I've always said...

Something I have always been concerned with (and said to many), was that I did not trust caloric values on packaging or as published by restaurants, fast food chains or coffee houses. There are many who need to count calories, and there are those of us who may not. For those that do count as part of their nutritional regimen, be careful. What you see may not be what you get.

I am big on whole foods. Although, in today's fast paced world, packaged goods and eating out are nearly unavoidable. Part of my concern was actually based upon the different shape and size of so many "packaged" foods. How could it be possible that each and every piece of say almond nut clusters be identical in caloric and nutritional values. They can't. So, I always look at nutritional values as a "guideline", an average. Whole foods are no different, unless in a laboratory, how could one actually identify the calories in a banana? Is it small, medium, large? What is the weight in grams? Is the skin thicker or thinner and what does that weigh.

Now, don't make yourself crazy either. Be sensible.

Below is a link to a recent study published (very interesting read, specifically what these discrepancies can mean over extended periods of time) in the Journal of the American Diabetic Association, prepared foods may contain an average of 8% more calories than their package labels own up to and restaurant meals may contain a whopping 18% more. Worse still, as far as Food and Drug Administration regulations are concerned, that's perfectly O.K.

My advice, eat whole foods as often as possible, understand how to use labels and make sure you are getting a good balance of different nutrients.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100106/hl_time/08599195179800

Josh

Where Do You Start?

Today a post about where to begin . . .

So many of the responses I have received in the past few weeks are requesting the "details" of my self-transformation. Although I have made posts specific to nutrition and exercise, many inquiries want to know where to begin? So, let's start there and we will build upon it.

First - Make a decision.

As I have written before, it is human nature to have what you want through justification. Whether that is the justification for the super sized meal at the drive up window, the extra slice of cake at the dinner party or refilling the popcorn bucket at the theatre. You must decide that you want to begin on the path to a healthier lifestyle and then self-justify it. It is far from easy, but WILL get easier each time you do it. Just like a recovering addict, that first lapse is difficult, but once they have done it, the next and next and next get easier. From here on out, no more lapses backwards, but leaps forward.

Second - What are you going after?

You've made the choice, now let's go after the prize. Define it, write it down, recite it each morning . . . whatever works for you. Perhaps it is specific to weight, maybe it's becoming leaner and more defined, in my case it was the desire to become healthy instead of treading quickly towards deaths doorstep. However, transformation is not simply about hitting the "goal". That is part of it, but on the way, you should find yourself setting new and more challenging obstacles for yourself. I never intended to be writing a blog for instance. I intended to prove the doctors wrong and change my health through logic and desire. But . . . then I did get healthy, I did lose weight and I did "transform". Now, I don't want to stop. Today, writing this blog has been added to my list. I can recall when I stepped it up a notch from riding my bike 15-minutes a day to 30, then 40, then an hour.

Third - Be reasonable.

Forget the infomercial promising dramatic results in 6-weeks. Even when people see those results, assume they are on the "extreme" end of the possibility spectrum. Be reasonable in a way that will allow you to continue to build upon it. For example, if you would like to lose 100 pounds, probably not the best idea to roll out a 4-month plan to do that. If your goals are of that magnitude, perhaps set "mini" goals or checkpoints as part of a larger plan. My first few months on my "self-prescribed" plan, I tried diligently to do cardio (cycling) 3-days a week and weight/resistance training (Bowflex at that time) 2-days a week. I did not begin with the goal of losing 80-pounds, but with the goal of eating healthier and exercising to try and heal myself. Now . . . today, I guess I am far more extreme in the eyes of the average person, but what I do now, has been based upon continually upping the ante for myself.

Fourth - Sticktoitiveness!

Stick with the plan. If you stray, don't stray far, and then back to business. Let's talk about nutrition for a moment. Don't be extreme, be balanced. Choose your nutrition wisely. I was consuming far too many calories, so I began with a healthful/nutritious balance, while figuring out how to actually eat lots while maintaining the calorie intake I was shooting for. Although I was shooting for the 2,000 calorie mark daily, you should go online (there are a host of great calculators on-line to determine this), or you certainly may want to check with your physician (probably the best idea). Cheating, do it if you have to, but then behave yourself. If you have that unreal craving for a chocolate bar, just try one square instead of the whole thing. amazingly, since I have become healthier, my cravings have followed suit . . . I now find myself wanting a bowl of fresh fruit instead; well, most times. Nobody's perfect.

I will continue to provide more details in upcoming posts, but to recap. Let's make a decision to change, set a goal (or multiple goals), justify it to yourself, be reasonable and stick to the plan.

So, where am I with my goals?

I know I keep eluding to some big plan I am developing as well as that it will include a lot of cycling. Well, here are more details . . .

I feel great! Through the process of becoming physically healthier, I have become mentally healthier. I have started to use the term "Agent of Change" (someone who intentionally or un-intentionally causes behavioral, social or cultural change). I have done that for myself on a physical level, now I am going to try to that on a cultural and social level. Why? Because, I can see much more clearly. When I was "tangled" in my own web of bad health and bad behavior, I rarely, if ever was able to see that I as an individual was part of the "whole". I have written about educating my young son about the whole, and the importance of being connected to it. I'm healthier and thinner, great. What good is being healthy, if the world around you continues to become a less healthy place?

More soon . . .

Josh Neimark- Agent of Change