Thank you all for such thoughtful and loving feedback. It really helps to know that so many people know exactly where I am coming from (and where I want to be).
After talking with my wonderful older sister, T, last night about this "new beginning" it got me thinking about genetics. I come from a big family - literally and figuratively. We all struggle with our weight.
AND
I have received a lot of feedback from my mothers side of the family, most of whom struggle with weight. However, I also know that my fathers side has equal the amount of difficulties (and I blame them for my 42' hips). So are weight problems really genetic, or a product of our environment (processed foods *cough cough*)? What will I need to be prepared for in the future? Will my future children be fat? SO many questions.
So I checked out the Center for Disease Control (obesity is a disease). This and this where interesting, and while there are still several questions I have
(and way more research to do) this about sums it up:
..."What It Means
For people who are genetically predisposed to gain weight, preventing obesity is the best course. Predisposed persons may require individualized interventions and greater support to be successful in maintaining a healthy weight.
Obesity is a chronic lifelong condition that is the result of an environment of caloric abundance and relative physical inactivity modulated by a susceptible genotype. For those who are predisposed, preventing weight gain is the best course of action.
Genes are not destiny. Obesity can be prevented or can be managed in many cases with a combination of diet, physical activity, and medication."
And my favorite part
"...The tendency to store energy in the form of fat is believed to result from thousands of years of evolution in an environment characterized by tenuous food supplies. In other words, those who could store energy in times of plenty, were more likely to survive periods of famine and to pass this tendency to their offspring."
So back in the day, I would have been naturally selected. *Think positive*
Now, I am not obese. However, at one point in my life I was. *That was a dark, oh so very dark place for me* I WILL NEVER go back to that. Not if I can control it - and according to the CDC I can!
So tell me family, what's in the DNA forecast?
All my love,
-K
Quote that made my day: "I just want to get rid of my belly fat, every time I do yoga it hits me in the face." - anonymous
What I ate:
Breakfast- Strawberry Banana smoothie, made with fat free (ff) yogurt and low fat milk. I like to drink my fruit sometimes. Calories: 250
Mid-morning snack: Home made chex mix. Calories: 120 for about half a cup
Lunch: A black bean, salsa and cheese high fiber burrito -which was DELICIOUS- baby carrots and half an orange Calories: Grand total of 245.
Pre-workout snack: 1 slice of lite wheat bread with a tsp of peanut butter. Calories: 60
Dinner: Small salad with 1 tbs lite dressing, Rubbed Chicken, whole wheat couscous, broccoli. Calories: Grand total of 325
Dessert: FF chocolate pudding with a spray of whipped cream. Calories: 100
Which brings me to a daily total of: 1100*
*some of my calories where a "guesstimate"
Easy salad that doesn't need dressing (in my opinion):
ReplyDelete1 cup baby spinach
1 tbsp goat cheese or feta cheese (your choice)
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds
not sure on the calorie count and sodium/fiber, but it's yummy and filling.
that burrito sounds yummy!!
Fantastic blog. I'm going to steal some of your snack ideas for sure. Don't forget about the calories you burn during the workout! I think you should post pictures of your delicious healthy meals that you make so that we are enticed to try it as well (I second Dori's comment about the burrito!)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite healthy dinner to make: Eggplant steaks with hummus, spinach and roasted red peppers. Grill up some eggplant and heat up spinach (can be frozen) and peppers. Put hummus on eggplant, top with spinach and peppers and heat the whole thing up. It's the most delicious dinner I have ever made (which isn't saying much, but still).
Thanks for the shout-out, sis! I'm a peanut butter fiend-- I love starting the day off with some, either in a smoothie or smeared on some toast with some fruit.
ReplyDeleteDori, that salad sounds awesome. There is a reduced fat feta cheese that I love. I will try this soon.
ReplyDeleteJess, I will begin posting pictures soon.
T, I ate some today for my pre-workout snack!
I recommend logging your food on sparkpeople.com's web site. It really helps you get a handle on what you're eating and does the hard work for you. Sometimes you don't realize how much or little you're really eating and you don't want to shortchange yourself any more than you don't want to overdo it!
ReplyDeleteI tried to leave you a comment, but then the site shut me down big time. So then I BBM you. The long and the short, you're beautiful and I am glad you're doing what you need to do for you.
ReplyDeletelove love love
ps: peanut butter balls?
The peanut butter balls- 60 calories each and so worth it. Thank you, Martha.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate....genetics....don't get me started. Yes, yes, yes, it's in my genetics. I can't vouch for your Smith side, but look the Kuenzig side. With the exception of Lisa, look at me, Marisa, Marybeth, your mom, your aunt Laura, (we are all the girl cousins), then look at you and your sisters. Look at my mom and her sister and your grandfathter his brother Ernie (not so much Uncle Fred)...then go to your great grandma (so it's really the Goetz side, not the Kuenzigs...they are tall and thin). We all have/had the same body shape and weight problems. Now on the good side, we are all pears. From a health point of view, we live longer, have less cancers, natural selection picked us etc. However, it is extremely difficult for us to manage our weight and shape and things like cholestrol which could lead to heart problems. Impossible, no, but difficult. My hips just got up to 45" I assume (no measurement) because I couldn't fit into size 16 jeans anymore as of middle of april. We carry our fat all over - I don't know if you have had your BMI measured yet, but when I lose weight, even alot of it, my BMI does not come down proportionately. I've been told it's because of my genetics and that we carry our fat very evenly. Because of those genetics, make sure you eat enough - meaning, if you eat too little, your body is just going to store as much as it can because it's going to think you are in starvation mode. I'm on weight watchters and don't eat the same amount of points each day. I vary it just a little to change it up and trick my body into thinking it's getting enough to eat. More on one day, and a little less on another. Great that you are exercising. I have found that exercise is the BEST attack against our genetics....and is the ONLY thing that gets those hip measurements down. And so far, in my experience, nothing helps the flappy arms or inner thighs - more genetics - so I live with it. (Oh that's antother thing that bugs me to death...when I was shopping today, all I could find was cute shirts with 3/4 sleeves. I DON"T CARE that my arms wave with me, it's too hot to wear 3/4 sleeves. Stop assuming, designers, that I don't want cute short sleeves or tanks!!)
ReplyDeleteThe whole clue is to embrace yourself as a person and do what you need to do WITHOUT killing yourself to make you feel better. It also helps to make your self accountable to others like we are doing right now.
Great job on your blogging!!!