Tomorrow we leave for the marathon

Tomorrow morning we leave for Ashland so that I can run 26.2 miles on Saturday in the WhistleStop Marathon.

Just for the record... the marathon I signed up for is the one with blue skies, white puffy clouds, pretty fall leaves on the trees and 50 or 60 degree weather. Picture book perfect. Everyone smiling and happy. That unfortunately is not the forecast for Saturday! So much of a distance race is the mental part and I've been struggling with that aspect this week. Trying to prepare myself mentally for the prospect that there is a very good chance that I'll be running for 4.5 hours in the rain and cold, perhaps even snow. I am finding myself revisiting why I decided to do this in the first place. Here's what I've come up with:

* I first wanted to run a marathon when I was 17 years old. I am now 49.... you do the math.
* I am just about finished with one of the most emotionally draining things a person can go through and it's lasted almost 10 years. It was a marathon in itself and I am almost finished with it. 26.2 miles will be a walk in the park in comparison.
* I have been training to run this marathon for longer than I actually acknowledged it. It began in January 2006, I just didn't know it then. Therefore I am in the best physical condition I have ever been in, in my entire life.
* I want to "check" it off my list. I'm big on lists - refer to my post from the first of the year.
* I have had great support from friends and loved ones.
* I want to make certain people proud of me... including myself.
* This is not something I could ever do on my own. This is a gift of health and endurance from God and I am thankful of that daily.
* Just as eating healthy has become a lifestyle for me, running has as well. I like it.
* My dad will have fun telling people I did it. I like that.
* I have moxy. Whatever that means.

Wish me well my friends! I'll keep you posted.

Bacher out.

Marathon - 12 days to go and counting!

I told you last June that I had decided to train for a marathon. 26.2 miles. At the time it felt very distant and now my friends it is only 12 days away! Holy catfish! The race I entered is the WhistleStop Marathon in Ashland, WI on October 10th and according to their website it will be a gorgeous fall day, running through the woods gazing at the trees that are yellow, red and orange. Sounds perfect!

I've been training diligently and have run as far as 21 miles a week ago. The training program has us starting to taper so Saturday I "only" ran 14 miles and this week our long run is 8 miles. The schedule calls for 5 miles today, but it's cold and really windy out and I hate to tell you this, but I'm going to jump on the elliptical instead of running outside. Sometimes I'm kinda mamsy-pamsy and a fair weather gal. What I'd really like to be doing is putting on my jammies and curling up in front of the fireplace with Harry and a good book!

I'm not nervous about the run yet, however I do feel I should be thinking more about it. I believe it involves a lot of mental toughness and gumpsion. Set goals and stick to it and be willing to not give up. I imagine that I'll have to reach deep inside at some point and find the guts to just make myself do it.

Running a marathon sounds similar to reaching a weight loss goal doesn't it? Set goals, both long range goals and short term goals. Sometimes it feels easy. Sometimes not. Stick to it. Never give up. Have a plan. Work the plan. Hang in there. Surround yourself with a support team. Just make yourself do it. Enjoy the outcome. Create new habits. Sometimes smiling, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, sometimes frowning. And in the end proud as all get out that you held tough and accomplished it.

I'll keep you posted - in the meantime keep me in your prayers.

YOUR IMPORTANCE

I like this! You just never know....


If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

-- Fred Rogers, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood

HOPE!

Did you know that you need hope? We all do. Swiss theologian M.L. Bruner said, “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of human life.” Just as our physical bodies would die without oxygen, our spirit will suffocate without hope!


I hope for good health and the strength to have habits that help my body to be healthy and strong. I hope for those I care about to find joy, peace and love in their lives. I hope for many things...both complex and simple.

Always hold tight to hope my friends! Hope is our oxygen.

Bacher out.

Hot Fudge 'n Brownie Sundae - without the guilt!

Hi Gang! This one came across my radar from Hungry Girl and I am going to give it a whirl this weekend! Patti


PER SERVING (entire sundae): 190 calories, 2g fat, 116mg sodium, 41g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 27g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... and MORE chocolate. AHHHHHHHH!



Ingredients:
1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free French Chocolate fat-free ice cream
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
1 tbsp. traditional fudge brownie mix
2 tsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup
1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)

Directions:
Place brownie mix in a small microwave-safe dish (like a ramekin). Add egg substitute and 1/2 tsp. water, and mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then let sit for 5 minutes. Then, use a fork to break it up and crumble into brownie bits (use your fingers, too -- just make sure your hands are clean!). Place ice cream in a dessert dish, and top with brownie bits. Set aside.

Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe dish, and cover with syrup. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then mix well. Pour sauce over the brownie bits and ice cream. Dig in!!!

MAKES 1 SERVING

HG Tip! Wondering what to do with the rest of your brownie mix? Make single-serving brownies by thoroughly mixing 2 tbsp. brownie mix with 1 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute and 1 tsp. water in a small dish and then microwaving for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes, and then consume immediately! Your treat will contain around 106 calories, 2g fat, 22g carbs, and 1g fiber (POINTS® value 2*).

You Scream - I Scream - We All Scream for Ice Cream!

From the Weight Watchers website - the low down, on ice cream and great info on making an informed selection.

Like I always say, "Knowledge is power." My favorite is Edy's Slow Churned 1/2 the Fat Peanut Butter Cup at only 130 calories for half cup. Just be sure to invite me over for a small dish when you have it!

Ice cream
The one-size-fits-all term of old now has several sub-categories, with varying degrees of waistline-friendliness.

The rich, decadent flavor of superpremium ice cream comes from an abundance of milkfat (at least 14 percent) and very little added air — and density means more calories.

Premium is a step down from there (11- to 15-percent milkfat, and a bit more air), but still packs plenty of POINTS® values. Both varieties tend to come in more unusual, “gourmet” flavors. Regular contains at least 10-percent milkfat, and has even more air than premium. Compare nutrition facts labels — you’ll be surprised by how well some regular ice cream fits into the program. Reduced Fat contains at least 25-percent less fat than its regular counterpart. Light and low-fat has less than 30 percent of calories from fat or no more than 3 grams of fat in a half-cup serving. Non-fat has less than 0.5 grams of fat. That said, always check the nutrition facts: the “light” variety of a superpremium brand may have more POINTS values than the “regular” from another brand.

A few words about milkfat: Because the amount of air pumped into different brands varies so greatly, the percentage of milkfat doesn’t correspond precisely to the number of fat grams per serving. For example, if a superpremium vanilla has 16-percent milkfat and 12 fat grams per serving, the regular might have 10-percent milkfat and 7 grams of fat in a serving, and the light could have 4-percent milkfat and 4 fat grams. That’s why it’s so important to calculate the POINTS values for each specific brand you try.

Slow-churned, cold-churned or double-churned
Three names for the same thing, this is a revolution in reduced-calorie ice cream production, a new process that disperses the tiny globules of milk fat more thoroughly. The basic recipe — and the milkfat content — is the same as other low- and reduced-fat ice creams, but the technique used to make it creates the illusion of richness. These products can offer the satisfaction of premium ice cream with far less fat and calories. There are a few brands on the market now that have a POINTS value of only 3 per serving, but still feel indulgent. Note that “no sugar added” doesn’t always equal a big difference in calories (or POINTS value).

Soft serve
Surprise! Those sweet swirls are almost always reduced-fat — most recipes call for only 3- to 6-percent milkfat. Plus its soft texture comes from churned-in air, which yields fewer calories by volume. Frozen custard is not the same as soft serve — it’s got added egg yolks, plus a higher percentage of milkfat.

Gelato
Similar in texture to soft serve but with a much more intense flavor, gelato can be an occasional treat. It usually has more milk than cream, meaning a lower fat count than regular ice cream, but with much less air — so there are more calories in less volume. Stick to small servings.

Frozen yogurt
With a taste and calorie count that’s similar to light ice cream, this is usually a good choice — but don’t forget to read the nutrition facts! Some frozen yogurts have a higher POINTS value per serving than slow-churned ice cream.

Non-dairy frozen desserts
If you’re a vegan, lactose intolerant or watching your cholesterol, you can still enjoy a creamy treat. Frozen desserts based on soy or rice are plan-friendly — relatively low in calories and fat — and, while they may not taste exactly like the real thing, they’re a whole lot better than nothing.

Sherbet and sorbet
Sherbet has less milkfat and more sugar than low-fat ice cream, and its POINTS value is relatively low. Sorbet has no dairy in it at all, so it’s usually fat-free — but the high sugar content means that it may have just as many calories as some ice creams. But texturally it’s entirely different: more icy and refreshing, but less decadent.

Diet Soda Cake

This was dubbed by another WW leader as the "best" Diet Soda Cake. Sounds rather good and as birthday month approaches quickly, perhaps I'll try it!

Best Diet Soda Cake
12 servings at 4 points each

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 can White Diet Soda
1 pkg Sugar Free/Fat Free Pistachio Pudding

Mix all ingredients together. Spray 9x13 pan with non stick spray and pour mixture in. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Note: Can put in muffin pan if desired. Makes 12 muffins.

It's official

It's official gang - I just signed up to run a marathon in October!

The money has been paid.... there is no turning back now!

What are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting?

Hey everyone! This question (and their answer) came on the Hungry Girl e-zine recently. Their answer follows.... but I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on the matter. Comment and let me know what YOU think. - Patti


Dear Hungry Girl,

What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting? Are there any secrets? I keep losing and gaining the same 20 lbs. Ugh!
Diet Diva

Dear DD,
There are many mistakes people tend to make when dieting. I'm going to list some of the biggies. And remember, this is just my opinion.

1. Following fad diets. I'm not a fan of fad diets. They don't teach you how to eat in a way you can live with forever. Sure, if you follow a set plan for a limited time, you can lose weight. The hard part is maintaining that weight loss in the long term. If you try to stick with the fad diet's style of eating, it's very likely you'll eventually give up or get bored. If you go back to your old eating habits, you regain the weight. This is a huge problem and the reason why I don't recommend fad dieting.

2. Skipping meals. If you skip meals you'll only end up hungrier and more likely to eat too much and/or the wrong thing. It's that simple. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And eat dinner!

3. Drinking calories. Sheesh! Drinking your calories is a WASTE... really. It's much more satisfying to chew food than it is to drink stuff. Having a low-calorie liquid swap is fine -- like treating yourself to one of our Swappuccinos or a diet hot cocoa when you're craving the real thing. But it's too easy to sip an extra 300 - 500 calories a day if you drink calorie-packed beverages. Avoid those and stick with water for the most part.

4. Living in denial. Don't pretend there are no calories in condiments, that a salad is healthy and diet-friendly no matter what, and that food you eat while standing (or on an airplane, etc., etc.) doesn't count. It ALL counts!

5. Not reading labels. READ LABELS, people! And read them CAREFULLY. Take note of serving sizes and servings per package. This is KEY.

There you have it... those are five mistakes that are very common. And no, there are no real secrets to dieting -- except that you need to find a way to eat that'll work for you FOREVER. That's the one thing people tend to forget -- the forever factor.

I rocked the Bellin 10k run!

So yesterday was the Bellin 10k run and I so totally rocked it! I really had not timed myself prior to this, but had a pretty good feel that I may be able to break an hour. So I set out and tried to keep a pace that was good for me. Not too slow and not killer. When I was coming around the corner at 6 miles and I saw the gun time I thought, I might be able to break an hour if I push it the last 3 blocks. So I tried to step it up a bit and push it to the end. Well come to find out I had an extra 2 minutes on my calculation because I didn't pass the starting line until 2 minutes after my wave started. Long story short - I finished in 56:28! An average of 9:06 minute miles. A personal best, thank you very kindly. In fact, in 1990 (when I was REALLY 29) I ran it in 58:43. So there you have it. I'm running faster now than ever before.

Next goal - running a marathon in October. I'll keep you posted on how the training is coming along.

In the meantime, NEVER doubt your abilities to do something better than you ever have before. Never say never.

Choose good carbs

Choose good carbs, not no carbs. Whole grains are your best bet.

Whole Wheat Bread - Don't be misled by fad diets that make blanket pronouncements on the dangers of carbohydrates. They provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. But some kinds of carbohydrates are far better than others.

The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. (Can you say Filling Foods First gang?)

Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.


My source for the above? The Harvard School of Public Health. So believe it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

This sounds yummy!

1 - 15pz can pumpkin
1 - 18.3 oz fudge brownie mix (family size)
2 Tbsp low fat peanut butter (Better N' Peanut Butter) - at room temp

Combine pumpkin and brownie mix until smooth. Spread in prepared 8 x 8 pan.

Dot top with peanut butter and use knife to swirl around. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Will look undercooked - very thick and fudgy. Remove from oven and cover with tin foil. Cool in the fridge.

36 servings at 1 point each

tasting touching hearing seeing breathing

MY DAUGHTER GAVE ME A POSTER FOR CHRISTMAS WITH THIS POEM BY ee cummings ON IT. IT HANGS IN FRONT OF MY ELLIPTICAL AND I'VE READ IT OFTEN THIS PAST WINTER. I REALLY LIKE IT AND IT SPEAKS TO ME IN THE PROCESS OF EMBRACING LIFE AND REMOVING THE CONTROL FOOD HAS OVER ME. I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.... ENJOY -


i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

-ee cummings

Strawberry Blueberry Trifle - it's a celebration!

I originally posted this almost a year ago to the day, but feel it needs repeating as we head into Memorial Day weekend and summer picnics. This is an excellent choice to make for friends and family! Enjoy the holiday and God Bless!

Festive Angel Food & Berry Dessert

We made this gorgeous and delicious recipe for my daughter-in-law's wedding shower and it was of course a huge hit. I've been looking high and low for the actual recipe and can find it nowhere, so here's a picture and the ingredients are to the best of my recollection. I do remember that we used SF, FF Vanilla pudding that day because we were unable to find the SF, FF White Chocolate Pudding at the store. I also remember that we doubled the recipe and then forgot to layer the pudding/cool whip as often as we were supposed to. With this recipe I believe you can't go wrong - layer it as much or as little as you'd like and it will be a hit! Be sure to use a clear bowl because as you can see part of the fun is in the presentation of this one.

1 Angel Food Cake cubed
Strawberries - may want to slice or quarter depending on size of berry
Blueberries
Tub of Cool Whip - I always use the fat-free one
1 package sugar-free, fat-free white chocolate instant pudding mix
3 cups skim milk
(Remember we doubled the above ingredients to fill the punch bowl pictured above)

Prepare the pudding according to the package. Cube the cake, wash and prep the berries. Start layering with pudding first and then the other ingredients. Repeat the layers as many times as you can and finish with cool whip and a couple "perfect" berries to top it all off.

Enjoy!

Update: My wonderful daughter-in-law had the official recipe handy and here it is!

Strawberry Blueberry Trifle

3 C. fat free skim milk
2 oz ff sf instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 pound angel food cake
3 C. strawberries
3 C. blueberries
8 oz light whipped topping

In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for two minutes or until slightly
thickened. Place a third of the cake cubes in a trifle bowl or 3 1/2 qt.
serving bowl. Top with a third layer of the pudding, 1 C. sliced strawberries,
1 1/2 C. blueberries and a third of whipped topping. Top with remaining cake,
pudding strawberries, blueberries and topping. Garnish with quartered
strawberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

You Don't Have To Run A Marathon - Just Move More Than You Have Been!

The Bellin 10k run is coming up soon - the second weekend in June - and I"m getting excited about it already. I've been running and working out on my elliptical. I'll be ready Eddy!

It's been a long time in coming though and it was gradual working up to the fitness level where I could run a 10k. And I'll be honest, I could have done it a couple years ago if I'd wanted to. But I didn't want to and I think that's truly key to a successful exercise program. You have to want to do it. If you are forcing it, it won't last and lasting is the key component here.

Pick something you enjoy doing. Pick something you can see yourself doing "for the rest of your life". Take it on a little at a time. Step by step. I like to say, "we aren't asking you to sign up for a marathon, just move more than you have been". That's what I always say to my members at the WW meetings.... and here I am seriously considering training for a marathon. Holy catfish. I'll keep you posted.

Sabotaging Yourself with a Healthy Menu Item???

Hey gang - what's your take on this!? Rather interesting I thought... and being aware of the possibility that we are doing this to ourselves helps us overcome it!


Healthy Menu Items May Sabotage Your Diet
Researchers Say Good Options Actually Lead to Bad Food Choices

By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

April 23, 2009 -- Maybe next time you see a tossed salad in a restaurant you should look the other way -- especially if you're on a diet -- because just seeing the healthy food on a menu may induce you to make a fattening choice, new research indicates.

Yes, that's counterintuitive, but it happens again and again, says Gavan Fitzsimons, PhD, professor of psychology and marketing at Duke University, who led the startling study of what he calls "vicarious goal fulfillment."

The team's findings are published online in the October issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

"We've found that the presence of a healthy item leads people to choose the one that is the least healthy on the menu," Fitzsimons tells WebMD. "Just seeing the healthy item and considering it makes you feel you've done your duty. It's crazy, but it's human."

Participants in a study who'd scored high on measures of self-control relating to food avoided french fries and other unhealthy choices when they had only unhealthy items from which to choose. But if a side salad was added to the selection list, even the most disciplined were more likely to take the fries, the researchers say.

"The one takeaway from this that I think is important is that consumers have to be really conscious of this tendency to lower their self-control and indulge when a healthy option is available," researcher Keith Wilcox, a doctoral student at Baruch College, City University of New York, tells WebMD. "It appears that by simply considering a healthy option, consumers are being more indulgent. So consumers have to recognize that considering something good may lead to bad behavior."

Self-Control vs. Temptation

The researchers asked participants to select a food item from one of two pictorial menus. Half saw a menu of only unhealthy items, including fries, chicken nuggets, and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. The rest were given the same options plus the choice of a side salad.

More went straight for the most unhealthy choice when the salad was an option compared to when it wasn't.

Ironically, Wilcox says, "the effect was strongest among those consumers who normally had high levels of self-control."

Fitzsimons says the presence of a salad on the menu had a "liberating effect," freeing even the self-disciplined "to give in to temptation and make an unhealthy choice. In fact, when this happens, people become so detached from their health-related goals, they go to extremes and choose the least healthy item on the menu."

What's going on "is happening outside our conscious awareness," he tells WebMD. "People believe they are high in self-control, then walk up, see the healthy option, and somehow satisfy the health goal; then they have no goal and make an unhealthy choice. That's what we want to get out to the world -- that knowing your vulnerability gives you ammunition to resist."

Laurie Mintz, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and an expert on eating and sex disorders, tells WebMD that people might be able to overcome vicarious goal fulfillment by constantly reminding themselves of their intentions. She suggests wearing a rubber band around the wrist and snapping it before ordering in a restaurant to practice self-control.

"If you see a salad and it doesn't look as good, it almost makes the other stuff look better," says Mintz, who is also a clinical psychologist. "There's a freeing effect, and you say, 'I might as well.'"

Norman Pollock, PhD, a nutrition professor at the Medical College of Georgia, says the study "provides us with another snapshot of the complex nature of eating habits. These observations provide additional information regarding possible factors involved in the etiology of obesity ."

The research, he tells WebMD, suggests that "interventions to enhance self-control and delay of gratification may be beneficial in the prevention of excessive weight gain ."

At its core, the study "confirms that we are sometimes our own worst enemies," Koert van Ittersum, a marketing professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, tells WebMD. "Once we feel we have done something right -- as in thinking about eating a salad -- we feel we deserve more. The mind plays tricks on us. We go in a coffee shop and pick up a muffin, which in our minds is something small, but in reality is huge, but our minds don't see that."

Fitzsimons says that since fast-food restaurants increased so-called healthy choices, sales have grown, but from "increases in sales of burgers and fries" and other fattening items.

"This is one of those human quirks that we may be able to overcome if we are conscious of it and make a concerted effort to stick to the healthy choices we know we should be making," Baruch College researcher, Lauren Block, PhD, says in a news release.

The researchers also found that participants also made unhealthy choices in other experiments. Most chose a bacon cheeseburger over a healthier veggie burger and also chose fattening chocolate-covered Oreos over cookies in a labeled 100-calorie pack.

"What [the study] shows is that adding one or two healthy items to a menu is essentially the worst thing you can do," Fitzsimons says. "This is all brand new research, showing that much of what we do is happening outside our consciousness."

The Cellcom Marathon

Sunday is the Cellcom Marathon in Green Bay and I'm discovering the excitement around this cool event is high. It starts tonight with a health and fitness expo and Lambeau Field. What a great opportunity to learn a lot about making your lifestyle a healthy one. I'm going to check it out and I'll keep you posted!

Annual Physical

I've been told that personal updates are the preferred posts so here goes....

Today I had my annual physical and I passed with flying colors.
Resting heart rate - 46
Blood pressure - 118 over 60
Oxygen - 100%
Cholesterol - results still out
Weight - 70 pounds less than my physical in 2003. Yes, 70 pounds lighter. That fact still blows me away sometimes.

How have I done it? I still eat very much to the regimen of the WW Core program or what is now considered the Filling Foods on the WW Momentum plan. I am very aware of eating only when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm satisfied. Not full. Not stuffed. Satisfied.

I also exercise from 30 - 45 minutes at least 6 days a week. Walking, biking, elliptical, running. Sometimes others, but mostly those four. Exercise has become enjoyable for me and I look forward to my work outs. I even get all "antsy" if I don't exercise.

It has been lifestyle changes and they weren't all made in the same day. Small steps at a time and today I am happy with my visit to the doc. I didn't use to feel that way.

It feels good.

Acts 17:28

"In God we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28

Isn't this a great bible verse? I just happened upon it and I really like it!

In GOD
We LIVE
We MOVE
We have our BEING

I like it!

Map This Walk, Run, Ride!

I've posted the link here before, but consider it well worth repeating! I really like MapMyWalk.com. You can easily chart your walk, run or bike ride on the map and it tells you how far your route is. It's got a great training log and you can even track calories burned and weight if you want.

Turned out my little jaunt the other day was a whopping 4.53 miles! Awesome!

MapMyWalk.com Check it out! I like it!