The ELFF Diet

Getting Started

The Lovely Anna asks:

I wonder, maybe you can help, how does one start exercise when it's *never* been a part of your lifestyle? As much as I know I need to be exercising, it's just... I wouldn't even know where to start. And even if I did, what am I supposed to wear? Should I run, or walk? Bike? How far?

Gooooood questions.  Hopefully I won't sound too "bipolar Fred" when I answer them, for what I did and what are recommended are two VERY different things.

When I first began to exercise, I literally couldn't walk around the block without becoming short of breath.  I remember sitting on the curb - it took me a little while to get down there - and crying.  I was, at one point in time, fairly fit and moderately active.  But who can't walk around the block?  I made myself go four times, which was about .25 of a mile.  I forced myself to double it every week.  Half mile the second week, a mile the third week.  It was *torture*.  I stayed at a mile for a little bit, and then added another.  I did this by walking a mile "to" a place, so that I'd have to walk back.  It's a little mind trick that I still use today.

Once I was up to walking about 4 miles - which was, I think, about 6 months in - I got a wild hair.  Running looked FUN - seriously, everyone I see running makes it look effortless, they just glide around like swans - and so I started running a minute at a time.  Gah.  How incredibly heavy I felt while running, and how grounded and struggling it was for me.  But I kept up and kept up, and finally got to the point where I could run about 6 miles.

And then I got injured.  I tore my IT band while finishing the half marathon and was out of any type of running or walking or martial arts for three months.  Almost immediately upon reentry, I broke my toe.  Shortly thereafter, every time I ran, my IT ached and ached, and I didn't feel like I was doing it any good by running.  So, I stopped for a while, and went back to walking - the same four miles that I'd worked up to after each injury recovery period. 

THEN I had hernia surgery.  THEN I had melanoma cut out of two places and I just flat out gave up.  Kidding.  I still run and walk but I find that I have to take it slow. 

So, sorry - I made that all about me. The point was, I think that I did too much too fast and that was why I got injured.  I recommend that you stick with a distance that is just beyond what you can comfortably do.  Do you think you can walk a mile?  Plot it off and go for it.  If it's too short, you can always walk it again.  You want to feel tired at the end, but not exhausted.  Shoot for five days a week if you are trying to lose weight - 45 minutes to an hour is optimal, at a pace that gets your heart pumping.

What to wear?  Whatever you are comfortable in.  Don't go out dressed as warmly as you need to be comfy, because you want to move enough to warm up, and you'll quickly get too sweaty and start stripping.  It's never comfy to walk carrying a sweatshirt and a hat and gloves.  Long pants are great, but make certain that they aren't so full at the ankles that they trip you.  You can spend lots of money on clothes, but that's really not necessary.  Start off in whatever you have, and make a goal for yourself.  Lose ten pounds and you'll buy a new fiber wicking shirt.  Twenty pounds gets you a running skirt with capris.  (Aren't those cute?)

The one thing I'd really recommend is that you invest in good shoes and socks.  I find that cotton socks give me blisters, and I pony up the $$ and buy quality running socks.  I am a HUGE fan of the DeFeet brand.

Does that help?  Ask me for clarification if I rambled on too much!

Lunches and Their Components

The happy and spirited Jen asks:  any tips for packing good lunch snacks? My husband and I are trying to lose weight and I'm wondering what to put in the lunches he takes to work every day. Usually they currently consist either dinner leftovers or a PB&J; a piece of fruit; and a granola bar or some pretzels. Are there specific brands of granola bars that are good? Or some other snack I might substitute? Any tips you can give on healthy, CHEAP foods that are easy to throw in a lunch box would be great.

What a great question!  Typically, I take something that comprises a main dish, a piece of fruit and some cut up veg.  I tend to take a granola bar or protein bar for mid morning, so I avoid those in my lunch.  I'll list what I find to be some great choices - what can you add?

• lowfat string cheese and whole grain crackers
  
• baked sweet potato
• homemade chili, made with soy crumbles, topped with low fat cheese
• whole wheat tortilla, filled in with a choice of black beans, fat free refried beans, shredded chicken breast, tomatoes, lettuce and low fat cheese
• a lean cuisine or similar frozen meal
• peanut butter on rice cakes
• peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread topped with sliced bananas or strawberries
• Lunch meat roll up - sliced turkey and cheese, lettuce and tomato rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla
  

If I'm taking a sandwich, I typically take all the components and assemble it at lunch time, leaving the top piece off.

Stretching - do you do it?

I'm back to the questions.

The glamorous Karen asks:  I've been reading in fitness magazines about all kinds of different supplements. What do you know about those? Do you take any?

I know that a lot of fitness magazines advertise a LOT of supplements.  LOTS of them.  I have an innate suspicion of most of them.  I think that if you eat carefully, you can get a majority of what you need from your foods.  I'm suspicious by nature of anything that has a bunch of warnings on it - this has not been tested by the FDA - or those types of supplements.  Especially the ones that say These results are not typical.  Or things that have been outlawed in the Military or other countries.

I take a multi, Coromega 3-6-9, Calcium Magnesium, Cultrelle probiotic, and a B complex if I'm feeling stressed.  That's it. I use protein powder once a day and eat a protein bar if I'm having a hard time getting to a good meal.

I guess I'm confused.  Where you asking about a particualr supplement, like Creatine? 

What supplements do you take?  Why?  What do you stay away from?  Why?

Motivation

The generous and talented Headless Mom asks: I'm always up for new tips to stay motivated. Spring flowers are my newest motivation, but can't wait to hear yours!

And, uh, yeah.  I'm always up for motivational tips as well. 

In the past, I've set fitness goals for myself - run this race, make this belt level, (!!!), take this class.  Striving to achieve those goals kind of kept me on keel and focused - if you know you have a 10K race in two months, you know you can't slack off.

To stay motivated within a walk or run, I listen to kickin' music on my iPod - that keeps me moving. I usually don't want to get out there and do it, but I'm glad I did when I'm moving.

To stay on a better weight loss routine, I bought smaller sized clothes and want to stay in them.  I keep thinking how much I love my size 2 Lucky jeans and how I don't ever want to buy a size 18 or 20 again.  That works pretty well.

What does it for you?

Time is on my side, yes it is

The awesome Ashley asks:  TIME. Where do you get it? Or more specifically - how to you force yourself to use it wisely?  I wish that time was an elastic concept.  With six kids, three in soccer and two in scouts, two in choir, one in band, one in cross country, there is definitely not a shortage of stuff to do and places to go.  I just make myself do it every day.  I get up to go to the gym for weight work at 5:15.  Well, most days it's 5:30, and my trainer calls to find out "WHERE ARE YOU?".  I sign up for classes - capoeira and thai boxing - so that I have to go - I hate to waste money.  I also try, on really nice days, to use the block of time between when I get off work and when I have to be back to pick up my kids, and use it wisely.  I play a game with myself - I have 45 minutes - if I go home, I have to do an abs dvd.  Or I can pack my bag and go for a run during that time, and put my van in first place for dismissal. My laundry isn't caught up and we don't eat gourmet, but it works for us.  I'm flexible, though, and if it doesn't work in someway, I'll fiddle with it until it does.  One example of this is that I used to wait to eat lunch until after work, and I'd eat when I got home, effectively leaving me no time.  Now I eat during the small five minute breaks we have scattered through the day, and I have a whole block of time when I get home. 

 

Make it work for you, but make it work.  Put yourself first.  If it was a job, if you were being paid money, you'd certainly do it.  Your exercise IS money - it adds years to your life and improves your quality of life.  You certainly are worth that, right?

All knees, all the time

The amazing Des asks:  how do you care for your knees?

The kind and gentle Ashley queries:  I'd also like to hear what types of stretching you do before AND after running, how you take care of your knees, and generally anything about your running habits!! :)

The splendid Mary wants to know:  What types of stretching do you do after running?

Three questions, all on pretty much the same topic.  So, in the interest of brevity, I combined them. 

Hey, are you all trying to show what kind of an idiot I was when I first started running?

Seriously, when I first started running, I knew nothing about running, or stretching, or anything.  I just started running.  How hard could it be, right?  Even babies do it.  Stupid.  And also, ow.  That is one of the reason that I tore my IT band running the half marathon.

Why can't weight loss be easy?

The multitalented Sister Honey Bunch - who has her own phenomenal website - asks: 

I am 40 and having a heck of a time taking the weight off. In the past, I would low-carb for a couple months and it would fall right off. I would continue eating lower carbs but introduce breads and pastas in occasionally.

I had my son 5 1/2 years ago and can't seem to get the weight off now. Tell me how to kick start this diet. And how much exercise to incorporate. I'm a working mom and my time is limited.

Oooh, I know where you are coming from and what you mean.  My thoughts on this might make you mad.
But I think you might be eating too much.  (ducking so you can't hit me)  I'm sorry.  I know that's hard to hear, and, I might be off base, because I can't see what you are eating.  But a failure to lose is either one of two things - eating too much (of even the good for you stuff - calories are calories) or not moving enough to burn the calories. 

I'm not a big fan of removing an entire food group - like carbs, for instance - in order to lose weight.  You are an example of why I don't think it's a good idea - because when you add it back, you will put the weight back on.  I've had this discussion with my boss before.  She's a big believer in low carbing it, and I can see why people do it - it does work in the short term.  But I don't know of anyone who has removed carbs from their life and been able to keep the carbs away and the weight gone.  It's just too hard to keep an entire food group out of your diet - the temptation to splurge will eventually overtake you.

I'm a big believer, obviously, in exercise.  How much you should do depends upon what you are trying to do.  A pound or two a week, I think, means a minimum of 30 minutes a day.  45-60 is better.  BELIEVE ME, I know what it's like to be busy and to have limited time.  Can you get up earlier?  Do ten minutes of cardio six times a day - right when you wake up, before you get ready for work, at lunchtime, when you get home, and before bed?  Can you play soccer in the backyard with your son, take him on a bike ride, go fo a hike?  Can you go swimming with your family?  Make it a challenge, and see how you can fit it in.

A list of Great to Eat Food -is it possible?

The phenomenal Mary asks:  Lets list the good stuff to eat, like the hard to find but great fage yogurt, the low cal high protein stuff...so I dont have to search for it....

Oh, Mary, wow.  You've given me a hard one.  Tell you what.  I'm going to list a few things for each meal, and I want everyone to chip in with their favorites, 'kay?

The Fage yogurt is indeed very good, and very high in protein and low in fat and calories, if you buy the 2% or the 0%. I find it to be a bit, shall we say, tart, and so I either add honey, granola or mixed fruit to it.  I really like banana and yogurt together.

I like the low fat cheese sticks, especially the Cracker Barrel ones, with the stone ground wheat crackers. Often, I'll mix a small amount of almonds, some dark chocolate chips (or bittersweet), and dried cherries and red raisins. Or even toss some of those dark chocolate chips in Stonyfield farms lowfat vanilla yogurt. 

Talking about yogurt, Stonyfield Farms, Fage or Horizon are the only brands that I buy.  I even will, on occasion, buy the whole milk yogurt.  I don't like the additives and the HFCS in the other yogurts. For a quick protein boost, I like the Snickers Marathon Bars, or I mix a scoop of vanilla protein powder with Naked Juice.  Sometimes I'll have that for dinner with a banana or an apple.

Hmm, what else?  What about the Laughing Cow cheese, peanut butter on low fat graham crackers, Babybel cheese?  If it seems like I'm listing a lot of cheese, I am.  I definitely am a lover of the cheese, but don't eat all of these in one day.  If I need a sweet, the Cascadian Farms chocolate chip granola bars are HFCS free and tasty.

Fat free refried beans and/or black beans mixed with diced tomatoes are great on whole wheat tortillas or a portion controlled amount of tortilla chips (my own personal nemesis). I try to make four or five chicken breasts at once - or, buy a rotisserie chicken and cut the white meat off - and bake a few sweet potatoes or make a big bowl of salad.  Wham!  Four meals.  In the time it took to make one. 

What about you?  What foods do you consider the great to eat foods - especially if they are the ready to buy kind?

Family Involvement

The wonderful Anna asks:  How do your kids feel about all of this? Are they supportive? When you started eating healthier food, did you change everyone's diet? Basically, tell me about your family's involvement.

My family?  My kids?  How do they feel about this?  That's such a loaded question.  Let me ask them.

Nik is almost 16 years old.  His response?  "I'm sick of eating healthy foods.  I liked it better when you made a cake every day.  I didn't like having a fat mom but a cake was worth it."  (FWIW, I just told him that he's a pain in the ass.)

Allegra is 13.  She's glad that now she can wear my clothing, and she says that most healthy food is good, but some of it is nasty.

The rest of my kids are too young to know any different.  My husband loves the fact that I look better and he likes that I'm cooking more healthy meals.

My kids are so funny.  The real answers are below the fold.

Motivation

The glamorous Karen Sugarpants asks:

How do you keep motivating yourself to keep going? 

Do you still set goals?

What do you do during cardio to keep from getting bored? 

Thanks for the opportunity Carmen!

No, thank you.  Motivation is tough.  So, so difficult. In the beginning, I was so desperate to be a smaller number on the scale that seeing the numbers go down, albeit slowly, was a great motivation.  I think I've said before that I gave myself mini goals - lose 20 pounds by this event, or be able to do 20 pushups by a certain holiday. Hitting those goals, even if they were baby goals, made for good feelings. Once I hit the goal, I quickly made another.  I work well with goals. :)

I do still set goals.  I wanted to run the 8K under an hour.  I can do 30 pushups.  That was last years goal - by the end of this year, I want to be able to do ten pullups.  I started those this morning with my trainer - yeouch.  I want to run a specific number of races this year, and in order to be able to do that, I have to train.  I want to look great in a bathing suit, so I remember that every time I am tempted to slack off on my ab work.  Plus, I have a couple of REALLY rotten fat pictures on my screen saver - they come up first - so anytime that I am at the computer, I see those pics and they remind me.  I also have every newspaper article - three - and magazine article - one - that has my picture as a weight loss success, in large copy on the wall in my kitchen.  YES - I am very vain.  But I'll take whatever I can get to keep me going.

To keep motivated in cardio, I watch a movie if I'm at home on the treadmill.  My favorite cardio is capoeira or Thai boxing, and so I do those as much as possible.  I also find running outside with my iPod to be MUCH more enjoyable than inside, and than makes it easier as well.

Thanks, Karen!  More answers tomorrow!