The Reality of Health and Weight Loss

So I really missed the boat on “Eating Disorder Awareness Week” because now it’s Friday and all the other blogs beat me to the punch.

I’d like to say one thing, really.

You’re all beautiful, and I love each and every one of you in a non-creepy “let’s group hug it out!” kind of way, and none of you should ever, ever, EVER let anyone tell you that you’re not amazing and perfect and beautiful.

I think you guys should never turn to eating disorders as an answer. Never.

I know it’s easy to shrug this off. Compliments never stick like insults do. But you know what? You can change that. You can tell people that this is who you are. This is your body, your life, your personality, and they can take you or leave you.

And if they leave you, they were never worth your time in the first place.

If you need to talk, send me a message. If you need to talk beyond the character limits of Tumblr, go email me. Even if you end up running out of things to say so you instead just start to list your favorite vegetables in reverse alphabetical order, just do it.

I’m always here for you beautiful, strong, amazing, wonderful people, and I want you to know that.

More about Eating Disorder Awareness Week here.

I’m like your own personal cheerleader. Like this chick!

Is a low-carb diet really the answer for weight loss?

What about exercise level? How does that factor in?

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CARBOHYDRATES

My half-marathon training is at full intensity, and I ate a whole frozen Amy’s organic mushroom pizza before my 9 mile run today. So, naturally, I have a vested interest in carbohydrates after my “I CAN’T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE THING” moment. Seriously, I can’t believe it. I hate mushrooms. And pizza, usually.

Carbohydrate facts:

• If you’re training for a race and running upwards of 15 miles a week, you’re going to need to eat more carbs and more calories. Check out this AWESOME guide about  CARBS FOR RUNNERS from Runner’s World Magazine. Cutting carbs during your training will NEGATIVELY affect your performance.
• Where are carbohydrates found? Pizza, bread, fruits, veggies, rice, milk, cookies — all the good stuff. Read this guide from Harvard Health. It has a ton of great information.
• Will a low-carb diet help me lose weight? Short answer: yes, if you eat the right amount of calories and don’t consume too much animal fat and protein. Fruits and veggies are important, everybody! Put more plants in your face! Long answer: check out this article by the Mayo Clinic. Basically, making healthy choices will always yield favorable results, but there has been some evidence that low-carb diets have lasting long-term effects. 

Tools:

Use this calculator to help you figure out how many carbs you should be eating a day. It’s the only one I’ve been able to find thus far, so use it with a grain of salt. Above all, make healthy choices, guys!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from people asking whether or not diets like the “Lemonade Diet/Master Cleanse” are a good idea.

Is swimming in a tank of Great White Sharks with no protective gear whilst holding a bloody piece of meat a good idea?

Exactly.

WHY DIETS DON’T WORK

• Diets are misleading.

What the diets tell you: “Hey! Lose like 20 pounds in one week by only drinking lemonade! Just starve to rid your body of toxins and lose fat just like Beyonce!”

What the experts say:

“Lean muscle and fluids are the first to go on starvation diets, not belly fat,” Johnson says. “And the problem is that when you lose muscle mass, you turn down your metabolism, so it is counterproductive when you return to normal eating because you will need fewer calories.”

• Diets have a start and end date. Once you return to your old habits, the weight returns as well. Your weight will fluctuate like a yo-yo.
• Diets are dangerous. They promote an unhealthy relationship with food.

“Whenever you follow an extremely restrictive diet plan, it is usually followed by an extreme binge,” Johnson says.

Her advice: Forget fasting and detoxing. She says there is nothing magical about these kinds of plans, they don’t work long-term, and they ultimately perpetuate an unhealthy relationship with food.

When a special occasion calls for slimming down quickly, get more aerobic exercise and trim calories with a healthy, well-balanced diet plan. Quick weight loss doesn’t last. In most cases, the lost weight returns along with a few added pounds.

If you choose to follow this plan, be sure to only do it for a few days — and consult your doctor beforehand.

You wouldn’t voluntarily do something you know is wrong, yet so many people think that these tempting diets are the right answer to lose weight. For some people, their unhealthy relationship with food leads to eating disorders and weight-related self-esteem issues.

Spread the word! Reblog this. We can promote healthy habits and stop people from swimming with sharks. That’s just silly.