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By jamie, April 18, 2012 10:59 pm

My thighs are on fire right now, and the stairs at school this afternoon were a little bit tricky. Almost on a a whim, I lugged out my fitness DVD collection last night and attempted Bob Harper’s Cardio Conditioning DVD for the first time. I lasted fifteen minutes, but there was a lot of squatting in that fifteen minutes. I also drank more water yesterday and today. I know these are small steps, but at least they are moving me in the right direction.

In other words, Coach Yourself Thin is helping so far. A lot. I have read to chapter 11, and am reading about myself more than I expected to. This section consists of several short chapters which collectively discuss “seven undermining obstacles to weight loss.” Each of these “obstacle” chapters includes a quiz filled with yes/no questions for self assessment.

Lo and behold, one of them was “all-or-nothing thinking,” my nemesis. It was odd to read myself on the page, particularly after I recently wrote about this obstacle (of course, I have been thinking about it as a character flaw – if it’s just an obstacle, maybe I will finally be able to move past it). The authors compare new dieters to new-car owners. I remember the “no food or drink rule: I instituted not quite a year and a half ago when I got my new/used car. Now the back seat is full of crumbs and melted crayons, and we aren’t going to discuss the front/passenger side.

Here is a quote: “The more gung ho and extreme your initial effort, the greater the chance that you will swing to the other extreme as soon as you hit a rough patch. You go from eating wild salmon, quinoa, and kale to downing cheeseburgers, fries, and regular sodas, or from exercising like mad to being mad that you have to exercise.” I am so sad that this is me. My initial efforts are epic. And short-lived.

That’s why I did a monthly resolution this year – instead of just saying “My NYR is to lose weight,” I said “ten pounds a month until I’m happy with my shape.” Still, it is humiliating that I only lasted two months without jumping off the wagon (notice I didn’t say “falling”). But because my goals are monthly, I can still turn it around. Before reading this chapter, I was thinking I should try to lose 20 pounds this month (how many days are left in April?) in order to “catch up” on my goal. Now I am thinking I will start where I’m at. If I can catch up along the way, I will be pretty proud of myself, but I’m going to aim for 3-4 pounds lost by the end of this month, then start with a new goal of 10 in May. I don’t know what the authors of this book would say about this plan, but I think it’s a reasonable one.

Another obstacle is labeled “feelings of unworthiness.” When I began this chapter, I did not expect to identify with it. I do not feel unworthy. I am successful in other areas of my life. I work hard at my job, I feel fulfilled as a mother, wife, daughter, etc. (the house could be cleaner, but we all have our priorities). I take the time to read and blog because it makes me a better teacher, conversationalist, and person. I also take the time to paint my nails once or twice a week because it makes me happy and I love the compliments I get. That doesn’t sound like someone who feels unworthy, right?

I DO feel overwhelmed, though, at the enormity of my task, and I feel frustrated that it’s not easier. I am not saying I want to be easy, but I shouldn’t be my own worst enemy, you know? I AM self-critical, and I DO avoid certain situations because of my weight. There were so many quotes in this section that resonated with me that I copied several of them down and I keep thinking about the.m. Somehow, this feels like a breakthrough, but them I think about my “all-or-nothing new car feeling” and it seems more prudent to just be cautiously optimistic.

There is one more quote I want to share, and it’s from the obstacle titled “not listening to the signals from your body and mind.”

[T]uning out from what your body is telling you will lead to poor health decisions. Your body’s natural signals (like hunger, fatigue, and pain) get progressively more difficult to hear amid the buzz created by caffeine, alcohol, sugar, fat, and medications. Eventually those natural signals may disappear altogether; they might still be there beneath the surface, but because you’ve spent so much time ignoring or suppressing them, you’ve lost the ability to detect them. And underneath it all, health problems are brewing. As the health problems worsen, new signals—such as reflux, low blood sugar, or painful, swollen joints—emerge. These are symptoms of disease or injury, and they’ll be much harder to ignore.

Think about that a second. Re-read it. “Your body’s natural signals (like hunger, fatigue, and pain) get progressively more difficult to hear amid the buzz created by caffeine, alcohol, sugar, fat, and medications.” That’s pretty serious. I am afraid of a lot of substances, in part for this reason – I don’t like to take medicine unless I have no choice (I even opted against the epidural), I limit caffeine, and you can count on me to be your designated driver. I have never placed sugar or fat into this same category. And with all that I have read about processed foods (and some of you have read it right along with me), this should not have sounded so groundbreaking, but it did. (Maybe it’s that “all-or-nothing” thinking again.)

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By jamie, April 16, 2012 9:03 pm

My New Year’s Resolution this year was an ambitious one – I resolved to lose 10 pounds per month until I am happy with my shape. Coming off of a great success from 2011 (no McDonald’s – I still haven’t consumed so much as a french fry!), I felt that I could finally handle a biggie. January and February went according to plan, and then some; by March 1, I was down 25 pounds. Then came March, which was a terrible month, full of stress and sadness. I have no one but myself to blame for my five pound weight gain, which became eight pounds as of this morning. I can’t even say that I am consumed with guilt about the fact that I haven’t logged my food in weeks, nor have I exercised. I have been so busy with everything else I have to do that I haven’t even given it much thought (fleeting guilt, at the most).

Hence, this book. The premise is that, if you don’t have access to an actual coach, you can coach yourself towards weight lost, not by finding a quick-fix type diet, or by engaging in turbo-restrictions (did I ever tell you about the time I stopped eating carbohydrates? – I looked really cute and fit until my hair started falling out), but by changing your mindset. This shift will allow you to develop better habits, which will lead to real weight loss success.

I read through Chapter 4. I haven’t decided how to read/blog this book yet, because much of it includes activities, some of which take several days to accomplish (for example, the first one asks you to set a small non-scale-related goal, such as drink four glasses of water a day, commit to it, and see how you feel after a few days of practice). I may take it super slowly and do the exercises as I go, or I might just read it through, and then either review it right away or wait and review it after I have made some progress.

From the beginning chapters, the authors are pushing in the direction of positive change – no processed food, don’t just hang out on the couch without moving, etc. I’m feeling a bit twitchy because, of course, I know this stuff, but I’m counting on the part where they help me change my mindset. Oh, and “people who get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night are thinner than those who get fewer than 7 hours.” This is not news to me – maybe hearing it a thousand times will finally convince me to try sleeping more consistently.

Here is a quote:

The Coach Approach is that negative thoughts don’t lead to change. Transformation is the result of positive feelings that build you up rather than tear you down, so improving your self-esteem and confidence actually precedes weight-loss success.

The Coach Approach is that you may need to lower the bar in order to jump over it. Keeping your weight-loss expectations realistic from the get-go will motivate you to move forward instead of frustrating you so much that you give up before you’ve even started. You can continue to increase your standards as you make progress and gain confidence in your abilities.

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By jamie, April 19, 2010 7:59 pm

This last Friday we had a dinner party. We served pork tenderloin with a Cajun rub, penne with broccoli and mushrooms, a sauteed vegetable medley, and spinach salad. For dessert we served strawberry shortcake. We made an overabundance of food, and are still eating leftovers (hubby was out of town on Saturday, and we ate at his parents’ place yesterday). Funny thing about eating whole foods – they fill you up faster than the other stuff, so we still have food for one more night, then I have to get cooking again.

In the last chapter of the book, Pollan advises us to “eat less.” He takes issue with the idea that we have to eat every couple of hours, and says that snacking is not necessary. Instead, we should “eat meals.” Here’s another public confession: I have gained weight since my daughter was born, mostly because I do not follow this wisdom. Sometimes I will realize, at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, that I have not eaten a thing all day long. So I have a snack. Then we have dinner. Then another snack. Then more snacking, sometimes until right before I go to bed. (I’ve been doing much better the past week or so, eating within two hours of waking most days, and aiming for one hour.)

He again acknowledges that his new way of eating is expensive: “Not everyone can afford to eat high-quality food in America, and that is shameful; however, those of us who can, should.” This still bothers me – we should all be able to eat high quality food. When I was in the grocery store the other day, I noticed a sign in the produce section advertising that WIC recipients can now buy fresh fruits and vegetables with their vouchers. They couldn’t before?! I suppose if people eat less, they might be saving money too, and end up without too much of a net increase in their food budget. And those who CAN afford to pay more for food can “vote” for better choices for everyone by choosing the better food. I’m still not happy though.

His final food policy: “Cook and, if you can plant a garden.”

I can’t remember if I have told you about a policy my sister recently made for herself: She decided that, whenever she wants to eat something sweeter than fruit, she will bake it instead of buying it. I can imagine that this will really cut down on the eating of treats. Cooking will do the same thing for helping avoid eating junky food – french fries (Pollan’s example) sound less enticing when eating them involves washing, peeling, seasoning, and frying potatoes. I wonder how far I should take this – I have an ice cream maker, and I might eat less ice cream if I have to make it first!

As for the garden, we are working on setting up our first garden right now, starting with tomatoes and strawberries! I’ll keep you posted.

Since finishing the book this weekend, I have been thinking a lot about what I have learned, especially about milk – I spent a long time in the grocery store on Saturday trying to choose yogurt – most of it is low fat and contains milk powder, which I am now afraid for my family to ingest. I ended up getting Baby Girl’s favorite brand, but I chose vanilla instead of her usual flavors, to sort of transition her. She liked the vanilla, so I am encouraged to take the next step. I think I am going to buy Greek yogurt this week and blend fresh fruit into it (I still need to check labels though before I decide).

Scroll down for other posts about In Defense of Food:

Other posts about In Defense of Food:
Review
Post 1: In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
Post 2: Breakfast Cereal is not a Food?
Post 3: Chocolate Science
Post 4: “Hourly Yogurt Enemas?!”
Post 5: Hunting and Gathering
Post 6: Look Mom – No Cavities!
Post 7: Mainlining Glucose or “I’m Not an Addict!”
Post 8: Food is Religious and Political
Post 9: Whole Milk Sounds Almost Sinful
Post 10: I Don’t Like the Salad, Mommy
Post 11: Let’s Plant a Garden

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By jamie, March 6, 2010 9:11 pm

I like Jillian Michaels. When I watch her on television, I get the impression that she genuinely cares about the “contestants,” (even though the producers of the show are obviously only out to maximize ratings, and are willing to exploit these poor people in any way they see fit, not really caring what emotional – or even physical – damage they do in the process). But this is not a review of The Biggest Loser, so, back to the book.

From the beginning, Michaels establishes that she is “one of us,” with difficulty losing or maintaining her weight, and an lifelong dislike for exercise. Wait a minute. What? I don’t really buy it, but I appreciate her effort to make us “regular” people feel like there is hope for us (especially the short ones, who may feel that they have to engage in hours of daily vigorous exercise in order to avoid looking chunky – Michaels is only 5’2″!).

One point she drives home throughout is that, while she is on our side and hoping for our success, many food manufacturers couldn’t care less about us. Many of our foods contain endocrine disruptors, or chemicals that interfere with proper hormone function, which, among other awful things, makes our metabolism sluggish and causes us to gain weight. The food industry shares the blame with manufacturers of other products, from cleaning products to clothing. As for personal responsibility? – Our diets, sleep habits, and general way of life set us up for a host of scary health problems.

Michaels provides a detailed plan to remove bad chemicals and “cheap fillers” from our diets, a plan heavily centered around organic whole foods. She also has helpful advice about removing toxins from our homes and yards, allowing us to improve the environment while we save our own lives.

While some of this information can be found elsewhere (we know by now that not all carbs are bad, but that we shouldn’t start and end the day with donuts and chocolate cake), she also shuns a lot of current diet advice. For example, she insists that several mini-meals throughout the day, while popularly lauded as the way to achieve sveltness, is actually a bad idea for most of us, saying that “bodybuilders developed this style of eating to squeeze thousands upon thousands of calories into their day”. She shuns the idea that parking far away from the grocery store or taking the stairs whenever possible will help people reach their fitness goals (“No, you need to get to the gym, work your *** off when you’re there, and get the job done.”). Surprisingly, she also does not recommend a vegetarian diet for anybody (she doesn’t talk about it much, but says that it’s impossible to get a beneficial amount of certain nutrients only from plant sources).

Here is some good news: not all companies are evil. Some of her favorites include the following: For cosmetics, she recommends Dr. Hauschka, Ren, Aesops, Nude, and Jason. For processed foods, she likes (but still recommends moderation) Amys, Arrowhead Mills, Cliff, Eden, Erewhon, Ezekiel, Greens, Healthy Valley, Horizon, Kashi, Luna, Nature’s Path, and Newman’s Own.

One caveat about this book – while she does include a “selected references” section, and even cites many academic sources, I cannot in good faith believe that every word in this book is accurate at an academic level. While her overall assertions may be sound, specific statistics may have been misconstrued to sell her point. I don’t know whether we should fault Michaels for this or her editor, but it is important to double check her “facts” before you quote them as such.

I checked three non-random assertions just in case. My findings:

1. Quote: “Triclosan [the active ingredient in many antibacterial products] is believed to interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism, cause antibiotic resistance, and create carcinogenic compounds when combined with chlorinated water.”

   Findings: This one looks true. It seems that the biggest trouble is when it is rinsed down the drain, because then it remains in our drinking water in concentrations high enough to be a potential hazard. And it’s in EVERYTHING – even toothpaste and toys! It has been found in breast milk, and may be a contributor to miscarriages. So scary.

   This link connects to information about the article mentioned in the bibliography, along with the complete citation.

2. Quote: “NASA scientists found that one potted plant every one hundred feet can remove many harmful contaminants from the air in your home. Best varieties include bamboo palm, English ivy, gerbera daisy, and green spider.”

   My Findings: True, except that the list of plants is longer than the one she provided. The plants pull the contaminants in and use them for food.

   This link provides summary information, a longer list of good plants that help remove toxins, and includes a list of links to more information about the NASA study.

3. “One recent study found that parents who’d bathed their pets with pyrethrin pest-control shampoos were twice as likely to have an autistic child.”

   My Findings: Uh oh. I did not read the actual academic study, but I DID read her link, and that’s not what it says at all. Here is the quote from her source: “Mothers of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were twice as likely to have reported using pet shampoos containing a class of insecticide called pyrethrins as those of healthy children.” Maybe she didn’t understand what the findings meant, but what she said is NOT what the study found. There seems to be a link between the pyrethrins and autism, but there is no evidence that using it doubles the chances of having an autistic child. Oh dear – an editor should have caught this.

   This link is the one she provides, in case you want to see for yourself.

So, the bottom line is – check the specifics before you repeat them as facts, though there is probably at least a kernel of truth in what she says in this book.

One more important point to make – Jillian Michaels is under a doctor’s care for a thyroid condition, and regularly takes thyroid medication. For readers who truly believe they have hormone imbalances, she recommends working with a good endocrinologist and possibly going on medication. Her diet, exercise, and general living plan, even if followed only partially, will probably help readers improve their health, but, as with any advice book, one size does not fit all. Some people may need to see a doctor to actually achieve the results they are looking for.

Despite the book’s subtitle, which promises a Hot and Healthy Body, Michaels definitely emphasizes health over physical aesthetics. Because of this, it is a valuable read for people who are not trying to lose weight, as well as those who would like to lose a few pounds (or more). As long as you don’t quote her specific statistics without checking them first, I think this book is a useful addition to your healthy eating, healthy living library.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market

Comments (5)

By jamie, March 5, 2010 1:17 pm

I finished the book. The last two chapters include a brief “welcome” to our new lives, and a detailed shopping list in case we are following Jillian’s two week meal plan. I’m not going to follow it precisely, but I will probably try some of her recipes. If I do, I may post about them here. I am going to try to follow her advice in general, and I will try to blog about it elsewhere (I will add a link here if I decide to do that).

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I developed a great liking for black beans – these are an excellent protein source, so that’s one way I’ll try to balance our meals. If you are going to follow (some of) the advice too, or of you are also reading the book, I’d love to hear how you are doing and what you think. I have received a lot of positive feedback from several of you (mostly over the phone or on my Facebook page), and I feel encouraged to keep going, not only with the blog, but with removing toxins from our home and especially from our food.

I think I will post a short review tomorrow – some people (including my mom) have told me that it would also be helpful to have an actual review and not just my comments as I am reading. I would like to thank those who have been following along as I’ve been reading this particular book – I hope you will join me for some my other reading adventures! I’m having great fun writing about them.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market