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Fitness Questions and Answers

It’s Derby Week in these here parts. And unless you’ve ever lived in Louisville, you can’t possibly grasp the magnitude of Derby Week. It’s bigger than Christmas—and I’m not kidding. There are parties, festivals, concerts, parades, parties and fireworks. And parties.People greet you by saying “Happy Derby.” Businesses shut down and schools close. Except for the school my kids go to, of course. Apparently the Christian school cannot reconcile a Free Day for a Horse Race where people drink Mint Julips and gamble. WhatEVER.Once you move here, you can’t help but get sucked in by the excitement of it all. Though, I still for the life of me, cannot figure out what the hoopla is all about. Please don’t tell anyone here that I said that. I really do want to have friends. And I’m fairly certain “loving all things Derby” is a prerequisite for residency and friendship. It was in the small print of our home contract…I think.

Anyway, all that to say, last night I was out until midnight at a schwanky Derby party at Churchill Downs. My throat hurts from talking and my feet hurt from my awesomely adorable new shoes. And in a few minutes we are off to the Derby Oaks. That’s the day BEFORE the real Kentucky Derby (think Christmas Eve), where there’s a big ole’ horse race and everyone shows up in fancy clothes and hats and sings My Old Kentucky Home—the words of which I still do not know.

So I’m typing frantically to get this Fitness Friday post up. Did you really need to know all that? Yes, you did.

This week I’m answering a few questions that have been discussed over at my other blog Fitness Friday Fanatics*. This is a private blog I started for those of you who wanted a little extra accountability in reaching your fitness goals in 2009.

(*note:  this blog no longer exists.)

One of the things I love about Fitness Friday Fanatics is that we totally let our hair down. For me, that means that I never, ever proofread a post (I know you are thinking that I don’t proofread this one either, but I swear I do.) And I don’t add fancy links or cute graphics. And I post whenever I want, or DON’T want! It’s RAW blogging freedom, y’all. Something about that statement just made me want to drive a pick-up truck with a confederate flag on the back glass. Weird.

It also means we speak freely about our struggles and concerns, and we ask lots of questions. And then all these smart Fitness Friday Fanatic ladies chime in with their thoughts and encouragement. (Thank you, Jesus, for creating the person who invented Google…because without it, I would have nothing to contribute.)

So this week, I thought I’d share some of the questions these awesome ladies have posted, along with some of the answers—cleverly disguised, of course, so as to protect their identities. (Insert Mission Impossible theme music here)

Q: I’ve always heard that sugar substitutes are harmful – more harmful than real sugar? Are they worth using?

A: Permission to speak freely? I hate sugar substitutes. I hate everything about them. Not only do I think they taste odd, but they are chemically produced in a lab. That means they are FAKE FOOD. Not intended for human consumption. I’m sorry if you consume them.

I don’t hate YOU.

I love YOU.

I just hate what you are eating. The more I read about chemically processed foods and their effect on our health, the more I hate them. Here’s a little tidbit of information about two of the most popular:

Aspartame (Nutra-Sweet) accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame: Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.

Sucralose(Splenda)-People think this one is safe because it’s “made from sugar.” But recent studies have revealed links to weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. And a recent Purdue University study found this fake sweetener to wreak havoc on the metabolism of laboratory animals. Which may explain why people who consume diet sodas and “sugar free” processed foods tend to still gain weight.

Consider this: the average American eats about 30 teaspoons of sugar a day, or 114 pounds of sugar a year! So sugar substitutes appear to be the best of both worlds: sweetness without calories.

But the truth is there, is no miraculous way for us to continue to indulge in overly-sweetened, highly processed foods while still maintaining maximum health and fitness.
The price is too high to pay, in my opinion. The best way to enjoy sweet foods is to choose those that are naturally sweetened to begin with: FRUIT is your best option. If you do eat food with added sugar or if you add your own, the World Health Organization recommends that you limit it to 12-15 teaspoons a day.

Q: I work out very hard, (4-5 days per week) and I’m seeing little results. If I miss a day or two of working out, I gain weight immediately, even when I restrict calories. Also, when I first started working out, I lost weight easily, but now I can’t seem to lose any more. What is going on?

A. That is incredibly frustrating, especially when you are doing all the hard work of exercising. Here are a few things I would suggest:

1. Keep a food log for a week. Many times we are eating way more than what we think. A food log will reveal where we need to cut back.
2. Change your work out. At around 6 to 8 weeks, your body adapts to your workout routine. The way to blast through this is to do something completely different. You can accomplish a similar effect by doing interval training, which I explained in detail here.
3. Lift weights. The more muscle you build, the more efficiently you will burn calories. Adding weights is also a great way to bust through a plateau.
4. Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours, rather than 3 large meals a day. This keeps the metabolism burning calories at a consistent rate throughout the day.
5. Realize with age, the metabolism slows down. Every few years, I find I have to work out more and eat less to maintain the same size. I suppose by the time I’m 80, I will be living on a treadmill with a saline IV attached to my arm…but, by golly, I’ll still be a size 4!
6. Make sure your diet consists of real, whole foods as opposed to processed “fat free” and “sugar free” diet foods. The research is beginning to come in on this, but something about all these faux foods is totally messing with our metabolisms.
Speaking of metabolism, you may want to check out Jillian Micheals’ new book Master Your Metabolism. I’m reading it right now and it is full of information about the effects of food and environment on our metabolism. Very interesting stuff.

Hey…I have an even BETTER idea! You can enter to WIN Jillian Michael’s book by clicking hereor simply scrolling down to my last post. I’m giving away a copy of it (or John Eldredge’s book, Walking With God). And all you need to do is leave a comment telling me your opinion about my book ideas!

(this give-away is now closed.)
Thanks for never missing an adventure!

20 Comments

  1. Oh I hope you had a great time at your Derby Party. And I always look forward to watching the Kentucky Derby. Why did Kentucky pick such a hard song to remember all the words? Oh well, love to see the ladies in their hats!

    So often people have the same questions so this is great. I know that as I age, it's harder to keep my weight down. I have to work out longer and decrease my calories. And I so agree with you about people underestimating their calorie counts. It really helps to write down everything you eat to see!

    Reply

  2. Oh I hope you had a great time at your Derby Party. And I always look forward to watching the Kentucky Derby. Why did Kentucky pick such a hard song to remember all the words? Oh well, love to see the ladies in their hats!

    So often people have the same questions so this is great. I know that as I age, it's harder to keep my weight down. I have to work out longer and decrease my calories. And I so agree with you about people underestimating their calorie counts. It really helps to write down everything you eat to see!

    Reply

  3. Thanks so much for discussing the sugar stuff. I have been enlightened!!!! I love Fitness Friday. It's such a motivator for me 🙂

    I hope you have a fun weekend!

    Blessings,
    Kate 🙂

    Reply

  4. Thanks so much for discussing the sugar stuff. I have been enlightened!!!! I love Fitness Friday. It's such a motivator for me 🙂

    I hope you have a fun weekend!

    Blessings,
    Kate 🙂

    Reply

  5. Sandy,

    I will post here and maybe on the FFF blog. I went to the doctor's the other day because well, I'm getting old (turning the big 4-0) in less than a week. And well, I for the life of me can't explain why when I restrict my calories I gain weight!

    So, I told my doctor that I must have a thyroid issue. Which she laughed. I just don't get why people are finding me so funny lately! When I'm trying to be funny, people take me seriously. When I'm serious, people find me hilarious. I need to work on my delivery. Hence, I digress.

    She did tell me that I was like her 10th patient to complain that day that their thyroid must be out of whack becuase they could not lose weight. As you can see, losing weight is a big issue here in Sunny South Florida. Or at least staying thin! And in her 3 years, there has only been 1 person of her countless patients who has actually had the thyroid as the problem.

    She burst my bubble that diet pills did not work. She burst my bubble that as I age my metabolism just doesn't work like it did when I was 20. And that is why I might be having trouble losing weight.

    She burst my bubble and told me that I would need to work out hard like for 5 to 6 days a week and eat healthy to lose these last few pounds because at this age, it's what works.

    We didn't address my huge consumption of Diet Pepsi which has significantly been reduced. But after reading your post, maybe that is keeping me pudgy.

    I'm still holding out that it might be my thyroid. But most likely, I am going to have to really start working out for REAL.

    Reply

  6. Sandy,

    I will post here and maybe on the FFF blog. I went to the doctor's the other day because well, I'm getting old (turning the big 4-0) in less than a week. And well, I for the life of me can't explain why when I restrict my calories I gain weight!

    So, I told my doctor that I must have a thyroid issue. Which she laughed. I just don't get why people are finding me so funny lately! When I'm trying to be funny, people take me seriously. When I'm serious, people find me hilarious. I need to work on my delivery. Hence, I digress.

    She did tell me that I was like her 10th patient to complain that day that their thyroid must be out of whack becuase they could not lose weight. As you can see, losing weight is a big issue here in Sunny South Florida. Or at least staying thin! And in her 3 years, there has only been 1 person of her countless patients who has actually had the thyroid as the problem.

    She burst my bubble that diet pills did not work. She burst my bubble that as I age my metabolism just doesn't work like it did when I was 20. And that is why I might be having trouble losing weight.

    She burst my bubble and told me that I would need to work out hard like for 5 to 6 days a week and eat healthy to lose these last few pounds because at this age, it's what works.

    We didn't address my huge consumption of Diet Pepsi which has significantly been reduced. But after reading your post, maybe that is keeping me pudgy.

    I'm still holding out that it might be my thyroid. But most likely, I am going to have to really start working out for REAL.

    Reply

  7. Thank you for this wonderful information! Can I join your special "private" group? As you may remember, I have a long way to go with my weight loss. I need all the encouragement and accountability I can get!

    Happy Derby Day! LOL… Do you have a great hat to wear?

    God bless,
    Michele Williams
    free2soarhigher@aol.com

    Reply

  8. Thank you for this wonderful information! Can I join your special "private" group? As you may remember, I have a long way to go with my weight loss. I need all the encouragement and accountability I can get!

    Happy Derby Day! LOL… Do you have a great hat to wear?

    God bless,
    Michele Williams
    free2soarhigher@aol.com

    Reply

  9. Great stuff! I use Stevia. Have you heard any bad affects of that? I think it´s the best so far! I actually try not to use any sweetners.
    I love your posts and I am awaiting the results of your book interview.
    So funny about the Derby Days. I had no idea. I loved Kentucky when we passed through this past year. We went to the Creation Museum.

    Reply

  10. Great stuff! I use Stevia. Have you heard any bad affects of that? I think it´s the best so far! I actually try not to use any sweetners.
    I love your posts and I am awaiting the results of your book interview.
    So funny about the Derby Days. I had no idea. I loved Kentucky when we passed through this past year. We went to the Creation Museum.

    Reply

  11. Oh Sandy, you're gonna hate me… I use sugar substitutes in my coffee, and I occassionally drink Diet soda. I know, I know….I'm a bad girl. I'm slowly trying to get them out of my diet, but I LOVE coffee. Your post did inform me of things that I hadn't heard about them!

    Hope you had fun at the party.

    PS. I totally spaced out and forgot to link up to you last night. I will be doing this right away!!!

    Reply

  12. Oh Sandy, you're gonna hate me… I use sugar substitutes in my coffee, and I occassionally drink Diet soda. I know, I know….I'm a bad girl. I'm slowly trying to get them out of my diet, but I LOVE coffee. Your post did inform me of things that I hadn't heard about them!

    Hope you had fun at the party.

    PS. I totally spaced out and forgot to link up to you last night. I will be doing this right away!!!

    Reply

  13. O.K., this post really made me laugh. You're so funny!

    I totally agree about the artificial sweetener thing. I absolutely hate them too. If I'm going to have a soda, which isn't often, I figure I might as well have "natural" soda rathere than the fake stuff.

    I often think of my great-grandma who lived to be 86. She ate what she wanted in moderation–they didn't have the fake stuff back then–and had a happy, healthy life.

    Reply

  14. O.K., this post really made me laugh. You're so funny!

    I totally agree about the artificial sweetener thing. I absolutely hate them too. If I'm going to have a soda, which isn't often, I figure I might as well have "natural" soda rathere than the fake stuff.

    I often think of my great-grandma who lived to be 86. She ate what she wanted in moderation–they didn't have the fake stuff back then–and had a happy, healthy life.

    Reply

  15. This is really freaky … I was doing a search on "crystalline fructose". (BTW, crystalline fructose, found in things like Vitamin Water, is a higher concentrated form of high fructose corn syrup. Anyway – I started to read about artificial sweeteners & decided to check out your blog to see what you had on it.

    I also learned these "healthy" drinks are really 2-3 portions. My 50 calorie drink is really a 125 calorie drink!

    Why can't I just be happy with water?!

    Reply

  16. This is really freaky … I was doing a search on "crystalline fructose". (BTW, crystalline fructose, found in things like Vitamin Water, is a higher concentrated form of high fructose corn syrup. Anyway – I started to read about artificial sweeteners & decided to check out your blog to see what you had on it.

    I also learned these "healthy" drinks are really 2-3 portions. My 50 calorie drink is really a 125 calorie drink!

    Why can't I just be happy with water?!

    Reply

  17. Fascinating post. On lots of levels. I would love to be in on the Fitness Friday Fanactics. I won't write a chapter at this point, but staying fit is very important to me.I am concious of my healthc choices every day. I'm at beverlydru@hotmail.com. Thanks!

    Reply

  18. Fascinating post. On lots of levels. I would love to be in on the Fitness Friday Fanactics. I won't write a chapter at this point, but staying fit is very important to me.I am concious of my healthc choices every day. I'm at beverlydru@hotmail.com. Thanks!

    Reply

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