Looking Into the Mirror

Age 14 (7th grade, 165 lbs)

Age 18 (Senior in High school = 151 lbs)

by Patrick Vaughan 

 Similarly to Sam, I too went from fat to fit as you can see from the pictures above. However while our situations were similar, I decided to take a slightly different approach in order to achieve my "fit" goals.

Growing up I have always loved sport. However while I always possessed the enthusiasm of any of the greatest fans (Spartans or otherwise), I did not always possess the drive to put in the work. In other words, I was just flat out lazy. Most of my "free-time" in childhood consisted of watching Cartoon Network, playing Pokemon on my Gameboy, reading books, and occasionally inviting friends over to do more or less of the same sort of things. I simply figured that I was putting the time in during my hour or two of practice, so I didn't need to worry about any sort of supplemental training. Unfortunately I was wrong.... 

I was well aware of the fact that I was gaining weight. In fifth grade, I had already topped the scale off at 140 lbs. By sixth grade 160 lbs, and finally in 7th grade 165 lbs. You can see the trend forming here.... However by the end of 7th grade, I had topped the scales off at 171 lbs at only 5'6 inches. Up to this point, I had been told be many of my good friends that I was fat, but it was always in jest so I didn't think very much of it. 

Sometimes I would ask my parents or relatives and they would tell me things like "Oh it's just Baby-fat, It's what happens when you start growing! - you'll be well over six foot at this rate (something that never quite panned out for me), and even the typical oh you're just big-boned (but let's be real, who has ever seen a human skeleton with big bones?)". So with this reassurance, I happily continued on with my inactive life. 

It wasn't until that summer of seventh grade that everything changed for me. I was attending a summer swim camp for the first time, and I didn't know anyone in the program. So like any other spirited kid, I flung off my shirt and cannon-balled into the pool. That's when I began to get taunts from the other students of "Fat Pat". For the rest of the day kids continued to make up rhymes indicating that I was fat such as, "Patrick-bo-batrick, Fe-fi-fo-FATRICK, Patrick". By the end of the day I was demoralized.

That's what did it for me. Everything began to connect together, I was fat. For the rest of the summer I relived every agonizing second of those days (partly because it became a daily occurrence at the camp for me), and I never took my shirt off again for the rest of the camp.

This is what I call that look into the mirror moment. That moment where you look at yourself both physically and metaphorically and decide that I need to change. Starting eight grade I took this to heart. I began to make simple substitutions like changing from chocolate milk to skim milk, I stopped buying cookies, I no longer forced myself to finish my plate when I felt full (despite my parents disapproval of leftovers) and I made certain that I had as many nutritional groups from the olden-day food pyramid as possible. That was the extent of my dieting changes. 

What changed my life, began with what I began to do before and after dinner. Push-ups and crunches. These were my first step to a healthier life. Don't laugh, but that first night I did three sets of three push-ups, and a total of ten crunches and I was dripping in sweat. It would be considered pathetic by most standards, but for me that was the start and I was proud of it. I would do this religiously every night, until I found an old pair of five pound weights in our basement and I began to supplement my workout with bicep curls. As I surpassed the fives, I searched until I found tens in the basement, and added a variety of creative (and sometimes dangerous) lifting techniques. I was enthralled with how much stronger I was becoming!

That's when I started to add other simple things into my day, such as taking the stairs two at a time without putting my hands on my knees for support, riding my bike to my friends houses to hang out, and I began to involve myself in more outdoor activities such as kayaking and fishing. Well Eventually along this line of progression, one thing led to another and I began to run. Only down the block and back at first, but eventually I was able to run a mile, and then two.

Flash forward to my Junior year in College and I am doing things physically that I never would have dreamed possible of myself all those years ago. I now participate in Triathlons (having completed 2 sprint Triathlons - .5 mi swim, 10 mi bike, 3 mi run, and an intermediate Triathlon - 1 mi swim, 26 mi bike, and a 6 mi run). I currently have ambitions to run a Half-Iron Man and Eventually a Full-Iron man, having logged to date a longest bike ride of 85 miles, a longest run of 18.6 miles, and a longest swim of 1.8 miles. I have clearly come a long ways.

My challenge to you all is to go look at yourselves in the mirror, and ask yourself if there is something that you truly want to change about yourself. If you answer yes, then think about this, "even the journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step" (Laozi). So no matter how small take that next step, and build upon the progress of the day before with another step. It may be slow at first, but in the end it will all be worth it. Take it from Sam and myself. You will never regret looking back into that mirror later on down the road, because it will always be a sign of how far you have come. Success happens when you put in the time, effort, and the dedication to your fitness goals.

So, do you accept my challenge?

My Story: From Fat to Fit

Written by Sam

                               

     After (Sophomore in College, 19 years old, 152 lbs)

Before (8th grade, 14 years old, 155 lbs)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The two pictures above offer a glimpse of how far I've come in my journey to good health and I wanna share with you guys how I got there!

Growing up, I've always had a love for food. I could always out-eat the kids my age, and I just loved being able to pig out! I was fed a lot of the junk that most kids would eat - kraft mac and cheese, mcdonalds, chips, you name it. Also, being Chinese, our cuisine involves a lot of white rice, noodles, and greasy dishes, so you can imagine how I put on all the weight. Early on, I was just told it was baby fat and people said I was a cute kid, so I figured I didn't really need to change anything. It wasn't until playing soccer in third grade that it really hit me -- I was really overweight. I would go out on the field for 20 seconds, and I would already be tired; Everyone was faster than me, and even my coach yelled at me in the middle of the game and said I was fat. Sure, it was harsh, but it was the truth. I wanted to change, but I didn't know the principles in getting healthier aside from the basic "eat more fruits and vegetables" message my mom tried to preach. So although I tried to just eat more fruit and vegetables, it still wasn't working - the weight kept climbing, and I began to grow more and more miserable.

Fast forward to 8th grade - I became so self conscious that I couldn't even put a shirt on without fearing that I would look too fat - my confidence was shot. My dad had recently gotten a heart attack because of his bad eating habits, and thank God he was able to make a full recovery. These two things were the driving force behind my decision to have a new lifestyle. All throughout high school, I monitored my calories, went to the gym around 4 times a week, and cut down on my carbs. I was able to cut 10 pounds by senior year and it was a very proud moment for me, but the best was yet to come.

I ended up choosing to be a Dietetics major at Michigan State University because of my weight loss success, and I was hungry to learn more and see how i can further improve my habits. Taking nutrition courses really opened my eyes to a lot of the things I was still doing wrong. The tips that Tim and I have been posting on this blog are things that we have learned in our classes, and it changed my life. I could go on and on about the things I've learned, but I finally learned how to eat properly, exercise properly, and take care of my body. The end result is the picture on the right : I weighed less than i did in 8th grade and I became a lot stronger. My path to good health is something I take a lot of pride in because of the dedication and discipline it required to get to this point. Despite all the hard work, the end result is so worth it - I feel more confident, I have more energy, and I couldn't be happier with where I'm at now.

To wrap this up, I encourage you to continue reading our blog to check out the different tips and guidance that Tim and I have to offer. It completely turned my life around and if you are willing to put in the effort, you will see the results. If you are struggling with your weight and confidence like I was, I hope my story was able to give you some hope!  

SS: Fix the WAY You Eat

SS: Fix the WAY you Eat

By Tim Cullen

 

I believe a major problem in the health of people can be attributed to the process in which people eat their meals. Obviously it is very important to consider the food you consume in trying to lead a healthier life, but what must be considered is our eating habits as well. In this article I am going to highlight some problems I think many people have when they are consuming their meals and ways to fix these problems.

1. Eating Environment - Probably the most important aspect to consider when eating your meal is preparing where to eat the meal. It's most important to eat your meal in a environment where you will not be distracted, for example the television, to ensure that you can be aware of your satiety. If you are distracted while eating you may be more prone to overeating, because you will be sharing your attentiveness with other sources.

2.  Social Situation - You have to be aware of who you are eating with when consuming your meal. Obviously people don't like to eat alone, but I would try and avoid eating with large groups of people. This isn't an absolute by any means, but if you eat with a lot of people, you are likely going to be less aware of your satiety. If eating with a group of people I would suggest to eat slow and consider how hungry you really are because some conversations may be distracting.

3. The plates/bowls you use - I suggest using smaller plates or bowls when eating because a major psychological factor when it comes to eating is that we must finish what is on our plate no matter how hungry we are. If you eat with larges plates or bowls, you will be more inclined to not only fill it up to its fullest, but also finish all the food that has situated itself on it. Eating with a smaller plate gives you the opportunity to ask yourself, "Am I still hungry?" before you go get seconds.

4. Give yourself time - We are all guilty of grabbing something quick and running out the door with it or being so hungry that we scarf down a ton of food quickly. This is something that should stop. If you are rushing out the door to eat your breakfast, then I suggest going to bed a little earlier and waking up a little earlier. You should give your body time to consume your meal and you should get your day started right with a balanced breakfast, avoiding a carbohydrate based breakfast and opting for the protein balanced breakfast.

When it comes to eating your dinner as fast as possible, well you really should not be finishing your meal under 15-20 minutes. you have to give your body time to send signals to the brain to tell it that you are no longer hungry. If you eat a ton of food in 10 minutes, you are doing yourself no good due to the fact that you are eating too fast for your body to handle. Slow it down and take your time when it eating your meal.

5. Do not be afraid to stop - Building off what I mentioned in #3, if there is still food left on the plate and you are content with yourself in terms of hunger, then do not be afraid to stop. You can almost always save the food for the next day and if not, it is not the end of the world to throw out a bit of food. The more you cook and eat certain meals, the more comfortable you will get with guessing the size of each portion of the meal to prepare and cook. Make sure you stop when you are satisfied!

I cannot stress it enough when I say that you should only eat until your hunger is gone and you feel satisfied. That does not mean eat food until you feel like you are going to burst. It is important to find that contented feeling with yourself and you should be aware of it every time you sit down to eat. It is also important to remember to keep yourself refreshed with water to ensure that your body functions properly, nutrition circulation up to speed and to keep your brain alert of your surroundings. Remember that it is not only WHAT you eat, but it is also HOW you eat it!

CM: Fruit Juice is Just as Good as Whole Fruit

Written by Sam

Sometimes it can be tough to get enough fruit and veggies in our diet (For adults, it's recommended to get 2 cups of fruit and 2.5-3 cups of vegetables per day), so we often turn to fruit juice to reach our daily goal. In this week's common misconception post, I will tell you why you should avoid fruit juice whenever you can and always go for whole fruit!

The first reason is because a lot of fruit juices aren't 100% fruit juice. For example, fruit juice from concentrate or juice that is labeled "juice cocktail" is not real fruit juice and is just made using a syrup, so unless they add artificial vitamins in there, these juices has no nutritional value and is just loaded with sugar, in which case is almost equivalent to drinking soda. The juices you generally want to avoid are grape, cranberry, fruit punch, and apple juice as they are often not 100% pure fruit juice. According to the USDA regulations, fruit juice will only count as a serving of fruit only if it is 100% fruit juice.

So you might wonder if you can just get by with drinking 100% fruit juice because according to USDA, it will count as a serving. The second reason why you should still go with whole fruit over fruit juice is the added nutrients you are getting from eating the whole fruit. We will compare the nutrition facts between a whole apple and 1 cup of apple juice (both counting as 1 serving of fruit):

Whole apple - 65 calories, 13 g sugar, 17g carbs, 3 g dietary fiber, 10% vitamin C

1 cup of apple juice - 114 calories, 24 g sugar, 28 g carbs, 0 g dietary fiber, 4% vitamin C

As you can see from this, the whole apple is more nutritious in all 5 categories, the most important category being dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is essential for your digestive system and the normal excretion of wastes, while also making you feel energized and more full for longer. When you can fill up on fruit, you will be less likely to indulge on snacks that your body doesn't really need, whereas if you just had fruit juice, you would pee it right out and become hungry again. 

I'm not condemning drinking 100% fruit juice necessarily, but whole fruit is always the best choice! Pack an apple or banana with you when you are at work or in class- it will make a great snack to hold you over until your next meal. I have been doing that when I go to school and I find that I am more energized and less likely to go back to my room and gorge on chips and other snacks. Following this tip is a seemingly small adjustment to your diet but it will go a long way in shaping a healthier lifestyle!

Sources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Orange_juice_1_edit1.jpg/220px-Orange_juice_1_edit1.jpg

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1822/2

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2

http://myplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Vegetables/food-groups.vegetables-amount.pdf

SS: Spaghetti Squash

SS: Spaghetti Squash

By Tim Cullen

Spaghetti is a very common food consumed by many families across the country. It's easy to make, simple to make in bulk and tastes good! In this post I am going to point out one of my favorite dishes, spaghetti squash, that you may consider in trying to transition to a healthier diet. I made the switch about a year ago and I have never looked back. It tastes nearly the same as spaghetti noodles, but has more pros to it like less calories, no fat, no cholesterol and a vast array of vitamins and nutrients. Below I will discuss the pros and cons of spaghetti squash and give you my opinion on if one should adopt this food into their diet or not.

First of all, before I get to what spaghetti squash is, I will provide an overview of what kinds of squash there are. To begin, there are two main categories of squash known as "Summer" squash and 

 "Winter" squash.

Summer squash - thinner skinned squash, like zucchini, and contain more water than winter squash, so there will be more moisture when you take a bite. A summer squash is pictured below.

Zucchini, a summer squash.

Winter squash - Thick skinned squash, like butternut squash, and have a drier interior. They take more effort to cut open than summer squash due to the thick skin. (and when i say effort, I really mean it!)

Spaghetti Squash, a winter squash.

Spaghetti squash is classified as a winter squash. It is oval shaped and colored either yellow or white. The truly unique quality of spaghetti squash in comparison to the other types of squash is that, after cooked, it scrapes out in a string shape resembling spaghetti, hence how it obtained it's name. You can either cook the squash in the oven whole or cut in half depending on personal preference. I would suggest cutting the squash in half first and removing the unwanted seeds and then cooking. This allows the squash to cook much quicker, meaning you will get to eat quicker!

The reason I am suggesting giving spaghetti squash a try is that it is a bargain when it comes to calories consumed all while providing a nutritional gain. I am going to list the pros and cons in a list below.

Pros:

• One cup of spaghetti squash has about 40 calories, which is very low for a main course meal.
• Spaghetti squash is low in saturated fat and cholesterol
• It is a very good source of fiber, and Vitamin C
• It is also a good source of these vitamins:
• Niacin - increases HDL (High-density lipoproteins) and prevents the disease pellagra.
• Vitamin B6 - Water-soluble vitamin that has many jobs inside the body like making antibodies and making hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the red blood cells to the tissues in the body.
• Pantothenic Acid - water soluble vitamin needed to help synthesize and metabolize fats, carbohydrates and proteins
• Potassium - Regulates fluid balance and stimulates the kidneys to remove waste.
• Manganese - Consuming prevents manganese deficiency, which can cause joint pain, osteoporosis, bursitis and many other diseases in the body

Cons:

• It is sugary and many of the calories in it come from sugars.
• If eaten alone, you will be hungry shortly after completion of your meal.
• Takes longer to cook than spaghetti. (40 minutes instead of 10-15 minutes for spaghetti)
• May be a bit of a crunchy texture compared to spaghetti

My opinion is one that is high on spaghetti squash. I suggest making the change as it tastes good and is a better choice for a spaghetti fashioned meal! However, I do suggest that along with the spaghetti squash, you add to it to obtain a more complete meal. What I usually do is add a variety of vegetables to the marinara sauce. You can add legumes, like peas or beans, vegetables and seeds to the sauce to make it more nutritious. Along with this I also sometimes eat the spaghetti squash with a small piece of grilled chicken. Also, a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese gives the dish a little more flavor. Adding these things will ensure you gain and absorb more nutrients, obtain some more calories in a healthy way and stay in a state of satiety for a longer time.

Find many great spaghetti squash recipes here! --> Recipes

Sources

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2655/2

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/vegetables/squash-glossary.asp

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipe-collections/spaghetti-squash/index.html

Zucchini Picture: www.wrensoft.com

Spaghetti Squash Picture: toneitup.com

 

CM: Diet Soda is Better for You

Written by Sam

Something that we see really often is that people will drink diet soda because they think, "hey there's no calories, fat, or sugar, so there's no harm in drinking it!". And as shown by this nutrition label of diet coke, they are correct in that it contains no calories, fats, or sugars.

Sorry to burst your bubble for the people out there who think this way, but diet soda is actually worse for your health compared to drinking regular soda and I will get into the reasons why.

1) The first reason deals with some simple psychology. By drinking diet soda, you figure that you aren't getting any caloric intake from it, so then you feel like you can afford to eat more food and not feel as bad. This leads to us overeating and taking on a lot of calories that we don't need ( In fact, there have been studies that show artificial sweeteners increasing our appetite, thus causing us to eat more). In general, the calories we add on from the extra food is far more severe than any calories we would get from soda (unless you are one to down like 5 glasses of soda in a meal, which I obviously suggest you don't do).

2) Artificial sweeteners are detrimental to our health. The 1st red flag is that artificial sweeteners are unnatural chemical compounds, and any non-natural food is bad news for your health, as the chemicals will wreck your body after a period of time. The 2nd red flag is the most astounding, as I will list off some of the known side effects of artificial sweetener consumption: hallucinations, seizures, brain tumors, cancer. To add onto that, common associations with eating artificial sweeteners are Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Do you really wanna deal with that just to save some calories? Didn't think so.  

3) Your teeth will become disgusting. Consumption of diet soda can cause tooth damage that is comparable to the effects of using meth or cocaine. Diet soda drinkers suffer from tooth erosion, rotting and decay, and your teeth can get to the point where they are beyond saving. A study was performed referencing a woman who had to get all of her teeth removed and replaced with dentures because of consistent diet soda consumption. Her teeth resembled those of a 51 year old cocaine user who had an 18 year history of drug use. You may be drinking diet soda to improve your figure and lose some weight, but do you really wanna trade that for rotted teeth?

So what should you drink instead? The best choice is water - about 8-10 cups a day. Our body is made of 60% water and our normal bodily functions (digestion, circulation, nutrient transport, etc.) depend on a well hydrated body in order to work. Water is also good for maintaining healthy kidneys and skin. If straight up water gets too boring for you, throw in a lemon or lime to give it some extra flavor. Another good option is milk, as its packed with calcium and other vitamins that are essential for strong bones.

Sources:

http://rt.com/usa/diet-soda-teeth-meth-963/

http://myweigh2onederland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/essentia-nutrition-facts.jpg

SS: Substitution for Milk

Healthier Substitutions: Milk

by Tim Cullen

One of the most common consumed products today is the drink, milk. We were taught at an early age that we have to drink milk each and every day to keep healthy bones! In this post, I am going to highlight the truth's about milk and offer a substitution and suggestion for it to help keep a healthier you.

First thing is first, let us talk about how much milk should be consumed daily. The Recommended Daily Intake (known as RDI) for calcium is 1000 mg per day. That is the value which is recommended to fit the needs of about 98% of the individuals of all demographics. Usually when someone discusses the topic, calcium, the first thing that comes to the mind of the average person is milk. Many people drink 2% or whole milk each day and think it is perfectly fine for them, because they are getting their daily source of calcium. That is great, but there are some unhealthy parts of non-skim milk as well. Below I am going to show a comparison between a food label from a jug of 2% milk and a jug of skim milk. Be aware that food labels are regulated by the FDA and it is illegal to put incorrect information on there.

The two images above show labels of Whole and 2% milk from left to right respectively. The above are the two choices of milk I would not recommend be part of your daily diet. As you can see, circled in red, both milks have the same amount of your daily % value of calcium recommended intake in a serving. However you can see that in as little as 1 cup per serving of whole and 2% milk, you consume 8 and 5g of fat respectively. If you think about how small a cup of milk is, it can really add up how much you consume. Now compared to those two I will provide a label of skim milk, which I recommend you incorporate into your daily diet.

Again, circled in red is a few key points that need to be discussed. First, like whole and 2%, one serving of skim milk contains 30% of your daily value for calcium. However, it does not come with the fat and calories the other two contain. In skim milk we have reduced the total fat contents down to a healthy ZERO while still maintaining the same amount of calcium! Calories have also been reduced, but some calories are not bad. Be mindful that you need calories for energy, so trying to totally eliminate calories is not the right mindset to have. If you go from whole milk to skim, you are cutting out 12% of the daily value of fat from your diet, which is huge!

The conclusion here is that if you are going to consume milk, it should be skim milk. I understand that the taste may not be as good as whole milk, but just like any other food, you acquire a taste to it the more you consume it. Not only can one obtain their calcium from milk, but you can also get it from other sources that are healthy like

• Low fat Yogurt (my favorite): very low in fat and contains about 415 mg of Calcium per 8 oz serving
• Collard greens: Very low in fat and contains about 350 mg of Calcium per cup
• Calcium-set tofu: low in fat and contains about 160 mg of Calcium per cup
  
  
• Green peas: Very low in fat and contains about 100 mg of Calcium per cup
  
  

Source: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium-sources/