Strengthening My Bladder

I've been trying to drink more water as of late, but I've discovered a down side...I have to pee all the time. Its no big deal when I'm at home, but it presents a problem when I'm at work and can't leave my desk for 4.5 hours, or at Victoria's Secret and only get a break or two. I was expressing my dilemma to my mother (who drinks at least one gallon of water a day). Basically, she told me that I have a weak bladder and that overtime it will become stronger and I won't have to run to the bathroom every 30 minutes. I look forward to that.

In the meantime, I will try my best to drink water strategically and plan my potty breaks

accordingly.

Anyone out there have any big strong bladder secrets?

Just a little motivation....

"If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." -Ralph Waldo Emerson, Success

"Old habits die hard. But the good new is, they do die."

-Jillian Michaels

 

Negative One Star

Chris and I went out to McDonald's for breakfast this morning. Now, I know that this is obviously not a healthy choice, but I was shocked when I went to input my calories into myfitnesspal.

I had 2 hashbrowns and a hotcakes platter (with no syrup). The Grand Calorie total? 808. 

Ouch.  That's a little more than 60% of my total calorie allotment for one day....and its only 10:30am. Now I can really understand why eating out kills you...even if you aren't making the worst choice, there truly isn't a healthy choice. 

So, my rating...NOT WORTH THE CALORIES.

(or negative one star)

 

Meet Hailey

"Hi, Hailey!"

Isn't she gorgeous?! I first met Hailey when my family moved from Lehi to Pleasant Grove. She is seriously the sweetest girl on the planet and is so much fun. I love her blog- Dreaming Outloud: The Hailey Story. Here she is... 

My name is Hailey Gwilliam, and I love to perform.  It is the one thing on this planet that keeps me sane, other than the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am sadly still in high school and am awaiting the day I finally graduate!!  I love to sing, act, and play the violin.  I enjoy making people feel awkward, and to do things out of the norm.  I am a huge procrastinator, and I may or may not be addicted to pinterest.  I love to blog.  I wear sweats way too much.  I love hot chocolate, especially from kneaders.  I prefer rain over sunshine any day.  I want to live in Washington after I wed.  It is way easier for me to get along with boys than with girls.  I love my family, especially my extended family. In the fall I will be attending Snow College for my associates, and then will be transferring to Utah State, where I will complete my major in social work.  I am very unique, and love who I am. 
 

Name: Hailey Gwilliam
Age: 17
Describe your addiction: SUGAR!!
3 foods you can’t live without: Diet Coke, Ice cream, pasta
3 foods you can live without: lasagna, sushi, onions
Your healthy go-to food: sugar snap peas
Your favorite way to work out: zumba!!
Your least favorite way to work out: running..
What is your current health/fitness goal: lose another 20 pounds before graduation.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to being healthy? time to actually sit down and plan out a fitness schedule, and a healthy food menu. It also doesn't help that my family's eating habits aren't the greatest...
What motivates you? the fact that i will be in a swim suit in about 3 months. and amazing role models in my life.
What are some of your big goals regarding health/fitness? eat healthier, and exercise regularly :)

Guest posters are infinitely more entertaining/interesting than I ... so I will keep them coming. :)

Lets get real for a minute...

I have lost all motivation.

Ok, ok...not all motivation, just a lot. I'm a little discouraged; not because I'm doing all this work and I'm not getting results....I honestly wish that was the case, because then being frustrated would be justified.  But no, I am not doing much and hoping things will just magically fix themselves and I will wake up a size 2. 

We all know that's never going to happen.

Which is a bummer.

If things are going to change I need to get my butt to the gym and put down the glass of chocolate milk (did you know 2 cups of chocolate milk is almost 300 calories!?! talk about dream crusher). Looking on a brighter, more positive side...I am loving myfitnesspal! It is really putting into perspective which foods contain which outrageous amounts of calories (chocolate milk) and which foods are great (grapefruit). It has been really eye opening to see where my calories are mostly coming from and where they should be coming from. I am definitely going to keep logging my food there- it is doing so much more for me than my original food journal was.

Thanks for attending my pity party! :) Stay tuned for a new guest poster!

MyFitnessPal

I found the greatest app! 

Well, my husband did...then he told me about it. :)

Its called MyFitnessPal and they have it for iPhone, iPod, and iPad....and I'm pretty sure its in the android store. If you don't have any of those, you can also set up an account online and update it from your computer. 

You put in all your info (height, weight, age...) and your weight goal and it gives you a calorie allotment. You input your food and exercise activity and it keeps track of your progress. You can add friends for support and read articles that can help you reach your goal. 

If you already have an account, or are going to set one up- add me! My user name is: melissanicholjohn.

The best part- its free!

ChangeOne Update

I've decided to repeat Week 2 over again. I really don't feel like I've really improved my lunch habits. I had a few good days, more like one good day, but most of my habits stayed the same (meaning my lunches consisted of mostly snacking). I want to take the time to do this right and so I am not going to move on until I feel like I've made a real improvement.

On another note, I weighed in today...no gain or loss. This is reflective of my efforts this week, haha. But, no change is better than a negative one.

I hope that you all are having a wonderful Monday and that you are starting your week off right!

Meet Beka

"Hi, Beka!"

Miss Rebekah Arnesen is a dear friend of mine. She was such a great support to me when I first started blogging and when I started this new blog. I admire her guts out, which is why I asked her to guest post for me. I wish we lived in the same state so we could be yoga buddies! She is also on the blogosphere. Check her out.

"I’m not your average college student. I like adventure. I believe in doing things you have a passion for. I am trying to be more spontaneous. I love Disneyland, Costa Vida, and homemade oreos. I have my wedding planned out down to the food we are eating at the reception. Now I just need to find the guy! I love the summertime, the color yellow, and anything that has to do with getting wet. I swam for a couple years in high school and then gave it up to focus on music and science. I picked up running after my freshman year of college and have been running ever since.  I am an Exercise Science major at Brigham Young University. I love learning about the body and how it works in relation to exercise! After I graduate (in December!) I am going to leave Utah and do an accelerated nursing program. Afterwards I want to get my MPA and work with non-profit organizations. I am so excited the Melissa has started Sugaraholics Anonymous and flattered she wants me to “guest post.”

"I love food! Even beans and rice in Africa"

Name: Rebekah Arnesen
Age: 22
Describe your addiction: SUGAR
3 foods you can’t live without: ice cream, peanut butter, fruit
3 foods you can live without:  chocolate, mushrooms, tofu
Your healthy go-to food: fruit- especially frozen- it’s like candy, but without the sugar
Your favorite way to work out: running, weight lifting, yoga
Your least favorite way to work out:  hmmmm I don’t love elliptical machines but they are okay.
What is your current health/fitness goal:  finish the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge this month. Start running outside again now that it is getting warmer! Less snacking.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to being healthy? Motivation to workout—I do a lot better if I have someone to go workout with. Emotional/bored eating—I eat when I am sad or when I am bored, usually they are not healthy foods either.
What motivates you? My grandpa—he started running at the age of 50 and has done tons of marathons. I ran a half marathon with him last year and it was great. He makes me want to be as in shape as he is (he is 78 and still running)!  Health related disease I see in my family is also a huge motivator. Not that anyone in my family is completely unhealthy, but I have seen the consequences of minimal physical activity and eating what is easy instead of what is healthy. Also, I want to feel totally confident in my own body. I’m not working out to be skinny, but I want to know that I am doing everything to become a stronger woman. Strong women can do amazing things.

What are some of your big goals regarding health/fitness?  Run a marathon (my first) in September of this year. Eat healthy consistently, while not depriving myself. I want to also pick up biking and re-pick up swimming. Maybe do triathalons. I want to run at least 1 race per year (and more when I have the money).

[All guest posters will appear on "The Club" tab. Who will be next?]

The Golden Arches

So, I've been working on a presentation for my social problems class on negative body image, focusing mainly on the extremes of obesity and eating disorders. I've been watching a lot of clips on this subject, and this afternoon Chris and I were watching one on McDonald's.

I feel bad for McDonald's- they get so much flack for being a successful business. It really bothers me when I hear of people suing MickeyD's for compensation for their obesity. Yes, McDonald's food is absolutely horrible for you and if you eat a lot of it for an extended period of time you will gain weight and become unhealthy. However, McDonald's meets health codes and nutrition info is available online.

Eating excessive amounts of McDonald's and suffering the consequences is your problem; this is a self control issue- not a restaurant/business issue. Just like any bogus product, we have the choice not to buy it. The freedoms that we enjoy enable businesses to grow and thrive in America and we have the freedom to choose what we eat and what we spend our money on. Maybe instead replacing blame off of yourself, we could fix the problem instead of suing the symptom.

I'll get off my soap box now, I just had to get that off my chest.

Oil Pulling

I first heard about oil pulling a few months ago when a friend posted about it on Facebook. I felt totally lame because I didn't know what it was, so I Googled it. Due to my crazy early-morning work schedule I wasn't able to fit it into my routine, so I forgot about it. Anyway, now that I don't work early and I do have time in the morning, I decided to try it.

For those of you who don't know what OP is....it a holistic approach to detox your body on a regular basis. Basically, you swish (without gargling) 1 tablespoon of edible oil (any kind that you can stand to have in your mouth, however vegetable oil and canola oil are discouraged) on an empty stomach each morning for 20 minutes. The oil detracts toxins through your saliva and stores it in the oil until you spit it out. After, you brush your teeth and eat (like normal) and go throughout your day.
Based on my readings, the following are some of the benefits of oil pulling:

-Increased Metabolism (good for healthy weight loss. Score.)

-Whiter Teeth/Pinker Gums

-Fresher Breath (all that nasty bacteria is gone!)

-Harmful toxins out of your body

-Increased amounts of energy

I was skeptical...it seems like a lot of promises for such a small thing. After talking to a few people who oil pull and hearing nothing but good things about it, I decided to try it this morning. 

I used extra virgin olive oil. It was kind of gross at first, but after about 2-3 minutes I got used to it (It kinda tasted like a diluted version of the butter they put on your popcorn at the movies....just without the popcorn). I recommend having a few paper towels close by, just in case some oil squirts out while your swishing. I watched some Hulu to help keep my mind off of it, and the 20 minutes flew. My mouth felt so clean (after rinsing out the oil, haha) and I am going to keep it up to see what my results will be.

For those of you interested in trying Oil Pulling, here are some of the articles I've read. I would definitely suggest to read up on the type of oils you can use, just so you don't make yourself sick.

How to Oil Pull for Health-eHow

Natural Health: Oil Pulling

Oil Pulling: A Wonderful Therapy

FAQ: Oil Pulling

Oil Pulling Cures...

Let me know how it goes!

Pita Pizzas

It's lunch week & I am here to share a ChangeOne recipe with you.

Pita Pizzas!

Basically, you take a piece of whole wheat pita, spread 2 Tablespoons of tomato sauce, and add your toppings (being calorie conscious, of course). On this beauty I added deli ham, potato slices, and mozzarella (the healthiest cheese); finished off with garlic salt, chives, and Italian seasoning. It was legit.

Try it. Let me know how you like it!

Weigh-In

So....I weighed in yesterday.

Down one pound.

Ok, ok....I know that one pound is nothing, but at least I didn't gain or stay the same. A loss is a loss in my mind. 

I've also noticed that my wedding ring is fitting slightly looser. Sweet.

I am feeling better- less moody and exhausted for no reason. 

Looks like progress to me! :)

ChangeOne: Week 2

Week 2: Lunch (Roughly 350 Calories)

Basic Menu:

1 grain or starch (two slices of sandwich bread, a tennis ball sized potato or roll, or serving of pasta/rice)

1 protein (thin palm-sized slice of cheese, a small burger patty, or 3 CD-sized pieces of lunch meat)

1 fruit (one piece or equivalent amount of melon/berries)
Vegetables (as much as you want)
VARIATIONS: soups, salads, wraps, or chili (all done in sensible portion sizes)

Week One: Recap

I have loved my first week of ChangeOne! I really feel like I've learned a lot and become so much more aware of Breakfast and how it affects my day. Here are a few pearls of wisdom I've picked up along my first week:
-Breakfast sets the tone for the day. You have heard it a million times; Breakfast is the most important meal of the day & People who eat breakfast weigh less. Well, its true. I found that on mornings when I ate a (quote, unquote) "Big Breakfast" I stayed full longer and snacked less- which means that I ended up eating less calories throughout the day. Score.
-Breakfast foods work for lunch and dinner. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an omelet for lunch or a waffle for dinner.
Now that I have begun to establish a good breakfast habit, I feel ready to take on a slightly harder area...Lunch! Eating a good breakfast usually left me too full for lunch at the "normal" time and I usually ended up snacking until dinner instead, so this week will take some experimenting to find the right time and size for my lunch.  

Tomorrow starts Week Two and I have my first weigh-in.  

Wish me luck!

Subway

My husband and I hit up Subway today...they had these amazing new chips:

I love them! They are healthy too (well, as healthy as chips can be). We split a bag and a footlong. It was the perfect amount of food.

In other news, Chris entered a weight loss contest at WorldGym this week. He has really cracked down on his diet and has been to the gym every day this week. I am so proud of him! The winner last year won a trip for 2 to Hawaii!

Things are going well, I am really feeling like I am improving...one baby step at a time.