The Health Quest

      Ever since I restarted taking dance classes this past spring, I have developed a desire to learn more about health and nutrition.  Before, when I used to ride the elliptical machine, it felt more like an obligation, along with eating healthier foods.  There is something about becoming more physically active, though, at least when you are enjoying it, that makes you more aware of your body, and how important it is to take care of it if you want to continue to do the new and exciting moves.  Before, I thought that eating healthier would just make me more physically attractive and appealing.  While I acknowledge that this is true, I think it is more important to think about the long term, such as the fact that I will be able to hike, dance, and do all physical activities much more in ten and twenty years if I take care of myself now.  

     I would be lying if this desire to become more fit was not partially narcissistic: my sister is getting married this July, and I am certain that she will make a beautiful bride.  As the maid of honor (and the older sister maid of honor, mind you), I do want to look pretty in my bridesmaids dress.  The wedding is at a winery in Northern California, and the guests will be of the attractive and well-educated sort.  In other words, the wedding will be formal and sophisticated, and I want to look the part.  While I have toned up in 2011, I am still about a size and a half larger than I would like to be.  (Notice, I am going by pants and jeans sizes rather than scale weight because I think those weight charts should be used as a guideline, but are not 100 percent foolproof.  Apparently, those weight charts say that Brad Pitt is overweight and that George Clooney is obese.  They don't take muscle mass into account, and frame size only to a certain degree, so I don't completely trust them.  My cousin, who is a doctor, says that I should start taking measurements, and I think she's right). 

       With the goal of getting down another size and a half in mind (or, if you'd really like to go by pounds, approximately the size of my cat, who weighs between 13 and 15 pounds), I have started reading up more about the right and wrong foods to eat.  My primary sources are "Eat This, Not That," "The Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind," and yes, the internet.  Granted, I am certainly not the best person to give advice.  One of my dance teachers, who is also a trainer and a dietician, could do a much better job of that than yours truly.  But for some reason, I do feel the God-given responsibility to share what I have learned, both the hard way and the sometimes easier way: 

1. Short term and crash diets will get the weight off, especially if you only have so many pounds to lose.  However, if you do not make the lifestyle changes permanent, you will put the weight back on.  Period.  I know this because I did the Special K diet about five years ago before my friend's wedding because (again) I wanted to be the pretty bridesmaid.  I lost almost ten pounds, but I did not keep them off in the long haul. If you have a big event coming up, then yes, I can understand using an approach like this one.  I'm just saying it might not give you the long term results that you want. 

2. The foods that you can eat a lot are: fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, eggs, and other proteins that have the "good" fats in them.  Also, some nutritionists also say that unrefined whole grain wheats are all right.  The foods you should eat in moderation are: pretty much everything else.  This is bleak to realize, but pretty much every other food and beverage besides water can either make you fat or give you cancer if you do it in excess.  That said, I am not a believer in giving up these foods completely.  I think whichever philosopher said "nothing in excess" was onto something.  I think my cousin Kris was too when he said, "I think we should be like the French.  They eat everything, but they eat it in smaller portions than we do."  I spent two weeks in France during July 2009 for a travel writing class, and Kris is right.  The French eat crepes, chocolate, and carbohydrates, but they have much smaller portion sizes than the heaping portions at TGI Friday's.  I think I should read the book entitled "French Women Don't Get Fat" because apparently, the French know much more about how to enjoy food and wine in moderation than we Americans do. 

3. Cardio exercise rocks, but it needs to be supplemented with weight training.  I have read this, and after watching my exercise habits over time, it's true.  Cardio comes first because it sheds the fat, but muscle training tones you up and also allows your body to absorb more calories without turning them into fat.  Also, if you're like me and have lacking core and upper body strength, weight training can improve posture and make lifting chores much easier.  

     So, I am still learning myself, but I think the bottom line is that a lifestyle change takes more time in patience, but it yields better results in the long run.  Also, for those of us who learned that cereals are a good breakfast: eggs are actually better because they keep you fuller for longer, and carbs turn into fat if you don't utilize them for physical activity.  I do eat a more carb-intensive breakfast when I know I am going to dance for two hours on a Saturday morning.  Upon the advice of my dance teacher, I usually eat a piece of toast with Nutella, or peanut butter.  However, I am going to switch to just eggs for breakfast from this point on.  I have been eating a biscuit with eggs, cheese, and organic sausage, but the biscuit has too many starchy carbs.  So, I will see how eggs and non-meat sausage for breakfast goes in the New Year.  Stay tuned, folks, because hopefully, I can keep learning and therefore sharing with others.