Saturday, October 15, 2011

NOT every calorie is equal and I need to make a DISCLAIMER

Let me start with the disclaimer for those of you out there who were born skeptics and critics....

Everything that I share in this blog comes primarily from a source of personal experience. I am NOT a nutritionist or a dietician nor am I a doctor. This is not a professional website. It is a blog. What I share with you will sometimes err. I will exaggerate cause I'm like that. For instance when I say things like, "OMG! You will love this! This is the best thing you will ever do in your LIFE!" I am not being literal ok?

However, I AM well educated in the area of nutrition and fitness and have made it my lifestyle and have gotten incredible results from it. For those of you who have known me for more than 5 yrs...can I get an AMEN!

You can criticize me or my claims....that is TOTALLY fine....and I am TOTALLY ok with being wrong. I am teachable...that's why I know a lot. ;) I am eager to learn just as much as I am eager to share.
However, you have to go on evidence sometimes even when you don't understand the details. You may not agree with organic eating, and have your reasons why it's BS. That's cool. But for ME...clean eating and living has changed me from the inside out. I am not a know it all. Are you ready to GASP. Many of you don't know that I used to be an addict. If you want to know to WHAT....call me. It doesn't really matter. The point is that I've been on both ends of the spectrum. I know what it is like to destroy my body and I know what it is like to nourish it. It's the only body God gave me and I intend to care for it so I can be strong for his purpose.

You all may also think that I am OBSESSED with health and fitness. I am NOT! I spend an hour or two MAX exercising and thirty mins to an hour blogging. I wake up early to get things done. I am fully available for my husband and children and I have many other things that I am involved in and enjoy...and I DO clean my house and shower every now and then OK? Why didn't I put up a Friday Circuit? Because yesterday I chose to take a day off and chillax with friends and family.

I am not trying to defend myself because I am very proud and confident in my choices, but I just have to put it out there that I never want anyone to think that I am a know it all or that I am judgmental and so on. I am imperfect...DUH. I simply feel called to be a leader in health and I am good at it. And there are SO many people who helped me in this way and I am just paying it forward.

Alright...PHEW! Got that out of the way!

TOPIC OF THE DAY: NOT EVERY CALORIE IS EQUAL!!!

 I had a wonderful dear friend challenge me earlier on my breakfast and did a calorie count. I said it was 350...her calorie count was astronomical.
Ok. I used WAY less than the portions she listed. And I do not always use ALL of the ingredients like I said I did. If I do then I use very small amounts, but it adds up to a nice bulky meal. BUT even if it does come out to SAY...400 calories that's still a small breakfast.

This led me to the topic of calorie consumption. I DO believe in calorie control because it's just a plain fact that if you consume more than you expend then you will gain weight.

HOWEVER...within the last 2 yrs I have come to realize that NOT every calorie is equal and the person who eats 2000 calories of m and m's will be in far worse shape than the person who eats 2000 calories of raw vegetables. (that is just a random example, but you get my point). It's good calories versus bad.

Why are calories not equal? Because there are foods that nourish us and there are foods that destroy us. If you are eating processed crap then it will ruin your hormones and your metabolism. Your body will not be as efficient and metabolizing the bad calories you consume and you will therefore have a more difficult time keeping the weight off and having energy.

If you eat foods that nourish your body. eg. They restore your muscle, they hydrate you, they cleanse you, they stimulate your cells, they feed your brain, etc. Then your metabolism at rest will be more efficient.

I am  was a fitness instructor and got the body bugg to see which exercises burned the most calories. Anyway, long story short....on an average day my body would burn well over 3000 calories and sometime even close to Four! Whoa! On a day I didn't exercise...it would burn about 2600.

Do you know what a BMR is? It's your Basal Metabolic Rate. Google it. You can calculate it to find out what yours is. In short....it is what your body on average should burn at rest. My BMR is about 1400. That means that my metabolism is a freaking machine. Ok. Sorry. I know it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn. But TOOT! Cause I am PROUD of that!!! So myself and someone else with a screwed up metabolism who eats poorly will eat the same number of calories and my body will burn more than theirs because I have a better metabolism.

Ok. Now let's stop there....why am I not a TWIG! Because I eat too much ok! :) No really...because I wasn't designed to be one. My body fat is low, but I have muscles and I am curvy and guess what....I like it! I have gained about 15 pounds in the last year and a half because I needed to. Ok...maybe 5 of those I could give to someone who really needed them. BUT being 130 and a size 2 at 5'4'' may be normal for some, but for me...it caused me to lose a period for 9 months, break out, and have no estrogen. I had to put fat on.

Since then....it has been a battle with my hormones. Especially after my miscarriage last year. I struggle too, but I refuse to diet ever again and I am determined to nourish my body in such a way that honors God...and to learn to love my body in the way it was designed to be...and that is NOT a size 2.

My friend and fellow instructor, Tracy Adams yelled out in class one day...
"STRONG IS THE NEW SKINNY"

Ladies and gentlemen, let's stop with the restrictions and the dieting. Feed your body calories that nourish you and your family in powerful ways, eat them in reasonable portions, don't be a glutton, discipline yourself to exercise, and try to enjoy your life. In effect...your body will take on the shape it was designed to take. And the real challenge is to be ok with it.  

Alrighty! Thanks for letting me get all that out. It's important for you to know the place I am coming from. :) 

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