$ $ Saturday Savings $ $
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Freebie Friday Links: 02.27.15
Enjoy and sign up for all the Freebies I found this week by checking our:
Walmart Samples
--- Freebies too HOT HOT HOT to miss out on ---
Free Face Mask
Free Shape Magazine Subscription
Free Fancy Feast Cat Food Sample
Free 2-count Advil PM Samples
Free Face Mask
Free Shape Magazine Subscription
Free Fancy Feast Cat Food Sample
Free 2-count Advil PM Samples
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Putting it All Together!
Putting It All Together
So, if you are still with me, Thank You, and congratulations
on taking your first baby step into changing your life! Print out all the posts and put the printouts in a binder
so you will always have a toolkit to help you when you need it! A great reference to help aid in your Getting
Healthy Plan: Diabetes Edition!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Additional Resources to Help you stay on track!
Additional Resources
to Help You Stay on Track
- Calorie King App
- A great Trusted application for your smart phone! A Must Have App that helps you stay on track with your weight loss goal! If you need to know how many calories or carbs are in a certain food or need to know how many calories are in that Big Mac, just enter the information in the search field and within seconds all the nutritional information is at your fingertips!!
- Cornerstones4care
- A ton of great information for diabetics. Great printouts and ideas to help you in your weight loss journey!
- Fitbit
- A great activity tracker! I like the Fitbit Flex. “This slim, stylish device is with you all the time. During the day, it tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. At night, it tracks your sleep quality and wakes you silently in the morning. Just check out the lights to see how you stack up against your personal goal. It’s the motivation you need to get out and be more active.”
- SweetSuccess.gov | SweetSuccess.org
- A great online resource for pregnant women who already have diabetes or pregnant women who have gestational diabetes! Great resource to find what and how much you should eat while pregnant!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Staying Organized with Body Training Cards
Staying Organized with Body Training Cards
I find it hard to find new and good workout routines,
especially when it comes to anaerobic activities. So I got inspired! I adapted Self’s Body Bonus Cards that are in
the magazine and made my own version. Whenever
I find an exercise I’d like to try I print it out, or cut it out of the
magazine and put it on an index card! I
place all the cards on a round ring so that it’s easy to keep up with and it stays
organized. Plus I don’t have millions of
ripped out pages to worry about.
I also like the fact that I can pull out an x amount of note
cards and I can use that as my routine for the next week or so. Then the next week/ month I set those previous
used routine cards aside and do another set of cards I draw out. You can use this concept weekly, and monthly
depending on what you want to focus on.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Making a Motivational Board
Motivation
-making a motivational board-
How do you stay motivated to keep on going? For me it’s simple! I place a photo of our baby we lost in front
and me and remind myself I have to keep going!
No matter what, no matter how bad it hurts, or what I think, I have to
keep going! I also have a motivational
board! It’s basically a poster board
with cutouts of my favorite quotes, words, etc that help keep me
motivated. See below on how I made my
motivational board!
I simply bought a poster board for $1 at the Dollar Tree then used recycled cardboard and cut words and photos I liked from magazines. I glued the words to the cardboard then cut it out so it would be sturdier. I then taped it onto my poster board so that it would be easier to move if I didn't like where I stuck it!
If you decide to make your own DIY Motivational Board please share it with us!
Deal Alert: Free Shipping at Honeybee Gardens!
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Monday, February 23, 2015
Freebie: Gevalia Samples
FREEBIE ALERT
A RICH, NEVER BITTER CUP OF COFFEE AWAITS! Try a Free sample of Gevalia!
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Logging and Tracking Your Intake & Outtake
Logging and Tracking
Intake and Outtake
I find it very beneficial and important to track and log my
entire intake (calories consumed) and all of outtake (calories burned). This way I can look back and see what worked
and what did not work. Even on those
days when it seemed like nothing worked right, I can see what I ate, if I
exercised, was I doing all I could do. It
also helps me stay accountable for my choices and actions!
Recording my total calories, fat, carbs and protein can be a
chore sometimes but I’d rather have it on record than not have it at all. It also helps me keep track of what I’ve
eaten when I notice my blood sugar spikes or gets low! It’s a great tool in helping me keep my blood
sugar under control!
I log my daily intake of food in a composition book. Nothing fancy, just simple, and it works for
me! I also record my outtake as well as
glucose numbers. This allows me to flip
open to any specific day and see what I ate, what my sugars were, and what
activity I did to burn off those calories!
By tracking my daily intake and outtake, I have learned that
I do not need a big lunch like I thought.
My body has told me the main meals I need are breakfast and supper. So I know I can aim for a certain amount of
calories for lunch everyday and I know I will be on track and then in the end
have a decent supper plus a dessert or snack!
Now before tracking, I ate 3 meals and 1-2 snacks a day, now however; I
know I don’t need that much! So logging
and tracking has helped me visualize what I need and don’t need!
You can find all sorts of Free Printables online to help you
log and track your progress. Just simply
do a search and find one that best fits your needs.
Next post in this Series: Making a Motivational Board
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Saturday Savings 02.21.15
$ $ Saturday Savings $ $
Current Money Saving Deals
Print FREE Coupons Here!
Joann's Yarn Sale!!!
I bought 12 skeins of Vanna's Choice Lion Brand yarn for only $23.48! I made 2 transactions and used (2) $5 off coupons I found in my free magazines I receive.
Joann's Yarn Sale!!!
I bought 12 skeins of Vanna's Choice Lion Brand yarn for only $23.48! I made 2 transactions and used (2) $5 off coupons I found in my free magazines I receive.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Making a Schedule
Making a Schedule
The key to seeing results is making a schedule and sticking
to it! Decide on what activities you
will be involved in and how often you will be performing these duties. It is said that the recommended daily
activity be at least 30 minutes 5 times a week.
Then with muscle training not to over work your muscles and have at
least 1 day in between.
Let your body adjust
to change! When you first start
changing your food intake and daily activity, your body will be totally
confused! Your body will be shocked and
start saving and storing its sugar because it thinks it is starving! In about 3-4 weeks, your body will adjust and
realize that it is getting fed so it will adjust and stop storing so much
sugar. It will then hopefully begin to
start using that “stored sugar” and you will start to begin seeing results.
I believe that a month after your body adjusts, you should
throw in exercise! Your body is very
smart and it adjusts to any routine in about 6 weeks. So I think I should adjust my workout
routines about every 4-6 weeks. I can
change it by adding more reps, more weight, or change the exercise itself.
One must remember that a Workout Routine consists of:
- Warm Up – warm up muscles and get them ready
- Cardio / strength training
- Cook Down- stretch and relax the muscles worked
- Interval Training (Optional)- are little bursts of extra fast activity that burns even more calories!
And most importantly, the longer the workout the longer the warm
up and cool down!
A Sample Workout Routine
Warm Up (5-10
minutes overall)
- Jump rope
- Walk in place
- Slow dance moves
- Dance to your favorite beat
Aerobic (2-5 times
a week, 30-60 minutes overall)
- walk
- run
- swim
- bike
riding
- Wii
fitness games
Anaerobic (on non
consecutive days, 2 times a week, 20 minutes or dependant upon number of sets
and reps done)
- Lunges
- Squats
- Push ups
- Crunches
- Videos
Cool Down (5-10
minutes overall)
- Stretch / Flexibility
- Meditate
- Walk
slower in place
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Getting Healthy- Diabetes Edition: Cardio VS Strength Training
Cardio VS. Strength Training
Okay, you’ve started eating healthier. Now What?
Well you need to get some exercise right? Yep! You
not only need cardio but resistance, strength training as well.
What’s the difference
between Aerobic and Anaerobic activity?
My doctor’s recommendation is to aim for at least 30 minutes
of activity a day, 5 days a week. You
might find yourself saying Holy Crap!
But don’t fret, it’s not as bad as you may think. The key word here is “activity!” Some call it cardio others call it aerobic
activity. You and do anything your
little heart desires as long as it raises your heart beat and gets you
moving! Aerobic activity uses fat energy!
As long as the activity is “repetitive, long and hard enough
to challenge your heart and lungs, and is over 20 minutes in duration,” it can
be considered aerobic activity according to Bamboo Care Fitness! There are all
kinds of things you can do to raise your heart beat and stay active. You can garden, walk, swim, play outdoor
games, work on your hobby or even clean the house. Anything that requires you to get up, move,
and not be sedentary! The key to activity
is to get up and move!
Now when it comes to anaerobic activity, there are tons of
ways to get your body working. This kind
of activity is also called resistance or strength training. It’s any form of exercise that uses carbohydrates as its energy source. When you work your muscles and eat protein,
it promotes muscle growth!
The 2 MUST Do's here are:
Build
Muscle
Eat Protein
You can increase your muscle mass simply by being involved
in activities that use your muscles. It
can be natural exercise movements, flexibility movements like yoga or
stretching and resistance training like lifting weights which build
testosterone which is a hormone that burns fat!
Just get moving and move those muscles!
According to an article at Fox News, just by consuming 20-30
grams of protein a day you could increase your lean muscle and reduce your body
fat percentage! So a high protein diet
is a must to help fuel your muscles for fat burning! Did you know that it’s
said 1 pound of fat is approximately anywhere from 2900-3800 calories! (Zoeharcombe.com). While only 1 pound of
muscle is approximately only 600 calories!
Wow, that is a huge, huge difference.
So that’s why I say it is imperative that anyone trying to lose weight
and especially body fat needs to build muscle!
e
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Getting Healthy: Diabetes Edition: Good Foods VS Bad Foods
Good Foods VS Bad Foods
What is considered good food? What is bad? Know one will ever really know but some facts
hold true. Unprocessed foods, natural
foods, are the best choice. Your body
knows how to break these foods down and use the minerals and nutrients more
effectively than those processed foods.
However, the sad thing is, is that we live in a processed world! We can’t go a day without running into some
kind of process food whether it be fast food, or a processed food found in the
grocery store!
So how do you find the good stuff you ask? Well it’s easier than what some think but
then again it’s hard at the same time because your body craves the nasty bad
stuff because most likely you’ve been shoving it down your mouth for probably
the majority of your life. We want things convenient, fast and something that
taste good regardless of what it may do to our health. We are human!
But there are ways to get around all the bad stuff.
I can’t say I am completely eating 100% good foods, because
I am not! I still eat processed foods
because of its convenience most of the time.
Other times, I just don’t feel like cooking. But I remind myself that it is okay! Why, because I am taking gradual, baby steps
in preparing my body to get adjusted to the good foods.
What are Good Foods
and Bad Foods?
Here are a few items that I consider good/ bad foods:
Good Foods (Whole Foods)
- whole grains
- legumes- beans, lentils, peas, soybeans, peanuts
- fruit (in moderation and to be eaten with a meal)
- uncooked veggies (these have more nutrients and vitamins) particularly green veggies
- cooked veggies (good still but have less nutrients and vitamins)
- whole wheat bread
- multi-grain bread
- brown rice
- bran cereal
- oatmeal
- lean meat
- high fiber foods
- dietary starches
Bad Foods (Processed Foods)
- bread
- rice
- potatoes
- pasta
- any form of sugar (table sugar, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, etc.)
- soft drinks
- candy
- jams and jellies
- white colored foods like pasta, bread, etc
The other night, I was craving brownies and of course I had
a pre-packaged brownie mix in my pantry.
I read the nutrition label and said oh no, I’m not even going to eat one
because honestly, I really didn’t want to work those carbs and calories off! But I made them and told my husband he could
have them. (I know, not a good decision,
but I wanted them gone!) Well, to put a
long story short, I took one little nibble off the brownie and just spit it
out! It was so freaking nasty that I
couldn’t believe that I used to eat them as dessert!! Then I was like wow, my taste buds have
changed!! In reality, I haven’t had any
added sugar in about 2 weeks so when I ate the pre-packaged brownies, my body
was like uh no!
So my assumption is that I limited my intake of sugar, and
sugary foods so my body adjusted.
Therefore when I ate a sugar packed brownie, my body had to remember
what that kind of sugar tasted like. The
reaction, eww! So that’s a good
thing!
What can you do
then?
You can do a lot of things to get the ball rolling! But if you are like me and just starting off
with your life long change, you can adapt the following ideas into your
lifestyle:
By limiting your
access to the bad foods, you begin to train yourself, your body and most
importantly your mind! If you don’t have
access to the bad stuff then you will more likely eat whatever else is in front
of you! So make sure it good food like
raw veggies, low sugar protein bars, etc.
Another great way to help you get a hold of the good foods
is when you do your grocery shopping, shop
for the foods that are lining the wall.
The majority of the foods lined around the wall will have the better
nutrients and options. Where we live,
the majority of the stores have their veggies, dairy, meat, and grains on the
outer part, lining the wall while all the bad stuff is in the middle, just
tempting you to pick it up. However,
every now and then venture in the middle isles and see what’s there, because
with some marketing strategies, they will put the good stuff in the center with
the bad stuff! Just make sure to check your
labels and if you want that cookie, just remember that cookie counts and you
should work it off if you want to stay on target!
Read, read, and read!
Read your labels on everything,
especially your processed foods items! I really love granola bars. They are quick, easy, fast and convenient and
taste good and fix my craving for chocolate or sugars! However, not all granolas are created
equal. So it’s imperative to read all
nutritional labels! You can have high
sugar content but a low calorie count. You have to decide what is best for you and
what you are willing to sacrifice and if you will be working off that 30 carb
cookie!
Eat what you want! Yes I just said that! Do not, I repeat, do not deprive yourself of
foods you enjoy or really like or what you can’t live without! You can treat yourself without going
overboard! If you haven’t reached your
calorie limit or carb limit for the day, enjoy!
If you have gone over your limit, go ahead and eat it too. Just remember not to eat the whole pie! You can eat just a nibble if you want or
slice. The choice is up to you! But make sure you keep a mental note of how
you felt after eating that “treat.” You
will train your body and your body will train your mind! You have to keep working at your goal to make
a difference!
It’s really not rocket science when choosing good foods;
it’s basically taking control and making a choice! Yeah the manufactures and companies put those
bad foods out there, but it’s up to you as an individual to say no, to eat whole
foods and adapt to eating foods that is good for you and your body. Moderate what you eat and you will begin to
see a difference.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Getting Healthy-Diabetes Edition: Meals Plans and Math!
After Diagnosis and meeting with my Dietician
After being diagnosed and put on medication, I knew I had to do my part, so I began researching diabetes meal plans, exercises and ways I could start to lose weight. I already knew that the recommended daily calories intake should not exceed over 2000 calories and not to go below 1200 calories per day. So calories wise, I knew what my standard basics were. What I didn’t know was Carbohydrates and how they affected my overall health and not just my diabetes.
About a week later I had an appointment with my dietician and I learned many new things I never knew before. She basically gave me a lot of great reading material and a broken down meal plan of 1500 calories a day with only a max of 160 carbohydrates per day. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked. So I had to break it down even further!
Nova Nordisk Inc grants permission to reproduce this piece for nonprofit educational purposes only on condition that the piece is maintained in its original format and that the copyright notice is displayed.
So I looked at the page and said alright, but it was still a little confusing to me; talking about carb exchanges, starches, and etc. So I had to do a little more research for myself to fully grasp this concept. I wanted to truly understand how all this worked, so I used good ole’ google and started searching. Here are some of my notes:
- 3 main component of food:
- carbohydrates (1 gram carb= 4 calories)
- Protein (1 gram protein= 4 calories)
- Fat (1 gram fat= 9 calories)
- Carbohydrates consist of:
- Sugar (1 gram= 4 calories)
- Starch
- Fiber
Sugar and Starch are basically sugar. All carbs except for Fiber convert to Glucose!
- Some Math
- 1 tsp of sugar= 4 grams of sugar = 16 grams of carbs (4 carb grams x 4 calories in 1 carb)
- (1 serving size of carbs) aproximatley = 15 total grams carbs
- Types of Carbohydrates
- Good Carbs
- Takes about 40 minutes to metabolize
- Also known as Unrefined Carbs or Complex Carb
- Foods are high in vitamins and minerals: whole grains, uncooked vegetables, mulit-grains, etc.
- Bad Carbs
- Metabolizes instantly or less than 40 minutes
- Also known as Refined Carbs or Simple Carbs
- Foods are processed that remove vitamins and minerals: sugars, honey, candy, soft drinks, jams and jellies, etc.
- Daily Recommendations:
- 45%-65% of your daily calorie intake should be from carbohydrates
- 20%-35% of your daily calorie intake should be from fats
- 10%-35% of your daily calorie intake should be from protein
- women who are under 50 years of age should aim for 25g of fiber per day
- men who are under 50 years of age should aim for 38g of fiber per day
Putting it Together
For example only: using the following as Daily Recommendations:
· 45% carbs
· 20% fats
· 10% protein
· 25% fiber
Add these up and you should get 100% of daily recommendations. So with a 1500-calorie meal plan you should have a daily intake of:
- 168.75 grams of Total Carbs
- .45x1500=675/4=168.75
- that’s 45% times 1500 calorie meal plan divided by 4 (# of calories in 1g carb)
- 33.333 grams of Fats
- .20x1500=300/9=33.3333333
- that’s 20% times 1500 calorie meal plan divided by 9 (# of calories in 1g fat)
- 37.5 grams of Protein
- .10x1500=150/4=37.5
- that’s 10% times 1500 calorie meal plan divided by 4 (# of calories in 1g of protein)
- 42.1875 grams of Fiber (A part of Total Carbs)
- Remember that Fiber is a part of carbs, so:
- .25x168.75=42.1875
- Therefore the remaining balance of carbs should be from sugar and starches
- 168.75-42.1875= 126.5625
- Note: I find it harder to manage each gram of Fiber in contribution to overall Total Carbohydrates therefore I do not break this down when I am counting my percentage for the day. Instead I use the grams of Total Carbohydrates!
To Find # of Servings per Carbs:
- Remember 15g carbs= 1 serving
- So Total # of Carbs= 168.75 grams
- To Find # Per Serving= 168.75/15= 11.25
So that is a total of 11.25(servings of carbs) on a 1500-calorie meal plan!
NOTE! My advice is to count your Fats, Proteins and Total Carbohydrates! Fiber is important but monitoring the percent of Fats, Proteins, and Total Carbohydrates that contributes to your total overall intake of calories makes it easier to manage and count.
Overview of a 1500-Calorie Meal Plan
Daily Recommendations:
- 168.75 grams of Total Carbs (45% of Calories)
- 33.333 grams of Fats (20% of Calories)
- 37.5 grams of Protein (10% of Calories)
So it just comes down to doing your math homework to understand what exactly is recommended for you based on what your doctor and dietician suggest! Personally, I find it easier to count Total Calories, Fats, Total Carbs and Proteins. Others find it easier to pick from a list of food that they know that has been put into categories that have been suggested for weight loss. Basically, use what works for you!
What I have learned: One size does not fit All!
Through all of this, I have learned that everyone is different. My body uses things differently than another person and that is okay. It just may mean that I have to work longer and harder to get the results I need but in the end, what matters is that I am changing my life and getting healthier!
Through this, I have realized that sugar is some what like a drug. That we should consume sugar in low doses and really understand what sugar does to our body. I think a good diet includes low sugar and low refined carbs, and not necessarily specific foods but rather good quality foods that are high in fiber with good qualities of protein and fat. According to nutritionmd.org, a study they did indicated “people who ate at least 3 servings of whole grain a day have a 20%-30% lower risk of diabetes!” They recommended a diet low in fat, and high in fiber and carbs, and I would believe they mean unrefined, complex carbs.
Basically, when it all comes down to it everyone needs to do their own research, make notes, ask questions, and get additional help if needed. If something just isn’t “clicking” get answers! There is no pre-designed meal plan for each individual, such as the 1500-calorie meal plan in this post, but it is merely a suggestion on how to get started. Use your resources and make a plan that suits you, your lifestyle and your goals!
It’s not going to be easy, it will be worth it!
Here are some additional resources I received from my dietitian:
Cornerstones4care: This is a wonderful resource with tons of information! Online through the site, you can make meal plans, track your progress, and lo your every move!
SweetSuccess.gov | SweetSuccess.org A great online resource for pregnant women who already have diabetes or pregnant women who have gestational diabetes! Great resource to find what and how much you should eat while pregnant!
High Blood Sugar Pamplet
Low Blood Sugar Pamplet
What Is Diabetes Fact Sheet: Page Link | PDF Pamphlet
Prediabetes Pamplet
Type 2 Diabetes & Insulin: Page Link| PDF Pamphlet
Type 2 Diabetes Changes How & Why: Page Link| PDF Pamphlet
Checking your Blood Sugar Pamphlet: Page Link | PDF Pamphlet
Managing Diabetes safely during sick days Pamplet
Foot Care for people with Diabetes Pamphlet: Page Link | PDF Pamphlet
Keeping your feet active Pamphlet: Page Link | PDF Pamphlet
Reading a Nutrition Facts Label Pamplet: Page Link | PDF Pamphlet
Planning Healthy Meals Packet
A 1500-Calorie Meal Plan Pamplet: Pamphlet
Diabetes & You Booklet: Page Link | PDF Booklet
Carb Counting and Meal Planing Booklet: Page Link | PDF Booklet
Sticking with it Healthy Recipes: Page Link
Various Calorie Meal Plans: Page Link
Monday, February 16, 2015
Getting Healthy-Diabetes Edition: Understanding Diabetes and the Risk Factors
Understanding Diabetes and the Risk Factors
What I’ve learned
about Diabetes after talking to my Doctor and Dietician!
When I first got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I was like
Oh Wonderful! I knew that it was going
to be a life changing journey for me but I really didn’t understand how I was
going to “cope” and live with it!
Thankfully today, there is a better understanding of what it is and how
we can cope with the disease and hopefully one day find a cure for it!
My instinct already told me that I had diabetes before my
doctor confirmed the diagnosis I had already given myself. All the signs were there. I had been monitoring my glucose levels after
I had lost my first baby after only 8 weeks gestation. And with my family genetics, I knew I was at
a higher risk of having the disease. And being overweight didn’t help me
either! I just didn’t know which type of diabetes I
had. Was it Type I or Type II?
When you have diabetes, your pancreas either makes little or
no insulin or your body prevents the insulin your body does make from working
like it should. Type I diabetes is where
your body does not produce any insulin, a hormone that is made in your pancreas
that helps sugar move through blood into your cells, or doesn’t make enough
insulin. Type II on the other hand can
be described as where your body does not properly use the insulin that your
body does make. So there I was, knowing
the fact that I had Diabetes but waiting to see which one I had!
I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I was in that 1% of the “90% -95% of individuals
whom have Type II Diabetes” (Cornerstones4care.com). I even had risk factors that contributed to
my diagnosis. According to
Cornerstones4care.com there are two categories of risk factors:
Risk Factors that cannot be changed:
·
Being over the age of 45
·
Having diabetes in the family
·
Being a member of certain ethnic groups
·
Having had diabetes during a pregnancy or giving
birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Risk Factors that can be changed:
·
Being physically active
·
Being overweight
·
Having high blood pressure
So right then and there I knew I had to make a change! It wasn’t about if I was going to make a
change, but when I was going to start changing my life and taking care of the
factors that I could change!
Make sure you check out this wonderful resource:
Cornerstones4care: This is a wonderful resource with tons of information! Online through the site, you can make meal plans, track your progress, and lo your every move!
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