Calories are the sneaky creatures that cause our clothes to fit tighter….. why count them? Outsmart them!

Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Image Yes, your caloric intake is important….. but it’s not the ‘end all be all’ of weightloss, and it’s DEFINITELY not the answer for a healthy body!!! Listen…. If you calculated your caloric range to be 1300-1500 and adhere to that…. Good for You!  Are you entering every food item into your smartphone & unable to eat dinner because you ate a big lunch?  Maybe your body NEEDED that big lunch, hence why you were so hungry!! I could stick to that caloric range and eat cereal all day too!  Have you ever thought about that?  Just because you stay within a caloric range does NOT mean you are doing justice for your body.  I pity your heart muscle…and well, all your muscles to be honest. It is true – there should be a deficit in the number of calories to create weight loss.  But, strictly counting your calories isn’t the answer.  There are MANY methods to eating that create weight loss.  Have you heard of the ‘Zig Zag Method?’  I’ve taught it in a few of my challenge/accountability groups on facebook.   Point being……. The same caloric intake every day is NOT good…… especially when you shoving your face with junk and don’t even know it!! Instead of ‘calories’ let’s focus on your NUTRITION and CHOICES!  Have you eaten ANY fruit today???  How about a vegetable??  Did you include protein in that last snack/meal? Before I took nutrition courses, I would go the entire day and think….. “What vegetable did I eat today?”  (And, no…..the tomato & wilted lettuce on your fast food burger doesn’t count).  We go through our entire day eating and yet make TONS of food mistakes!! People don’t know how to feed their bodies!!  Does any of the below points sound familiar?

  •  We are addicted to ‘sweet’ foods (thank you, Mr. Food Companies)!
  •  We think ‘low fat/low sugar’ is healthy.
  • We fear carbohydrates (South Beach Diet ruined us) because we don’t know the difference between a simple carb (bad) or a complex carb (good).
  • People don’t believe in ‘healthy fats’.
  • Our taste buds are too picky.  (Teach them differently)
  • We eat too large of portion sizes (Would you like to supersize that for $1.00 extra?)
  • We eat too much at one sitting (‘I feel stuffed!’)
  • We grew up being told to ‘clean your plate.’
  • Soda (no need to say anything more)
  • We are told to watch caloric intake vs. food choices.
  • We have NO IDEA how to prepare fresh fruit/veggies.
  • We seem to think our plates must be FULL of 4+ different food items at each meal.
  • ‘Gluten Free’ has taken on a life of its own.  (Hellooo carbs and sodium: processed foods).
  • Pretty packaging at the store tricks you into thinking it’s healthy.
  • Laws are getting stricter, but food marketers can make dog feces seem healthy if they word it right (tricky bastards).

Here are some very basic rules to think about when preparing meals or eating. 

-Would my Great Great Grandmother recognize the food item on my plate?

-The closer to nature, the better.

-Have a plate of fresh cut veggies at each meal.

-“Low Sugar/Low Fat” = Chemical Shit Storm

-Review your daily food intake…. Are you missing something?  If Yes, eat it at dinner!

-Drink Water.  It’s cheap & it’s good for you.  End of story.

-Plan ahead.  Meal prep is key.  Even if it’s just thinking about what you are going to make for dinner.

-Make SURE there is a protein source at each meal/snack.

-Make sure your family meal has a protein and veggie/fruit at mealtime.  Green Bean Casserole doesn’t count…. I’m talking steamed, roasted, raw, boiled.

-Your kids will live just fine if they don’t eat pasta & cereal 3+x/week.

-Just because YOU ate it as a kid & turned out just fine doesn’t mean they will!  Today’s world and ingredients are far different than when we grew up!  And….. who’s to say you turned out ‘just fine?’  You never know when diabetes, a colon disease, or worse is waiting around the corner.   If you still have trouble eating well……. For goodness sake, try a healthy meal replacement.  (Nope….slim fast is not one of them).  I highly recommend Shakeology because it has super foods and is nutrient dense.  Do you know what that means?  It means, even if you screw up and don’t get all your vitamins/nutrients in for the day, it’s got you covered. You’ve seen me preaching about the new food/fitness program called the ’21 Day Fix.’  It will help you with ALL the problems above….. in as little as 3 weeks.  Think you will starve?  THINK AGAIN!  It clearly lays out how many containers of which food group you should be eating each day.  The book helps you figure out how many of each containers and that’s ALL you worry about.  You won’t miss a single food group during the day, and you will learn portion control!  You can still have chocolate too…… because I think it’s more of a habit than craving to say “I need something sweet’ after a meal. No Calorie Counting!! No Weight Watcher Points!! No weighing food! No strict food plans!! You can still eat at restaurants!! >>>>>>>Baseline price is $60 for the program!!! <<<<<< So…. To paraphrase = stop ‘thinking’ you are eating well and feeding your family well and simply learn the real truth!  Stop obsessing about those pesky little calories!!  If you eat ‘clean’ – you don’t need to worry about those numbers! Find me on social media and Say “HELLO!”  (Click on the below words to find me!)

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Half Marathon…Piece of Cake! (More like stale bread – HARD)

This weekend I ran my very first SPRING half marathon! I’ve never ran a ‘spring’ half marathon because I’ve always been cautious of the weather and having to train long distance in the snow and ice is just not worth it to me. Of course I sign up for a spring half marathon this year and it was one of the worst winters in Indiana!!
Go figure!  Therefore, all of my training was done on the treadmill.  Awesome!!  Kidding….it took a lot of mental strength!

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This is my fourth overall half marathon. I was very concerned with how my race was going to turn out because of the treadmill training, weather, and constant rolling hills in Carmel, Indiana. I had no intentions of going for a great time until I was standing in the corrals listening to the National Anthem.  (My pre-workout drink must have kicked in at that moment!)  My first half (6.55 miles) of the marathon went exceptionally well!!! I was approximately three minutes ahead of schedule and super excited!!! Then…. all good things must come to an end, and I had some issues.
1.My skin started to chaff in different spots than normal (ouch).
2. My music player started playing Christmas songs (worst music ever to run to).
3. My energy drained.
4. My brain got bored.
After about 1-1/2 miles of this, my carb chews kicked in and I perked up.
However, damage had been done and I had lost those three minutes. I did not go into this race expecting to have a PR (Personal Record). However after the first 6 miles I knew it was an option, and I got really excited.  The next 7 miles were filled with thoughts of ‘go, go, go’ and I felt like I was late for my own funeral!!

It’s a mental game one must play while running long distance.  Just ask any runner….. we all have different strategies to get us through!  Well, I ended the race 14 seconds shy of a new personal record. I was disappointed at first, however I now realize that I am proud of my time due to the time of year, treadmill training, the hills and my asthma. My lungs do NOT enjoy working harder to power up a hill!!
As fitness freaks, we abuse our bodies.  We put it through some serious training and are hard-core during the race event.  The race may have ended on Saturday,  but my recovery continues well through Sunday. My lungs are tired, I’m coughing up junk, my skin is sore, and my feet/toes are blistered and bruised. My energy level is low, and I’m mentally worn out. What’s your point, Lisa??   >>> Just because you’ve accomplished a goal or your race or sporting event is over >>>>  does NOT mean you stop taking care of your body!!!!  I still went to church, attended my nephew’s birthday party,  and I’m continuing to make sure I eat enough protein, complex carbohydrates, and fluids today so that I can heal and get back to my normal strength training workouts this week. I do not want to spend the next two days sore, tired, and grumpy because I cannot work out. Many of us like to work out hard but that also means we have to remember our bodies need to be taken care of especially as we age.
Lesson: Take care of your body, be proactive, and help it heal so that you can continue to stay active!!  It’s worth it!!

What I do for recover: I make sure to take an ActiVit multivitamin, I drink ‘Rest & Recovery’ formula as a recovery drink (very important), 1 Shakeology meal today to ensure my body has enough nutrients to heal itself, lots of water, BioFreeze on the sore muscles, ice bath as needed, and sleep.  I was able to take a 90 minute nap late this afternoon… just what the therapist (me) ordered!!  🙂

I really want to become a ‘Half Fanatic!’  That means running 2 half marathons within 2 weeks or 3 within 3 months.  Unfortunately, my schedule isn’t going to allow me to get another one completed in the next 2 weeks.  If I had unlimited travel funds, I could do it….. but that isn’t happening.  So…. looks like the 3 month plan may be an option.  🙂
Be Active.  Dream Big,  Lead By Example.
Wishing you all the best for your fitness goals and treat the body well during recovery and always! — Lisa

If you are looking to lose weight >>>  May I recommend the 21 Day Fix through Team Beachbody?  It will TEACH you food portion sizes, clean eating, and some basic workouts for all levels!!  No weighing your food.  No counting calories.  No strict diet plans.  No magic pills.  You will learn to feed your body and your family in a healthy manner!!  And… as parents, it’s our job to teach our children proper nutrition!!!  Contact me for more info.  My ’21 DayFix’ challenge group starts April 24!  HURRY!   Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com
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