Restaurant Warefare

Life is busy these days.  I find if I don't plan ahead I can end up starving and the McDonalds drive through looks all too tempting!  Or it seems like every event in life is celebrated with a trip to a restaurant, and it's easy to blow a day's worth of calories in one meal!  Here are some helpful tips we've compiled to combat restaurant blunders.

Jenn suggests:

• Instead of an entree, try an appetizer and a side salad!
• If fast food is a must, try a kids meal.  A lot of fast food restaurants also offer some healthier options like fruit and yogurt as sides instead of fries.
• Have a plan before you go.  Maybe look up the menu online so you know what to order when you get to the restaurant.
• Don't go starving!  Eat a small smack before hand.
• There are always options!  Most all restaurants make chicken, vegetables, rice, baked potatoes, maybe even fruit.  Don't be afraid to speak up and order what you want even if it's not specifically on the menu.
• Try to avoid the bread basket...or the chip basket.....you'll fill up on these before your meal. 
• Substitute a side salad with low fat dressing or a vegetable instead of fries.  
• Avoid menu items that state "fried", "breaded", "augratin", "rich", "crispy", "smothered", "alfredo", etc.  Stick to baked, broiled, grilled.

Sarah Suggests:

• Avoid fast food restaurants whenever possible.  Seriously, the healthy options are far and few between and if you stay within your calorie limits you are very likely to be hungry way too soon.
• Ask for the waitress to bring you a box with your meal so you can box half of it up, set it aside before you are tempted to eat it all!
• If you get a salad, baked potato, etc. always ask for your dressing, butter, sour cream, etc to be served on the side.
• Dip your fork in salad dressing and then have a bit of  salad, instead of dumping a 1/2 cup of dressing on your salad.
• Ask a lot of questions!  Sometimes "healthy" options are not so healthy when it's swimming in a pool of butter.  Ask how things are made, and don't be afraid to ask them to prepare it a little differently.
• Bewere of the salad bar!  There are a ton of healthy options on there, but a few too many trips or croutons as big as your head and  you are going to be wayyy over on your calories :-) Try to do one-trip visits and avoid all you can eat establishments.  
• Carry a little utensil set in your car.  If you are really in a bind, run into the grocery store and pick up a yogurt & salad.  Something that's actually made with real food.  I've had some fantastic salads from Hy-Vee and Schnucks (and I'm sure Lucky's too, I've just never been there :-))
• Keep some food in your purse or bag.  I always keep some Lara bars in my car, then if I'm running errands after class I'm not tempted by junk food.  

What do you do to make the most of your restaurant visits?  

One Is The Loneliest Number

Today I wanted to talk to you about having a buddy to help you reach your goals.  Do you have someone that you can go to, that can encourage you to NOT eat that bowl of ice cream, to encourage you to GO workout, etc?  We all need supportive people in our life to reach our goals.  This person could be your husband, your friend, your co-worker, your sister, etc.  They need to be willing to call you out when you are not on track, and they need to be able to encourage you when you feel discouraged.  Can you think of that person? 

Right now you are in this class for the purpose of more accountability.  As you know, Jenn & I are here for you anytime you need advice or a word of encouragement.  But I would challenge you to stretch your accountability further.  If you've not done it, find a "guilt buddy"!  Report your workouts to each other, workout together when your schedules allow, be accountable with each other, report weigh-ins….keep each other on track.  When you have a buddy like that, you know if you overeat for a week and it shows up on the scale, you are going to have to tell her.  And she knows when she did everything “right” and the scale does not cooperate, she can come to you and you’ll give her a boost of encouragement.  You need each other!  I've always been much more successful with my health & fitness when I've had a guilt buddy.     

In his book, The Portable Personal Trainer, Eric Harr talks about the importance of having people around you when you are working out. 

“If you work out with encouraging people who challenge you physically, mentally, or spiritually in some way, you will get a great deal more from exercise.  That is why WHOM you choose as your workout buddies will not only determine your long-term success; it will also determine how much you enjoy the process.  We will give more to a workout when we do it with others.  In addition, we are less willing to skip a workout if others are relying on us.”

Several studies that I have read over the last few years have pointed to the fact that folks that work out in a group are more successful in their long-term weight loss goals when compared to those that try to go at it alone.  Jazzercise is a great place to be in a group….but it’s easy to go to a big Jazzercise class and walk in, work out, walk out, and never interact with anyone.  Don’t do that!!!

Ok, so for this week I have a challenge for you:

If you have a workout buddy, make sure you guys are chatting it up and communicating!  Find out what their workout schedule is this week, and try to work out with them!  Tell them how many classes you plan to attend, and what your goals are.  Check in with her and be accountable to her.  If you don't have one, be on the lookout for one.  Don't be afraid to meet a new person (in our class, or not) and buddy up to them!  

If that just sounds terribly intimidating, then please allow yourself be held accountable by Jenn or myself.  During your weigh-ins, be honest!  Think about what you could do better this week and tell us to hold you accountable.  Give us specific things we can ask you about and tell us how much you plan to work out and hold yourself accountable to it!  

This Powerful Life class is a great way for you to jumpstart your health, fitness, & weigh-loss (for those of you that need to lose weight).  But a guilt buddy can long outlast this class and bring a lifetime of friendship & health.  Don't miss out on this wonderful gift!  

Can You??? Or Can't You????

How's your attitude?

As I've corresponded and talked with some of you this week, I'm hearing a few different perspectives:

Some of you are super motivated, excited, and driven to change your habits and live healthier.  You are excited by having more energy, by feeling less bloated, and feeling like you are taking charge.  Some of you feel a little unsure.  Like you are wanting to make change, but you are not sure how and don't feel like you have all the knowledge for success.  And then I'm sensing some of you are already feeling defeated.  I'm sensing you are feeling something along the lines of this statement:  "The scale has not cooperated for me for years, I've never been able to lose any weight, why is it going to be different this time around?" Or, I'm hearing, "I just don't know how to do this.  I don't have the tools, I don't know how to eat healthy".

Do either of those statements resonate with you?

Friends, don't let your attitude control your outcome.  I want to quickly share a little bit about my journey.  I won't go into great detail, but I want you to know that seven and a half years ago I was about a size 18, or a size 16, at best.  My entire life I had to be careful about what I ate and generally kept it under control (well sort of), but I got married and had a kiddo and things were not looking good.  I started Jazzercise and lost some weight and inches, but nothing drastic happened.  Jazzercise gave me confidence that I could exercise, but I still had little to no confidence that I could lose weight--for real--like noticeable weight loss.

Then something changed.  About 5 years ago I just got sick and tired of feeling the way I felt.  I decided that I was going to do something and nobody was going to stop me.  I remember where I was, I remember what I was wearing.  I had two kids and I decided that I wanted to be different.  I didn't want to feel fat.  For the first time in my life, I told myself  "I Can", instead of "I Cant".

I don't want this to be super sappy-dramatic.  I just want you to know that changes are possible.  But if you are already telling yourself you can't do this, then I have news for you: you won't be able to.  This decision to live healthier and be empowered is going to boil down to YOU.  Over the next month we are going to give you the tools and building blocks for success, but this process takes time and it won't happen overnight.  It took me ONE YEAR to lose 50 pounds.  And again, with my baby weight from baby #3, it's taken me one year.

Don't be overwhelmed.  Don't be scared.  Stay positive, and know that we are going to continue to give you the tools that you need to be healthier.  And don't be afraid to reach out to us, or to other friends for encouragement and accountability.

But I want you to remember something.  As long as you tell yourself that you can't.....you won't.  That, you can be sure of.  Tell yourself that you can...and watch your world open up!  Your attitude will make or break you!    

Hey Ladies!  On Sunday I had a moment to talk with each of you regarding your goals.  I was really motivated and encouraged by how excited some of you are to make changes in your diet and nutrition.  I was especially impressed by the fact that you guys are in this for the long haul--none of you expect overnight changes--you know that the changes that will last a lifetime happen over time!

Have you thought more about your goals this week?  It's super important for your goals to be realistic, otherwise they can be discouraging, rather than encouraging.

Here’s an example of a goal that’s not helpful:

A 60 year old woman who is 5 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds wants to look like a supermodel…by summer.

This goal is unrealistic because many super models are only seventeen years old and nearly six feet tall.  In addition, this goal isn’t measurable.  A much more helpful set of goals for that woman might be to lose 10-15 pounds of body fat, to work out 4-5 days a week, and drink a minimum of 64oz of water.  Another problem with her is goal is she puts herself on a pretty crazy deadline!  By summer!  Wow!  Sometimes deadlines work, but they need to be very attainable. 

Even the seemingly-reasonable goal such as “I want to feel better” is not measurable and isn’t a very helpful goal.  Try to list the ways you want to feel better (example: “I want more energy”, or “I want my arms to be stronger”) and quantify them.

Goal ideas

• Lose 5-10% of your body weight.  If you are able to do that you will drastically reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, etc. 
• Track your food 6 of 7 days of the week.  All of it, good and bad.
• Exercise a certain amount each week, and stick to your goal (did you look over the guidelines we provided on how much you need to work out to maintain or lose weight?)
• Drink your water.
• Fit in a certain pair of pants, shorts, dress, etc. that is currently too small for you.
• Find control in a certain eating area where you have been overindulging in or have not been eating   enough of (example: reduce soda intake, or reduce carbohydrates, or increase fruit/veggie intake, etc)   

The important thing is for you to do is to set a realistic goal.  In my life I've always tried to think of my overall goal, and then a short term goal to get there.   I then have to think of the steps I can take this week in order to work towards my goal.

Example:  Susie wants to lose 30 pounds.  If she thinks about 30 pounds she will get discouraged really quickly and overwhelmed when she thinks about how far she needs to go.  So, while Susie’s overall goal is to lose 30 pounds, right now she’s concentrating on getting from her current weight of 205lbs to weighing less than 200lbs.  Small goal and large goal.  Then Susie has to think about what steps she will have to take this week to reach her goal of getting under 200 pounds.

Think About It

If you want, reflect on some of these questions.  It may help refine the goals we talked about on Sunday.

What are your life/health goals? 

  

Do you have an overall, long-term goal? 

Do you have a short-term goal?

What steps do you need to take to get to your short term goal?

  

What steps do you need to take to get to your long term goal?

  

What things do you foresee standing in the way of your goals?  What can you do to combat this?

It may be helpful for you to hang it up your short and long term goals somewhere where you can see it—on your fridge, on your bathroom mirror, by your bed…this will help remind you why you are doing what you are doing. 

Remember, it’s possible to lose weight & be healthier.  It’s possible to change your body, your health, your life.  You don’t need to feel trapped anymore.  Don’t let anyone hold you back….go for your goals.  I can’t do it for you, your husband or friend can’t do it for you, and a special pill or program can’t do it for you….take life by the reigns, and, as the Nike slogan says, “Just Do It”!

Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday night!

New Beginnings

Friends-

As we begin this journey together, I want you to remember something: There is no failure except in no longer trying.  This is so true.  Right now you need to keep focusing on trying!  You won’t do perfect every day!  You’ll miss a class here and there.  You’ll eat a big bowl of candy that you know you shouldn't have.  But the difference between someone that meets their goals and someone that does not is that one of them quits trying.  Keep trying!!!

Do you ever see the People Magazine cover, "Half My Size", about different men and women that have lost at least 50% of their body weight?  The way that happened wasn't magic.  It was perseverance.  Be of a mindset now that no matter what you are in this for, the only way you will succeed is with perseverance.  Whether your goal is to lose 50lbs or if your goal is to not drink so much soda, the recipe is the same:  Don't quit.  We can do it friends!

I'll be posting little bits on this blog for you to be able to read at your convenience.  Not every post will apply to you, while others will feel like I'm writing just to you.  This is just an extra resource for you to feel encouraged, motivated, and empowered towards a more powerful life.

(PS please excuse my complete lack of technical ability)

~sarah