to items that have less than 10g of sugar per serving.

Just to clarify — I do not believe sugar is bad or evil. I do, however, eat much more than is recommended and with a family full of Type II diabetes sufferers, I can stand to reduce my consumption. I’m betting you can, too.

Remember, this is about moderation not deprivation.

Finally, I invite you all to join me in this first step. I’ve limited it to two weeks, after which we can review and assess where we are and make needed adjustments. But I think this is a good place to start in our quest to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles.

• Campaign Update
• Yes, I Can!…lose weight

Disclaimer: I’m SingLikeSassy and I approved this message.

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Campaign update!

As you know, I launched a campaign to lose weight the other day. Well, after closed door talks with my campaign manager (a.k.a. Mr. SingLikeSassy), I’ve decided to modify the campaign a bit in order to make it appeal to a broader group of supporters.

Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, I will shift the focus to adopting and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. If in the process of becoming more active and making healthier choices I lose 30 pounds, that will be the icing on the cake.

So once again, I ask you, dear and loyal readers, to support me in my campaign to become a healthier SingLikeSassy over the next year. Anyone who would like to join me on the campaign trail is welcome as I accept all comers.

Now let’s all shut down our computers and go outside and take a walk in the fresh air so we can stop being funky but chunky and instead become fit and fabulous!

Disclaimer: I’m SingLikeSassy and I approved this message.

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YES, I CAN!…lose weight

I was listening to the radio this morning and heard Dr. Ian Smith talking about the 50 million pound challenge. I’ve heard him discuss the challenge before, but this morning he said something that reallllly stuck with me: Obama is a prime example of how hard work and determination can net results and we should apply that example to trying to lose weight and become healthier.

I am overweight and have been overweight for most of my life. Not most of my adult life, most of my LIFE. I’ve been on diets, joined gyms, joined YMCAs, joined YWCAs, joined walking groups, taken jazzercise, taken step aerobics, taken water aerobics, joined bootcamps and joined Weight Watchers at least 10 times. Suffice it to say, I’ve done a lot of stuff in my effort to be smaller, except take drugs, submit to surgery or eat/order prepackaged food because I’m scared of those and because I’ve always felt those routes were, FOR ME, a cop out. I can eat less and exercise more, so I should.

But lately I’ve felt defeated over this weight thing. I never stick with any of the gyms, Ys or bootcamps. And though I’ve lost successfully with Weight Watchers, it’s never become the lifestyle change they recommend and encourage. I like food, it tastes good and, for me, it’s a soother, a friend.

That’s why Dr. Ian’s comment this morning made me pause. Because he’s right. Obama did what some said was impossible, he got millions of people to register to vote — some for the first time ever — and choose him as their president.

I have control over this situation not vice versa. And I should eat less and exercise more cause I’m getting older and I want to live a long and healthy life with my husband. He’s worth it, I am worth it and our marriage is worth it.

So, dear readers, I ask for your support in my campaign to lose 30 pounds over the next year.

Change? Yes, I can.

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